Pilgrim Heart with Krishna Das

Discussing the power of the present moment, Krishna Das empowers us to make a difference in our lives by redirecting our negative habits into positive changes.

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“You have to find out what you have to do to make your life what you want it to be.” – Krishna Das

In this episode of Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das discusses: 

• His thoughts on reincarnation and karma
• Going after the things you want in life
• The lesson of betrayal
• The western fantasy of romance compared to the spirit of unconditional love
• Being alone with our thoughts and emotions

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Discussing the intensity of painful emotions, Krishna Das describes how practicing letting go can allow us to live at home within ourselves.

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“Right now, we’re programmed to hold onto everything. But over time, we can let go of our identification with the negative states of mind, the negative self images, and the negative stories we tell ourselves. But you can’t push those away. We have to train ourselves to release them.” – Krishna Das 

This episode features a special kirtan with Krishna Das and friends, Benjy and Heather Wertheimer and Steve Gorn, as well as a conversation on: 

• How regular practice allows us to habituate to the feeling of letting go to allow intense emotions to run through us
• Maharaj-ji’s response to the death of a devotee
• A miracle story about Swami Nityananda
• The lila when Ram Dass gave Maharaj-ji the first copy of Be Here Now 
• Maharaj-ji sending Krishna Das back to America to deal with his desires
• Learning to trust yourself as the most important part of the spiritual path

This teaching is part of a 4-week long Yoga of Heartfulness online course featuring teachings from Ram Dass and friends. Learn more about this 10 hour course: Ram Dass' Yoga of Heartfulness

If you enjoyed the episode, dive into the heart work of Benjy and Heather Wertheimer at shantalamusic.com, and Steve Gorn at stevegorn.com. 

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Discussing the inevitability of suffering, Krishna Das guides us on returning to our true, present nature.

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“There's no escaping suffering, that is the number one truth. This world is filled with it. We can develop a way to live in a world that changes the way we react to difficult and painful circumstances.” – Krishna Das 

This episode features a virtual kirtan with Krishna Das and a discussion on:

• Allowing love to show its face
• The grace of the saints and the guru
• The Ramayana 
• The inevitability of suffering
• Presence and our true nature 

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This week, Krishna Das helps us notice the gradual, positive changes that come from maintaining practices like chanting.

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"Live your life. Go after the things you want. Hopefully, that will include some spiritual practice which will ripen you to become the love that lives within you." – Krishna Das 

In this episode, Krishna Das leads us in devotion and discusses:

• Connecting to an individualized practice
• Changing fate through chanting
• The Guru within and allowing grief
•  Devotion through service
• The Kundalini of an Open Heart

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Dr. Robert Thurman and Krishna Das lecture on chanting, Maharaj-ji, embodiment, and purpose in this devotion-filled episode. 

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"Human beings are such a precious embodiment...it's a great opportunity to become enlightened That's what you do when you attain freedom. You don't stop living; you become infinite life, you become one with everybody's infinite life." – Dr. Robert Thurman

"I would try to find the thing that you really want to do, and really do it. When I heard chanting in India, the first time I heard it I knew 'this, I could do.' And I'm still working at it." – Krishna Das

In this episode, Krishna Das chants and responds to questions with Dr. Robert Thurman on:

• Experiences with Maharaj-ji
• Enlightenment and Embodiment 
• Having a less rigid spiritual practice
• Finding purpose 
• How mantras are holographic
• Giving up your will to the divine 

About Dr. Robert Thurman:

Known in academic circles as Professor Robert A.F. Thurman, Bob is a talented popularizer of the Buddha’s teachings and the first Westerner Tibetan Buddhist monk ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He is the author of many books on Tibet, Buddhism, art, politics, and culture and was named by The New York Times as the leading American expert on Tibetan Buddhism. Bob is a Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University and the Co-Founder and President of Tibet House US/Menla in service of HH Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet. A close friend of the Dalai Lama’s for over 50 years, he is a leading worldwide lecturer on Tibetan Buddhism and a passionate activist for the plight of the Tibetan people. In August of 2021, he released his most recent book, “Wisdom is Bliss” from Penguin Random House.

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After swaddling listeners in devotional chanting, Krishna Das describes thinning the ego and diving into the ocean of love.

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"That's what these practices are for, ultimately, so we can experience the depth of love and peace within us. There is no button to push, it is a question of developing trust in yourself, confidence in yourself, and practicing regularly." – Krishna Das

In this episode, Krishna Das chants and explores:

• Suffering, Relativity, and Subjectivity
• Thinning out the Ego
• The wisdom of Neem Karoli Baba
• Slowing down and practicing self-care
• Letting go of separateness in the ocean of love
• Attachment versus the field of love 

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Through non-attachment and mantra repetition, Krishna Das teaches us that we can invoke presence and find our true nature.

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"Because Ram, Sita, Radha, all these beings are rooted in a deeper consciousness than we have, by repeating their names we invoke that presence, that place within us that is deeper than our thoughts, emotions, and physicality. That's the real meaning of these names, they are real love. The same love that is within us. – Krishna Das 

In this episode, Krishna Das mindfully shares:

• The “Om Namo Bhagavate Vaasudevaayaa” chant on harmonium to begin the episode
• A reflection on the impermanence of feelings and the body
• How everything is accomplished through repeating mantras 
• Maharaj-ji's interpretation of attachments
• The importance of practice

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Krishna Das offers flowing kirtan and explores mantras as the Divine Names which help us uncover the love that lives within us.

Help others improve their mental and emotional well-being, reduce stress, improve focus, increase self-awareness and self-regulation — all while deepening your own practice and understanding.

Join Buddhist teacher David Nichtern and special guest Professor Robert Thurman for a free online program on Tuesday, February 14th at 6:00pm ET. Visit dharmamoon.com/beherenow for more info and to reserve your spot for the free info session!

 "Sanskrit is considered to be a revealed language. What that means is that the sound is actually the sound form of the Divine. It's called 'The Name.' So, these Names, these sounds, are actually the form of that blissful reality that we all are already, the love that lives within us." – Krishna Das

In this episode, Krishna Das dives into:

• A flowing "Hare Ram / Sita Ram" chant on harmonium to kick off the episode
• Sanskrit mantras as the Divine Names that help us uncover the love that lives within us
• Experiencing Maharaj-ji, not as something separate, but as the love that lives within us
• Cultivating our inner strength in order to stay strong, open, and extend our heart to the suffering of the world
• The transformational effects of psychedelics on KD's life, and Maharaj-ji's advice around them
• An uplifting Hanuman Chalisa (4 A.M. Chalisa), as well as a resonant chant to Lord Shiva to close out the podcast

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Krishna Das describes the first step of any mindfulness practice: calming the mind. When the mind is serene, we can handle it all.

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"Not only are you singing, you're using your breath, you're hearing the sound of your voice and other voices, and that all helps you pay attention. It all helps you stay home, here, where we are supposed to try to be." – Krishna Das

In this episode, we learn about:

• Staying focused and present
• Mantras and chanting
• Grief and loss
• Being at home in our being
• Detachment and relationships
• The true nature of real love

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Drawing on the availability of grace, Krishna Das explores being a good person to ourselves and others in this virtual Satsang.

In this episode, you will learn about remembering the truth, having patience with yourself, and connecting to the guru.

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"Until we love ourselves enough, until we learn to give ourselves a break and not judge ourselves so harshly, we will always be comparing, judging, evaluating and trying to buy affection...you just have to do the work on yourself." — Krishna Das 

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