The Free Radical Podcast

What happens when bhakti becomes more than something we practice—and begins to reveal who we truly are?

In this episode of the Free Radical Podcast, Swami Padmanabha welcomes Mukunda Das for a rich exploration of the living theology of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, drawing from Mukunda Prabhu's decades of devotional experience and his book, Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana: A Study in the Applied Practice of Bhakti Yoga.

Their conversation centers on three foundational dimensions of bhakti: sambandha (relationship), abhidheya (practice), and prayojana (the ultimate goal of divine love). Far from being merely philosophical categories, these principles illuminate how spiritual understanding becomes lived experience, how practice deepens relationship, and how love continues to unfold without limit.

Along the way, they explore the sacredness of the material world, the distinction between genuine spiritual realization and institutional identity, the nature and function of guru, and the importance of recognizing spiritual growth beyond rigid, black-and-white conceptions of advancement.

A recurring theme is the necessity of genuine relationship—not only with the Divine, but with one another. When sambandha is understood, bhakti ceases to be a mechanical performance of prescribed activities and becomes an increasingly conscious expression of love.

And what of the ultimate goal? If divine love is infinite, can it ever be fully attained? Their reflections on prayojana open toward a beautiful paradox: love fulfills our deepest necessity while continually awakening the capacity and longing for more.

An invitation to reconsider what it means to practice bhakti, recognize grace already at work, and discover that the spiritual journey is not simply taking us somewhere else—it is revealing the life we are already beginning to live.

Connect further with Mukunda dasa:
FaceBook: /mukunda.das.1042
YouTube: /@MukundaDas-pm4vc

https://youtu.be/GnLYb32siTk

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In this episode of the Free Radical Podcast, we sit down with renowned thinker Ken Wilber for a far-reaching and nuanced exchange on consciousness, spirituality, and human development.

Ken, creator of Integral Theory, is known for his ambitious attempt to synthesize the insights of the world’s major spiritual, philosophical, and scientific traditions into a unified framework. With over 25 books translated into around 30 languages, his work has made a lasting impact across fields including psychology, education, leadership, medicine, and organizational development. Often described as the “Einstein of consciousness studies,” he is widely regarded as one of the most influential contemporary voices in the study of human evolution and awareness.

His most recent book, "Finding Radical Wholeness" (2024), which he calls the most significant work of his career, continues to expand his vision of integral living and development.

In this conversation, we explore the many layers of Wilber’s thinking—and much more. It’s a warm, thoughtful, and deeply reflective exchange that invites listeners into a broader understanding of what it means to be human.

Connect further with Ken Wilber:
Instagram: /@ken.wilber.official
FaceBook: /IntegralLifeOfficial
YouTube: /@IntegralNaked⁩
Website: https://integrallife.com/

https://youtu.be/0PZ-ZzIxYFY

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In this episode of the Free Radical Podcast, we sit down once again with dear friend and brother, mentor, author, and Vaishnava creative Deva Madhava Das for a profound conversation on initiation, masculinity, and the spiritual journey toward wholeness.

Drawing from years of experience building intentional spiritual community through the Harmony Collective in Michigan, Deva Madhava explores the importance of rites of passage for modern men, the role of elders and brotherhood, and why initiation is not a single event but an ongoing process of transformation. Together, we discuss the wounds and challenges many men carry, the wisdom traditional cultures preserved around initiation, and how authentic community helps shape integrated, spiritually grounded human beings.

This conversation also touches on the unique spiritual strengths women bring into communal and devotional life, the necessity of bearing witness to one another’s struggles, and the sacred responsibility of growing into maturity with honesty, humility, and support.

A rich and deeply human dialogue on tribe, belonging, spiritual formation, and what it truly means to become whole.

Connect further with Deva Madhava:
Instagram: / @devinordeva
FaceBook: / deva.madhava.das
YouTube: / @bookman108
Substack: https://substack.com/@devao
Email: [email protected]

https://youtu.be/k8OTciWnTtQ

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In this episode of The Free Radical Podcast, we sit down with author, speaker, teacher, and newly found sister, Mirabai Starr. Mirabai is an award-winning writer and internationally acclaimed teacher of inter-spiritual dialogue, known for her grounded work at the intersection of mysticism, grief, and contemplative practice. In 2020, she was named among Watkins’ list of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People.

Drawing on over two decades of teaching philosophy and world religions at the University of New Mexico, Taos, Mirabai now travels internationally sharing her work on spiritual practice, sacred texts, and the transformative power of loss. She is the author of more than a dozen books, including Wild Mercy, Caravan of No Despair, and the recently revised edition of God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. She is also widely acclaimed for her contemporary translations of mystics such as John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, and Julian of Norwich.

In this conversation, we explore themes of contemplative wisdom, inter-spirituality, surrender, longing, love, social justice, and feminine wisdom. We also discuss Mirabai’s latest work and the enduring question at the heart of her writing: what does it mean to live a life shaped by love?

Connect further with Mirabai:
Instagram: / mirabaistarr
FaceBook: / mirabai.starr
YouTube: / @mirabaistarr108
Website: https://mirabaistarr.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZAvZ6xYA64

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In this episode of the Free Radical Podcast, we sit down with Krishna Kinkari—author, scholar, devoted practitioner of the Sri Vallabh Sampradaya Pusthimarga tradition, and a cherished elder whose life has been shaped by decades of spiritual study, service, and devotion.

Born and educated in London, Krishna Kinkari journeyed overland to India in the early 1970s, drawn by a deep longing to immerse herself in the sacred languages and spiritual traditions of the subcontinent. Under the guidance of her guru, the late Sri Prathameshji, she dedicated herself to the study, transliteration, and translation of devotional literature, making more than twenty important scriptures accessible to English-speaking readers through her work in Sanskrit, Hindi, and Brajbhasha.

Having spent many decades living in Sri Vrindavan, Krishna Kinkari now embraces a more contemplative rhythm of life centered on bhakti, seva, and the study of the saints and poets of Braj. Alongside her devotional pursuits, she continues to support grassroots relief efforts serving some of Vrindavan’s most vulnerable residents.

Together, we explore her remarkable spiritual journey, the distinctive philosophy and practices of Pusthi marga, its intriguing connections with other bhakti traditions, her deep love for Braj, and her special devotion to Sri Radha. Woven throughout our conversation are profound reflections on surrender, service, divine love, and what it truly means to live a life dedicated to the sacred.

This is a warm, deeply insightful, and inspiring conversation with a practitioner whose life stands as a testament to the transformative power of devotion.

https://youtu.be/Wx5A8tQjRW8

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In this episode of the Free Radical Podcast, we are joined by Anglican priest, author, and former Canon of Wells Cathedral, Patrick Woodhouse. Our conversation unfolds through faith, suffering, and the possibility of transformation within life’s most difficult experiences. We discuss the search for meaning beyond fixed religious boundaries, including the ways in which faith can emerge in unexpected forms and settings.

Much of the discussion is shaped by Woodhouse’s engagement with the life and writings of Etty Hillesum, particularly through Patrick’s book "Etty Hillesum: A Life Transformed," alongside his work, "Life Transformed" and "Life in the Psalms: Contemporary Meaning in Ancient Texts" (Bloomsbury). Through these texts, he explores how ancient spiritual traditions and modern testimony can speak into questions that remain urgently present today: how to live with grief and tragedy, how to understand hope without denial, and how praise and lament can coexist within a single life.

At its heart, this episode invites reflection on how Etty Hillesum’s witness, along with the enduring voice of the Psalms, continues to offer language for both despair and hope in a complex and unsettled world.

https://youtu.be/g4jcmDjKk2E

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Join us on The Free Radical Podcast for a reflective and deeply human conversation with artist, author, Vaishnava scholar, and astrologer Vraja Kishor.

Having joined ISKCON in 1990, Vraja Kishor pursued formal studies at the Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education and spent several years immersed in devotional life and study. His path has also taken unexpected turns—most notably through his time with the Krishna punk band 108, where he helped integrate devotional themes into alternative music culture. Alongside his spiritual and artistic work, he has built a diverse professional background spanning software development and language teaching, before dedicating himself fully to Vedic astrology. He is also a translator of key Vaishnava texts, including work on the Bhagavad-gita, four cantos of the Srimad Bhagavatam, and ongoing translation of the fifth canto as well as the Yoga Sutras.

In this episode, we explore themes drawn from his memoir Train Wrecks and Transcendence—including the arc of spiritual life, relationships, early enthusiasm and later grounding, and the challenge of integrating depth with simplicity. The conversation moves through questions of responsibility, devotion, friendship, family, and the evolving relationship between rigidity and maturity on the spiritual path—arriving at a vision of wholeness that finds the profound within the ordinary.

Tune in for a thoughtful and open exchange that traces a life lived at the intersection of devotion, creativity, and lived experience.

👉 Connect Further with Vraja Kishor
IG: https://www.instagram.com/vic_dicara/
YT: https://youtube.com/@VicDiCaraAstrology

https://youtu.be/7KgvFFD_ma8

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In this episode of the Free Radical Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Sheri Kling—Christian author, theologian, artist, musician, public speaker, and spiritual guide—for a deeply penetrating exploration of the intersections of faith, theology, psychology, science, and the arts.

Drawing from her work as the author of A Processed Spirituality and her passion for helping others move from disconnection and doubt into deeper purpose, passion, and spiritual vitality, Dr. Kling offers profound insights into some of life's most challenging questions. Through her writing, teaching, speaking, and retreat ministry, she helps others engage transformative pathways toward a more vibrant and meaningful faith.

Together, we explore the nature of faith and belief, the reality of crisis, evil and suffering, and what it means to understand these experiences in the context of an all-alluring God. The conversation also touches on music, creativity, spiritual transformation, and the possibility of finding deeper meaning amid life's uncertainties.

This conversation is an abundant feast of wisdom, reflection, and hope—inviting listeners into a deeper and more transformative vision of spirituality. Join us for a conversation that will challenge, inspire, and nourish both heart and mind.

👉 Connect Further with Sheri
IG: instagram.com/sherikling
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@drsherikling
FB: facebook.com/SheriDKling
WWW: sherikling.com

https://youtu.be/CR02lwsI63o

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We are delighted to welcome to the The Free Radical Podcast renowned musician, author, and spiritual seeker Havi Prabhu—also known by his artistic name Ilan Chester.

Widely regarded as one of the most influential voices in contemporary Spanish-language music, Havi’s life and work span more than four decades of international artistry. Born in Israel to European parents and raised in Venezuela, his musical world was formed at the crossroads of cultures. A gifted pianist from early childhood, he developed a deeply expressive and stylistically open musical language that has resonated across genres and generations. With nearly 30 albums, hundreds of performances worldwide, a Latin Grammy Award, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Recording Academy, his artistic legacy is both prolific and enduring.

Alongside his musical journey, Havi has also walked a profound spiritual path. Initiated in 1973 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and given the name Havi Das, he spent five years living as a monk dedicated to bhakti yoga, serving and teaching in Venezuela and Colombia. Today, he continues to embody a life woven together through music, devotion, and lived experience—now also as a father of seven and grandfather of eight.

In this deeply human and wide-ranging conversation, we explore music, kirtan, prayer, community, and the healing power of being truly seen and affirmed. We reflect on fame and how to hold it with integrity, the lived experience of spiritual practice, and the formative encounters with Srila Prabhupada that shaped Havi’s journey. At its heart, this dialogue opens a space for honest reflection on trauma, creativity, devotion, and the search for wholeness through relationship and expression.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOtq82rYPnk

👉 Connect Further with Havi
IG: h / ilanchesteroficial
YT: / @ilanchester6784
FB: / ilan.chester.2025
WWW: https://ilanchesteroficial.com/

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Join us for an adventurous episode of the Free Radical Podcast, featuring spiritual director, teacher, retreat leader, and author Carl McColman.

Carl McColman is a lay practitioner under formal spiritual guidance from sisters and monks associated with the Trappist Monastery of the Holy Spirit. His formation in Christian contemplative spirituality and contemplative leadership was shaped through the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation, and he also received training in the practice of spiritual direction through the Institute of Pastoral Studies.

He is also the author of more than a dozen books, alongside contributions to publications such as Huffington Post and Evie of the Arts, and he continues to travel widely leading retreats and speaking on contemplative spirituality.

Alongside this deep grounding in the Christian contemplative tradition, Carl’s path has moved through the luminous terrain of goddess spirituality, nature-centered practice, and interfaith encounter. His early studies in comparative spirituality, along with a lasting engagement with the Christian mystics, have shaped a sensibility attuned to the hidden depths running beneath all religious forms—the presence that is both beyond and within what can be named.

In this conversation, we enter into a contemplative space where language begins to loosen its edges: where the divine feminine is not only discussed but sensed as a living current; where duality and non-duality are held in creative tension; and where awe, imagination, and wonder become ways of seeing rather than ideas to be held. We reflect on the sacredness that pulses through the natural world, and on scripture as a field of encounter rather than explanation.

👉 Connect Further with Carl
IG: h / ilanchesteroficial
YT: / @carl-mccolman
FB: facebook.com/carlmccolman
WWW: christianmysticism.wordpress.com

https://youtu.be/5SOIePac494

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