Wisdom Talks Podcast

Our guest today is Sally Kempton, a world-renowned author, and Teacher of what she calls Devotional Contemplative Tantra. A tradition based on the most authoritative Shaiva scriptures, deep devotional practices, and direct experience. Her teachings are based on the most esoteric direct transmission school of non-dual awareness known as Shaktipat. The veracity and authenticity of her teachings are rooted in the teachings and transmission she received from her Guru, Baba Muktananda, which she has skillfully developed and assimilated over the last 45 years. 

Her book, Meditation for the Love of It, is destined to be a spiritual classic of the 21st century as an authoritative meditation and deep contemplation manual for daily practice. She was for many years the editor of many of Muktananda’s most popular books, where she developed an Indian scriptural literacy and understanding of Muktananda’s teachings that are unprecedented among western spiritual teachers.

Our conversation is a casual and free-flowing sharing of heart space among three old friends. We cover the full spectrum of our long relationship which originated with and is still based on our deep connection to our Guru, who we affectionately refer to as Baba. Sally shares her early years meeting Baba and transitioning from a fully engaged successful career in journalism based in NYC, to focused practice and disciplined adherence to the direct transmission teachings of Muktananda and the Shaiva Tantras that is his enduring legacy. 

Our nuanced discussion covers a wide range of significant issues central to authentic spiritual practice. We discuss the Guru principle, Shaktipat, and direct transmission, non-dual awareness, the ancient Shaiva tantric scriptures and the teachings that are based on them, Goddess worship, which was the subject of her book, Awakening Shakti, and much more. 

To directly contact our hosts, visit their respective websites:

https://www.meditatenow.net- Show Notes, Links and Resources, including Glossary of Terms for all Episodes and to contact Marc directly. 

https://larryholmespracticalwisdom.com/ - For All Episodes and to contact Larry directly and review his consulting and coaching services.

We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did, and if you do, please share it with your friends. 

Our guest today is Bob Quinn, organic farmer, author, scientist, and food researcher. This conversation is a deeply insightful discussion about ancient grains, food systems, and the rural communities that produce our food. We talk about the food itself, how its grown, processed and distributed. The factors which determine the quality of our food and some of the little-known research Bob and his team have done around wheat and gluten sensitivity. He reveals discoveries he’s made about ancient grains, wheat in particular and gluten sensitivity by applying rigorous science and a persistent determination to find the cause of one of America's most mysterious food issues. 

Bob didn’t start out to be food researcher, rather he sort of backed into, but like the other things he’s done in his life he jumped in with both feet and did the best he could. That attitude along with a great deal of perseverance and determination to understand the truth, uncovered previously unknown linkages to the gluten sensitivity issue and left a trail of over 30 peer-reviewed research papers on the subject of his trademarked ancient grain KAMUT® and gluten sensitivity. 

The conclusion of his research efforts is a 4-point program of addressing gluten sensitivity which has proven to be over 95% effective. He explains his discovery in detail in our conversation. 

However, Bob considers himself first and foremost an organic farmer. He farms in one of the more challenging environments in the United States, the dry northern plains of Montana. He’s a third-generation farmer, but the first to be certified organic. In fact, this year they will celebrate the 100th anniversary of their grandfather's founding of their family farm in Big Sandy, Montana. 

There are a few things that I find interesting about Bob’s story, first, he’s not just an organic farmer, but he is also a scientist. He holds several degrees, but the most relevant and significant is a PhD in plant biochemistry from UC Davis, one of the most prestigious ag universities in the US. This broad-spectrum background gives him a perspective that is extremely rare and insightful.
This is probably one of the things I appreciate most about Bob’s work. He reflected in his recently released book, Grain by Grain: 

“As I furthered my studies, I came to a deep appreciation for the magnificent order of the universe and the interrelations that characterized living systems. I found it quite inspiring to see how everything was tied to everything else.”

What I’m most excited about this conversation is the fact that it is a real-world, practical application of the Universal Principle, that everything is connected and we are all One. And if we are going to survive as a species on this fragile planet, we must act decisively and with courage, in a spirit of cooperation, collaboration, and mutual respect for everyone and everything that lives here with us. 

The late visionary, R. Buckminster Fuller stated it very succinctly when he said, 

 “We are not going to be able to operate our Spaceship Earth successfully nor for much longer unless we see it as a whole spaceship and our fate as common. It has to be everybody or nobody.” 

This has been the spirit of Bob’s work since the beginning, and it is one of the reasons he has been so widely recognized. He was the 2007 recipient of the Montana Organic Association Lifetime of Service Award. He was awarded the “2010 Organic Leadership Award” by the Organic Trade Association, and in 2013 he was the recipient of Rodale Institute’s Organic Pioneer Award.

His initial efforts to further organic agriculture were to help form Montana’s first Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) chapter in 1987 where he served as its first president, as well as serving on its International Board of Directors, receiving its outstanding member award in 1991. He a

Our guest today is Swami Prakashananda, the world-renowned biographer of Baba Muktananda and his oldest living direct disciple.  Swamiji’s remarkable life has taken him to India over twenty times, spending a total of over 14 years living in India over the last fifty years. 

If you have been following our Wisdom Talks podcast and listening to the previous episodes you know how often our guests mention the intersection of their lives with Baba Muktananda and how the contact with him has influenced their lives and more often than not, very dramatically. 

In today’s conversation, three of Baba’s direct disciples share a behind the scenes conversation about what it was like living and serving Baba and his global mission and the thousands of followers and devotees he touched. 

This is a conversation about the often-subtle teachings of one of the greatest yogis of the 20th century. We share the candid stories and insights those of us who had the privilege to work with him closely and interact with him personally experienced. 

He was often called the Guru’s Guru. He was a Siddha, a master who had completely merged with Pure Consciousness, the field that underpins all 3D reality. He lived and worked with us from that vantage point, for the benefit of all who came in contact with him or approached him with a yearning for Truth.

From the Biography, by Swami Prakashananda:

Baba Muktananda was one of the most respected and revered spiritual masters of the 20th century. He not only spoke on spirituality but was an Ecstatic Yogi who had the rare ability to give a person a direct experience of the inner Self. This process is known as Shaktipat, whereby the divine power or energy — known as Shakti or Kundalini — is transmitted directly into a seeker by the Guru.

Baba Muktananda – A Biography is the story of the greatest Shaktipat Guru of modern times. You can purchase this rare book directly from Swami Prakashananda at www.sarasvatiproductions.com. 

To directly contact our hosts, visit their respective websites:

https://www.meditatenow.net- Show Notes, Links and Resources, including Glossary of Terms for all Episodes and to contact Marc directly. 

https://larryholmespracticalwisdom.com/ - For All Episodes and to contact Larry directly and review his consulting and coaching services.

We hope you enjoy the conversation. 

Our guest today is Dr. Kanu Kogod, the Founder and President of Bridges in Organizations, a coaching and leadership organization that works in the business, health care, government, and non-profit sectors.  She is a trained anthropologist, master certified coach, and renowned organizational development consultant.

She co-designed and facilitated Leadership Alchemy, an award-winning transformational, leadership development program which received great acclaim through its work at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center where the program was active for almost a decade.

Kanu’s mission is to develop dynamic skills for leaders using a holistic approach. It focuses on language, body, and emotions enabling her clients to design conversations, build leadership presence, and raise their emotional intelligence.

In our wide-ranging conversation, we cover the complete spectrum of the human experience beginning with her early childhood in the suburbs of Detroit, the impact that her father being a holocaust survivor had on her compassionate and sensitive world view. 

She shares in great detail the development of her holistic leadership training and the magnificent work she and her organization have done working with some of the staidest and most entrenched patriarchal government cultures like NASA for almost a decade. 

Be sure and stay with us to the end when she candidly shares the genesis of her transformative work and the spiritual unfoldment that still informs it today. 
To directly contact our hosts, visit their respective websites:

https://www.meditatenow.net- Show Notes, Links and Resources, including Glossary of Terms for all Episodes and to contact Marc directly. 

https://larryholmespracticalwisdom.com/ - For All Episodes and to contact Larry directly and review his consulting and coaching services. 

Our conversation today is with the late Master Charles, American mystic, meditation teacher and Guru, mentor, and spiritual guide to thousands. An incredibly talented and creative individual, author of six books and countless audio and music recordings. He is an acknowledged pioneer in the evolution of human consciousness and a personal friend who I’ve known and worked with for over 45 years. 

His colorful life began as a child model and actor at the age of 9, followed by twelve years beginning in 1970, of fully devoted service to his Guru, Baba Muktananda, traveling the world with him. In 1977 he was initiated into the ancient order of Sannyasa where he was given the name Swami Vivekananda Saraswati. After Muktananda’s death in 1982, he carved out on his own to finish the work Muktananda asked him to do; bring the ancient meditation traditions of India to the West and deliver them in a modern and accessible way. What followed was 35+ years of community and technology development, teaching his self-styled American brand of mysticism based on ancient Tantric traditions and the Guru-Disciple relationship to the Western world. 

In our conversation, we cover the full spectrum of his life. His special relationship with Muktananda as his personal secretary, his life-long relationship with the Divine Feminine, Shaktipat initiation, Kundalini integration, the Guru-Disciple relationship, his infatuation with technology and the development of the Synchronicity High Tech Meditation process. 

Master Charles passed from our physical presence on January 24, 2019. Today I offer what I believe is one of the last interviews he did before his death, to his courageous Spirit, and the friendship, love, and respect that he shared with me and so many others unwaveringly until his last breath. I hope you enjoy our conversation. 

To directly contact our hosts, visit their respective websites:

https://www.meditatenow.net- Show Notes, Links and Resources, including Glossary of Terms for all Episodes and to contact Marc directly. 

https://larryholmespracticalwisdom.com/ - For All Episodes and to contact Larry directly and review his consulting and coaching services. 

Our guest today is John Tilton, a world-renowned porcelain potter and veteran meditator who brings four decades of focused inner work in a dynamic spiritual community to his art form. And the results are truly breathtaking. You can see the remarkable results of his dedicated awareness coupled with his passionate and skillful talent at his website, tiltonpottery.com. 

Our discussion today is very practice-oriented, a rare peek at the ongoing dialogue between a devoted seeker of Truth and the subtle energies that influence that pursuit. We discuss the nuances of his ongoing ‘conversation’ with the subtle Energy one becomes aware of as they continue to refine their perception through deep spiritual inquiry. These are the often-subtle promptings, feelings, and directives that all mystics of all traditions have spoken and written about, though we all experience them. 

But our conversation is practical and very real. John discusses the 200+ real-world variables that he deals with on a daily basis as he engages his art form with his beautiful creations. He discusses the perseverance needed to test these variables in what has resulted in more than 30,000 glaze tests, all formulations he personally developed. 

John is an early adopter of the Eastern yogic lifestyle which he has been living very intentionally for more than four decades. The creativity and perseverance he brings to his craft, largely informed by his daily meditation and contemplative lifestyle. He says, 

“I make the pots I love to make. I continue to be inspired and informed by historical pottery, by a fascination with the micro- and macro-universes, and by my lifelong effort to quiet the mind through meditation.” John Tilton

We hope you enjoy this conversation with a truly talented artist and a very deeply spiritual person.  

You will find an expanded introduction and all the show notes, links, resources, and a glossary of terms at our websites here below.. 

To directly contact our hosts, visit their respective websites:

https://www.meditatenow.net - Show Notes, Links and Resources, including Glossary of Terms for all Episodes and to contact Marc directly. 

https://larryholmespracticalwisdom.com/ - For All Episodes and to contact Larry directly and review his consulting and coaching services. 

In this conversation, Larry and I have a far-ranging discussion on topics dear to our hearts. We discuss the science and practice of yoga, the power of the mind to be our greatest asset or our most devastating liability. The core teaching of our Guru, Baba Muktananda, “To see the Self everywhere, in everyone.” We discuss the application of Quantum Mechanics, the ubiquitous nature of Kundalini and the interconnectedness of all life.  Larry shares his teachings on ‘PurposefulLleadership. And finally, we share the power of selfless service and the beautiful work that Peter Singer is doing, serving the less fortunate. This is a very rich conversation, intended to start the new year with empowering contemplation. 

There are a few points in the discussion which require further clarity or corrections. Later in the conversation, we discuss the three wealthiest people in the world and specifically the work that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is doing around the world. We wish to clarify that this is in no way an endorsement of the three wealthiest people in the world, their companies, business practices, or approaches to the issues they are addressing in their respective fields. Our discussion is however intended to honor and respect the fact that they, specifically the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, are actively trying to find solutions and address the challenges we all face as human beings. While their solutions or implementation may not be perfect or even optimal, they are proactively doing the best they know-how. 

I (Marc Ketchel) also stated in our conversation that Jeff Bezos was a “wisdom holder”. I meant that in the narrowest sense. Here again, I was simply acknowledging his achievement and perseverance spanning decades in becoming the wealthiest person in the world while completely disrupting the online retail space (for better or worse) and his commitment to continued innovation in multiple sectors. Again, this is in no way an endorsement of his personal lifestyle, business ethics, or any other aspect of his activities.

Second, a correction, I (Marc Ketchel) stated in the conversation that Regenerative Agriculture was number 5 in the list of one hundred ways we are addressing the existential threat of climate change. I misspoke and this is incorrect. In fact, Regenerative Agriculture is number 11 in the list of ways to constructively and sustainably address the biggest threat to our existence on the planet, climate change. However, number 3 is reducing our food waste, which is a huge problem and something each one of us can contribute to in some meaningful way. At the present time, it is estimated that between 40 – 50% of all food produced globally is wasted. This is an alarmingly large number by any standards. 

Number 4 on the list is, in fact, the adoption of a plant-based diet. I hope to address this subject and the larger climate change issue in future episodes.

Looking forward, I’m considering doing a book review on a regular basis in 2020. My interest in non-fiction, actionable literature, ie. yoga practice and philosophy, and the latest paradigm-shifting science is a life-long passion of mine. I try and read at least 50 -75 books a year and enjoy personal relationships with many thought-leading authors in the consciousness space. 

If you are interested in this project and you think you might find value in this sharing please go to my website and leave me a note with the words, Book Review, in the subject line. To be clear, I expect these reviews to be short 15-20-minute reviews that will be insightful and actionable. 

Our guest today is my “Wisdom Talks” co-host Marc Ketchel, and I’m your host Larry Holmes. Today’s episode is a conversation with my cohost Marc Ketchel, meditation teacher, veteran organic food and natural products business owner, world traveler, and serial entrepreneur.  A passionate, action-oriented, get things done kind of guy and a long-time personal friend. In fact, we’ve known each other for over 45 years, living and working together on a global project beginning in the early ’70s and ’80s. We were both Vedic monks at the time and worked together teaching and managing with a large international organization founded by our Guru, Baba Muktananda.  

He often refers to his ‘9 lives’ a bit tongue in cheek. But we will only cover a couple of those lives today. In this interview, we have a far-ranging conversation in which Marc discusses topics like his almost 50-year passion for the daily practice of meditation and the impact Ram Dass’ book Be Here Now had on his life, growing up in a Special Operations military town, being saved by an Army Ranger while recovering from a football injury in a military hospital, his personal and abiding relationship with his Guru, Swami Muktananda and their almost ten-year relationship as he traveled with him around the world. 

He shares intimate and emotional details of his experiments with psychedelics and his life-changing relationship with the magic mushroom, psilocybin. I was also able to tease out a few nuggets from his extensive business background with insights he had working with spiritual teacher, author and iconic technology entrepreneur, Michael Singer over a ten-year period. 

This interview is a small but dramatic peek at what is in store for our listeners who will listen to the Wisdom Talks podcast in the weeks and months ahead. I’m sure you will enjoy my energized guest. 

To directly contact our hosts, visit their respective websites:

https://www.meditatenow.net/ - Show Notes, Links and Resources, including Glossary of Terms for all Episodes and to contact Marc directly. 

https://larryholmespracticalwisdom.com/ - For All Episodes and to contact Larry directly and review his consulting and coaching services. 

Ep# 8 begins with Dr. Gabriel Cousens describing his Kundalini awakening during his first meditation session with his Guru, Swami Muktananda and I’m your host Marc Ketchel.

In today’s episode, I’m having a conversation with Gabriel Cousens, MD, a very popular holistic physician, Rabbi, and meditation teacher. But he’s really much more than a meditation teacher, he brings decades of personal experience working with a fully awakened Kundalini to his teaching. Not only has he developed rare insight over the last four decades through his own evolutionary journey, but also through working with thousands of others who have sought his guidance with their process of awakening.  

His direct experience with Kundalini, which he refers to as the evolutionary power, goes back to the 1970s and his early work with Lee Sannella, MD. Soon after his initial explorations and collaboration with Lee through the Kundalini Crisis Clinic, they developed a “kundalini machine”.  The “kundalini machine” and Gabriel’s intense desire to know and experience the spiritual evolutionary power, led him to meet the renowned Kundalini master Swami Muktananda, and that’s when his inner journey really began to intensify and accelerate. 

In this deeply insightful and candid conversation, we explore all the subtle facets of the awakening and inner journey, and how to nurture its full development and unfoldment. We discuss the intensity and his characteristic all-in focus that he brought to his daily practice, despite the uncertainties of not knowing where it would lead him. He talks about his abiding faith in the Guru, which carried him through each stage of his development over a 7-year period. 

To say Gabriel is a rare and extraordinary individual is an understatement, but the best I can think of at the moment. My hope is that by sharing his story we will pave the way to making it not so rare and unusual in the future. 

For those hearing about Kundalini awakening for the first time or serious students of Kundalini who want to further their research, the names of the subtle energies and practices referred to in our conversation are all linked in the show notes and the glossary of terms at meditatenow.net. 

I hope you enjoy this enlightening conversation with Rabbi and holistic medical doctor, Gabriel Cousens, MD. 

In today’s episode, I’m having a conversation with Larry Holmes, psychologist, leadership trainer, and corporate consultant for some of the largest companies in Australia. He’s also my cohost of the Wisdom Talks podcast and long-time personal friend. In fact, our relationship and friendship goes back almost 50 years, to the 1970s when we were both Vedic monks serving our Guru, Swami Muktananda, who we affectionately called Baba, spreading the worldwide Meditation Revolution that he had inspired. 

Larry played a very significant role in Baba’s global mission. He was for the longest time the MC of all his public programs, as well as the special meditation teaching programs called Intensives. In addition, he was Baba’s correspondence secretary, where he interfaced with Baba daily bringing him mail from his thousands of devotees all over the world and communicating Baba’s replies to their questions and inquiries, large and small, spiritual and apparently mundane. The deep teachings he received in that role was that for Baba, there was no difference between the mundane and the spiritual. All of life was simply the ongoing dance of the Divine, a play of Consciousness. 

In our conversation, you will get a sense of Larry’s gentle and laid-back style as well as his self-effacing ordinariness of what has truly been an extraordinary life of deep inner work, personal reflection, and high spiritual circumstance. For those spiritually sensitized, you will hear the thread of Grace that runs through his life. 

Though Larry is known and loved by thousands around the world, as a way of introducing him to those who haven’t had the pleasure to meet him and work with him, I’ve tried to cover the scope of his life. I started the conversation with questions about his family his early life and the lessons he learned from his father and their close-knit family. He shares the trauma of receiving his draft notice at the height of the Vietnam War and the life-changing lessons learned while serving his country during those turbulent times.  He shares lessons learned, thinking of others before himself and the power of the mind to uplift our spirits or create a virtual hell. 

Be sure to stay around for the end as he shares his meeting with Baba Muktananda, the experiences he had and the enlightening wisdom he received through their long and extraordinary personal relationship. Larry shares his insights on Baba’s unique teaching style and ability to transmit meditation through the empowerment known as Shaktipat. 

For those interested in what being with a highly enlightened Guru is like, this episode will be a treasure.

To directly contact our hosts, visit their respective websites:

https://www.meditatenow.net/ - For All Episodes, Show Notes, Links and Resources, including Glossary of Terms for all Episodes and to contact Marc directly. 

https://larryholmespracticalwisdom.com/ - For All Episodes and to contact Larry directly and review his consulting and coaching services.