Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast

Framed by the Sufi wisdom of Rumi, a 13th century mystical poet, Omid Safi brings our awareness to the profound ways that we are interconnected with the divine.This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Omid Safi discusses :Living as a reflection of the Divine—carrying ourselves as mirrors of God’s light on earthThe gift of alchemy: the science that recognizes the whole of the universe as one essence Transforming that which is lowly into that which is sublimeSurrounding ourselves with communities and companions who bring us closer to GodPolishing the mirror of the heart until we can shine divine qualities outwardly Realizing that the beloved always was and always will be with usExperiencing the body as a vessel and conduit for graceThe mystical whirling dervishes and their harmony with the universeRumi’s best known work, The Spiritual Couplets, and its enduring inspirationAllowing our spiritual path to be supple, nourishing, and radiant with beautyBecoming what we already are (intertwined with the whole m

Immersing listeners in hope and optimism, author Anne Lamott helps listeners cultivate resilience through stories of honesty and service.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.In this episode, Anne Lamott holds a talk on:Service to others and selflessness as a clear path to hopeListening to the one-man band of our inner selves The Three A’s in the 12-step program: Awareness, Acceptance, ActionAllowing ourselves to feel the pain all around us, in the world, in our families, etc.Remembering that there is a solution to everything and that it is always spiritual Reframing death as a step to new life and regeneration Generosity as a natural human tendency that can be tapped into Talking to ourselves as if we are our most cherished friend Paying attention to the beauty in life and within ourselvesCheck out the book recommended by Anne, A Distant Mirror. "Service is always a path

Opening our hearts in practice, Trudy Goodman takes us through her Jellyroll meditation to encourage the expansion of metta from the self to others.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.In this episode, Trudy Goodman illuminates:The heart’s natural capacity to love and heal—reclaiming our birthright to compassionBeginning metta (lovingkindness) practice with those we deeply love and who love us in returnFeeling into the warmth, care, and well-wishes from those we visualize in our meditationSoftening the mental walls that block us from receiving love and emotional supportPowerful metta phrases to offer ourselves and othersEmbracing radical self-love—accepting ourselves just as we areExpanding lovingkindness to those we feel neutral about, widening our circle of careExtending compassion and goodwill even toward those we struggle withUsing the power of imagination to radiate boundless love to all beings e

Gil Fronsdal reflects on Anicca, the Buddhist teaching often translated as impermanence, and offers a more precise lens for Western minds to understand its meaning.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.In this episode, Gil offers wisdom on:How to create inner conditions that support the natural arising of wisdomUnderstanding inconstancy as a flow of coming and going, not a fixed state of changeA powerful fable: The Emperor of China’s quest for a painting that embodies peace and wisdomCalming the agitated, restless mind through meditation and mindful awarenessDiscovering true peace and safety within ourselves, rather than chasing it in the external worldThe value of noticing the flow of change and where our minds are caughtKnowing that it is not just the world that constantly changes, but also our perception of the worldFloating in the river of change rather than trying to swim against itSeeing Anicca t

Synthesizing the divine love found in Sufism with the primal emptiness found in Zen practice, Llewellyn reveals how each path has impacted his spiritual life. This episode is a companion to BHNN Guest Podcast Episode 213, Angels & Devas with Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check it out!In this week’s episode, Llewellyn goes over:Understanding the essence of Ch’an (Zen) as a harmonious fusion of Taoism and BuddhismInterweaving the mystical threads of Sufism and Zen practiceHow both divine love and pure awareness dissolve the thinking mindAwakening to the inner light and Buddha nature within every beingBecoming veiled by the play of illusions that we call lifeLlewellyn’s return to love after a childhood without itThe mystery of divine love as a selfless force that seeks nothing in returnWisdom from Llewellyn’s Indian guru: “There is nothing but nothingness.”The vast, primal emptiness found at love’s distant shoreIntegrating pure consciousness into everyday life—not just o

Deepak Chopra explores the inner universe and explains how turning inward connects us to God, higher consciousness, and the boundless intelligence of the cosmos.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.In this deeply intellectual episode, Deepak Chopra holds a lecture on:Three levels of existence: physical, quantum, non-local domainDefining God as the immeasurable potential of all that was, all that is, all that will beHow we are intrinsically connected to the cosmos and universal intelligenceAccessing the wisdom of the universe by turning inwardExperiencing the divine through our own awareness, identity, and perceptionWays we negotiate with the world and looking at the fight-flight response The four control dramas rooted in childhood behavioral conditioningOur innate ability to be in touch with our inner observer—our soul Understanding that consciousness can evolve Freeing ourself from the

Vipassana teacher Trudy Goodman shares how we can alleviate suffering by holding both universal and personal truths in our awareness.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.In this episode, Trudy Goodman provides wisdom on:The interwovenness of the sacred spiritual world and the conventional world The liberation found in not clinging to the personal or the universalHow the ‘Big Mind’ of awareness can make our ‘small self’ vanishUsing the fine details of daily life as doorways into vast awarenessReclaiming the sacred in the mundane: renewing presence in everyday momentsSeeing ourselves in the world and the world in ourselves Accepting reality and finding the goodness in all situations Heart-opening stories of resilience and optimism amidst personal tragedyLessons from Qigong: discovering depth and mindfulness in every movementHaving room for personal heartbreak, but also knowing that everyt

Mirabai Starr joins Amy Buetens, Jackie Dobrinska, and the LSRF virtual Satsang to explore how we can deepen our sacred connection with our ancestors and embrace the divine mystery of mortality.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This week, Jackie, Mirabai, and Amy explore:Taking a moment to share in gratitude after a brief breath meditationExpanding the heart in the wake of grief, death, and profound loss Being with the reality of a broken heart while remembering that death is a part of lifeDía de los Muertos and the Latin cultural approach to honoring deathHonoring the intimate connection we have with our loved ones who have diedSensing the connection we have to our ancestors and bringing the qualities/quirks of our deceased loved ones into our livesCreating home altars and ancestral shrines as a form of ongoing reverenceDedicating projects, practices, and creative pursuits to our ancestorsEac

In this expansive overview of spirit beings and how they operate in our world, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee explains his personal encounters with Angels, Devas, and more.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Llewellyn illuminates:Awakening to our divine nature through spiritual practice and accessing higher dimensions of consciousnessThe sacred worldview of our ancestors vs. the spiritual emptiness of modern cultureLessons from Lakota Medicine Man, Black Elk, on restoring awareness of the sacred nature of all thingsHow Angels and Devas have effected Llewellyn’s life and brought him messages about humanityThe disconnection from unseen realms and its impact on human consciousnessLlewellyn’s detailed description of different types of AngelsJinns, spirits made of fire in the islamic tradition which have free will to do good or evilDevas, aka, the spiritual intelligen

Are we trying to find inner peace the wrong way?Gil Fronsdal discusses cultivating an all-inclusive awareness that embraces each experience and sensation without resistance or judgment.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.In this episode, Gil Fronsdal provides insights on:Figuring out what our life’s pursuit is, and, if we are chasing the wrong thingsThe Buddha as a doctor of freedom, the inner life, the illness of sufferingHow child-like wellbeing and openness lead the Buddha to the path of freedom and the end of suffering Integrating adult stability with childlike openness, curiosity, and joyCultivating openness and inner strength when facing temptation, emotional pain, or adversityUsing mindfulness to expand awareness and include all aspects of our experiencePracticing nonjudgmental and non-discriminating awareness—welcoming all emotions, thoughts, and sensations equallyShifting focus from wha

Contemplating the nexus of suffering and compassion, Thanissara, Raghu, and Jackie offer suggestions for showing up with love for all that arises. This is the opening workshop from the Centered in the Storm Virtual Immersion with Ram Dass & Friends. This course features topics like: uncovering our shared connection, transforming relationships, personal healing & global impact, and more!Check out Ram Dass’ Inner Academy, where you can get the full Centered in the Storm Virtual Immersion along with dozens of other full-length, interactive, virtual courses and retreats. The Inner Academy offers lessons from Ram Dass, Krishna Das, Anne Lamott, Dr. Robert Svoboda, Sharon Salzberg, Roshi Joan Halifax, Dr. Robert Thurman, Nina Rao, Father Greg Boyle, David Nichtern, Thanissara and many more.Today’s podcast is also brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.In this episode,Thanissara, Raghu Markus and Jackie Do

Explaining Virya, the effort factor of enlightenment, meditation teacher Trudy Goodman explores the courage it takes to trust in our practice and to mindfully face the five hindrances. Today’s podcast is also brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Trudy Goodman explains:Virya, the effort, energy, and enthusiasm factor of enlightenment The courage it takes to be fully present with every life experienceShowing up for our human experience with qualities of heart, courage, and balance An impactful Iraq War story that reveals the power of presence and awarenessHow to work wisely with challenges that block mindful presenceThe five classical hindrances: wanting, ill-will, restlessness, sloth & torpor, and doubtA reading from the Flower Ornament Sutra about freeing the heart and mind from hindrances  How living defensively against pain limits our full human experie

Gil Fronsdal explores why we suffer and how we can meet our suffering with a supportive presence for the benefit of ourselves and all beings. In this episode, Gil thoughtfully discusses:Becoming like a wise & peaceful snake, shedding our skin from time to timeHow mindfulness practice can contain the goal of cessation of greed, hatred, and delusionHow clinging creates emotional stress, mental pain, and spiritual sufferingNotice the “aah” of skillful action versus the “ouch” of unskillful action as we develop awarenessBeing present for the depth of suffering in the human heartBringing the qualities of the awakened mind in to meet our suffering and help us release itHelping our suffering feel safe and remembering that all suffering can be put to restThe ability to stay with our experiences without clinging and with a sense of wellbeing Meeting our suffering for ourselves and to show the way for othersPracticing mindfulness with sincerity, consistency, and heartfelt dedicationThis episode is sponsor

Recorded live at the 2022 Summer Mountain Retreat, Sharon Salzberg, Robert Thurman, and Raghu Markus explore the true essence of love through the lenses of service, social action, and selflessness.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.Come join us this year at the 2025 Summer Mountain Retreat in Boone, North CarolinaIn this episode, Sharon, Robert, and Raghu hold a discussion on:Reframing love as an ability we can develop, rather than a fleeting emotion Taking responsibility for love—actively cultivating it instead of waiting for it to arriveRecognizing authentic love as a deep sense of connectionUnderstanding the etymology of metta, the Buddhist concept of loving-kindness and the sincere wish for another’s happinessConsidering if we can genuinely wish happiness for others if we are not happy ourselvesIdentifying the pitfalls of ego-driven self-love and how it disrupts true bliss and spiritual con

Mystical feminist Mirabai Starr shares the fruits of many years of investigating, excavating, and uplifting women’s voices within global spiritual traditions.This talk was recorded on Sept 22, 2020 as a part of the Virtual Ram Dass Fellowship.This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Mirabai Starr discusses:An invitation to unknowing and allowing our preconceived notions to fall awayThe patriarchal roots of spiritual traditions and religious institutions Highlighting women’s spiritual wisdom in the Ram Dass communityWomen's circles that are free of a masculine influence Honoring feelings as they arise and having the capacity to hold them Speaking spiritual truth to power while staying heart-centeredThe great mystery and ambiguity of the feminine heart space Connecting with our higher selves and true purpose Practicing contemplative meditation through creativityThe necessity of community for transformation to take place Trusting the journey to spiritual awakening and surrendering to th

Gil Fronsdal explores the heart of Buddhist tradition by blending mindfulness with the transformative power of compassion and loving kindness.This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp & Dharma Seed:Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.Join Buddhist Teacher David Nichtern and Duncan Trussell for a conversation about finding our own voice, our own expression, and our own way of connecting with people. Learn more about this FREE online gathering - AUTHENTIC PRESENCE: FINDING YOUR OWN VOICEOn this episode of the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil gives a dharma talk on:Discovering how love is foundational in Buddhist tradition and spiritual practiceExploring the two wings of Buddhism: balancing compassion and wisdomUnderstanding why compassion is essential in both practice and realizationLearning how mindfulness can become fixated on the goal of enlightenmentShifting focus from attaining enlightenment to embodying compassionGil’s jo

Returning to the refuge of breath that is present from birth to death, JoAnna Hardy guides listeners through a grounding and connective breath-based practice.  Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.In this practice-infused episode, JoAnna guides listeners through:The first foundation of mindfulness, according to the BuddhaWhole-body awareness and inviting our body fully into the practiceThe individuality of each breath and becoming familiar with our breathRemembering that the breath is always with us, from birth to deathFinding calm, peace, energy, rapture, and joy within the breath Becoming completely interested in each one of our inhales and exhales Our exhale as the connection between us and nature, us and all beings Landing in the rhythm of the breath and allowing it to rock youLetting the breath be our home base and refuge when our mind wanders during practiceBecoming awar

Psychedelic expert, Dr. Raymond Turpin, discusses how psychedelics shut down our ‘default-mode’ and expand our creativity in music, art, and more. Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.In this episode, Raymond and Jackie discuss:LSD and how it effects the creative processThe history of LSD, bicycle day, and morePainting under the influence of LSD for greater imaginationUsing LSD to tackle professional problems and crack emotional blocksLSD and increased concentration/focus for accelerated solutionsHow Psychedelics shut down our default-mode network of the brainSeeing wider possibilities for creativity for the use of psychedelics The Grateful Dead, musical telepathy, and their role in the culture of LSDSynergy of music, musician, and audience via flow states and psychedelicsThe power of psychedelic co-creationThe therapeutic potential of LSD for the treatment of anxiety, depression, and moreTh

Outlining the four resolves of wisdom, truth, relinquishment, and peace, Gil Fronsdal takes us down the path of freedom.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Gil Fronsdal explores:The four resolves of wisdom, truth, relinquishment, and peaceHow many people’s lives are founded on their attachments Finding the dharma path in our lives Arriving where we are rather than being in the future or past The many beautiful meanings of being committed to truth Connecting to our lived experience and finding truth in the present momentAdorning the mind through practicing generosity Relinquishment as a means to enhance ourselves and to let goGaining more from release than we do from holding Using daily meditation to slowly become more peaceful This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed.“When you’re engaged in a path of freedom, of mind

Learning from the networks of connection among trees and fungi, Trudy Goodman offers a dharma talk about nature, the breath, and oneness.This 2016 recording is from Spirit Rock’s Fall Insight Meditation Retreat and was originally published on Dharmaseed. In this episode, Trudy Goodman discusses:The fallacy of separate self and how we tend to forget our universal connectionThe matrix of identity that we create as we practice togetherNetworks of connection in the natural world Inter-breathing and the web of connection via breathThe breath as the bridge between our conscious and unconsciousTaking the backward step, a practice in subtle relaxation and receiving the momentAllowing things to appear and disappear as the path to awakening Noticing our patterns of reaction as our body and breath anchor us Seeing the changing way of life and how it can flow through us and in usFinding freedom in the present moment Feeling more sane, little by little, through practice Tools for remembering