The Guru is Dead Marcus Woo

Julia Plevin, age 31, is a designer, so-to-be published author and forest bather based in San Francisco. In this conversation, Julia candidly talks about her spiritual path working with the darkness within, letting Nature be the teacher, rediscovering Judaism through the lens of earth connection, her forest pilgrimage to New Zealand and Japan and so much more.

For more on Julia’s offerings, check out www.forestbathing.club and look out for her upcoming book The Healing Magic of Forest Bathing that will be released in March 2019.

Relevant links:
Medium.com/@marcuswoo
http://www.harrypottersacredtext.com/

Balaji Srinivasan, age 26, is an entrepreneur and psychonaut born in India and based in the San Francisco Bay Area. We explore his background growing up in the spiritual context of Hindu India, becoming an atheist, returning to spirituality after experiencing psychedelics and the importance of these experiences on the deepening of consciousness.

Balaji is also organizing a unique tour of North India via his company Village for anyone interested in spirituality, nature and community. Please check out yourvillage.life for more information.

Ryan Nakade, age 26, is a philosopher, rapper, avid gardener and a whiz at Vedic astrology. 

Ryan and I discuss the recent sex scandal at Shambala, a worldwide Tibetan Buddhist community, and the implications for the future of guru-student dynamics on a personal and community level. How can these abuses of power be avoided? What can students do to protect themselves without losing connection to their traditions? Are hierarchical power structures and rituals necessary to the “soul” of religion?

Ryan Nakade, age 26, is a philosopher, rapper, avid gardener and a whiz at Vedic astrology. I first met Ryan at a day of mindfulness at a Buddhist temple on the Big Island of Hawaii where he was asked to give a talk about meditation. At the time he was just 22 years old and looked even younger. I thought, who the heck is this kid? We became fast friends and I consider Ryan amongst the most awake people I know, regardless of age.

Join us for this conversation on growing up the son of a Buddhist minister in Hawaii, going to a “spiritual college”, finding wisdom through deepening phases of identity dissolution, and the importance of developing character alongside consciousness.

"The Guru is Dead" podcasts embraces the shift taking place in millennial spirituality where authority is moving away from hierarchal/patriarchal wisdom traditions and guru figures, and instead towards a highly participatory, decentralized wisdom network of seekers, friends and guides blazing their own paths. This podcast invites a new generation of spiritual "non-teachers" to share their personal stories and discoveries along the journey in order to contribute to the evolution of contemporary spirituality and provide community, solidarity and encouragement for other young spiritual seekers.