Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast

Be Here Now Network
  • 4.5 (81)
  • Spirituality
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The Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast features dharma talks from a rotating lineup of contributors like: Roshi Joan Halifax, Mirabai Starr, Gil Fronsdal, Mirabai Bush, and so many more!

  1. 2d ago

    Ep. 271 - Sacred Longing with Trudy Goodman

    Vipassana teacher Trudy Goodman shares stories and teachings about the Buddha's one fortunate attachment: sacred longing. 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 gives a lecture on: Getting ‘everything’ when sitting in meditation practiceLearning how to be present with the experience of sufferingGrowing from the mud: the metaphor of the lotus flowerThe deadly process of applying ideals of perfection to ourselves Finding the source of happiness in our own hearts Looking at grief as another form of desireTrudy’s explanation of what she calls ‘crooked grief’Attachment as addressed by Buddhist psychology The world that opens to us when are not caught in anythingAbout Trudy Goodman: Trudy is a Vipassana teacher in the Theravada lineage and the Founding Teacher of InsightLA. For 25 years, in Cambridge, MA, Trudy practiced mindfulness-based psychotherapy with children, teenagers, couples and individuals. Trudy conducts retreats, engages in activism work, and teaches workshops worldwide and online. She is also the voice of Trudy the Love Barbarian in the Netflix series, The Midnight Gospel. You can learn more about Trudy’s flourishing array of wonderful offerings at TrudyGoodman.com This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed. “Don’t be deceived by any others that claim they will bring you lasting love and happiness. Understand that the source of love and happiness is in your own heart, in your own ability to be present, in your own mind. This is what transforms our wants and our longings—the ability to shine this light of presence.” –Trudy Goodman See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  2. Sep 4

    Ep. 270 - Bridging the Gap: Faith, Diversity, and Community with Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin & Vincent Moore

    Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin of the Nichiren Shu Buddhist Order, explores how she has cultivated community and diversity through interfaith dialogue, spiritual practice, and a commitment to making Buddhist teachings accessible while honoring tradition. 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, Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin and Vincent chat about: Being grateful for the good in our lives Finding support in spiritual community The emotional process of shaving one’s head for the priesthood Being a female in a male-dominated spiritual world Creating community and diversity in Houston, Texas Working to make Buddhist teachings accessible while preserving the integrity of traditions Addressing trauma in the prison system and learning how to support each otherHope for the future and finding common ground in the intersection of faith traditionsThe great change that naturally arises from a dedication to practice Lessons from the Lotus Sutra on respect Finding the purpose and benefit in all that happens to us  “Everything about us is perfect, whole, and complete for the path that we’re walking. It may be horrible, some of the things that have happened to us, but they’re a preparation for us to walk the path in the way we need to walk it. We have to be able to look at everything that happens to us as a benefit. There is a purpose to this happening to us. We can be a gateway for others to walk a better path for themselves. We are perfectly gifted by the experiences we have had.” –Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin About Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin: Myokei Caine-Barrett, Shonin, stands as a beacon of pioneering spirit, being the first American woman and the first of African Japanese descent to attain full ordination as a Nichiren priest. She holds the esteemed position of bishop for the Nichiren Shu Buddhist Order of North America, the first woman and Westerner to do so. Her guidance emanates from Houston, where she leads as the principal teacher of Myoken-ji Temple. She is among the few westerners, specifically one of three, to undertake and complete the rigorous Aragyo [ascetic practice] at Saijo Inari in Okayama, Japan. Passionate about bringing Buddhism beyond temple walls, Myokei Shonin actively supports three prison sanghas within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice system. Her interfaith endeavors have seen her as a Fellow with Interfaith America, championing dialogue between Buddhists and Muslims in incarceration. Her roles extend to being a board member of Lion’s Roar Magazine and Dharma Relief 2: Healing Racial Trauma. She's actively engaged in programs such as Healing Warrior Hearts, Texas for Heroes, The Gathering, and the International Western Dharma Teachers Gathering. Beyond these, her contributions span across various socio-religious platforms, underlining her commitment to spreading compassionate teachings. As a writer, her voice echoes through publications in Lion’s Roar and Tricycle magazines, and she has made notable contributions to The Hidden Lamp: Stories from Twenty-Five Centuries of Awakened Women. About Vincent Moore: Vincent Moore is a creative and creative consultant living in San Francisco, California, with over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry and holds a graduate degree in Buddhist Studies. For years, he performed regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, an improv and sketch comedy theatre based in New York and Los Angeles. As an actor, Vincent performed on Comedy Central, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Seth Meyers, Above Average, and The UCB Show on Seeso. As a writer, he developed for television as well as stage, including work with the Blue Man Group, and his own written projects have been featured on websites such as Funny or Die. Additionally, he received a Master's in Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies with a Certificate in Soto Zen Studies and engages in a personal Buddhist practice within the Soto Zen tradition. Vincent is also the creator and host of the podcast, Paths of Practice, which features interviews with Buddhists from all over the world. Learn more on Vincent’s website HERE. This conversation was originally recorded on the Paths of Practice Podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  3. Aug 28

    Ep. 269 - Almost Home with Mirabai Bush, Nina Rao, Krishna Das & Sunanda Markus

    Joined by long-time friends Nina Rao, Krishna Das, and Sunanda Markus, Mirabai Bush shares stories from her memoir Almost Home. Pick up your copy of Almost Home over on the Ram Dass Shop today: Click Here To Learn 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 time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Mirabai, Nina, Krishna Das, and Sunanda discuss: Mirabai’s catholic upbringing and working to understand her place in the worldHow Mirabai became the only woman to work on the Saturn Apollo projectMirabai’s meditation studies with Goenka When Krishna Das, Mirabai, and Sunanda met Maharaj-jiLearning about the grace in sufferingKnowing that love is real and available to us all“That hard childhood creates that longing for belonging; with Maharaj-ji I felt like at last I belonged—in this moment, in this body, in this world, because I was so totally loved. He changed my idea of what this life could be. I had such a small idea of who we could be in this world, and it just became vastly expanded with him.” –Mirabai Bush About Mirabai Bush: Mirabai is an author, social entrepreneur, teacher, and spiritual leader. She is recognized for her pioneering role in integrating mindfulness and contemplative practices into secular sectors of American life, including business, higher education, law, and social activism. Mirabai’s contributions include co-founding influential organizations such as the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society and the Seva Foundation and co-developing Google’s Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute. She is also a longtime board member of the Love Serve Remember Foundation. Her latest book, Almost Home, is a memoir published in 2025. About Nina Rao: Nina Rao is a devotional singer. She tours with Krishna Das, singing and accompanying musically, and is also his business manager. Nina has recorded three solo albums, “Antarayaami – Knower of All Hearts”, “Anubhav”, and "Bhumi Devi” . Nina regularly leads kirtan, workshops, and retreats in her home state of New York and around the world. Together with Chandra Easton and Genevieve Walker, the trio released 21 Taras Collective Mantra Mala Vol 1. You can keep up with Nina on her website and find her on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook @NinaRaoChant About Krishna Das: Layering traditional Hindu kirtan with instantly accessible melodies and modern instrumentation, Grammy nominee Krishna Das has been called yoga’s “rock star.” With a remarkably soulful voice that touches the deepest chord in even the most casual listener, Krishna Das – known to friends, family, and fans as simply KD – has taken the call-and-response chanting out of yoga centers and into concert halls, becoming a worldwide icon and the best-selling chant artist of all time. His album ‘Live Ananda’ (released January 2012) was nominated for a Grammy in the Best New Age album category. KD spent the late ’60s traveling across the country as a student of Ram Dass, and in August 1970, he finally made the journey to India, which led him to Ram Dass’ own beloved guru, Neem Karoli Baba, known to most as Maharaj-ji. Krishna Das now travels the world sharing his kirtan practice and wonderful stories of his life, of Maharaji-ji, of his life on the Path and discusses bringing chanting into our lives through retreats and workshops. To date, KD has released 15 well-received albums, most recently Trust in the Heart released in October 2017. MORE INFORMATION and OFFERINGS VISIT: https://krishnadas.com/ KRISHNA DAS ON SOCIAL: FACEBOOK: facebook.com/KrishnaDasMusic INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/krishnadasmusic YOUTUBE: / krishnadasmusic X: @krishnadas #KrishnaDas About Sunanda Markus:  In India in 1972, Sunanda met her guru, Neem Karoli Baba, as well as studied meditation with Theravada Buddhism teacher Shri S.N. Goenka. She has continued her practice of Vipassana meditation since that time, along with actively practicing yoga. Currently the finance and operations director for the Love Serve Remember Foundation, Sunanda spent decades as the finance director of a small publishing company, while also being involved in the field of contemplative studies. She spent a dozen years as the program coordinator for the Academic Program of the Center for Contemplative Mind, and then managed the grants program for the Mind & Life Institute. As part of the nonprofit world, Sunanda has served on the boards of the Insight Meditation Society and the Seva Foundation, chairing the foundation for three years. She was an active member of the Seva Guatemala Project, supporting integrated community development. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  4. Aug 13

    Ep. 268 - Beauty, Awe, and Wonder: Ram Dass Explorer’s Club with Louie Schwartzberg and Jackie Dobrinska

    From nature’s patterns to the creative process, filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg explores how beauty, awe, and wonder can help us truly “be here now.” 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, Louie and Jackie explore: Becoming a creative conduit and aligning with the vibrations of the universeThe movement from reaction, to judgment, to feeling, to devotion, to loveOpening our minds and hearts to experience beauty, wonder, and awe Redefining the concept of beauty across culturesWitnessing interconnectedness through presence Louie’s time-lapse cinematography and Moving ArtSharing the sacred energy of rhythms, patterns, and colorsStaying present while creating About Louie Schwartzberg: Louie Schwartzberg is an award-winning cinematographer, director, and producer recognized as a pioneer of high-end time-lapse cinematography. Schwartzberg explores the connections between humans and the subtleties of nature and the environment. He directed the 2019 film, Fantastic Fungi, and the 2014 Netflix series, Moving Art. Schwartzberg's recent theatrical releases include the 3D IMAX film, Mysteries of the Unseen World with National Geographic, narrated by Forest Whitaker, and the documentary Wings of Life for Disneynature, narrated by Meryl Streep. Check out Louie’s breathtaking streaming library of nature films HERE and keep up with him on Facebook. About The Host, Jackie Dobrinska: Jackie Dobrinska is the Director of Education, Community & Inclusion for Ram Dass’ Love, Serve, Remember Foundation and the current host of Ram Dass’ Here & Now podcast. She is also a teacher, coach, and spiritual director with the privilege of marrying two decades of mystical studies with 15 years of expertise in holistic wellness. As an inter-spiritual minister, Jackie was ordained in Creation Spirituality in 2016 and has also studied extensively in several other lineages – the plant-medicine-based Pachakuti Mesa Tradition, Sri Vidya Tantra, Western European Shamanism, Christian Mysticism, the Wise Woman Tradition, and others. Today, in addition to building courses and community for LSRF, she leads workshops and coaches individuals to discover, nourish and live from their most authentic selves. “If beauty activities you and you go to wonder and awe, that means it makes you present. There you are, amazed by something and one with it, you finally become present, which is really the goal of most practices and certainly the essence of ‘be here now.” –Louie Schwartzberg See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  5. Aug 7

    Ep. 267 - Nourishment, Challenge and Change with Gil Fronsdal

    Gil Fronsdal explores how Vipassana practice helps us embrace change and release attachment, transforming the way we experience ourselves and the world. 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, Gil Fronsdal shares: Change as the heart of Vipassana practiceDelusions of permanence and having an ‘upside down’ perception of realityThe freedom in holding things more lightly The juxtaposition of perfection with room for improvement Breaking down our attachment to the way things are supposed to be Being challenged in the dharma and questioning our identity Individual culture versus collective culture Watching thoughts arise and pass awayThe problem with retrospective thinking This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed About Gil Fronsdal: Gil Fronsdal is the co-teacher for the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California; he has been teaching since 1990. He has practiced Zen and Vipassana in the U.S. and Asia since 1975. He was a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985, and in 1989 began training with Jack Kornfield to be a Vipassana teacher. Gil teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center where he is part of its Teachers Council. Gil was ordained as a Soto Zen priest at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1982, and in 1995 received Dharma Transmission from Mel Weitsman, the abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center. He currently serves on the SF Zen Center Elders’ Council. In 2011 he founded IMC’s Insight Retreat Center. He is the author of The Issue at Hand, essays on mindfulness practice; A Monastery Within; a book on the five hindrances called Unhindered; and the translator of The Dhammapada, published by Shambhala Publications. You may listen to Gil’s talks on Audio Dharma. “People tend to see permanence in what is impermanent. They tend to find self in what is not self. They tend to find happiness in things that are not really that happy. The path of practice is to perceive things in a way that things aren’t distorted. The task of mindfulness practice is to break through distortions so we can see more directly.” –Gil Fronsdal See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  6. Jul 30

    Ep. 266 - Creating a Culture of Wellness with Gullu Singh & Vincent Moore

    In a culture that values productivity over wellness, lawyer and teacher Gullu Singh explores how to navigate stress and high-pressure careers with mindfulness. 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, Gullu and Vincent chat about: Living in Los Angeles during times of unrest The power of awareness and befriending our emotionsThe RAIN technique, a 4-step mindfulness practice for difficult emotionsHow lawyers and other professionals in high-stakes fields can benefit from mindfulnessShifting our society and creating a culture of wellness versus productivity The importance of making the space to maintain your practice Gullu’s auspicious experiences with Jack Kornfield & Spirit RockFinding your own voice and playing your “music” out in the world This conversation was originally recorded on the Paths of Practice Podcast. Listen to more episodes HERE. About Vincent Moore: Vincent Moore is a creative and creative consultant living in San Francisco, California, with over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry and holds a graduate degree in Buddhist Studies. For years, he performed regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, an improv and sketch comedy theatre based in New York and Los Angeles. As an actor, Vincent performed on Comedy Central, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Seth Meyers, Above Average, and The UCB Show on Seeso. As a writer, he developed for television as well as stage, including work with the Blue Man Group, and his own written projects have been featured on websites such as Funny or Die. Additionally, he received a Masters of Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies with a Certificate in Soto Zen Studies and engages in a personal Buddhist practice within the Soto Zen tradition. Vincent is also the creator and host of the podcast, Paths of Practice, which features interviews with Buddhists from all over the world. Learn more on Vincent’s website HERE. About Gullu Singh: Gulwinder “Gullu” Singh is a mindfulness and Dharma teacher who also practices corporate real estate law. Although he was exposed to meditation as a child, he found his own practice after law school when he found himself working at high-powered law firms where the job was extremely stressful. Gullu completed the four-year Spirit Rock Meditation Center Teacher Training Program and qualified to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Gullu is core faculty in the Mindfulness in Law Teacher Training, the Spirit Rock Dedicated Practitioner Program, and a mentor for the Sounds True Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program. He is also a core teacher and board member for Sacred Mountain Sangha, a senior teacher at InsightLA, and a member of the guiding teacher’s council at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Gullu is deeply inspired to share meditation as an antidote to stress, a path to well-being, and a way to inject more sanity, compassion, and wisdom into this world. For more information, please visit Gullusingh.com. “I don’t think we as human animals were designed for the kind of professions that we’ve created where people work 14-16 hours a day on stop. We end up being in a state of constant adrenaline which has all kinds of negative health impacts.” –Gullu Singh See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  7. Jul 24

    Ep. 265 - Ram Dass Fellowship: Putting Love into Action with Benjy Wertheimer

    Jackie Dobrinska speaks with devotional musician Benjy Wertheimer about dharmic shifts, discovering how our unique gifts can evolve into deeper forms of selfless 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. This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Benjy and Jackie explore: Benjy’s unconventional journey from music and technology to spiritual serviceThe idea of a “dharmic shift” and how life can redirect our pathRam Dass’s influence on Benjy’s music and spiritual callingUsing our unique gifts in service of something larger than ourselvesWalt Whitman’s shift from poet to Civil War nurseDeep practice as a form of service and connectionBalancing personal gifts with humility and non-attachmentListening, finding common ground, and navigating disagreementGrief, anger, self-care, and “healing the healer”Service as an evolving practice of love and compassion“The Dharmic shift that I went through from that point, somebody who was maybe helping a lot of people with computer systems, and I was maybe pretty good at it, but I never would have been great because my heart wasn't there, was suddenly called into service with music and with the practice of kirtan, using whatever gifts I could bring to honor something bigger than myself.” –Benjy Wertheimer About Benjy Wertheimer: Benjy Wertheimer is an award-winning devotional musician, composer, vocalist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist equally accomplished on tabla, congas, percussion, esraj, guitar, and keyboards. Benjy’s connection to Ram Dass predates his birth. His father, Professor Michael Wertheimer, was Richard Alpert’s Masters Thesis adviser at Wesleyan in the early 1950s. Some half a century later, Benjy joined Ram Dass and Krishna Das in Berkeley for a joint program in 2002, and since 2003 Benjy - along with his wife Heather - has often provided music and kirtan for Ram Dass pilgrimages and retreats in Maui. Keep up with Benjy on Instagram. About The Host, Jackie Dobrinska: Jackie Dobrinska is the Director of Education, Community & Inclusion for Ram Dass’ Love, Serve, Remember Foundation and the current host of Ram Dass’ Here & Now podcast. She is also a teacher, coach, and spiritual director with the privilege of marrying two decades of mystical studies with 15 years of expertise in holistic wellness. As an inter-spiritual minister, Jackie was ordained in Creation Spirituality in 2016 and has also studied extensively in several other lineages – the plant-medicine-based Pachakuti Mesa Tradition, Sri Vidya Tantra, Western European Shamanism, Christian Mysticism, the Wise Woman Tradition, and others. Today, in addition to building courses and community for LSRF, she leads workshops and coaches individuals to discover, nourish and live from their most authentic selves.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  8. Jul 16

    Ep. 264 - Trudy Goodman on Working With Strong Emotions

    With compassion and presence, Trudy Goodman teaches listeners how to bear the unbearable through our own willingness to hold it.  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. https://youtu.be/TwYZlCsBKnc In this episode, Trudy Goodman offers her perspective on: Learning to be present and okay with our strong emotionsRecognizing our emotions as the first step in working with themAllowing difficult emotions without being swept awaySurrounding our pain with compassion Noticing the bodily sensations that arise with strong emotionsSelf-regulation and soothing the startled heartThe powerful statement “it’s like this”Merging with the world of intuitive wisdom This was recorded at Spirit Rock and was originally published on Dharmaseed About Trudy Goodman: Trudy is a Vipassana teacher in the Theravada lineage and the Founding Teacher of InsightLA. For 25 years, in Cambridge, MA, Trudy practiced mindfulness-based psychotherapy with children, teenagers, couples and individuals. Trudy conducts retreats, engages in activism work, and teaches workshops worldwide and online. She is also the voice of Trudy the Love Barbarian in the Netflix series, The Midnight Gospel. You can learn more about Trudy’s flourishing array of wonderful offerings at TrudyGoodman.com “By allowing reality to be as it is, since it is that way anyways, we’re making a relationship with it that’s based on clarity. It is a paradox that I think most therapists know: that by allowing something and accepting something and even by positively connoting what needs to change, not struggling with it, surrounding it with metta and compassion, we actually stop our war with reality. When we stop resisting what’s true, we aren’t fixating on it, and it’s free to move and change. This is called radical acceptance.” –Trudy Goodman See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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The Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast features dharma talks from a rotating lineup of contributors like: Roshi Joan Halifax, Mirabai Starr, Gil Fronsdal, Mirabai Bush, and so many more!

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