In this extended Q&A special, Krishna Das offers powerful insights on navigating the turmoil of the human experience through devotional practice. This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das offers down-to-earth advice on: The name of God as an echo of our own being Tuning ourselves into the mantra Replacing greed and anxiety with compassion and kindness The delusion of self and other Depression and falling into the trap of self-obsession Building up the strength to let go through daily practice ...
May 01, 2026•1 hr 53 min•Ep. 192
Krishna Das shares wisdom on overcoming trauma, transforming negative patterns, and continually beginning again in the grace of the present moment. This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das offers down-to-earth advice on: The incredible life of Garchen Rinpoche, a Tibetan Lama who spent 20 years in prison and labor camps in Communist China Overcoming trauma & tragedy with gratitude for the present moment Holding beings we have lost in our hearts and helping their spirit through prayer Negative...
Apr 01, 2026•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 191
Exploring the essence of karma, Krishna Das explains how conscious spiritual practice and selfless living can transform the patterns that guide our incarnation. Check out Krishna Das’s book and CDs, Flow of Grace , for an expansive explanation of the Hanuman Chalisa and more! This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das gives wisdom on: The essence of karma and the seeds that we plant for the future Individual karma, global karma, cultural karma and ancestral karma Transforming our reactions to all t...
Feb 27, 2026•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 190
Discussing the divine mystery of Maharaj-ji, Krishna Das explains all of the spiritual workings that are going on ‘behind the scenes’ of our daily lives, bringing us exactly where we need to be. This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das explores: How Maharaj-ji works in our lives, often without us directly noticing When Maharaj-ji sent Krishna Das back to America The moment that Krishna Das ‘got with the program’ and realized he had to chant with others in order to purify his own heart Serving Mah...
Feb 06, 2026•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 189
Guiding us toward balance, connection, and freedom from suffering, Krishna Das explores letting go of our numerous self-created stories. This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das responds to questions on: Devotional literature and poetry What to do when feelings of boredom arise during practice Using pain as an object of awareness How mantra practice helps us remain balanced in daily life Detaching from our thoughts and feelings rather than identifying with them Freeing ourselves from the stories ...
Jan 08, 2026•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 188
Drawing on over five decades of devotional practice, Krishna Das offers down-to-earth spiritual guidance for beginners and seasoned seekers alike. This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das gives wisdom on: The miracles that happen around enlightened beings How to cleanse and open the heart by letting go of old patterns Krishna Das’ lifelong journey of awakening, surrender, and trusting life’s unfolding Preparing the heart for prema-bhakti —the experience of real, unconditional love Learning to tru...
Dec 17, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 187
Through soulful insights on detaching from the ego and expanding the heart, Krishna Das reminds us that surrender is not defeat, it’s the deepest devotion to God. 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 Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das gives wisdom on: Listening to the heart and paying attention to our motivations Why Krishna Das started to chant with people rather than alone What s...
Oct 23, 2025•48 min•Ep. 186
Krishna Das explores how spiritual practices like chanting and loving-kindness can calm anxiety and free the mind from the trap of overthinking. 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 Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das shares his thoughts on: Maharaj-ji, beyond the physical form Discovering the guru’s presence everywhere Our limited, human way of conceptualizing God Spiritual life an...
Sep 30, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 185
Encouraging listeners to take responsibility for their own inner healing, Krishna Das discusses cleansing the heart of betrayal, hurt, and grief. 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 Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das provides wisdom on: Meeting Anandamayi Ma and what it means to have darshan with a guru Accepting people as they are and loving unconditionally Recognizing where we r...
Sep 04, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 184
Krishna Das shares time-tested practices and spiritual wisdom for easing suffering, letting go, and treating others with the same compassion we wish for ourselves. 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 Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das provides wisdom on: Navigating the challenges of family relationships and untangling the knots of triggered emotions. Channeling our energy into cha...
Aug 14, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 183
Reminding us that there's no need to escape our daily life in search of spirituality, Krishna Das explains that our relationships, struggles, joys, and routines are the spiritual path. 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 Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das opens our hearts to: The divine play (Leela) and mysterious grace behind Maharaj-ji Neem Karoli Baba’s actions Krishna Das’ exp...
Jul 24, 2025•57 min•Ep. 182
Krishna Das gives insights on continual grace and transforming our self-limiting inner narratives through spiritual practice. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das thoughtfully discusses: What it means for the guru to have a key to our minds Teachings from Siddhi Ma: knowing that everything is grace, but acting like it isn’t Putting effort into lovin...
Jun 26, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 181
Sharing personal stories of his time with Maharaj-ji, Krishna Das walks us down the path of recognizing grace, loving all beings, and keeping the heart open, no matter how hard it gets. 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. "Grace is always here but we're too busy, too involved in our stuff, our thoughts and emotions. We're too identified with our negative emotions. From our side, it app...
Jun 12, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 180
Krishna Das shares a realistic path for resting in the true nature of love that is always accessible to us all. In this episode of Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das thoughtfully discusses: The many versions of The Bhagavad Gita from different lineages Figuring out which practice works for you How the soul/buddha-nature is always present, even when we aren’t looking Meditation practices that increase the awareness of being (I am-ness) Appreciating and accepting all the different parts of ourselves A man...
May 28, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 179
In this heart-led exploration, Krishna Das shares how mantra, willpower, and grace guide us from the illusion of ego and into the freedom of real love. This time on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das offers wisdom on: Inspiration from Maharaj-ji’s picture, dream visits, and more How the soul pulls us towards real love and freedom Why meditating/chanting/any form of practice is a good idea The jungle guru who helped Krishna Das with his will power Using our will in a constructive way to free ourselves fr...
Apr 17, 2025•47 min•Ep. 178
Discussing how to work through afflictions like addiction, heartbreak, and self-hatred, Krishna Das gives spiritual guidance to listeners. 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 Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das explains: Learning to chant the Hanuman Chalisa Working with addiction as a part of the spiritual path Developing the ability to stop hurting ourselves Looking within, not w...
Apr 03, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 178
Revealing the true Buddha nature, which rests beyond ego, Krishna Das shows how regular practice can unveil the inherent purity within us all. 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 Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das gets into Desireless action and other teachings of the Gita The ‘evil’ within us all (selfishness, greed, anger, etc.) How our ego tries to protect itself from others Th...
Mar 20, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 177
Providing mantra and mentorship, Krishna Das explores how we can heal our heavy hearts and manage both personal and global suffering. In this episode of Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das explores: Mantras to use during wartimes or other painful experiences Hanuman, the remover of all difficulties and negative energy Tibetan philosophies of the transition between life and death Best wishes for all who are suffering across the globe Keeping our hearts open and available to all beings, all the time A stor...
Mar 06, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 175
Explaining the fruits of dedicated practice, Krishna Das urges listeners to move past instant gratification and artificial forms of awakening. This episode is brought to you by Dharma Moon. Join Buddhist teachers David Nichtern and Professor Robert Thurman for a free online event on Tuesday, March 4th at 6pm ET. Together, they'll explore the power of lineage, tradition, and the evolution of mindfulness practices. They’ll also discuss Dharma Moon’s renowned mindfulness meditation teacher training...
Feb 20, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 174
Sharing insight from Maharaj-ji, Krishna Das discusses reaching higher states of consciousness through service, repetition, and purification. This episode includes wisdom from Krishna Das on: Shedding our belief system of ego and separate self The importance of regular practice and finding time everyday Learning from Maharaj-ji through dreams and meditation Finding Maharaj-ji in our world Reaching higher states of consciousness through service, mantra, and purification Doing spiritual work in ou...
Feb 06, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 173
Through devotional chanting and conversation, Krishna Das offers guidance on living out our practice both on and off the mat. 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, Krishna Das answers questions on: The deep intuition that develops over time Making our practice a way of life Rebirth and ensuring we create positive karma Dealing with conflict in parental relationships Acce...
Jan 24, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 172
Closing the year, Krishna Das explores the transformative power of deepening our awareness and how practice helps us navigate life’s challenges. This time, on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das speaks on: Going within and deepening our awareness Subjective versus objective experiences Advice that Krishna received from Maharaj-ji How repeating the name gives us strength Practicing awareness and breaking bad habits How to work through heartbreak Coming back into an object of concentration Learning to trus...
Dec 27, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 171
Krishna Das teaches listeners all that is possible through total sincerity of the heart and self-awareness. This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das holds a talk on: How Krishna Das’ bar mitzvah transformed his outlook on organized religion What initially struck Krishna Das about Zen Buddhism and Indian philosophy Sensing an ongoing connection to Ram Dass Sitting down and chanting without over-intellectualizing everything Having sincerity of heart and being kind to ourselves The inner and outer b...
Dec 12, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 170
Contrasting the physical, impermanent world with the ever-present spiritual world, Krishna Das shares insights from the heart space. This time on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das shares insights on: How each situation has its own parameters Practicing the principle of non-harm Giving yourself 100% to whatever you are doing Conceptualizing our approach to religion The love that exists in the non-physical reality within us Real love versus conditional love Allowing people to be who they are Remembering ...
Nov 29, 2024•59 min•Ep. 169
Krishna Das guides listeners to develop the strength to overcome painful situations through regular practice and surrendering to what is. 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 Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das dives into: Chanting for a balance between light and dark The inner strength to not identify with negative emotions Working through fear surrounding death of a loved one Kris...
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 168
Exploring the many fruits of making time for spiritual practice, Krishna Das shares the beauty of forgiving those who have hurt us. This week, Krishna Das responds to questions on: The ways we nurture our wounds and carry our pain Forgiving those who have hurt us How hurt people hurt others out of their own pain The power of loving-kindness mediation for forgiveness Maturing and realizing that pain is just a part of life Forgiveness and kindness as the fruit of spiritual practice How the poison ...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 167
Krishna Das explains how we can serve our parents and release their karmas along with our own as a labor of love. This episode is brought to you by Betterhelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self. This week, Krishna Das responds to questions on: What Maharaj-ji said about service to our parents Praying for people from afar and working through traumas Freeing our parents from their karmas Doing healing work on our own hearts Detachin...
Oct 17, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 166
Amidst global and individual suffering, Krishna Das teaches listeners how to move forward even when our spirit is heavy. This episode is brought to you by Betterhelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self. This week on Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das offers advice about: Coping when we are worn out from global and individual pain Honoring all of our feelings Using the handshaking practice for difficult emotions Recognizing that we are sepa...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 165
Dissolving our erroneous beliefs of separateness, Krishna Das shares the importance of continuous service and devotional practice. This episode is brought to you by Betterhelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/heartwisdom and get on your way to being your best self. In this episode of Pilgrim Heart, Krishna Das speaks about: Service anytime and anywhere Planting seeds for the fruits of our practice Clearing out blockages in the body with asana practice Krishna Das' deep friendship wit...
Sep 12, 2024•59 min•Ep. 164
Gracefully describing the truth of love that unites all people, Krishna Das shares how self-compassion can extend into the world. This episode 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, Krishna Das responds to questions on: The concept of Sub Ek, or, all one Making peace with the many paths to God How relationships help us see where we need to work on ourselves Having compassion for ourselves so w...
Aug 28, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 163
