Wisdom of the Sages - podcast cover

Wisdom of the Sages

Raghunath Cappo & Kaustubha Daswisdomofthesages.libsyn.com
Truths about life from the timeless wisdom of the Bhakti-yoga tradition - fun, relevant, and deep. Learn about dharma, yoga, bhakti, and how it relates to all the basic questions of life. This show is about how to live your best life, let go of the external distractions, and uncover the spiritual happiness that lies within the heart as the true nature of the soul. Raghunath and Kaustubha's connection goes back to their teens in the New York Hardcore Punk Scene of the early 80s, through serving together as Bhakti-yogi monks in the 90's, to sharing their experiences in the world of yoga in the 21st century.
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Episodes

994: Observe Nature & Follow the Clues

"Discipline yourself, and others won't need to." - John Wooden / to the extent we don't discipline ourselves, life will discipline us / observe nature and follow the clues / an important part of any wisdom culture is how it helps us to voluntarily accept what nature will otherwise force us to accept involuntarily / "You have practiced how to bark in the legislative assembly. Now become a dog and go on barking." - Srila Prabhupada / repentance precedes reconciliation / if we slip from our yogic d...

Mar 24, 20231 hrEp. 994

993: Self-discipline & the Algorithms of the Mind

"Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly." - Julie Andrews / Better to pay now than pay later with compound interest / yoga means gaining ground in the battle of the mental algorithms / we can consciously choose our mind's direction and direct your own destiny / keep chanting and it will get sweeter / Bharata takes his next birth as a deer SB 5.8.26-27

Mar 23, 202356 minEp. 993

992: This World Will Make You Cry

struggles are an opportunity to walk the walk / rationalizing your illusion is a bad look / justice and mercy / this world will make you cry / we're all gonna fall in love and get killed / stimulus for spiritual feelings / this world is an upside down reflection / our spiritual friendships are so important Check out Dani's art at www.stillwatercraftco.com SB 5.8.20-25

Mar 22, 202357 minEp. 992

991: Our Attachments Generate Our Illusion

Attachment is the great fabricator of illusions; reality can be attained only by someone who is detached. - Simone Weil / we are just here to love without caveats / we're so attached to the jello that we're unwilling to leave our jail cell / love every living being the way you love your dog / Shankara's 5 Stanzas on the Loin Cloth / every material attachment will be pruned / our wrinkles are okay / you're not the most anything / wisdom cuts out our big fat ego SB 5.8.15-19

Mar 21, 202355 minEp. 991

990: Is Bettering Oneself at Odds with Bettering the World?

"Adapt yourself to the things among which your lot has been cast and love sincerely the fellow creatures with whom destiny has ordained that you shall live."- Marcus Aurelius / improving the world and improving oneself are not diametrically opposed to each other / seek the commonality, not the difference / Although Bharata's compassion seemed noble, it was really all about him / the Vedic cultures stages of life / rationalization is intelligence in service of the false ego / the Bhagavatam is ri...

Mar 20, 202355 minEp. 990

989: Q & A Volume 157

How to teach yoga to a primarily Judeo Christian population without offending? / How to overcome fear of death? / What's a simple "Bhakti pitch" to a Christian? / Should we risk our spiritual bank account for material security?

Mar 18, 20231 hr 1 minEp. 989

988: Analyzing a Yogi's Diversion from Truth

genuine intimacy is based on truth, not illusion / is my intimacy with others facilitating my remembrance or my forgetfulness of God's presence behind everything? / In my roles of maintaining others do I act in the awareness of being a representative of The Supreme Maintainer, or as an artificial maintainer? / What was it, about the form of the fawn, that drew the attention of Bharata?

Mar 17, 202352 minEp. 988

987: Lessons from the Elephant Whisperers

happiness comes simply / animals are people too / we crave service for meaning in life / Vishnu is in the sun / all of our heat and light can be traced back to the sun, and the sun can be traced back to Krishna - the cause of all causes / Everything is in Krishna, and Krishna is within everything https://divyas.com/?ref=6799 SB 5.7.13-14

Mar 16, 202357 minEp. 987

986: Preparing for the Heart to Melt

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller / Bhakti is about preparing the heart to melt / what if we were all taught from childhood that God is within the heart of every living being? / peace of mind comes from giving not taking / the devotees have Krishna always etched within their hearts / the progression in Bhakti-yoga - faith, association with advanced practitioners, purification through regular practic...

Mar 15, 202358 minEp. 986

985: Everything Everywhere All At Once

mundane world views based on the limited perception of our senses / messengers exist to wake us up and reveal the wonder that lies beyond our perception / life is meant for self discovery and everything happening in the universe can be interpreted and applied in that context / compassion and love lie at the heart of the self discovery / Can there be spiritual form? / the difference between matter & spirit / we're getting caught in the laundry cycle of the mundane / am I perpetually annoyed? ...

Mar 14, 202353 minEp. 985

984: Ritual in the Life of a Bhakti-yogi / Interview with Brighupada Dasa (Dr Måns Broo)

In this interview Brighupada shares some fascinating insights on the role of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan and how they presented innovative ideas and practices of Bhakti within the context of an ancient tradition. Brighupada Dasa (Dr Måns Broo), is a senior lecturer at the Department of Comparative Religion, Åbo Akademi University, Finland. His recent publication "Haribhaktivilāsa of Sanātana Gosvāmin" describes the normative ritual life of a Krishna devotee. https://brill.com/edcollbook-oa/tit...

Mar 12, 202357 minEp. 984

983: Q & A Volume 156

How do we make amends when we have wronged someone? / Is there a problem with the impersonal conception of God?

Mar 11, 202358 minEp. 983

982: Gratitude is Being Fixed in Reality

sometimes we need a loving nudge / gratitude liberates us from the prison of self–preoccupation / the less we are preoccupied with ourselves, the happier we are / if you don't feel loved or cared about, start loving & caring for others / in witnessing the cruelty of others, and feeling the hopelessness in it, the cruelty in yourself is diminished / speak your blessings and gratitude / gratitude is being fixed in reality / thank you death / Vedic rituals were communal expressions of gratitude...

Mar 10, 202358 minEp. 982

981: Materialistic Whack-a-Mole Solutions

our respects to HH Kadamba Kanana Swami / "the last of one's freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given circumstance." - Victor Frankl / we all should become self-sufficient / the bodily conception creates unnecessary demands / what success looks like - freedom from hankering and lamenting / Satisfaction through self-realization is called svarūpānanda / to become happy by making material adjustments is impossible / the whack-a-mole principle / our remedies are often worse than our miserie...

Mar 09, 202357 minEp. 981

980: Yogis Let Go of Hankering & Lamentation

"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson / letting go of hankering for things in the future, and lamenting things of the past / there's always going to be some sand in the sweet rice / Be Here Now (with Krishna) / to become happy by making material adjustments is impossible / Goddess Saraswati can revoke our intelligence at any time / Death holds a mirror before us / the best master is the best servant SB 5.6.18...

Mar 08, 202355 minEp. 980

979: Is My Ladder Leaning Against the Wrong Wall?

Is My Ladder Leaning Against the Wrong Wall? "If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster." ― Stephen R. Covey / the Bhakti-yogi has no interest in the mystic magic tricks / liberation personified waits at the door of the Bhakti-yogi with folded hands

Mar 07, 202354 minEp. 979

978: Who is Sri Chaitanya?

Raghunath and Kaustubha discuss Sri Caitanya, the Krishna Avatar, in terms of his internal and external purposes of appearing, along with calling out danger of personality cults and false claims of being an avatar.

Mar 06, 202356 minEp. 978

977: Q & A Volume 155

Why do we have to experience loss in this world … the loss of loved ones, and will we ever be reunited? / How to make one's life an offering to God? / How to improve at japa meditation?

Mar 04, 202359 minEp. 977

976: Imitation vs Authenticity in Spiritual Practice

authentic practice allows for individuality, imitation limits it / imitating the great saints doesn't help anyone / hippies were imitating Rsabhadeva / adjusting tradition, maintaining the compassionate purpose / it makes perfect sense to worship stones! SB 5.6.9 - 14

Mar 03, 202355 minEp. 976

975: Thinking About Death Can Clarify Your Life

the inevitable global influence of Bhakti / thinking about death can clarify your life / cemeteries are full of indispensable people / Yogamaya - Krishna voluntarily becomes influenced by illusion for play / What was Rsabdeva trying to avoid by living as an avaduta? (And how can it be applied in our lives?) 1. Prajalpa (gossip and unhelpful talk), 2. Entanglement in the regular material affairs, 3. Ego related thought, 4. Being seen as a saint SB 5.6.6-8

Mar 02, 202356 minEp. 975

974: It's Not a Curse, It's a Greater Plan

Don't preach, be the example / We're being sold a false identity / Our identity is a divine spark of God and we're meant to reconnect with it / Let go of the excess baggage and scrub the window of the soul / Be cautious trusting the mind & following your instinct / don't offend devotees if you want to control the mind / mind your own business & Control your own senses & mind / Give love, inspire and assist others on their spiritual path / there's always a greater plan / Perfect rando...

Mar 01, 202357 minEp. 974

973: Getting Real

Maya is a black out curtain / Call in the light and watch magic happen / What is my conditioning and what is real? / find your authentic self before Madison Ave sold you your looks / our vehicles have nothing to do with us / The world is a maze / Pruning enhances our growth / Cultivate knowledge to help understand tragedy / Weave knowledge in daily to cultivate wisdom / How can there be anything wrong when I've got Krishna? / We've been practicing anxiety for lifetimes / Krishna has dropped a be...

Feb 28, 202357 minEp. 973

972: Growing Impatient with Our Own Skepticism

Nick Cave on the death in 2015 of his teenage son, Arthur / understanding of our vulnerability / step beyond the full force of the grief and experience a kind of joy that is entirely new / grief can enlarge the heart heart / in bhakti, not only do you survive, you thrive / better not to judge - you never know who you're dealing with / yogic practices of extreme renunciation / if this world is unreal, then in one sense there is no good and bad SB 5.5.29-35

Feb 27, 202355 minEp. 972

971: Q&A Volume 154

What is the Importance of Initiation / Is the desire for peer association in Bhakti due to ego or is it my true soul wanting to connect? / Any advice for the spiritually vacant? /

Feb 26, 202353 minEp. 971

969: Lose Yourself (& Find Yourself) in Service

" The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." Mahatma Gandhi / Get out of the bathtub! / even self reflection needs guidance / Mickey Mouse costumes won't satisfy us / don't hate the warden, take responsibility for your crimes / don't attach your worth to a false designation (upadhi) / engage your senses for the master of the senses / the senses are like apps, someone is maintaining their functioning / meditating on your own death SB 5.5.27-28

Feb 24, 202352 minEp. 969

968: The Line Dividing Good & Evil Cuts Through the Heart

The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn / When I start to hate, I'm off my spiritual path / Put the microscope on me / Bhakti Yoga means rooting out one's animosity / I don't have to be the lawyer, judge and jury - I can be the mailman / What pleases Vishnu - is not so much about sacrifices or offerings to Him - it's 2 things – 1. honoring and learning from virtuous people, 2. respecting the spiritual equality in all living beings / T...

Feb 23, 202354 minEp. 968

967: We Can All Become the Personified Vedas

applying spiritual principles to times of tragedy / Bhakti is devotion & service / handling the rough waves on the surface, while being situated in the deep calm / rituals need substance / the qualities of a brahmana / Bhakti-yogis take no offense and harbor no resentment / We can all become the personified Vedas https://www.etsy.com/shop/VvlcanHaus SB 5.5.23-24

Feb 22, 202352 minEp. 967

966: How the Guru Enters the Heart of the Disciple

Raghunath and Kaustubha discuss memories and instructions they received from Kaustubha's guru, Srila Tamal Krishna Goswami, on the 21st anniversary of his passing from this world.

Feb 21, 20231 hrEp. 966

965: The Entire Cosmos is a Cooperative

Thanks Hare Krishna Movement (for helping promote animal rights) / leverage your influence for good / the entire cosmos is a cooperative / finding the social balance thru inspiration rather than legislation / finding happiness in truth, not in things / be guided by the wise and self controlled / Jatayu the vulture of the Ramayana, probably history's most popular bird / recognize the hierarchy on the level of bodies, and the equality on the level of the soul SB 5.5.20-22

Feb 20, 202350 minEp. 965
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