"the glories of our blood and state, are shadows, not substantial things" James Shirley / shadows, reflections, mirages and Virtual realities, are all derived from something real / keep hearing wisdom and some of it will stick / offering mind, body and home / Raghu on "The Hands of Time" / the "affection" of family life / the medicine of hearing Bhagavatam again and again / how to practice Bhakti in the presence of those who don't? / will we be with loved ones after death? / Druhva's mother foll...
Aug 06, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 1384
take false ideas about what we need and false ideas about who we are, and offer them into the total material energy / bewildered by dualities arisen from attraction and repulsion / we're not the body, we're not the mind / taking shelter of the big bird / the simple idea that we are not the body is the beginning of living together in peace / being heroic through not letting public opinion limit us / the growth of Bhakti is facilitated by favorable conceptions, favorable sentiments and favorable l...
Aug 05, 2024•58 min•Ep. 1383
How is Vishnu the same or different than Krishna? / How to understand self loathing and toxic shame in Kali Yuga, and how to take shelter of Radharani? **************************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON...
Aug 03, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 1382
Power portrayed as Changing fate vs Power portrayed as accepting fate / How much energy can by saved (and redirected towards life's spiritual goal) through acceptance? / the industrious bee vs the python who accepts his fate / acceptance applied to food / acceptance applied to clothes / acceptance applied to shelter and vehicles / acceptance applied to one's feelings and reactions to other people / through acceptance the python man became the well wisher of everyone - and merged his mind and ego...
Aug 02, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 1381
simplicity is essential for the yogi's focused mind / the root of our problems is the desire for unnecessary prestige and money / The bee is super industrious - but so distracted that it doesn't realize that everything it is working for is taken away / the python is accepting whatever comes SB 7.13.33-37 **************************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com W...
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 1380
The American Psychological Association discovers that the more you endorse materialistic values, the more you suffer / big house means big problems / no matter how hard we work for prosperity, we are still living in an incredible vulnerable body / we are victimized by our material desires / Bhagavatam offers an access point of samsara cakra / are you ready for the moment when everything will be taken away? / the greedy suffer from insomnia / the bee works so hard to accumulate the honey, and the...
Jul 30, 2024•55 min•Ep. 1379
Wassily Kandinsky's thoughts on materialism / materialism as a value and materialism as an ideology / prosperity gospel as the hucksters materialism in the guise of spirituality / prosperity gospel in the realm of Bhakti / Jesus, Krishna, Buddha and the saints are on the side of self control - on the other side are the hucksters / forgetfulness (of our spiritual nature) leads to misery / you think about what you think about / running after happiness in the material world / matter grows from life...
Jul 29, 2024•55 min•Ep. 1378
When practicing Bhakti-yoga, is it normal to become increasingly disengaged in idle talk and uninterested or disturbed by gossip? And how can I control my thoughts and emotions when spending time with the people I love and care about, but who engage that way? / Does at least part of the subtle body travel with the soul to the next body? **************************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to h...
Jul 27, 2024•54 min•Ep. 1377
the story of Shanti Devi, one of the most thoroughly documented and authenticated cases of reincarnation / a little girl in Delhi remembers her previous life in Mathura / Shanti meets her husband and son from the past life / Shanti returns to Mathura / Gandhi appoints a committee of 15 prominent parliamentarians, national leaders, and members from the media to study the case / Kaustubha isn't real / how many children with memories of past lives will it take to convince a skeptic? / the timeless ...
Jul 26, 2024•54 min•Ep. 1376
Observe the nature of material enjoyment to see its false promise / Expectations cause stress / attachments lead to anger / seeing the power of male/female connection beyond material enjoyment / happiness of the self is natural / the happiness born of the contact of the senses with objects is a mental concoction / Is there any happiness in a cigarette? SB 7.13.26-27 **************************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD...
Jul 25, 2024•56 min•Ep. 1375
Lao Tzu - "When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you" / sattva guna conditions one with a sense of happiness and knowledge - raja guna is born of unlimited desires and longings / we can't snuff out our desires, we need to refine them / "When speaking in spiritual circles, one's statements must be upheld by the scriptures. One should at once quote from scriptural authority to back up what he is saying." A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami / seek the blessings of the Vaishnava...
Jul 24, 2024•58 min•Ep. 1374
Thoreau experiences the unearthly nature of the Vedas / Thoreau's balance of contemplation and activism / The Vedas feel nonsectarian, because Vyasadeva isn't trying to wrestle you into immediate submission to the highest truth - he nudges you to take the next step in your evolution / Prahlad was able to recognize the Python man as special, because Vishnu instructed him in the heart / Kaustubha goes to jail / Krishna gives instructions in the heart according to the manner of their surrender / ev...
Jul 23, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 1373
Raghunath interviews the award winning (and his personal favorite) musical group Madhava's Rock Band! Find out more about Madhavas Rock Band at https://www.youtube.com/madhavasrockband and support their girls' education initiative in Nandagao at https://www.projectkrish.com **************************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtub...
Jul 22, 2024•58 min•Ep. 1372
How can I transition from a spiritual seeker into a deeper Bhakti practitioner, and quell my doubts when reading sacred texts? / How to stay even minded and not lose relationships during a divisive election season? / How to know where to put your spiritual focus / Why do bad things happen to good people? **************************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com W...
Jul 21, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 1371
becoming aware of yourself as the witness of the mind / pause and ask yourself, "where is my mind right now?" / change your thoughts, change your life / when Narayana predominates one's heart, then their transcendental eyes are revealed / make some room for Krishna in the heart / Krishna is simultaneously eager for us to turn to him, and accommodating to our will to choose not to / The journey to reach Krishna through the layers of the cosmos / Krishna's embrace and sweet words when we return SB...
Jul 19, 2024•59 min•Ep. 1370
"There are the saints of every day, the 'hidden' saints, to which we can all belong" - Pope Francis / Tolstoy's hidden saint Pashenka / our sincerity is soiled by desire for human praise / Pralahd goes in search of the hidden saints / we shouldn't attempt to understand the pas of a Vaisnava / a saintly person may not expose himself to the vision of human society / the most humble are the most glorious SB: 7.13.10-13 **************************************************************************** LOV...
Jul 18, 2024•55 min•Ep. 1369
6 things a sannyasi should avoid / even non-sannyasis can take some essential teachings from the sannyasi regulations / we need some people, with both feet in the spiritual realm, wandering around the material realm / avoid literature without spiritual benefit / avoid making a living by making a living / avoid indulging in arguments and counterarguments / Daniel Dennett's the 4 steps to arguing intelligently / Bhaktivedanta Swami's multi-faceted approaches / Sri Caitanya's method of argument / a...
Jul 17, 2024•59 min•Ep. 1368
a vow of silence can mean simply refraining from mundane talk / The power of our words, thoughts and presence / a little self-disgust can be a big breakthrough / our thoughts can move us through the universe and beyond / Raghu and Kaustubha communicate nonviolently / wherever you are, you can be in a holy place / Pilgrimage shows a world revolving around God / Arjuna asks Krishna about one whose consciousness is merged in transcendence. How does he speak? - how neither praises or criticizes the ...
Jul 16, 2024•53 min•Ep. 1367
dealing with the assassination attempt - wishing well for both the shooter and the shot / appreciating the compassion of care-givers / the power of the Bhagavad-gita's vibration / the regulations are designed to facilitate essential realizations / be like the dried coconut – embodied but detached from the body / the magic happens when we stretch out of our comfort zone / sannyasi regulations - wander every day, go naked, carry no bags / sannyasi realizations - satisfied in the self, peaceful, we...
Jul 15, 2024•55 min•Ep. 1366
Alexandra Tirsu is recognized as one of the leading violinists of her generation and a devoted Bhakti-yogini. Here, Kaustubha interviews her about the intersection of her two worlds, that of Bhakti-yoga and the high pressure world as a solo violinist in classical music. Topics include…. • Feeling spirituality in music • Self discipline in music & Bhakti • The power of repetition in practice • The affection between teacher and student • How Bhakti helps one to negotiate high pressur...
Jul 14, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 1365
Is Good Karma Bad & Bad Karma Good? / What if I'm not attracted to Krsna for some of His qualities like wealth and fame? Check out Bhaktivedanta Institute's inaugural summer school at https://www.youtube.com/@bihstudies/streams **************************************************** ▶ LOVE THE PODCAST? -- BECOME A SUPPORTER: https://www.wisdomofthesages.com/ ▶ WATCH ON YOUTUBE:  https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages ▶ LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/...
Jul 13, 2024•53 min•Ep. 1364
the Universal plot - consciousness trapped in ego-based self interest gradually becoming free / a better way to frame out the world / "why me?" and "it's not fair!" are mantras of maya / these social codes and austerities prepare one to see God everywhere / codes for retirement to the forest / dissolving the body & mind by meditation / standing alone as spirit - in the body but separate from it / our bodies, senses, mind, etc. have all been loaned to us and must be returned to their owners, ...
Jul 12, 2024•58 min•Ep. 1363
"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts." - Marcus Aurelius / So why do we always try to find happiness by adjusting the externals? / what if everyone was thinking higher thoughts? / the yoga mat is just the doormat / all the regulations of the yoga culture are designed for improving the quality of our thoughts - if we forget that, we miss the point / the conception of duality, which is epitomized by the duality between man and woman / the sage sees everyone with eq...
Jul 11, 2024•53 min•Ep. 1362
Raghunath's early enthusiasm self-discipline / Kaustubha leaves NY behind / mind over matter and spirit over mind / understanding the high guardrails of Vedic culture / everyone loves a doting mother / Prabhupada's cultural flexibility SB: 7.12.8-9 ***************************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@wisdomofthesages L...
Jul 10, 2024•53 min•Ep. 1361
there is the pain of discipline or the pain of regret / reflecting with appreciation at our training as young monks / the power of the discipline of rising early / phone discipline / the connection between rising late and depression / the tradition of begging on behalf of the guru / the thoughtfulness of the approaching sexuality in yoga culture / becoming a virtuous, well-disciplined young man / the guru's intolerance of incompetence is just what we needed / how boys think and speak about girls...
Jul 09, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 1360
the social codes found in the yoga tradition are designed to facilitate ease in self-discipline and higher thoughts / the only requirement to be in this club is an affection for Krishna / followers of the Veda claim that it is apaurusheya, "not created by any person" / in meditative trance, sages became living receptors of the vibrating knowledge of the cosmos / reading minds & controlling the minds of others - it's all real! / days-rasa - the genuine affection felt for a teacher or master /...
Jul 08, 2024•54 min•Ep. 1359
Acyuta Gopi is a legendary kirtan singer, writer, award winning poet, storyteller and mother. In this interview she and Kaustubha discuss her feelings of isolation as a young devotee in New York City's public schools, her growing faith in Bhakti in her teens, the profound experience of childbirth, developing inner dialogues with God, and how spiritual practice opens us up to finding "perfect moments" any time, anywhere. Find more information from Acyuta Gopi at the following: WEBSITE: https://ww...
Jul 07, 2024•58 min•Ep. 1358
How to get through heartbreak? / Is the "Ritvik" idea of disciple succession legitimate? ************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@wisdomofthesages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 CONNECT ON INSTAGRAM: htt...
Jul 06, 2024•53 min•Ep. 1357
"Earn your success based on service to others, not at the expense of others" - Horace Jackson Brown Jr. / antah sukha (inner happiness) - when you understand that your happiness is not dependent on anything external you'll no longer feel that you have to impose your needs on others, or change others / sometimes God tags a person, a podcast, or a pakora / inner happiness frees up the mind and heart to care for others / the caveat - if everyone's not playing their roles it all falls apart / drops ...
Jul 05, 2024•57 min•Ep. 1356
SB: 7.11.18-27 'I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everythign else' / the faulty logic that demands empiric evidence / "Mother is all around us" / the symptoms of a brahmana / the sympoms of a warrior / the symptoms of the business leader / the symptoms of the employee / the qualities of a dharmic wife ******************************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY S...
Jul 04, 2024•57 min•Ep. 1355
