Mindrolling with Raghu Markus

With loving remembrance for Raghu’s nephew, Shiva Baum, Mindrolling presents this 2014 rerelease, in which Shiva, Raghu, and David Silver explore how music shapes an era, from the wild sixties to the weird now.
Please consider supporting Shiva’s family via GoFundMe. Funds raised will go toward cremation and memorial expenses, immediate living and housing costs, and ongoing support as Radha and Mohan navigate life after his passing. Learn more: Supporting Shiva Baum And His Family
In this episode, Raghu, Shiva, and David discuss:
The magic of Bruce Springsteen and the collective heart that he creates
How changes in music signify the shift of an era
How Neil Young’s song Sugar Mountain shaped Shiva’s conscious relationship to music
The divine consciousness that was active in popular music throughout the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s
Voting for a higher consciousness in politics
How the internet and being hyper-aware of global tragedies can be overwhelming
Shiva and Raghu’s work with Triloka Records involves producing fusion world music
Shiva’s work with musician Clark Graham and the creation of “The Way Things Were”
About Shiva Baum:
Aside from being Raghu’s beloved nephew, Shiva Baum was a record producer and peak performance coach. With expertise in sacred mantra chanting, Shiva was the head of music programming for the world-renowned yoga music festivals Bhakti Fest and Shakti Fest.
“What’s going on with us being more connected, we’ve absolutely voluntarily given up our privacy, we see atrocities all over the world and it’s so overwhelming that almost the form of activism is to tune it out...it does set the scene for a movement to transpire, certainly brilliant art in literature, music, and cinema. I think we’re still waiting to see the explosion. I hope it comes this decade, it might not come till next decade, but something is going on.” –Shiva Baum
About David Silver:
David Silver is the former co-host of the Mindrolling podcast. He is a filmmaker and director, most recently coming out with Brilliant Disguise. Brilliant Disguise tells the unique story of a group of inspired Western spiritual seekers from the 60s, who in meeting the great American teacher, Ram Dass, followed him to India to meet his Guru, Neem Karoli Baba, familiarly known as Maharaj-ji. Two days before he left his body, Maharaj-ji instructed K.C. Tewari to take care of the Westerners, which he did resolutely until the day he died in 1997. Silver’s #1 charting MGM/UA/Warners film, “The Compleat Beatles” is the critically acclaimed biopic movie about history’s most famous band. The term ‘rockumentary’ was first applied to this two-hour movie. Rolling Stone recently described the film as a “masterwork.” Silver’s Warner Brothers’ feature film, “No Nukes” also started the whole trend of music/activism feature documentaries.
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Discussing the inspiration behind her upcoming album, Bhumi Devi, Nina Rao and Raghu Markus explore preserving the planet and devotion to the sacred mother.
Support the pre-sale of Bhumi Devi with exclusive reward levels on Kickstarter until June 2. Click here for more information.
This week on Mindrolling, Raghu and Nina chat about:
Moderating our consumption and doing our best to heal the earth
Nina’s work in preserving wilderness areas
Wisely receiving gifts from Mother Earth while preserving uncorrupted lands
The unconditional love and presence that resonates through Maharaj-ji
The reciprocal relationship we have with the divine
When Nina met Siddhi Ma, and seeing her as merged with Maharaj-ji
The first time Nina chanted for Siddhi Ma
Satsang: connecting with Maharaj-ji through community
Prayers to the Goddess in Nina’s new album, Bhumi Devi
Connect with Nina Rao this Summer at the Ram Dass Legacy Summer Mountain Retreat! Learn more HERE.
About Nina Rao:
Nina Rao is a devotional singer. She tours with Krishna Das, playing cymbals, singing, and acting as his business manager. Nina has two of her own albums, “Antarayaami – Knower of All Hearts” and “Anubhav”. Nina regularly leads kirtan, workshops, and retreats in her hometown of Brooklyn, New York and beyond. Together with Chandra and Genevieve Walker, Nina operates the 21 Taras Collective. You can keep up with Nina on her website or find her on Instagram @nina_rao and on Facebook @NinaRaoChant.
“Even if we’ve never met Maharaj-ji, we understand presence, we understand sacred divine presence that holds love, peace, equanimity, understanding, a place where you feel free on some level. That happened to me as a child, chanting to my grandpa, living close to the earth, engaging in ritual, and creating a space where we can offer gratitude.” –Nina Rao
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Interfaith peace counselor Patrick McCollum and documentary filmmaker Gabe Polsky share the powerful prophecy that united the Amazon and led to making their film, The Man Who Saves the World?
Click here to find screenings of The Man Who Saves the World? near you.
This week on Mindrolling, Raghu speaks with his guests, Gabe and Patrick, about:
The origin story behind The Man Who Saves the World? and the real-life journey that inspired the film
How diverse Amazonian tribes are connected through shared spiritual practices and plant communication
The meaning of the Roxa Prophecy and why the Amazon is considered the “heart of the world”
Efforts to unite the Amazonian tribes to save the rainforest and its inhabitants
Our universal journey to understand reality and our purpose in life
How psychedelics, indigenous wisdom, and other spiritual pursuits open doors to new perspectives
Bursting the bubble of our constructed reality
Patrick’s work as a bridge between “the people of the concrete” (modern society) and the indigenous
About Patrick McCollum:
Patrick McCollum ​​is an interfaith chaplain, spiritual mentor, and peace counselor. Patrick was inspired by the Great Mother to promote a sacred universal vision that respects religious and cultural diversity and advances pluralism. As a dedicated peacemaker, Patrick brings forth a well-timed meta-narrative of universal magnitude that is alerting the world of the sacredness of all beings. Patrick is the founder and president of The McCollum Foundation for Peace, which aims to discover and implement positive, workable, and sustainable strategies that create local and global change and peace in all areas of life.
“Their ancient story said that one day, thousands of years later, the Amazon would be in trouble. It would be burning, the water would be poisoned, and the indigenous people and their wisdom would be wiped out. When that happened, the creator would send the spirit of Roxa into a man or woman, and that person would unite all of the indigenous people of the Amazon and help them create a strategy to save the heart of the world.” –Patrick McCollum
About Gabe Polsky:
Gabe Polsky is a filmmaker, director, producer, and writer best known for the documentaries Red Army (2014) and In Search of Greatness (2018). Known for pushing the boundaries of documentary filmmaking, Gabe Polsky has built a reputation for uncovering stories that challenge perception, provoke thought, and entertain. His work has premiered at major international festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, the Telluride Film Festival, and the New York Film Festival.
“After eight years of pursuit from these tribes, he agreed to try and unfold this prophecy. I learned about this, and I got caught up in this story as well, following Patrick down to the Amazon to try and fulfill this prophecy. It’s this wild spiritual adventure, very funny, very strange, it’s a film that has a lot of deep meaning.” –Gabe Polsky
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Dr. Phil Wolfson offers his seasoned perspective on psychedelics, ketamine assisted therapy, and more in this expansive talk with Raghu Markus and Gagan Levy.
Check out these FREE personal & clinical guidelines for use from the Ketamine Research Foundation
This week on Mindrolling, Raghu, Phil, and Gagan discuss:
How psychedelics shaped Phil’s worldview in the 1960s and inspired his commitment to social justice
Using psychedelics as tools for personal growth, healing, and transformation
The importance of set and setting when taking psychedelics recreationally, therapeutically, or ceremoniously
Going beyond the ups and downs of psychedelics and finding steady peace through practice
The persistent anti-depressant effects of Ketamine and its therapeutic promise
Phil’s ongoing studies with the Ketamine Research Foundation for phantom limb pain, end-of-life care, and menstrual cycle disorders
Mind Manifesting: What exactly happens to the brain on psychedelics?
Phil’s ‘bottom line’: positive intentions and practical guidelines for Ketamine use
About Dr. Phil Wolfson:
Phil Wolfson MD was Principal Investigator for the MAPS sponsored Phase 2, FDA approved 18-person study of MDMA Assisted Psychotherapy for individuals with significant anxiety due to life threatening illnesses. His clinical practice with ketamine has informed his leadership role in the development of Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy. Phil’s book, The Ketamine Papers, has been published by MAPS and is the seminal work in the burgeoning ketamine arena.
Phil is a sixties activist, psychiatrist/psychotherapist, writer, practicing Buddhist and psychonaut who has lived in the Bay Area for 38 years. He is the author of Noe: A Father/Son Song of Love, Life, Illness and Death (2011, North Atlantic Books). He has been awarded five patents for unique herbal medicines. He is a journalist and author of numerous articles on politics, transformation, psychedelics, consciousness and spirit, and was a founding member of the Heffter Research Institute. Phil has taught in the graduate psychology programs at JFK University, CIIS and the UCSF School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. Phil is the founder and CEO of the Ketamine Research Foundation and is committed to making the organization a vibrant contributor to the betterment of human beings through psychedelic psychotherapy.
"The work needs to be thought of not as a single episode, but as a therapy. Psychedelic psychotherapy is much quicker than conventional psychotherapy for many reasons, but it needs to have a follow-up, continuation, integration, and work with someone to be effective. That's not to say ketamine on its own doesn't have value, it does." – Dr. Phil Wolfson
About Gagan Levy:
Gagan Levy is the Founder/CEO of Guru, an award-winning creative agency dedicated to serving purpose-driven movements, brands, and organizations. They work with impactful brands like Patagonia, Traditional Medicinals, Nalgene, Non-GMO, The Organic Alliance, Bring Change to Mind and many natural products brands, including EO / Everyone Products, OM Mushroom Superfoods, and REBBL. Gagan also serves as Chief Evangelist at MAHA Global, a platform focused on helping businesses adapt to stakeholder needs using data-driven reputation intelligence. As former Co-chair of Social Venture Circle, one of the country’s most prestigious impact investor and social business communities, Gagan leads the way to a next economy that is regenerative, just, and prosperous for all. Gagan Levy is also a current board member to his prolific teacher Ram Dass’ Love Serve Remember Foundation, he has been instrumental in strategizing how to connect the greatest wisdom keepers of our time to a new generation.
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In this rich conversation bridging Zen and Jewish mysticism, Rabbi Rami Shapiro and Raghu Markus navigate nonduality, the shadow, and the living experience of the divine.
Grab a copy of Rabbi Rami’s newest book, Zen Mind Jewish Mind, HERE
This time on Mindrolling, Raghu and Rabbi Rami discuss:
Veering off from traditional Judaism and into Jewish mysticism
Nondual awareness as the realm of divine consciousness
Going beyond the dead word and into the living word
Inspiration from Shunryu Suzuki Roshi’s classic Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind and Thich Nhat Hanh’s series on How to Live
Koan: the Zen practice of exhausting the logical mind to provoke direct, intuitive insight into reality and one's own nature
Recognizing our own shadow rather than pretending it does not exist
Holding multiple truths at once: there is no other, we are all part of a whole, and we do have differences
How the Kabbalah expresses the name of God in an embodied way
Seeing the divine in all humans and everything in front of us
Special moments with Ram Dass, accepting silence and accepting the moment for what it is
About Rabbi Rami Shapiro:
Rabbi Rami Shapiro is an award-winning author of over two dozen books on religion and spirituality. He received rabbinical ordination from the Hebrew Union College: Jewish Institute of Religion, and holds a PH.D. from Union Graduate School. A congregational rabbi for 20 years, Rabbi Rami currently co–directs One River Wisdom School, blogs at r writes the foundation’s newsletter, Ask Rabbi Rami, and hosts the foundation’s podcast, Explore Spirituality with Rabbi Rami. Rami is also a contributing editor for Spirituality+Health magazine www.spiritualityhealth.com where he writes the advice column Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler. Rami can be reached at https://www.threads.net/@rabbirami
"The Jewish meditation practices, the spirituality within Judaism, never or at least rarely gets beyond or slips into the nondual to the extent that you drop the labels, that you drop the tribal. You get Saint Paul saying there is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, in Christ. To me, that's Christ consciousness, that's Buddha mind. When you reach that level of consciousness, all the labels fall away, your sense of separate self is gone.” –Rabbi Rami Shapiro
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