Raghu Markus and Ann Tashi Slater dive into The Tibetan Book of the Dead, bardo states, and how embracing death and impermanence can help us live with greater presence and purpose.

Pick up a copy of Ann’s September 2025 book, Traveling in Bardo

This week on Mindrolling, Raghu and Ann discuss:

• The Tibetan Book of the Dead and how it can help us in modern Western culture
• Bardo states: the in-between, liminal spaces between death and rebirth, birth and death.
• How we regularly experience metaphorical death through the impermanence of relationships, identities, and moments
• Accepting the reality of death and impermanence to avoid struggle and suffering
• Finding grace in life-lessons and why Ram Dass initially thought his guru gave him the stroke
• Ann’s Tibetan lineage and strong connection to her grandmother
• Ensuring that we are living in alignment with the things we care most about
• Why reflecting on death while alive can lead to more conscious, intentional living
• Maintaining traditions as a way to accept reality, process grief, and find meaning in loss
• Recognizing our interdependence and having compassion for other people

Check out the film The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life, narrated by Leonard Cohen

About Ann Tashi Slater:

Ann Tashi Slater has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Paris Review, Tin House, Guernica, AGNI, Granta, and many others. Her work has been featured in Lit Hub and included in The Best American Essays. In her Darjeeling Journal column for Catapult, she writes about her Tibetan family history and bardo, and she blogged for HuffPost about similar topics. She presents and teaches workshops at Princeton, Columbia, Oxford, Asia Society, and The American University of Paris, among others, and was a regular speaker at NYC’s Rubin Museum of Art during the museum's 20-year run. You can learn more about Ann and sign up for her newsletter at http://www.anntashislater.com.

“The really fundamental lesson of the bardo teachings is that awareness of impermanence allows us to actually, counterintuitively, find the happiness that we’re looking for. When we struggle against it, we make ourselves miserable because there’s nothing we can do to change it. Things end.” – Ann Tashi Slater

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Recorded live at the 2025 Summer Mountain Retreat, this homestyle chat with Raghu Markus, Nina Rao, and Robert Thurman explores the Bhakti-Buddhist lineage of Ram Dass and Maharaj-ji.

Join us this December for the 2025 Ram Dass Legacy Open Your Heart in Paradise retreat in Maui!

This time on Mindrolling, Raghu, Nina, and Robert discuss:

• The story of finding Neem Karoli Baba and filling up on poori and potatoes
• How Maharaj-ji miraculously healed Krishna Das’s injured knee
• The wonderful interplay between Ram Dass and Buddhist teachers
• Nina’s relationship with Sri Siddhi Ma, an intimate devotee of Maharaj-ji (considered by many to be a saint in her own right)
• Seeing everyone as the guru and living the best way that we can
• Nina’s journey to the foothills of the Himalayas and meeting Siddhi Ma for the first time
• The Buddhist perspective on the soul (ātman) and whether we truly have one
• Why ‘Be Here Now’ is actually a mantra of care and femininity
• The Bhagavad Gita and the meaning of karma yoga
• Letting go of fear around birth and death by focusing on liberation from suffering
• Being here now in the best way we can by loving those around us rather than running away from the pain in the world

“My own take on it in terms of what we represent and what goes on here is really, truly, a combination of Bhakti and discriminating wisdom represented by Buddhist perspective.” – Raghu Markus

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.

“I didn’t realize that I was looking for a guru until Krishna Das started talking about Neem Karoli Baba. When I heard about him and I felt that presence that came alive when Krishna Das was talking about Maharaj-ji, I wanted to meet him.” – Nina Rao

About Robert Thurman:

Robert Thurman is the Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the Department of Religion at Columbia University and President of the Tibet House U.S., and is the President of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies. His new book, Wisdom Is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts That Can Change Your Life, is now available.

“What is the best way to 'be here now'? It’s to love Raghu, to love Nina, to love Maharaj-ji, it’s to love everything here and now and make it beautiful and the best. Be as beautiful and as best as you can be because that’s absolute. That’s the way to 'be Nirvana now'.” – Robert Thurman

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Discussing the spiritual experiences that shaped his life, Dr. Michael Shandler describes the lessons he learned from taking psychedelics, meeting Baba Hari Dass, and more.

Grab your copy of Dr. Michael’s award-winning memoir, Karma and Kismet, HERE.

In this episode, Raghu and Michael have an elaborate discussion on:

• Dr. Michael’s early encounters with antisemitism and racism in boarding school and the South African military
• The impact of Zionist upbringing on Dr. Michael’s worldview and his transformative time living in an Israeli kibbutz
• Healing strained parental relationships: how Dr. Michael overcame challenges with his father
• Dr. Michael's time with Baba Hari Dass, Ram Dass’s teacher
• Why chasing multiple psychedelic trips may be less valuable than simply integrating lessons from the first
• Restoring balance to the nervous system with yogic practices and Ayurveda
• A heart-centered teaching from Neem Karoli Baba: Poori and Potatoes

Check out Ram Dass’s Here We All Are lecture, mentioned in this episode.

About Dr. Michael Shandler:

Dr. Michael Shandler is an award-winning author, speaker, and life coach with over forty years of experience guiding individuals and teams on their journeys toward psycho-spiritual well-being. and optimal performance As the founder of Vision Action Associates and former director of leadership and organization development at Arthur D. Little in London, U.K., Shandler has spent decades helping leaders, teams, and individuals tap into their potential, combining psychological insight with cutting edge collaborative techniques and the perennial wisdom of the ages.

In 2024, Shandler’s multiple award-winning memoir, Karma and Kismet, A Spiritual Quest Across Continents, Cultures, and Consciousness, was published by Koehler Books. This award-winning narrative chronicles his personal journey through adversity and triumph, exploring the powerful forces of fate and karma that have shaped his life across continents and cultures. His work resonates with anyone seeking transformation, self-discovery, and a deeper understanding of life’s interconnectedness.

“During the meeting, he said to me, ‘How many times have you taken LSD?’ Who knew? I didn’t really remember. I said, ‘I can’t really remember Baba Ji.’ He said, ‘The first trip you took was the important one, everything else was a waste of time after that.’”– Dr. Michael Shandler

This episode is brought to you by Dharma Moon.

Join Senior Buddhist Teacher David Nichtern for a provocative and playful online discussion exploring the profound practices of mindfulness and the journey of becoming a meditation teacher.

Learn more and sign up for a free online talk about becoming a meditation teacher with David at dharmamoon.com/deepening.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Explaining all that anger can reveal, activist and yoga instructor Reggie Hubbard encourages listeners to use their anger for positive change.

In this week’s episode of Mindrolling, Raghu and Reggie reflect upon:

• Reggie's powerful upbringing as a person of color, shaped by family stories from the Civil Rights era and beyond
• How surviving a stroke became a transformative spiritual experience for Reggie
• Anger as a gift and friend that can show us injustice, unreconciled pain, and more
• How facing his anger led Reggie to yoga, mindfulness, and spiritual life
• Maharaj-ji’s wisdom: you can be angry, just don’t throw anyone out of your heart.
• How poverty is pathologized in American society—and the consequences of blaming the poor.
• What science reveals about the empathy gap in wealthy individuals and its societal impact
• Consuming less media, talking less, and praying more
• Why the act of surrender can be the most powerful and transformative choice
• Considering where love is in our reality and figuring out who we really are
• A meditation as Reggie plays gongs and singing bowls for listeners

Read the full article Raghu excerpts in this episode, “What You’ve Suspected Is True: Billionaires Are Not Like Us,” HERE.

This episode is brought to you by Dharma Moon.

Join Senior Buddhist Teacher David Nichtern for a provocative and playful online discussion exploring the profound practices of mindfulness and the journey of becoming a meditation teacher.

Learn more and sign up for a free online talk about becoming a meditation teacher with David at dharmamoon.com/deepening.

About Reggie Hubbard:

Reggie is a certified yoga and meditation teacher and the founder/chief serving officer of Active Peace Yoga. He has taught Members of Congress, Congressional Staff, major labor unions, leading progressive organizations, and individuals from all walks of life the simple tools for managing stress and bringing peace to mind, body, and spirit. Reggie’s life work sits at the intersection of bringing more peace and balance to activists; guiding the wellness community toward being more engaged, concerned citizens; and enhancing the well-being of all walks of life. Learn more HERE.

"You should be outraged, these are outrageous times. What will you do with that outrage? How might that outrage fuel the aims that you seek as opposed to fuel your self-destruction or delusion?” – Reggie Hubbard

Photo via Reggie Hubbard

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Blending psychedelic wisdom with the sacred power of sound, Raghu Markus and East Forest explore music as a gateway to nonduality, healing, and everyday spirituality.

Check out Music for Mushrooms, a narrative documentary highlighting the personal journey of East Forest.

In this episode of Mindrolling, Raghu and East Forest explore:

• East Forest’s creative process and setting Ram Dass’ teachings to music
• Putting trust into the process and the vast audience that East has reached
• Music as a vehicle for nonduality, emotion, and direct spiritual experience
• The infinite potential of music—why we’ll never run out of songs
• Raghu’s substanceless psychedelic experience listening to John Coltrane
• Accessing altered states and higher consciousness through multiple paths
• The role of song in indigenous plant medicine and sacred ceremony
• Bringing spirituality into daily life rather than chasing peak experiences
• Living fully and embracing even the uncomfortable parts of healing
• Leaning into suffering with tenderness and recognizing that it can bring us closer to God
• How psychedelics can help us remember that we are all interconnected
• The healing power of motherly and divine love—and how it’s always available to us
• Cosmic peek-a-boo: Remembering that we are loving awareness and not being discouraged when we forget

From this episode:

• Grab a copy of the book Walking Each Other Home
• Learn more about Saint Mira Bai and her devotion to Krishna

About East Forest:

East Forest is a multidisciplinary artist, producer, and ceremony guide. Since 2008, East Forest’s “lush” (Rolling Stone) and “blissful” (NPR) music has blended ambient, neoclassical, electronic, and avant-pop to explore sound as a tool for inner journeys and consciousness expansion. Known for being the first musician to collaborate with Ram Dass, his latest endeavor is the feature-length film Music for Mushrooms, a narrative documentary showcasing the transformative power of psychedelics, music, and community.

“There's something about the combination of how music can unlock–it makes the medicine so smooth and the emotion is so amplified that it’s just right there. It’s a core human experience that they're reflecting back, and it’s for all of us.” – East Forest

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Examining transformative times in human history, Dr. Damer discusses how psychedelics can amplify our consciousness and spark both personal and global change.

In this episode of Mindrolling, Raghu and Dr. Damer explore:

• Dr. Damer’s recent work with the resurgence of psychedelics as tools for insight, creativity, and expanded consciousness
• Altered states of perception and Dr. Damer’s groundbreaking chemical model for the origin of life
• Ram Dass’ teachings on transcending roles and realizing the illusion of separateness
• Building supportive, heart-centered sanghas and collective spiritual communities
• How MDMA fosters deep feelings of compassion, empathy, and human connection
• Raghu’s mystical experience bathing in the Ganges River
• Evolutionary patterns in history that reveal how groups overcome stress and awaken
• The impact of social media on youth mental health and emotional well-being
• The importance of mindful, compassionate youth mentorship and nurturing the next generation
• Holding onto optimism for our new digital landscape and the people who are creating it

Learn more about recent research into psychedelic science in another captivating Mindrolling episode HERE.

About Dr. Bruce Damer:

Dr. Bruce Damer is a scientist, psychonaut, and humanitarian. Dr. Damer is Chief Scientist at BIOTA Institute, UC Santa Cruz. He is an astrobiologist working on the science of life’s origins, spacecraft design, psychedelics and genius. Dr. Bruce has spent his life pursuing two great questions: how did life on Earth begin, and how can we give that life (and ourselves) a sustainable pathway into the cosmos? A decade of scientific research with his collaborator Prof. David Deamer at the UC Santa Cruz Department of Biomolecular Engineering resulted in the Hot Spring Hypothesis for an Origin of Life published in the journal Astrobiology in 2019. Dr. Damer also has a long career working with NASA on mission simulation and design and recently co-developed a spacecraft to utilize resources from asteroids. Advancing research into altered-state innovation, Dr. Damer recently cofounded the Center for MINDS. You can keep up with Dr. Bruce Damer on Twitter.

“For a geeky scientist like me, it was seeing the origin of life from a different perspective, from the first cell division, which led me to propose the chemical model, which has now gone through the field. That was an insight that was absolutely inaccessible to me without some kind of amplification or exaltation of states of consciousness.” – Dr. Bruce Damer

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.