Spirit Matters

Parvati Markus is a developmental editor who has been midwifing spiritually oriented non-fiction books and memoirs going back to her early friendship with the late spiritual leader Ram Dass and working with him on his iconic Be Here Now. Later books she either authored, coauthored, or edited include Dying to Know, Whisper in the Heart, Love Everyone, and the children's book, Isabella Castaspella. She has also worked in various capacities with spiritual organizations such as the Neem Karoli Baba ashram and temple in Taos, New Mexico, the Global Peace Initiative of Women, and the Love Serve Remember Foundation. The focus of our conversation is her new book, There is no Other: The Way to Harmony
and Wholeness, which names Parvati as editor and Ram Dass as author. It's a collection of Ram Dass writings, assembled, organized, and introduced by Parvati, and it's billed as The Final Teachings from Beloved Spiritual Leader Ram Dass on Unity and Love.

https://www.parvatimarkus.com/

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Robert A. Jonas is a a multifaceted spiritual practitioner and teacher: psychotherapist, a Christian mystic, a leader in Buddhist-Christian dialogue, an environmental activist, a retreat leader, and the director and host of The Empty Bell, a contemplative sanctuary in Northampton, MA. , as well as a husband, father, and grandfather. He’s also a master of the Shakuhachi (a Japanese bamboo flute) and an author whose books include Rebecca: A Father’s Journey from Grief to Gratitude; two biographies of Father Henri Nouwen; and his most recent work, the award-winning, My Dear Far-Nearness, which explores Christianity’s Holy Trinity as three dimensions of consciousness. We spoke about the mysticism, the grace of grief, his friend Henri Nouwen, and his provocative interpretation of the Trinity. He also gifted us with a meditative performance of a traditional song on Shakuhachi.

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Stephanie James is a psychotherapist, a transformation coach, an international speaker, a filmmaker, an author, and the host of the podcast “Igniting the Spark,” on mindbodyspirit.fm, where you will find interviews,
(including one with me). Her new book, which we talk about here, is Your Big Fat Juicy Life (And Everything After). The book, according to the press material, “illuminates how we perceive life, death, and the magnificent spectrum of human experience. It is also a jubilant invitation to us all to wake up, breathe deeply, and dance with the mysteries of existence.” Much of our conversation was about how a serious consideration of death and reincarnation can enrich our lives here and now.

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Craig Bullock (aka Isha Das) is the Spiritual Director of the Assisi Institute in Rochester, New York, where he integrates mystical Christianity and teachings from the Kriya Yoga tradition. He has an advanced degree in religious studies from the University of Notre Dame and another in clinical psychology from Duquesne University. He is also an authorized Kriya Yoga teacher, having been trained by Roy Eugene Davis, who was a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda. In addition to his transformational work with students at the Assisi Institute, Craig is a retired psychotherapist, a public speaker, and an author. His books include Open Wider the Door: The Integration of Kriya Yoga and Mystical Christianity,
and his latest, Merchant to Mystic: The Hero’s Journey of St. Francis
of Assisi. We talked about his work integrating east and west and, mainly, the spiritual journey of St. Francis and lessons we can all learn from his story.

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Mark Nepo returns to Spirit Matters for a conversation about spirituality in the second half of life. Mark is a poet, a spiritual teacher, and a bestselling author of some 26 books, including You Don't Have to Do it Alone: The Power of Friendship; Falling Down and Getting Up; Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity; and best-known of all, The Book of Awakening, which has sold more than a million copies worldwide over the last 20 years. Mark has won numerous awards, has appeared on several national television shows, including Oprah's, and has made personal appearances throughout the world - all devoted to the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationship. His latest book, the one we talk about here, is The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life, which, he says, celebrates "living from the inside of the one life we’re given." Learn more about Mark here.

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