Safe, Stable and Sane Spiritual Practices in Crazy Times with Philip Goldberg

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Some of us are asking the questions: Are spiritual practices a necessity or merely a luxury in these turbulent times? How do prayer, meditation, mindfulness and other practices help us in crazy times? Here we explore practices that will stabilize and anchor us when the winds of rancor and rage are swirling. Goldberg urges us to look into our spiritual pantry to find the ingredients that are most useful to us, ones that fit our personal needs, predilections and circumstances. He encourages us to create effective spiritual routines yet remain flexible. He also talks about becoming activists and says, “Spiritual practitioners are needed to also rise to the occasion and be good citizens, active citizens.” He advocates bringing the best of ourselves to our life and work by combining our outer work in the world with our inner work of spiritual development and says, “It's not a luxury but it's incumbent upon us to bring the qualities we're developing in ourselves out into the world as our contribution, whether it's minor or small, whether it's a phone call to somebody to make them feel better, or you're out in the streets marching, or you're running for office. Whatever it is, the world needs deeply spiritual people who tend to be more loving, more compassionate, more wise.” (hosted by Justine Willis Toms) 

Bio 

Philip Goldberg has been studying the world's spiritual traditions for more than 50 years. He's a workshop leader, spiritual counselor and meditation teacher, and an ordained interfaith minister. He also co-hosts the Spirit Matters Podcasts. He leads American Veda tours and blogs regularly on Elephant Journal and Spirituality & Health. 

Philip Goldberg is the author of many books, including: 

• American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation How Indian Spirituality Changed the West. (Harmony 2013)
• The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru (Hay House, 2^nd Edition 2020)
• Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times: Powerful Tools to Cultivate Calm, Clarity, and Courage (Hay House 2020)

To learn more about Philip Goldberg go to www.philipgoldberg.com.

 Topics explored in this dialogue include: 

• How Goldberg’s life took a huge turn when he visited the gallery of Buddhas in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts
• How being an activist is enhanced by our spiritual practices
• Why people conflate mindfulness practices and meditation
• Why it is important for practitioners to individualize their spiritual routines
• Why it is important to go deep in our spiritual practices rather than treating them as a spiritual buffet
• By what criteria can we know if our practice is working or not
• Why it is important to take some time after our practice and not just jump right back into our daily routines
• Why our lives will continue to be tossed around with toxic emotions and how our spiritual practices can have a cumulative effect to help us bounce back much faster to equanimity and inner peace
• What are two types of meditation: mantra and following the breath
• What are some immediate interventions when life becomes intensely challenging
• How our innermost core is that of peace, infinite awareness, and pure love
• What is the 90-second neurobiological loop
• What is the metta practice and tonglen practice
• Why, if we want to bring the best of ourselves to our life and work we must combine our outer work in the world with our inner work of spiritual development
• How we can reframe and flip our minds because thoughts are vibrating energy forms 

Host: Justine Willis Toms   Interview Date: 8/10/2020   Program Number: 3708

Music Playlist

From Album:  Himalayan Nights   sitar and tabla
Artist: Swami Kriyanada J Howard Walters aka Agni and Howard

Opening Essay: Track 01 - Dhaulagiri
Music Break 1: Track 02 - Annapurna
Music Break 2: Track 03 - Kangchenjunga
Music Break 3: Track 04 - Nanga Parbat