1625: Wisdom Blockers: Why Some Spiritual Truths Stay Out of Reach
Some truths hit you like a lightning bolt. Others hover like clouds for years—until something cracks your heart open and lets the rain in. In this episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore the invisible barriers that keep spiritual truths from fully landing—the wisdom blockers that arise from fear, ego, or unresolved resistance. They unpack how knowledge matures through humility, devotion, association—and a willingness to get emotionally honest. Drawing from the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and reflections on Henry Ward Beecher’s insight, the conversation reveals how real wisdom requires more than intellect—it requires openness of heart. BhaktiYoga #SrimadBhagavatam #SpiritualGrowth #WisdomBlockers #Personalism #VedicWisdom #YogaPhilosophy #EmotionalHealing #JñānaToBhakti #Transcendence SB 10.2.31-36 ********************************************************************* 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
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59:35
1623: Heart-to-Heart Transmission: Spirituality Beyond the Externals
How does one truly enter a spiritual path—beyond the ritual and formality? It’s not about externals—it’s about what’s alive in the heart. In this eye-opening episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore the deeper dimensions of spiritual life, focusing especially on the heart-to-heart transmission of spiritual knowledge, realization, and conviction. Through the lens of Krishna’s miraculous appearance in the womb of Devakī—and some fascinating Bhaktivedanta commentaries—they unpack the true meaning of initiation on the bhakti path: not as a mere ceremony, but as the sacred connection when divine consciousness is awakened in the heart of a seeker. Listen in as they discuss: • How Krishna consciousness transforms any place into a sacred space • The deeper meaning of initiation beyond ritual • Why seeing God only in temples—but not in others’ hearts—misses the point • The mystical transmission from Vasudeva to Devakī • Embodying scripture vs. just quoting it This episode is a call to go deeper—beyond external forms, into the heart of spiritual transformation. SB 10.2.16-18 ********************************************************************* 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
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55:52
1622: Beauty, Longing & the Sigh of Spiritual Awakening
Spiritual awakening may feel more like a sigh than a celebration. In this episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore why our most profound encounters with beauty—whether through art, music, or moments of stillness—are often blended with a kind of sweet ache or longing. Could that aching sensation be a clue? A sign that the soul is remembering something sacred? Through the lens of bhakti yoga, they unpack the idea of Viśvātmā—God as the soul of the universe—and how real connection is not found through constant searching outward, but by turning within. Key Highlights: • World-renowned geneticist sees the experience of beauty as something beyond neurochemistry • Why our most “transcendent” moments may come with a lump in the throat • Are we spiritually searching… or just spiritually shopping? • How the ache of beauty can be more real than our most comfortable beliefs This is a conversation about art, longing, and the quiet pull toward something eternal—one that might already be inside you. SB 10.2.7-16 ********************************************************************* 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
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57:41
1621: Before Religion, Beyond Boundaries: Interview with Author Nitesh Gor
Can ancient Indian wisdom heal the rifts of modern religion? In this mind-expanding and often hilarious episode, Raghunath sits down with author and educator Nitesh Gor (a.k.a. Navin Krishna) to explore his new book Before Religion: Ancient India’s Reconciling Vision for Universal Spirituality. From philosophical elephants and Ratha-yatras down Fifth Avenue to quantum physics and peacock-feather cosmology, they unpack what makes the Bhāgavatam a master key for global spiritual unity. Can you be loyal to one tradition without becoming intolerant of others? Does God really care which team you’re on? And what if the wildest creation myth is actually… “everything came from nothing”? Key Talking Points: • “Why doesn’t anyone invite Hare Krishnas to the Christmas party?” • Science, philosophy, and spirituality walk into a temple… and agree • Vedic culture’s soft power: winning hearts with pakoras and Sanskrit • Consciousness, the elephant, and the Bhāgavatam—yes, they’re connected • From Jesus to the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: building a house the whole world can live in Tune in to Episode 1621 of Wisdom of the Sages for a fresh take on religion, unity, and ancient India’s spiritual legacy. Find his book Before Religion: Ancient India's Reconciling Vision for Universal Spirituality at https://a.co/d/26XLez1 ********************************************************************* 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
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54:00
1620: The Sex Episode: Yoga Wisdom Meets Real-Life Hormones | Q & A Vol. 281
In this hilarious and revealing Q & A, Raghunath and Kaustubha tackle one of life’s most powerful forces—sexual desire—with honesty, insight, and bhakti-based wisdom. It’s a down-to-earth exploration of how the yogic tradition views it, and lays out a yogic framework for navigating desire without losing your mind (or your integrity). Highlights include: • 4 responses to desire: indulge, repress, ignore, or resolve • The monk’s 8-fold path of NOT having sex • How rāsa-līlā becomes a tool for inner purification • Why spiritual life doesn’t mean becoming rigid or resentful • What it takes to truly redirect the energy of desire This one goes deep—and keeps it real. ********************************************************************* 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
Truths about life from the timeless wisdom of the Bhakti-yoga tradition - fun, relevant, and deep. Learn about dharma, yoga, bhakti, and how it relates to all the basic questions of life. This show is about how to live your best life, let go of the external distractions, and uncover the spiritual happiness that lies within the heart as the true nature of the soul.
Raghunath and Kaustubha's connection goes back to their teens in the New York Hardcore Punk Scene of the early 80s, through serving together as Bhakti-yogi monks in the 90's, to sharing their experiences in the world of yoga in the 21st century.