Sacred Community Podcast

Ondrea Levine: Facing Grief with a Merciful Heart

This interview with Ondrea Levine was recorded on October 30th, 2023. Vasu Jon Seskevich and Sitaram Dass traveled to her remote off-the-grid home in the high desert of New Mexico for an intimate conversation about living with an open heart in the face of death and grief. 
Stephen and Ondrea Levine were two of the pioneers of the modern conscious death and dying movement and touched the lives of thousands of people worldwide. Stephen died a medication-assisted death on January 17th, 2016 after many years of living with Alzheimers, and Ondrea was his caregiver in those final years.
They are the authors of numerous books, including Who Dies, Embracing the Beloved, and A Year to Live. https://levinetalks.com is a way for Stephen and Ondrea to continue their teachings and connect with an outside audience.
In the introduction to this interview, Sitaram Dass states, “Stephen and Ondrea spent their entire lives making friends with death, and as Ondrea approached the end of her life after experiencing the death of Stephen, I wanted to know what insight she might have to share. 
“Her matter-of-fact transparency, immediate warmth, humility, compassion, and wisdom left me in awe, but also as if I had just met an intimate friend. This meeting was truly a gift, and I am excited to share it with you.” 
***HELP ONDREA FIX HER SOLAR POWER SYSTEM*** 
Recently, Ondrea’s solar power system and backup generator both unexpectedly broke down. These systems are essential for her daily living, providing the necessary power for heating, cooling, water, and other vital functions in her off-the-grid home. 
The sudden failure of these systems has left her in a vulnerable position, making it difficult to manage her health and maintain her home. A Gofundme was set up to help Ondrea repair her solar power system and generator, ensuring she can continue to live safely and comfortably in her home. Your support will make a significant difference in her life, providing her with the stability she needs during this challenging time. 
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ondrea-fix-her-solar-system  
Credits and Links:
Featuring: Ondrea Levine https://levinetalks.com
Interviewers: Sitaram Dass https://sitaramdass.com   Vasu Jon Seskevich https://jonvasu.com 
AV Production and Filming: Kiki Love Productions https://kikiloveproductions.com 
Video Editing: zander cole karlin https://zandercole.carrd.co 
Intro Music: Carl Golembeski https://www.instagram.com/mirarimusic  
Archival footage used with permission from Levine Talks
The Sacred Community Project is an interspiritual collective working to awaken Sacred Community in the world. Through the eternal teachings of “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth,” SCP lowers the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through affordable, free, and donation-based offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. You can join and learn more at http://sacredcommunityproject.org

Ramananda John Welshons: The Eternal Now

Ramananda John Welshons is interviewed by Free Landauer to discuss the path of meditation, grief, releasing guilt, and grace. Ramananda also shares some sweet stories about his lifelong friendship with Ram Dass, and he even shares one about SCP director Sitaram Dass.
Ramananda John Welshons is a highly respected contemporary spiritual teacher who lectures and leads meditation courses throughout North America. He has been a practitioner of vipassana (mindfulness) meditation and various forms of yoga for more than fifty years. In addition to his latest book, One Soul, One Love, One Heart: The Sacred Path to Healing All Relationships, he is also the author of Awakening from Grief: Finding the Way Back to Joy and When Prayers Aren’t Answered, two books that emerged from forty-five years of experience helping people deal with dramatic life change and loss. Learn more about John and his schedule of events, join a meditation class, or request a private consultation at https://onesoulonelove.com/
The Sacred Community Podcast is an inter-spiritual hub of the universal teachings, “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth.” Home to SCP interviews, live workshop recordings, dharma talks, and meditations, each episode is carefully curated to ensure its alignment with SCP values.
The Sacred Community Project is an interspiritual collective working to awaken Sacred Community in the world. Through the eternal teachings of “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth,” SCP lowers the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through affordable, free, and donation-based offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. You can join and learn more at http://sacredcommunityproject.org
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Music: Carl Golembeski
 

David Nichtern: Suddenly Free from Fixed Mind

David Nichtern from Dharma Moon sits down with Greg "Aditya Das" Barbush to discuss mindfulness, the path of meditation, the concept of "suddenly free from fixed mind," the guru from the Tibetan Buddhist perspective, and the relationship between Bhakti Yoga and Buddhism. 
David Nichtern is a senior Buddhist teacher who has been practicing and teaching meditation for over 40 years. He is the founder of Dharma Moon, a mindfulness-based education platform, and he mentors individual students and leads meditation teacher training programs around the world. He is also an acclaimed author and music producer, and regularly plays and produces records for American chant master, Krishna Das. Learn more at: https://www.dharmamoon.com/our-founder 
Sign up for the Dharma Moon email list to learn more about upcoming retreats and online offersings and to receive the free ebook, The Art of Teaching Mindfulness, https://www.dharmamoon.com/ebook
Greg “Aditya Das” Barbush is a longtime contributor of the food service industry, a youth martial arts instructor, community volunteer, and certified mindfulness meditation teacher through Dharma Moon & Tibet House US. He has a passion for cultivating relationships with incarcerated individuals through spiritual support and letter writing and believes the best thing we can offer another human being is our own open heart. He is a spiritual support provider for Sacred Community Project and a contributing writer for the upcoming book, Loving Awareness: Awakening the Heart-Mind through the path of Grace. Learn more at https://sacredcommunityproject.org/loving-awareness-book 
The Sacred Community Podcast is an inter-spiritual hub of the universal teachings, “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth.” Home to SCP interviews, live workshop recordings, dharma talks, and meditations, each episode is carefully curated to ensure its alignment with SCP values.
The Sacred Community Project is an interspiritual collective working to awaken Sacred Community in the world. Through the eternal teachings of “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth,” SCP lowers the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through affordable, free, and donation-based offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. You can join and learn more at http://sacredcommunityproject.org
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Music: Carl Golembeski
 

Connor Burns: Mindfulness Meditation

Connor Burns leads a short mindfulness meditation at the 2023 Sacred Community Retreat that was held on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia.
SCP is hosting two retreats this year- outside of Atlanta from May 24-27 and again on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia from August 22-25th. Registration is now live for both of them. Learn more and register for the retreat here: https://sacredcommunityproject.org/sacred-community-retreats
Connor Burns (he/him) is an educator and mental health facilitator living in Vancouver, BC Canada. Connor's passion for exploring consciousness started from a young age and has led to hundreds of hours of yoga and mindfulness trainings and more than ten years of experience working with at-risk youth. Connor holds certifications in Dr. Gabor Maté's Compassionate Inquiry and Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. He is currently in a Master's of Counseling program. https://connorburns.ca IG: @connorburns.ca
The Sacred Community Podcast is an inter-spiritual hub of the universal teachings, “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth.” Home to Sacred Community Project interviews, live workshop recordings, dharma talks, and meditations, each episode is carefully curated to ensure its alignment with SCP values.
SCP works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through free, donation-based, and affordable offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. Learn more and make a tax-deductible donation at: https://sacredcommunityproject.org
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Music: Carl Golembeski

Sitaram Dass: Loving Awareness P2 (partner exercise)

In this second part of Sitaram Dass's Loving-Awareness Meditation, he leads a partner exercise to carry Loving-Awareness into interpersonal relationship and the verbal mind. This was recorded during SCP's first Sacred Community Retreat in the summer of 2023 on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia.
SCP is hosting two retreats this year, and registration is live. Learn more about both the British Columbia and Atlanta, Georgia retreats at: https://sacredcommunityproject.org/sacred-community-retreats
Sitaram Dass (K. Sandin, LCSW) (he/him) spent several years serving his beloved teacher Ram Dass on Maui, where he was shown the path of Bhakti, the yoga of service and devotion to God. He is an experienced kirtan leader, social worker, author, and spiritual counselor. His book, From and for God, is an intimate and contemplative collection of writings on the spiritual path. Connect with Sitaram Dass at http://sitaramdass.com
And follow his music on your favorite streaming service: https://hyperfollow.com/sitaramdass
The Sacred Community Podcast is an inter-spiritual hub of the universal teachings, “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth.” Home to Sacred Community Project interviews, live workshop recordings, dharma talks, and meditations, each episode is carefully curated to ensure its alignment with SCP values.
SCP works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through free, donation-based, and affordable offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. Learn more and make a tax-deductible donation at: https://sacredcommunityproject.org
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Music: Carl Golembeski
 
 

Sitaram Dass: Loving Awareness (lecture and mantra meditation)

Sitaram Dass gives a lecture and leads a mantra meditation on the essence of Loving-Awareness. This was recorded during SCP's first Sacred Community Retreat in the summer of 2023 on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia. SCP is hosting two retreats this year, and registration is live. Learn more about both the British Columbia and Atlanta, Georgia retreats at: https://sacredcommunityproject.org/sacred-community-retreats
Sitaram Dass (K. Sandin, LCSW) (he/him) spent several years serving his beloved teacher Ram Dass on Maui, where he was shown the path of Bhakti, the yoga of service and devotion to God. He is an experienced kirtan leader, social worker, author, and spiritual counselor. His book, From and for God, is an intimate and contemplative collection of writings on the spiritual path. Connect with Sitaram Dass at http://sitaramdass.com
And follow his music on your favorite streaming service: https://hyperfollow.com/sitaramdass
The Sacred Community Podcast is an inter-spiritual hub of the universal teachings, “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth.” Home to Sacred Community Project interviews, live workshop recordings, dharma talks, and meditations, each episode is carefully curated to ensure its alignment with SCP values.
SCP works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through free, donation-based, and affordable offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. Learn more and make a tax-deductible donation at: https://sacredcommunityproject.org
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Music: Carl Golembeski
 

Swapnil Abrol: The Play of Love

This audio from Swapnil Abrol was recorded during SCP's first Sacred Community Retreat in the summer of 2023. Swapnil gives a talk on Bhakti Yoga and the the nature of unconditional love, and he follows this with traditional bhajans and English storytelling.
SCP is hosting two retreats this year- outside of Atlanta from May 24-27 and again on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia from August 22-25th. Registration is now live for both of them. Learn more and register for the retreat here:  https://sacredcommunityproject.org/sacred-community-retreats
Swapnil Abrol (he/him) discovered the Bhakti tradition through a formal Amazonian shamanic apprenticeship. Through connecting with Maharajji, he found himself returning to his once neglected Hindu roots. Now following the path of Bhakti yoga, he deepens his practice through devotional musical expression. Also an active participant in the world of business, Swapnil enjoys learning new ways of bringing love and compassion into worldly situations.
The Sacred Community Podcast is an inter-spiritual hub of the universal teachings, “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth.” Home to Sacred Community Project interviews, live workshop recordings, dharma talks, and meditations, each episode is carefully curated to ensure its alignment with SCP values.
SCP works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through free, donation-based, and affordable offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. Learn more and make a tax-deductible donation at: https://sacredcommunityproject.org
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Music: Carl Golembeski
 

Pavan Das: Loving-Awareness Meditation (30 minutes)

This video of Pavan Das was recorded during SCP's first Sacred Community Retreat in the summer of 2023 on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia. In this 30-minute meditation, Pavan Das guides a variation of Anapanasati to awaken the heart of Loving-Awareness.
SCP is hosting two retreats this year- outside of Atlanta from May 24-27 and again on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia from August 22-25th. Registration is now live for both of them. Learn more and register for the retreat here:  https://sacredcommunityproject.org/sacred-community-retreats 
Pavan Das (he/him) is a community organizer, multi-media artist, and nonprofit leader. His time with spiritual luminaries like Ram Dass and Thich Nhat Hanh informs his commitment to cultivating a lived spirituality through which to effect social change. His service projects aim to foster resilience and prosociality in individuals, groups and communities through the skillful application of contemplative and devotional practices. pavandas.com
The Sacred Community Podcast is an inter-spiritual hub of the universal teachings, “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth.” Home to Sacred Community Project interviews, live workshop recordings, dharma talks, and meditations, each episode is carefully curated to ensure its alignment with SCP values.
SCP works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through free, donation-based, and affordable offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. Learn more and make a tax-deductible donation at: https://sacredcommunityproject.org
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Music: Carl Golembeski

Sacred Community Invocation (Sitaram Dass)

This audio from Sitaram Dass was recorded during SCP's first Sacred Community Retreat in the summer of 2023 on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia. In this talk, Sitaram recites a variation of the SCP invocation that opens every single SCP "Satsang Hang," and he discusses its importance and how Sacred Community is "Loving-Awareness practiced together."
In the introduction for this episode, zander, one of SCP's group facilitators and host of baby teeth podcast, speaks on their experience with the online Satsang Hangs and how the invocation creates a container to "enter into this practice of Sacred Community" through authenticity, presence, compassion, and a group intention to "nurture our souls."
SCP is hosting two retreats this year- outside of Atlanta from May 24-27 and again on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia from August 22-25th. Registration is now live for both of them. Learn more and register for the retreat here:  https://sacredcommunityproject.org/sacred-community-retreats
To learn more and join one of SCP's online "Satsang Hangs," check out the SCP Discord and event schedule here: https://sacredcommunityproject.org/discord
The SCP Satsang Hang Invocation:
We have come together to invoke the Sacred through our shared humanity. For the next hour we each agree to attend to five things: ourselves, each other, the group, the world, and the shared Presence unifying it all. We do this as an act of devotion, knowing that God is manifest in all five.
We tend to ourselves by being mindful of our thoughts, feelings, triggers, and motivations and by leaning into authenticity, vulnerability, and courage. We tend to each other through attentive, compassionate, non-judgmental listening, by letting go of the desire to fix others or give unsolicited advice, and by leading with appreciation and curiosity. We tend to the group by ensuring that space is evenly shared and that everyone has an opportunity to offer their voice. We tend to the world by acknowledging we are not separate from collective sorrow, collective aid, or systemic influences associated with race, class, gender, sexuality, or ability. We tend to communal Presence by actively cultivating sacred silence and by holding our identities, roles, and ideologies lightly, so the soul can shine through.
With this invocation, we ask that the Universal Guru guide us as we enter into this Sacred Space together. We now invite in silence and encourage anyone who feels called to share, to share.
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Sitaram Dass (K. Sandin, LCSW) (he/him) spent several years serving his beloved teacher Ram Dass on Maui, where he was shown the path of Bhakti, the yoga of service and devotion to God. He is an experienced kirtan leader, social worker, author, and spiritual counselor. His book, From and for God, is an intimate and contemplative collection of writings on the spiritual path. Learn more about Sitaram Dass at: sitaramdass.com
The Sacred Community Podcast is an inter-spiritual hub of the universal teachings, “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth.” Home to Sacred Community Project interviews, live workshop recordings, dharma talks, and meditations, each episode is carefully curated to ensure its alignment with SCP values.
SCP works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through free, donation-based, and affordable offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. Learn more and make a tax-deductible donation at: https://sacredcommunityproject.org
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Music: Carl Golembeski
 

Sitaram Dass: The Journey to Love (Part 2)

In this second half of the interview, Sitaram Dass is interviewed by his good friend Hari Scott Whitmore for an in-depth discussion on the spiritual path.
Sitaram Dass (K. Sandin, LCSW) (he/him) spent several years serving his beloved teacher Ram Dass on Maui, where he was shown the path of Bhakti, the yoga of service and devotion to God. He is a member of the kirtan group Kripa and is a trained social worker, published author, and spiritual counselor. His book, From and for God, is an intimate and contemplative collection of writings on the spiritual path. Learn more about Sitaram Dass at: sitaramdass.com
Hari Scott Whitmore began leading kirtan over ten years ago in Ram Dass’s living room, where he served as a personal caregiver. Over the years he has had the honor of accompanying many incredible kirtan wallahs including Krishna Das, Nina Rao, Devadas, and his bandmates in Kripa. During his time as the Director of Outreach for the Call and Response Foundation, he helped organize kirtans in prisons and recovery centers throughout the United States. This work is now carried out by the Sacred Community Project, of which Hari is a founding member.
The Sacred Community Podcast is an inter-spiritual hub of the universal teachings, “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth.” Home to Sacred Community Project interviews, live workshop recordings, dharma talks, and meditations, each episode is carefully curated to ensure its alignment with SCP values.
SCP works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through free, donation-based, and affordable offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. Learn more and make a tax-deductible donation at: https://sacredcommunityproject.org
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Music: Carl Golembeski