Sacred Community Podcast

Meditation: Sacred Mindfulness with Connor Burns

Connor Burns leads a short mindfulness meditation at the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia.
Connor Burns (he/him) is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and emotional wellness advocate living in Vancouver, BC Canada. Connor's curiosity of the human condition 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 vulnerable populations and at-risk youth. In March 2025 Connor received Jukai from Roshi Joan Halifax at Upaya Zen Centre and was given the name Daitoku, meaning Great Devotion. Connor holds certifications in Dr. Gabor Maté's Compassionate Inquiry, Dr. Sue Johnson’s Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) and Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. 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
 
Related Credits and Links
Podcast Host and A/V: zander cole
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Podcast Intro Music: Carl Golembeski

40-minute Mantra Meditation: Sitaram Dass at Salt Spring Island

After giving a talk on Loving Imperfections, Sitaram Dass leads a 40-minute Loving Awareness mantra meditation.  This meditation was recorded on day 3 of the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat on Salt Spring Island.  
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 kirtan singer, social worker, author, and spiritual counselor. As the director of the Sacred Community Project, he works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices. 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.
Sacred Community Project 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
 
Related Credits and Links
Podcast Host and A/V: zander cole
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Podcast Intro Music: Carl Golembeski

Sitaram Dass: Loving Imperfection (2024 SCP Retreat)

Sitaram Dass discusses how to love imperfections without having to "jump through cognitive hoops" to do so.  This talk was recorded on day 3 of the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat on Salt Spring Island, and it preceded a 40-minute Loving-Awareness mantra meditation.  
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 kirtan singer, social worker, author, and spiritual counselor. As the director of the Sacred Community Project, he works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices. 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.
Sacred Community Project 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
 
Related Credits and Links
Podcast Host and A/V: zander cole
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Podcast Intro Music: Carl Golembeski

Sitaram Dass: Talking About Love (2024 SCP Retreat)

In this talk from the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat, Sitaram Dass talks about Love, lessons learned from ram Dass, and mantra meditation as a form of "applied Bhav."
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 kirtan singer, social worker, author, and spiritual counselor. As the director of the Sacred Community Project, he works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices. 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.
Sacred Community Project 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
 
Related Credits and Links
Podcast Host and A/V: zander cole
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Podcast Intro Music: Carl Golembeski

Infinitely Loved Just as You Are: Swapnil Abrol (2024 SCP Retreat)

Swapnil Abrol discusses the nature of bhakti as unconditional love and asks the question, "What would you do if you really knew that you were infinitely loved just as you are?" Recorded from the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat in British Columbia. Learn more about the 2025 retreat this upcoming August 14-17 2025.
Swapnil Abrol (he/him) is an SCP board member and retreat facilitator. He 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.
Sacred Community Project 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
 
Related Credits and Links
Podcast Host: Sitaram Dass
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Podcast Intro Music: Carl Golembeski
 
 

Swapnil Abrol: Aarti, Bhakti, and Love (2024 SCP Retreat)

Swapnil Abrol discusses unconditional love, and why we perform the bhakti ritual of aarti. Recorded from the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat in British Columbia. Learn more about this year’s retreat this upcoming August 14-17 2025.
Swapnil Abrol (he/him) is an SCP board member and retreat facilitator. He 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.
Sacred Community Project 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
 
Related Credits and Links
Podcast Host: Sitaram Dass
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Podcast Intro Music: Carl Golembeski
 
 

Ram Dass Stories: What did you have to let go of? (Sitaram Dass and Pavan Das)

Sitaram Dass and Pavan Das tell stories about their time with Ram Dass and answer the question, "What did you have to let go of to be with him?" Recorded from the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat.
Sitaram Dass and Pavan Das were both caregivers for Ram Dass, and now they continue their spiritual path through service to others. They are both founding board members of the Sacred Community Project and retreat facilitators for the upcoming Sacred Community Retreat. Listen to Pav and Sitaram's live kirtan album, Sacred Community Project Live (V. 1) 
And learn more about this year’s Sacred Community Retreat in British Columbia.
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.
Sacred Community Project 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
 
Related Credits and Links
Podcast Host and A/V: zander cole
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Podcast Intro Music: Carl Golembeski
 
 

Integration and Grief: Sacred Community Retreat 2024 (Q&A #3)

In this third Q&A from the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat, Sitaram Dass leads a discussion on transitioning from a spiritual retreat into our everyday lives and ends by answering an audience question on the nature of grief. He is also joined in the conversation by Pavan Das, Swapnil Abrol, and zander cole. 
Learn more about this year’s Sacred Community Retreat in British Columbia.
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.
Sacred Community Project 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
 
Related Credits and Links
Podcast Host and A/V: zander cole
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Podcast Intro Music: Carl Golembeski
Referenced is the poem, Eternity, by William Blake (1757 –1827):
 
He who binds to himself a joyDoes the winged life destroyHe who kisses the joy as it fliesLives in eternity's sunrise
 

Everyday is Sacred: Sacred Community Retreat 2024 (Q&A #2)

In this second Q&A from the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat, the facilitation team continues in the topic of practice and grace, discussing how to "bring the sacred into everyday," Guru Kripa, the steps of aarti, and the role and pitfalls of psychedelics. Lakshmi and Connor share some Ram Dass stories, and Swapnil tells his story of his training in the jungles of Peru. This episode features Lakshmi Abrol, Swapnil Abrol, Connor Burns, zander cole, Pavan Das, Sitaram Dass, and Beverly Hsu. 
Learn more about this year’s Sacred Community Retreat in British Columbia.
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.
Sacred Community Project 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
 
Related Credits and Links
Podcast Host and A/V: zander cole
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Podcast Intro Music: Carl Golembeski
 
Lakshmi's Art Prints: https://sacredcommunityproject.org/shop/emily-lakshmi-merrill
 

Practice and Grace: Sacred Community Retreat 2024 (Q&A #1)

The Sacred Community Retreat facilitation team discusses the role of practice and grace on the spiritual path. Recorded from the second day of the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat, this episode features Lakshmi Abrol, Swapnil Abrol, Connor Burns, zander cole, Pavan Das, Sitaram Dass, Beverly Hsu, and a special guest appearance by Vasu Jon Seskevich. 
Learn more about this year’s Sacred Community Retreat in British Columbia.
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.
Sacred Community Project 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
 
Related Credits and Links
Podcast Host and A/V: zander cole
SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu
Podcast Intro Music: Carl Golembeski