Banyen Books ~ In Conversation: Recent Episodes
Banyen Books & Sound
Intimate interviews with the world's most influential authors, wisdom teachers, wellness experts, psychologists, philosophers, creatives, cultural innovators, and activists. Banyen Books is Canada's leading bookstore in spirituality and healing for 50 years. www.banyen.com
Dr. Stephen G. Post, bestselling author and expert on compassionate care, and Victor Chan, co‑author with the Dalai Lama and co‑founder of the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education, discuss Pure Unlimited Love: Science and the Seven Paths to Inner Peace. Drawing on more than four decades of research in medicine, spirituality, and ethics, Post outlines seven practical paths—such as giving, kindness, honoring nature, and raising kind children—for cultivating inner peace, connection, and wellbeing in a divided world. Together with Chan, whose long collaboration with the Dalai Lama helped bring teachings of compassion and forgiveness to a global audience, they offer a grounded, hopeful vision for personal and cultural healing rooted in love, generosity, and deep human care.
David A. Robertson, two‑time Governor General’s Literary Award winner and celebrated author, speaker, and advocate, joins Banyen Books for a deeply personal and illuminating conversation on mental health, healing, and hope. In All the Little Monsters: How I Learned to Live with Anxiety he explores the struggles and small victories of living with chronic anxiety, panic attacks, and depression, sharing hard‑earned wisdom to help others feel less alone. With warmth, humour, and insight, he shows how mental illness has shaped his life as a father, partner, and writer, and how he keeps going through therapy, medication, community, and self‑reflection—reminding listeners that healing isn’t about being cured, but about learning to live with care, courage, and hope. Robertson is a member of Norway House Cree Nation and was honoured in 2023 with a Doctor of Letters from the University of Manitoba, among other distinctions.
Elena Brower, bestselling author, podcast host and Zen practitioner, and Carrie-Anne Moss, acclaimed actor (Trinity in The Matrix series) and founder of Annapurna Living, discuss Elena’s new book, Hold Nothing: An Invitation to Let Go and Come Home to Yourself (Shambhala Publications). They explore how slowing down, embracing emptiness, and practicing self‑empathy can help us reconnect with presence, stillness, and inner clarity in a changing world, weaving together insights from yoga, nonviolent communication, Zen teachings, and Brower’s own life experience. The conversation frames Hold Nothing as a gentle yet powerful companion for personal transformation, inviting listeners to attend to what truly matters beneath the noise of daily life.
In this episode, Judith Orloff, MD—bestselling author of The Empath’s Survival Guide—returns to explore how to recognize, celebrate, and protect children’s sensitivity while nurturing resilience and healthy boundaries. Drawing from her new children’s book, The Highly Sensitive Rabbit, Orloff shares the story of Aurora, a caring cottontail who learns to embrace her gifts as a highly sensitive being after her family is displaced by a flash flood. Designed for parents, educators, and anyone who has ever been told they are “too sensitive,” this conversation weaves together storytelling, psychology, and lived experience, as Dr. Orloff reflects on her own journey as a sensitive child and offers compassionate guidance for supporting sensitive children—and the inner child within us all.
In this episode, pioneering psychotherapist Andrew Feldmár joins Kolin Lymworth, founder of Banyen Books, for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolving role of psychedelics in psychotherapy and the central importance of human relationship in healing. Drawing from his book Radical Adventure: An Inquiry Into Psychedelic Psychotherapy, Feldmár reflects on his early initiation into LSD therapy in the 1960s and decades of clinical practice, challenging standardized protocols in favor of deep, relational engagement between therapist and patient. A Vancouver-based psychologist trained by figures such as R. D. Laing and Stan Grof, Feldmár brings a lifetime of insight into psychedelic therapy, while Lymworth offers the perspective of a community-builder whose vision has helped make Banyen Books a gathering place for wisdom, inquiry, and healing.
In this episode, world-renowned herbalist, teacher, and author Rosemary Gladstar reflects on a lifetime of relationship with the plant world through her book The Generosity of Plants: Shared Wisdom from the Community of Herb Lovers. Drawing on more than five decades of practice, Rosemary shares stories, insights, and teachings rooted in herbal healing, gardening, and wildcrafting, illuminating the generosity, intelligence, and sacred presence of plants. Often called the “godmother of American herbalism,” Gladstar is a central figure in the modern herbal movement and the author of many influential works, including Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide, offering listeners a rich, contemplative exploration of plant wisdom and community.
In this episode, New York Times bestselling author and environmental thinker Paul Hawken explores the deeper story of carbon through his latest book, Carbon: The Book of Life. Moving beyond the familiar climate narrative, Hawken reveals carbon as the elemental force that animates all living systems—plants, animals, fungi, agriculture, and human life itself—and invites a more integrated, life-affirming relationship with the natural world. Founder of Project Drawdown and Regeneration, and author of influential works including The Ecology of Commerce, Blessed Unrest, and Regeneration, Hawken brings decades of insight into how re-imagining our relationship with nature can help shape a just, resilient, and hopeful future.
In this episode, mythologist and storyteller Michael Meade reflects on the ancient sources of wisdom that continue to surface amid the polarization and rapid change of modern life. Drawing on his deep background in mythology, anthropology, and psychology, Meade weaves together timeless myths, cross-cultural ritual, and contemporary insight to illuminate the stories we are living now. Author of Awakening the Soul, The Genius Myth, Fate and Destiny, Why the World Doesn’t End, and The Water of Life, and creator of the Living Myth podcast, Meade is also the founder of the Mosaic Multicultural Foundation, where he brings mythic understanding into service of cultural healing and community renewal.
In this episode, renowned scholar Elaine Pagels explores the hidden histories behind the figure of Jesus, drawing from her groundbreaking new book Miracles and Wonder. Blending rigorous historical scholarship with vivid storytelling, Pagels examines how stories of Jesus’s miracles, resurrection, and divine birth emerged, evolved, and came to shape a world-changing movement. A longtime professor of religion at Princeton University and recipient of the National Humanities Medal, Pagels reflects on why these narratives proved so enduring and what they continue to reveal about the spiritual questions at the heart of Christianity today.
In this episode of Branches of Wisdom, guest host Tami Simon—founder and CEO of Sounds True—joins master shamanic healing practitioner Julie M. Kramer to explore the spiritual call to healing, which often arrives through dreams, illness, synchronicities, and life transitions. Julie, founding instructor of The Art and Practice of Shamanic Healingprofessional training, shares how to recognize this call and develop the skills needed to serve others, drawing on her decades of teaching and practice. Together they discuss core spiritual healing techniques Julie teaches—including soul retrieval, psychopomp work, compassionate depossession, and curse unraveling—and how spiritual healing can be thoughtfully integrated into a multidisciplinary approach to well-being.
Beloved poet and philosopher Mark Nepo joins Joel Fotinos to discuss The Fifth Season, an inspiring reflection on the gifts and challenges of aging. Now in his seventies, Nepo explores how growing older can be a time of integration, creativity, and deeper clarity—a “fifth season” when life’s true colours begin to shine. A New York Times #1 bestselling author of more than 20 books, including The Book of Awakening and Surviving Storms, and a cancer survivor interviewed by Oprah Winfrey and Robin Roberts, Nepo offers this new work as a companion for making meaning, finding grace, and sharing the journey of living and dying.
Stephen Jenkinson—author of the award-winning Die Wise and founder of the Orphan Wisdom School—presents his provocative new book, Matrimony: Ritual, Culture, and the Heart’s Work. In a time of hollow ceremonies and self-congratulatory rites, Jenkinson calls for a return to the true purpose of matrimony and ritual as communal acts of meaning. Through vivid storytelling, cultural reflection, and lived experience, he explores matrimony as a village rite—a shared acknowledgment of transformation and belonging to something older and truer than the self. A renowned teacher of grief, culture, and elderhood, Jenkinson brings decades of work in theology, social work, and cultural regeneration to this stirring exploration of the heart’s work.
Award-winning author and longtime As It Happens co-hostCarol Off discusses her #1 national bestseller At a Loss for Words: Conversations in an Age of Rage, an urgent exploration of how words like democracy, freedom, and truth have been distorted and weaponized, eroding our shared political language. Drawing on decades of acclaimed reporting and over 25,000 interviews, Off shows how this loss of meaning silences dialogue, fuels division, and leaves us vulnerable to authoritarianism and greed. A celebrated journalist who has reported from war zones and political upheavals worldwide, Off is also the bestselling author of The Lion, the Fox, and the Eagle, Bitter Chocolate, The Ghosts of Medak Pocket, and All We Leave Behind—and the recipient of numerous honours including a Gemini Award, two New York Festival gold medals, ACTRA’s John Drainie Award, and the RTNDA Lifetime Achievement Award.
Fritjof Capra, physicist, systems theorist, and bestselling author, speaks on the the 50th anniversary of his groundbreaking work The Tao of Physics. This influential book brought the mystical implications of subatomic physics to popular consciousness for the very first time, bridging the worlds of science and spirituality. A message of timeless importance, The Tao of Physics continues to inspire and challenge, offering profound insights into the interconnectedness of all life.
Dr. Steven Farmer, best-selling author and shamanic practitioner, speaks on his new book Healing Ancestral Family Patterns: A Practical Guide to Ending the Cycle of Intergenerational Trauma. Dr. Farmer explores how ancestral patterns shape our lives and provide practical tools to break free from inherited cycles of trauma. Dr. Steven Farmer is a world-renowned author, teacher, shamanic practitioner, and Soul Healer. A best-selling author of Animal Spirit Guides, Healing Ancestral Karma, and Earth Magic, Dr. Farmer is also a licensed psychotherapist, ordained minister, and former college professor with three collegiate degrees. His extensive knowledge and experience enable him to offer an exceptional and transformative experience to his clients.
Valarie Kaur, author of See No Stranger and founder of the Revolutionary Love Project, shares profound inner wisdom for courageous action. In her book, Sage Warrior: Wake to Oneness, Practice Pleasure, Choose Courage, Become Victory, Valerie Kaur explores how to envision a new world and find the courage to fight for it, even in seemingly apocalyptic times. Drawing from the Sikh tradition of the sant sipahi, the sage warrior who embodies love and fights for humanity, Kaur tells the epic story of her Sikh ancestors, focusing on the women who mapped this path. Her narrative is intertwined with her personal journey to Punjab, India, with her young children, an adventure filled with moments of connection and insight. Each chapter offers lessons on practising pleasure, metabolizing grief, and choosing courage, guiding readers to cultivate their souls and transform the world.
Julia Cameron shares wisdom and tools to ignite your creativity from her new book, The Artist's Way Toolkit: How to Use the Creative Practices. Julia delves into the transformative philosophy behind The Artist’s Way, sharing insights into how its creative practices—from “morning pages” to artist dates—can unlock artistic potential for anyone. Through engaging stories and guidance, she’ll explore the power of consistent creative discipline and offer never-before-shared tips, answering questions to help participants connect more deeply with their creativity. Whether you’re new to The Artist’s Way or a longtime follower, this event and book will re-energize your creative journey with practical strategies and inspiration.Julia Cameron, hailed by the New York Times as “The Queen of Change,” is credited with starting a movement in 1992 that has brought creativity into the mainstream conversation—in the arts, in business, and in everyday life. She is the best-selling author of more than fifty books, fiction and nonfiction; a poet, songwriter, filmmaker and playwright. Commonly referred to as “The Godmother” or “High Priestess” of creativity, her tools are based in practice, not theory, and she considers herself “the floor sample of her own toolkit.” The Artist’s Way has been translated into fourty languages and sold over five million copies to date.Joel Fotinos has been a publishing professional for many years, as well as a minister and author. After 21 years as a Vice-President and Publisher at Penguin Random House, Joel joined Macmillan to start a new mind/body/spirit imprint called St. Martin's Essentials. He and Julia have worked together for 29 years so far, and hope for many years to come.
Dr. Samra Zafar, bestselling author of A Good Wife and one of Canada’s Top 25 Most Inspirational Women, speaks on her book, Unconditional: Break Through Past Limits to Transform Your Future.
Blending personal experience with science, Unconditional reveals how unlearning deeply ingrained beliefs is the key to true freedom. After escaping an abusive child marriage, Samra built a new life—but discovered that the hardest battle was within. In this powerful and deeply personal discussion, she shares how to break free from limiting narratives, heal past wounds, and embrace self-love.SAMRA ZAFAR is an award-winning, internationally renowned speaker, physician, author and educator. She has been recognized among the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada, the Top 25 Most Inspirational Women in Canada, and the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants. Her book A Good Wife: Escaping the Life I Never Chose, based on her journey of escaping an abusive child marriage to pursue her freedom, sheds light on gender-based oppression, and was a national bestseller and a CBC Best Book. One of the youngest alumnae to serve as governor at the University of Toronto, she is currently on the board of the Women’s College Hospital Foundation and a celebrated ambassador for Plan International. She is also the founder and executive director of Brave Beginnings, a national charity that provides mentorship to women who have escaped abuse. Her work has impacted millions and has been extensively featured in national and global media. Samra Zafar’s speaking portfolio includes four successful TEDx Talks and many leading organizations around the world.
Susan Gillis Chapman shares helpful insights and wisdom from her new book, "Which Way Is Up?" She is joined in conversation with Jan Marie Martell.Drawing from her personal journey through cancer during the isolating years of the Covid pandemic, Susan offers a guide to navigating difficult times with mindfulness, compassion, and courage. Through the lens of Buddhist teachings on the "bardo"—a period of transition—she reveals how we can face our fears, transform suffering, and emerge stronger.
Susan Gillis Chapman is a Buddhist teacher, retired family therapist, and author with decades of experience in contemplative psychology and meditation. She has trained under notable teachers like Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Pema Chodron, and Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, and her work emphasizes the power of mindfulness in times of personal crisis. Her first book, The Five Keys to Mindful Communication, has been widely praised. Her new book is Which Way Is Up? Finding Heart in the Hardest Times. Which Way is Up? offers practical and transformative guidance for facing life's greatest challenges.Jan Marie Martell is a poet, writer, photographer, botanical pharmacist, and former film teacher at Emily Carr University. She has been a student of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche since 1996 and member of his organization, Nalandabodhi, since its inception.
Cyndi Dale, bestselling author of the Subtle Body series, discusses her new book Transforming the Legacy and her powerful subtle body approach to healing ancestral and soul-based patterns.
Cyndi Dale presents a transformative method for addressing inherited and soul-based issues through the energetic anatomy—your chakras, meridians, and auric fields. Cyndi brings her expertise in energy medicine to help you release ancestral blocks, reclaim your authentic self, and establish a future rooted in love, clarity, and well-being. Join Cyndi for an enlightening exploration of how energy medicine can help transform your legacy and unlock new possibilities for healing and growth.Cyndi Dale is an internationally renowned intuitive healer, speaker, and author of over 30 books on energy medicine, intuition, and spirituality, including The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy, a four-time award winner. With work published in 20 languages, she has helped over 80,000 clients and led workshops worldwide, from Beijing to Peru. A leading expert in subtle energy healing, Cyndi has been featured in documentaries and collaborates with medical professionals, therapists, and thought leaders to bridge science and spirituality in profound and practical ways.
Jackie Morris and Nick Bantock, internationally renowned illustrators & authors, converse about art, the creative process, and their award-winning and bestselling books. Special focus is given to Jackie Morris' books The Lost Words and Song of the Golden Hare and Nick Bantock's The River Deck, The Corset & The Jellyfish and the Griffin & Sabine series.Nick Bantock, author of 30 books including 11 bestsellers, saw three of his works simultaneously reach the New York Times top ten. His iconic Griffin and Sabine series remained on bestseller lists for over two years, with more than 5 million copies sold and translations in 13 languages. Named by Weird Tales as one of the top 85 storytellers of the century, Bantock’s art—including paintings, drawings, and sculptures—has been exhibited across the UK, France, and North America. He received a lifetime BAFTA for Ceremony of Innocence, a CD-ROM collaboration with Peter Gabriel’s Real World. Over the last 20 years, he has delivered keynote and motivational talks across North America, Europe, and Australia. Educated in England with a Fine Art degree, Bantock’s background includes work as a psychotherapist-in-training and the design of a uniquely inspired home. From 2007 to 2010, he served on Canada’s postage stamp selection committee. nickbantock.com
Karla McLaren shares insights and wisdom from The Language of Emotions Workbook to help us connect with our feelings and build better boundaries.
Karla McLaren, M.Ed., is an award-winning author, social science researcher, and empathy innovator. She is CEO of Emotion Dynamics Inc., developer of Dynamic Emotional Integration®, and creator of the Empathy Academy. Karla is the author of 'The Language of Emotions', 'Embracing Anxiety', 'The Art of Empathy', 'The Power of Emotions at Work', and the multimedia online course Emotional Flow. She writes for Psychology Today. She lives in Sonoma County, CA.
Ron Pevny, founder and director of the Center for Conscious Eldering, shares wisdom on living a fulfilling, purpose-driven second half of life.As today’s seniors redefine what it means to age, Conscious Living, Conscious Aging offers wisdom and practical tools for navigating this new chapter with vitality, engagement, and spiritual depth. Pevny introduces Conscious Eldering as a pathway to personal growth, service, and lifelong exploration, helping readers cultivate meaning, navigate life transitions, and embrace their elder years with intention. This conversation will explore how aging can be a time of transformation, contribution, and deep fulfillment.Ron Pevny, M.A., CSL has for forty years been dedicated to assisting people in negotiating life transitions as they create lives of purpose and passion. He is Founding Director of the Center for Conscious Eldering, based in Colorado, which for 20 years has presented workshops and retreats across North America to support people in bringing purpose, growth and commitment to service to their elder years. He is author of Conscious Living, Conscious Aging: Claiming the Gifts of Elderhood, published by Beyond Words/Atria Books in 2014, with a new, 10th Anniversary expanded and updated edition published this past July. Ron is also a Certified Sage-ing® Leader, and has served as the host/interviewer for three Transforming Aging Summits presented by The Shift Network and co-host for the Turning Points interview series presented by Sage-ing International.
Richard Rudd, founder of the Gene Keys method, shares wisdom and practices from from his newly released book Gene Keys (Special Anniversary Edition).Gene Keys offers a powerful approach to unlocking your untapped potential by awakening the sleeping genius within. Combining Western astrology, the I Ching, and genetic archetypes, these transformative teachings guide you in decoding your Gene Keys Profile and help you turn shadow patterns into creative gifts. Richard Rudd is a teacher, mystic, and award-winning poet, experienced a life-changing spiritual awakening at age 29, which led to his development of the Gene Keys teachings. His studies with renowned spiritual teachers, travels across the world, and deep inner explorations culminated in this profound body of work. In 2019, Richard was named on the Watkins list of The 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People, solidifying his influence in the field of personal and spiritual growth.
Mirabai Starr and Sr Greta Ronningon discuss Mirabai Starr's new book, Ordinary Mysticism, where she reveals how to discover the sacred in everyday life. In Ordinary Mysticism, Mirabai Starr invites us to embrace mysticism not as a distant or exclusive practice, but as a direct, personal experience of the divine woven into the fabric of our daily routines. Drawing on wisdom from spiritual luminaries like Julian of Norwich and Ram Dass, along with her own journey through love, loss, and healing, Starr offers profound insights, storytelling, and practices to awaken to the magic in ordinary moments. Ordinary Mysticism has received praise from the likes of Anne Lamott, V (formerly Eve Ensler), Mark Nepo, Valarie Kaur, Pete Holmes.Mirabai Starr is an award-winning author, internationally acclaimed speaker, and leading teacher of interspiritual dialogue. In 2020, she was named one of Watkins’ 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People. Drawing from 20 years of teaching Philosophy and World Religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos, she now travels globally, sharing her insights on contemplative living, writing as a spiritual practice, and the transformative power of grief. Her books include Wild Mercy, Caravan of No Despair, and God of Love. Mirabai’s acclaimed translations of mystics like John of the Cross and Teresa of Ávila offer a fresh, lyrical voice. She lives in northern New Mexico and teaches through her online community, Wild Heart. More at www.mirabaistarr.com.Sister Greta Ronningen is an Episcopal monastic, spiritual teacher, and chaplain. She began her journey in the 1970s at the Ojai Foundation with Dr. (Roshi) Joan Halifax, exploring various Eastern traditions, and later traveled to Nepal, where she took refuge with His Holiness Dudjum Rinpoche. In the 1980s, she co-founded Yoga Works in Santa Monica and Yoga Zone in New York with her husband, a second-generation yoga master of the ISHTA tradition. After 35 years of yoga teaching, she felt drawn to the Christian contemplative path, co-founding the Community of Divine Love in San Gabriel, CA. Greta holds an MA in Spiritual Formation from Claremont School of Theology and serves as a chaplain at Twin Towers Correctional Facility and Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall.
Internationally celebrated Qi Gong master Lee Holden shares wisdom from his latest book, Ready, Set, Slow: How to Improve Your Energy, Health, and Relationships Through the Power of Slow.In this guide, Holden explores the power of slowing down to find balance and peace amidst the chaos of modern life. Drawing from Eastern meditation, martial arts, and Western science, he will introduce The Slow Method—a collection of practical tools to help you regain time, energy, and clarity. Discover techniques for calming the mind, nurturing the body, and deepening relationships as you learn how slowing down can lead to greater productivity, vitality, and inner harmony. Rady, Set, Slow has received praise from Deepak Chopra, James Nestor, Vishen Lakhiani, Mantak Chia and more.Lee Holden is an internationally celebrated Qi Gong master recognized by the International Qi Gong Association. He is the author of 7 Minutes of Magic and a beloved television personality who has been aired in over 50 million households in the US alone. Lee is a licensed Chinese medical doctor and acupuncturist and the cofounder of the Santa Cruz Integrative Medicine and Chi Center.
Deb Dana discusses The Nervous System Workbook: Practical Exercises to Ease Anxiety, Find Safety, and Come Home to Yourself Using Polyvagal Theory.Deb Dana offers tools for understanding and befriending your unique nervous system, providing practical exercises and insights rooted in Polyvagal Theory—a groundbreaking approach that explains how our nervous systems shape our behaviors, emotions, and relationships. Dana presents a layperson-friendly overview of Polyvagal Theory, guiding you through practices and reflections to help you understand, soothe, and train your system, cultivating a sense of safety and well-being.Discover how to manage stress, anxiety, and overwhelm with effective strategies tailored to your body's unique needs. As Dana writes, “There is no right or wrong way—there is the way of your nervous system.” This event is perfect for anyone looking to enhance their mental health and live with greater resilience and connection.Deb Dana, LCSW, is a clinician and consultant specializing in using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma and create ways of working that honour the role of the autonomic nervous system. She is a founding member of the Polyvagal Institute and lectures internationally. She is the author of several books, including Anchored and Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection.
Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor share authentic wisdom from their new book, Feeling Happy: The Yoga of Body, Heart, and Mind. Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor have both studied yoga for over 50 years. Together they teach workshops and training throughout the world and have authored several influential books. Their new book, Feeling Happy, draws from their decades practising and teaching yoga, meditation, and Buddhism to explore what happiness is and to offer practical steps toward cultivating happiness as a deep, embodied expression of life. Freeman and Taylor offer insights from yoga philosophy and Buddhism as well as accessible practices to help readers develop true happiness, (self)compassion, and equanimity.Richard Freeman has studied Ashtanga, Iyengar, bhakti, and traditional hatha yoga; Western and Eastern philosophy; and Sanskrit, all of which he incorporates into his Ashtanga yoga practice. Richard teaches at his studio, the Yoga Workshop, in Boulder, Colorado, as well as at studios and conferences throughout the world. He is also a frequent contributor to Yoga Journal and his video series, Yoga with Richard Freeman, inspires many people to take up yoga. Mary Taylor is the cofounder, with Richard Freeman, of the Yoga Workshop in Boulder, Colorado, which they started in 1988. Mary travels and teaches Ashtanga yoga throughout the world, both independently and in collaboration with Richard. In addition to teaching, Mary works closely with programs focused on bringing contemplative and yoga practices into the health care system for integrative therapies and self-care, and she is active in Donna Karan’s Urban Zen Foundation.
Rob Wipond, author of Your Consent Is Not Required, discusses the alarming rise of psychiatric coercion—and how we can push for ethical, person-centred alternatives.Asylums may have closed, but their practices persist in troubling ways. More people than ever are being involuntarily committed and forcibly treated. In Your Consent Is Not Required, investigative journalist Rob Wipond exposes how psychiatric incarceration, forced medication, and coercive interventions extend beyond hospitals into homes, schools, prisons, and social services—impacting not only those deemed "dangerous" but also schoolchildren, the elderly, whistleblowers, and marginalized communities. While revealing these hidden injustices, the book also explores humane, consent-based alternatives for supporting people in crisis.Rob Wipond is a freelance investigative journalist who writes about the intersections of psychiatry, civil rights, policing, surveillance, and social change. His work has been nominated for seventeen magazine and journalism awards for reporting on science, medicine, law, business, and community issues.
Toko-pa Turner, award-winning author of Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home, shares wisdom from her new book, The Dreaming Way: Courting the Wisdom of Dreams.In 'The Dreaming Way', Toko-pa reawakens the ancient art of dreaming as a way to reclaim the wisdom we all carry within. Blending animism, Sufism, and Jungian Psychology, she reveals that the power to interpret and understand our dreams is a natural part of being human—something as accessible as finding meaning in a story or beauty in a work of art. In this evocative and revolutionary new book, she invites us to reconnect with our inner guide and to bring the world of dreams back into everyday life.Toko-pa Turner is an award-winning writer, teacher, and dreamworker who blends the mystical tradition of Sufism with a Jungian approach to dreams. In 2001 she founded the Dream School and speaks internationally on the subject of dreams and belonging. Sometimes called a "midwife of the psyche," Toko-pa’s work focuses on restoring the feminine, reciprocity with nature, honouring grief, ritual, and beauty-making. Her book, Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home, is the winner of multiple awards, including the 2017 Gold Nautilus Award, and the 2018 Readers' Favourite Gold Award. It was named Finalist in the 2018 Whistler Independent Book Awards, and Finalist for the Montaigne Medal in the 2019 Eric Hoffer Book Awards. Her new book is The Dreaming Way.
Amy Tan, 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club, discusses her new book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles. Blending birdwatching, nature, and personal reflection, The Backyard Bird Chronicles features Tan’s original sketches and insights on finding peace in the natural world.
Amy Tan is the bestselling author of several novels, including The Joy Luck Club and The Bonesetter's Daughter. The Joy Luck Club spent over forty weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list and was adapted into a critically acclaimed film, for which she served as co-producer and co-screenwriter. Her works have earned numerous accolades and have been translated into more than 35 languages. She lectures at prestigious universities internationally, delivered a TED talk on creativity, was featured on Sesame Street, and spoke at the White House. Tan is also an advocate for environmental conservation and serves on the board of the American Bird Conservancy.
Bob McDonald, Canadian icon and host of CBC Radio’s Quirks and Quarks, discusses his book, Just Say Yes: A Memoir.
Bob McDonald has been the host of CBC Radio’s Quirks and Quarks since 1992. He is a regular science commentator on CBC News Network and science correspondent for CBC TV’s The National. He has been honoured with the 2001 Michael Smith Award for science promotion from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, as well as the 2002 Sandford Fleming Medal from the Royal Canadian Institute for Science, and the 2005 McNeil Medal for the public awareness of science from the Royal Society of Canada. In November 2011, McDonald was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. He is the recipient of thirteen honorary doctorates . In 2014, asteroid 332324 was officially named bobmcdonald.
Paulina Stevens & Jezmina Von Thiele, cohosts of the Romanistan podcast, join Banyen for a discussion of their book, Secrets of Romani Fortune-Telling: Divining with Tarot, Palmistry, Tea Leaves, and More.
Jezmina Von Thiele (they/she) is a writer, educator, performer, and fortune-teller in their mixed Sinti Romani tradition. Their work has been published in Prairie Schooner, The Kenyon Review Online, and Narrative Magazine under the name Jessica Reidy. Jezmina reads tarot, palms, and tea leaves online and at Deadwicks Ethereal Emporium in Portsmouth, NH. They also teach classes on divination, spiritual wellness, and the creative arts, and perform poetry with The Poetry Brothel in Boston. Jezmina cohosts Romanistan, a podcast celebrating Romani culture, and runs the Etsy shop Evil Eye Edit. They are based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Paulina Stevens grew up in an insular Romani-American family, destined to leave school, marry young, and become a fortune-teller. By age seventeen, her fate was sealed—until she decided to leave it all behind. Paulina is the subject of the podcast Foretold. Hosted by Los Angeles Times reporter Faith Pinho, the podcast follows Paulina as she navigates the consequences of her decision to leave her community and redefine her identity. The cohost of Romanistan, a podcast celebrating Romani culture, Paulina is based in Los Angeles.
Martín Prechtel joins Banyen Books for a rare audio interview (part 4 of 4) on his book, The Canyon Wren.
Martín Prechtel is widely recognized as a profound and beloved teacher for our times. Raised in the Tzutujil Maya shamanic tradition, he has dedicated his life to the preservation and promulgation of indigenous spirituality. Sharing his deep shamanic wisdom within a grand overview of human history, Prechtel shows us how we can reconnect with the unique and unsuspected manifestations of our own sacred selves. He is the author of several contemporary classics, including The Smell of Rain on Dust and Secrets of the Talking Jaguar. His work has been highly praised by the likes of Clarissa Pinkola Éstes, Coleman Barks, and Mary Oliver.
Banyen Books speaks with Red Hawk on his new collection of poetry, Book of Lamentations. Red Hawk shares profound insights into his spiritual journey, the role of poetry as a vehicle for expression, and reflections on authentic spiritual leadership. He delves into the impact of technology on human connection and discusses the importance of nature and humility.
Nedra Glover Tawwab, New York Times bestselling author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace and Drama Free: A Guide to Managing Unhealthy Family Relationships, joins Banyen Books for an engaging discussion on her book, Consider This: Reflections for Finding Peace.Nedra Glover Tawwab, MSW, LCSW, is the author of New York Times bestsellers Drama Free and Set Boundaries, Find Peace. A licensed therapist and sought-after relationship expert, Nedra has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, The Breakfast Club, and many other media outlets, and her work has been highlighted in The New York Times, The Guardian, and Vice. She hosts the podcast You Need to Hear This, and shares practices and reflections for mental health on her popular Instagram account. Nedra currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her family.
Gary Gach and Ari Honarvar, authors of Hafiz's Little Book of Life and A Girl Called Rumi, share the wisdom and poetry of Rumi and Hafiz.
Gary Gach is an author, translator, editor, and Zen teacher. His work has appeared in such publications as The Atlantic, The New Yorker and Yoga Journal, and has been translated into many languages. Lay ordained in the lineage of Thich Nhat Hanh, he teaches Zen Buddhism at the University of San Francisco and hosts the Zen Mindfulness Fellowship. Gach is the author of acclaimed titles such as The Complete Idiot's Guide to Buddhism (Nautilus Award) and editor of What Book!? Buddha Poems from Beat to Hiphop (American Book Award).Ari Honarvar is the founder of Rumi with a View, dedicated to building music and poetry bridges across war-torn borders. As a Musical Ambassador of Peace, she hosts weekly dance sessions with refugees and asylum seekers on both sides of the US-Mexico border. Her words have appeared in The Guardian, Teen Vogue, Vice, Washington Post, Newsweek, and elsewhere. She is the author of Rumi's Gift and A Girl Called Rumi.
Christopher Germer, PhD, and Kristin Neff, PhD, join Banyen in conversation about their powerful book, Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout: Tools to Help You Heal and Recharge When You're Wrung Out by Stress.
Kristin Neff, PhD, is Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research. She has been recognized as one of the most influential researchers in psychology worldwide. Her books with Christopher Germer include The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook, Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout and Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program. Dr. Neff is also the author of Self-Compassion and Fierce Self-Compassion. Along with Christopher Germer, Dr. Neff developed the empirically supported Mindful Self-Compassion program and founded the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.
Christopher Germer, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and Lecturer on Psychiatry (part-time) at Harvard Medical School. His books with Kristin Neff include The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook and Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout (for the general public) and Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program (for professionals). Dr. Germer is also author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion and coeditor of Mindfulness and Psychotherapy and Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy. He lectures and leads workshops internationally, and has a small psychotherapy practice in Massachusetts.
Anne Michaels, bestselling award-winning author of Fugitive Pieces and The Winter Vault, speaks on her mysterious and breathtaking new novel, Held.
Anne Michaels is a world-renowned novelist and poet. Her books are translated into more than fifty languages and have won dozens of international awards, including the Orange Prize, the Guardian Fiction Prize, and the Lannan Award for Fiction. Among many other honours she is a Guggenheim Fellow, has received honorary degrees, and has served as Toronto’s Poet Laureate. Her novel Fugitive Pieces was adapted as a feature film. Her most recent books include All We Saw, Infinite Gradation, and Railtracks (co-written with John Berger). In 2020, her novel Fugitive Pieces was chosen as one of the BBC’s 100 Novels that Shaped the World.
Sophie Grégoire Trudeau joins Banyen Books for an discussion on her book, Closer Together: Knowing Ourselves, Loving Each Other.
Sophie Grégoire Trudeau is a mental health advocate, public speaker, and mentor. Over the past twenty years, she has been an ambassador and champion for youth self-esteem, gender equality, emotional literacy, and physical activity. Sophie has received UN recognition awards for her humanitarian work and was named the first National Volunteer for the Canadian Mental Health Association in 2022. She also serves as Youth Leadership Global Ambassador for Plan International Canada. A mother of three, Sophie is a certified yoga instructor and an adventurous outdoor sportswoman.
Donna Eden and David Feinstein, PhD, co-authors of the New York Times bestseller Energy Medicine, join Banyen Books for a discussion on Tapping: Self-Healing with the Transformative Power of Energy Psychology.
Donna Eden is the author of Energy Medicine. One of the world's most sought after experts on Energy Medicine, she has treated over 10,000 individual clients and has taught hundreds of classes to standing-room-only audiences worldwide. Able from childhood to perceive the body's subtle energies, she works with those energies to heal others and to teach others how to work with them.
David Feinstein, PhD, a clinical psychologist, has served on the faculty of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and has received nine national awards for his books on consciousness and healing.
Popular motivational speaker and entertainer David Roche discusses his book, Standing at the Back Door of Happiness: And How I Unlocked It, exploring the beauty found in unusual places with elegant humour and compassion.
David Roche was born with vascular malformation of the face, which he sees as an “incredible gift” that has forced him to look inside for beauty and self-worth. It has also helped him to see the beauty in others, despite their flaws, allowing him to live in a world of beautiful people. With a refreshingly good-natured outlook, Roche muses on disability, activism, religion and family.
V (formerly Eve Ensler), Tony Award-winning, bestselling author of The Vagina Monologues, and Naomi Klein, award-winning journalist and international bestselling author, discuss V's new book, Reckoning.
V (formerly Eve Ensler) is a Tony Award–winning playwright, author, performer, and activist. Her international phenomenon The Vagina Monologues has been published in 48 languages and performed in more than 140 countries. She is the author of The Apology (now a play set to debut in 2022), the New York Times bestseller I Am an Emotional Creature, the highly praised In the Body of the World, and many more. She is the founder of V-Day, the global activist movement to end violence against women and girls, and One Billion Rising, the largest global mass action to end gender-based violence in over 200 countries. She is a co-founder of the City of Joy, a revolutionary center for women survivors of violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, along with Christine Schuler Deschryver and 2018 Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Denis Mukwege. She is one of Newsweek’s “150 Women Who Changed the World” and the Guardian’s “100 Most Influential Women.” She lives in New York.
Naomi Klein is an award-winning journalist, syndicated columnist and international and New York Times bestselling author of Doppelganger, How To Change Everything, On Fire, No Is Not Enough, This Changes Everything, The Shock Doctrine and No Logo. Naomi Klein is a columnist with The Guardian. She is one of the 100 People Who Are Changing America in Rolling Stone, and The New Yorker has described her as “the most visible and influential figure on the American left.” In 2018 she was named the inaugural Gloria Steinem Endowed Chair at Rutgers University, and is now Honorary Professor of Media and Climate at Rutgers. In September 2021 she joined the University of British Columbia as Professor of Climate Justice (tenured) and co-director of the Centre for Climate Justice.
Sandra Ingerman, renowned teacher of shamanism and author of Soul Retrieval, speaks on Walking through Darkness: A Nature-Based Path to Navigating Suffering and Loss.
Sandra Ingerman, MA, is an award-winning author of twelve books, including Soul Retrieval, Medicine for the Earth, Walking in Light, and The Book of Ceremony. She is the presenter of eight audio programs produced by Sounds True. For 40 years Sandra has been a world-renowned teacher of shamanism teaching workshops internationally on shamanism and reversing environmental pollution using spiritual methods. Sandra is devoted to teaching people to work together as a global community to manifest positive change. She is passionate about helping people to reconnect with nature. Since the 1980s thousands of people have healed from past and present traumas through the cross-cultural shamanic healing method called Soul Retrieval. Watkins Body Mind Spirit Magazine named Sandra one of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential People in 2020. Sandra is a licensed marriage and family therapist and professional mental health counselor and a board-certified expert on traumatic stress.
Yogacharini Maitreyi explores nuances around the importance of reclaiming Tantra - India’s science of liberation. Maitreyi also shares some personal stories about how she has applied Tantric principles in her own life.
Yogacharini Maitreyi was born in India which was colonized by the British during her grandfather’s time. For over 200 years Yoga, Ayurveda, Indian martial arts, and other arts were banned by colonial rule just like bagpipes were banned in Scotland after the uprising of 1745 and drumming was banned amongst African slaves. The school she runs, Arkaya Foundation, is dedicated to reviving the deeper dimensions of these arts and sciences which have been watered down by mainstream appropriation. Maitreyi has been sharing the depth of Yoga and Tantra for over 26 years. When she settled in Vancouver over 6 years ago she connected with the First Nations community and elders to create more awareness about their Indigenous lifestyle, values and healing.
Conspirituality podcast co-host Matthew Remski joins Banyen for a conversation on his book, Surviving Modern Yoga: Cult Dynamics, Charismatic Leaders, and What Survivors Can Teach Us.
Matthew Remski is an author, freelance journalist, and co-host of Conspirituality podcast, with bylines in The Walrus, GEN by Medium, The Boston Globe, and The Globe and Mail. He’s published nine books of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, including threads of yoga: a remix of patanjali’s sutras with commentary and reverie. His book Practice and All is Coming: Abuse, Cult Dynamics, and Healing in Yoga and Beyond has earned international praise as a groundbreaking resource for critical thinking and community health. In 2023 he co-authored Conspirituality: How New Age Conspiracy Theories Became a Health Threat.
Two wisdom keepers have an illuminating conversation on the realities of colonization. Colonization has had an impact over many generations around the world. This conversation explores the challenges and solutions for decolonizing our own hearts, minds and bodies.
Aaju Peter is a renowned Inuit lawyer and activist who has spent her life fighting for Inuit rights in Canada, Greenland and Denmark. “I was born in Greenland and colonized by the Danes, and then I moved to the Canadian Arctic, then being colonized by Southern Canada. So our history has been written by outsiders and visitors.” She says, “I realized that I had been colonized twice, and that is done. Now I am in the process of decolonizing twice. So the next journey is about how I go back to my values, beliefs, and way of being in this world. I’m in the process of that right now, which is very exciting.”Yogacharini Maitreyi was born in India which was colonized by the British during her grandfather’s time. For over 200 years Yoga, Ayurveda, Indian martial arts, and other arts were banned by colonial rule just like bagpipes were banned in Scotland after the uprising of 1745 and drumming was banned amongst African slaves. The school she runs, Arkaya Foundation, is dedicated to reviving the deeper dimensions of these arts and sciences which have been watered down by mainstream appropriation. Maitreyi has been sharing the depth of Yoga and Tantra for over 26 years. When she settled in Vancouver over 6 years ago she connected with the First Nations community and elders to create more awareness about their Indigenous lifestyle, values and healing.
Peter Levine, bestselling author of Waking the Tiger, shares insights and stories from his new book, An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey.
Peter A. Levine, PhD, is the renowned developer of Somatic Experiencing®. He holds a doctorate in Medical and Biological Physics from the University of California at Berkeley and a doctorate in Psychology from International University. The recipient of four lifetime achievement awards, he is the author of several books, including Waking the Tiger, which has now been printed in 33 countries and has sold over a million copies.
Thais Gibson, PhD, shares insights and tools to heal and transform our relationships. Thais Gibson's work has touched the lives of millions. Her work helps us to identify our attachment styles (Anxious, Avoidant etc.) and the core wounds connected with it. Through integrated practices, we reprogram the unconscious beliefs that keep us stuck in painful patterns to create loving, secure relationships.
Thais Gibson is a relationship expert who has been recognized by the likes of Psychology Today for her revolutionary work in integrated attachment theory. She has garnered over 38 million views across her social platforms and has helped many thousands of people to transform their lives and relationships. Thais holds a PhD and is certified in over 13 different areas of therapy, including cognitive behavioural therapy, neurolinguistic programming and transpersonal psychology. She is the founder of Gibson Integrated Attachment Theory™ and co-founder of The Personal Development School.
Judith Orloff, MD, New York Times bestselling author, shares wisdom and practices from her new book, The Genius of Empathy: Practical Skills to Heal Yourself, Your Relationships and the World.
Judith Orloff, MD, is a New York Times bestselling author with the upcoming book The Genius of Empathy: Practical Skills to Heal Yourself, Your Relationships and the World. She has also written The Empath’s Survival Guide and Thriving as an Empath, which offers daily self-care tools for sensitive people. She integrates the pearls of conventional medicine with cutting edge knowledge of intuition, empathy, energy medicine, and spirituality. Dr. Orloff specializes in treating empaths and highly sensitive people in her private practice and online internationally. Her work has been featured on The Today Show, CNN, Oprah Magazine, the New York Times and USA Today.
Gwynne Dyer, renowned historian, journalist, broadcaster, and author, joins Banyen for a discussion of his book Intervention Earth: Life-Saving Ideas from the World's Climate Engineers.
Gwynne Dyer is an internationally renowned historian, journalist, broadcaster, and author. He is a Member of the Order of Canada, and recipient of the The Southam Fellowship and Canadian Queen's Jubilee Medal. His 7-part documentary series War was nominated for an Academy Award, and his series The Human Race and Protection Force both won Gemini awards. He served in three navies and held academic appointments at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Oxford University before launching his twice-weekly column on international affairs, which is published by over 175 papers in some 45 countries. He is the author of several books including War: The Lethal Custom and Climate Wars, based on his CBC Ideas series of the same name.
Sah D'Simone, author of Spiritually Sassy, joins Banyen Books for a conversation on his book Spiritually, We. Sah D’Simone is a spiritual revolutionary, artist, and the internationally bestselling author of Spiritually Sassy. He's known for hosting the top-rated Spiritually Sassy Show podcast and for creating the Somatic Activated Healing (SAH) Method™. Sah works in the Spiritual Care Department at Cedars-Sinai Hospital and is a guest lecturer at Columbia University. His remarkable contributions to homeless youth in Venice Beach, California earned him the CARE award from the city and county of Los Angeles.
1 bestselling author Dr. Jen Gunter discusses her galvanizing book Blood, dispelling the shame, mythology, and misinformation around menstruation with scientific facts, medical expertise, and a fierce feminist perspective.
Dr. Jen Gunter is board certified in OB/GYN and pain medicine. She writes about the intersection of women's health, sex, science, and pop culture for The New York Times. She has been called a fierce advocate for women's health, Twitter's gynecologist, and "strangely confident" by GOOP.com. She believes an empowered patient requires facts and she is here to fix the medical Internet and smash the patriarchy. She is the author of The Menopause Manifesto, The Vagina Bible, The Preemie Primer, and Blood.
Daniel Goleman, world renowned psychologist and international bestselling author of Emotional Intelligence, joins Banyen Books for a conversation on his book Optimal: How to Sustain Excellence Every Day.
Daniel Goleman is an internationally esteemed psychologist and author. His book Emotional Intelligence was on The New York Times bestseller list for a year-and-a-half, and has been a bestseller in many countries with over 5 million copies in print. Emotional Intelligence was named one of the 25 “Most Influential Business Management Books” by TIME Magazine. The Financial Times and Wall Street Journal have listed Goleman among the most influential business thinkers. As a science journalist Goleman reported on the brain and behavioural sciences for The New York Times for many years. He is a co-founder of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, at the University of Illinois Chicago. He currently co-directs the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations at Rutgers University. He is a board member of the Mind & Life Institute, which fosters dialogues and research collaborations among contemplative practitioners and scientists. Goleman has organized a series of intensive conversations between the Dalai Lama and scientists, which resulted in the books Healing Emotions and Destructive Emotions.
John Holland, world-renowned psychic medium, speaks with Banyen Books on Psychic Mediumship.
John Holland, world-renowned psychic medium, has been helping people connect with their loved ones in the Spirit World for decades, bringing closure and healing, and has taught thousands of people how to develop and enhance their own natural psychic abilities. He is famous for his public psychic demonstrations and has starred in several TV specials, including A&E’s Mediums: We See Dead People and his own pilot, Psychic History, for the History Channel. He is the author of the best-selling books The Spirit Whisperer, Psychic Navigator, Power of the Soul, 101 Ways to Jump Start Your Intuition, and Born Knowing, as well as the oracle decks The Psychic Tarot, The Psychic Tarot for the Heart, and The Spirit Messages.
World-renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg joins Banyen in conversation on her book, Love Your Enemies: How to Break the Anger Habit & Be a Whole Lot Happier.
Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer and industry leader, a world-renowned teacher and New York Times bestselling author. As one of the first to bring meditation and mindfulness into mainstream American culture over 45 years ago, her relatable, demystifying approach has inspired generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is co-founder of The Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of eleven books, including the New York Times bestseller Real Happiness, and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. Sharon’s secular, modern approach to Buddhist teachings is sought after at schools, conferences and retreat centers around the world.
Renowned Jungian analyst James Hollis, PhD, joins Banyen for a deep conversation on the qualities that bring meaning to our human journey, and his new book A Life of Meaning.
James Hollis, PhD, is a Zurich-trained Jungian Analyst practicing in Washington, D.C., and the bestselling author of 20 books including Living an Examined Life: Wisdom for the Second Half of the Journey, Hauntings: Dispelling the Ghosts Who Run Our Lives, What Matters Most: Living a More Considered Life, and Why Good People Do Bad Things: Understanding Our Darker Selves. He has served as Executive Director of the Jung Educational Center in Houston, Executive Director of the Jung Society of Washington, Senior Training Analyst for the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts, Director of Training of the Philadelphia Jung Institute, Vice-President of the Philemon Foundation, and Professor of Jungian Studies for Saybrook University of San Francisco/Houston.
Internationally renowned singer/songwriter Tara MacLean joins Banyen for a discussion on her powerful memoir Song of the Sparrow.
Tara MacLean, Canadian singer/songwriter, has been an internationally renowned and award-winning recording and touring artist for over 25 years. She released her first album with the Nettwerk Music Group and Sony Music Publishing Canada in 1996. Since then, she has been signed with Capitol Records and EMI Canada with her JUNO-nominated band Shaye. She has written and recorded six solo albums and two with the band. Her first book, Song of the Sparrow, hit the Best Seller list the week it was released, and Tara quickly followed it up with “Sparrow” - the soundtrack for the book.
Bill Arnott discusses 'Gone Viking' and 'Gone Viking II', guiding us on an epic literary odyssey following history’s most feared and misunderstood voyageurs: the Vikings. Prepare yourself for an armchair adventure like no other!
Bill Arnott is a songwriter, poet, and author of the bestselling travelogue 'Gone Viking: A Travel Saga' (Whistler Independent Book Awards Finalist and American Book Fest International Book Awards Finalist),' Gone Viking II: Beyond Boundaries', 'Dromomania', and 'Wonderful Magical Words'. His work has been published in literary journals in Canada, the US and UK, Europe, Asia, and Australia, and his column “Bill Arnott’s Beat” is a feature in several magazines. Bill has received awards for prose, poetry, and songwriting and is the creator of “Bill’s Artist Showcase.” For his eight-year Gone Viking expedition he was awarded a fellowship in London’s Royal Geographical Society. When not trekking the globe with a small pack and his journal, or showing off cooking skills as a culinary-school dropout, Bill can be found on Canada’s west coast, making friends and misbehaving.
Richard Rosen, renowned yoga teacher and author, discusses Yoga by the Numbers: The Sacred and Symbolic in Yoga Philosophy and Practice.
Richard Rosen, one of America's most influential authors on yoga practice and philosohy, began his training in yoga in 1980 and graduated from the B.K.S Iyengar Institute in 1983. In 1987, together with Rodney Yee, he opened the Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland, CA, which operated until 2012. Richard is a contributing editor at Yoga Journal magazine, to which he has contributed countless articles and columns over the pst quarter century. He serves as the President of the board of directors fo the Yoga Dana Foundation. He is the author of five influential books, four of them published by Shambhala: The Yoga of Breath, Pranayama: Beyond the Fundamentals, Original Yoga, Yoga FAQ, and Yoga by the Numbers
Neale Donald Walsch, bestselling author of the Conversations with God series, discusses his book The God Solution: The Power of Pure Love.
Neale Donald Walsch has written 39 books on contemporary spirituality and its practical application in everyday life. Seven of the nine books in his Conversations with God series have made the New York Times Bestseller list, with Book One remaining on that list for 134 weeks. His titles have been translated into 37 languages. He is the creator of CWG Connect, a global online platform connecting people who wish to more deeply explore the messages in the CWG body of work. His latest book is The God Solution.
Dr. Deborah MacNamara discusses her new book, Nourished, which shines a light on the relationship between food and developmental attachment. Dr. MacNamara is joined in conversation with Maria LeRose.
Dr. Deborah MacNamara is a clinical counsellor and educator with more than 25 years experience. She is on faculty at the Neufeld Institute, operates a counselling practice, and speaks regularly about child and adolescent development to parents, childcare providers, educators, and mental health professionals. She is the author of the bestselling book, Rest, Play, Grow, the children’s picture book The Sorry Plane, and the forthcoming book, Nourished.
Maria LeRose is an award-winning television producer and interviewer, and an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC. She received her Masters of Education from UBC in the Department of Education and Counseling Psychology - with an emphasis on social and emotional development. Before embarking on a career in Journalism, Maria coordinated the first Child Abuse Prevention Program in BC. She is a long-time advisor to the Dalai Lama Center and Moderator of the DLC’s Heart-Mind Conferences. She has moderated events featuring Gordon Neufeld, the Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev, Gabor Maté, Sir Ken Robinson, and other luminaries.
David Hinton, one of the world's foremost translators of ancient Chinese poetry and philosophy, presents The Way of Ch'an: Essential Texts of the Original Tradition. David is in conversation with renowned Zen teacher/author/poet, Zoketsu Norman Fischer.
David Hinton has published numerous books of poetry and essays, and many translations of ancient Chinese poetry and philosophy—all informed by an abiding interest in deep ecological thinking. This widely-acclaimed work has earned Hinton a Guggenheim Fellowship, numerous fellowships from NEA and NEH, and both of the major awards given for poetry translation in the United States: the Landon Translation Award (Academy of American Poets) and the PEN American Translation Award. Most recently, Hinton received a lifetime achievement award by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Norman Fischer is a Zen teacher, poet, translator, and director of the Everyday Zen Foundation. A beloved figure in the Buddhist world, he is also well-known for his efforts at interreligious dialogue. His numerous books include The World Could Be Otherwise: Imagination and the Bodhisattva Path, What Is Zen?: Plain Talk for a Beginner’s Mind, and Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong.
Satish Kumar discusses his new book, Radical Love: From Separation to Connection with the Earth, Each Other, and Ourselves.
Satish Kumar, peace-pilgrim, life-long activist, and former monk, has been inspiring global change for over 50 years. Aged 9, Satish renounced the world and became a wandering Jain monk. Then in his 20s, he undertook a pilgrimage for peace, walking for two years without money from India to America for the cause of nuclear disarmament. Now in his 80s, Satish has devoted his life to campaigning for ecological regeneration, social justice, and spiritual fulfillment. In 2022 he received the Goi Peace Award.
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, one of the foremost living Buddhist nuns known for having lived twelve years in a remote Himalayan cave, discusses Reflections on a Mountain Lake: Teachings on Practical Buddhism.
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo is a bhikṣuṇī in the Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. At the age of twenty she traveled to India, becoming one of the first Westerners to be ordained as a Buddhist nun. The international bestseller Cave in the Snow chronicles her twelve years of seclusion in a remote cave. Deeply concerned with the plight of Buddhist nuns, she established Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery in India. In 2008 His Holiness the Twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa, head of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage, gave her the rare title of Jetsunma (Venerable Master).
Angela Sterritt discusses her book, Unbroken: My Fight for Survival, Hope, and Justice for Indigenous Women and Girls.
Angela Sterritt is an award-winning journalist, writer, and artist. Sterritt has worked as a journalist for close to twenty years and has been with the CBC since 2003 as a host and television, radio, and digital reporter. She is a proud member of the Gitxsan Nation and lives on Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh territories, Vancouver, Canada.
1 New York Times bestselling author Mark Nepo is joined in conversation with Joel Fotinos on his new book, Falling Down and Getting Up.
Mark Nepo is a poet and philosopher who has taught in the fields of poetry and spirituality for over 50 years. A New York Times #1 bestselling author, he has published over 25 books, including The Book of Awakening, Surviving Storms, and Finding Inner Courage, and has recorded more than a dozen audio projects. Mark has been interviewed several times by Oprah Winfrey as part of her Super Soul Sunday TV show, and was interviewed by Robin Roberts on Good Morning America. As a cancer survivor, Mark devotes his writing and teaching to the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationship. His work has been translated into more than 20 languages.
Joel Fotinos is the Founder, Vice-President, and Editorial Director of St. Martin’s Essentials, the successful new body/mind/spirit imprint of the St. Martin’s Publishing Group. Prior to that, Joel was a Vice-President and Publisher of the TarcherPerigee imprint at Penguin Random House, and a Marketing Manager at the San Francisco office of HarperCollins. He is the author of several books, including The Prosperity Principles, which have been published in more than 14 languages. He is a recipient of Science of Mind magazine’s “Spiritual Hero of the Year” award.
Join Radhule Weininger, PhD, MD, and Michael Kearney, MD, as they share teachings from Radhule's new book, 'Heart Medicine: How to Stop Painful Patterns and Find Peace and Freedom–at Last'.
Radhule Weininger, MD, PHD, is a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, and meditation teacher. She leads weekly and monthly meditation groups in Santa Barbara and leads retreats in both the United States and internationally at La Casa de Maria Retreat Center, Spirit Rock, Insight LA, the Esalen Institute, the Garrison Institute, and she is the author of Heartwork: The Path of Self-Compassion.Michael Kearney is a physician specializing in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, with over 35 years experience. He lived in Ireland, England, France, and Canada before moving to the United States in 2001. He currently lives in Santa Barbara, California, where he is a founding partner of Palliative Care Consultants of Santa Barbara. Michael Kearney is married to psychologist, meditation teacher, and author Radhule Weininger, PhD. They teach and write together and share six adult children between them.
David Richo, bestselling author of How to Be an Adult in Relationships, joins Banyen for a conversation on his book To Thine Own Self Be True: Shakespeare as Therapist and Spiritual Guide.
David Richo, PhD, is a psychotherapist, teacher, writer, and workshop leader whose work emphasizes the benefits of mindfulness and loving-kindness in personal growth and emotional well-being. He combines Jungian, poetic, and mythic perspectives in his work with the intention of integrating the psychological and the spiritual. He is the author of numerous bestselling books including How to Be an Adult in Relationships and The Five Things We Cannot Change.
Renowned Zen teacher Roshi Joan Halifax joins Banyen for a discussion of In a Moment, in a Breath.
Joan Halifax, PhD, is a Buddhist teacher, anthropologist, and writer. Her books include The Human Encounter with Death (with Stanislav Grof), Being with Dying, and Standing at the Edge. She is a Founding Teacher in the Zen Peacemaker Order of Roshi Bernie Glassman and the late Sensei Jishu Holmes, and is a Soto priest and teacher. She founded The Ojai Foundation, an educational center, in 1979, and Upaya (a Buddhist study center) in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1990. She has been on the faculties of Columbia University, the University of Miami School of Medicine, the New School for Social Research, The Naropa Institute, and the California Institute for Integral Studies. Halifax is a distinguished invited scholar of the U.S. Library of Congress, and the only woman and Buddhist on the Tony Blair Foundation’s Advisory Council. Joan Halifax has worked with dying people since 1970. In 1994, she created the Project on Being with Dying as a way to train healthcare professionals in contemplative care of the dying.
Jeff Brown, author of Soulshaping, discusses his new book Humanifestations: On Trauma, Truth, and Transformation.
Jeff Brown is the author of 8 popular books: Soulshaping, Ascending with Both Feet on the Ground, Love It Forward, An Uncommon Bond, Spiritual Graffiti, Grounded Spirituality, Hearticulations, and Humanifestations. He is the producer of the award-winning spiritual documentary Karmageddon, which features Ram Dass, Seane Corn, Deva Premal and Miten. Jeff’s short writings have touched millions of souls worldwide and have been shared on social media by the likes of LeAnn Rimes, Alanis Morrissette, Fergie, Chrissy Metz, Jason Silva, and Amanda De Cadenet. Jeff is the founder of Soulshaping Institute and Enrealment Press. He lives in Canada with his wife, poet Susan Frybort.
Amit Goswami, PhD, and Valentina Onisor, MD, join Banyen for a conversation on Quantum Integrative Medicine: A New Paradigm for Health, Disease Prevention and Healing.
Dr. Amit Goswami, celebrated Theoretical Quantum Physicist, is a revolutionary amongst a growing body of scientists who have ventured into the domain of the spiritual in an attempt both to interpret the seemingly inexplicable findings of curious experiments and to validate intuitions about the existence of a spiritual dimension of life. A prolific writer, teacher, and visionary, Dr. Goswami has appeared in the movies What the Bleep do we know!?, Dalai Lama Renaissance, and the award winning documentary, The Quantum Activist. He is the author of several bestselling books, including The Quantum Doctor and The Self-Aware Universe.
Valentina Onisor, MD, is a practicing physician specializing in family medicine, who integrates various systems of alternative medicine (acupuncture, Ayurveda, naturopathy, and aromatherapy) into her medical practice. She is a co-author (along with Dr. Amit Goswami) of the recently released books, Quantum Spirituality and The Quantum Brain as well as of the upcoming books, The Awakening of Intelligence, Quantum Integrative Medicine, and The Quantum Science of Love and Relationships.
Thomas Moore, bestselling author of Care of the Soul, joins Banyen for a conversation with Q&A on his book The Eloquence of Silence.
Thomas Moore, PhD, is the author of over 30 books, including the number one bestseller Care of the Soul. He holds a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Syracuse University and degrees in music composition. Thomas Moore is a teacher and sought after international lecturer. He has been a psychotherapist for over 40 years. His work brings together spirituality, mythology, depth psychology, and the arts, emphasizing the importance of images and imagination.
Lon Milo DuQuette joins Banyen for an engaging conversation on his book, The Magick of Aleister Crowley.
Lon Milo DuQuette is a bestselling author and lecturer whose books on Magick, Tarot, and the Western Mystery Traditions have been translated into ten languages. He is currently the US Deputy Grand Master of Ordo Templi Orientis and is on the faculty of the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York, and the Maybe Logic Academy. Among his many books are My Life with the Spirits, Understanding Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot, and Tarot of Ceremonial Magick. He lives in Sacramento, California, with his wife Constance.
Paul-Gordon Chandler discusses his book, In Search of a Prophet: A Spiritual Journey with Kahlil Gibran.
Paul-Gordon Chandler is the Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Wyoming. He grew up in Senegal, West Africa, and has lived and worked extensively around the world. An author, art curator, social entrepreneur and an authority on the Middle East and Africa, he is passionate about using the arts to further our global quest for a more harmonious future, both with each other and with the earth. He is the author of several books including the acclaimed book on Muslim-Christian relations titled Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road.
Kabir Helminski, renowned Sufi teacher and one of the foremost Rumi translators of our time, joins Banyen for an illuminating conversation on The Mysterion: Rumi and the Secret of Becoming Fully Human.
Kabir Helminski is the author of the classic book Living Presence and a renowned translator of Rumi and other Sufi literature. Shaikh Kabir Helminski was the first westerner recognized as a Shaikh, or elder in the Mevlevi Order of Sufism, which dates back to the Thirteenth Century, and is based on the works of the great poet and philosopher, Rumi. He is the co-director of the Threshold Society, a nonprofit Sufi organization, and was the publisher of Threshold Books for twenty years. He is also a producer and writer of Sufi music.
Neil Douglas-Klotz—teacher, author, musician, and scholar of Middle Eastern tradition—joins Banyen in conversation on his new book, Revelations of the Aramaic Jesus: The Hidden Teachings on Life and Death.
Neil Douglas-Klotz, PhD, is an internationally known scholar in the fields connecting religious studies (comparative Semitic hermeneutics) and psychology as well as a poet and musician. He is the author of Prayers of the Cosmos, Desert Wisdom, The Hidden Gospel, The Little Book of Sufi Stories, Kahlil Gibran’s Little Book of Wisdom, and The Genesis Meditations, and coauthor of The Tent of Abraham with Sr. Joan Chittister and Rabbi Arthur Waskow. He is the past chair of the Mysticism Group of the American Academy of Religion and is active in various international colloquia and conferences dedicated to peace and spirituality.
A. H. Almaas, renowned author and spiritual teacher, speaks with Banyen Books on Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality.
A. H. Almaas is the pen name of A. Hameed Ali, founder of the Diamond Approach to Self-Realization, a contemporary teaching that developed within the context of both ancient spiritual teachings and modern depth psychology theories. Almaas has authored 20 books about spiritual realization, including the Diamond Heart series, The Pearl Beyond Price, The Void, and The Alchemy of Freedom. Watkin’s Review cites him as one of the world’s 100 most spiritually influential people. He is the founder of the Ridhwan School for Spiritual Development, an inner work school devoted to the realization of True Nature.
@BanyenBooks converses with acclaimed author and activist Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg on 'Mend the World' and 'On Repentance and Repair'.
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg serves as scholar in residence at National Council of Jewish Women. She is the award-winning author of seven books, including 'Surprised by God' and 'Nurture the Wow'. She was named by Newsweek and the Daily Beast as one of ten “rabbis to watch,” by Forward as one of the top 50 most influential women rabbis, and called a “wunderkind of Jewish feminism” by Publishers Weekly. Rabbi Danya has been a Washington Post Sunday crossword clue (83 down), and her most recent book 'On Repentance and Repair' has been hailed by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley as "A must read for anyone navigating the work of justice and healing” and by the author Rebecca Solnit as “brilliant.”
@BanyenBooks joins Gabor Maté for a conversation on his new book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, & Healing in a Toxic Culture.
A renowned speaker and bestselling author, Dr. Gabor Maté is highly sought after for his expertise on a range of topics including addiction, stress, and childhood development. Dr. Maté has written several bestselling books, including the New York Times bestseller The Myth of Normal, the award-winning In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction, When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection, and Scattered Minds: How Attention Deficit Disorder Originates and What You Can Do About It, and has coauthored Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers. His works have been published internationally in nearly thirty languages.
Daniel Maté is a Brooklyn-based composer-lyricist who has received the Kleban Prize, Cole Porter Award, and Jonathan Larson Grant. His musicals include The Trouble With Doug and The Longing and the Short of It. Other shows in development include Hansel & Gretl & Heidi & Günter, Middle School Mysteries, and an adaptation of the Russell Banks novel The Sweet Hereafter. He is the host of the YouTube program Lyrics To Go and runs a "mental chiropractic" service called Walk With Daniel.
@BanyenBooksSound hosts Kendra Allen sharing exercises and advice from The Breakup Workbook to heal from your heartbreak and create your best life.
KENDRA ALLEN is a breakup coach, blogger, host of the Heal Your Heartbreak Podcast, and founder of Break Up Bestie. In 2017, she launched her Instagram account @YourBreakupBestie and began talking with thousands of people all over the world about what struggles they were going through post-breakup. Kendra launched her blog in 2018, online courses in 2019, and her popular podcast in 2020. Kendra has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Elite Daily, New York Post, Mind Body Green, and dozens of popular podcasts.
Dr. Rick Hanson speaks with @BanyenBooksSound on his new book Making Great Relationships—neuroscience, psychology, and the contemplative wisdom.
Rick Hanson, PhD, is a psychologist, senior fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times bestselling author. His books have been published in 30 languages and include Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Just One Thing, Buddha’s Brain, and Mother Nurture. A summa cum laude graduate of UCLA, he has been an invited speaker at NASA, Oxford, Stanford, Harvard, and other major universities, and he has taught in meditation centers worldwide. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, his work has been featured on the CBS, NPR, the BBC, and other major media. He began meditating in 1974 and is the founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom.
Pico Iyer, bestselling author and TED speaker, converses with @BanyenBooksSound on his new book, The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise.
Pico Iyer is the acclaimed and bestselling author of fifteen books, translated into twenty-three languages, including The Art of Stillness. He has been a constant contributor for more than thirty years to Time, The New York Times, Harper’s Magazine, and more than 250 other periodicals worldwide. His four recent talks for TED have received more than eleven million views. He has written the liner notes for Leonard Cohen albums, and his in depth conversations with the Dalai Lama have been published in the book, The Open Road.
@BanyenBooksSoundVancouver joins Karen Casey for a special event celebrating the 40th Anniversary release of her beloved, bestselling classic, 'Each Day a New Beginning'.
Karen Casey is the author of several bestselling classics, including 'The Promise of a New Day', '52 Ways to Live the Course in Miracles', 'Let Go Now', and 'Codependence and the Power of Detachment'.
Julia Cameron, author of 'The Artist's Way', shares wisdom and practices from her new book, 'Write for Life: Creative Tools for Every Writer'.
Julia Cameron, hailed by the New York Times as “The Queen of Change,” is credited with starting a movement in 1992 that has brought creativity into the mainstream conversation—in the arts, in business, and in everyday life. She is the best-selling author of more than fourty books, fiction and nonfiction; a poet, songwriter, filmmaker and playwright. Commonly referred to as “The Godmother” or “High Priestess” of creativity, her tools are based in practice, not theory, and she considers herself “the floor sample of her own toolkit.” 'The Artist’s Way' has been translated into fourty languages and sold over five million copies to date.
Joel Fotinos has been a publishing professional for many years, as well as a minister and author. After 21 years as a Vice-President and Publisher at Penguin Random House, Joel joined Macmillan to start a new mind/body/spirit imprint called St. Martin's Essentials. He and Julia have worked together for 26 years so far, and hope for many years to come.
@BanyenBooksSound hosts Melody Beattie in conversation about her revised and updated #1 bestselling, modern classic, Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself.
Melody Beattie is one of America’s most beloved self-help authors and a household name in addiction and recovery circles. Millions of readers have trusted Melody’s words of wisdom and guidance because she knows firsthand what they’re going through. Her international bestselling book, Codependent No More, introduced the world to the term ’codependency’ in 1986. She is the author of many bestselling books—including The Language of Letting Go, Playing It by Heart, The Grief Club, Beyond Codependency, and The Codependent No More Workbook. She lives in Southern California and is at work on an inspirational memoir.
Join Danielle Blackwood, Archetypal Astrologer, for the @BanyenBooksSoundVancouver launch of her book 'A Lantern in The Dark'.
Danielle Blackwood is a professional astrologer with more than 30 years of experience and is certified in the principles and practice of Contemporary Psychological Astrology through world renowned astrologer and author, Erin Sullivan. Danielle is also a Registered Counseling Therapist (RCT) in private practice. Her therapeutic approach is transpersonal, archetypal, and person centered, and she holds a certificate in Jungian and Post Jungian Clinical Concepts through The Center of Applied Jungian Studies. Danielle has been a priestess and educator since 1994, facilitating workshops, retreats, classes and public ritual. She is the author of 'The Twelve Faces of The Goddess'. Danielle is a passionate lifelong student of folklore, mythology, and depth psychology, and helping others through their rites of passage when they find themselves in a dark wood, is at the heart of her work.
@BanyenBooksSoundVancouver hosts Mahnaz Afkhami, leading women's rights advocate who served in the pre-1978 Cabinet of Iran, in conversation with CBC radio host Samira Mohyeddin in conversation on exile, protests, Iran, and the women's movement.
Mahnaz Afkhami is the founder, president, and CEO of Women’s Learning Partnership and former Minister for Women’s Affairs in Iran (1976-1978) . Afkhami has been a leading advocate of women's rights for more than four decades, having founded and served as director and president of several international non-governmental organizations that focus on advancing women's status. Afkhami also serves on advisory boards and steering committees of a number of national and international organizations including the Freer/Sackler Galleries of The Smithsonian Institution, the Foundation for Iranian Studies, The Global Fund for Women, Women’s Learning Partnership, Women's Rights Division of Human Rights Watch, and the World Movement for Democracy. She is the author of several books that have been translated into numerous languages, and has appeared on the BBC, CNN, and PBS and in numerous television and radio interviews on NPR, BBC Persian, VOA Persian and other international outlets.
Samira Mohyeddin is a multi-award-winning journalist, documentary maker, and producer at CBC Radio One’s The Current. She is the host of CBC's Unforked, a national radio program that picks apart the food we eat to reveal the culture and politics baked into it. Samira has a Master of Arts in Gender and modern Middle Eastern history from the University of Toronto. She is a trained Shakespearean actor and graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. She also did genocide studies at the Zoryan Institute and is a graduate of Centennial College’s post graduate advanced journalism program. For more than 16 years, Samira has co-owned and operated Banu, a restaurant and market in Toronto's Queen West neighbourhood.
@BanyenBooks joins Valerie Mason-John (Vimalasara) for a conversation on her book, 'Afrikan Wisdom' — spiritual, political, and interdisciplinary anthology of wisdom stories from Black liberation leaders and teachers.
Vimalasara is an accredited Life Coach and Addictions Coach. They are also one of the founding facilitators of Dr Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry CI course. They are trained in both CI and Internal Family Systems IFS, and work as a Mindfulness Coach to help liberate people from the prison of their minds. They are ordained into the Triratna Community, and have been practising Buddhism for over 30 years.
@BanyenBooksSoundVancouver converses with Anam Thubten Rinpoche on how to cut through old habits that no longer serve us, to embrace every aspect of life, and to cut the root of suffering.
Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and at an early age began to practice in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Among his many teachers, his most formative guides were Lama Tsurlo, Khenpo Chopel, and Lama Garwang. He is the founder and spiritual advisor of Dharmata Foundation, teaching widely in the U.S. and abroad. He is also the author of various articles and books in both the Tibetan and English language. His books in English include 'The Magic of Awareness' and 'No Self, No Problem'. Through the essential wisdom of Buddhism and his personal experience on the spiritual path, Anam Thubten brings alive the timeless teachings and invites everyone to participate.
Join Dodie Graham McKay for a presentation of practices and wisdom from her new book, 'Earth Magic: Elements of Witchcraft'.
Dodie Graham McKay (Treaty One Territory, Winnipeg, Canada) is an initiated Witch and independent filmmaker. Since the 1980s, she has been involved in magic, music, and other forms of media. Dodie is the founder of Moongazey Films Inc, has written for The Wild Hunt, and is active in her local art and magic communities.
Dr. Sue Johnson speaks on her new book, The Hold Me Tight Workbook. Dr. Johnson shares tools for couples to strengthen bonds and deepen intimacy.
Dr. Sue Johnson is a leading innovator in the fields of couple therapy and adult attachment. She is the primary developer of Emotionally Focused Couples and Family Therapy (EFT), which has demonstrated its effectiveness in over 30 years of peer-reviewed clinical research. She has received numerous awards acknowledging her development of EFT, including the APA’s “Family Psychologist of the Year” in 2016 and the Order of Canada in 2017.
Join Banyen Books for an illuminating panel discussion with Dennis McKenna, Belinda Eriacho, Stephen Gray, and Christopher Bache on 'How Psychedelics Can Help Save the World: Visionary and Indigenous Voices Speak Out'.
Carmen Spagnola, Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef and trauma recovery practitioner, shares recipes and rituals for the Pagan Wheel of the Year. Carmen's work cross-pollinates themes of attachment, animism, myth and justice, supported by extensive training, certification, supervision and mentorship. Each month, she leads dozens of classes and somatic practice sessions in her membership community, The Numinous Network. Carmen has led workshops in Canada, the US, Sweden and Finland, and hosted The Numinous Podcast since 2014.
David Fenton shares lessons learned as one of the world's leading progressive media activists.
David Fenton has been the driving force behind some of the most important and history-making campaigns of the last 50 years. In his extraordinary career as a visionary activist, he has learned first-hand what to do—and not to do—to propel progressive causes into the public eye and create real, impactful, lasting change. In his new book The Activist's Media Handbook, Fenton provides an essential toolkit for today’s activists: how to tell your story, captivate audiences, and inspire them to join the cause.
Join host and cocreator of PBS’s 'Journey of the Universe' for a fresh look at how the rich collision between science and spirituality has influenced contemporary consciousness. Brian Swimme will be discussing his new book 'Cosmogenesis: An Unveiling of the Expanding Universe'.
Dr. Swimme is the author of 'The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos' and 'The Universe is a Green Dragon'. He is co-author of 'The Universe Story', which is the result of a ten year collaboration with cultural historian, Thomas Berry. Dr. Swimme is also the creator of three educational video series: Canticle to the Cosmos, The Earth’s Imagination, and The Powers of the Universe. Most recently he co-wrote and hosted the 60 minute film Journey of the Universe, broadcast on PBS television stations nationwide.
@BanyenBooksSoundVancouver joins Bari Tessler, financial therapist, author, and founder of The Art of Money, for a discussion plus insights and practices from the The Art of Money Workbook.
Bari Tessler is a warm, compassionate guide with a Masters Degree in Somatic Psychology—and for over twenty years, her Art of Money methodology has helped thousands of people understand and navigate their financial life. Her gentle encouragement and practical tools will offer you new avenues for creativity and joy with an abundance of support.
@BanyenBooksSoundVancouver converses with Jerry Lynch, one of the world's leaders in the field of human potential through sports, on his new book 'The Competitive Buddha: How to Up Your Game in Sports, Leadership, and Life'. Jerry Lynch first learned about extraordinary performance and excellence as a nationally ranked competitive athlete sponsored by Nike, running world class times from 5,000 meters to the marathon, setting an American record in the half-marathon, winning a National Championship and many other other races against athletes half his age. He took what he learned about himself and life from his competitive days and parlayed it into a dynamic successful career helping athletes and coaches in all sports to use his strategies to up their game and discover the best version of themselves. His approach is deeply informed by Buddhism, Taoism, and other spiritual traditions.
Michelle Cassandra Johnson joins @Banyen Books & Sound for a conversation on Finding Refuge: Heart Work for Healing Collective Grief. MICHELLE CASSANDRA JOHNSON is a social justice warrior, author, dismantling racism trainer, empath, yoga teacher and practitioner, and an intuitive healer. With over 20 years of experience leading dismantling racism work and working with clients as a licensed clinical social worker, Johnson has a deep understanding of how trauma impacts the mind, body, spirit, and heart. She has led Dismantling Racism Trainings with large corporations, small nonprofits, and community groups, including the ACLU-WA, Duke University, Google, This American Life, The Center for Equity and Inclusion, Eno River Unitarian Universalist Church, Lululemon, and many others. She published Skill in Action in 2017 and teaches workshops nationwide.
Jennifer Freed, PhD, renowned psychological astrologer, joins @Banyen Books & Sound in conversation about her new book, A Map to Your Soul: Using the Astrology of Fire, Earth, Air, and Water to Live Deeply and fully. Jennifer Freed, PhD, is a renowned psychological astrologer and social and emotional education trainer. She has spent over thirty-five years consulting clients and businesses worldwide on psychological, spiritual, and educational topics. A regular contributor to goop and Maria Shriver's newsletter The Sunday Paper, Jennifer has penned ten books relating to personal growth, and she has been interviewed for her expertise by the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, People Magazine, and Vogue.
Adriana Barton discusses Wired for Music: A Search for Health & Joy Through the Science of Sound. In this captivating blend of science and memoir, a health journalist and former cellist explores music as a source of health, resilience, connection, and joy. Adriana Barton was a staff reporter at The Globe and Mail and has contributed to Utne, Azure, and the San Francisco Bay Guardian. She studied the cello professionally for seventeen years before becoming a journalist. She lives in Vancouver, BC.
@Banyen Books & Sound joins David Roche for a conversation on his book, The Church of 80% Sincerity. David has transformed the challenges and gifts of living with a facial difference into a compelling message that uplifts and delights audiences around the world. The story of his heroic journey from shame to strength has inspired standing ovations from the White House and Kennedy Center to Olympics Arts Festivals, from New Zealand to Moscow, London to Sydney, and across North America. David presents keynote speeches and entertainment for corporate, association, disability and educational events of all kinds. David has been featured in four films, including Shameless, a feature-length documentary from the National Film Board. He recently received the Order of Canada. http://www.davidroche.com/
Elizabeth Earnshaw joins @Banyen Books & Sound in conversation on her new book, I WANT THIS TO WORK. Earnshaw shares tools and insights for couples to navigate difficult issues. Elizabeth Earnshaw, LMFT, CGT, is the founder of A Better Life Therapy and influential Instagram therapist behind @lizlistens. She holds a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, is a licensed marriage and family therapist, and is a certified Gottman Method couples therapist. Elizabeth also trains and supervises new therapists seeking their licenses in the counseling field. Learn more at abetterlifetherapy.com.
@Banyen Books & Sound converses with Will Storr on his new book, The Status Game: On Human Life and How to Play It. @Will Storr is an award-winning writer. His work has appeared in the Guardian, Sunday Times, New Yorker and The New York Times. He is the author of five critically acclaimed books, most recently the Sunday Times bestseller, The Science of Storytelling. @willstorrwillstorr.com
@Banyen Books & Sound joins Julia Cameron, author of The Artist's Way, for a discussion of her new book, Seeking Wisdom. Julia Cameron is credited with starting a movement in 1992 that has brought creativity into the mainstream conversation—in the arts, in business, and in everyday life. She is the best-selling author of more than forty books, fiction and nonfiction; a poet, songwriter, filmmaker, and playwright. Commonly referred to as "The Godmother" or "High Priestess" of creativity, her tools are based in practice, not theory, and she considers herself "the floor sample of her own toolkit." The Artist's Way has been translated into fourty languages and sold over five million copies to date.
Martín Prechtel joins Banyen Books & Sound for a rare audio interview (part 3 of 3) on his new book, The Wild Rose. Martín Prechtel is widely recognized as a profound and beloved teacher for our times. Raised in the Tzutujil Maya shamanic tradition, he has dedicated his life to the preservation and promulgation of indigenous spirituality. Sharing his deep shamanic wisdom within a grand overview of human history, Prechtel shows us how we can reconnect with the unique and unsuspected manifestations of our own sacred selves. He is the author of several contemporary classics, including The Smell of Rain on Dust and Secrets of the Talking Jaguar. His work has been highly praised by the likes of Clarissa Pinkola Éstes, Coleman Barks, and Mary Oliver. https://floweringmountain.com/
@Banyen Books & Sound joins Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo for a special discussion of her book: The Heroic Heart. JETSUNMA TENZIN PALMO was raised in London and became a Buddhist while still in her teens. At the age of twenty she traveled to India, becoming one of the first Westerners to be ordained as a Buddhist nun. The international bestseller Cave in the Snow chronicles her twelve years of seclusion in a remote cave. Deeply concerned with the plight of Buddhist nuns, she established Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery in India. In 2008 His Holiness the Twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa, head of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage, gave her the rare title of Jetsunma (Venerable Master).
Deepen your awareness through the Tibetan practice of sleep and dream yoga with Bön Buddhist meditation master Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche with this Banyen Books & Sound event. Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche is a respected and beloved teacher and meditation master in the Bön Buddhist tradition of Tibet. He is the founder and director of Ligmincha International, an organization dedicated to the study and practice of the teachings of the Bön tradition. With students in more than 25 countries, Rinpoche resides in the US and teaches around the world. He is the author of several highly influential books on Bön, spiritual practice, and manifesting the fruit of awareness and positive qualities in one’s life.
Banyen Books & Sound speaks to activist, nun, and esteemed spiritual voice, Joan Chittister on her new book, The Monastic Heart: 50 Simple Practices for a Contemplative and Fulfilling Life. Joan Chittister is one of the most articulate and influential spiritual leaders of our time. The award-winning author of over 60 books, she is an international lecturer who has appeared with the Dalai Lama, on “Now with Bill Moyers”, and on “Super Soul Sunday” with Oprah Winfrey. A founding member of The Global Peace Initiative of Women, a partner organization of the UN, she works to develop a worldwide network of women peace builders. As co-chair of this group she has facilitated gatherings of spiritual leaders throughout the world in an effort to spread an interfaith commitment to peace building, equality, and justice for all peoples. She has received numerous awards for her activism and peace initiatives. A Benedictine Sister of Erie, Pennsylvania, she served as president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), and as prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie for 12 years. She received her doctorate from Penn State University in Speech Communications Theory, and in 1996 was an elected fellow at St. Edmund's College, Cambridge University.
Banyen Books & Sound and Word Vancouver host Naomi Shihab Nye for a conversation on the art of poetry and creativity, with readings from her new inspirational collection, 'Voices in the Air — Poems for Listeners'. Naomi Shihab Nye, Palestinian American, was born in St. Louis, Missouri and grew up there, in Jerusalem, and in San Antonio, Texas. A graduate of Trinity University, Nye is the recipient of numerous honors and awards for her work, and was recently the Young People's Poet Laureate for the United States (Poetry Foundation.) She has received the Ivan Sandrof Award for Lifetime Achievement from the National Book Critics Circle, and the Lon Tinkle Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Texas Institute of Letters, along with many other awards, and has served as a Chancellor for the Academy of American Poets, as well as a National Council Member for the National Endowment for the Humanities. She was poetry editor for the New York Times from 2019-2020.
Join Sharon Blackie, renowned mythologist and author of If Women Rose Rooted, for a conversation with Q&A on her new book, Hagitude. Dr. Sharon Blackie is an award-winning writer, psychologist and mythologist. Her highly acclaimed books, courses, lectures and workshops are focused on the development of the mythic imagination, and on the relevance of myth, fairy tales and folk traditions to the personal, cultural and environmental problems we face today.
Banyen Books & Sound joins Phil Cousineau for a conversation about his newly updated bestselling classic The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker's Guide to Making Travel Sacred. Phil Cousineau is an award-winning writer and filmmaker, teacher and editor, lecturer, storyteller and TV host. With more than thirty-five books translated into more than ten languages and 15 scriptwriting credits to his name, Cousineau has also appeared alongside mentors Joseph Campbell and Huston Smith. He is co-writer and host of Global Spirit and has also appeared on CNN, The Discovery Channel, NFL Films, and more. He has been interviewed for stories in Time, Newsweek, and The New York Times . Currently, Cousineau lives with his family in North Beach in San Francisco, California. Learn more about his work at https://www.philcousineau.net.
Banyen Books & Sound converses with Zoketsu Norman Fischer on his new book 'When You Greet Me I Bow: Notes and Reflections from a Life in Zen'. Norman Fischer is a Zen priest, poet, and translator whose writings, teachings, and commitment to interfaith dialogue have supported and inspired Buddhist, Jewish, and other spiritual practitioners for decades. 'When You Greet Me I Bow' spans the entirety of Norman Fischer's career. Broken into four sections--the joy and catastrophe of relationship; thinking, writing, and emptiness; cultural encounters; and social engagement--this book allows us to see the fascinating development of the mind and interests of a gifted writer and profoundly committed practitioner.
Banyen Books & Sound joins Alan Clements and Reverend Bodhi Be in conversation on their new book, Facing Death. Alan Clements is founder of World Dharma and a former Buddhist monk in Burma, where he trained in Buddhist psychology and mindfulness meditation. He is the author of several books, including A Future To Believe In and The Voice of Hope. Alan's work has been endorsed by eight Nobel Peace laureates, including the Dalai Lama, in addition to Dr. Vandana Shiva, Dr. Helen Caldicott, Joanna Macy, Derrick Jensen, former US President Jimmy Carter and numerous others. He been interviewed for Nightline, CBS, CBC, ABC, BBC, Talk to America, the New York Times, Time and Newsweek, Utne Reader, and Yoga Journal.
Reverend Bodhi Be is an ordained interfaith minister and teacher in the Sufi lineage of Samuel Lewis and Hazrat Inayat Khan. He is the founder and executive director of Doorway Into Light, a nonprofit organization on Maui, which provides conscious and compassionate care for the dying, their families and the grieving. For many years Bodhi collaborated with Ram Dass and is continuing the work Ram Dass helped birth in the fields of conscious dying.
Banyen Books & Sound joins Debbie Frank for a conversation on her new book 'What’s Your Soul Sign?', sharing astrological guidance for personal transformation. Debbie Frank is a world-renowned Master Astrologer with decades of experience in sharing, teaching and providing life-healing to her personal clients, celebrities, CEOs and royalty (she was Princess Diana's personal astrologer from 1989 onwards). Debbie is currently the weekly astrology columnist for Hello magazine, and has also written horoscopes and columns for some of the UK's biggest publications including the Daily Mail online, Sunday Express, Hello, Instyle, Sunday Mirror and Daily Mirror. https://www.debbiefrank.com
Banyen Books & Sound joins Sandor Katz for a discussion on his new book 'Sandor Katz's Fermentation Journeys'. Sandor Ellix Katz is a fermentation revivalist. A self-taught experimentalist who lives in rural Tennessee, his explorations in fermentation developed out of his overlapping interests in cooking, nutrition, and gardening. He is the author of four previous books: Wild Fermentation, The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved, The Art of Fermentation—which won a James Beard Foundation Award in 2013—and Fermentation as Metaphor. The hundreds of fermentation workshops he has taught around the world have helped catalyze a broad revival of the fermentation arts. The New York Times calls Sandor “one of the unlikely rock stars of the American food scene.” For more information, check out his website: https://www.wildfermentation.com.
@Banyen Books & Sound joins Robert Mack in conversation on his new book 'Love From the Inside Out': Lessons and Inspiration for Loving Yourself, Your Life, and Each Other. Robert Mack has been many things in his life, including a corporate consultant, a professional model, an actor, and a life coach. After several years as a consultant and executive coach for Deloitte & Touche, he returned to school to earn a master's degree in applied positive psychology (MAPP). He has appeared in numerous television commercials and magazines, as well as MTV's Fashionably Loud, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Balancing Act, CBS Early Show, She Knows, AskHer.com, and countless other local, national, and international media outlets. His work has been featured in GQ, Self, Health, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Forbes, Upscale, and more.
@Banyen Books & Sound hosts Peter Coyote in conversation on his new book The Lone Ranger and Tonto Meet Buddha: Masks, Meditation, and Improvised Play to Induce Liberated States. Peter Coyote is an award-winning actor, author, director, screenwriter, and narrator who has worked with some of the world’s most distinguished filmmakers. Recognized for his narration work, he narrated the PBS series The Pacific Century, winning an Emmy award, as well as eight Ken Burns documentaries, including The Roosevelts, for which he won a second Emmy. In 2011 he was ordained as a Zen Buddhist priest and in 2015 received “transmission” from his teacher, making him an independent Zen teacher. The author of several books, he lives in northern California.
Matt Kahn converses with Banyen Books & Sound on his new book, All for Love. Matt Kahn is a spiritual teacher, highly attuned intuitive healer, speaker, and captivating author. He enriches people’s lives by providing heart-centered solutions that ignite, delight, and unite! Matt wrote the highly acclaimed books Whatever Arises, Love That; Everything Is Here to Help You; and The Universe Always Has a Plan, which have been translated into more than a dozen languages. His newest book is All for Love: The Transformative Power of Holding Space.
Join Banyen Books & Sound in conversation with Stephen Jenkinson and Kimberly Ann Johnson on their forthcoming co-written book, Reckoning. Stephen Jenkinson, MTS, MSW, is a spiritual activist, author, ceremonialist and farmer. Stephen teaches internationally and is the creator and principal instructor of the Orphan Wisdom School, founded in 2010. With Master’s degrees from Harvard University (Theology) and the University of Toronto (Social Work), he is the author of several books including the award-winning Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul, Come of Age: The Case for Elderhood in a Time of Trouble and A Generation's Worth. Stephen is the subject of the National Film Board of Canada feature length film documentary, Griefwalker.
Kimberly Ann Johnson is a Sexological Bodyworker, Somatic Experiencing trauma resolution practitioner, birth doula, and single mom. She specializes in helping women prepare for birth, recover from birth injuries and birth trauma, and heal from sexual trauma. She is the founder of Magamama.com, an international holistic women’s health care resource for expectant and new mothers. She is the author of The Fourth Trimester and Call of the Wild.
Banyen Books & Sound converses with Judith Hanson Lasater on her new book, Teaching Yoga with Intention. Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D. and physical therapist, has taught yoga internationally since 1971. She helped to found Yoga Journal magazine, the Iyengar Yoga Institute in San Francisco, and The California Yoga Teachers Association. She has coined such paradigm-changing phrases as "yoga off the mat" and "living your yoga". Judith Hanson Lasater is widely recognized as one of the foremost teachers in America, and is the author of 10 books including Yoga Myths and her forthcoming, Teaching Yoga With Intention.
Banyen Books & Sound hosts Joan Borysenko for a conversation on her book Pocketful of Miracles: Prayers, Meditations, and Affirmations to Nurture Your Spirit Every Day of the Year. Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., is the author of seventeen books, including the New York Times bestseller Minding the Body, Mending the Mind; It’s not the end of the World: Developing Resilience in Times of Change; and Your Soul’s Compass: What is Spiritual Guidance? She lives with her husband Dr. Gordon Dveirin and their two standard poodles in Santa Fe, New Mexico—the Land of Enchantment.
Banyen Books & Sound converses with Sumbul Ali-Karamali on her new book Demystifying Shariah: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It's Not Taking Over Our Country. Sumbul Ali-Karamali is a Muslim American who grew up in California, answering questions on Islam ever since she can remember. After becoming a corporate lawyer, she earned an additional degree in Islamic law. She specializes in synthesizing academic material for general audiences and is the author of The Muslim Next Door and Growing Up Muslim. A popular speaker on topics related to Islam and Muslims, she hopes to promote intercultural understanding with her work, at least when she’s not watching Star Trek reruns, listening to opera, or (reluctantly) white-water rafting with her husband. Connect with Sumbul on her website: https://www.sumbulalikaramali.com.
Banyen Books & Sound hosts Seth Klein about his roadmap and vision for confronting the climate crisis and his book A Good War. Seth Klein is the Team Lead and Director of Strategy with the Climate Emergency Unit. Prior to that, he served for 22 years as the founding director of the British Columbia office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), Canada’s foremost social justice think tank. He is now a freelance policy consultant, speaker, researcher and writer, and author of A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency. Seth is a columnist with the National Observer, an adjunct professor with Simon Fraser University’s Urban Studies program, and remains a research associate with the CCPA’s BC Office.
Banyen Books & Sound joins Robert Thurman in conversation on his new book Wisdom is Bliss: Four Friendly Fun Facts That Can Change Your Life. Robert Thurman became a Tibetan monk at age 24–the first American to be ordained by the Dalai Lama. Acclaimed translator of The Tibetan Book of the Dead and author of Inner Revolution, Robert Thurman is a Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the department of religion at Columbia University and is the director of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies. He is co-founder of Tibet House U.S., and is one of the most visible and respected Buddhist scholars and thinkers in the world.
Banyen Books & Sound hosts Karen Casey, sharing life wisdom from her book, Each Day A Renewed Beginning: Meditations for a Peaceful Journey. Karen Casey, PhD, is the author of 28 books including the beloved classic, Each Day a New Beginning, which has sold over 3.5 million copies and has been translated into more than 10 languages worldwide. She is a workshop facilitator for 12-step recovery and an inspirational speaker who has helped transform the lives of audiences around the world for over four decades. Some of her influential books of inspiration include Promise of a New Day, Codependence and the Power of Detachment, Change Your Mind and Your Life Will Follow, and 52 Ways to Live the Course in Miracles.
Banyen Books & Sound converses with Maude Barlow on her new book, Still Hopeful: Lessons From a Life Time of Activism. Maude Barlow is the former Chairperson of the Council of Canadians. She chairs the board of Washington-based Food and Water Watch, is a Councillor with the Hamburg-based World Future Council, and is the Honorary Chancellor of Brescia University. She has also served on the executive of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature.
Brad Warner converses with Banyen Books & Sound on his book, The Other Side of Nothing – a real, relatable guide to Zen Buddhist ethics for modern times. Brad Warner is the author of The Other Side of Nothing and numerous other titles including Letters to a Dead Friend about Zen, Don’t Be a Jerk, and Hardcore Zen. A Soto Zen teacher, he is also a punk bassist, filmmaker, and popular blogger who leads workshops and retreats around the world. In addition to his books, his writing appears in Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, Buddhadharma, and Alternative Press. He lives in Los Angeles where he is the founder and lead teacher of the Angel City Zen Center. Visit him online at https://www.hardcorezen.info.
Maria Tatar converses with Banyen Books & Sound on her book, The Heroine with 1,001 Faces. Maria Tatar is one of the world’s leading folklorists. She is the John L. Loeb Research Professor and a Senior Fellow at Harvard University. The editor of the Norton Critical Edition of The Classic Fairy Tales and The Annotated Brothers Grimm, she lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Michelle Good joins Banyen Books & Sound in conversation on Five Little Indians – her Governor General's Literary Award and CBC Canada Reads-winning novel. Michelle Good is a Cree writer and a member of the Red Pheasant Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. After working for Indigenous organizations for twenty-five years she obtained a law degree and advocated for residential school survivors for over fourteen years. Good earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia while still practising law and managing her own law firm. Her poems, short stories, and essays have been published in magazines and anthologies across Canada, and her poetry was included on two lists of the best Canadian poetry in 2016 and 2017. Five Little Indians won this year's winner of CBC's Canada Reads. It has received many honours and awards, including the Governor General's Award for Fiction.
Banyen Books & Sound speaks with Marianne Williamson on her life and work. Marianne Williamson is a bestselling author, political activist, and spiritual thought leader. For over three decades Marianne has been a leader in spiritual and religiously progressive circles. She is the author of 14 books, four of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers. A quote from the mega-bestseller A Return to Love, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…” is considered an anthem for a contemporary generation of seekers. Some remarkable accomplishments include: - Author of 14 books, four of which have been #1 New York Times best sellers - Listed on Watkins’ annual list of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People since its inception - Founder of Project Angel Food, a non-profit that has delivered more than 14 million meals to ill and dying homebound patients since 1989
Banyen Books & Sound converses with Robert Yelton of the Squamish Nation and Yogacharini Maitreyi who comes from the tantric-yoga culture of South India on Art, Earth, Spirit: Nature & Spirituality in Indigenous & Yogic Culture.
Yogacharini Maitreyi is an international master teacher, practical mystic and founder of Arkaya Awareness Centre and Arkaya Foundation. For the last 25 years she has been dedicated to sharing and teaching expansive life principles. She was born and raised in India where she was immersed in the yogic life for over four decades, through her grandfather and gurus. She studied in the Shivananda and then the Ananda ashram for many years. Through her guidance, you will experience lightness, restfulness and a deeper connection to self. She shares from her life experience and asks people to do the same - to start where they are. Since 1997 in India, Maitreyi has been given titles: Yoga Chemmal (expert), Yoga Shiromani (gem), and Yoga Acharini (guide). In 2007 she was one of the youngest to be invited to the Advisory Board of the World Yoga Council, in Europe. She has shared the deeper dimensions of yoga, self management and sattvic tantra worldwide. This includes seeing and shifting within ourselves, deep rooted conditioning that is divisive, exploitative, colonial or disrespectful. A compassionate holistic coach, her sessions include online energy assessments to guide one into one’s own innate balance. Arkaya Coaching & Healing: https://www.arkaya.net/coaching-healingMaitreyi trains teachers in a two-year 500-hour online self-awareness program, mentoring them in the Culture of Yoga: https://www.arkaya.net/teacher-training
Robert Yelton is a Squamish Nation carver and elder statesman. He carved the first and only Squamish Nation totem in Stanley Park which is on the traditional Squamish territory. He learned to mix paints for his grandmother when he was eight years old and carve when he was eleven years old. Through the many years of trials and tribulations and feeling like an outsider in his own land, it was his carving that became a tool for his spiritual awakening and ongoing connection. He is also a retired drug and alcohol counsellor and one of the founding members of NNADAP. He has supported many youth in moving through their trauma by showing them the way of integrity, kindness, and love. He has also given them a reality check by taking them to prisons to see where they could end up if they don’t course correct at an early age. He is regularly called in as a guest speaker at various organizations, like UBC, to give talks on Indigenous culture, carving, and spirituality. He also speaks about the commonalities and the differences in culture and tradition between the variety of Indigenous nations throughout Turtle Island (North America). On Robert’s totem in Stanley Park, his mother is represented at the base of the totem. The most important person is usually represented at the base of the totem.
Dr. Dean Ornish converses with Banyen Books & Sound on his latest bestseller Undo It!: How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Diseases. Dean Ornish, M.D., is the founder and president of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute, clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and the author of six books, all national bestsellers. He has received numerous honors, including the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award from the University of Texas, Austin, and the National Public Health Hero Award from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Ornish was recognized as a “Time 100 Innovator”; by Life magazine as “one of the 50 most influential members of his generation”; by People as “one of the most interesting people of the year”; and by Forbes as “one of the world’s seven most powerful teachers".
David Richo, PhD, converses with Banyen Books & Sound on his new book Ready: How to Know When to Go and When to Stay. David Richo is a psychotherapist, teacher, and workshop leader whose work emphasizes the benefits of mindfulness and loving-kindness in personal growth and emotional well-being. He is the author of numerous books, including The Five Things We Cannot Change and When the Past is Present.
Dr. Maria Sagi and Dr. Ervin Laszlo converse with Bnayen Books & Sound on Dr. Sagi's book, Remote Healing: Nonlocal Information Medicine and the Akashic Field.
Mária Sági, a native of Budapest, began her career as a classical pianist and turned subsequently to the study of medicine and psychology, specializing in personality theory, deep psychology, social psychology and the psychology of music. Maria Sagi holds a Ph.D. in psychology at the Eötvös Loránd University of Budapest. Following seven years of intensive research, she was awarded the C.Sc. degree (Candidate of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences). Dr. Sagi developed the information-medicine protocol pioneered by Austrian scientist Erich Körbler into an encompassing method for diagnosing and treating human health problems. She is the author or co-author of eleven books and over one-hundred and fifty articles and research papers published in Hungarian and translated into English, French, German, Italian and Japanese, on topics as diverse as social and personality psychology, the psychology of music and art, in addition to information medicine, her principal field. She is a leading member of the Club of Budapest since its inception in 1993, and she currently serves as the Science Director of the Club. In 2017, Dr. Sagi, together with Ervin Laszlo and the the Club of Budapest received the prestigious Luxembourg Peace Prize. mariasagidr.com
Ervin Laszlo, twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, Laureate of the Luxembourg Peace Prize, the Assisi Mandir of Peace Prize, as well as of the Japan Peace Prize, the Goi Award, has been identified by an international jury convened by OOOM Magazine as the 28th among the world’s 100 most inspiring people. He is the editor of the prestigious periodical World Futures: The Journal of New Paradigm Research, founder-president of the international think tank The Club of Budapest, founder-president of The Laszlo Institute of New Paradigm Research, and chairperson of The Wisdom Council of the new internet platform People Together. Laszlo is a holder of the highest degree of the Sorbonne as well as numerous Honorary PhDs. He is the author of over 100 books translated into 24 languages, including The Wisdom Principles, along with nearly 400 studies and articles. He lives in the Tuscan hills of the Mediterranean coast of Italy.
Buddhist teacher, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel joins Banyen Books & Sound in conversation about her book, The Shamanic Bones of Zen. Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, PhD, is an author, poet, ordained Zen priest in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. Her work has been featured in Essence, Buddhadharma, Lion’s Roar, On Being, CNN, CBS News, and more. She holds an MA from UCLA and a PhD in Transformative Learning from CIIS. She is the author of several books, including The Deepest Peace and Tell Me Something About Buddhism, with a forward by Thich Nhat Hanh. zenju.org.
Byron Katie converses with Banyen Books & Sound on her newly released, Loving What Is (Revised Edition): Four Questions That Can Change Your Life. In 1986, at the bottom of a ten-year spiral into depression and self-loathing, Byron Katie woke up one morning in a state of joy. She realized that when she believed her stressful thoughts, she suffered, but that when she questioned them, she didn’t suffer, and that this is true for every human being. Her simple yet powerful process of self-inquiry, which she calls The Work, consists of four questions and the turnaround, which is a way of experiencing the opposite of what you believe. Byron Katie has been bringing The Work to millions of people for more than thirty years. Please join her at athomewithbk.com for At Home with BK on Zoom every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 9-10 a.m. Pacific Time.
Celebrated poet, speaker, and educator, Najwa Zebian converses with Banyen Books & Sound on her book Welcome Home: A Guide to Building a Home for Your Soul. Najwa Zebian is a Lebanese-Canadian author, speaker, and educator. Her passion for language was evident from a young age, as she delved into Arabic poetry and novels. Najwa has become an inspiration to millions of people worldwide, and a trailblazing voice for women everywhere. Drawing on her own experiences of displacement, Najwa uses her words to encourage others to build a home within themselves and to live fearlessly. She recently launched the digital school Soul Academy and the podcast Stories of the Soul. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, CBS News, Glamour, Elle Canada, and HuffPost. najwazebian.com
Richard C. Schwartz speaks to Banyen Books & Sound about his new book, No Bad Parts. Richard C. Schwartz, PhD, is the creator of Internal Family Systems, a highly effective, evidence-based therapeutic model that de-pathologizes the multi-part personality. His IFS Institute offers training for professionals and the general public. Formerly an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago and later at Northwestern University, he is currently on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. He has published five books and is a sought-after presenter. For more, visit ifs-institute.com.
Renowned Buddhist teacher Stephen Batchelor speaks to Banyen Books & Sound about his latest book, The Art of Solitude. Stephen Batchelor is a contemporary Buddhist teacher and writer. Best known for his secular or agnostic approach to Buddhism, he is one of he most influential voices in Buddhist thought today. Stephen Batchelor has been a contributing editor of Tricyle: The Buddhist Review since 1992, and is the author of several bestselling books, including Buddhism Without Beliefs, Living with the Devil, Confession of a Buddhist Atheist, Secular Buddhism, and After Buddhism.
National bestselling author and artist SARK speaks to Banyen Books & Sound about her book, Succulent Wild Woman. SARK (Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy) is the bestselling author and artist of eighteen books, including national bestsellers Succulent Wild Woman, Eat Mangoes Naked, and Make Your Creative Dreams Real, which have sold over 2 million copies. Her art, programs, products, and services have been treasured around the world. She is an acclaimed teacher and mentor whose wisdom has touched and transformed the lives of millions. She is also the founder and Creative Fountain of Planet SARK, a thriving business that creates innovative products and services to support empowered living. She lives and creates joyfully in San Francisco with her beloved partner David. PlanetSARK.com
Internationally renowned historian of ideas and Booker Prize finalist Michael Ignatieff speaks to Banyen Books & Sound about his latest book, On Consolation. Michael Ignatieff is former head of Canada’s Liberal Party, director of the Carr Center for Human Rights at Harvard’s Kennedy School, President of Central European University, and current professor of History at CEU in Budapest. He has been named to the Order of Canada, is a member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, delivered the Massey Lectures, and holds thirteen honorary degrees. Michael Ignatieff is the author of 20 books of fiction and non-fiction, translated into 20 languages. He is a Booker Prize finalist and winner of the Governor General's Literary Award as well as the British Royal Society of Literature's Heinemann Prize. He has received a Gemini Award for his BBC documentary work. He writes regularly for the New York Times, the New Yorker, the New York Review of Books, and the London Review of Books. michaelignatieff.ca
Respected teacher Dan Millman speaks to Banyen Books & Sound about the fruits of a decades-long spiritual journey that led to his book, Peaceful Heart Warrior Spirit. Dan Millman, a former world champion athlete, gymnastics coach, martial arts instructor, and college professor, has authored 18 books published in 29 languages. Way of the Peaceful Warrior was adapted to film in 2006. Dan also speaks worldwide. To learn more about his books, events, online courses, and free life-purpose calculator: www.PeacefulWarrior.com
Chief Clarence Louie shares to Banyen Books & Sound about the journey which led to his book, Rez Rules. Clarence Louie has been chief of the Osoyoos Indian Band, in the south Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, for over thirty-six years. In 2013, Maclean's named him one of the “Top 50 Canadians to Watch.” In 2003, Louie was chosen by the U.S. Department of State as one of six First Nations leaders to review economic development in American Indian communities. In 2008, he received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He is a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia. He has received honorary doctorates from the University of British Columbia and Queen's University. In 2019 he was the first First Nations person ever inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.
Celebrated yoga teacher and activist Seane Corn speaks to Banyen Books about her book, Revolution of the Soul. Seane Corn is an internationally acclaimed yoga teacher and public speaker known for her social activism, impassioned style of teaching, and raw, honest and inspired self-expression. Over her 25-year teaching career, Seane has created many instructional DVDs, including her groundbreaking series The Yoga of Awakening with Sounds True. Featured on over 40 magazine covers and countless media outlets, Seane has chosen to use her platform to bring awareness to global issues including social justice, sex trafficking, HIV/AIDS awareness, generational poverty, and animal rights. In 2005, she was named “National Yoga Ambassador” for YouthAIDS, and in 2013 received both the Global Green International Environmental Leadership Award and the Humanitarian Award by the Smithsonian Institute. Since 2007, she has been training leaders of activism through her co-founded organization Off the Mat, Into the World®. Seane also co-founded the Global Seva Challenge, which has raised over $3.5 million by activating communities of yoga and wellness in fund and awareness raising efforts. Revolution of the Soul has been praised by Jack Kornfield, Rev. angel Kyodo williams, Sally Field, Gabrielle Bernstein, Marianne Williamson, Valarie Kaur, Larry David, Stephen Cope, David Geffen, Katherine Woodward Thomas, Jeff Brown, Elizabeth Lesser and many others.
Psyche Unbound is an extraordinary compilation of 22 essays that honour the path-breaking lifework of Stanislav Grof, founder and chief theoretician of transpersonal psychology and the world’s leading researcher in psychedelic-assisted therapy, breathwork, and the exploration of non-ordinary states of consciousness.
Martín Prechtel is widely recognized as a profound and beloved teacher for our times. Raised in the Tzutujil Maya shamanic tradition, he has dedicated his life to the preservation and promulgation of indigenous spirituality. Sharing his deep shamanic wisdom within a grand overview of human history, Prechtel shows us how we can reconnect with the unique and unsuspected manifestations of our own sacred selves. He is the author of several contemporary classics, including The Smell of Rain on Dust and Secrets of the Talking Jaguar. His work has been highly praised by the likes of Clarissa Pinkola Éstes, Coleman Barks, and Mary Oliver. In this first of two Banyen interview, Martín discusses his new book, The Mare and the Mouse.
Mark Epstein, M.D., speaks with Banyen Books about his new book, The Zen of Therapy. Mark Epstein, M.D. is a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City and the author of a number of books about the interface of Buddhism and psychotherapy, including Thoughts without a Thinker, Going to Pieces without Falling Apart, Going on Being, Open to Desire, Psychotherapy without the Self and The Trauma of Everyday Life. He is a contributing editor to Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Harvard University. The Zen of Therapy is available at https://www.banyen.com/
Stephen Cope speaks with Banyen on his new book. The Dharma in Difficult Times: Finding Your Calling in Times of Loss, Change, Struggle, and Doubt. How do we make sense of our lives when our world seems to be falling apart? In this beautifully written book, scholar and teacher Stephen Cope shows that crises don’t have to derail us from our purpose—they can actually help us to find our purpose and step forward as our best selves. In the spirit of Pema Chödrön’s When Things Fall Apart, The Dharma in Difficult Times is required reading for anyone forging a path through crisis. Stephen Cope is a bestselling author and scholar who specializes in the relationship between the Eastern contemplative traditions and Western depth psychology. Among his seminal works in this area are Yoga and the Quest for the True Self, The Wisdom of Yoga, The Great Work of Your Life, and Deep Human Connection. For almost 30 years, Stephen has been Scholar-in-Residence at the renowned Kripalu Center—the largest center for the study and practice of yoga in the Western world. Stephen is also the founder and former director of the Kripalu Institute for Extraordinary Living—one of the world’s most influential research institutes examining the effects and mechanisms of yoga and meditation. In its 25th anniversary edition, “Yoga Journal” named him one of the most influential thinkers, writers, and teachers on the current American yoga scene.
Frances Moore Lappé and Anna Lappé discuss Diet for a Small Planet (Revised and Updated), 50th Anniversary Edition. The book is available here: https://www.banyen.com/ In 1971, Diet for a Small Planet revolutionized the meaning of our food choices. It broke new ground, revealing how our everyday acts are a form of power to create health for ourselves and our planet. The book sold more than 3 million copies and sparked a food revolution. Now in this revised and updated 50th-anniversary edition, Lappé goes even deeper: sharing her personal journey, and showing us how plant-centered eating can help restore our damaged ecology, address the climate crisis, and move us toward real democracy. Frances Moore Lappé is the author or co-author of twenty books about world hunger, living democracy, and the environment, beginning with the three-million-copy Diet for a Small Planet in 1971. She has been featured on the Today show, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, the CBC and BBC, and other news outlets. Frances is the cofounder of three organizations including the Oakland-based think tank Food First and the Small Planet Institute, which she leads with her daughter, Anna Lappé. The pair also cofounded the Small Planet Fund, which channels resources to democratic social movements worldwide. Anna Lappé is a national bestselling author, a respected advocate for food justice and sustainability, and an advisor to funders investing in food system transformation. A recipient of the James Beard Leadership Award, Anna is the co-author or author of three books and the contributing author to fourteen others. Anna’s work has been translated internationally and featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Oprah Magazine, among many other outlets. She was named one of TIME’s “eco” Who’s-Who.
Judith Orloff, MD, speaks with Banyen Books about The Empath's Empowerment Deck. Judith Orloff MD, is the New York Times bestselling author of The Empath’s Survival Guide, Thriving as an Empath, and Emotional Freedom. Dr. Orloff is a psychiatrist, an empath and intuitive healer, and is on the UCLA Psychiatric Clinical Faculty. She synthesizes the pearls of traditional medicine with leading-edge knowledge of intuition, energy, and spirituality. Dr. Orloff has been called the “Godmother of the Empath Movement.” Her work has been featured on the Today Show; CNN; O, The Oprah Magazine; The New York Times; and USA Today. She has spoken at the American Psychiatric Association, Fortune magazine's Most Powerful Women Summit, and Google. Dr. Orloff offers a limited number of Zoom or phone sessions for those wanting to awaken empathy and intuition.
Celebrated poet Jane Hirshfield joins Banyen Books for an hour of poetry and conversation on her new book, Ledger: Poems. Jane Hirshfield is one of our most celebrated contemporary poets. Her books have received the Poetry Center Book Award, the California Book Award, and the Donald Hall-Jane Kenyon Prize in American Poetry and have been finalists for The National Book Critics Circle Award and England’s T. S. Eliot Prize and long-listed for the National Book Award. Hirshfield has received fellowships from the Guggenheim and Rockefeller Foundations, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Academy of American Poets, and she presents her work at literary and interdisciplinary events worldwide. Her poems appear in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Review of Books, The Times Literary Supplement, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The New Republic, Harper’s Magazine, and Poetry, and have been selected for ten editions of The Best American Poetry. She is a 2019 elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a former chancellor of the Academy of American Poets.
Stephen Mitchell joins Banyen Books in conversation about The First Christmas: A Story of New Beginnings–an astonishingly beautiful re-imagining of the Nativity story, enchanting to readers of every background. Stephen Mitchell also shares spiritual insights, discusses the influence of Zen on his life & work, and speaks about his relationship with Byron Katie.Stephen Mitchell was born in Brooklyn in 1943, educated at Amherst, the Sorbonne, and Yale, and de-educated through intensive Zen practice. He is married to Byron Katie, founder of The Work, with whom he co-authored the bestsellers Loving What Is and A Thousand Names for Joy. A world renowned translator and scholar, he has brought to life a wide range of literary classics, including the Tao Te Ching, Gilgamesh, the Bhagavad Gita and the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke. His work has been praised by Anne Lamott, Billy Collins, Daniel Goleman, Jack Kornfield, and Elizabeth Gilbert.
Stephen Jenkinson shares wisdom from his new book, A Generation’s Worth: Spirit work while the crisis reigns. In this conversation, Stephen Jenkinson addresses questions about vaccines, mass hysteria and conspiracy thinking, ecology, aging and elderhood, hope and being hope free, and more. Stephen Jenkinson has described A Generation’s Worth as "something of a plague document... dispatches from the front lines of a strange occupation undeclared." What does a life’s work mean in a time of undoing? A Generation’s Worth sets out to learn liveable answers. Dying and death, love and matrimony, money and soul, aging and elderhood, drawn through the eye of a pestilential needle: this is the spirit work, and that is the crisis. Stephen Jenkinson, MTS, MSW is a spiritual activist, author, ceremonialist and farmer. Stephen teaches internationally and is the creator and principal instructor of the Orphan Wisdom School, founded in 2010. With Master’s degrees from Harvard University (Theology) and the University of Toronto (Social Work), he is the author of several books including the award-winning Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul and Come of Age: The Case for Elderhood in a Time of Trouble. Stephen is the subject of the National Film Board of Canada feature length film documentary, Griefwalker.
Apela Colorado, PhD, discusses 'Woman Between the Worlds: A Call to Your Ancestral and Indigenous Wisdom. Apela Colorado of Oneida-Gaul ancestry, has dedicated her life’s work to bridging Western thought and indigenous worldviews. As a Ford Fellow, Dr. Colorado studied for her doctorate at both Harvard and Brandeis Universities and received her Ph.D. from Brandeis in Social Policy. She founded the Worldwide Indigenous Science Network (WISN) to: Foster the revitalization, growth, and worldwide exchange of traditional knowledge; Safeguard the lives and work of the world’s endangered indigenous culture practitioners; Develop an interface with Western science. Dr. Colorado was one of twelve women chosen from 52 countries by the State of the World Forum to be honoured for her role as a woman leader.
Martha Beck, Ph.D., discusses The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self. The author of several New York Times and international bestsellers including Finding Your Own North Star, Martha Beck has been a regular columnist for O: The Oprah Magazine since its inception. She has been described by USA Today as “the best-known life coach in America.” She holds three Harvard degrees in social science, has taught career development at the American Graduate School of International Management, and was research assistant to Dr. John Kotter at Harvard Business School.
Dr. Martin Shaw speaks about his new book, Smoke Hole: Looking to the Wild in the Time of the Spyglass. At a time when we are all confronted by not one, but many crossroads in our lives, Dr. Shaw delivers a work of literary tonic. In Smoke Hole, Martin shares three ancient stories that are metaphors for our world today, a world where we are losing our sense of direction. With extraordinary poignancy, Smoke Hole illuminates the complexities of contemporary life and–through story–a way forward. Martin Shaw is widely regarded as one of the most exciting teachers of the mythic imagination. Author of the award-winning Mythteller trilogy (A Branch from the Lightning Tree, Snowy Tower, Scatterlings), he founded the Oral Tradition and Mythic Life courses at Stanford University, and is director of the Westcountry School of Myth in the UK. He has introduced thousands of people to mythology, and for twenty years Shaw has been a wilderness rites of passage guide, working with at-risk youth, those who are unwell, returning veterans as well as many women and men seeking a deeper life. His translations of Gaelic poetry and folklore (with Tony Hoagland) have been published in Orion Magazine, Poetry International, and Poetry magazine. Dr. Shaw's work has received top praise from the likes of Malidoma Somé, Stephen Jenkinson, Coleman Barks, Robert Densmore, and Robert Bly. His essay and conversation with Ai Weiwei on myth and migration was released by the Marciano Arts foundation.
Jesse Thistle joins Banyen in conversation about his award-winning book, From the Ashes: My Story of Being Métis, Homeless, and Finding My Way. In his extraordinary and inspiring memoir, Jesse Thistle chronicles his life on the streets and how he overcame trauma and addiction to discover the truth about who he is. An eloquent exploration of what it means to live in a world surrounded by prejudice and racism and to be cast adrift, From the Ashes is, in the end, about how love and support can help one find happiness despite the odds. Jesse Thistle is Métis-Cree, from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He is an assistant professor in Métis Studies at York University in Toronto. He won a Governor General’s Academic Medal in 2016, and is a Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Scholar and a Vanier Scholar. He is the author of the #1 National Bestselling book, From the Ashes, a CBC Canada Reads finalist and recipient of multiple awards.
Martín Prechtel is widely recognized as a profound and beloved teacher for our times. Raised in the Tzutujil Maya shamanic tradition, he has dedicated his life to the preservation and promulgation of indigenous spirituality. Sharing his deep shamanic wisdom within a grand overview of human history, Prechtel shows us how we can reconnect with the unique and unsuspected manifestations of our own sacred selves. He is the author of several contemporary classics, including The Smell of Rain on Dust and Secrets of the Talking Jaguar. His work has been highly praised by the likes of Clarissa Pinkola Éstes, Coleman Barks, and Mary Oliver. In this first of two Banyen interview, Martín discusses his new book, Rescuing the Light.
Jill Bolte Taylor, bestselling author of My Stroke of Insight, discusses her new book, Whole Brain Living: The Anatomy of Choice and the Four Characters that Drive Our Life. Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is a Harvard-trained neuroanatomist. In 1996 she experienced a severe hemorrhage in the left hemisphere of her brain causing her to lose the ability to walk, talk, or recall any of her life. Her book, My Stroke of Insight, documenting her experience with stroke and eight-year recovery, spent 63 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Her TED talk has had over 26 million views, she has been a premiere guest on Oprah Winfrey's "Soul Series", and she has been named one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World”. Her new book 'Whole Brain Living' blends neuroanatomy with psychology to show how we can short-circuit emotional reactivity and find our way to peace.
Thomas Moore, bestselling author of Care of the Soul, discusses Soul Therapy: The Art and Craft of Caring Conversations. Thomas Moore, PhD, is the author of more than twenty books on spirituality and depth psychology that have been translated into thirty languages. He has been practising depth psychotherapy for thirty-five years. He lectures and gives workshops in several countries on depth spirituality, soulful medicine, and psychotherapy. He has been a monk and a university professor, and is a consultant for organizations and spiritual leaders. He has often been on television and radio, most recently on Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday.
Renowned forest ecologist Suzanne Simard discusses her new book, Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest. Suzanne Simard, PhD, is a Professor of Forest Ecology at the University of British Columbia and the author of the instant New York Times bestseller, Finding the Mother Tree. Suzanne is a pioneer on the frontier of plant communication and intelligence; she’s been compared to Rachel Carson, hailed as a scientist who conveys complex, technical ideas in a way that is dazzling and profound. Her discoveries have influenced filmmakers such as James Cameron, who drew from her work to create the Tree of Souls in Avatar, and her book Finding the Mother Tree is currently being adapted into a feature film produced by Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal. Simard's TED talks have been viewed by more than 10 million people worldwide.
Tara Brach, renowned meditation teacher, psychologist, and author shares wisdom & guided meditations from her book, Trusting the Gold: Uncovering Your Natural Goodness. Tara Brach, PhD has been practicing and teaching meditation since 1975, as well as leading workshops and meditation retreats at centers throughout North America and Europe. She has a PhD in clinical psychology, is the founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, and is the author of Radical Acceptance, True Refuge, and Radical Compassion. She and Jack Kornfield lead the Awareness Training Institute which offers online courses on mindfulness and compassion, as well as the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program.
Dr. Shefali, bestselling author and renowned clinical psychologist, discusses her new book, A Radical Awakening: Turn Pain into Power, Embrace Your Truth, Live Free. “A Radical Awakening will be of great help to anyone who is ready to transcend the limitations of their personal as well as cultural conditioning and awaken to their true nature as the eternal presence of consciousness itself.” ~ Eckhart TolleDr. Shefali’s ground-breaking approach to mindful living and parenting has taken her books to the top of the NY Times best-sellers list. Oprah has endorsed her work as revolutionary and life-changing. She is the author of several books, including The Conscious Parent, The Awakened Family, Out of Control, and A Radical Awakening.
Gary Zukav, bestselling author of Seat of the Soul, speaks about his new book Universal Human: Creating Authentic Power and the New Consciousness. Purchase Universal Human at https://www.banyen.com/products/unive....
Gary Zukav is the internationally acclaimed author of The Dancing Wu Li Masters, The Seat of the Soul, Soul Stories, and many others. The Seat of the Soul was a number one New York Times bestseller thirty-one times, and remained on the bestseller list for three years. Zukav's gentle presence, humour, and wisdom have endeared him to millions of viewers through his thirty-four appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Super Soul Sunday. Published in 30 languages, Zukav is a graduate of Harvard University and a former Green Beret officer.
Gary Zukav is joined in the later part of the interview by Linda Francis. Linda Francis has been practicing the creation of authentic power since she read The Seat of the Soul in 1989. In 1993 she met Gary Zukav and they created a spiritual partnership. During this time, she co-authored two NY Times bestsellers with Gary Zukav, The Heart of the Soul: Emotional Awareness and The Mind of the Soul: Responsible Choice. They also co-authored Thoughts from the Heart of the Soul and Self-Empowerment Journal: A Companion to the Mind of the Soul. Linda Francis is a co-founder of the Seat of the Soul Institute.
Gregg Braden shares insights from his new book, The Wisdom Codes: Ancient Words to Rewire Our Brains and Heal Our Hearts.
In The Wisdom Codes the cutting edge of neurolinguistics meets the spiritual wisdom of the ages in a handbook of key words that literally rewire our brains.
Gregg Braden is a five-time New York Times best-selling author, scientist, international educator and renowned as a pioneer in the emerging paradigm based in science, social policy and human potential. He is the author of several books including The Divine Matrix, Fractal Time, Science of Self-Empowerment, Spontaneous Healing of Belief, and The Wisdom Codes. To date his research has led to 15 film credits and 12 award-winning books now published in over 40 languages.
Russ Hudson is one of the world's foremost Enneagram scholars today. He is the co-founder of the Enneagram Institute, as well as a founding director and former vice-president of the International Enneagram Association. He has coauthored several international bestselling books, including The Wisdom of the Enneagram and Personality Types. Russ is a popular speaker at conferences and retreat centres worldwide including the Esalen Institute, the Wisdom 2.0 Conference, and the Science and Non-Duality Conference. Here he discusses Russ Hudson discusses The Enneagram: Nine Gateways to Presence.
Anita Moorjani, New York Times bestselling author of Dying to Be Me, speaks about her new book Sensitive is the New Strong: The Power of Empaths in an Increasingly Harsh World. Moorjani offers inspiration and guidance for sensitive people looking to fully harness their gifts of intuition and empathy in today’s harsh world.
Elizabeth Lesser discusses her new book, Cassandra Speaks: When Women Are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes.
What story would Eve have told about picking the apple? Why is Pandora blamed for opening the box? And what about the fate of Cassandra, who was blessed with knowing the future but cursed so that no one believed her? What if women had also told our guiding origin tales, spiritual parables, and hero myths?
Elizabeth Lesser is the co-founder of Omega Institute, the renowned conference and retreat center in Rhinebeck, New York. She is the New York Times bestselling author of several books including Marrow, The Seeker's Guide, and Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow, which has been translated into more than 20 languages. Elizabeth Lesser has given two popular TED talks, and is one of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul 100, a collection of a hundred leaders who are using their voices and talent to elevate humanity.
Derrick Jensen, Lierre Keith & Max Wilbert discuss Bright Green Lies: How the Environmental Movement Lost Its Way and What We Can Do About It.
"Bright Green Lies exposes the hypocrisy of leading environmental groups. It asks the questions most refuse to ask, and in that questioning, uncovers profound truths.” ―Chris Hedges
"This disturbing but very important book makes clear we must dig deeper than the normal solutions we are offered." ―Yvon Chouinard
“Derrick Jensen is a rare and original voice of sanity in a chaotic world. ” ―Howard Zinn
Derrick Jensen is an American author, ecophilosopher and radical environmentalist living in Crescent City, California. Democracy Now! has described him as the "poet-philosopher of the ecological movement." He is the author of more than 25 acclaimed books, including A Language Older Than Words, The Culture of Make Believe, and Endgame.
Lierre Keith is a writer, small farmer, and radical feminist activist. She is the author of six books, including The Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice, and Sustainability, which has been called “the most important ecological book of this generation.” She is also coauthor of Deep Green Resistance: Strategy to Save the Planet.
Max Wilbert is an author, organizer, and wilderness guide. A third-generation dissident, Max has been part of grassroots political work for nearly 20 years. Max serves on the Board of Directors of Deep Green Resistance and Fertile Ground Institute for Social and Ecological Justice.
Bill Plotkin, author of Soulcraft, discusses The Journey of Soul Initiation. In this conversation, Plotkin provides guidance for the descent to soul - the dissolution of current identity; the encounter with the mythopoetic mysteries of soul; and the metamorphosis of the ego into a cocreator of life-enhancing culture. He illustrates each phase of this riveting and sometimes hazardous odyssey and speaks about his innovative exploration of Carl Jung's Red Book.
Bill Plotkin, PhD, is a depth psychologist, wilderness guide, and agent of cultural evolution. As founder of western Colorado’s Animas Valley Institute in 1981, he has guided thousands of seekers through nature-based initiatory passages, including a contemporary, Western adaptation of the pan-cultural vision quest. Previously, he has been a research psychologist (studying non-ordinary states of consciousness), professor of psychology, psychotherapist, rock musician, and whitewater river guide. Bill has a doctorate in psychology from the University of Colorado. He is the author of Soulcraft, Wild Mind, Nature and the Human Soul, and the new release, The Journey of Soul Initiation.
Julia Cameron, author of The Artist's Way, discusses The Listening Path: The Creative Art of Attention.
Julia Cameron is credited with starting a movement that has brought creativity into the mainstream. She is the bestselling author of more than fourty books of fiction and nonfiction; a poet, songwriter, filmmaker, and playwright. The Artist's Way has been translated into fourty languages and has sold over five million copies to date. Her new book is The Listening Path: The Creative Art of Attention. In this conversation with her longtime publisher and friend Joel Fontinos, Julia Cameron discusses morning pages, artist dates, the path of deep listening, and more.
Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, renowned Buddhist teacher, shares wisdom for the cultivation of patience and an open heart. In the Buddhist tradition, “patience” is our mind’s ability to work positively with anything that bothers us. In his new book Peaceful Heart: The Buddhist Practice of Patience, Dzigar Kongtrul expands on ancient teachings that contain powerful methods for preventing our minds from becoming consumed and overwhelmed.
Red Hawk discusses his latest book of poems, The Law of the Land, which is a heartfelt cry to humanity to reconnect with our sacred Mother Earth through three moral codes of life. He also touches on themes from his classic books on spiritual practice, Self Observation and Self Remembering. In the course of the conversation, Red Hawk describes how he received his Earth name, and shares about his own spiritual influences.
Red Hawk was the Hodder Fellow in the Humanities at Princeton University in 1991-92, and is currently professor at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. He is an award-winning author of eight poetry collections and two nonfiction spiritual books. His poems have also appeared in The Atlantic, Kenyon Review, Shenandoah, Tampa Review, and many others.
Award-winning writer Michael Posner speaks with Banyen Books & Sound about his new biography, Leonard Cohen: Untold Stories.
From his groundbreaking and bestselling novels, The Favourite Game and Beautiful Losers, to timeless songs such as “Suzanne,” “Dance Me to the End of Love,” and “Hallelujah,” Leonard Cohen is a cherished artist. Leonard Cohen, Untold Stories draws on hundreds of interviews to reach beyond the Cohen of myth and reveal the unique, complex, and compelling figure of the real man.
Michael Posner is a writer, playwright, journalist, and the author of seven books. These include the Mordecai Richler biography, The Last Honest Man, and the Anne Murray biography, All of Me, both of which were national bestsellers. He was Washington Bureau Chief for Maclean’s magazine, and later served as its national, foreign, and assistant managing editor. He was also managing editor of the Financial Times of Canada for three years. He later spent sixteen years as a senior writer with The Globe and Mail.
Thomas Hübl, spiritual teacher and Sounds True author, shares wisdom for healing individual and personal trauma. His new book is Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds.
Wade Davis discusses his new book Magdalena: River of Dreams. Davis vividly brings to life the story of the great Rio Magdalena, illuminating Colombia's complex past, present, and future.
Wade Davis is a multi award-winning, bestselling author, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence for more than a decade, and a Member of the Order of Canada. In 2018 he became an Honorary Citizen of Colombia.
Lorie Eve Dechar discusses her alchemical approach to acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. An approach that integrates psychology and spiritual insight. Lorie Dechar is a senior faculty member at the Tri-State College of Acupuncture in New York City and has spent many years teaching at institutes and retreat centres throughout the world. She is the author of the influential class, Five Spirits, and the co-author together with Benjamin Fox, of Kigo and The Alchemy of Inner Work. Lorie Dechar and Benjamin Fox are co-founders of the healing and learning collaborative, A New Possibility.
Merlin Sheldrake discusses his new book Entangled Life, a mind-bending journey into the hidden universe of fungi.
Merlin Sheldrake is a biologist and a writer. He received a Ph.D. in tropical ecology from the University of Cambridge for his work on underground fungal networks in tropical forests in Panama, where he was a predoctoral research fellow of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. He is a musician and keen fermenter. He is the author of How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures.
Interview Host: Ross McKeachie Project Manager & Editor: Jacob Steele Music: Samuel Romero
Dr. Robert Svoboda discusses Ayurveda, Tantra, and Jyotish Astrology.
Dr. Robert Svoboda is the first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India. During and after his formal Ayurvedic training he was tutored in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore by his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. Dr. Svoboda has served as Adjunct Faculty at the Ayurvedic Institute, NM, and Bastyr University, WA. He is the author of several books including Prakriti and the Aghora series.
Interview Host: Ross McKeachie Project Manager & Editor: Jacob Steele Music: Samuel Romero
Julie Daniluk – Nutritionist, “Healthy Gourmet” host, and award-winning author of Meals That Heal Inflammation, Slimming Meals That Heal, and Hot Detox – shares anti-inflammatory tips & wisdom for health, happiness, and longevity.
Jungian Analyst and author James Hollis, PhD, speaks with Banyen's podcast host Ross McKeachie on the themes explored in his book, 'Living Between Worlds: Finding Personal Resilience in Times of Change'.
Dr. Hollis shares wisdom on finding our inner compass in shifting times, attending to the psyche’s inner guidance, discovering ourselves anew through the different stages of life, and living a life of meaning.
James Hollis, Ph.D., is a Zurich-trained Jungian Analyst and the author of numerous books including Living an Examined Life, Middle Passage, The Eden Project, and What Matters Most. www.jameshollis.net
IN CONVERSATION is a production of Banyen Books & Sound, Canada’s spiritual and healing resource since 1970. www.banyen.com
Podcast Host: Ross McKeachie Project Manager & Sound Editor: Jacob Steele Music: Samuel Romero
This conversation was recorded with a live online audience, July 2020.
In this episode of In Conversation, Lalitha speaks candidly, and with humour, about the fiery path of Guru Yoga and what it takes to cultivate spiritual maturity.
Lalitha is a lineage holder in the Western Baul tradition, and has been a disciple of Khepa Lee Lozowick for nearly 40 years. She is the author of several books published by Hohm Press, including 10 Essential Herbs, 10 Essential Foods, Travel Healthy, Waking to Ordinary Life, Inspirations from the Subcontinent, and Cultivating Spiritual Maturity. She goes by the name “Lalitha Thomas” on her book covers.
In Conversation is a production of Banyen Books & Sound, Canada’s spiritual and healing resource since 1970. www.banyen.com
Podcast Host: Ross McKeachie Project Manager & Podcast Editor: Jacob Steele Music: Samuel Romero
Recorded June, 2020
Doña María Apaza, Andean Alto Misayoc Priestess, shares spiritual wisdom from the Q'ero culture and guidance for navigating the challenges of our contemporary world. Dona Maria is accompanied by translators Maco Peña García and María Belen Meneses. Doña María Apaza is the last living Priestess of the Q'ero Peoples of Peru. This interview was recorded in Vancouver, Canada, in October 2019. It is a production of Banyen Books & Sound, Western Canada's spiritual and healing resource since 1970. www.banyen.com
Banyen Books & Sound presents Lama Tsultrim Allione, In Conversation with host, Ross McKeachie for a down-to-earth and illuminating look at the arising of feminine wisdom in our times. They cover topics like women in Buddhism, patriarchy in spiritual traditions, what the experience of the feminine brings to the spiritual path, and more.
Lama Tsultrim offers special insights into her personal journey, including some stories about Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and the losses and joys of her incredible life journey from being the first American woman ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun to becoming a mother, grandmother and now a Lama and founder of Tara Mandala Retreat Centre in Colorado ( www.taramandala.org ). She touches on how the Tantric path, and feminine consciousness embrace the field of relatedness, and we learn the importance of embracing our humanness rather than looking to escape it through spiritual practice.
Lama Tsultrim is hosting an online symposium with a lineup of extraordinary teachers and devotional musicians. Voices of Wisdom in Times of Crisis will be happening from May 22 - 25, 2020. Live attendance is free, however registration is required at https://www.taramandala.org/voices_of...
Learn more about Lama Tsultrim and Tara Mandala at www.taramandala.org or https://www.facebook.com/lamatsultrim... on Facebook.
This episode of In Conversation with host Ross McKeachie is produced and edited by Jacob Steele, with music by Laura Reznek.
In Conversation is a production of Banyen Books & Sound, Canada's spiritual and healing resources since 1970. www.banyen.com
Join In Conversation host, Ross McKeachie of the Banyen Books & Sound podcast, for an intimate and inspiring conversation with spiritual teacher and highly attuned empathic healer, Matt Kahn. Matt welcomes us in with his warm, heart-centred approach, his humanity and his humour. Matt and Ross dialogue on the distinctions of masculine and feminine approaches to the spiritual path and how they can uplift and support one another within us, leading to an integrated and balanced human being. Matt also gets into his personal life, his writing process for his latest book, The Universe Always Has a Plan, and the journey to becoming the teacher that he is today. Stay with it to the end so you can experience one of his trademark "repeat after me" affirmations as it relates to the Corona Virus situation in the world and dealing with loss and grief as a transformative portal that can speed us in our evolution. As always, Matt comes from a place of kindness, compassion and joy.
Matt Kahn's website: www.mattkahn.org
Banyen Books & Sound: www.banyen.com
Interview Host: Ross McKeachie / Music: Laura Reznek / Production & Editing: Jacob Steele
Banyen Books & Sound presents IN CONVERSATION with host Ross McKeachie speaking to Toltec shaman and New York Times best selling author of The Fifth Agreement, don Jose Ruiz. Don Jose speaks in his unique, heart-centred story-telling style and shines a light on the energy of fear and how, through gratitude we can move into love. He points towards the connection between all of the world's spiritual traditions and also the connection between Paramahamsa Yogananda and the Toltec tradition. In an inspiring and poetic way, don Jose captures our attention, showing us how to awaken to the fact that we are dreaming and that we can become the masters of our own dream, changing our lives for the better.
Don Jose has just published his latest book, The Medicine Bag: Shamanic Rituals & Ceremonies for Personal Transformation. Available for purchase online at www.banyen.com.
Dr. Martin Shaw, one of the great master storytellers of our time, discusses the mythology and meanings of our current cultural moment and the global coronavirus pandemic. Interview host Ross McKeachie got ahold of Dr. Martin Shaw in his cottage in Dartmoor, UK, where he was on the 10th day of 14 days of isolation before being able to go home and see his daughter. With the COVID-19 pandemic at the top of everyone's mind and Dr. Shaw, fresh off of a 101 day ritual in the forest and now taking time to reflect, they tap into a state of wonder around the current mythology unfolding in the world. Questions are explored, such as: How do we sit with our discomfort and use this potent time for our own and the planet's transformation? With humour and word-weaving, Dr. Martin Shaw illuminates why mythology, story, connection with nature and self are all more important now than ever before. Dr. Shaw's new book, Courting the Wild Twin, is available at www.banyen.com.
Sufi teacher and author Jamal Rahman speaks joyfully about the Sufi path of the heart and the importance of laughter in awakening the soul. This delightful podcast brings levity into spiritual teachings and brings insight into the cosmic joke of duality.
Caroline Myss speaks about a profound crisis facing humanity: the crisis of faith and the loss of connection to the Divine. Myss articulates what it means to be on a spiritual path, the importance of understanding our connection to the whole, and the deeply personal and impersonal aspect of God. Invoking prayer, inner guidance, and grace, Myss offers hope for restoring the connection to our sacred self.
Loch Kelly, spiritual teacher, author, and founder of Open-Hearted Awareness Institute, shares a radically different and simple approach to meditation- effortless mindfulness. Rooted in spacious awareness and connection to the heart, Loch offers glimpses into a state of being accessible to all and available in every moment. Students of meditation from beginners to long-time practitioners can tune in for a taste of something radically different and profoundly simple.
In this poignant and moving interview, Carina Stone, the wife of Michael Stone, an internationally recognized Buddhist teacher whose life ended tragically and suddenly, speaks about Michael's latest book and the legacy of his life and teachings. She is joined by Erin Robinsong, editor of Michael's book- The World Comes to You. This is a tender interview about life, loss, spiritual practice, impermanence, and the enduring quality of love.
In June 2011, Abbott of a monastery in India, Mingyur Rinpoche, left his esteemed post and spent four and a half years in a wandering Retreat. Living without money, clothing (other than the dhoti cloth on his body) or material comforts, he tested the boundaries of his meditation practice and found a freedom and happiness not bound by external conditions and comforts. In this illuminating interview, Rinpoche speaks about his near-death experience and the importance of dying every day in order to embrace the impermanence of life and experience the luminosity of pure awareness.
Swami Lalitananda, president of the Yasodhara Ashram, speaks about Divine Light and the re-building of the Temple of Light; a metaphor for the forces of destruction and creation and a testament to the possibility of creating opportunity and possibility in the moment of loss.
Buddhist wisdom and cognitive science teach that we create the world with our thoughts. This inspiring podcast with beloved Buddhist teacher, poet, and author Norman Fisher is all about using the imagination to create a different world and reality that allows us to honor the truest part of our human existence- that we are here to love and serve others in all ways and for all time.
Banyen's new interview with Deva Premal & Miten: A testament to the healing power of prayer and community, Miten speaks about his recovery from open heart surgery and the insights from having a second chance to live, love, and sing. Deva Premal and Miten speak about their life together touring the world on the wings of sacred music and the blessings it brings to them and to all those to gather and sing together.
With poetic language, inter-spiritual teacher, author, mother and lover of the Beloved, Mirabai Starr takes listeners on a journey invoking the awe of the feminine. Calling on women mystics of all traditions and Lineages, Mirabai weaves a tapestry of stories that have relevant lessons for our modern, broken world. This is a tender interview with a fierce message to rise up, love more, and give ourselves completely to the Beloved.
In this episode of Banyen Books & Sound's In Conversation, spiritual teacher and author Gangaji speaks about coming home to our inner freedom, a state that transcends emotions and suffering and is not subject to loss or gain. This requires a willingness to have no future and no past and to recognize what’s here. Gangaji eloquently speaks about how to overcome the trance of suffering, the illusion of thought and find immediate and lasting fulfillment of our Divine birthright.
Sanskrit scholar, founder of Vijnana Yoga International, and respected Yoga teacher Orit Sen-Gupta speaks about stillness and spaciousness and the practice of movement and sitting that bring us closer to the experience of the sacred.
Steven Halpern, Grammy-award nominee and pioneer in the field of sound healing, discusses his career in using sound to facilitate higher states of consciousness. Steven speaks about noise pollution, brain entrainment, and the power of intention in creating music. This fascinating podcast weaves together the fields of science, spirit, and sound.
Archariya Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat, co-founders of the Clear Sky Retreat Center and authors of Wasteland to Pureland, speak about spiritual awakening as the only sustainable mindset in a universe that appears chaotic and for a planet that is in crisis. Offering practical tips gained from their experience in setting up a Retreat Center, Doug Sensei and Catherine offer insights from the path of karma yoga and the wisdom that comes from integrating spiritual life with the realities of modern-day living. This is a delightful inteview about shedding limitations of the spiritual life and continuously cultivating wholesome mindstates that contribute to harmony and happiness for all beings on this planet.
John Lockley, renowned sangoma/South African Shaman, speaks with Farah Nazarali in this Banyen interview. John Lockley is a fully initiated traditional sangoma in the Xhosa tribe of South Africa – the same tribe as Nelson Mandala and Desmond Tutu. He uniquely bridges African spirituality with Zen and Western Psychology. Leopard Warrior, his bestselling new book, is published by Sounds True, with a forward by Elder Malidoma Somé.
“Through kindness we experience our kinship with one another.”
Mark Nepo, best-selling author, beloved poet and spiritual teacher, speaks about the power of community and relationships as ways to manifest the in-dwelling presence of spirit and re-claim our wholeness. The answer is simple- kindness; it is through kindness, that we experience our kinship with one another. In an age of cruelty where our material ambitions supersede our concern for others, Nepo’s wisdom and stories of togetherness are an antidote to a pervasive culture of fear and mistrust.
Author, Ayurvedic physician and professor and Director of the Ayurvedic Institute, Dr. Vasant Lad offers simple, practical tools in combating anxiety and depression. Dr. Lad also speaks about the effect of digital technology on the pineal gland and the importance of spending time in Nature. Finally, Dr. Lad connects listeners with the sacred through breathing and the mantra of breathing inviting us all to enter the gap between inhale and exhale and enter the doorway into the eternal.
Join Vaidya Vasant Lad live in Vancouver, BC, at the Share Ayurvedic Conference, May 18, 19, and 20th! Event details here: goo.gl/pQ4eED
Scientist, author, and international speaker, Bruce Lipton passionately talks about how human survival on planet Earth depends on understanding our essential nature as creators. This thought-provoking interview links climate change and turmoil in the ecosystem with subconscious beliefs that perpetuate victimhood, conflict, and deny our power as creators. Uprooting these beliefs and bringing consciousness into our thoughts and behaviours hold the promise that we can survive the six mass extinction and create heaven on Earth.
Join Bruce Lipton live at the Science & Spirituality Conference June 14-19 on Vancouver Island, BC. Dr. Lipton will be sharing the stage with Gregg Braden, Dr. Joe Dispenza, Lynne McTaggart, and Lee Carroll. Event info: http://www.shalohaproductions.com/science-spirituality-conference/
Deva Premal, world-renowned musician, speaks movingly about her life sharing mantra and music.
Deva Premal & Miten with Manose will perform live at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, Saturday, May 19. Tickets & info: goo.gl/DcFxd5
Internationally-acclaimed author, speaker, and clinic psychologist Dr. Shefali speaks about what it means to use pain as a wake up call to parent more consciously through connection to self and letting go of cultural norms, external measures of worth, and reactive ways of discipline rooted in fear. Dr. Shefali advocates for parenting as a vehicle for evolution and the profound gift we give our children through the example of being conscious and authentic.
Dr. Shefali will be speaking live in Vancouver on Sunday, May 27th at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage.
“You don’t need sweat lodges or Ayahuasca or years of disciplined deprivation, all you need is a group [focused on altruistic intention] and it is a sudden fast-track to the miraculous.”- Lynne McTaggart
Award-winning investigative journalist, Lynne McTaggart, speaks about the miraculous healing power of altruistic intention. Intending for the well-being of others not only has measurable positive outcomes that transcend physical boundaries, altruistic intention has a mirror or rebound effect on the person sending healing to others. Working with neuroscientists and psychologists, Lynne McTaggart’s research provides the scientific basis for the perennial wisdom that what we intend for others is precisely what creates our reality.
Join Lynne McTaggart live at the Science & Spirituality Conference June 14-19 on Vancouver Island, BC. Lynne McTaggart will be sharing the stage with Gregg Braden, Dr. Joe Dispenza, Dr. Bruce Lipton, and Lee Carroll. Event info: http://www.shalohaproductions.com/science-spirituality-conference/
In an age when information travels across time and space in nanoseconds and desires are fulfilled instantly, is the human mind designed to move at the same pace of technology? According to writer and essayist, Pico Iver, "in a world of constant movement, there's nothing more urgent than stillness."
Iver speaks eloquently about the art of stillness and the profound benefits that stillness delivers in intimacy, connection, and creativity.
Pico Iyer will present live in Vancouver on May 5, 2018, at the Canadian Memorial Centre for Peace.
“Love and justice are not two. Without inner change, there can be no outer change. Without collective change, no change matters.”
Maverick spiritual teacher and author, Rev. angel Kyodo williams Sensei speaks eloquently about Dharma, social justice, truth and love. Kyodo sensibly advocates for Dharma that leaves nothing out of its inquiry so that as practitioners, we can face the uncomfortable truth of present day racial injustice, gender inequalities and social injustice. Bridging the inner and outer, Kyodo delivers a complex, nuanced, and discerning understanding of right action.
Rev. angel will give a Dharma Talk & Book Signing at Banyen Books & Sound on Friday, March 16, 6:30-8pm. Rev. angel will lead a Retreat at Hollyhock on Cortes Island, June 24-28.
Dan Siegel, pioneer in the field of intra-personal neurobiology, Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute, and author of more than a dozen books on the mind, mindfulness, and the brain speaks about the science of pure awareness. His research reveals what wisdom traditions have long taught; inter-dependence of life and connection to a transcendent pure awareness that holds all potentiality. This brilliant interviews shines light on the cross-over between science, wisdom, and love.
Dr. Malidoma Patrice Somé, West African shaman, Elder and author, speaks powerfully about the realm of the ancestors and the yearning of our ancestors to connect with those living, and to collaborate in the healing and beautification of our world. He also discusses the role of our ancestors in the fulfillment of our life's purpose.
Caroline Myss speaks with Banyen about the life-changing power of words. Caroline Myss is the author of Anatomy of the Spirit, Sacred Contracts, Invisible Acts of Power, and Why People Don’t Heal and How They Can. An internationally renowned speaker in the fields of human consciousness and mysticism, she holds degrees in journalism, theology, intuition, and energy medicine.
Dr. Gabor Maté, renowned addiction expert and international speaker, discusses Compassionate Inquiry, a psycho-therapeutic method for facilitating physical, mental and emotional healing. Born out of necessity and rooted in the inseparability of mind and body, Dr. Maté highlights the importance of processing unresolved pain within ourselves as the foundation of helping others free themselves from the past, release trauma, and connect to a healing power within.
NY Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist, Johann Hari makes a compelling case that we've got it all wrong about addiction and the war on drugs. Travelling all over the world in search of answers to the most basic questions about addiction, Hari finds inspiration and hope in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, and the progressive policies of Portugal and Switzerland. This is a fascinating look at the face of addiction and stories of people whose lives have been transformed by the war on drugs.
“To grieve is part of the human experience. That's the great dare of being human and being conscious- to be willing to love something that's not going to last; that's a grief-endorsed understanding of life.”
Author, teacher, activist, ceremonialist, and founder of Orphan Wisdom School, Stephen Jenkinson muses about life, death, grief, the natural world and the condition of being awake. This profound, provocative, and deeply insightful podcast is an invitation to explore the depths of our existential loneliness and be awake to the inter-connectedness of life so that we can live and die wise and our existence contributes to sustaining life for future generations.
Renowned chant & world music artist Simrit Kaur speaks with Banyen about the power of voice and sound.
Question: "Have the practices of Naad Yoga helped you connect with the Divine?"
Simrit: "Yes, most definitely. When I use my voice, that’s the most unobstructed view and feeling of the Divine. I’m in an altered state most of the time."