About this episode
This interview centered around Sadhvi's new book, Hollywood to the Himalayas: A Journey of Healing and Transformation. Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, Ph.D. is a renowned spiritual leader, author, and motivational speaker based in Rishikesh, India. Originally from Los Angeles and a graduate of Stanford University, Sadhviji has been ordained into the sacred order of Sanyas by her guru HH Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji and has been living at Parmarth Niketan Ashram for the past twenty-five years. She is the Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, an international interfaith organization dedicated to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; president of Divine Shakti Foundation, a foundation that runs free schools, vocational training programs, and empowerment programs; and director of the world-famous International Yoga Festival at Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh—which has been covered in Time, CNN, the New York Times and other prestigious publications and has been addressed by both the Prime Minister and Vice President of India. She serves on the United Nations Advisory Council on Religion and on the steering committees of the International Partnership for Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) and the Moral Imperative to End Extreme Poverty, a campaign by the United Nations and World Bank. She was also the Managing Editor for the monumental project of the 11-volume Encyclopedia of Hinduism. She oversees a variety of humanitarian projects, teaches meditation, lectures, writes, counsels individuals and families, and serves as a unique female voice of spiritual leadership throughout India and the world. Websites: Sadhviji.org (personal site) Sadhviji's TED talk @SadhviBhagawatiSaraswati (Sadhviji's Facebook page with announcements of events, videos, etc.) @ParmarthNiketan (Parmarth's Facebook page where they stream Sadhviji's satsangs live daily when she is in town.) Youtube channel with all of the videos of Sadhviji's lectures (and also a lot of other good stuff...) Twitter: @SadhviBhagawati Book: Vegetarianism: For Our Bodies, Our Minds, Our Souls & Our Planet Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview. First BatGap interview with Sadhvi. Interview recorded July 25, 2021. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump interview 00:03:30 - Honesty and Humaneness in Spiritual Awakening 00:07:49 - Bridging the Gap: Hollywood to the Himalayas 00:11:38 - The Shift in Perception 00:15:15 - A Sudden Knowing in Rishikesh 00:19:19 - A Profound Spiritual Experience on the Banks of Ganga 00:23:52 - Swarg Ashram: The Heavenly Abode 00:27:41 - The Beauty of Being Non-Verbal 00:31:29 - Living in the Deepest Level of Awareness 00:34:52 - Shame and Authenticity 00:38:01 - The Humility of an Enlightened Master 00:41:14 - The Qualities of the Guru 00:44:41 - The Light of the Guru 00:48:02 - The Garden and its Animals 00:51:03 - The Story of the Sleeves and the Cat 00:54:17 - Emptying the Cup and Finding the Guru 00:57:46 - Overcoming Unconscious Patterns with Mindfulness 01:01:24 - Being Present in Daily Life 01:04:39 - Productivity in Moments of Freedom 01:07:10 - The Experience of Grace without Spiritual Practice 01:10:43 - A Transformational Experience 01:14:11 - Renunciation and Transformation 01:17:36 - The Biological Urge for a Baby 01:21:01 - The Journey of Forgiveness 01:24:25 - The Power of Forgiveness 01:27:47 - The Stain on Our Hearts 01:30:53 - Letting Go with Forgiveness 01:34:05 - Understanding Dis-ease and Harm towards Others 01:37:10 - The Transformation and Healing Journey 01:40:39 - Sharing and Appreciation 01:43:26 - The Spiritual Path