About this episode
Philip Goldberg has been studying the world’s spiritual traditions for more than 50 years, as a practitioner, teacher, and author. He trained as a Transcendental Meditation teacher with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1970 and later became an ordained Interfaith Minister and spiritual counselor. As a public speaker and workshop leader, he has lectured and taught at major venues throughout the U.S. and India. As a professional writer, his articles and blogs have appeared in numerous print and online publications, and he has authored or co-authored more than 25 books, including an upcoming novel and such celebrated nonfiction as: The Intuitive Edge: Understanding Intuition and Applying it in Everyday Life; Roadsigns: On the Spiritual Path--Living at the Heart of Paradox; the award-winning American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation How Indian Spirituality Changed the West; the seminal biography The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru; and his latest book, the timely Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times: Powerful Tools to Cultivate Calm, Clarity, and Courage. He has produced e-courses for Spirituality & Practice and has taught many online courses, most recently, The Yoga of Intuition and Creativity, Four Pathways to the Divine, How Hindu Dharma Transformed the West, and the forthcoming An Immersive Exploration of the Iconic “Autobiography of a Yogi.” His special 12-part series, Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times, for Unity Online Radio, features interviews with well-known spiritual teachers. He is currently working on two nonfiction books and a sequel to his novel. In addition, he blogs regularly on Elephant Journal and Spirituality & Health, cohosts the popular Spirit Matters podcast and YouTube channel and leads American Veda Tours to India. He serves on the board of the Association for Spiritual Integrity. His website is PhilipGoldberg.com. Interview recorded November 21, 2021. First BatGap interview with Phil. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:02:51 - Reminiscing with Uncle Phil 00:05:11 - Introduction to Philip Goldberg and his work 00:07:49 - Yogananda's Biography and Autobiography 00:11:24 - Filling the Gaps in Yogananda's Story 00:15:17 - The Rise of Yogananda and Amma 00:19:08 - Mission-Driven Yogis and the Challenges They Faced 00:23:07 - Returning to India: The Journey of a Monk 00:27:37 - Arguments about Yogananda's Alleged Affairs 00:31:05 - The Human Story of Yogananda 00:33:46 - The Indomitable Will of Yogananda 00:37:58 - Yogananda's Spiritual Pursuit and Visions 00:41:58 - Miracles and Wonders in Autobiography of a Yogi 00:46:49 - The Purpose of Miracles and Wonders 00:51:01 - Troubled by Lack of Recognition 00:56:03 - Balancing Consciousness and Action 01:00:35 - The Importance of Service in Spiritual Practice 01:03:28 - Acts of Service in Spiritual Practice 01:07:18 - The Service of Gurus and Spirituality 01:11:19 - The Last Night of the Guru 01:15:28 - Yoga, Cultural Appropriation, and Perennial Philosophy 01:18:58 - Universal Spiritual Experiences 01:24:59 - Transformative Experiences and Global Implications 01:30:00 - The Challenges of Society and the Potential of Consciousness 01:37:09 - Broadening Your Perspective in Spirituality 01:42:22 - The Pragmatic Approach to Spirituality 01:46:47 - Temptations and Fine-tuning the Path 01:51:27 - The Importance of Discernment and Viveka 01:54:42 - Yogananda and Dream Experiences 01:56:53 - The Association for Spiritual Integrity