Ep. 37 - Devotion in Hinduism and Buddhism with David Nichtern

"Devotion is part of our nature, we love to be involved, we love to
connect. This is the deepest connection a heart can make, this
connection to deep devotion and unconditional love…” -Krishna Das
Krishna Das and David Nichtern sit down for an interactive
discussion on devotion, tapping into their experiences with both
the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, respectively. When it comes to
devotion these two spiritual paths overlap is in the Vajrayana
form, or tantric style of Buddhism, when a teacher appears in the
form of a master/guru. This is seen to be extremely special as a
focal point in practice, because they have accomplished what you
yourself would like to accomplish. For even in the three refuges of
Buddhism—the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha—the guru is
considered the forth refuge. Krishna Das recounts how life-changing
it was to experience the unconditional love that radiated from his
guru, Neem Karoli Baba aka Maharaji, in India, and how slowly
through just hanging out, Maharaji's presence opened their hearts.
For some spiritual seekers who have had this physical experience of
the guru, it’s an inspiration to see the possibility of someone
exhibiting that kind of love, clarity, and timelessness, in person.
David recounts his own experiences while pursuing the Buddhist path
under the tutelage of Chogyam Trumpa Rinpoche, and the incredible
lineage he's a part via his own personal practice. “The ring of
devotion hitting the hook of the guru, the link you have to that
being, in our tradition, is practice, therefore it is very, very
important…the practice is the connection for us to individually
continue to connect in that way, when we don’t have the luxury of
knowing that kind of being in person…” At the end of this podcast,
there’s a Q&A covering the following topics: -Does the
spiritual path need a stage of darkness in order to attain a level
of depth? -Not feeling an unconditional love connection with
spiritual teacher/lineage. -The role devotion has played in Krishna
Das’ singing. -Has Krishna Das found a way to love everyone, the
way Neem Karoli Baba does? -The role of grace in Krishna Das’
spiritual life and how it has helped him to cultivate devotion.
David Nichtern's Bio: David Nichtern is a senior teacher in the
Shambhala Buddhist lineage of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Sakyong
Mipham Rinpoche. This tradition combines a contemporary, secular
approach to meditation with the ancient practices and philosophies
of Tibetan Buddhism. David was one of the initial American students
of renowned meditation master Trungpa Rinpoche and studied closely
with him soon after his arrival in the United States in 1970. David
has been co-director of the LA Shambhala Center and Karme Choling
Meditation Center in Vermont, as well as Director of Expansion for
Shambhala Training International and Director of Buddhist Practice
and Study for OM yoga. He has been a featured writer and regular
contributor to The Huffington Post and leads meditation workshops
around the world and online. David also works individually with
meditation students in person and via Skype. He does a weekly live
broadcast on Ustream (via his Facebook page) and has several online
meditation workshops available through creativeLIVE.com. His DVD/CD
package OM YOGA & MEDITATION WORKSHOP, created in conjunction
with yoga teacher Cyndi Lee, is widely available David Nichtern is
also a well known composer, producer and guitarist – a four-time
Emmy winner and a two-time Grammy nominee. He is the founder of
Dharma Moon and 5 Points Records. David has recorded and played
with Stevie Wonder, Jerry Garcia, Lana Del Rey, Maria Muldaur, Paul
Simon and many others. Among his many credits in records, film and
tv, David wrote the classic song “Midnight at the Oasis” and
composed the score for Christopher Guest’s film “The Big Picture”.
As the Beyman Bros, he collaborated with Guest and CJ Vanston on an
album “Memories of Summer as a Child” and has produced multiple
records for Grammy nominated kirtan performer Krishna Das. See
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