The Indian Wisdom Podcast

The Indian Wisdom Podcast

Hosted by: Dr. Raj Balkaran

Authentic ancient Indian wisdom teachings artfully applied to modern Western life. Grounded in scholarship and infused with live storytelling, this content is informative, entertaining, inspiring. Hosted by Dr....

All Episodes

Episodes

Ep 48 Viṣṇu’s Kuṇḍalinī Couch Time

Why does Viṣṇu recline upon a serpent couch between cycles of creation? What does this represent? Learn the symbology of the serpent couch and its connection to ‘serpent power’. The Indian Wisdom Podcast is hosted by...
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Ep 47 The Two-Headed Eagle

Hear of how both Śiva and Viṣṇu incarnate as beasts and forget their divinity in this tale about the interplay between preservation and destruction. The answer of which of the two is more powerful might most...
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Ep 46 Sage Durvāsas: Blessings, Curses and Comfort within Discomfort

Why is Durvāsas always throwing curses? Hear of three mythic moments where he issues curses and blessings alike as instruments if destiny. Learn to find the comfort within discomfort. The Indian Wisdom Podcast is...
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Ep 45 The Sage with Eight Bends: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice

Why do people discriminate against the disabled, or in general? Hear the tale of the sage who through physically debilitated ran laps around the luminaries of his day in terms of his spiritual attainment. Hear too of...
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Ep 44 The Three Strides: Pride Before the Fall

What is the difference between healthy pride and toxic pride? How do we navigate the two? Hear the tale of how Viṣṇu’s dwarf incarnation humbles the demon Bali. The Indian Wisdom Podcast is hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran,...
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Ep 43 Yoga Teacher Training 2.0: An Interview with Jen Goetchius

Dr. Raj interviews Jen Goetchius about her rich yoga teacher training manual and programme in the Cleveland, Ohio area. They discuss and the need and applicability of Indian wisdom in the modern Western...
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Ep 42 Meeting Tumultuous Times: Wisdom for the Present Moment

Profound and practical wisdom from ancient India, China, and the Modern West alike, on meeting tumultuous times. The Indian Wisdom Podcast is hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran, a Sanskrit scholar, seasoned storyteller and...
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Ep 41 Decoding Diwali: Lakᚣmč, Abundance Incarnate

What is the spiritual significance of Diwali, the Indic festival of lights?  Learn about the inner light through Dr. Raj’s decoding of Lakṣmī, and the various blessings she bestows. Learn all about Diwali in this 90...
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Ep 40 Mental Health Aware Yoga: A Conversation with Dr. Lauren Tober

Join Dr. Raj in conversation with Dr. Lauren Tober, Clinical Psychologist, Life Coach and Yoga Teacher, about her new book, "Mental Health Aware Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers." In her book and our conversation, Dr....
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Ep 39 Goddess Glories in Ukrainian: An Interview with Alisa Lozhkina

Fascinating and far-reaching conversation with art historian and illustrator Alisa Lozhkina on her new translation of the Devī Māhātmya into Ukrainian – a global first. Hosted by Dr. Raj Balkaran, a Sanskrit scholar,...
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Ep 38 Saving the Earth

Why did the ancients revere nature? Who did Western traditions demonize that very nature veneration as ‘pagan’? Hear an ancient Indian tale which parallels our modern ecological crisis, and insights on the path...
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Ep 37 Śiva's Cosmic Dance of Bliss

Why does Shiva dance destruction at the end of the age? Why does he do so in a state of bliss? Learn about the cyclical vision of the universe transformed by the union of Śiva and Śakti, the divine Tāṇḍava dance, and...
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