Mirabai Starr, the author of Wild Mercy, shares a conversation with Raghu Markus about the subversive wisdom of mystics. Throughout history and bringing balance to the feminine and masculine within ourselves.
Links from this episode: Lama Garchen Rinpoche | Excerpt from Wild Mercy| Kirtan w/ Madhava Prabhu
Wild Mercy
Mirabai speaks with Raghu about her newest book, Wild Mercy. She explores the themes of duality, justice and feminine mysticism that inspired the book.
“Here in the relative world of incarnation, dualities exist. Injustice unfolds and all kinds of beauty happen, by virtue of the dualistic qualities of this relative world.” – Mirabai Starr
Living The Fierce and Tender (16:25)
Do you bring forward and utilize both the masculine and feminine aspects of yourself? Mirabai looks at how restoring balance to these two aspects of being can allow us to heal and move forward. She and Raghu talk about the intersection roles of duality, devotion, and emptiness in our lives.
“Deep tenderness, but also ferocity – like a mother lion. Those are the attributes that are needed now to bring balance and healing back to a broken system.” – Mirabai Starr
Ecstatic and Embodied (31:00)
We look at the lives of Theresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross and Rumi as examples of how we can embody non-dual and devotional belief. Mirabai and Raghu talk about finding transcendence and God’s love in all traditions.
“St. John of the Cross is the dude who coined the term ‘the dark night of the soul’. Dissolving in radical unknowingness, which is what the dark night is about – the ultimate non-dual state. We cannot know anything, all of our attachments are lit on fire and are falling into ash. In the dark night of the soul, everything is taken, stripped from us. We abide in this liminal space of not-knowingness. That leads into a very non-dual space of radical surrender.” – Mirabai Starr
Listen to more conversation with Mirabai around St. John of the Cross and Theresa of Avila on Ep.158 of the Mindrolling Podcast
Recognizing Our Connection (40:10)
Raghu and Mirabai discuss how we can learn to open up in times of suffering, instead of breaking down. Mirabai reflects on the way that our suffering connects us all and how it can open us in our most difficult moments.
“Maharaj-ji, without telling us to do anything. Somehow led us all to substantial Buddhist practice. Mindfulness and Vipassana. As a foundation to be able to have the kind of focus that when the heart opens you don’t run away.” – Raghu Markus
Repairing Harm (56:55)
We close with a conversation about restorative justice in a community. Mirabai shares a story from Wild Mercy that shows how compassion and forgiveness can heal suffering more than retribution.
