Melanie shares a conversation with Sangha member Ganga Devi Braun about being raised in an ashram, karmic growth and experiences along the spiritual path.
Ganga Devi Braun was born into the lineage of Neem Karoli Baba, and has dedicated her life to facilitating the emergence of the most healthy, beautiful, whole future for our planet. Her offerings include meditation instruction, facilitation of The Work that Reconnects, sacred women’s circles, study and practice groups on topics ranging from the Upanishads to Regenerative Design Thinking.
Keep up with the Shakti Hour Summer Reading Series on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Links from this episode: Ganga Devi Instagram | 100 Day Project | Shakti Hour Patreon
Show Notes
100 Days of Healing (Opening) – Ganga Devi talks about a practice of self-expression on Instagram that she has been participating in, #The100dayproject. She and Melanie talk about the catharsis and healing of self-expression, as well as the impact and unique relationships that can be created by connecting via social media.
“My biggest enemy is putting something out there and not feeling like I am enough of an authority, or I have not done enough self-work, to be valid in expressing what I am expressing, because we do live in such a critical and often not constructive internet sphere.” – Ganga Devi Braun
Raised in Spirit (25:40) – What was it like to be raised in an Ashram? Ganga Devi shares her experience of growing up at the Kashi Ashram and talks about the legacy of her father, Ram Giri Braun. She and Melanie discuss the seeds planted by previous generations of social and spiritual activists that we are seeing blossom today.
“My parents created a very rich foundation for me and my sisters to come into. I was born into an incarnation that supported my emotional intelligence and my spiritual path.” – Ganga Devi
Realms of Growth (41:25) – Melanie and Ganga Devi discuss the different realms of experience available to us in our incarnation and they look at the correlation between our life experiences and our karma.
“We need to go into the places of hell realms, or at least bear witness to it.” – Ganga Devi Braun
Listen to Robert Thurman’s conversation about understanding karma on Ep. 239 of the Mindrolling Podcast
Radiating Love (55:00) – Ganga Devi reflects on the shift in her life and family through the process of her father’s passing. She shares some of the difficult, but healing, lessons about love and karma that the experience has provided.
Photo by Seth Kaufmann