Please rate and review The Yoga Hour on your favorite podcast player. It really helps us to be discovered by more listeners and we appreciate the feedback.
Welcome the Abundance of the Sacred Feminine
Erica Bassani takes us on a journey into the sacred through the voices of women across spiritual traditions. Through these intimate conversations we explore devotion, resilience, and the balance of strength and surrender in modern life.
Erica Bassani is a writer based in Italy. A graduate of the Academy of Storytelling in Turin, she spent a year living in a Theravadan Buddhist monastery at the age of 23. Since then, she has turned to female spiritual teachers from diverse traditions to help her navigate her inner journey. She created the Women Awakening Project—an initiative that highlights the wisdom of female spiritual role models and explores spiritual practice through the lens of women’s experiences—to share their wisdom and create a bridge between generations of seekers.
📚 Read the book discussed in this episode: Women in Love with the Divine
🔗 Learn more about Erica: https://www.womenawakeningproject.com/
✨ Discover Erica’s work on Facebook and Instagram
DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: This conversation with Erica Bassani about her book Women in Love with the Divine will enrich listeners understanding of the divine feminine and bring wisdom to all, regardless of gender. We discussed her interviews with women leaders from Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism, and Jewish traditions, illuminating the importance of balance between our masculine and feminine sides as illustrated by the Taoist symbol for the balance between yin and yang. We discussed that in Buddhism, wisdom is feminine, and that there can be real strength in softness. I found this conversation to be rich and thought provoking, and recommend it to listeners.
THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This conversation really flowed well and allowed Dr. Trujillo and Erica Bassani to discuss a number of beliefs and practices related to the role of the feminine in spiritual wisdom and awakening. So many great takeaways for any gender.
Erica Bassani
Embrace The Hero’s Journey Through Francis of Assisi
How did the young and privileged Francis from Assisi become one of the world's most revered saints and a heroic leader who is more relevant now than ever? Author and spiritual teacher Isha Das (Craig Bullock) shares how Francis’ heroic journey is also our heroic journey.
Isha Das is an accomplished teacher, writer, lecturer, and psychotherapist who has authored books and recorded CDs on spirituality and meditation. The former Pastoral Administrator at St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s Church, Isha Das earned graduate degrees in Religious Studies from the University of Notre Dame and in Clinical Psychology from the University of Duquesne. His broad and diverse education includes extensive study in psychology, spirituality, mysticism, world religions, and yoga.
Isha Das is the spiritual director of The Assisi Institute in Rochester, New York
This episode discusses Isha Das’ book Merchant to Mystic, The Hero's Journey of St. Francis of Assisi
DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I enjoyed discussing the interface between mystical Christianity and Kriya Yoga with Isha Das, author of the book Merchant to Mystic: The Hero’s Journey of Francis of Assisi. As he points out, we become the hero that we admire, so reflecting on our heroes and heroines, and understanding more about their journey is important. Francis’ journey is an inspiring one, from being born into a wealthy family and living a worldly life through hardships that wounded him, to his time spent in silence and contemplation leading to his mission to rebuild the church. Our discussion about the householder spiritual path, the importance of silence, and the similarity between the yoga practice of self-surrender and the Christian vow of poverty was illuminating.
THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: This conversation with Isha Das explores St. Franscis’ hero’s journey of self-surrender. The discussion brings into focus the essence of kriya yoga in Christianity. St. Francis’ mantra was “Who are you? And who am I?”. That is the heart of awakening. The listener can get the experience of how time in silence, listening to the still small voice within, brought St. Francis to follow his spiritual path in ever-new joy. That joy with self-surrender and Grace eventually grew into the Franciscan order. Don’t miss this heart-felt podcast.
Isha Das (Craig Bullock)
