In this Q&A from the 2024 Sacred Community Retreat at Just Love Forest, retreat facilitators Hari Scott Whitmore, Pavan Das, and Sitaram Dass tell stories about their time caregiving for Ram Dass. Their honest and heartfelt reflections are shared atop of the sound of the Georgia cicadas and peppered bird song.

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Hari Scott Whitmore began leading kirtan over ten years ago in Ram Dass’s living room, where he served as a personal caregiver. Over the years he has had the honor of accompanying many incredible kirtan wallahs including Krishna Das, Nina Rao, Devadas, and his bandmates in Kripa. During his time as the Director of Outreach for the Call and Response Foundation, he helped organize kirtans in prisons and recovery centers throughout the United States. This work is now carried out by the Sacred Community Project, of which Hari is a founding member. You can explore his offerings at https://harikirtan.com

Pavan Das (he/him) is a community organizer, multi-media artist, and nonprofit leader. His time with spiritual luminaries like Ram Dass and Thich Nhat Hanh informs his commitment to cultivating a lived spirituality through which to effect social change. His service projects aim to foster resilience and prosociality in individuals, groups and communities through the skillful application of contemplative and devotional practices. https://pavandas.com

Sitaram Dass (K. Sandin, LCSW) (he/him) spent several years serving his beloved teacher Ram Dass on Maui, where he was shown the path of Bhakti, the yoga of service and devotion to God. He is a kirtan singer, social worker, author, and spiritual counselor. As the director of the Sacred Community Project, he works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices. His book, From and for God, is an intimate and contemplative collection of writings on the spiritual path. Connect with Sitaram Dass at http://sitaramdass.com

And follow his music on your favorite streaming service: https://hyperfollow.com/sitaramdass

The Sacred Community Podcast is an inter-spiritual hub of the universal teachings, “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth.” Home to Sacred Community Project interviews, live workshop recordings, dharma talks, and meditations, each episode is carefully curated to ensure its alignment with SCP values.

SCP works to lower the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through free, donation-based, and affordable offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. Learn more and make a tax-deductible donation at: https://sacredcommunityproject.org

SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu

Music: Carl Golembeski

This interview with Ondrea Levine was recorded on October 30th, 2023. Vasu Jon Seskevich and Sitaram Dass traveled to her remote off-the-grid home in the high desert of New Mexico for an intimate conversation about living with an open heart in the face of death and grief.

Stephen and Ondrea Levine were two of the pioneers of the modern conscious death and dying movement and touched the lives of thousands of people worldwide. Stephen died a medication-assisted death on January 17th, 2016 after many years of living with Alzheimers, and Ondrea was his caregiver in those final years.

They are the authors of numerous books, including Who Dies, Embracing the Beloved, and A Year to Live. https://levinetalks.com is a way for Stephen and Ondrea to continue their teachings and connect with an outside audience.

In the introduction to this interview, Sitaram Dass states, “Stephen and Ondrea spent their entire lives making friends with death, and as Ondrea approached the end of her life after experiencing the death of Stephen, I wanted to know what insight she might have to share.

“Her matter-of-fact transparency, immediate warmth, humility, compassion, and wisdom left me in awe, but also as if I had just met an intimate friend. This meeting was truly a gift, and I am excited to share it with you.”

***HELP ONDREA FIX HER SOLAR POWER SYSTEM***

Recently, Ondrea’s solar power system and backup generator both unexpectedly broke down. These systems are essential for her daily living, providing the necessary power for heating, cooling, water, and other vital functions in her off-the-grid home.

The sudden failure of these systems has left her in a vulnerable position, making it difficult to manage her health and maintain her home. A Gofundme was set up to help Ondrea repair her solar power system and generator, ensuring she can continue to live safely and comfortably in her home. Your support will make a significant difference in her life, providing her with the stability she needs during this challenging time.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ondrea-fix-her-solar-system

Credits and Links:

Featuring: Ondrea Levine https://levinetalks.com

Interviewers: Sitaram Dass https://sitaramdass.com Vasu Jon Seskevich https://jonvasu.com

AV Production and Filming: Kiki Love Productions https://kikiloveproductions.com

Video Editing: zander cole karlin https://zandercole.carrd.co

Intro Music: Carl Golembeski https://www.instagram.com/mirarimusic

Archival footage used with permission from Levine Talks

The Sacred Community Project is an interspiritual collective working to awaken Sacred Community in the world. Through the eternal teachings of “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth,” SCP lowers the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through affordable, free, and donation-based offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. You can join and learn more at http://sacredcommunityproject.org

Ramananda John Welshons is interviewed by Free Landauer to discuss the path of meditation, grief, releasing guilt, and grace. Ramananda also shares some sweet stories about his lifelong friendship with Ram Dass, and he even shares one about SCP director Sitaram Dass.

Ramananda John Welshons is a highly respected contemporary spiritual teacher who lectures and leads meditation courses throughout North America. He has been a practitioner of vipassana (mindfulness) meditation and various forms of yoga for more than fifty years. In addition to his latest book, One Soul, One Love, One Heart: The Sacred Path to Healing All Relationships, he is also the author of Awakening from Grief: Finding the Way Back to Joy and When Prayers Aren’t Answered, two books that emerged from forty-five years of experience helping people deal with dramatic life change and loss. Learn more about John and his schedule of events, join a meditation class, or request a private consultation at https://onesoulonelove.com/

The Sacred Community Podcast is an inter-spiritual hub of the universal teachings, “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth.” Home to SCP interviews, live workshop recordings, dharma talks, and meditations, each episode is carefully curated to ensure its alignment with SCP values.

The Sacred Community Project is an interspiritual collective working to awaken Sacred Community in the world. Through the eternal teachings of “Love, Service, Remembrance, and Truth,” SCP lowers the barriers of access to contemplative and devotional practices through affordable, free, and donation-based offerings, spiritual support, and prison outreach. You can join and learn more at http://sacredcommunityproject.org

SCP Logo: Beverly Hsu

Music: Carl Golembeski