DONATE

Being Yourself

Stop Everything. Just Be.
April 22, 2020,
Episode 19

Mistakenly, we define who we are by the roles we play in the theater we call our lives. Then we further define ourselves with our evaluations of how well or how poorly we play those roles. When Gangaji first met Papaji, he told her to stop everything. In her willingness to stop everything and just be, Gangaji saw past the roles (mother, daughter, spiritual seeker, wife, student) and recognized her true face. It is possible for all of us to recognize our true face—the truth of who we are. Then every role we are given can be played fully and authentically. We can live freely, resting in the truth of who we are.

More Episodes of Being Yourself




“To be nothing, to be nobody, is to realize who you are.”

This month on Being Yourself, we share one the first meetings Gangaji held in Byron Bay, Australia. This is the land of the Arakwal Bumberlin people, who have lived in the coastal landscape around the Byron Bay area for at least 22,000 years. Gangaji begins by acknowledging how the ancient Aboriginal peoples have blessed our lives. Then she invites us to end our search for spiritual superiority to simply be who we truly are—no “thing” at all.


“To be nothing, to be nobody, is to realize who you are.” This month on Being Yourself, we...


Discovering the truth of who you are doesn’t require a certificate of realization. You don’t need to understand Sanskrit or Advaita to know the truth of who you are. The only requirement is the willingness to investigate the thought of who you are. This month on Being Yourself, Gangaji shares what she calls a “sutra from the streets”—a teaching story about the power of inquiry and what is possible for all.


Discovering the truth of who you are doesn’t require a certificate of realization. You don’t...


This month on Being Yourself, we return to the summer of 1993 in Boulder, Colorado. Gangaji speaks about the opportunity to break the trance of fear by directly experiencing fear itself.


“This is a kind of contraction against life. Direct experience is the medicine, the remedy. When you really experience fear, fear is not fear.”





This month on Being Yourself, we return to the summer of 1993 in Boulder, Colorado. Gangaji...
“For our purpose, which is the purpose of discovering the truth of who one is, let us forget why one is and discover who.”

We often are seeking answers to our questions of “why” and “how.” Gangaji invites us to turn our attention to the most important question we can ask ourselves on the spiritual path, the question that can lead to self-recognition and the endless discovery of the depths of who one truly is.
“For our purpose, which is the purpose of discovering the truth of who one is, let us...



This month we are happy to share a selection from Jami Sieber and Kim Rosen's new album Feast of Losses. Their new album takes a deep dive into that sacred space where grief and gratitude meet. Their collaboration offers a transmission of such beauty that it stops the mind and opens the heart! This selection from the album features What the Living Do by Marie Howe, with music by Jami Sieber and spoken word by Kim Rosen. Read about their inspiration for this work on the Gangaji Commnuity Blog. 

Purchase a download of the complete album at jamisieber.com/feast-of-losses


This month we are happy to share a selection from Jami Sieber and Kim Rosen's new album Feast of...


“If your attention is on the story of how you do not deserve what is being offered, this is the continuation of self-denial.  There is an open door in this jail, in this prison.”


When we seek freedom on the spiritual path, it is often freedom from our mind or mental activity. In this podcast, we focus how we can lock ourselves up inside a mental prison, not recognizing the door that is always open.




“If your attention is on the story of how you do not deserve what is being offered, this is the...
Repeatedly telling the story of “not good enough” is a familiar habit to most of us, an aspect of our human conditioning. But what does it have to do with who you truly are? In this exchange, Gangaji, simply and directly shares how to bring an end to the story and “step into freedom.”
Repeatedly telling the story of “not good enough” is a familiar habit to most of us, an aspect...

“To play the role of yourself, which is the transcendent role, the role of freedom, you have to trust something unknowable.”


The themes of belonging, freedom from identification, and trusting our direct experience come together in this month’s podcast. This powerful interplay of themes opens the mind to the heart and invites an inquiry: What does it mean to be free? Where do you belong?

“To play the role of yourself, which is the transcendent role, the role of freedom, you have to...
We have been blessed to hear Aea Luz sing at Gangaji's retreats. Now, we are happy to share her beautiful voice with you. This Being Yourself podcast extra features a new song from Aea that was actually inspired while she was on retreat with Gangaji—One Thing Goin' On. It is taken from of her recently released album, Dust & Light available on aealuz.com.

To learn more about Aea and how she came to write this song visit out community blog.
We have been blessed to hear Aea Luz sing at Gangaji's retreats. Now, we are happy to share her...
A key strategy for our human survival is to “be special.” If we stand out in some way, get noticed by others, we may find ourselves better positioned in the “herd.” That isn’t necessarily a problem, until the drive to be more and more special becomes an addiction and in that, is ultimately destructive. This lively exchange offers great insight into what it means to be absolutely ordinary, and still discover what is truly extraordinary.
A key strategy for our human survival is to “be special.” If we stand out in some way, get...
All Episodes
More Podcast Series

The much loved A Conversation with Gangaji, hosted by Hillary Larson. Listen

Teaching stories from members of the community. Listen

Search All Episodes
Advanced search

Search all podcast episodes by topic, date and title. More