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Jack Rowland In Too Deep Podcast with Nina Rao

Nina Rao is a Kirtan singer and performer with two incredible solo albums out now. She tours with Krishna Das singing and performing in his band as well as being his business manager. She is a podcast host on the Be Here Now Network, a spiritual teacher and has worked as a conservationist.

Listen on Spotify here:

BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 167 – Serving the Multitude with Nani Ma and Nina Rao

Nina Rao interviews Nani Ma about her deep devotion to serving her guru and her service work with Ganga Prem Hospice.

If you are interested in donating to Ganga Prem Hospice, you can do so through a donation to End of Life Care International with a memo specifying you would like it to go to Ganga Prem.

About Nani Ma:
Nani Ma is from the United Kingdom and sought spiritual enlightenment at a very young age. One day, she realized that serving the multitude and helping the needy is also an aspect of spiritual practice. So, she started taking care of the terminally ill cancer patients in the hospital, guiding the people who are suffering from pain and death to embark on a new journey. Together with Dr. A. K. Dewan, she established the Ganga Prem Hospice. Ganga Prem Hospice is a spiritually-orientated, non-profit hospice for terminally ill cancer patients. The Hospice has been constructed at the foot of the Himalayas on the bank of the river Ganga.

“When we watch our breath, it slows down. The breath and the mind are connected. Either the breath slows down and the mind slows down, or the mind catches hold of one thing, which is the name, and the name has its power by itself. The name has its own power.” – Nani Ma

Raghu Markus – Mindrolling – Ep. 528 – The 21 Taras with Nina Rao & Chandra Easton

Raghu, Nina, and Chandra spend this episode discussing:

  • Chandra’s Buddhist upbringing

  • The deity Tara and the sacred feminine

  • Nina and Chandra’s collaboration with chanting and mantras

  • An acapella chant offered from Nina

  • Tara for harmony

  • Tantra and spirituality for the people

  • The 21 praises to Tara

  • Durga, Saraswati, and other feminine deities we can invoke through mantras

  • The eighth Tara as a fierce and invincible embodiment

  • The mara of doubt

“The main purpose of doing this aspect of the 21 Tara’s practice through chanting and more of a kirtan style is to uplift people, just like kirtan does. To bring joy, open people’s heart to the blessings of these Taras and to Devi and to the universal way. And also to help them remember the mantra, because some of them are pretty long they can be a little challenging to remember.” – Chandra Easton

Raghu Markus – Mindrolling – Ep. 528 – The 21 Taras with Nina Rao & Chandra Easton

Melodies Of Chanting And Navigating The Spiritual Landscape | Nina Rao and Radhika Das

“My grandfather's harmonium melodies were the soundtrack of my childhood, carrying the spirit of devotion that would later resonate through my own life's journey. As I sit down with Nina Rao, a celebrated Kirtan leader, her stories echo my experiences, weaving a tapestry of spiritual connection rooted in the vibrant chants of Kirtan. We delve into the essence of communal chanting, finding joy and peace within its harmonies, and discussing how these practices cultivate emotional and spiritual fulfillment. Nina's narrative transports us from the Satsang of her youth to the dynamic Kirtan circles of New York, highlighting the profound impact of community and shared devotion on our paths to inner happiness. Our conversation takes an introspective turn as we navigate the role of women in spiritual practices and the melding of Eastern traditions with Western consciousness. I share my own pilgrimage back to my roots, studying Vedic chanting with a teacher in India, and how this journey illuminated the significance of feminine voices in these sacred spaces. The episode unfolds further insights into the evolution of bhakti and kirtan in the West, the reverence for sacred texts, and the shifting perceptions of spirituality and the Divine in our modern society. We are humbled by the legacy of those who have cleared the way for us, acknowledging the profound gratitude for the spiritual inheritance that enriches our lives today. Finally, we embrace the transformative power of daily spiritual rituals, discussing how they enhance compassion, foster an enlightened mind, and contribute to a holistic sense of well-being.”

GoOD Friends w/ Nina Rao and Curly Nikki - The Power of Mantra, the Real Meaning of Ram, and the Hanuman Chalisa

"I'm here because I followed the path of practice that my Guru laid out for me." - Nina Rao
In this chat she shares about her Guru, Sri Siddhi Ma, her powerful and anchoring experiences on the pathless path, the real meaning of the Ram mantra, and the importance of service and constant God remembrance. She leads us in to Presence by chanting Sri Ram Jai Ram and the Hanuman Chalisa.
Show notes:
Vinayaka Always (the track featuring her grandfather) (Antarayaami - Knower of All Hearts, 2013)
Sri Siddhi Ma: The Story of Neem Karoli Baba's Spiritual Legacy
Nikki's favorite kirtan w/ Nina - Sri Ram Kirtan Sadhana
Flow of Grace (book by Krishna Das about Hanuman Chalisa)
Hanuman Chalisa in English (PDF)
Chant the Hanuman Chalisa w/ Nina - Free Course
Learn the Hanuman Chalisa w/ Nina via Insight Timer

*To claim your free gift, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, screenshot it and send it to me at nikki@curlynikki.com!

Waiting For Grace with Nina Rao Finding Harmony Podcast

It is with great pleasure that we introduce our esteemed and most honorable guest: the beautiful, humble, and one might say, divinely inspired human, Nina Rao!
What Nina enchants us with is an opportunity to reflect more deeply on what it means to cultivate a spiritual practice.
And, the shadow side, which is to examine just how often we fail at this noble endeavor. As she reminds us, this too is OK -- even part of the path. We all have families, obligations, children, and the whole point is that we keep trying to do better every day. Even when we can’t always be at our best.We also had a wondrous opportunity to talk about cultural appropriation and our earnest efforts to have an authentic experience in a post modernist world of self construction.
For those of us not born into a specific lineage, we have the gift and freedom to resonate and choose different spiritual paths and practices.
However, there is something to be said about digging a single well and going deep. Discovering what insight lays buried within the repetition. True learning. And, in the end, we touch something beyond this behavioral reality — we begin to transcend our ego-selves
As Neem Karoli Baba (Maharaji) said, “Go on chanting your false “Ram, Ram” some day you’ll get it right.” And, perhaps you’ll also find yourself running across the lake after your guru seeking to get the pronunciation exactly correct as you embark on your chosen path to enlightenment.
Spiritual practice is something that’s continually evolving as we grow and change as ‘spiritual beings having a human experience.’ And it's our birthright -- It's our dharma!
(A side note: The movie referenced in the beginning of our conversation was For the Benefit of All Beings.)

Also available on Spotify: