529. Mirabai Starr, 2nd Interview

Mirabai Starr writes creative non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature. She taught Philosophy and World Religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos for 20 years and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialog. A certified bereavement counselor, Mirabai helps mourners harness the transformational power of loss. She has received critical acclaim for her revolutionary new translations of the mystics:

• John of the Cross – Saint John of the Cross: Devotion, Prayers & Living Wisdom
• Teresa of Avila – The Interior Castle, and
• Julian of Norwich – The Showings of Julian of Norwich: A New Translation

She is the award-winning author of:

• God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam,
• Caravan of No Despair: A Memoir of Loss and Transformation, and
• Mother of God Similar to Fire, a collaboration with iconographer, William Hart McNichols.
• Her latest book, Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics, was published in Spring 2019.

She lives with her extended family in the mountains of northern New Mexico.

Website: mirabaistarr.com

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview

First BatGap interview with Mirabai.

Interview recorded October 28, 2019

YouTube Video Chapters:

• 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
• 00:03:28 – Suppression of Women Mystics and the Rebalancing of Power
• 00:07:10 – The Burial of Feminine Wisdom in Religion
• 00:10:57 – The Dark Night of the Soul and Feminine Mysticism
• 00:14:34 – The Blend of Mysticism and Activism
• 00:18:39 – Finding Solace in Not Knowing
• 00:22:38 – Teresa’s Second Conversion Experience
• 00:25:56 – The Gaze of Unconditional Love
• 00:29:17 – The Power of Spiritual Friendship
• 00:31:49 – Mystics and Wisdom Beings
• 00:34:32 – Non-duality and Surrender
• 00:37:00 – Dissolving into Sweetness
• 00:40:01 – Feminine Wisdom: Love and Embodiment in Spirituality
• 00:43:09 – Harmonizing Devotion and Non-Duality
• 00:45:24 – Devotion and Non-Dual Consciousness
• 00:48:40 – Mirabai: A 16th century woman mystic
• 00:50:44 – Krishna’s Love and Protection
• 00:53:10 – The Life of Mirabai
• 00:55:56 – The Birth of Mirabai and Spiritual Awakening
• 00:58:46 – An Encounter with Anandamayi Ma
• 01:01:29 – Ram Dass and Anandamayi Ma
• 01:03:42 – Embracing Our True Selves
• 01:06:18 – Redefining Masculine Dominance and the Rise of the Divine Feminine
• 01:09:17 – The Reclamation of Mother Earth
• 01:12:36 – The Power of the Feminine
• 01:14:35 – The Dark Side of the Feminine
• 01:17:02 – Dropping into the Fierce Feminine
• 01:20:07 – Multiple Spiritual Belonging
• 01:22:25 – Women Mystics: Sharing Stories of Awakening and Service
• 01:25:13 – Finding Divinity in Everything
• 01:27:10 – End of Video