Stephen Cope is the Scholar Emeritus at the renowned Kripalu Center in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. He is the author of many best-selling books on the topic of yoga and meditation. For over thirty years, his interest has been in bringing important but esoteric yoga scriptures to the mainstream, including, most recently, the two-thousand-year-old spiritual classic called The Bhagavad Gita, or “The Song of God.” His new book on The Gita, entitled The Dharma of Difficult Times, will be released later this year.
Books:
- The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling (Discussed in this interview)
- Yoga and the Quest for the True Self
- The Wisdom of Yoga: A Seeker’s Guide to Extraordinary Living
- Deep Human Connection: Why We Need It More than Anything Else
Website: stephencope.com
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.
Summary and transcript of this interview.
Interview recorded May 29, 2021
YouTube Video Chapters:
- 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
- 00:04:14 – The Definition of Dharma and Its Connection with the Common Good
- 00:07:48 – The concept of dharma and its impact on individuals, families, and society
- 00:11:13 – Higher Beings and Our Relationship with Them
- 00:14:48 – Discovering the Dharma
- 00:18:11 – The Importance of Underrating Oneself
- 00:21:42 – Everything is Already Okay
- 00:25:04 – The Effects of Meditation on Young Musicians
- 00:28:37 – The Contemplative Tradition’s View on Mastery
- 00:31:55 – Finding Your Dharma
- 00:35:14 – Finding Your Duty
- 00:38:40 – Finding Fulfillment in Your Dharma
- 00:42:21 – Finding the Open Door
- 00:45:57 – Fulfilling your Dharma and making a significant impact
- 00:49:16 – Listening for the Call of the Times
- 00:53:05 – Beethoven’s Dedication to his Gift
- 00:56:43 – The Practice of Letting Go
- 01:00:17 – The Self’s behavior and suffering leading to enlightenment
- 01:03:46 – Gandhi’s View on Violence and War
- 01:07:17 – Exceptions to Oppression
- 01:10:40 – Living Unknown
- 01:14:22 – The Mystery of Sacrifice and Dharma
- 01:17:43 – The Period of Certitude and Doubt
- 01:20:59 – The Conflict of the Heart and Mind
- 01:24:33 – All is Brahman
- 01:27:54 – The Power of Taking Risks and Committing
- 01:31:17 – Support from Higher Intelligence
- 01:35:00 – The Fruition and Importance of Ethical Practice
- 01:38:12 – Finding Fulfillment through Balance and Wisdom
- 01:41:37 – The Impact of Concentration Levels on Book Publishing
- 01:45:12 – Schedule Change: Lawrence Freeman – Work with the Dalai Lama
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