The Gift of Rumi: Experiencing the Wisdom of the Sufi Master (St. Martin’s Press, 2022), written by Dr. Emily Jane O’Dell was published by St. Martin’s Press in 2022. In this rich and insightful book, Dr. O’Dell takes us through her own spiritual and physical travels, as well as gives us historical and Islamic mystic context to help us understand and cherish ... Show More
Oct 6
The Perils of Tantra, with Susannah Deane
Today, host Prof. Pierce Salguero sits down with Susannah Deane, a scholar of Tibetan medicine, Buddhism, and psychiatry. Together, we delve into her work on Tibetan concepts of "wind disorders" and Tantric practice gone wrong. Along the way, we talk about losing control of spiri ... Show More
57m 11s
Sep 7
Christopher Willard et al., "College Mental Health 101: A Guide for Students, Parents, and Professionals" (Oxford UP, 2025)
With a growing number of students entering college with an existing mental health diagnosis, College Mental Health 101: A Guide for Students, Parents, and Professionals (Oxford UP, 2025) offers hope and clear direction to those struggling with mental illness. There is an undeniab ... Show More
43m 26s
Sep 7
Michel-Yves Bollore and Olivier Bonnassies, "God, the Science, the Evidence" (Palomar, 2025)
For more than four centuries, the scientific discoveries of Copernicus, Galileo, Darwin, and Freud created the impression that we could explain the workings of the Universe without the idea of a creator--God. By the beginning of the twentieth century, materialism had become the d ... Show More
43m 54s
Oct 2024
#062: Murāqaba: The Art of Islamic Meditation w/ Adeyinka Mendes
In this episode, we discuss the Islamic meditation practice of Murāqaba with our long-time friend and teacher Adeyinka Mendes.
Path & Present is a long form conversation hosted by poet, emcee, and teaching-artist Baraka Blue with friends and guests including artists, musicians, a ... Show More
1h 15m
Sep 2024
al-Hallaj: Mystic Martyr of Sufism
We explore the life and profound teachings of Husayn Ibn Mansur al-Hallaj, the 9th-century Sufi mystic known for his controversial declaration, “Ana al-Haqq” (I am the Truth) & the factors which led to his martyrdom. In this video, we delve into al-Hallaj’s spiritual journey, his ... Show More
56m 53s
Jun 2025
Ep. 37 – The Path of Love, Harmony & Beauty
Illuminating Hazrat Inayat Khan’s teachings on radical love, Omid Safi leads listeners down the Sufi path of love, harmony, and beauty.Today’s podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best sel ... Show More
1h 13m
Jan 2025
Science, Mysticism and Islamic Reform with Dr Arash Naraghi | Ep. 1
In this thought-provoking first episode of the 'Islam and Contemporary Challenges' series, Syed Arman Kazmi sits down with Dr Arash Naraghi, a Professor of Philosophy and Global Religion at Moravian University, to explore the nuanced relationship between science, mysticism, and I ... Show More
1h 8m
Aug 2020
#054: Awakening in the Dream: Ibn Arabi, Virtual Reality & Ultimate Reality w/ Oludamini Ogunnaike
Oludamini Ogunnaike holds a PhD in African Studies and the Study of Religion from Harvard University, and is Assistant Professor of African Religious Thought at the University of Virginia.
Oludamini Ogunnaike is a scholar of African, Islamic, and Religious Studies, with a focus o ... Show More
1h 36m
Jul 2024
Philosophical Sufism in the Sokoto Caliphate: Two Poems of Shaykh Dan Tafa
Oludamini Ogunnaike is an assistant professor of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia. He teaches courses on African and African Diasporic Religions as well as Islam, Islamic Philosophy, Spirituality, and Art. He holds a PhD in African Studies and the Study of Religion ... Show More
23m 20s
Feb 2024
Merin Shobhana Xavier, "The Dervishes of the North: Rumi, Whirling, and the Making of Sufism in Canada" (U Toronto Press, 2023)
The thirteenth-century Muslim mystic and poet Jalal al-Din Rumi (1207–1273) is a popular spiritual icon. His legacy is sustained within the mystical and religious practice of Sufism, particularly through renditions of his poetry, music, and the meditation practice of whirling. In ... Show More
1h 3m
Jun 2019
#042: Jesus in Sufism: Ibn 'Arabi, Creativity & the Christic Archetype w/ Ali Hussain
Dr. Ali Hussain obtained his doctoral degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Michigan, Department of Middle Eastern Studies. His research focuses on the image of Jesus Christ in the writings of Sufi mystics, specifically Muhyi al-Din Ibn al-'Arabi (d. 1240).
He is also ... Show More
1h 41m