In this episode Barbara shares some amazing stories and dives into how she was initially drawn toward spirituality and art throughout her life. We spoke about her journey becoming an art historian and her move to NYC where she became a well known gallerist and art dealer. We spoke about her experiences with spiritual giants like Maharishi Mahesh Yogi,  Swami Satchidananda, and Yogi Bhajan.  We also dialogue about the current shift in the art world, the reasons why spirituality might have been taboo in the past, along with  the potential the spiritual in art holds for our collective future.  Barbara has so much wisdom and insight to share around these subjects and I know you all are going to absolutely love this episode!!  ------------------------ Barbara Braathen is an art historian, curator, dealer and writer.  She had galleries in New York from 1980-2005, programming an eclectic mix of contemporary styles and media.  Exhibitions included graffiti personality Rammellzee, language artist Guy de Cointet, abstract painter Joan Waltemath, sculptor Donald Lipski, Surrealist legend Charles Henri Ford, spiritual expressionist Hunt Slonem,  magic painter Peter Grass, mystic John Wells, plus tombstone rubbings by the infamous Scott Covert, paintings and sculpture of the actor Fred Gwynne, a group show "Surrealismo" co-curated with "The Godfather of Gallerists" Leo Castelli, a collaboration with the French Embassy, Richard Osterweil paintings of the Romanov family at the Russian Embassy on New York's upper east side, as well as readings in the gallery by poet laureate John Ashbery,.  Group exhibitions included works by Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray, Jean Cocteau, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and many others.  Barbara Braathen Gallery was reviewed in Artforum, Artnews, Art in America, Flash Art, The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, and a host of other publications.  She holds a PhDC in modern art history from UCLA. Interest in spiritual subjects began while a college student in the 1960s.  Experiences in Los Angeles included close interfacing with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Swami Satchidananda, Yogi Bhajan who brought Kundalini yoga to the west, and innumerable other spiritual leaders.  She as well participated in study groups with a close circle, the principle readings being in Theosophy (Blavatsky, Besant, Leadbetter), plus Cayce, Gurdjieff, and Hindu and Buddhist writings.  She has experienced several miraculous healings.  Current studies include the anthroposophical teachings of Rudolf Steiner.  She is on the Board of Directors of Spring River School, a Waldorf-inspired outdoor school in Jacksonville Florida where she currently resides. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Braathen https://nyweekly.com/?s=Barbara+braathen https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/art-theatre/barbara-braathen-an-aesthete-in-the-art-industry https://www.laprogressive.com/sponsored/barbara-braathen See More from Martin Benson *To stay up on releases and content surrounding the show check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠my instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ *To contribute to the creation of this show, along with access to other exclusive content, consider joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠! Credits: Big Thanks to Matthew Blankenship of ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Sometimes Island ⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the podcast theme music! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/martin-l-benson/support