What a pleasure it was having Raghunath on the show - SO insightful. He has the ability to really simplify the complicated. Here is the story, from Raghunath: I’ve been on such a spiritual quest in this life! From my teens I started a punk/hardcore band called Youth of Today, which championed the principles of clean living, vegetarian diet, and self-control. By the time I was 21, my band had tens of thousands of fans around the world. I was shocked. I started Revelation Records, an indy record label with my high school buddy and signed 20 bands with a similar beliefs and ethics. As exciting as this was, there was a growing void in my heart I knew only Spirit could fill. I got into spirituality, metaphysics, and mysticism; eagerly consuming spiritual classics, my hunger only increased. This eventually manifested as strong desire to go deeper. I split and quit the band. Gave the label to my partner. The teachings of India drove me East and at age 22, I ended up on an ashram floor in the holy village of Vrindavan. That was 1988 — and one of the best choices I made in my life. India before cell phones and satellite TV, what to speak of the internet, was an exotic land. I got to refine and dive deep into my yoga practice, my study of sacred literature and ritual, learn kirtan, cooking, mantra meditation and living simply with nothing except a few robes on my body. I was blessed with integrity-driven teachers who understood the essence of spiritual life. In 1991 I received the name Raghunath (formally Ray Cappo), representing initiation into lineage and a rebirth. I travelled to ashrams all over the world and the holy places of India, and I simply fell in love with the rich spiritual culture. I remained a monk in an ashram for six and a half years and now, many years later, teach how to incorporate everything I learned into everyday life. Basically how to get the spiritual high without leaving the world behind (or in some cases leaving it). Guess what? This stuff works whether you’re a householder or a monk. Presently I’m the opposite of a monk. I’m married with 5 kids. I co-founded Supersoul Yoga and Farm with my wife, a school in the countryside in upstate NY, where I lead yoga teacher trainings. Every year I lead sold-out pilgrimages to my favorite cities & villages around India and share all that I know of these places that I love. In the mood of a pilgrim, I and teach others how to enter these sacred vortexes, that they may receive an unforgettable transcendent experience. Since 2016, every January I lead a game-changing training in India with an ever expanding curriculum. We started with a 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training which we’ve been refining to be a life changing experience. We teach the sweet culture of yoga which includes not just advanced yoga and pranayama, but sacred literature, kirtan study, Ayurveda for yoga teachers, Ayurvedic cooking, and yoga nidra. Last year we added an entire second training dedicated exclusively to the study of kirtan. Occasionally I get asked to do a reunion with my band which, when on stage, I realize is extension of everything I speak of today. I’m praying that I can give my students all the life-altering truths of the yoga system that I have learned from my gracious teachers. Forever Student is hosted by Stephan Muller and brought to you by the audiophiles at Dukkan Media.