#266 Spirituality in Healthcare: What Dying People Taught Me About Being Alive | With Dr. Vignesh Devraj MD (Ay) and Kenneth Nacario Lee

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BALANCING THE MIGHTY VATA - ONLINE COURSE NOW AVAILABLE

What makes Ayurveda unique in its treatment approach is its practical wisdom on the concept of Vata. Vata is responsible for Prana - the life energy, the nervous system - the master panel of our body, and our emotions. In Ayurveda, it is mentioned that controlling Vata is the most difficult part of healing and recovery. Recently, I recorded a workshop on Balancing The Mighty Vata, with over 6 hrs of content and notes filled with practical insights that can be integrated into our lives.

You can access this at: https://vigneshdevraj.com/balancing-the-mighty-vata/

For further information about Dr. Vignesh Devraj, kindly visit www.vigneshdevraj.com and www.sitaramretreat.com

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In this deeply reflective conversation with a hospice chaplain, Ken shares insights from years of providing spiritual care in moments of life, suffering, and death. He explains how spiritual health is increasingly recognized as an essential dimension of wellbeing, alongside physical, mental, and emotional health. The discussion explores how chaplains support people across faiths, what happens psychologically and spiritually when someone approaches death, and why simply being present with someone in suffering can be the most powerful form of care.

Drawing from bhakti traditions, Ken explains how devotion is rooted not in fear of God, but in love and relationship. Dr. Vignesh reflects on how religion can sometimes create guilt and rigid pathways, while spirituality often offers freedom and agency. Ultimately, the conversation arrives at a deeper question: beyond labels like religion or spirituality, what truly matters?

Timestamps

00:00 - 05:00: Chaplain and Spiritual Health

05:00 - 13:00: The “ministry of presence.”

13:00 - 15:30: Consistency in spiritual care

15:30 - 17:00: Caring for caregivers

17:00 - 27:00: How to Approach Death

27:00 - 51:30: Spiritual Transformation and Misunderstood Religions

51:30 - 54:00: The deeper question: presence over labels

About Kenneth Nacario Lee

Kenneth Nacario Lee (Kula Pradipa Das) is currently a chaplain at Stanford. He received his chaplaincy training at University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. Kenneth was introduced to Eastern wisdom texts at a young age, leading to a period of monastic training and later studies in psychology and religion at Rutgers University.

About Dr Vignesh Devraj

Dr Vignesh Devraj is a fourth-generation Ayurvedic physician and the founder of Sitaram Retreat, Kerala, a space for authentic healing. He is a committed practitioner and researcher of Panchakarma.

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