Unscripted, exploratory, and refreshingly honest, the Free Radical Podcast invites listeners into real conversations that bridge spirituality and everyday life. With a mix of insight, humor, and heartfelt questioning, Swami Padmanabha and his guests explore what it means to live with depth, courage, and sacred curiosity.
Airing 10 am (edt)
1st and 3rd Wednesdays
of each month on YouTube

The Free Radical Podcast is a creative encounter among like-minded and like-hearted spirits, regardless of their background or affiliation—or even non-affiliation. Following the call of our 21st Century spirituality, we embrace a trans-institutional commitment to spirituality rather than an institutionalized version of it. It is not so much about the demarkation of buildings but the exploration of hearts, not so much about fitting in but about deeply belonging—not so much about mere holiness but about wholeness as well. And it is the freedom born in the fire of these shared hearts who deeply belong to a process of becoming fully whole, fully persons, that creates the sacred space to step into new ways of being, deeper ways of being, radical—to the core—ways of being….and being what?….Being fully integrated individuals, whose humanity contextualizes their spirituality.Swami Padmanabha is an author, monk, and spiritual mentor who has just published his second book, called “Radical Personalism: Revival Manifesto for Proactive Devotion.”
The format of the podcast is not an interview as much as spontaneous exploration in dialogue, encouraging a multi-trait interdisciplinary method of approaching how we understand something—of looking at it from different angles and perspectives. We don’t expect to agree on everything with each person, but we do expect to use our differences as a way to approach each other, rather than an excuse for further distancing. The time has come to let down the draw bridges and learn how to deeply relate with ourselves, each other, and the world in meaningful ways. This experience of mutual enlightenment can be also called “Collective Introspection.” This joint reflection is probably “the highest form of worship and communion. Restricted to the individual, this power of reflection remains limited and rudimentary. It is only in connection to kindred spirits that we can discover our own depth and wholeness. In other words, the deepest form of reflection can be developed only in communion with others. It is essentially a social phenomenon.” (excerpt from Radical Personalism: Revival Manifesto for Proactive Devotion”).
The Free Radical Podcast attempts to invoke sacred space and sacred conversation through deep expressive exchanges with like-minded souls with whom we share one same purpose in mind and heart, that purpose being to align our lives with the loving will of the Sweet Absolute, and to compassionately point to those things that need to be addressed for that miracle to continue happening in each of us.
Please join the conversation. It won’t be the same without you.
We are delighted to welcome to the The Free Radical Podcast renowned musician, author, and spiritual seeker Havi Prabhu—also known by his artistic name Ilan Chester.
Widely regarded as one of the most influential voices in contemporary Spanish-language music, Havi’s life and work span more than four decades of international artistry. Born in Israel to European parents and raised in Venezuela, his musical world was formed at the crossroads of cultures. A gifted pianist from early childhood, he developed a deeply expressive and stylistically open musical language that has resonated across genres and generations. With nearly 30 albums, hundreds of performances worldwide, a Latin Grammy Award, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Recording Academy, his artistic legacy is both prolific and enduring.
Alongside his musical journey, Havi has also walked a profound spiritual path. Initiated in 1973 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and given the name Havi Das, he spent five years living as a monk dedicated to bhakti yoga, serving and teaching in Venezuela and Colombia. Today, he continues to embody a life woven together through music, devotion, and lived experience—now also as a father of seven and grandfather of eight.
In this deeply human and wide-ranging conversation, we explore music, kirtan, prayer, community, and the healing power of being truly seen and affirmed. We reflect on fame and how to hold it with integrity, the lived experience of spiritual practice, and the formative encounters with Srila Prabhupada that shaped Havi’s journey. At its heart, this dialogue opens a space for honest reflection on trauma, creativity, devotion, and the search for wholeness through relationship and expression.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOtq82rYPnk
👉 Connect Further with Havi
IG: h / ilanchesteroficial
YT: / @ilanchester6784
FB: / ilan.chester.2025
WWW: https://ilanchesteroficial.com/
▶ CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION: Gaudiya Reform Forum on Facebook .
~ Swami Padmanabha’s Channels
▶ YOUTUBE
▶ WEBSITE
▶ PURCHASE RADICAL PERSONALISM: Revival Manifesto for Proactive Devotion in hardcover, paperback, and/or Kindle formats on Amazon
▶ WRITE your REVIEW of RADICAL PERSONALISM
~ Tadatmya Sangha’s Channels
▶ WEBSITE
▶ YOUTUBE

WHEN MUSIC BECOMES PRAYER | Free Radical Podcast ep72 | Havi (Ilan Chester) - 6/17/26
SOUL FRIENDSHIP & THE CONTEMPLATIVE PATH | Free Radical Podcast ep71 | Carl McColman 6/3/26
RESPONSE-ABILITY & THE ARCHITECTURE OF SAFETY | Free Radical Podcast #70 | Madhava - 5/20/26
DRUMMING FOR THE LOVE OF GOD | Free Radical Podcast #69 | Fr. Hyacinth Cordell 5/6/26
THE SOUND OF A LIFE | Free Radical Podcast #68 | Gaura Vani | 4/15/26
POETRY, PRAISE & THE ALCHEMY OF GRIEF | Free Radical Podcast #67 | Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer 4/1/26
The Feminine Heart of Love | Free Radical Podcast #66 | Bhakti Lalita Devi 3/18/26
Awakening From the Mechanical Self | Free Radical Podcast #65 | Theodore Nottingham 3/4/26
Poets, Protest & the Power of Sacred Song | Free Radical Podcast 64 | Bali Rico - 2/18/26