This episode concludes our reading of Chapter Five of Abhinavagupta's Tantrasāra. Here, we learn about The Rite of the Phonemes, or varṇa-uccāra (also known as varṇa-vidhi) in Sanskrit, exploring teachings on two of the most significant bīja mantras of the Trika lineage, the seed syllables of dissolution and creation. These mantras are uniquely powerful by virtue of their inherent vibrational potency which doesn’t require their conceptual understanding. They are divinely revealed vibrations,...

This week’s episode features an archival conversation with Ben Joffe and Katherine Bennett, exploring what it means to practice tantrik sādhanā in today’s world. We share personal stories about our journey as scholar-practitioners, discussing how to balance academic rigor with spiritual practice, and how to integrate philosophical study with lived experience. The conversation touches on the critical role of initiation in tantrik traditions, the importance of having a guru, and how these...

In this solo episode, we talk about one of the most fundamental aspects of tantric practice which is the alignment of view, practice, and goal in the non-dual Shaiva Tantra tradition. Our practice must be empowered by a view of reality that aligns with our ultimate goal, because without this alignment, even the most diligent practice may not lead to the desired outcome. Traditionally, the threefold goal of tantric practic is awakening (bodha), liberation (mokṣa or mukti), and enjoyment...

In this week's episode, we welcome Dr. Shamil Chandaria, a philanthropist, entrepreneur, technologist, and academic with interdisciplinary research interests spanning computational neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and the philosophy and science of human wellbeing. His PhD from the London School of Economics focused on the mathematical modeling of economic systems, and he later earned an MA in philosophy from University College London. Here, he developed an interest in the philosophy of...

In this episode, I was interviewed by Ralph Cree for his "Evolving Spiritual Practice” podcast. Ralph, a seasoned traveler with extensive studies in Central Asian and ancient Indian religions as well as the world’s shamanic traditions, also has a profound interest in psychedelics and entheogens. Our conversation explores the core themes of my latest book, "Near Enemies of the Truth," addressing spiritual misconceptions in contemporary culture and the nuanced truths they often obscure. This...

In this episode, we continue with the scriptural reading from Abhinavagupta's "Tantrasāra," specifically with the second part of Chapter Five, titled "Illumination of the Individual/Embodied Method (ānava-upāya)." Here the focus is on the practice of prāṇa-uccāra, the elevation of the life-force.  In this chapter, Abhinavagupta presents some esoteric teachings in the form of homologies, associations, between the five prāṇa-vāyus, the five cakras, the five (or six) stages of bliss, and the...

This week's episode features Dr. Ruben Laukkonen, an accomplished researcher in meditation and altered states of consciousness. With a PhD on insight experiences from the University of Queensland and postdoctoral work on the neuroscience of meditation at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Ruben now serves as an assistant professor at Southern Cross University. His research investigates some of the rarest states of consciousness available to human beings, utilizing methods like neuroimaging and...

This week's episode revisits a conversation with Adam Keen from the Keen on Yoga podcast. Originally recorded in mid-2023, this discussion offers a personal glimpse into my journey, complemented by rapid-fire questions about Classical Tantra, neo-tantra, and hatha yoga, among other topics. We delve into the nuances of the Yoga Sutras, reincarnation, the process of digesting experiences for resolution, and connecting to the subtle body during yoga asana practice. It’s a comprehensive chat that...

This week's episode features a conversation with Josh Schrei, a writer, teacher, and lifelong student of cosmologies and mythologies, particularly those from the Indian subcontinent. Throughout his life, Josh has explored the animate spaces of the imagination through teaching, meditation, yogic practice, wilderness immersion, art, music, and public speaking. He is the founder of The Emerald podcast, which hosts interviews with award-winning authors and luminaries, exploring human experiences...

This week's episode is a meditation practice in which we focus on fully feeling all the subtle sensations in our body, from the pelvic floor to the crown of the head. Beginning from a place of grounded awareness in the body, we are invited to explore the physical and energetic realms of our being. The practice gradually moves through our energy centers emphasizing direct experience over visualization, with the aim to be fully present with emotions and their associated sensations.  This...

This week’s episode features an archival interview with Amisha Ghadiali, founder of a conscious jewelry brand, speaker, author, and facilitator. Her podcast, All That We Are (formerly known as The Future is Beautiful), explores the intersections of activism, the sacred, creativity, and regeneration—spaces where our inner and outer worlds dance. From healing trauma to connecting with nature, embracing new technologies, and rediscovering ancient wisdom, the aim is to move beyond silos into an...

This week’s episode is a scriptural reading from the Spanda-kārikā, or the Stanzas on Divine Pulsation, by the great 9th-century tantrik master Kallaṭa from Kashmir. The Spanda-kārikā is a foundational text of Kashmir Shaivism or nondual Shaiva Tantra, and it explores the dynamic nature of consciousness and how we can access it to live an awakened and liberated life. This episode presents a straightforward translation of the scripture, allowing the teachings to simmer in you on a deeper level...

This week's episode features a conversation with Artur Appazov, a Stanford graduate international criminal lawyer who experienced a really profound shift during one of our immersion programs. The shift led to a year and a half of intensive integration practice to stabilize, ground, and fully integrate his realization. Artur shares his journey, detailing how the awakening process initially unfolded within him and his current perception of self and reality. He discusses how nondual inquiry, the...

This episode features a scriptural reading from Chapter Five of Abhinavagupta's "Tantrasāra," The Essence of Tantra. In this chapter, titled “Illumination of the Individual/Embodied Method (ānava-upāya),” we receive specific practices that you can incorporate into your daily practice sessions. These practices engage the body-mind through imagination (buddhi) with powerful meditative visualization (dhyāna), movement of vital energy (prāṇa) in both subtle and less subtle forms, specific bodily...

This week’s episode features an archival interview by Ashton Szabo, dedicated yogi and co-founder of The Alchemy Yoga Center in Bali. The interview was recorded just before the release of The Recognition Sutras. It centers around this 11th-century tantric text, the Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya, which means “The Essence of the Recognition Philosophy”—recognition, that is, of oneself as a direct expression of the universal divine Consciousness. Recognition also that this Consciousness is, in truth, all...

This week's solo episode clearly and precisely explains the energy body, or subtle body (sūkṣma-śarīra), as understood in Classical Tantra—the tradition that originated these terms. I share precise definitions of terms such as nādī (energy channels), chakra (energy centers), and bindu (essence point), while addressing some of the most widely held myths and misunderstandings related to these concepts. We explore the notion that the energy body is synonymous with the psyche or mental-emotional...

This week's episode features a conversation with Chandra Easton, also known as Lopön Yeshe Dawa Zangmo, a Dharma teacher, author, and translator of Tibetan Buddhist texts. Since 2001, she has taught Buddhism and Hatha Yoga. In 2015, she was awarded the title of Vajra Teacher, Dorje Lopön (Vajrāchārya), signifying a tantric master in Vajrayana Buddhist traditions, by Lama Tsultrim Allione and H.E. Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche. She regularly leads retreats and teaches Dharma both nationally...

This episode concludes our reading of Chapter Four of Abhinavagupta's "Tantrasāra," which we started reading in Episode 16. This part of the śākta-upāya or “Illumination of the Empowered Method” is particularly esoteric, presenting some of the most significant and traditionally secretive teachings of the non-dual Shaiva Tantra tradition. Abhinavagupta explores the various names and aspects of the ultimate principle of reality, described as both transcendent and immanent. He also introduces...

In this episode, recorded in March 2023 for the  Deconstructing Yourself podcast hosted by Michael Taft, we look at the similarities and differences between Tantrik Shaivism, Tantrik Buddhism, and Vedanta. Alongside Michael - spiritual teacher, bestselling author of "The Mindful Geek" and co-founder of  The Alembic  in Berkeley - we debunk a few myths and misconceptions about these spiritual paths. The discussion then leads us to some of the most unique and key teachings of non-dual tantra,...

This episode offers another guided meditation foundational to the Tantrik path, inviting us to explore the sacred cave of the heart. In this traditional meditation, we guide the center of consciousness or selfhood—often felt in the head or between the eyes—to descend to the mysterious and quiet region at the heart's base. Here, we can immerse ourselves in the stillness and silence within, experiencing a subtle, radiant presence felt as a point of pure, sparkling light deep within, our...

This episode is a conversation with Hameed Ali, who publishes under the name of A.H. Almaas. Hameed is founder of The Diamond Approach to Self-Realization, a contemporary teaching that developed within the context of both ancient spiritual teachings and modern depth psychology theories. He has authored 18 books about spirituality and realization, including the Diamond Heart series, The Pearl Beyond Price, and his new book NonDual Love. Almaas discusses his journey from physics to psychology,...

This episode is a scriptural reading and continues our exploration of  Abhinavagupta's "Tantrasāra," focusing on Chapter Four, entitled “Illumination of the Empowered Method (śākta-upāya)”. The text is a magnificent description of the śākta-upāyas, the contemplative process that can refine one’s understanding of reality, ultimately leading to the experiential realization of one's true nature. The ‘empowered’ methods through which ignorance is dissolved are discernment (sat-tarka), teachings...

In this episode, we speak with Dr Ben Williams, an intellectual historian specializing in Indian religions and Shaiva Tantra. His academic focus has primarily been on Abhinavagupta. He holds extensive training in Indian philosophy, literature, and aesthetics, and currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Hinduism at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, where he also leads the newly launched MA in Yoga Studies. His doctoral thesis is on revelation and the figure of the tantric guru in...