For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish

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Mā Kālī and Mother Mary Dec 23, 2023

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At last week’s satsangh we had a wonderful conversation about the Tantrik principles in Christianity: guru paramparā (lineage based transmission), dīksha (initiation rituals), mantra japa (repetition of sacred words), pūjā (ritual worship) and vigraha (the immanent and embodied aspect of God).
In this lecture, I intend to discuss the relations up between Mother Mary and Mā Kālī not just in matters of iconography and history (I.e Sara La Kali/Black Madonna etc.) but also with regards of practice and philosophical principles!
Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday 10am PST and Friday at 6pm PST. There's Q&A right after the lectures.
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815
For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish
To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

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Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815
For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish
To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Tantrik Christianity and The Bhairava Nature of Jesus Christ Dec 14, 2023

Show notes

In this lecture, we discuss “Tantrik Christianity”, that is, elements of Tantra like
1. guruparamparā (lineage based transmission),
2. ritual worship (pūjā)
3. emphasis on mantra repetition (japa)
4. profileration of deities/icons
5. emphasis on direct, personal experience of the Divine
6. the Immanence of God etc.
that are also present in Christianity to make the case that Tantra is a spiritual approach not exclusive to any one cultural but is founded upon universal spiritual principles that are equally present in every tradition! I also want to point out how Jesus Christ as an Incarntion is murti/vigraha, the Tantrik term for the embodied, immanent aspect of the Transcendent Divine which can be used as a doorway to the Absolute, who is in-and-of-itsef, that same Absolute manifest.
Since December is a time when in our community we turn or fervor towards Shakti in the form of Christ and Mother Mary, I pray this lecture will delight you!
Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday 10am PST and Friday at 6pm PST. There's Q&A right after the lectures.
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815
For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish
To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM
OM Tat Sat

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Mā Kālī in Other Cultures Dec 12, 2023

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In this lecture, we take a comparative look at the Divine Feminine as it is worshipped in the Mesopotamian, Aztec, Spanish, Celtic, Gaelic and Hellenistic cultures to show that Mā Kālī is not confined to any one culture or religion. Though Her worship and veneration is perhaps most articulated and most visibly extant in Hinduism, She is indeed the Primordial Power that was worshipped by all peoples in all places as perhaps the first religious intuition/revelation of the human race in all its diverse civilizations.
Before we make these anthropological points though, we will first feel into Mā Kālī’s non dual aspect as Pure Consciousness, the Formless Brahman who certain transcends all name and form what to say culture and creed! Upon this philosophical basis of Kālī as non dual consciousness (supported by a few verses from the Chandi), we will make the case that Kālī is more than a Goddess in a pantheon; She is the One Reality, Consciousness-Bliss, who alone exists and who is worshipped by all people!
Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday 10am PST and Friday at 6pm PST. There's Q&A right after the lectures.
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815
For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish
To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

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Ramprasad Sen, Mā Kālī's Mystic Poet Dec 08, 2023

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Last month, we celebrated my favorite time of the year, Kālī Pūjā!
The pūjā itself was on Sunday the 12th of November, the new moon night but on the Friday just before I couldn't at all contain my excitement and felt inspired to do a special class on Ramprasad, the great mystic and saint of Mother Kālī.
His story is a truly remarkable tale of the highest devotion, of the most reckless absorption, of the most unparalleled intoxication in Mā, replete with wonderful legends of mystical visions and encounters with the Goddess in myriad forms. No wonder Sri Ramakrishna loved his songs so much, perhaps more than any other poet-saint. In many ways, to understand Ramprasad is to get a glimpse into Ramakrishna, because the two were so alike!
So please do come to this class and learn about this Kālī mystic!
Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday 10am PST and Friday at 6pm PST. There's Q&A right after the lectures.
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815
For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish
To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

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How To Be A Shakta 101 Nov 27, 2023

Show notes

We start our evening's Q&A with some book recommendations for the study and practice of Tantrik Shaktism, that is, devotion to the Divine Mother. (00:00-07:00)
Then we discuss some precautions around the Devī Māhātmyam sādhanā with regards to "fierce grace" with an excursus on the Power of Mantra/the Power of the Written Word. (07:00-16:00)
But to soften that, we then talk about Mā's non-dual nature as ultimately compassionate, even towards supposed "demons"! At 19:00 we discuss the importance of Guru and Lineage in Tantrik practice.
At 20:36 we talk about a "doxographic hierarchy": Samkhya then Advaita Vedanta then Non-Dual Shaiva Tantra which might roughly correspond to Sri Ramakrishna's "ajnana (ignorance)" to "jnana"(knowledge) to "vijnana". In the course of this discussion (20:36- 37:00) we talk about some of the risks and dangers that can come from improper sequencing of philosophy and practice (i.e narcissism, hedonism, complacency etc.) and how we might guard against that.
At 28:00 minutes we discuss the attitude of Mathura Bhava, "god as my Lover" in the context of Shaivism and then at 30:00 I argue against that in favor of the parivatsalya bhava, the attitude of "god is my Mother" with an emphasis on strong, demand, self-assured devotion as opposed to a self-effacing devotion. This discussion is particularly valuable since devotion is at the heart of this community's approach to spiritual life.
At 37:00, we reflect on the seeming paradox of how the Mother of the Universe (signifying mind-blowing transcendence and abstraction) can be my very own mother (in a very real, immediate and immanent sense). How to reconcile God's grandeur against Gods immediacy? We talk about Yashoda, Krishna's Mother, Swami Vivekananda and Anuradha Paudwal, the famous sangeet singer to explore various modes of devotion towards the Divine, as possible answers to the aforementioned question, so central to the devotee's life.
At 44:20, we talk about the playful, "little girl" aspect of the Divine Mother before reviewing all the different modes of devotion (handmaid, parent, servant, child, awe/fear etc.) before closing out what I feel was one of our most inspired discussions yet. Thank you for the stimulating conversation Ishānt-ji and thank you Jess Devī for the excellent question!
Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday 10am PST and Friday at 6pm PST. There's Q&A right after the lectures.
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815
For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish
To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

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Mā Kālī's Non Dual Aspect & Tantrik Sādhanās to Attain It Nov 26, 2023

Show notes

After two back-to-back Kālī pūjās and a few all nighters, we plunge into a discussion of Mā Kālī's non-dual aspect, to commemorate the Shyama Kali Puja of 2023. My idea was to explore the role of the ferocious iconography around Mā, a few verses of the Candi indicated Her non-dual nature as Pure Consciousness and some similar iconography and motifs from other world spiritual traditions to present the idea that Mā is more than a Goddess in a pantheon but rather the Principle of Creative Power par excellence, the energy of Consciousness inseparable from Consciousness Herself, that is worshipped all over the world beyond the cultural confines of India.
She alone exists as the sole reality.
But alas, at many points in this lecture, stunned by the sheer magnitude of Mā Kālī's formless nature (and perhaps also a little fried from the back-to-back pujas), I lapse into silence and resort to the third hymn of the Candi to make some preliminary passes at the topic. Then, when I recover from my little episode, we explore the first idea: the mortuary imagery to make a point about Tantrik sādhanās aimed at attaining Mā's non-dual darshan!
Art by Vijayā (http://www.birthlessdeathless.com/)
Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday 10am PST and Friday at 6pm PST. There's Q&A right after the lectures.
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815
For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish
To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Hit Me Up x

Support the show

Songs to Bhairava and Bhairavi | Macabre Elements in Tantrik Iconography as Non-Dual Sādhanā Nov 26, 2023

Show notes

Prior to our Hallowe'en lecture on ghosts in the Tantrik world, we recite a few hymns and poems to Mahākāla Bhairava and Mā Bhairavi (Abhinava Gupta's Bhairava Stava and the two Kālī poems by Swami Vivekananda) that feature similar macabre elements to make a point about radical acceptance, non-duality and overcoming fear.
Art by Vijayā (http://www.birthlessdeathless.com/)
Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday 10am PST and Friday at 6pm PST. There's Q&A right after the lectures.
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815
For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish
To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM
00:00:00 Different Types of Ghosts in the Tantrik World
00:03:34 Poetic Meters in Sanskrit Spiritual Literature
00:12:20 A Tribute to Swami Lakshman Joo
00:18:55 Bhairava Stava of Abhinava Gupta
00:30:20 Brief Commentary on the Bhairava Stava
00:31:00 Introduction to Swami Vivekananda's poems to Kali
00:32:07 "Kali, The Mother" by Swami Vivekananda
00:33:30 Commentary on "Kali, The Mother"
00:40:33 And Let Syāmā Dance There (Swamijis Bengali Poem to Kālī)
00:49:20 Commentary on "And Let Syāmā Dance There"

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Ghosts, Ghouls and Goblins in Tantrik Spirituality | Hallowe'en Special Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

Tonight’s lecture is a Hallowe’en special! After all, Śaiva and Śakta Tantra is chock full of ghoulish mortuary iconography: Mā Kālī’s garland of skulls, Lord Śiva’s garland of snakes, their retinue of ghosts, goblins and vampires, their home in the cremation grounds (ghat), fierce fanged dākinī and yoginīs and so much more.
It’s no wonder Hallowe’en is my favorite holiday!
Tonight, to celebrate, let's discuss Tantrik demonology and the role of mortuary and gory iconography in texts like Bhairava Stava of Abhinava Gupta, Candi and Swami Vivekananda’s poems to Mā Kālī.
The first part of this lecture is just an introduction to the zoology of supernatural beings mentioned in Indian literature and spiritual texts like the Purānas, Rāmāyana and Mahābhārata etc. (listed below for your convenience) and the second part of the lecture is a discussion on 4 or 5 ways to "exorcise" or at least banish the influence of these spirits in your own home so that you may practice safely and uninterruptedly.
Dangerous Supernatural Beings
पिशाच, Piśāca
वेताल vetāla as seen in the वेतालपञ्चविंशति, Vetala Panchavimshati
राक्षस Rākṣasa (like Rāvaṇa, Hidimba and Hidimbi, Ghatotkacha, Bakasura, Alamvusha)
असुर Asura (like Madhu and Kaitabha, Mahishasura, Shumbha and Nishbumbha in Candi)
Somewhat Dangerous but Mostly Just Mischeivious and Often Good Supernatural Beings
अप्सरा Apsarā (story of Menaka and Vishwamitra as told by Shakuntalā, story of Arjuna and Urvashi)
गन्धर्व Ghandarva (like Pushpadanta who composed the Shiva Mahimna stotra)
यक्ष Yaksha यक्षिणी Yakshini (Fairies)
Happy Hallowe'en!
Jai Mahākāla!

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Instant Enlightenment | Anupaya in Kashmir Shaivism Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

We'll explore how it might be possible for a person to be instantly free here and now, as suddenly and as effortlessly and easily as one "falls from a tree after losing one's footing".
Naturally, this will take us into a discussion on anupaya, the notorious "no path path" of instant liberation and jīvanmukti, the somewhat paradoxical doctrine of being free of the world/body while remaining in it!
Some schools of spirituality, dualistic theistic traditions foremost amongst them, wholeheartedly reject this idea, preferring instead a post mortem salvation, and a "there" and "then" God as a opposed to a "here" and "now" one while other schools, like Advaita Vedanta and Kaula Trika (Non-Dual Shaivism) see jīvanmukti not only as a theoretical necessity given their reasoning, but as a practical guarantee!
In so many words: at the end of today's lecture you could very well, by śiva's grace, leave enlightened, completely and irrevocably because as you will see from the citations below, bondage and liberation are nothing but the Lord's play - i.e your play! We will explore, Mā willing, exactly the mechanism by which this kind of instant liberation comes about to induce it (or at the very least prepare for the possibility of it) in our own immediae experience.
Citations (from Paramārthasāra of Abinava Gupta):
paramaṃ yat svātantryaṃ durghaṭasaṃpādanaṃ
maheśasya devī māyāśaktiḥ svātmāvaraṇaṃ śivasyaitat ( 15 )
The supreme Lord's great freedom, which is capable of accomplishing the most difficult task, is called the Goddess Maya-sakti. It serves Paramasiva as a veil to hide Himself.
svajñānavibhavabhāsana - yogenodveṣṭayennijātmānam |
iti bandhamokṣacitrāṃ krīḍāṃ pratanoti paramaśivaḥ (33)
Lord Paramaśiva liberates himself from bondage by loosening its grip through the glory of knowledge of the Self. Thus bondage and liberation are his divine play.
tadvat kañcukapaṭalī -
pṛthakkṛtā saṃvidatra saṃskārāt |
tiṣṭhantyapi muktātmā
tatsparśavivarjitā bhavati (86)
In the same way, Consciousness once its been separated from its complex of sheaths (kañcukas) is forever alien to their touch, even though as a liberated self, it remains there due to impressions (samskāras).
tīrthe śvapacagṛhe vā
naṣṭasmṛtirapi parityajandeham |
jñānasamakālamuktaḥ
kaivalyaṃ yāti hataśokaḥ (83)
Whether he departs from his physical body in a holy place or in an outcaste's hovel, and even if he loses his memory, he obtains liberation immediately upon receiving knowledge thus overcoming sorrow.**
ādarśe malarahite yadvad vadanaṃ vibhāti tadvad ayam |
śiva - śaktipātavimale dhītattve bhāti bhārūpaḥ ( 9 )
As a face shines forth in a spotlessly clean mirror, in the same way the supreme Lord who is of the nature of illumination shines forth in the buddhi (intellect) tattva that has been purified following the descent of divine grace by the Lord.
We'll also continue to explore our list below with an emphasis on grades one and two which guarantee instant, spontaneous, and permanently abiding realization.
note also iśopanishad 6 & 7:
yas tu sarvāni bhūtani atmany'eva'nupasyati
sarva bhūteshu catmanam tato na vijugupsate
He who sees everything in himself and his Self in everything, never hates anything
yasmin sarvāni bhutāni atma'iva bhūdvijānatah:
tatra ko'moha kah shoka ekatvam anupaśyatah:
When a person knows that he Himself has become everything and he knows the Oneness of things, how can he hate or love anything

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How To Receive God's Grace | Śaktipāta in Kashmir Shaivism Sep 25, 2023

Show notes

There are few theories regarding God's grace in Indian philosophy:
1. It is earned through good works (karma)
2. It is earned through devotion (bhakti)
3. It is earned through renunciation (tyāga)
4. It comes as a result of two equally strong samskaras bubbling up at the same time and checking one and another, thus artificially stalling all future karmas from fructifying (karmasāmya) Using some arguments from Abinava Gupta's commentary on the Mālinīvijaya Tantra, we'll show why all of these are absolutely wrong.
We'll demonstrate how:
(a) grace comes from the independent, playful will of Divine Mother.
(b) since all this is verily śiva, God is really ever gracing Herself.
We will also, Mā willing, respond to a few objections regarding grace:
1. If there is such a thing as grace, then, surely God is partial to some and not to others? Why would she keep some in bondage and liberate only a few?
2. If God is playfully enacting her will a bondage and liberation, then, why bother? Why go through the trouble of bondage at all?
3. If God's grace is the only operant factor in a person's liberation and if God's grace cannot be earned through spiritual practice, why bother to engage in practice at all?
Naturally, we'll review the 9 grades of śaktipāta (grace) in Abinava Gupta's classification. This will help us gauge what level of spirituality we are currently at so that we can better enjoy our time as aspirants!
Also, we get to talk a little about enjoyment and renunciation in spiritual life and why renunciation is an absolutely natural, easeful and effortless process, like we started talking about last week! (anādara virakti).
And finally, if there's time, I want to share some quotes from Utpala Deva's Shivastoravali to show how Devotion is the highest attainment in Kashmir Shaivism (i.e. bhakti is the total ripening of jnana, which is itself synonymous with liberation itself) thereby linking it so Sri Ramakrishna's views on the same!
The 9 Levels of Śaktipāt:
1. Tīvra tīvra = Intensely intense = videha mukti
2. Madhya tīvra = Moderately intense = jīvanmukti
3. Manda tīvra = Weakly Intense = jīvanmutki
4. Tīvra madhya = intensely moderate = krama mukti
5. Madya madya = Moderately moderate = krama mukti
6. Manda madhya = Weakly moderate = krama mukti
7. Tīvra manda = Weak but Intense
8. Madya manda = Moderately weak
9. Manda manda = Weakly weak
Quotes from Abinava Gupta's Paramarthasara
ādarśe malarahite yadvad vadanaṃ vibhāti tadvad ayam |
śiva - śaktipātavimale dhītattve bhāti bhārūpaḥ ( 9 )
As a face shines forth in a spotlessly clean mirror, in the same way the supreme Lord who is of the nature of illumination shines forth in the buddhi (intellect) tattva that has been purified following the descent of divine grace by the Lord.
paramaṃ yat svātantryaṃ durghaṭasaṃpādanaṃ maheśasya devī māyāśaktiḥ svātmāvaraṇaṃ śivasyaitat ( 15 )
The supreme Lord's great freedom, which is capable of accomplishing the most difficult task, is called the Goddess Maya-sakti. It serves Paramasiva as a veil to hide Himself.
kambukamiva taṇḍulakaṇa - viniviṣṭaṃ bhinnamapyabhidā |
bhajate tattu viśuddhiṃ śivamārgaunmukhyayogena (18)
The husk existing on a grain of rice, though existing separately, appears inseparable from the grain. But [the fettered being, who similarly seems attached to his fetters] attains purity by turning towards Siva through Yoga and treading on his path.
svajñānavibhavabhāsana - yogenodveṣṭayennijātmānam | iti bandhamokṣacitrāṃ krīḍāṃ pratanoti paramaśivaḥ (33)
Lord ParamaSiva liberates himself from bondage by loosening its grip through the glory of knowledge of the Self. Thus bondage and liberation are his divine play.
Quotes from Utpala Deva's Śivastotrāvalī
Tvam bhaktyā

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