For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish

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Shaiva Non-Duality = Non-Judgement, Service, Power Mar 22, 2023

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In this lecture, we do a lot of philosophical work to show, at least for the sake of theoretical understanding, that everything you see in this world is nothing but Consciousness.
From this, we come away with three insights:
1. To judge, criticize or resent anyone is to judge, criticize and resent God.
2. To serve and help anyone is really an act of worship to God.
3. You yourself are God so you have infinite strength and potential to do anything, including overcoming #1 and doing #2 above!
Of course, this is the central teaching of the Ramakrishna movement: "shiva jnane, jiva seva": knowing that everyone is Shiva, serve them as an act of worship. In this lecture, we explore the metaphysical foundation for such a teaching in light of the insights of Paramadvaya Vada, or Kashmir Shaivism.
Here is an abstract of what was discussed:
What is Consciousness? None other than your very own Being, your own essence. Consciousness is You! And also, because of its Transcendent nature and its innate Freedom, Consciousness is God. Wait a minute! Doesn't that mean...you are God? Yes! Absolutely, yes! But of course here in Advaita Vedanta, or Classical Non-Duality the God that you are is the Impersonal God, Brahman without Attributes. What about the Personal God who creates, maintains and destroys? Non-Dual Shaivism, in its radically reconciliatory attitude shows that the Impersonal God is also the Personal God and such, Consciousness/You is/are also, like the Personal God, performing all the divine acts of God: creation, maintenance, destruction, self-revelation/grace, self-concealment/judgement. You can never be parted from God because you ARE God, in both the passive and dynamic aspects! But then why don't I have any control over what happens to me? Ah, because God is Consciousness and Consciousness is distinct. from and prior to the mind which is where our preferences live! Naturally, then, the preferences of our mind and our inability to exercise personal will to meet them is not a rebuttal against our essential nature as Consciousness, God, who wills sometimes independently of the mind in a spirit of play!

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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

What is Mahashivaratri, the Great Night of Lord Shiva? Feb 17, 2023

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On Saturday, Feb 18th 2023, millions if not billions of people all over the world will be pulling and all nighter to celebrate the great God of renunciation and yoga, Lord Shiva.
But what's all the fuss and hullabaloo about anyway? In this video we discuss what mahashivaratri, the Great Night of Shiva is and what about it makes it special.
Lord Shiva is the symbol of meditation, renunciation and asceticism. These ideals are at the heart of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism. And this same blazing renunciation and surrender to God can be felt in Sufism and Christian hesychasm or asceticism. As such Shiva, as a symbol, belongs not only to Hindu thought and culture but to every spiritual tradition where inwardness, meditation, renunciation and devotion can be felt. This is a night for all, whatever path you may be on.
All night long, there will be singing and dancing, chanting, meditating and spiritual fervor all around in celebration of this spirit of renunciation and yoga.The atmosphere in positively electric and wherever in the world you might be, whatever your practice and path might be, as a spiritual practitioner you can tap into the tanmatras (spiritual vibrations) in the air to supercharge your practice!
OM Namah Shivaya!
Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST. There's Q&A from 8-10pm PST right after.
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
If you'd like to support us, you can do so here:
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/jaima...

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What is Shiva? Feb 17, 2023

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In Non-Dual Shaivism (paramadvaya) the word "shiva" doesn't always refer to the blue fella sitting atop a tiger skin mat meditating in the Himalayas.
While "shiva" literally means "blessing" or "auspicious", the word "Shiva" in this context comes closer in meaning to Satchidananda Brahman, which means pure, Formless Awareness...but with a few nuances!
In order to show how the Satchidananda Shiva of Tantra differs in some respects from the Satchidananda Brahman of the Vedas, we first have a discussion about Consciousness Itself (Shiva) and demonstrate what exactly makes it "shiva", a blessing. In what sense is Consciousness and Bliss the same? In this lecture, we make the claim that the more aware you are, the happier you feel since Happiness Itself is intrinsic to Awareness Itself.
Ultimately, the Saguna Sakara form of Shiva as the God of Meditation/Renunciation (the blue fella on the tiger skin mat) is nothing other than the Nirguna Nirakara form of Shiva and Formless Awareness. In a different lecture, we'll demonstrate this claim. For now, we'll continue to dwell on the Formless aspect some more which is at the heart of Non-dual Shaivism.
Next week while we're on the topic of Formless aspect of Shiva, we will have a discussion about how this Formless Awareness is playful.
Lord Shiva, that is, the very Awareness that you yourself are, by which you are made aware of all the varied phenomena of your life, performs 5 divine acts in His sacred dance: Creation, Maintenance, Preservation, Self-Revelation and Self Concealment.
It's almost as if Consciousness, in a spirit of play, manifested Itself as a world in order to play hide and seek in. This is one of the foundational ideas that is unique to Non-Dual Shaivism (Paramadvaya/ Advaita Shaiva Darshana) and we'll take it up in earnest in the next class.
This the second lecture in our new series exploring foundational concepts in Kashmir Shaivism.
Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST. There's Q&A from 8-10pm PST right after.
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 Practice Spirituality | The 9 Principles of Genuine Spirituality Jan 21, 2023

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Happy New Moon!
Because this is the first New Moon of the year and an important puja to the Divine Mother (Ratanti Puja), I thought it would be nice to discuss an important approach to spiritual life!
This is a rather foundational topic and with Mother’s grace, I pray I can do it some justice: How To Practice Spirituality.
My only prayer is that something in this lecture inspires you to start practicing now and if you've already been practicing, then to intensify your practice. Give your entire being to your practice! Devote your whole mind and heart to your practice. Dive in! Plunge deep!
Spiritual life is about doing. It is about becoming. It is about being. It is not enough to watch from the sidelines.
You can attend all the lectures you want, you can read all the books you want, you can even write books and give lectures and talk about spiritual ideas ad infinitum but until you practice to make these ideas your own, until you integrate the teachings into the fabric of your being, until the teachings shine forth in your life and become manifest in each and every moment, what have you got, really?
It can never hurt to be reminded; spirituality is about a lot more than book learning!
But naturally, we must then ask, if spiritual life is about practice and integration, how then should I practice? What does spiritual practice really look like?
No one way is the only way. There are an infinite number ways to reach Truth which is Itself Infinite and each of them are as good as any other, according to predispositions and capabilities of each individual practitioner.
With that being said, in this lecture, we read through the first chapter of Way of a Pilgrim to illustrate a few very important general principles about spiritual practice. Then, we make the case that across several different mystical traditions, japa or recitation of mantra is the central practice of choice!
OM Tat Sat.
May all of this be an offering.
Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST. There's Q&A from 8-10pm PST right after.
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
If you'd like to support us, you can do so here:
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/jaimakali
Chapter markers here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC8t9saTixE

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What Does God Look Like? | A Plea for Religious Harmony Jan 04, 2023

Show notes

Many people feel like their path is the only path to salvation and that their God is the only God.
However, if you wanted to get to the beach, aren't there many routes, each unique in their own way and yet each equally capable of taking you to the same destination?
Further, if God is an infinite being, then shouldn't such a being express Itself in (and allow Itself to be reached by) an infinite myriad of ways?
One thing is clear: the saints of all the major religions all the world over have demonstrated through their experiences that every religion works to create peace, blessedness and virtue.
Every religion then is just so many ways of describing the one truth.
Every religion is just so many paths to one goal.
And while people might argue and bicker and even kill each other over what to call water, the mystics of the world understand that whether you call it "Self" or "No-Self," "Allah" or "Yahweh", "Krishna" or "Jesus", it will quench your thirst all the same.
This idea is of course at the heart of the life and teaching of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. His has always been a message of the essences of things, a message of harmony and universality. Interestingly, this sentiment is also present in the teachings of Tantra especially in the exegetical works of great Shiva masters of the 10th and 11th CE in the Kashmir Valley.
In this lecture, we take up the question: "what does God look like?" to illustrate the above sentiment and make a plea for religious harmony!
NOTE: I wrongly titled the text Svabodhodaya Manjari authored by Viranatha as Shivabodhodaya Manjari, forgive me!
Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST. There's Q&A from 8-10pm PST right after.
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

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How To Pray | Christ's Message on Practice Dec 28, 2022

Show notes

Since prayer is at the heart of the Christ’s sadhana (and also that of Sri Ramakrishna) we’re going to ask the question “How To Pray?”
What is prayer exactly and how can I do it?
In this lecture, we first have a discussion on the centrality of prayer in spiritual life before defining prayer and then asking "who should I pray to?"
We present the theory of the Ishta Devata, or Chosen Ideal to demonstrate that what you are praying to is not at all as important as the power of the prayer itself, i.e the object of your love is not as great as that love itself for God is Love. Then, we discuss about 5 different types of prayer.
Over the past couple of weeks we’ve explored two aspects of Christ’s life and teachings: Renunciation (which is in some ways, the start of genuine spiritual life) and Forgiveness (which he achieved as a result of perfection in spiritual life, that is to say, the end).
Today we’re going to discuss the middle: Christ’s message on practice!
As such, this is the third installment in our lecture series on Christ, if you don't include the Q&A! You can watch the previous videos in this series here:
5 Reasons to Renounce Everything for God | Christ's Message of Renunciation
https://www.patreon.com/posts/5-reasons-to-for-75977191?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
How To Forgive Your Enemies | Christ's Message of Forgiveness
https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-to-forgive-76171233?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
Christianity vs "Church"-ianity | A Yogi Discusses the Bible
https://www.patreon.com/posts/christianity-vs-76358722?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
Next week I hope to expand the discussion a bit and suggest five or so more ways to pray!
Remember:
Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST. There's Q&A from 8-10pm PST right after.
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

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Christianity vs "Church"-ianity | A Yogi Discusses The Bible Dec 25, 2022

Show notes

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays one and all!

Your very nature is Love, Purity and Simplicity.
The Christ as such is a perfect mirror to reflect back to you the truth of your being.

That’s what a perfect Master is: a reminder.
He is an invitation to be what you already are and yet have forgotten. We see in Christ, the Buddha, Ramakrishna the highest possibility of humanity. Perhaps that’s why we love them so much.
Who is Christ? Well, who knows. To me:

He is Purity personified .

He is Love incarnate.

He is Simplicity embodied.

He is the Self of your Self!

May the Christ force awaken in you today and every day.

May today be your birthday, that is, the birth of the rest of your life in the spirit!

May you die to the past and be born to the present right here, right now.

May you live forevermore the life divine starting today!

In this Q&A discussion following our Monday night lectre last week on the topic "How To Forgive Your Enemies | Christ's Message on Forgiveness" we take up the very important question of "what is the Bible, really?" and "why do so many Christians insist against harmony of all religions in the name of the Christ?" and "why do many Americans claiming to be Christians come off as judgement and exclusionary when Christ himself was all-embracing and infinitely loving to one and all?" Ah, forgive them Father they not know what they do!

Then, we have a discussion on some other spiritual themes as well. May this serve you!

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST. There's Q&A from 8-10pm PST right after.

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 Forgive Your Enemies | Christ's Message of Forgiveness Dec 20, 2022

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My intention tonight is to ask the question: “did Christ suffer on the cross?” Some would argue that he did and only then is there value in his sacrifice. I’m going to argue rather that he didn’t suffer at all and therein lies the real teaching. After all, how else could he have had the strength to forgive his oppressors? I’m going to suggest that he could forgive them because they were not really oppressors, at least not to Him.
As such, in studying this very important episode in the Christ’s Līla, we’ll ask the question: “how to forgive our enemies?” We'll present four ways that we can immediately start practicing to learn so suffer better, that is, with more compassion and forgiveness.
Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST. There's Q&A from 8-10pm PST right after.
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
If you'd like to support us, you can do so here:
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/jaimakali

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5 Reasons to Renounce Everything for God | Christ's Message of Renunciation Dec 15, 2022

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This is the first of a three part lecture series on the teachings of the Christ in the light of Vedanta, Yoga and Tantra. Today, we take up Jesus' message of renunciation. Above all, the Christ, like all the avatars before and after him, exemplified total absorption in God and uncompromising renunciation. What is renunciation, anyway?
You see:
We all want to be happy. The goal of life is happiness and fulfillment.
Now consider this carefully:
We do so many things in a day. But if take the time to stop and carefully consider why it is that we do what we do, most of us will find that we are motivated by pleasure, money, power and name and fame. We work to make money because we crave financial security and because we think that money will bring us new experiences, new pleasure. We seek out company that increase the overall pleasure we feel in our life. We work to increase our followers or find praise and validation to feel a sense of belonging. And we pursue learning because it is a subtle form of pleasure and power. Notice, our motivations are most “worldly”. That is to say, our fundamental orientation towards life is to look for fulfillment and happiness. What good has that done you? Did you actually get what you were looking for from acquiring all of these things? By studying your own experiences and also the lives of people who are successful in a worldly sense (top professors, billionaires, rock stars etc.) you come to learn that an increase in pleasure, money, fame and power don’t at all mean an increase in happiness. Often the opposite! So then, understanding this, why continue to pursue things you know won’t make you happy?
Contrastingly, the happiest people in the world are often holy men and women who have renounced their fascination with the trinkets of the world and instead spend all of their time enjoying the inner fulfillment of spiritual life. These people devote their time to spiritual practice and study and when they work in the world, they do it as an act of worship, not to make money or be praised. And as a result, they are free, happy and genuinely fulfilled in a way that most of us aren’t! Understanding this, we must resolve to devote every single hour of our day to spiritual life. We should radically redefine our orientation to life. The goal of your life is enlightenment, not pleasure, not wealth, not power, not name and fame. If you have this conviction, yours will be a beautiful life. The only fulfillment here is in the Spirit.
In this video, we sketch out the two "axiological" arguments above as well as three more arguments, one from the point of view of epistemology, the other from metaphysics and the final one is an appeal to a corroborated claim by all the major world religions for a total of 5 arguments in favor of devoting every single moment of your life to spiritual practice.

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Introduction to the Bhakti Sutra of Narada Dec 10, 2022

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If you have ever felt love for anybody or anything, in any capacity, then, you have felt God. God IS love. And the essence of all love, however worldly or misdirected, is ultimately divine. As such, Bhakti Yoga (the Path of Divine Love) is the refinement of and the conscious cultivation of our capacity to love until it reaches an all-consuming, one-pointed intensity for that which is most sacred, the self of our self, the indwelling essence of our being: God.
But does love for God come so easily?
Many say they love God but is it truly love? Or is it simply a superficial assent to a cultural belief system? Others, inspired by the ecstatic love of true devotees of God, very much want to want God but are honest enough to admit that such longing doesn't come naturally to them.
Fortunately, there is an art and science to loving God and it is spelled out in great detail in the Bhakti Sutra of Narada. What the Yoga Sutra is to the Path of Meditation (Raja Yoga), what the Bhagavad Gita is to the Path of Selfless Action (Karma Yoga) and what the Upanishads are to the Path of Philosophy (Jnana Yoga), the Bhakti Sutra is to the Path of Devotion.
These classes meet live one a week every Friday at 6pm PST here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7028380815
We'll discuss the Bhakti Sutra of Narada for the first 30 minutes and then right after, we will pick up a verse or two from a Jnana text, like Sri Shankara's Aparoskhanubhuti for the remaining 30 minutes. It is my firm conviction that studying a Bhakti text alongside a Jnana text will bring out the best of both and ensure that we are developing holistically as spiritual practitioners!
Then we have a Q&A session right after the lecture for about 30 minutes!
You'll find the recordings from previous lectures and also the Q&A sessions in our Patreon lecture library:
www.patreon.com/yogawithnish
And if you feel moved to donate to support this work, you're welcome to do so here:
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/jaimakali
"Mother make me mad with Thy love!"
May all of this be an offering to Sri Ramakrishna.
00:00:00 Opening Invocation
00:02:28 How Yoga Makes Us Happy
00:06:14 How Jnana Yoga Works
00:11:24 How Raja Yoga Works
00:13:02 How Karma Yoga Works
00:15:06 The Bhakti of the Buddha
00:18:40 The Tantrik Approach to Bhakti: Shiva Drsti and Shakti Dristi
00:22:54 Doing Bhakti and Jnana Together
00:26:35 Who is Narada?
00:37:50 The Story of Dhruva: Asking God for Worldly Things
00:45:40 The Bhakti of Sri Ramakrishna
00:49:54 Bhava, Mahabhava and Prema: The Three States of Ecstasy
00:52:50 You Can Actually See and Talk To God
00:57:16 Vaidhi/Gauni Bhakti vs Para Bhakti
00:58:27 How To "Read" The Bhakti Sutra
01:01:06 Prayer to the Divine Mother

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