Tantra Illuminated with Dr. Christopher Wallis

This episode features one of the foundational meditations of Tantrik yoga. 'Reposing in the Silent Ground' invites you to relax into a posture of wakeful serenity, encouraging deeper, slower breaths that ease you into comfort. In this practice we allow the perceived center of consciousness to descend from the head to the heart's base, fostering a sense of self anchored in the heart space. This technique aids in cultivating a more profound connection with our innermost being.

Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this short solo episode, we take a look at some of the common misconceptions related to the modern use of the word of ‘tantra' and explore how the teachings of Classical Tantra differ from the popularized neo-tantra or Western sexual tantra. I then offer a precise definition of nondual Shaiva Tantra, going on to discuss how classical Tantra contrasts with other forms of yoga, and how much it overlaps with Tibetan Buddhism.

Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 science and explored philosophical issues in biology, neuroscience, and ethics. In 2018, Shamil contributed to founding the Global Priorities Institute at Oxford University—an interdisciplinary research center addressing humanity's most pressing issues. The following year, he co-founded the Centre for Psychedelic Research in the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London, which investigates psychedelic therapies for conditions like treatment-resistant depression. He has also supported research on the neuroscience of meditation at Harvard and the University of California, Berkeley. Shamil is not only a brilliant mind but also a person with a great, open heart, whose smile and enthusiasm are infectious. In our conversation, we discuss the intersections between spirituality, meditative practices, and neuroscience—how the latest brain science connects spiritual experiences with emerging understanding in the field. Shamil introduces the ‘free energy’ approach—a paradigm developed over the last 15 years in neuroscience, also known as predictive processing or active inference. We look into questions such as: Why does conscious experience exist at all? What is the brain's goal in experiencing? How do neurotransmitters function? What role does the self play? Why do we get to act as we do? How does this model interact with the tantric view of reality? And many more topics.

Read Ruben Laukkonen & Shamil Chandaria’s latest paper: A beautiful loop: An active inference theory of consciousness

Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Hareesh welcomes Dr. Kavithā Chinnaiyan, a practicing cardiologist, Professor of Medicine, and an international educator in cardiac imaging, preventive cardiology, and women's heart disease. She is the acclaimed author of several books, including The Heart of Wellness, Shakti Rising, and Fractals of Reality: Living the Śrīcakra, a Tantric initiate and adept. As the founder of Svatantra Institute and The Renegade MethodTM, Kavithā integrates spirituality with science, offering guidance in self-development, wellness, and burnout by blending modern medicine with Yoga, Tantra, Ayurveda, and Vedanta. An accomplished retreat leader, artist, and musician, she invites others into the transformative journey toward holistic well-being.

Kavithā shares her journey from a question-filled childhood within a Shaivaite family to transformative encounters with Vedantic teachings and Advanced Yoga Practices, culminating in her profound engagement with non-dual Shaiva Tantra. The conversation explores her immersion into the teachings of Śrī Vidyā, guided by revered teachers, and how these experiences harmonize with her medical expertise and personal life. Kavithā’s story is a testament to the integration of spiritual practice with the rhythms of daily life, reflecting on the roles of mantra, ritual, and The Direct Path in the journey for self-realization. This episode brings light to the complementary nature of the progressive and Direct Paths in the revealing of one's true nature and the unique ways they can enrich a dedicated spiritual practice.

Some of the references mentioned:

Greg Goode ‘Standing as Awareness’

Michael M. Bowden, Sri Chaitanyananda, The Goddess and The Guru

Corinne G. Dempsey, The Goddess Lives in Upstate New York

AYP International

ŚrīVidyā.org

Paul Muller-Ortega

Chinmaya Mission

Mahāvatāra Bābājī

Atmananda Krishna Menon

More references and a complete glossary of the Sanskrit terms and definitions can be found on the episode at Tantra Illuminated Online. Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 practices have evolved in contemporary contexts. We draw parallels between the historically guarded nature of tantric teachings and the more accessible forms available today, addressing the challenges faced by modern practitioners who want to engage with these spiritual systems in an authentic way.

Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.