Tantra Illuminated with Dr. Christopher Wallis

Delve into the intriguing concept of 'prāṇa-uccāra,' focusing on how to elevate the life force. Discover the fascinating connections between the five prāṇa-vāyus, chakras, and stages of bliss. Esoteric teachings from Abhinavagupta reveal mystical experiences during yogic practices. The engaging guided meditation offers practical insights for enhancing self-awareness. This exploration of Tantra is both enlightening and transformative.

Ruben Laukkonen, an accomplished researcher in meditation and altered states of consciousness, shares his transformative journey from a skeptical childhood to spiritual awakening. He explores the profound impact of intense meditation, emphasizing the illusory nature of suffering and the bliss of awareness. Discussions also touch on the balance between joy and suffering, the significance of impermanence, and collective enlightenment. He advocates for engaging with emotions authentically, revealing how interconnectedness can enhance our understanding of spiritual truths.

Adam Keen, a podcaster delving into yoga and personal journeys, shares fascinating insights into Classical Tantra and its ties to modern practices. He discusses the evolution from Tantra's roots in Tibetan Buddhism to contemporary yoga. The conversation highlights the significance of reincarnation and liberation, exploring Tantric teachings that enhance emotional engagement in yoga. Keen also emphasizes integrating mindful practices to resolve unresolved emotions, ultimately aiming for a deeper spiritual connection. Plus, a lighthearted moment about whiskey preferences adds charm!

Josh Schrei, a writer and teacher deeply versed in Indian mythologies, dives into a fascinating dialogue exploring the interplay between Tantra and animism. He reveals the role of guardian deities in spiritual protection and the transformative power of mantra nyasa. Schrei also critiques how social media affects mental health among youth, advocating for a cautious approach to sensory experiences. Additionally, he shares personal encounters in rural India, highlighting authentic spiritual practices that connect individuals to the divine.

Dive into a transformative guided meditation that enhances body awareness from the pelvic floor to the crown of the head. Explore the interplay of physical, mental, and emotional sensations without judgment. Engage deeply with the subtle body, recognizing essence points and the significance of both light and darkness within. Journey through mindfulness practices that promote acceptance of inner experiences, and rediscover the sophisticated complexity of your physical self. Embrace the union of body and spirit for profound self-discovery.

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 integrated way of being. Here Amisha and Christopher delve into the true meaning of being a yogi, exploring the inner dimensions of yoga and tantra beyond common interpretations. They discuss how authentic yogic practices involve deep internal cultivation rather than merely physical postures, aiming for a state of unified awareness and self-mastery. The conversation also touches on how yoga and tantra intersect with everyday life, including politics and activism.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 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 beyond the mental or intellectual. For further insight, commentary on the text is available across three blog posts: 'First Flow,' 'Second Flow,' and 'Third Flow.'Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. For those keen to delve even deeper into the Spanda-kārikā, subscribers to the portal also gain access to an online retreat and a scriptural study course, both dedicated to this foundational text. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 continuous recognition of truth, and psychological work are interconnected, and explores the apparent paradoxes the mind must navigate to arrive at clarity. This episode provides a clear, vivid first-person account of a deep transformative awakening and how reality appears from this perspective.Artur runs a transformative coaching practice and one that focuses specifically on nondual realization. Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 poses (karaṇa), and ritual practices (pūjā). Each practice is designed to enable awakening to the true nature of reality. Notably, the first practice we share in this episode is a meditative visualization that, to our knowledge, is not publicly available elsewhere. We hope it enriches your practice.You can read Chapter Five (Part One) here.   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 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 that exists, and that its five fundamental powers of awareness, enjoyment, willing, knowing, and acting are the sacred endowments of every sentient being. Our conversation highlights how the text illuminates the non-dual nature of existence—where divine Consciousness is not merely transcendent but intimately woven into the fabric of everyday life and the practical applications of this recognition. Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.