For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish

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 Renunciationhttps://www.patreon.com/posts/5-reasons-to-for-75977191?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkHow To Forgive Your Enemies | Christ's Message of Forgivenesshttps://www.patreon.com/posts/how-to-forgive-76171233?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkChristianity vs "Church"-ianity | A Yogi Discusses the Biblehttps://www.patreon.com/posts/christianity-vs-76358722?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_linkNext 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/7028380815Support the showLectures 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/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

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/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrMSupport the showLectures 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/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

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/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrMIf you'd like to support us, you can do so here:https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/jaimakaliSupport the showLectures 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/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

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.Support the showLectures 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/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

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/7028380815We'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/yogawithnishAnd 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 Invocation00:02:28 How Yoga Makes Us Happy00:06:14 How Jnana Yoga Works00:11:24 How Raja Yoga Works00:13:02 How Karma Yoga Works00:15:06 The Bhakti of the Buddha00:18:40 The Tantrik Approach to Bhakti: Shiva Drsti and Shakti Dristi00:22:54 Doing Bhakti and Jnana Together00:26:35 Who is Narada?00:37:50 The Story of Dhruva: Asking God for Worldly Things00:45:40 The Bhakti of Sri RamakrishnaSupport the showLectures 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/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

To what extent do the life and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna embody or even exceed the vast and oceanic philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism, that is, to be precise, the Tantrik exegetical writings of various Shaiva masters in the Kashmir Valley between 900-1050 AD who for the most part seem to have embodied similar mystic experiences and articulated similar philosophies to the ones we find in the Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita, or the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna? Many scholars have argued that Sri Ramakrishna's position (for instance, regarding the inseparable nature of Brahman and It's Shakti, that is, It's power to create, maintain and dissolve a seemingly manifold world while embodying Itself as that very world) departs from the traditional schools of Vedanta and perhaps comes closest to the Prakasha-Vimarsha/ Shiva-Shakti model of Kashmiri Shaivism as articulated by Abinava Gupta, Kshemaraja and others. But while there are glaring similarities here, there are also some key differences. To highlight some of these nuances, we have Swami Medhananda of the Ramakrishna Order walk us through his take on Sri Ramakrishna's position, which he articulates beautifully in his book, "Infinite Paths to Infinite Reality" as "Vijnana Vedanta". We then contrast that view with Kashmiri Shaivism, at least according to my understanding of it. In the course of this conversation, our commitment was to stay as close to the source literature as we could and offer ample citation for viewers to come to their own conclusions on these matters. You are all invited reason along with us as part of a greater exploration into the deeply exciting world of spirituality!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/7028380815To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrMSupport the showLectures 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/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

I believe it was Ram Das who said: "if you think you are so enlightened, try spending a week with your parents!"Getting together with family is an opportunity many people in the world do not get to enjoy. Nonetheless, time with parents, children, siblings etc. can be grating in its own way! As many have discovered over the holidays, there is something about family that can push certain buttons and revive certain patterns. Especially for spiritual aspirants who are keenly aware of this kind of backsliding, family get togethers can be tricky territory! Why is that we can all become like adolescents around the dinner table, quick to forsake all of our spiritual training?In the first part of this lecture, we try to diagnose this situation to make the case that attachment is what makes time with family uniquely challenging. Then, we present 5 ways of looking at the world that can hopefully turn family dinners into beautiful, meaningful affairs, even when (or especially when) there's drama!00:00:01 Why Are Having We Having This Discussion?00:07:38 Why Do Parents/Siblings/Children Push our Buttons00:11:27 An Aside on Work vs Play00:16:18 An Aside on Scam Accounts00:17:54 Work Like The Elves, Not Like Sauron!00:22:37 Is Your Spirituality A Reaction To Your Parents?00:27:01 Your Kids Are Not Your Kids00:30:00 Forgiveness = Forebearance00:36:15 Thanksgiving Dinner Is Not Even Real (Why Waking is Unreal and Dreaming)00:47:00 Everyone At The Dinner Table Is YOU00:52:26 How Do You Set Boundaries if Everyone is You? + Why You Shouldn't Try To "Fix" Your Parents00:57:48 What If You DO Get Triggered At Dinner?01:01:59 Closing Chant01:03:22 AnnouncementsLectures 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!https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:Support the showLectures 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/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Bhairava in Indian spiritual iconography is often depicted as somewhat of a marginal figure who lives far beyond the pale of society. He dwells in the cremation grounds, wearing nothing but ash, garlanded in skulls and snakes. His companions, much like him, are outcastes: a black dog that nobody wants, ghosts, ghouls, goblins, banshees and of course, a flock of yogis who are his devout disciples. Naturally, he is the perfect figure to discuss in our Halloween Special! After all, Bhairava is not just a mythological bad boy: his name is also synonymous with the highest non-dual teachings of Tantrik Shaivism and stands for no less than Sat-Chid-Ananda Shiva, Consciouss-Bliss Absolute which is already your very own essence nature beyond body-mind-ego! There is so much we can discuss here but today we decided to focus on the "fear" aspect embodied by Bhairava. We take up Kshemaraja's invocatory verse from his commentary on the Tantrik masterpiece, Vijnana-Bhairava Tantra to see why Bhairava is the "fear of remaining in the dream-state", the one whose roar is the death of death and the one who is the master of the flock of yogis desiring Moksha, liberation. Essentially, we ask the question: "what role does fear play in spiritual life?"00:00:00 Who is Lord Bhairava? + Lecture Outline00:03:12 Mā Kāli's Gayatri Mantra00:08:50 Kshemaraja's Invocation of Lord Bhairava00:22:06 Opening Invocation: Aghora Mantra 00:24:27 Why This World Is So Terrifying00:31:05 Why Suicide is Not An Escape00:38:06 Why The Net Total Evil in the World Is The Same Always00:40:03 The Fanatics of the New Age00:42:19 Why Fear Is The Start of Genuine Spirituality 00:47:09 How To Deal With The Suffering in the World 00:51:40 Why Spirituality Cannot Be About Physical and Mental Longevity00:55:36 Why You Need To Meditate NOW. Like, RIGHT NOW. Go. Seriously. 01:01:25 The Hidden Meaning of Cremation Ground Rituals in Tantra01:12:44 Becoming Bhairava01:15:26 Yogi Ghost Stories01:27:10 Utpala Deva's Graveyard Dance 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:Support the showLectures 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/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

 On the auspicious occasion of Navaratri, we launch into an exploration of Shakti, the Divine Goddess of the Tantras. By Her grace I hope to share with you some deep insights from Ramprasad, Ramakrishna and Vivekananda regarding the worship of Ma and its important in spiritual life. I am going to take an approach that is entirely like Ramanuja in that I will attempt to show, by Her grace, how we can use Jnana, Raja and Karma Yoga to attain to Bhakti Yoga, the highest. Faith and devotion. These alone are everything. But do they come easily and naturally? Hardly! We'll discuss Bhakti for those to whom Bhakti does not come naturally. It does not come naturally to anyone and those who say they they have it might only be making pretences! Who can truly Love the way a devotee loves?! May tonight’s lecture address that directly! We’ll discuss how the Motherhood of God offers a unique opportunity to deepen Bhakti. All this is Her play."Mother! Mother! My boat is sinking, here in the ocean of this world;Fiercely the hurricane of delusion rages on every side!Clumsy is my helmsman, the mind;Stubborn my six oarsmen, the passions;Into a pitiless wind I sailed my boat and nowIt is sinking!Split is the rudder of devotion;Tattered is the sail of faith;Into my boat the waters are pouring in!Tell me, what shall I do?For with my failing eyes, alas! Nothing but darkness do I see.Here in the waves I will swim, O MotherAnd cling to the raft of thy name!"- Swami Nikhilananda's translation of Ramprasad.This is the follow up discussion: How To Connect to Ma Kalihttps://www.patreon.com/posts/how-to-connect-q-72564494?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator00:00:00 The Most Fascinating Icon of India00:03:00 What Today's Lecture Is About00:05:58 Swami Vivekananda's Early Experiences of Ma Kali00:22:25 Swami Vivekananda's Endorsement of Mother Worship00:34:13 Introducing Prakriti: The 24 Cosmic Principles00:47:49 Purusha: The Pure Spirit00:50:20 Shiva-Shakti 00:52:24 Why Does Prakriti Create?00:55:12 Moksha and the Movies: The Aesthetic Theory of Shaivism00:59:18 The Two Gifts of Ma Prakriti: Bhoga and Yoga01:08:21 Prakriti as Maha Mayi as Mother01:15:25 How Do I Get Bhakti: Love for God?01:19:44 Why Does Ma Kali Look So Terrifying? Support the showLectures 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/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Today's lecture is about Renunciation, the ultimate ideal of Indian philosophy and the secret to happiness in life. You will learn the Four Principles of Non-Duality (Advaita Vedanta) which are:1. Upadhi : mistaking yourself to be something you are not as the cause of suffering)2. Sakshi : developing the Witness to create more intimacy with experiences in life)3. Adishtana : recognising Awareness as the ground and substance of the world to awaken agape, all-encompassing love)4. Viverta : recognising the world as an appearance in Awareness and thereby recognizing your own innate purity and invulnerability. This creates a tremendous fearlessness because you know whatever the scenes of the movie, you, the movie screen, will remain unchanged/untarnished/unharmed.)Even the mere intellectual understanding of these Four Principles can radically alter one's life to make room for more spaciousness, peace and joy.However once you go beyond an intellectual understanding to truly internalize and manifest these principles in life, you will awaken to fearlessness, perfect compassion, perfect non-attachment and unspeakable bliss that is your birthright The philosophers of ancient India certainly saw the quest to understand (and master) the natural world as valuable however much more interesting to them was the quest to understand the "inner" world, the psychological landscape of what it means to be human. As early as 2000bce, the philosophers of India dared to ask "what is the secret to happiness? How can a human being come to live in a meaningful and purposeful way in a world of impermanence such as ours? Is there more to life than the fleeting pleasures of the body and ego?"And over the millenia, we have developed subtle and profound (and most importantly, effectual) systems describing what a human life is for. The ultimate teaching, the essence of all this inquiry is...(drumroll please)RENUNCIATION!Renounce the world and you will come to enjoy it in a way you could never have expected!OM Shantih Shantih ShantihThese lectures happen Live every Monday at 7pm PST. It is open to the public. Use this link and I will see you there:https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: Support the showLectures 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/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM