Shows
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhat Was It Like To Hang Out With Vivekananda?Today, on the 12th of January, we are celebrating India's National Youth Day, to commemorate the birth day by Gregorian Calendar of Swami Vivekananda, who was born on the 12th of January 1863. Of course, in the Hindu tradition, we celebrate birthdays by tithi, that is, by moon day so this year (2025), Swami Vivekananda's birthday will be celebrated in earnest on Monday, the 20th of January. But nevertheless, to commemorate this very auspicious day and to get us all revved up for Swamiji Puja that's coming up, I thought I would read you a few excerpts fr...
2025-01-131h 33
Buddha at the Gas Pump714. Nishanth SelvalingamNishanth Selvalingam - Kashmir Shaivism and Non-Dual Tantra
A lifelong student of philosophy and comparative religion, a practitioner of Shaiva Tantra in the Shaiva Siddhanta lineage, and recent entrant into the Ramakrishna lineage by his guru, Swami Sarvadevananda Puri, Nishanth Selvalingam shares an authentic, firsthand approach to the Sanskrit texts of the Tantrik scriptural tradition to expose audiences to the profoundly positive and transformative philosophies and practices that this tradition offers. Nishanth Selvalingam graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Philosophy in 2024 and now lives in Westwood, Los Angeles where he hosts satsanghs with his wife, coaches middle school...
2024-09-052h 00
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish5 Reasons To Have A Spiritual Ego | Kashmir ShaivismIf you'll allow me to be a little controversial, I'd like to make a case in this lecture for why you should have a spiritual ego. I'm going to explain what I mean by "spiritual ego" on a few levels in order to transmit to you strength, self-reliance and confidence. I'm going to say that "weakness" (which typically disguises itself as false "humility") is the ultimate obstacle in spiritual life. To combat that, I want to assure you of your own power, your own indomitable strength! And to do that, I'm going to try to convince you to have...
2023-06-021h 29
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Power of Words in Kashmir ShaivismThis lecture is going to be an exciting one: Can You Become Enlightened From Watching YouTube Videos? Despite the cheeky title, we're going to explore some of the subtlest linguistic mysticism ever: the Kashmir Shaiva development of the 5th CE sage Bhatrhari's claim of the śabdabrahman, the "sound Brahman". Interestingly, it is a beautiful commentary on the opening of the Gospel of John, "in the beginning was the logos, the word." What does it mean for the "word" to be "with" God and BE God? etc. Then, using this linguistic mysticism as a found...
2023-05-211h 29
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishHow To See God Even In Horrific Tragedy | Q&A 5.8.23This Q&A from our recent Monday satsangh was so rich especially after Richard asked the beautiful question about learning to see God even in those places and people where its especially hard to see Her! I suspect this discussion will be particularly valuable to those struggling with theodicy, or the problem of evil in theism: "if God is all-good and all-powerful, why does She permit so much suffering?" We also make a rather nuanced point about "karma" being the Indian version of "the devil". Either everything is God's will or it isn't! And if isn't...wh...
2023-05-1354 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish5 Signs of Enlightenment in Kashmir ShaivismWe are about to have a very fascinating discussion: how do I know if I am enlightened? First of all, while there are certainly different conceptions of realization among the various spiritual traditions, there is a universal principle that is common to the all. We first discuss this and offer a few insights about why this discussion would even be valuable to have from the point of view of spiritual practice. Then, we take up the unique conception of realization offered by Kashmir Shaivism and derive about 7 symptoms or signs of enlightenment. Essentially, this is a Kashmir Shaiva take o...
2023-05-101h 50
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishHow To Make A Living In An Enlightened Way | Tantrik Career AdviceHow do I bring in the abundance that I need to support myself and my loved ones while still remaining aligned with my spiritual values?What should I do with my life? How do I "make a living" without making myself into the "living dead"? For so many of us, "making a living" involved doing the kind of work we might not want to be doing but feel like we have to be doing to get by! Interestingly, the tradition of Paramadvaya or Non-Dual Shaivism, offers some very interesting insight into why work might feel like a d...
2023-05-031h 26
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishHow To Overcome CravingsSooner or later, in spiritual life, we find that there are certain habits, patterns and attachments that are getting in the way either because they prevent us from practicing as much (or as well) as we'd like or because, for whatever reason, they are obstructing the natural joy and peace that should radiate from the depths of your being. Naturally, then, we become interested in "renouncing" these things! And these things might take various forms: TV, substances, workaholism, sensual indulgences etc. So how do we do it? How do we wean off of these things in a wa...
2023-04-151h 03
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishHow To Be Free | Kashmir ShaivismWhat is the ultimate goal of spiritual life? I’m going to propose that it’s freedom, however we choose to articulate it. But what is that exactly? And does freedom mean the categorical end of all suffering and the attainment of the supreme bliss? What’s so blissful about freedom? Today we’re going to articulate the Kashmir Shaivism position on freedom and contrast it against the freedom of other systems like Samkhya and Advaita Vedanta to show that ultimate freedom requires ultimate agency and absolute infinitude, i.e non duality. Rememb...
2023-04-141h 26
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishIs Religion Just Sexual Repression?This lecture is an exciting one: we’re going to discuss sex and more specifically sexual repression! To what extent are all spiritual experiences just hallucinations caused by repression, narcissism and grandiosity as the Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysts suggest? As spiritual practitioners we must take these kinds of critiques seriously and really engage thoughtfully with them since they can show us the deepest aspects of spirituality as it relates to very complex human psyche! We're discussing 10 different Western scholars, including Freud and Lacan to consider 4 arguments from the materialist for why all religion is repressed sexuality, draw...
2023-04-091h 17
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishShaiva Non-Duality = Non-Judgement, Service, PowerIn 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...
2023-03-231h 20
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhat is Shiva?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 se...
2023-02-181h 02
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhat is Mahashivaratri, the Great Night of Lord Shiva?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 he...
2023-02-1824 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishHow To Practice Spirituality | The 9 Principles of Genuine SpiritualityHappy 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 you...
2023-01-212h 02
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhat Does God Look Like? | A Plea for Religious HarmonyMany 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 thr...
2023-01-051h 23
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishHow To Pray | Christ's Message on PracticeSince 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 obj...
2022-12-281h 16
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishChristianity vs "Church"-ianity | A Yogi Discusses The BibleMerry 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...
2022-12-251h 21
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishHow To Forgive Your Enemies | Christ's Message of ForgivenessMy 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...
2022-12-201h 27
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish5 Reasons to Renounce Everything for God | Christ's Message of RenunciationThis 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 consid...
2022-12-161h 16
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishIntroduction to the Bhakti Sutra of NaradaIf 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...
2022-12-101h 23
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishKashmir Shaivism and the Vijnana Vedanta of Sri Ramakrishna | Swami Medhananda PuriTo 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...
2022-12-061h 49
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThanksgiving Dinner as Spiritual PracticeI 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...
2022-11-241h 05
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishLord Bhairava and the Yoga of Fear | Halloween SpecialBhairava 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...
2022-11-011h 31
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Goddess of the Tantras | Navaratri Special 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 t...
2022-09-281h 39
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishRenunciation, The Secret of HappinessToday'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...
2022-08-302h 04
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Ideals of Spiritual Life and What To Do When We Fall ShortWhy do we such high ideals in spiritual life? What is renunciation and why is it important for genuine spirituality? Once we understand why these ideals are the way they are, we will naturally take up and attempt to live according to them. Naturally, we will also fall short time and time again. The temptation here might be to drag the ideal down to make excuses for our weakness. Or conversely, our tendency might be to be overly critical of ourselves for failing and thus render our spiritual practice wholly unsustainable. What then are we to do?
2022-08-1823 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishShravan and the Ecstasy of Lord ShivaIn this mini-episode, we say a few words about the Vedic calendar month of Shravan and what makes it so auspicious for the study and practice of Non-Duality. Then, we ask the question: "why is Lord Shiva so blissful all the time?" The answer reveals a lot about the context in which live our hatha yoga and meditation practice. For more classes like this, visit our lecture library here: https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishOM Namah Shivay!Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at F...
2022-07-2815 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishTantrik Non-Duality vs Classical Non-Duality | Q&AHere is a wonderful Q&A discussion comparing Classical Non-Duality with Tantrik Non-Duality to show that despite what pandits might say, they are actually ultimately one and the same and perfectly complementary!00:01:06 What Is It To Be a Human Being? Does Buddhism/Advaita Invalidate My Personhood? Yes. All Religion Does! Here's Why!00:12:14 Kashmiri Shaivism and "Playing the Character of Me"00:14:20 Tantrik Non-Duality vs Classical Non-Duality: Iccha-Shakti, the Role of Desire in God00:19:18 The Role of Creativity in Enlightenment00:23:35 Why Is There Suffering in The World? The Tantrik Response to the Problem of Evil
2022-07-263h 19
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhy Aren't You Enlightened Yet? | Q&AIn one of our most productive Q&A sessions of all time (in my opinion, at least!) we ask the central question: "why aren't you enlightened yet?" "why have you not seen with clarity that you are Awareness, ever free?" "what is keeping your from claiming with conviction your essential nature as the Self, which is even now the case?"00:00:00 Introduction: Why Aren't You Enlightened Yet?00:00:30 Awareness vs Mind: Does Awareness Change? It Seems To!00:08:45 The Role of Discernment/Intellect in Spiritual Life (And It's Limits)00:14:30 After Enlightenment, What Do You Do?00:34:00 How...
2022-07-222h 27
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhat Is A Guru?Who (or what) is a Guru? Today we talk about the role of a Guru in our spiritual life as the living embodiment of scripture, as an initiator or empowerer of mantras, as a "broadcaster of reality" and as a living example of the full possibilities of a human life. What qualifies the Guru to be a Guru? And when/how does one find one's Guru in this life? Must the Guru have a body?All this and more in today's class!This lecture is from our program "Journey Into Tantra"! It is an 18 part, c...
2022-07-142h 35
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe 9 Types of Tantrik AwakeningWhat is it that turns someone away from the shallow, fleeting pleasures of the world and towards genuine spiritual life? Obviously, it is grace. Abinava Gupta, in his masterwork, Tantraloka takes up the very nuanced work of articulating the science of Grace: how did this Grace come about and who is "worthy" of receiving it? Are there practices you can do to invite this grace? And where does this grace come from and why? All these questions are taken up and brilliantly answered in Chapter 13 of Abinava's Tantraloka and in this lecture we sketch out his reasoning so that...
2022-06-271h 30
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Way of Shakti | The Zen Koans of TantraWho or what is Kali? In what form does Shakti create this Universe? And how can I (a) interact with that and (b) BECOME that?In perhaps one of our deepest discussions yet, we explore the ultimate nature of Reality: the mantric body of Shiva, i.e Shakti. Everything that you see around you is a mantra, a subtly vibrating phoneme that gives rise to thought structures in the mind which in turn produce language structures in speech which ultimate filters down into your subjective and intersubjective realities as you perceive it and negotiate it against others. Does...
2022-06-2357 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishHow To Meditate Like Lord ShivaIn 10th CE Kashmir, there were a slew of Tantrik masters who wrote brilliant commentaries on principal texts in Tantra and in so doing developed a wholly unique, thrilling and sophisticated approach to spirituality. These masters wrote within the tradition of Shaivism, the spiritual philosophy centered around Shiva as the principal divinity. Naturally then, their approach came to be called "Kashmir Shaivism." While this is a broad and far reaching school with many technicalities and subtleties, I wanted to share with you one particularly striking feature of Kashmiri Shaivite meditation, namely, the Shambava Upaya (Way of Shiva) approach that...
2022-06-111h 01
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishBuddhism and Hinduism (Q&A) | Buddha PurnimaIn this Buddha Purnima special, we celebrate the birth, death and enlightenment of one of the world's greatest spiritual teachers, Gautama the Buddha by having a Q&A discussion on various themes in Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and spiritual life in general. 00:01:16 Is Buddha's Enlightenment and Sri Ramakrishna's Enlightenment the same?00:07:46 Nagarjuna's "Nirvana = Samsara"00:12:15 The Buddha as an Avatar of Vishnu?00:21:45 How is Advaita Vedanta different from Soliplism/Subjective Idealism?00:34:51 Westopher's Firm Footing00:50:30 Why Is There Suffering In The World?01:09:25 Dzogchen and Tantrik Buddhism with Orion01:45:50 What Is Bhuta Shuddhi, The E...
2022-05-192h 30
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Bhagavad Gita Rock Opera + Q&A | Lissa CoffeyWhen you surrender your life to the Divine Inspiration arising from deep within you, then, you no longer live your life. Your life lives you.In this sangha Q&A discussion, we interview celebrity author and sister-disciple, Lissa Coffey (Parama) to talk about:Why don't we do the things we know we want to do? What is holding us back? And what will happen when we surrender our life to our inspiration, that is, to our Svadharma, our Personal Mission?In this moving discussion, we hear about Lissa Coffey's new project, the Bhagavad Gita Rock...
2022-05-032h 18
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishSri Ramakrishna's Mission | Celebrating 125 Years!On May 1st this year, the Ramakrishna Mission turns 125 since Swami Vivekananda established it in 1897, in Balaram Bose's house in Calcutta. As an offering to my Guru, I say a few words about the central theme of this mission that to me represents the Highest Ideal of Spiritual Life: service to our brothers and sisters, not out of the delusion that we can "help" them or that they are in need of "our help", but out of the recognition of the innate divinity of the soul. As such, our service to others is really nothing but worship of...
2022-05-0326 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhat Is Freedom?When people talk about freedom, they usually speak about the freedom to be a slave to their own impulses. The million year tyrant of our biology has kept us entangled in its own survival and reproduction motives, using us as pawns in a much larger game that we cannot win. Every now and then we wake up to this reality and ask if there are other motives by which we might live our lives, motives more meaningful and fulfilling than simply the dressed-up drives of sex and survival?00:00:00 What is the Purpose of Life?00:04:12 The Test...
2022-04-192h 00
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhat Is Evil?Theodicy or "The Problem of Evil" is as follows: if God is omnipotent (all-powerful) AND omnibenevolent (all good), why is there suffering/evil in the world? Either this means God is not powerful enough to stop evil even if She wanted to OR it means God could stop it but won't and as such is not all "good" by human standards. Today, we explore some ideas from Advaita Vedanta (Hindu Non-Duality) to offer a fresh perspectives on the Problem of Evil. Advaita argues that there is no such thing as "evil" in the world. What appears to b...
2022-04-041h 56
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishSri Ramakrishna, Modern Day AvatarFor more videos, guided meditations and instruction, access to our lecture library, and to support this work, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishLIVE lectures happen every Monday at 7pm PST on Zoom. It is open to the public. 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/U8zKP8yMrMWhat is for a human to literally be God? It seems counter-intuitive! One can o...
2022-03-071h 08
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishSecrets of the Dancing ShivaFor more videos, guided meditations and instruction, access to our lecture library, and to support this work, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishLIVE lectures happen every Monday at 7pm PST on Zoom. It is open to the public. 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/U8zKP8yMrMNataraja, the Dancing Shiva is among the most riveting and mysterious symbols in South Asian...
2022-03-012h 12
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Great Night of ShivaFor more videos, guided meditations and instruction, access to our lecture library, and to support this work, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishLIVE lectures happen every Monday at 7pm PST on Zoom. It is open to the public. 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/U8zKP8yMrMA lecture exploring the mythology, symbology and philosophy of Shiva, the Benign God of Yoga.
2022-03-011h 58
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishFour Schools: Hindu Non-Duality vs Buddhism vs Dualistic Religion vs Scientific MaterialismIn what might be one of our most philosophically rigorous discussions yet, we explore the four main orientations to life: Scientific Materialism, Dualistic Religion, Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta (Non-Duality). In this "compare and contrast" style lecture, we attempt to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of each school of thought with the view that they are all incredible paths appropriate for different times suiting different dispositions. “Truth is One, though sages call it differently. (Rig Veda 1:164:46)And, sometimes it is only through studying the context in which a school of thought emerges and through studying its opposition, that we...
2022-02-222h 10
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishHow To Truly Love Someone | Valentine's Day SpecialHappy Valentine's Day!Have you ever wondered: why are some relationships more fulfilling than others?What can we do to improve our romantic relationships?Do romantic relationships even have a place in spiritual life? And how is a relationship, which requires two things to relate to one another, compatible with Advaita Vedanta (Non-Duality) that posits only one thing?In this lecture we answer all these questions as well as explore a few models of conscious relationships in Indian spirituality.May this be an offering to Laxmi, Goddess of Beauty and Abundance!...
2022-02-151h 28
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWork as Worship | Swami Vivekananda's Core MessageFor more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishThese 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/7028380815To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrMToday is Swami Vivekananda's (Swamiji's) birthday. This year, because we follow the Vedic moon calendar, the auspicious date...
2022-01-251h 32
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishGoing Beyond Belief to ExperienceFor more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishThese 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/7028380815To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrMMere belief is not enough. For the spiritual life to be meaningful, one must experience directly for oneself the T...
2021-12-252h 08
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Non-Duality of Jesus ChristChristianity is not about blind belief. Christianity is about Direct Personal Experience of the Divine.In this lecture we explore the secret teachings of Christian mysticism by investigating some of the non-dual teaching of the greatest Non-Dual Master of all time: Yeshua the Christ! There are many misconceptions about what Christianity is and isn't. Tonight, we try to cut through the dogma and noise of the "brood of vipers" to penetrate into the vital, living Heart of this most powerful spiritual tradition. May this be an offering to all the saints!00:00:00 Why Do...
2021-12-212h 01
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe 4 Goals of LifeWhat is life for? What does it mean to live a fulfilling life as a human being? The answer to that question depends a great deal on the question, "what is it to BE a human being?"/"who am I?"Today we talk about finding and ultimately, following your Dharma (your life's purpose) as a way to overcome lust and greed as well as a preparation for Moksha (liberation). We discuss the meaning of a human life with an inquiry into the Purushartha, the 4 things worth having: Kaama (pleasure), Artha (wealth), Dharma (duty/personal purpose), Moksha (liberation). T...
2021-12-072h 00
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Spiritual Message of IndiaIn this talk, we explore the very heart of Indian spirituality: renunciation and service. We ask: what are the Vedas and the Upanishads and from what do the Vedas draw scriptural authority? The answers might surprise you! We conclude by examining the lives of India's greatest saint, the 19th CE Bengali master Sri Ramakrishna and his foremost disciple, Swami Vivekananda who first brought the message of India to the West. Today, let us celebrate this ancient lineage that lives on in you and me. Let us set our sights on the highest ideals expressed to us by the world's...
2021-11-191h 22
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishYouth and Spirituality, A ConversationAs a young person, we are surrounded by narratives about who we ought to be, what we ought to do, what we ought to own and what pleasures we ought to want in order to "make it" in the world.Our elders hand down belief systems in the guise of wisdom and yet we see right through that hypocrisy! We find it odd to be accepting advice from people on "how to be happy" when those same people don't seem very functional or happy! It seems like the assumptions upon which our society is built are unsatisfactory ones...
2021-11-061h 22
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishOvercoming FearHappy Halloween!Enjoy this Halloween special :)The enlightened state is a state of complete fearlessness.Prior to enlightenment, our lives are pervaded by a kind of restless anxiety. We want what we want because we are afraid of what might happen to us if we don't get it. As a result, we feel a contraction throughout our day to day experience. But imagine how relaxed, open and compassionate we would be if we manage to overcome that fear once and for all? Such a thing is possible!Today, we explore what fear is and...
2021-10-312h 02
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish7 Tools for a Spiritual LifeFor more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishThese 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/7028380815To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrMWhat does it mean to live a "spiritual life"? What does life look like when you commit yourself full t...
2021-10-252h 44
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish5 Obstacles to EnlightenmentFor more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishThese 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/7028380815To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrMToday we talk about why we practice spirituality and discuss the 5 main obstacles that might be keeping us from...
2021-10-072h 19
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishSocial Activism as Spiritual PracticeFor more videos and instruction, visit me at patreon.com/yogawithnish What is effective and appropriate action with regards to the various political concerns around us? What role does spiritual practice play in informing our engagement with the world?In this lecture, we explore four distinct schools of South Asian philosophy (Samkhya, Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta and Kashmir Shaivism) to show that the spiritual master is beyond all ethics: she is a spontaneous and effortless expression of perfect morality. We explore the Three Errors of Social Work before enlightenment and we expound on how service (sev...
2021-09-212h 08
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhat is Spiritual Practice?We look at some key teachings from the philosophical schools of Samkhya and Advaita Vedanta to relax into the profound divinity, the easeful joy that is already here for you. There is a big disjunct between knowing spiritual concepts in the mind and actually experiencing them as a lived reality in daily life. We have all attended many lectures and read many books and yet the glow fades away, the remembrance of our true nature dissipates and we return to familiar, stifling patterns of a separate self. Today we inquire into how to maintain a stable state of...
2021-09-141h 59
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhat is Reincarnation?What dies when the body dies and what is it that carries on?The theory of Reincarnation, that is, the movement of the Soul from one body to another, is featured in most South Asian schools of philosophy. Today, we attempt to motivate this theory on scientific and philosophical grounds to prove that not only does this theory have a lot of explanatory power when it come to accounting for certain phenomena, but also that this theory has a three-fold practical use: 1. Reincarnation Theory frees us from a victim narrative, allowing us to take responsibility fo...
2021-09-061h 04
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhat is Death?What IS death? What "dies" exactly? Do YOU end when the body ends? Socrates described philosophy as "preparation for death", Nachiketha learned the secret of life in Death's house in the Katha Upanishad, the Shakyamuni Buddha pointed out that as much as we like to pretend otherwise, impermanence is a fact of life. But impermanence of what?To celebrate today's Pluto Retrograde and the Scorpio Full Moon, we explore the deepest questions of philosophy and find profound answers from Advaita Vedanta (Hindu Non-Duality), answers that not only free us once and for all from the fear of death...
2021-08-221h 09
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhat Is Real?We've got to understand what a thing is before we know how to use it meaningfully. We have to ask: what is this world made of? What is real? And what does it mean to be in the world? Today, we explore the Hard Problem of Matter and the Hard Problem of Consciousness: why is it that the more we look for "matter" through the lens of material science, the more it runs away from us? How come a Universe composed of mostly dark energy/matter and empty space appears to us the way that it does? We...
2021-08-031h 03
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishYou Do Not Need To HealWe are often sold the narrative in New Age circles that we are broken and in need of "healing" which can only happen, of course, after paying lots of money to some self-proclaimed Shaman...Advaita Vedanta (Non-Duality) adamantly challenges this view by suggesting that you are already enlightened, whole and fulfilled at your very essence. There is nothing missing from you that needs to be added up, so there can be no growing.There is nothing broken that needs to be fixed, and so there can be no healing. The work of spirituality is not healing o...
2021-07-231h 00
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishCultivating Devotion (Guided Meditation)For more videos, episodes and instruction, visit me at: patreon.com/yogawithnishOne of our most advanced guided meditations yet: today, we cultivate Bhakti (devotion). The Way of Devotion engenders a natural, spontaneous and almost effortless kind of spiritual movement away from fear-craving-suffering and towards fearlessness-peace-bliss.Bhakti, the Path of Love is the Secret Sauce of spiritual life.It is the Spirit Juice.It is the practice par excellence for cultivating the necessary dispositions for advanced spiritual life; it is Bhakti that creates in us, effortlessly, the necessary preconditions for a spiritual awakening; it...
2021-07-1325 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Witness: Overcoming Pain and Grief (Guided Meditation)For more videos, lessons and episodes, visit me at patreon.com/yogawithnish Happy New Moon in Cancer! Here is a guided meditation for overcoming pain, grief, and the inevitable transiency of Samsara. We use the Witness (Sakshi) technique from the Advaita Vedanta and Samkhya schools of Indian spiritual philosophy. Remember: All things arise and pass away.Entire worlds surge up and dissolvewith each breath.Knowing this, why become attached?Why be disturbed byThe rising and falling awayOf circumstances?Take a stand outside the...
2021-07-1119 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishMy Father and I Are One (Guided Meditation)For videos, instruction and more episodes, visit me at patreon.com/yogawithnish Happy Father's Day and Blessed Summer Solstice!Shiva-Shakti, Yang-Yin, Masculine-Feminine, Fatherhood-Motherhood Consciousness-Energy, Energy-Matter...all of these are two aspects of the same thing, two ways of looking at one principle.What is the unity beyond this seeming duality? Today we explore the Divine Masculine in Christian mysticism, Taoism and Tantra to celebrate Father's Day and welcome in powerful new energy for the coming Solstice. Enjoy :)Here is a householder prayer for all householder-yogis out there:"I vow befo...
2021-06-201h 23
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Divine Purpose of SufferingFor more videos, episodes and instructions, join me at patreon.com/yogawithnish What does our suffering show us about our true nature? In this video: 1. A few central insights from Advaita Vedanta (Non-Duality) to cure suffering once and for all2. An inquiry into the innovations of Kashmir Shaivism to Non-Duality and 3. How this latter worldview articulates suffering as an auspicious teacher revealing our divine selves.Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST Use this link and I will see you...
2021-06-181h 02
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Divine Purpose of SufferingFor more videos and instruction, come visit me at patreon.com/yogawithnish !What does our suffering show us about our true nature? In this video: 1. A few central insights from Advaita Vedanta (Non-Duality) to cure suffering once and for all2. An inquiry into the innovations of Kashmir Shaivism to Non-Duality and 3. How this latter worldview articulates suffering as an auspicious teacher revealing our divine selves.
2021-06-181h 03
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Secrets of Kali WorshipFor more episodes and instruction, visit me at patreon.com/yogawithnishMother Kali, the black skinned, wild-haired goddess wielding weapons and whirling in an ecstatic dance of awakening has been one of the most fascinating icons in Indian art for centuries on end.What is the hidden meaning of this Dark Devi?Today we discuss some folk stories about Kali and explore their hidden meaning to uncover secrets about how to deal with suffering and use suffering as a tool for deepening our spiritual practice. Come and dive into the exciting world of Tantra, Goddess Worship a...
2021-06-0458 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Great Saints of India: Siddhartha GautamaFor more episodes, guided meditations and videos, visit me at patreon.com/yogawithnishIn this lecture, we explore the dizzying heights of Buddhist philosophy and practice, tracking the development of ideas starting with the profound insights of one of India's greatest teachers, the Shakyamuni Buddha 2600 years ago all the way to their development into the Tantrik forms of Vajrayana/Mahayana/Dzogchen as well as their more austere forms, Hinayana and Zen. To celebrate Buddha Purnima, we explore the story of a young prince, living a life of luxury, sheltered away from the realities of life. E...
2021-05-272h 26
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishKali and Radical AcceptanceFor the video version of this and for more lectures, lessons and content, visit me at patreon.com/yogawithnish Many of us experience difficult disease on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level and often we use meditation and Yoga as a kind of numbing strategy to try to overcome, escape or suppress these movements of energy we call difficult emotions. This never works. There is a higher path.If you are able to internalize today's teaching from the 9th CE Kashmir Shaivism school you will no longer experience grief and pain AS suffering. They wo...
2021-05-2258 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Spiritual Heritage of IndiaThe 5000 year old tradition that is Indian spirituality lives on today and it lives on in you! We gather today to celebrate the nourishing philosophies and the practical methodologies that have emerged from India over the years in an effort to raise some funds for the COVID relief effort in Mother India!If you feel moved, you can still donate by sending your offerings directly tohttps://www.giveindia.org/I hope you will enjoy this humble offering of the Spirit. In this 5+ hour lecture marathon, we explore all the different schools of thought from...
2021-05-115h 43
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishTapasya: Austerity as Spiritual PracticeAll spiritual traditions prescribe some form of self-abnegation in the name of purifying the vessel:Jesus fasted in the desert,the Islamic mystics called themselves "Fakirs" (Poor Ones),Nachiketha jumped into the fire in the Katha Upanishad...and yet, the Buddha spoke against severe austerity in favor of the "Middle Way", the path of moderation.What is austerity, really? In this video we explore the esoteric principle behind purification practices and I suggest a few indispensable techniques to incorporate into your spiritual life right away. Also, we have a lengthy discussion on what th...
2021-05-031h 10
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishDukkha: Why Do We Suffer?We have talked about what suffering is quite a bit. But we haven't answered WHY we suffer. How does the experience of suffering fit into the cosmic picture of creation? Why did Brahman get confused by Maya? Who created the Matrix? Hint, Neo: YOU did. But why? We explore 7 different schools of South Asian philosophy (The Materialist Charvaka school, Buddhism, Jainism, Vaishnava Dualism, Samkhya/Yoga, Advaita Vedanta and Kashmiri Shaivism) to find out how each of them account for suffering. Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am...
2021-04-261h 02
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishYour Soul's Song (Guided Meditation)Above every blade of grass, there is an angel whispering "grow! grow!"What is the true source of your inspiration?What is your purpose here on Earth as an individual?Do you not feel a call, deep within you, to action? A stirring in your soul to engage yourself in some creative pursuit for the service of your brothers and sisters?In this powerful guided meditation, we draw upon the mythologies of Zoroastrianism, the Book of Enoch, Milton's "Paradise Lost, Stephen Pressfield's "War of Art" and of course my mentor Lyam Thomas Christopher who...
2021-04-2418 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishSelf-Sufficiency (Q&A)Join us for this Questions & Answers discussion session on:1. How we can overcome lust and greed + why we would even want to overcome those things2. The Dangers of Teaching Yoga3. Is the desire for liberation still bondage? How can you desire "desirelessness"? 4. How to have compassion for oneself while still aspiring to higher spiritual ideals? How can you forgive yourself when you inevitably fall short? 5. True Spirituality vs Spiritual Bypassing/Escapism And much more!For more episodes and instructions, visit me at patreon.com/yogawithnishSupport the showLe...
2021-04-134h 20
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish4 Tools for Self-Sufficiency How do we overcome lust and greed and discover self-sufficiency? Today, we investigate the awakening stories of masters like St Francis of Assisi, Ramana Maharshi, Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Eckhart Tolle etc. to explore some of the deepest topics in spiritual practice:1. What is renunciation?2. Why would a person want to give up the world and the sex craving?3. Okay, you've decided you want to do it but how? There are so many deeply embedded patterns, strengthened from years of repetition and cultural conditioning that keep us from our spiritual ideals. But these ideals CAN be lived wi...
2021-04-111h 05
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishSexual Desire (Q&A)A beautiful Q&A exploring the role of sexual desire in spiritual life, how to overcome sexual craving, the Left-Hand Path Tantrik practices involving sexuality (and their misconceptions), the ethics of Ahimsa (Non-Violence) and much more!For more videos and instruction, visit me at patreon.com/yogawithnishSupport 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...
2021-04-061h 39
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishChrist-Consciousness (Guided Meditation)Happy Easter! Here is mystical interpretation of some of the hidden meanings of the Christian gnostic tradition presented in a guided meditation to awaken within you the ever-renewing joy of your very own Christ Consciousness. May we all remember that Divinity is WITHIN us (the Kingdom of Heaven is within) and that our true wealth is not in the things we want. Rather, what we want are the feeling states that we think will come about as a result of having those things or circumstances. When we learn that we can access all feeling states without the things, our...
2021-04-0448 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishBrahmacharya: Sexual Desire and ContinenceThe Yogic solution to the sexual craving is NOT repression...it is transmutation. Almost all mystical traditions in the world prescribe some form of celibacy as preparation for deeper states of meditation. Often, the yama of Brahmacharya in Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga is frightening to the Western mind. What do you mean I have to give up sex? In this video, we talk about what the sex drive is and how to overcome lust + why you even want to overcome it!We explore renunciation, the work of spiritual practice, the benefits (and drawbacks) of continence and of...
2021-03-281h 03
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishGaura Purnima (Guided Meditation)For more episodes and guided meditations, visit me at: patreon.com/yogawithnish A story about Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to describe why this Full Moon in the month Phalguna of the Vedic Calendar is celebrated in India and all around the world.And then a guided meditation to experience the ecstacy and spiritual effulgence of this great teacher in your own being!Blessed Gaura Purnima and Full Moon in Libra!OM peace peace peace.
2021-03-2814 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishAssuming the God-Forms (Guided Meditation)Happy Spring Equinox! In this 20 minute Tantrik-styled guided meditation, we combine Mantra (sacred sound), Mudra (sacred gesture) and Bhavana (imaginative visualization) to experience the Divine on all levels of our being. In this meditation, you conjure up the image of your Ishta Deva (Chosen Spiritual Ideal) and then merge into it, allowing your small self to be subsumed into the divinity that you truly are. Enjoy! For more guided meditations + HQ audio versions, visit me at patreon.com/yogawithnishSupport the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at...
2021-03-2021 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhat Is Renunciation? (And How To Do It)For more videos and instruction, visit me at: patreon.com/yogawithnishAlmost all spiritual traditions around the world insist on "renouncing the world" in order to mature spiritually.What is there to be renounced? Why would you even want to renounce it? And finally, how do you go about doing that in this day and age?I will explore the way different religions present renunciation as an ideal and then propose that the true meaning of renunciation is NOT an outward "show" of giving things up but instead, it is a deep, inner renunciation of...
2021-03-111h 02
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishDo We Have Free Will?For more episodes and instruction, visit me at patreon.com/yogawithnish Do you have free will? We look at a few ideas from Yoga and Tantra and compare them to similar ideas in Christianity and Kantian philosophy to investigate this age old question of what free will really is. I will show you that you (as the Jeeva, Individual) are a completely determined being and that is an incredibly freeing concept with regards to the personal suffering you feel. And yet, You as Shiva or Brahman or Atman are in fact completely radically free!Check o...
2021-03-083h 10
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish5 Big Ideas from 5000BCE IndiaHere a few of my favourite ideas from ancient Indian philosophy to whet your appetite for a deeper dive into these profoundly transformative, eternally relevant and heartbreakingly beautiful South Asian schools of thought that can help anyone anywhere live a more meaningful life. Welcome to For the Love of Yoga, a podcast series where we explore various topics in Yoga, Vedanta, Tantra and other spiritual traditions around the world.For more episodes and instructions, come join me at patreon.com/yogawithnish Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and ag...
2021-03-0215 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThree Errors: Separation, Time, Free WillWe suffer because we cling on to three perceptual errors. I will present some arguments to loosen the hold of these misperceptions in an effort to free you from their sway!For more episodes, visit me at: patreon.com/yogawithnishSupport 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...
2021-03-021h 18
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishYou Are Already Enlightened, Let Me Show YouWe discuss how "spiritual awakening" works in order to dispel the myth that there is a "progression" or "a set amount of work you have to do" to become enlightened. After all, you cannot BECOME enlightened because you already ARE that now. It is your fundamental nature. All it takes is one Insight. In an attempt to give you this insight today, that is, to prove to you in the immediacy of your own awareness that you are not your body nor are you your mind, we discuss the Duality of Patanjali Yoga and why Patanjali, Plato and Descartes...
2021-02-243h 10
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishMaya: If You Are God, Why Don't You Know It?God is the blissful awareness of your own Being, God is only thing that exists and the Universe as we see it is just an emanation of diversity arising out of the one Unity that you Are. And yet! We still experience ourselves as a separate from the world around. We experience suffering and contraction. If we are indeed God, how could this be? Why don't we immediately intuit our nature as the Absolute? To answer this question we look at the idea of Maya, the Cosmic Measurer: the power of God to manifest the Many and conceal the...
2021-02-112h 35
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWhat Is Enlightenment?Perhaps one of our deepest discussions yet, today we explore the concept of Atma Bodha (Self-Realization)/Brahma Jnana (Knowing God)/Nirvana/Perfection/Enlightenment etc. to figure out what the ultimate goal of spiritual practice REALLY is. We explore a Tantrik creation story to explain why the world as you see it came to be and what "your" role in it is. Who are you really? And why are you here?All this in today's discussion on What Is Enlightenment?Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11...
2021-01-1941 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Great Saints of India: Swami VivekanandaThe Shamanic Roots of Yoga, the Core Teachings of the Upanishads, the story of how Yoga first came to the west and the brilliant life of India's Greatest Saint: Swami Vivekananda!Support our work here: www.patreon.com/yogawithnishNaturally, one hour is not enough to capture to beauty and brilliance of Swami Vivekananda, India's foremost saint and beloved disciple of Paramahansa Ramakrishna, World Teacher and Avatar. To honor this incredible spirit, I wanted to share with you the story of his life which is really a story about how the spiritual ideals of India...
2021-01-1256 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Buddha, Yogic Phenomenology and The Ultimate ExperienceToday we talk about the Problem of Suffering as articulated by the Shakyamuni Buddha in order to understand what it is exactly that we're trying to achieve in Yoga. Naturally, we discuss the subtle ideas of Yogic phenomenology (the study of how we perceive the world around us) to show that we are projecting our universe into existence through our mental representations (vikalpas). Then, we take a deep dive into some of the most profound philosophies from the 15th CE text Drg-Drsya-Viveka, "Discrimination Between The Seer and the Seen" to prove to you in one argument that you are...
2021-01-101h 01
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishShakti: The Sacred FeminineWe discuss Shakti, the Goddess: the fierce, fiery, powerful principle of the Divine Feminine as expressed by Shakta Tantra. We compare conceptions of the Female with mystery traditions like 15th CE Alchemy and Occultism, Taoism and Mesopotamian mythology. We make frequent visits to modern gender politics and Jungian psychology to see what relationship the psychic principles of Yin and Yang have to physical sex and psychological gender.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:...
2021-01-051h 46
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Bodhisattva Vow (Guided Meditation)In this powerful meditation from the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, we work with the power of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. We call upon this energy through a lush visualization meant to bring the power and profundity of your own Inner Teacher into your heart-space so you can access the guidance and wisdom of your Higher Self whenever you need. Finally, you will receive a popular but potentized 5th CE mantra from the Karandavyuha Sutra to anchor you to the Fullness of Your Being, Your Ever-New Buddha Nature. Find a seat, close the eyes, follow the breath and let this meditation take you...
2021-01-0233 min
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishHow To Enjoy LifeA humble yogic perspective on what it means to live a fulfilling life. We talk about all the different orientations to life and why many of them don't work and then when we figure out why!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/yogawithnish
2020-12-261h 26
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Deepest Ideas in YogaTo celebrate today's Winter Solstice and the Great Jupiter-Saturn Conjunct, I expound on 9000 years of yoga philosophy, teasing out the biggest themes and most revolutionary concepts to nudge you into a transformative shift that you may come home to your True Self which is ever free, blissful and at peace. What are the major takeaways from the Vedic and Upanishadic era? How did these ideas evolve in the 6th CE with the first World Teachers like Patanjali, Vardhamana Mahavira, Shakyamuni Buddha and Lao Tsu? What is the Tantra movement? How did Hatha Yoga go from being an underground 10th...
2020-12-222h 21
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishWorking With DeitiesWe discuss the various Gods and Goddesses in the pantheons of the Indus valley compared to pantheons from other traditions. We explore the concept that Gods and Goddesses aren't "out there" but are rather metaphors for what's going on "in here". They are metaphors for subtle psychic forces that are sometimes too "behind the scenes" in our day to day life for us to experience directly. As such, we plead poetic license to personify these inner forces as deities, in order that we might approach them intelligently. Working with them can helpful in navigating the spiritual path. There are...
2020-12-181h 32
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Purpose of Spiritual PracticeNow that we've discussed the methods to practice spirituality and the various pitfalls along the path, we turn our attention to a much deeper question: why practice at all? 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 a...
2020-12-141h 55
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishThe Divine RomanceWe discuss the origin of Suffering in the Buddhist and Yogic literature and then we look at Vidyaranya's famous argument from his 15th CE Pancadesi to prove how you are not the Mind nor are you the Body and as such, you are beyond all suffering! Then, we talk about the Divine Romance, which is the story of Shiva and Shakti's courtship: he descends down from the crown chakra; she rises up from the root, and they meet in the Hridayam, the Heart. Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and a...
2020-12-141h 05
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishPitfalls on the PathThe Way of Spirit can be steep and winding at times, and broad and obvious at other times. During the journey, you will encounter true and sincere teachers of Spirit but you will also encounter just as many charlatans who peddle peace and take all your money! In the beginning, old patterns that you seek to break through spiritual practice will find their way into your spiritual practice; you become susceptible to spiritual materialism and the fortification of the ego through creating a "spiritual" instagram identity (haha); other times, you will feel confused and disheartened when the spiritual highs...
2020-12-091h 55
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishHow To Practice Spirituality (Part 2)In Part 2, we explore the vast array of spiritual practices with the hope that one of them resonates with you, We also delve deeper into the subtle aspects of asana and pranayama practice and then we explore the Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga paths for cultivating svadhyaya (study) and isvara pranidhana (devotion) which are integral practices to develop spirituality.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 m...
2020-12-011h 02
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishHow To Practice Spirituality (Part 1)Spiritual practice: you've been reading about it, hearing about it and listening to your friends rave about it. Now you've decided to take it up yourself! But where to start? The world of spirituality is wide and varied with many roads to salvation and equally many pitfalls and dead ends. This is a journey peppered with unassuming enlightened masters and grandiose charlatans who would peddle "peace" and take all your money. It is a journey that must be navigated skillfully. In part 1, we explore the various component parts of a holistic spiritual practice honoring the fact that you a...
2020-11-291h 06
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishReincarnation (Part 2)Today, we talk about past-life memories, exploring Om Sety (Dorothy Eady) and other stories of people who have vivid recollection of past lives. We explain why it is that you might not remember your past lives. Is there technique enabling you to do so? Your past lives are much closer and much more available to you than you might expect! We also discuss the First Incarnation, or the Purpose of Creation: The First Cause is Pure Awareness' desire to experience itself as Oneness in Many. And so the Universe comes into Being leading up to the Final Effect: t...
2020-11-271h 29
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishReincarnation (Part 1)Reincarnation is a fundamental feature in many Eastern schools of thought and is significant in Christian mysticism as well as in many cultures around the world. Each of us asks the question, "what carries forward after this body dies?" In Part 1, we discuss what makes a scientific theory good in order to present Reincarnation as a rational theory. Since every theory is just a metaphor for Reality (the map is never the territory), we explore what Reincarnation can do for us with regards to understanding the forces at work in our Being. What is it exactly that reincarnates? How c...
2020-11-221h 11
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishDharma: Finding Your PurposeIn this episode, we talk about Mick Jagger, Wall Street brokers and the Bhagavad Gita to explain both cosmic and personal Dharma. What is the purpose of Creation? What is your role in all of that? What is your purpose? We discuss how our spiritual practice can cultivate the insight to know what your purpose is as well as the courage to pursue it. Finally, we talk about how living your purpose can help your spiritual practice. Join me in this special Navaratri episode devoted to the goddess Saraswati! Support the showLectures happen live e...
2020-11-171h 18
For the Love of Yoga with Nish the FishRomantic Relationships as Spiritual PracticeWhat is Love? What is Romantic Love? And what role do these intimate relationships have to play in our spiritual lives? Today we discuss how our culture primes us to "fall" in love without ever teaching us how to BE in Love. We explore the common failings and disappointments in this domain of life and cap it off with a discussion of Bhakti Yoga and how to spiritualize our intimate relationships. Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST Use this link and I will s...
2020-11-1356 min