Shows
The EmeraldGuardians and Protectors!Practices of guardianship — invoking guardian deities, enlisting spirit help, clearing spaces of questionable energies, and establishing boundaries around ritual, communal, and personal space — are common to animate traditions across the world. In many traditions, guardianship is absolutely central as we navigate a world of forces, not all of which are traditionally seen as beneficial. So traditional practitioners — even as they commune with the natural world — also draw clear boundaries, send wayward spirits fleeing, and even do battle with malefic energies. Such practices challenge modern western minds and are often dismissed as 'superstitious' or as the least important part of any trad...2024-09-022h 31
Spiritual Teachings With ShunyamurtiThe Aghori Option May Be Your Best Strategy - Shunyamurti TeachingToday, many people are functioning as hungry ghosts. And many are paralyzed spiritually by feelings of disgust and shame about their self-images, histories, and modes of self-presentation. In this context, Shunyamurti retells a story originally told by Acharya Sthaneshwar Timalsina about his meeting with an Aghori guru—and explores the implications of the extreme lifestyles and practices of those pariah yogis with amazing powers. Through this analysis, we learn how to raise our consciousness to new symbolic heights and then pass beyond the mind to the Supreme Real. This enables the liberated Self to emerge.
2023-11-1116 min
The Philosophy of SexTantra: Appropriate or Appropriated? (ft. Elisa Caro, Vikram Zutshi & Sthaneshwar Timalsina)When you hear the word Tantra, what comes to mind? Marathon sex sessions or ancient Eastern spiritual practice?Depending on where you look, you might get the impression that Tantra is anything from a lifestyle choice, to sexual therapy, to a religious practice. In this episode, we explore the grey areas surrounding Tantra. Advocates of Tantra, such as Tantric practitioner Elisa Caro, report improved intimacy and healing from trauma, while others, such as cultural critic Vikram Zutshi, warn of cultural appropriation and the extreme reduction of esoteric philosophies. Along with Professor of Religious St...2021-08-1830 min
Meru MediaTantra and Abhinavagupta: A Conversation with Professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina (audio podcast version)Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina, Professor of Religious Studies at San Diego State University. He is also a qualified Acharya and has been trained in Sanskrit and Shastras since he was a child. He is an expert on Tantra and Abhinavagupta, a 10th century polymath genius who worked on philosophy, drama, math, music, aesthetics, and other areas. Acharya Sthaneshwar is also Founder of the Vimarsha Foundation, a 501c(3) non-profit that engages in expounding and maintaining the Kashmiri Shaivism tradition. 2020-09-172h 05Interviews and DiscussionsTantra and Abhinavagupta: A Conversation with Professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina (audio podcast version)Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina, Professor of Religious Studies at San Diego State University. He is also a qualified Acharya and has been trained in Sanskrit and Shastras since he was a child. He is an expert on Tantra and Abhinavagupta, a 10th century polymath genius who worked on philosophy, drama, math, music, aesthetics, and other areas. Acharya Sthaneshwar is also Founder of the Vimarsha Foundation, a 501c(3) non-profit that engages in expounding and maintaining the Kashmiri Shaivism tradition. 2020-09-172h 05Regular EpisodesTantra and Abhinavagupta: A Conversation with Professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina (audio podcast version)Join Mukunda as he speaks to Professor Sthaneshwar Timalsina, Professor of Religious Studies at San Diego State University. He is also a qualified Acharya and has been trained in Sanskrit and Shastras since he was a child. He is an expert on Tantra and Abhinavagupta, a 10th century polymath genius who worked on philosophy, drama, math, music, aesthetics, and other areas. Acharya Sthaneshwar is also Founder of the Vimarsha Foundation, a 501c(3) non-profit that engages in expounding and maintaining the Kashmiri Shaivism tradition. 2020-09-172h 05