Becoming the Mind of Siva Retreat

Four week Tantrik Meditation Intensive
October 14th – November 12th
Kailash Akhara Retreat Center
Phu Reua, Thailand

Below the thinking mind, below emotions and concepts exists your essential nature. Beyond form and formless, ever-present yet ungraspable, your essential nature is uncreated and unknowable to the ordinary mind. To become your essential nature is to become the Mind of Siva.

This 4-week intensive in Tantrik Meditation will focus on the method of “nirapeksa dhyanam” or formless meditation, the supporting practices and teachings, and study of sacred written texts, to transmit the experience of our essential nature.

Multiple sessions of meditation each day will allow you to immerse yourself in the experience of your True Nature. First we must discover our essential nature and then we must stabilize that realization with ever-deepening mediation practice.

Dharmanidhi Sarasvati Acharya will be leading this retreat. He has studied with true adepts of non-conceptual meditation from Hindu Tantrik Yoga, Yungdrung Bon (pre-Buddhist religion of central Asia), Daoism, Tibetan Buddhism, Chan and Zen. Dharmanidhi will give the crucial “pointing out” instructions, which are at the heart of these traditions. These instructions are greatly valued for their ability to instantly open the mind of Essence-Nature.

Kailash Akhara retreat center is located in Northeastern Thailand, nestled in the rolling hills near the Laos boarder. The center is situated on 40 acres of natural beauty full of fruit trees, ponds, a permaculture garden and Asia’s largest Yoga training hall and temple – The Mahasiddha Mahabodhi temple (Great Awakening Temple of the Yoga Adepts). The temple has a teak practice floor surrounded by a foot walking meditation deck, 30-foot ceilings and is open on three sides giving spectacular mountain and forest views.

Fees:

Fees include Housing (shared dormitory, shared bamboo hut or tent), All Meals, All Handouts, and Teaching Fee. 20% non-refundable deposit required at time of registration. Full refund (less 20% deposit) available until September 13. 2010. After September 14, 2010, no refund is available.

Housing is by request on a first come-first serve basis. Please register early, dorm rooms and huts are limited.

Dormitory or Hut: $1925
Tent: $1275

Wire Transfer and Cash in US$ only. Deposit required to register. Registration is complete upon our receipt of official copy of confirmation of wire transfer via email to info@kailashakhara.com.

Registration:

Register Online

Any questions may be sent to info@kailashakhara.com. Detailed information regarding what to bring, weather, arrival information etc. will be sent to you once your registration is complete.

Original Posting: February 2010

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Acarya Training Program Update

The first Acarya Training Program is underway here at Kailash Akhara and we have already seen that the original format and time-line has to be changed to allow for the fruition and attainment of the teachings to occur. It has become clear that to be an Acarya – to be fully established in View – a more intensive training schedule is needed. The first years of training are now going to require the student to live at Kailash Akhara full-time in order to steep oneself in the View and will thus enable one to fully live the teachings in a structured and rich environment under the guidance of the Guru. Basic sanity and a stable Atmasakti (sense of self linked with the Dharma) can then be more easily revealed and will form the basis for engaging in deeper studies of the Acarya Training Program. It is therefore crucial that one have all responsibilities (familial, financial, etc.) handled completely before applying for the Acarya Training Program. In order to give those interested ample time to organize one’s life and make the necessary arrangements, the next training program will begin in 2013 or 2014.

If you are interested in participating in the next Acarya Training Program and would like to begin to self-study in the Acarya Training curriculum, please email Kiranamayi at kiranamayi@gmail.com for further information.

The Acarya Training Program

The longevity and preservation of any spiritual lineage is dependent largely upon teachers being developed within the system to preserve and pass on to future generations the instruction and the transmission of the teachings. Traditionally this role has been performed by the Acaryas.

The word Acarya, often translated as teacher or spiritual teacher, also means routine and conduct, as in Rtucarya (seasonal routine/ conduct) and Dinacarya (daily routine/ conduct). Thus an Acarya is one who having established the routine of sadhana and practice in their own life and having applied the teachings to them selves, expresses the teachings and fruits of the practice through their conduct.

Jñanagnikula is stratified into different levels of participation and spiritual authority. Below you’ll find an outline of the school’s structure and the hierarchy of spiritual authority as well as a description of the Acarya Training Program followed by instructions on how to apply.

Tier 1

Parishioner:

• Parishioners are anyone who attends teachings, rituals, calendrical events, kula social events, yoga classes, etc. (Any Jñanagni Kula event.)
• Parishioners have no formal commitment through initiation to the school and are free to attend classes, courses or events as they please.

Instructor:

• Instructors are authorized to give general teachings.
• They have passed an exam qualifying them to teach.
• Instructors are not authorized to speak on behalf of the lineage, give initiations or transmission.

Pujari:

• Pujaris serve the parishioners and the Dharma by performing the rituals of the tradition. They perform daily and calendrical rituals for the community.
• Pujaris will have completed the requisite training in ritual practice with Swami Ramanuja and/or qualified Pujacaryas.

Pandita:

• This group will undergo a rigorous 7-year training program focused on View teachings from an academic standpoint.
• These trainings will take place at Kailash Akhara in Thailand or at other Jñanagni Kula centers of study.
• Roughly 70% of the training will involve a general curriculum while 30% will focus on a specialty subject decided upon according to each student’s individual interests.
• On completion of the Pandita program there is no obligation to serve and/or teach within the school, however it is encouraged.
• It is an academic Tantrik training program and can be taken purely for the fulfillment of the individual’s own interests.
• Once authorized they may speak on lineage knowledge but may not speak on behalf of the lineage. In other words, a Pandita graduate does not have spiritual authority.
• They cannot give transmission of practices nor initiate students.

Tier 2

Hermit:

• The Hermit will live in the Hermitage in Thailand or any other Jñanagni Kula hermitage.
• In certain circumstances Hermits may be allowed to live outside of the Jñanagni Kula Hermitages, but the lineage head must approve the circumstances beforehand.
• Both situations require the student to abstain from contact with the outside world.
• A student may choose to take a retreat and live as a hermit for a designated period of time, which will be agreed upon by the lineage head.
• There will be a trial period for everyone wishing to become a hermit before full hermit vows are taken to make sure that the applicant is suitable to hermit life.
• Students must be over the age of 35 to be accepted for full hermit diksa.

Acarya:

• An Acarya holds a select body of the essential teachings of the lineage AND is obligated to transmit them.
• The training period will be a minimum of 7 years and graduation depends on the following three things:

1. Attainment of the knowledge.
2. Realization of one’s essential nature.
3. Ability to transmit the knowledge academically and experientially.

• The training will occur at Kailash Akhara following the framework listed below.
• The student who has completed their training and who has recognition of their Essence Nature (confirmed by the lineage head) will then receive diksa to confirm them as a lineage representative.
• The Acarya has an obligation to the school to serve wherever, whenever and however needed.
• Acarya is of two types:

1. Junior Acarya- able to speak authoritatively on lineage matters and teachings.
2. Senior Acarya- able to speak authoritatively on lineage matters and teachings, as well as give transmission and initiation. Senior Acaryas form the pool of candidates from which the new lineage head is elected after the previous one retires or takes Mahasamadhi.

Tier 3

Mandaladhyaksha Mukhyacarya:

• This is the head Acarya, the Vidyadhara of Jñanagni Kula, as well as any sister school(s) that may form in the future.
• This is an office, the title of which is MANDALA DHYAKSHA _________ MUKHYACARYA.
• The Mandala Dhyaksa Mukhyacarya has the responsibility to hold ALL the knowledge and lineage teachings and transmission.
• The present Mandaladhyaksha Mukhyacarya is Dharmanidhi Sarasvati.

Acarya Training

The Mukhyacarya Dharmanidhi Sarasvati has said:

“This is not a training program for personal enjoyment, though it will be very satisfying for the person whose fate it is to be an Acarya. Nor is it merely for higher education. You are training for a lifetime of service. You will be responsible for the knowledge and experience of this sacred lineage being preserved for future generations. During the years of study and thereafter you will be immersed in working for The Dharma itself.”

There are 4 tracks of study in the Acarya training:

1. HATHA YOGA ACARYA: This person is responsible for mastering and transmitting the Hatha Yoga Tradition of Adi-Yoga in its entirety. This includes the intellectual and experiential knowledge of texts and the internal and external practices of the tradition.
2. DARSHANA ACARYA: This person is responsible for maintaining the purity, clarity, and strength of the non-dual Tantrik view teachings of Jñanagni Kula.
3. UPAYA ACARYA: This person is responsible for maintaining the knowledge and fruit of the Tantrik yoga practices of Jñanagni Kula.
4. DARSHANA/UPAYA ACARYA: This person is responsible for the knowledge and transmission of both the View and the Methods of Practice of Jñanagni Kula.

• There is no standard pre-requisite for the training. However, a student wishing to apply would need to have been immersed in the school and teachings for some time, (usually around a minimum of two years).
• It is highly recommended that all applicants have completed courses such as Gateway to Freedom and The 12 Stage View and/or have been practicing for enough years to have a solid understanding of the tradition and lifestyle of a Tantrika.
• Applicants must be 20 years of age or older. People with families are welcome and encouraged to apply because we are a householder tradition and wish to preserve the lineage as such.

At a certain point in the training each student will choose a specialty area (or areas) that they will go deeper into in order to become the holder of that particular teaching/practice. Dharmanidhi has said, “The Acarya doesn’t know everything. You go through the program and you find your specialty area. This way the collective body of Acarya’s will function together, each one acting as a different limb contributing to the overall body of knowledge and wisdom of the lineage teachings.”

Acaryas and Acaryas in training wear a blue uniform as a symbolic reminder of Ultimate Essence Nature. Wearing the blue Acarya uniform demonstrates the Acarya’s commitment to serve the school and the Dharma. The blue uniform also gives the Acarya a higher degree of visibility amongst the kula. The traditional colors of white, gold/yellow and red will be used at different stages of training as well.

Upon completion of the training, the Acarya will also wear the lineage tattoos on the front of each shoulder.

Karma yoga (work/service) is an integral part of Acarya training. All Acaryas in training will be required to perform duties on the Kailash Akhara property.

APPLICATION

Only serious applications will be considered.

Please send your letter of application to kiranamayi@gmail.com.  Include in your application which path you wish to take (Hatha Yoga, Darsana, Upaya, Darsana/Upaya) and your birth information (date, place, time).

Please print out and send a hard copy of your application with your signature to:

Kiranamayi Sarasvati

P.O. Box 9,

Phu Reua,

Loei Province,

Thailand  42160

May the light of the Dharma continue to shine and may we forever be that source of wisdom and compassion for all beings.

Jaya Guru Dev!

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What is Classical Tantra?

I thought that since this is a fairly short article I would get right to the point and tell you two things that classical Tantra is NOT before we go on to a more positivistic definition.

Below are two things that Classical Tantra is not:

1. something that can be learned from books or from teachers who themselves never went through full training under a qualified Tantrik guru,…and

2. a group of semi-yogic techniques of breath and mind to increase sexual performance or enhance sexual pleasure…

Now we can proceed with the positive. There are a few defining features of classical Tantra regardless of whether that Tantra is so-called “Hindu”, meaning primarily as practiced in Indian lineages, or Tibetan. Though there are many more, the following 3 features are by far the most salient of classical Tantra.

1. Guru – All authentic Tantra pivots on the guru – there is no Tantra without the guru. Training under a qualified Tantrik guru until they say you are finished is highly unpopular in todays world of rugged individualism and false freedom but is viewed as absolutely essential in the world of authentic Tantra. Tibetan Tantriks have a great saying for this. The teacher asks the student, “Who is the most important and compassionate Buddha (enlightened being) of all time?”. The Lama (Tibetan for guru) then answers that one’s own guru is the most important and compassionate Buddha because that is the Buddha that is right there for you right now, all the others are gone.

The guru is most compassionate and necessary because they give us the vital teachings and transmissions that lead to our enlightenment.

This emphasizes the importance of the 2nd important trait…

2. Transmission and Initiation – In Tantra the experience of enlightenment is passed from generation to generation via something called transmission. In transmission the guru shares with the student the fully awakened state so that the seed of awakening within the student can be fertilized and watered, finally sprouting into full realization or enlightenment.

Tantra teaches that the state of enlightenment, though inherent in all beings, is dormant and needs awakening. The state of our true nature is beyond the reach of our own egoically motivated efforts and beyond the comprehension of our grasping mind, so it must be introduced to us by our compassionate master. Introduction to our enlightened nature is called transmission in Tantra and may take place either formally during ritual or informally, often during a particular moment when it is not expected. In Tantra the term transmission is also used when a particular method or set of teachings is given. Transmission is the Tantrik version of quality control, it ensures that knowledge and spiritual power is not lost from generation to generation.

3. Liberation of Conceptual Energies – In general, Tantra emphasizes the role of energy in the process of enlightenment. Tantra has great respect for the power of our emotional and sexual energies and seeks to show us how to safely release these energies from operating under limitations which cause us so much suffering. Tantra views the Universe and ourselves as a massive energy process, a great celestial procession, of which we are part as beings caught in time and space. Practicing the secret methods of Tantra allows us to be in control of this energetic process. We unwind our own limited energy and merge it with the Universe’s unlimited energy. And since energy is pure consciousness or awareness, we become one with our essential state of conscious energy. That is to say we ride our limited energy into the vastness of unlimited energy of our being. This gives classical Tantra a decidedly “energetic” bias to its teachings and methods, and this explains why the Tantrik masters developed Hatha Yoga as its branch of physical alchemy.

The slick “neo-tantra” promoters have sought to sell their Tantrik sex courses by alluding to their course material as “Tantrik energy work”. But of course, this is nothing more than charlatans making a quick buck. We won’t be seeing any enlightened beings coming from trainings with such selfish motives as greed and lust. And this is nothing new. From its inception Tantra has been dealing with impostures. This is why there is such importance placed on guarding the teachings and methods as well as on direct transmission from the authentic guru.

I hope that this short article helps the reader to begin to understand what is real classical Tantra. I pray that you find that rare diamond – a real guru. Blessings on your journey.

- By Tantracarya Dharmanidhi Sarasvati

Original Posting: April 2009

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Taking Mahasamadhi

Paramahamsa-ji takes Mahasamadhi on Dec 6th 2009!!!

Pilot Baba, the famous student of legendary “Babaji”, the immortal siddha made popular in Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi, once said to me at Mahakumbhamela in Prayag, India (in 2000) that “Swami Satyananda is the greatest Tantrik Yogi alive right now.” This being said by a man who is able to enter kevala kumbhaka (the spontaneous cessation of breath) at will and remain in Samadhi underground or underwater for days at a time.

Such was the unparalleled greatness of Paramahamsa Satyananda Sarasvati, famed founder of the Bihar School of Yoga and Tantrik adept. His own guru, Swami Shivananda of Rishikesh said that Paramahamsaji was a veritable genius exhibiting extreme detachment at such an early age that he compared him to Nachiketas, the great sage of ancient times.

On December 5^th at 10pm Sri Paramahamsaji called Swami Satsangi to him and said that he was at a transition in his life. He said “this body is 88 years old and I have a choice to initiate another 20 year cycle before I let go of this body or to consciously enter death now.” He told Swami Satsangi that there are times when the path between this plane of existence and the totality of the Universe is wide open, and this was one of those times. He went on to tell her that he had decided to consciously leave his body that night. Before he took Mahasamadhi Sri Swamiji gave her initiation into the highest order of Sannyasa – the order of Paramahamsa.  He told her to live out her years manifesting Swami Shivananda’s three great acts – serve, love, give.

And as the head of Rikhia Pitha she will do just that, continuing to selflessly serve and uplift the local community both spiritually and materially.

I took personal retreat for a few days in Laos. It turned out to be during the time of Paramahamsaji’s Mahasamadhi. For two weeks leading up to his Mahasamadhi I was receiving an unusual amount of dream transmissions from Paramahamsaji. Normally I would receive one every 3-4 months, but during this two week period they were almost nightly and also during daytime dream-yoga practice sessions.

More important than the increase in volume of the dream transmissions was the change in quality. Paramahamsaji was much more ethereal, subtle, expansive, detached and yet deeply compassionate and connected.

On December 5^th I thought I was being paranoid. I had a strong feeling that Sri Paramahamsaji was going to die.  Two times before I had the sense that he was very sick and could die. But this time I felt he really did die. I disregarded the feeling and continued retreat, pushing down the urge to call India to check on his status.

Upon arriving back at Kailash Akhara, we received a phone call from Jagadamba that Sri Paramahamsaji had left his body. A few days later we received an email from Swami Maheshananda telling us that ceremonies were being held that would conclude on December 22^nd. This was the proposed final day of the 3-month retreat in Inner Yogas.

The students graciously allowed me to conclude the retreat early to attend my beloved guru’s funeral ceremonies, for which I am very grateful.

Paramahamsaji’s body was prepared and then placed in a crypt below the kutir outside of his pancamahayajna (five fires) sadhana area. Each day we were allowed to file past it to receive his blessings.

When a siddha-guru dies they become infinitely expansive, powerful and present. Their ability to benefit their disciples increases a thousand fold. And many people at the funeral reported feeling Paramahamsaji stronger than ever.

Swami Niranjanananda and Swami Satsangi both declared that Paramahamsaji’s passing catapulted them into an exalted state somewhat like a dream. They certainly appeared to be floating around in an altered state, mostly expressionless and immobile.

I feel a greater sense of gratitude and responsibility since Paramahamsaji’s Mahasamadhi. I remember Paramahamsaji saying that although Swami Shivananda had many great disciples he felt that he was the one truly carrying on the spirit of his guru’s work.

I got the impression that he meant the spirit of pioneering that Swami Shivananda was well known for. Swami Shivananda was the first to initiate women into the sanyasa order and freely initiated and taught westerners – most famously the German woman he named Swami Radha.

Paramahamsaji went on to further extend the accessibility of sanyas to householders through the institution of karma sanyas. But fundamentally, as much as Swamiji is identified with sanyas, he was and always will be a Tantrik adept, a Siddha of the highest caliber.

He was the first to write and teach authoritatively on such fundamental Tantrik practices as Tattva Shuddhi, Svara Yoga and Kriya Yoga. He also held massive festivals to Mother Goddess Durga in the form of Chandi-Ma every year. In 1994 he said, “This is the time of Ganesha and Devi!” He told us that these two deva’s (god’s) were most important in the times to come.

Paramahamsaji had a very close association with many powerful women, some considered to be incarnations of the Goddess Herself. As a boy he was healed by AnandamayiMa and was told by her that he would be a great Guru someday. Much later he was to form a bond with the Tantrik Yoginis of South India.  These high priestesses were often present at Paramahamsaji’s festivals to Ma, performing yajna and puja. They performed the Sri Vidya puja and homa at his funeral.

Paramahamsaji also regularly performed the Kanyakumari Puja, where 9 young girls become the center of the ceremony. Their purity is taken as a symbol of the Divine Mother and offerings are made to them to honor and celebrate Ma in all of her divine and beautiful forms.

Without a doubt Paramahamsaji was a Tantrik Siddha. This is who he truly was, and is. He was the first lineage holder of modern times to write and lecture authoritatively on the spiritual role of human sexuality.

He was a renaissance man, a genius, but he was much more than his vast knowledge – he was an adept, a practitioner with solid and stable realization of his true nature as well as a holder of many siddhi’s (supernatural powers). He was able to transmit the essence state of Siva with ease through gaze, a word, even in dream.

I feel so lucky to have been initiated by him and to have had the opportunity to serve him. In 2000 he gave his full blessings to our school and said that because we are teaching Tantra, classical Tantrik Yoga, that we would be a success. He raised his right guru finger as if to seal the fate of his blessing.

In the same way that the spirit of Swami Shivananda’s teaching was carried on by Paramahamsaji, I feel that we, as JñanagniKula, are carrying on that same pioneering spirit forward for the next generation. Paramahamsaji was blazing the trail to make Tantra acceptable to the public once again. He wanted to restore it to its former grandeur and utility.

He told me, “there’s no need to invent something new, draw on the tradition.” I have continued to do nothing but that ever since.

It’s clear that Paramahamsaji’s overarching philosophy he worked within was that of Kashmiri Shakta-Shaivism. One only need read the introductory material in his books Tattva Shuddhi and Kundalini Tantra to see very understandable explanations of Shaivisms 36 Tattva cosmology and its relation to practice and enlightenment. I took these cues and direct advice from Paramahamsaji and Swami Niranjanananda and dove into the sea of Kashmiri Tantra. If I can bring out even a small bit of the knowledge we will be successful in keeping the flame alive until I hand it on to the next generation.

Tantrik Yoga teaches that the highest state of enlightenment is expressed as the “Body of Light”, as discussed in the introduction to his book Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Satyananda. The Body of Light can be attained while still living, leaving no corpse behind, or it can occur shortly after one dies, while in the transitory states. Paramahamsaji lives in our hearts because his Light Body knows no limits. His mind is now the mind of Siva.

It is with the utmost respect, gratitude and love that I say goodbye to my Guru in physical form and I pray that his unlimited Body of Light continues to bless all beings worldwide.

Blessings of strength and love to Swami Nirjanananda and Swami Satsangi in all their works as they carry the tradition for Sri Paramahamsaji.

May we all endeavor to serve humanity as completely and selflessly as Paramahamsaji has done.

Hari Om Tat Sat,

Dharmanidhi Sarasvati

Kailash Akhara Retreat Center

Phu Reua, Thailand

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Second Attention

This practice should be performed both during seated sessions and throughout the day as your main method of integration meditation.

a. second attention as integration meditation – here you are attempting to maintain unbroken awareness of something while performing all of your normal daily activities, thus integrating the state of awareness with everyday life. You may use an awareness anchor from one of these categories: awareness of a body part or location in the body, awareness of a sensation in the body, awareness of embodying a virtue, awareness of the actions of the body, awareness of breathing, awareness of the texture of the breath, awareness of cakra, nådî, bindu or entire body as translucent light, awareness of “self” as indivisibly part of the mandala of inter-being, awareness of one of the 21 precepts of conduct, awareness of a mantra, awareness of the visual of your chosen deity or mahåsiddha in your heart, awareness of your guru’s image in your heart, awareness of the presence of the deity, mahåsiddha or guru in your heart with or without the visual image, awareness of a mantra, etc.

There are an infinite number of things to use for second attention practice but the most important point is to cultivate an unbroken experience of awareness. This awareness is vital for realizing “basic sanity” (directly experiencing all phenomena as transient appearances) and remaining sober (non-reactive to situations and people who either inflate or threaten your self-image). Second Attention is also important for preventing a loss of the energies of virtue accumulated through spiritual practice.

This practice is very challenging. In the beginning you will most likely find yourself forgetting second attention more than you remember it. This is normal. It usually takes the practitioner of lower and average capacity many years to attain unbroken second attention. The Kashmir Saivist meditation tradition says that even 5 minutes of unbroken second attention integration meditation is worth more than 3 years of practice in a cave! So do not be in a rush for mastery of the practice, but definitely be inspired to work at it as this may be one of the most important spiritual practices you will ever learn.

b. second attention as a seated meditation practice – in seated practice sessions you can practice second attention for various lengths of time. Your eyes can be either open or closed based on whichever allows for less distraction. With your eyes open you may be distracted by the visual environment, and sometimes with your eyes closed you may be distracted by incessant thoughts, images, dullness or drowsiness. Try to make the body very still and then bring awareness to the focus of your second attention. In the integration meditation using second attention, your primary attention is on whatever activity is occurring, ie. driving, walking, talking, thinking, etc. In the seated practice the primary attention is on being present in the moment. The primary attention of moment-presence is composed of awareness of the body’s position in meditation and on its sense of stability, openness, timelessness, etc. These should all be experienced as one primary attention. The moment-presence is the actual situation of sitting in its totality. Once this is invoked then invoke your second attention. When your awareness of the second attention drifts away simply bring it back to your chosen focus of second attention. If the primary awareness of moment-presence slips away, re-invoke that also.

If this seems too difficult because the primary attention on moment-presence is too subtle and illusive you may switch to using a method with a more tangible form for the primary attention such as a mantra or an object to gaze upon. Then you may invoke the sense of the body’s position, breath or presence as the second attention.

The seated version of second attention practice may be very challenging for the beginner. The key is not to strain or become frustrated. For this reason it is better in the beginning to perform shorter sessions. You may wish to start with a 1 or 2 minute session, or a series of 1 or 2 minute sessions with say 20 or 30 seconds of stretching in between. Eventually you want to expand your sessions to 5, 10 or even 15 minutes of unbroken second attention practice. 15 minutes of unbroken second attention practice is quite advanced and may take many years to achieve so make sure to be inspired to practice but without cultivating ambition.

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Parvati Sadhana

Showing Up as Compassion

As Tantrikas you are well aware of the transformational methods of practice known collectively as “Deity Yoga.” Where we take on the qualities, channels, cakras, and energy body of the deity in the form of their seed mantra, to awaken the deity’s unlimited capacity for expressing a specific set of qualities and virtues within our own human experience.

You know that Ganesa sadhana removes obstacles and harmonizes kundalini for smooth unobstructed ascent. Siva sadhana brings us into the great mystery of life – that which is beyond birth and death, and Hanuman sadhana may bring out many diverse virtues from our essence- pure devotion, courage, and intelligence.

But which deity do we use to awaken, through this process of reflection, “compassion?” After all, compassion is the worldly manifestation of the energy of our essence, our Ananda Sakti. Ananda Sakti is unconditioned, spontaneously arising, ever-fresh energy of experience, and its tangible expression is Love and Compassion.

Wisdom is the other aspect of this energy – Cit Sakti or Caitanyam Sakti.

If our essence (Paramasiva) were likened to the sun, the Source, then the rays that spontaneously and continuously stretch out from our essence are Wisdom and Compassion and are inseparable, just as both light and warmth are inseparably manifested in the sun’s rays. And just like the sun’s rays, which are given freely to friend and enemy alike, our true Love and Compassion is not preferential, but bathes all beings in our experience.

The Tantras all begin with Lord Siva sitting undisturbed in perfect tranquil one-ness of spontaneous non-conceptual meditation. He is the image of the self-perfected state. Yet he is static. He sits on Mount Kailasa, the top of the world.

His consort Parvati, is forever nuzzling into him affectionately, requesting him to give the teachings and transmissions to the beings who are suffering in the worlds below.

If it were not for Parvati, Siva would not engage, he would not participate. She is his Ananda Sakti – She is his compassion. And the very nature of this energy, this loving-compassion, is to flow out, to give, to connect, to enrich, to participate – to bless and to love.

Parvati is the Tantrik icon of Love and Compassion. She is our Ananda Sakti, our unlimited source of pure Love and Compassion.

As Tantrikas we want to uncover the Love and Compassion of Parvati – unlimited in its expression, non-preferential and flowing continually outward to all beings from our hearts.

The key here is that Parvati’s impulse, her very nature, is to benefit. She is unable to sit comfortably in self-perfected, self-reflective Awareness, as Siva does. She is impelled to act on behalf of the myriad sentient beings whose suffering she feels.

She doesn’t have to try to act compassionately or try to feel something for others. It is her base – it is who she is. She is Love and Compassion and it must flow out.

To express Love and Compassion is to be in the “energy” of Tantrik practice or Tantrik life.

Most of us begin Tantrik practice with vague ideas of what pure Love and Compassion would look like, feel like, etc. We have very few reference points in our culture, society and family life for unconditioned love and self-less service.

To cultivate unconditional Love and its expression as Compassion it is easier for us to work with kindness and caring, respect and gratitude.

By involving kindness and caring in all of our daily activities we stay connected to and immersed in our primordial energy. And this is how we can remain engaged and fully participating in our actual situation while generating and accumulating good karma. When our thoughts, our feelings, our attitude and our activities are steeped in kindness and caring, we are directly participating in and radiating the energy of our awakened nature. It is in those moments that we are expressing our enlightenment.

So kindness and caring are a type of 2nd attention until they become all pervasive in our experience. They connect us to Compassion.

Unconditional Love can be a very remote possibility in our minds. How can we love with no conditions, no expectations, and still be truly engaged in life?

It is actually quite easy to find our source of Pure Love by evoking gratitude and respect. In any moment if we can’t feel Love (or anything else for that matter), we can remember how grateful we are for this precious human birth, for the grace to have made contact with the teachings and for the unconditional loving presence of our guru.

As soon as we evoke this gratitude by remembering what we’re grateful for, we immediately can feel the crusty enclosure of the imprisoned heart crack open and dissolve. We can sense the expansion of a feeling that is essentially good, uncaused. And we can immediately notice that this energy is not static, is not “mine.” We notice that this energy of life, Love and Compassion, must immediately be radiated to all beings. We can instantly sense our one-ness with all of life.

But for some, the experience of gratitude may be buried deep within, covered by superficial layers of hell, animal or ghost realm tendencies. Our karma of self-hatred and feelings of being tormented, of being cut-off in a self-stupor of ignorance, or of feeling so self-depleted and needy, may cause us to feel unable or even unwilling to evoke gratitude.

At this time it is wise to spend time with your kula, to read inspiring teachings and stories of the Mahasiddhas, to practice, and to try to get to the feeling of “respect.”

Try to invoke a sense of respect for others and yourself. And by marinating in the respect you have for others and for your own path – you will be able to connect to gratitude and eventually unconditional Love.

Then it is possible to be like our mother Parvati, ever urging Siva to share the liberating teachings with us who still suffer. And as we encounter people in our lives who are also still suffering, our capacity for compassion and love is deepened; it is triggered into deeper awakening and is spontaneously radiated.

This is how we become Love and Compassion, the energy, the feeling of our self-perfected Siva nature.

May all Beings be Liberated!
Sivoham

Photo Attributed To: The Last Paladin

Original Posting: February 2007

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The Purpose of Life

I’ve heard many people say that at some point in life they’ve wondered – “What is the purpose of life?”

For some people, the desire to search and find the “meaning” never actually arises. For some others the “purpose of life” is such a daunting question that they find themselves in a state of anxiety or depression whenever the “big question” surfaces. Others still take comfort and refuge in solutions presented by modern religions, which supply very simple and ready-made answers to the big question, but which also demand an unwavering belief in some mysterious agency outside the individual.

But there are some people who never feel satisfied with externally supplied answers to the question “What is the meaning of life?” They have a desire to know the meaning of life for themselves; they want direct experience.

Tens of thousands of years ago there were also people who yearned for the direct experience of “the meaning of life.” In India and Central Asia these people were called yogins, munis, rishis, and siddhas. They experimented with the mind, the body, and it’s energy for countless generations, passing on their accumulated knowledge so that each successive generation could delve still deeper into the question- “What is the purpose/meaning of life?”

Eventually these pioneers of the Dharma established within their direct experience – the purpose of life. This flame of Ultimate Awareness has been transmitted in unbroken succession in the many non-dualist traditions of India and Central Asia, giving rise to Kashmir Shaivism, Dzogchen, Orthodox Daoism, Buddism, and Upanishadic Yoga.

It could be said that practicing the Dharma in our tradition of the Tantric yoga of the Mahasiddhas is really the transmission of the answer to the question of the purpose and meaning of life. In our tradition, an individual is introduced to the concept of the Ultimate Reality (meaning of life) by his or her Guru and then the individual is challenged to confirm this experience as their own. Having confirmed this through his or her own direct experience (as opposed to belief and speculation) the individual must then learn to continue in unbroken fashion in this experience which has been identified as the “meaning of life.”

So, what can we say about the purpose of life then?

The purpose, or meaning, of life is imperishable and unsurpassable. At the core of each person’s experience the truth of the Universe’s eternality resides. It is this “beyond time and form” experience that has been described as “nirvana” – or the enlightened state beyond any limitations of concept or form. However, from the perspective of our tradition as yogins, we must directly experience this understanding of life’s purpose (of who we are) and ultimately not accept anyone’s – even our guru’s- explanation as a substitute for our own self-knowledge.

We, as Tantrik Yogins, experience a direct realization of this Ultimate “meaning” of life and then carry that onwards to transmit to future generations of seekers. This is why we constantly remind ourselves that:
As Swami Rudrananda said, your god is the thing you think about incessantly; it is the thing you hold onto the most that you worship. It can therefore be said that many people today worship temporal things – such as money and status – that can never give a full answer to the question, “What is the meaning of life?” Let us look more closely at these two examples.

Money: some people worship money. But even large accumulations of money eventually run out or get lost through stock market crashes, currency fluctuations, and poor investment strategies. Exerting a tremendous amount of energy to make money does not put one any closer to experiencing the purpose of life because that money is an impermanent experience.

Status: some people worship status. The ancients thought that to be immortal was to perform great deeds as a hero and be remembered forever. But great heroes of even just a few thousand years ago -such as Achilles and Hector- are already being forgotten. Their great prowess, deeds, and fame are certainly not going to be remembered forever. Even Lord Buddha predicted that what he was teaching would only last so long before it was swallowed up by the “Imperishable.” Eventually Jesus, Buddha, Mohammad, Moses, Abraham, Confucius, etc. will all be forgotten. No matter how famous and powerful or influential we become or in what sphere of life (political, social, athletic, spiritual) – it will come to an end. Period. So the search for status cannot be the purpose of life.

In cultures that are no longer inspired by and structured upon the Dharma – such as the United Sates – fame and wealth have become the main expressions of the purpose of life. Unfortunately, since the search for eternal peace and happiness through the acquisition of money and fame is futile – the people in these cultures suffer an epidemic sickness of the soul.

We can see a microcosmic example of this situation in Hollywood actors who exemplify the worship of money and status. Americans love their actors and many youths look up to them as role models. With a few notable exceptions, these icons of fame, wealth and beauty (which many Americans are influenced by) are a total mess. They suffer from extreme “sickness of the soul” manifesting as drug addiction, sexual addiction, serial failed marriages, and often suicide or early death.

But Hollywood actors are not the only example of how worshipping temporal and perishable things like status and money are ultimately unsatisfying, for businessmen and industrialists are no different. In the stock market crash of the early 1900’s many people were so devastated by the loss of money and status (their idea of the purpose of life) that they literally leapt out of the windows of their high-rise offices to their deaths.

Now, with the American dollar plummeting, construction stagnant, foreclosures sky rocketing, banks going out of business, unemployment rising, etc., the people who have made their purpose of life the quest for money or status are once again experiencing confusion, pain, sadness, and desperation as their money (a temporal experience) evaporates into thin air (back to the Imperishable source).

It is especially important in difficult times like these to remember that the purpose of life for yogins is to seek the Imperishable spirit within, and thereby know the true meaning and purpose of life itself.

May all Beings be free of delusion.

May all Beings know the eternal peace of their true nature.

Original Posting: June 2008

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The Need for Tantra

Over the tens of thousands of years of humankind’s history a plethora of religions and spiritual traditions have arisen in response to the needs of humanity at that particular time and in that particular place.

Judaism arose as a response to the Hebrew speaking people’s needs at that time and place in the desert and it has its own specific traits which tie it to the piece of land that the Israelis now occupy. Vedic Brahmanism arose in response to the needs of its people, and so on.

The world we live in now is very different from the one our ancestors populated when the major world religions popular today first burst upon the scene. The time in which we live right now is actually considered a very dark time by most spiritual traditions and this is especially true of the Hindu world-view. Hindus call a world age a “yuga”. We are said to be in the age of Kali, or Kali Yuga – the Dark Time.

We can see it as misfortune to be born in the darkest of times or as an incredible opportunity to bring the light by helping to alleviate the suffering of our fellow human beings. The Tantrik texts all say that Tantra is the fastest and most appropriate way for human beings to gain spiritual liberation in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.

Tantra teaches us how to transform all the negativity in our hearts and minds. It teaches us the way to understand our physical body and it’s extension – the environment, as divine manifestations. Tantra works directly with our mind’s unlimited creative energy; focusing and training it to create permanent happiness and peace for ourselves, all sentient beings and the world.

The practitioner of Tantra needs a great amount of energy to accomplish the total transformation of body and mind. And this energy is found in and around us at all times in the form of negativity. Negativity is a very powerful form of energy. Tantra teaches us how to harness and transform that negativity for positive results. There is a Tantrik aphorism that says “Tantrik Yogins eat poison and give back nectar”. This means that we don’t necessarily have to avoid or even aggressively oppose the negativity within ourselves or in our world, but that we can “digest” it as a fuel for our wisdom and compassion.

We need Tantra today because many of the great meditation paths of the ancients require that we have a peaceful, slow moving mind. This was easier to obtain when the world was simpler, when we didn’t use our minds so much of the time and have so many stresses.

Most modern students of meditation struggle with their busy minds and their mind becomes an obstacle, another negative experience. Whereas; Tantrik meditation is focused not on finding perfect undisturbed empty equanimity, but on using the energy of the busy mind as the focal point of the meditation practice. In this way the mind and its energies are transformed into an ally and the peaceful state of equanimity comes with ease.

Tantra does not propose a specific god to rule above all others. A god we must worship and surrender to, a god that supposedly created the Universe. This would make Tantra no different from all the other world religions currently fighting for supremacy, converts and in the worst case scenario – martyrs. Tantra teaches that we are all the Supreme Essence or God just waiting to be uncovered.

We need Tantra today for so many reasons. One more reason that springs to mind is that Tantra is the world’s first truly Universal religion or spiritual path. It has always been open to all human beings regardless of race or culture. From it’s inception Tantra has been opposed to caste, class and clan. Tantra opposes treating women with anything but the highest regard both societally and spiritually.

We need Tantra today. If we are truly going to transform our world, both inner and outer, into the peaceful, cooperative and highly creative experience it can be for future generations, then there has never been a greater need for this sacred tradition than NOW.

Peace and Blessings to All Beings!

- By Tantracarya Dharmanidhi Sarasvati

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The Definition of Adi-Yoga

Adi: primordial, source, first, original
Yoga: union, method, path

Adi-Yoga is a comprehensive system of Hatha Yoga. It is called “Adi,” which in Sanskrit means primordial or source, because it is Yoga in its original form as it was practiced and transmitted by the Himalayan masters of the tradition.

The Sanskrit word “Yoga” in Adi-Yoga has three meanings. First, the word yoga means union or joining together. This refers to the Yogic view that when the world of opposites is unified in your experience of self and Universe, a bliss that is your true Nature is revealed.

Yoga teaches that the suffering you experience is due to being bounced between the poles of pleasure and pain, desiring and rejecting, happiness and sadness, control and out-of-control, etc. By practicing the path of yoga (its second meaning is “path”) dualities are resolved and the inherent, uncreated and non-dual bliss and freedom of your true nature is discovered. Classical, authentic Hatha Yoga as presented in the Adi-Yoga system is a complete path of spiritual cultivation. It has been practiced since before the Upanishads were written and the Buddha was born.

The third relevant definition of yoga is “technique or method.” Adi-Yoga has an incredible amount of techniques available for the practitioner to work with. In the traditional practice of Hatha Yoga it is considered very important for you, the student, to find the right combination of methods that is appropriate for your capacity, competency, and emotional-mental disposition (adhikara, bhumikara, svabhava in Sanskrit). Adi-Yoga has what are considered “outer” and “inner” methods of practice.

The modern impressions of yoga come almost entirely from the outer practices such as postures (asana), breathing practices (pranayama), and concentration exercises (trataka), but the tradition has a well-developed range of inner methods as well. These include, but are not limited to: meditation with and without form (sapeksa and nirpeksa dhyanam), using the subtle channels and energy centers (kriya), purifying the five elements of being (tattva suddhi), working with deities (deva yoga), sleep and dream practices (susupta yoga, svapna yoga), the method of transferring consciousness at the time of death (muncara), etc.

Adi-Yoga is the Way of the Mahasiddhas
Mahasiddhas were the great adepts of the original Tantrik system of yoga. Originally they were Indian Saivists, but as Tantra spread to Tibet and Bhutan, Tantrik Buddhism also began to develop a Mahasiddha tradition. In appearance, as well as practice, the Mahasiddhas of Saivite and Buddhist origin were virtually indistinguishable. They lived a philosophy, practice, and lifestyle that were beyond religious definitions and affiliations. They were beyond restrictions of caste, sect and socially accepted mores.

Through they never formed a formal school; the live experience of their raw awaked state was passed on via oral instruction and direct transmission. With some notable exceptions, most Mahasiddhas ridiculed harsh disciplines, asceticism, empty rituals, study of texts, etc. though most made extensive use of these methods in their pre-enlightenment years of training.

Adi-Yoga is a system of spiritual cultivation handed down intact from generation to generation from the Mahasiddhas, without dilution or corruption.

Adi-Yoga and Kashmir Saivism
Adi-Yoga is informed by the non-dual philosophy of Kashmir Saivism. Arguably, the greatest Indian philosopher-yogin to ever live was Abhinavagupta who formed the Trika School of non-dual Saivite Tantra. Abhinavagupta refers to Mahasiddha Matsyendranatha as the founder of Kashmir Saivism. It is Sri Matsyendranatha that is credited with refining and systematizing most of the Hatha Yoga presented in the Adi-Yoga system.

Adi-Yoga is Pan Himalayan and Central Asian
During the last six thousand years there has been a lot of transfer of spiritual ideas and techniques by masters throughout the Central Asian and Himalayan regions.
The Mahasiddha, Kashmir Saivite, Tibetan Buddhist, and Adi-Yoga traditions are the products of a tremendous amount of cross-fertilization. It does not seem likely that there was one origin to the yoga of the Mahasiddhas. There are many similarities and identical practices between the yoga systems of the Indian Saivas, Nathas, the Zhang-Zhung Bon, Tibetan Buddhist, Chinese Chan and Daoism. Adi-Yoga shares many of the same yoga practices found in these systems.

Discovering the Unity of Body, Mind, and Speech
One common ideological theme to the practices of the above listed systems is that they are decidedly not transcendental. The body, energy, and the mind are worked with to realize their fundamental unity, and their indivisibility with the universe. Reality is discovered within your actual situation and is not a transcendental experience; hence working with the body and its energies is of primary importance in Adi-Yoga.

The 11 Limbs of Adi-Yoga
Adi-Yoga can be likened to a pie with eleven slices. All eleven slices or aspects of Adi-Yoga point to, and can potentially reveal the “center;” your Source or True Nature.

1. Asana- training in the classical postures of Hatha Yoga to cultivate the experience of the body its energies as manifestations of essence.
2. Pranayama- training energy cultivation via the breath.
3. Mudra- training in the physical placement and gestures of the hands, eyes, and whole body to control movement of energy in the subtle channels of the body.
4. Bandha- training in directing, concentrating and liberating the subtle energies of the body.
5. Meditation- detailed instruction in both conceptual (visualizations, mantra, concentrations, etc.) and non-conceptual methods of meditation.
6. Kriya –training the inner movement of consciousness and energy.
7. Sastra – studying the texts of the yoga tradition as aids to practice.
8. Ayurveda – the principles and practices of Ayurveda (Tantrik science of life and healing) support the practice path of the Adi-Yogin
9. Transmission – the supra-mental method of teaching that maintains the freshness of the experience of awakening.  Transmission preserves the essential fruit of the teachings and practices and is the beginner’s link to the primordial masters state of realization.  Transmission is grace. Grace is the unqualified gift that the enlightened masters of this tradition bestow upon those with pure hearts and minds.
10. Initiation – formal initiation is given to Adi-Yoga acaryas, hermits and those undertaking practice retreats to master a vidya.
11. Integration- training yourself to recognize your true nature in each moment regardless of the difficulty or ease of the situation you find yourself in. Applying the twenty-one precepts of conduct as gateways to integration practice.

Re-Invigorating the Hatha Yoga Tradition
Presently, the once sacred system of Hatha Yoga is in a state of dishevelment and dilution, similar to the situation that prompted the famous yogi Svatmarama to pen the text called the Hatha Yoga Pradipika wherein he says:

“The highest state of yoga is unknown due to darkness created by varying ideas and concepts. In good will and as a blessing, Svatmarama offers light on Hatha Yoga.”
Ch 1, v. 3, HYP

Adding to the general confusion about Hatha Yoga as a science, our modern yoga scene has broken the guru-disciple chain, which is the ancient form of quality control and turned the teaching of Yoga into a commercial venture.

The system of Adi-Yoga is neither diluted nor modernized to make it more palatable to the general public or to make it commercially competitive with modern renderings of yoga.  In the ancient world that still informs Adi-Yoga today, the number of adherents did not prove the efficacy or legitimacy of a school, this is still true today.

Adi-Yoga is firmly rooted in the original intention of the masters: to preserve and make available a path for those who want to end their suffering and realize their True Nature. It is hoped that Adi-Yoga and other classical approaches to Hatha Yoga can re-invigorate the tradition, and that people will realize the unique value of a path of spiritual cultivation that has the body and our immediate experience as its base.

How is Adi-Yoga Taught?
Format of teachings
Adi-Yoga is learned in a group course called a “gate.” Each level of Adi-Yoga has a gate, where you are introduced to the techniques and concepts of that level enabling you to practice solo or with others afterwards in a group class of the proper Gate.

The emphasis is on personal practice in Adi-Yoga and group classes are used to refresh and inspire you as well as for you to enjoy the larger energy of community generated when Adi-Yogins practice One-to-one instruction is also available and will allow you and your Adi-Yoga instructor to fine tune what you learn and pace it appropriately for you. This is the way yoga has been taught for thousands of years and Adi-Yoga wants to preserve this important aspect of learning yoga.

For the First, Second, and Third Gates all physical technique, philosophy, chanting etc. is taught together. From the Fourth Gate onward each aspect of Adi-Yoga has its own gate. For example, you may have studied asana up to the Third Gate and may therefore practice in an Adi-Yoga Third Gate level class. And you may not want to learn more extreme postures but you may still desire to learn more philosophy or more expanded awarenesses that you can apply to your present level of asana. You are able to do this by taking the higher philosophy Gates and awareness gates while not having to take the next asana Gate.

Retreats
There are annual retreats in Adi-Yoga practice held at Kailash Akhara, the Adi-Yoga center in Thailand and in the United States. The general Adi-Yoga curriculum is offered on retreat as well as one-off topical teachings.

How are Adi-Yoga teachers certified?
There are basically two types of teachers certified to teach Adi-Yoga: instructors and acaryas. Instructors must learn Adi-Yoga through the Third Gate and practice for two years before applying to be trained as an instructor. The future instructor then completes a demanding course of study and is certified to teach First, Second, or Third Gate. Acaryas are Adi-Yoga instructors who have taken formal initiation and are junior representatives of the lineage. They are certified to instruct Fourth Gate and up, as well as the First, Second, and Third Gates. They also keep certain vows and commitments. All Adi-Yoga instructors and acaryas will be listed by name and what level they are authorized to teach on the Adi-Yoga website. Only the teachers listed on the website have finished the proper course of study and passed the rigorous examinations enabling them to instruct the Adi-Yoga system.

- From the Adi-Gates Manual by Dharmanidhi Sarasvati

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A New Direction

A New Direction
by Dharmanidhi Sarasvati

It has been 12 years since my teacher asked me to teach and begin a new householder aspect of our tradition as an autonomous school. And during those years I’ve worked to put together a systematic body of knowledge and teaching that would be comprehensive and inclusive of all students regardless of aptitude, capacity and experience.

The system, and my way of presenting it, has been anything but static. The model I was given was that of a monastic training institution deeply informed by Indian cultural and religious values as well as more superfluous aspects of the culture and modernity. It was obvious to both my teacher and me that this non-sequential monastic approach to Tantrik Yoga would never work in the west, nor would it actually suit the householders I was intending to teach.

So I worked on a method of progressing through the teachings and practices, structuring the system into 6 levels of initiation. My teacher added a 7^th level, gave the school its name “Wisdom-Fire Family of Practitioners” (in Sanskrit – Jnanagni Kula), and told me to begin teaching in San Francisco (at that time I was then a 10 year resident and citizen of Australia).

There was much to learn about teaching classical Tantrik Yoga and meditation to the west. Students’ mindsets were different than in India, even different from New York to California. It became clear after a year or two that no one would ever progress through the 7^th level. Not because the students weren’t as deep or sincere as their Indian counterparts, but simply because their religious, cultural, and educational training made them unable to benefit from the classical system of teaching and initiation we had devised.

This realization was powerful and caused me to research and study even more deeply to understand better how to make this profound system (that has crossed many cultural and religious boundaries since it’s inception) accessible to modern people of both west and east.

Many times during the last 12 years I mistakenly thought that I’d finally arrived at the proper way to: 1) preserve the authentic essence of Tantra while, 2) accommodating the very different and real needs of the modern western student, only to discover some limitation or flaw and have to go back to the work of re-structuring the teaching system and the student body.

As many of you know, 12 years is an astrological cycle of completion and I am pleased to announce that these years were not in vain – they were merely in development. 7 years ago my senior teacher made the prediction that I, and therefore the school, would struggle for 7 years through many obstacles and difficulties, and then it would become smoother and easier to present this Dharma, and that the school would flourish.

I’m glad to say that I sincerely believe that the development of our Thailand retreat and learning center (Kailash Akhara) and the new re-structuring of the school that has come together this year (presented below) is the fruition of that prediction, and heralds the real birth of our school.

To all of the students who have supported the school through these years of change you have my heart-felt gratitude. I know that it hasn’t been easy for those of you who dislike change. I’m sure that when you take the time to learn the new school structure you’ll agree that these changes are for the best and will give the most people access to the teachings while preserving the tradition’s integrity, wholeness, and profundity for generations to come.

What follows is a short description. I will be meeting with the student body in person this year in Thailand, Berkeley and Brazil to answer any remaining questions, so please don’t email Kiranamayi and I with questions.

If you find that you have burning questions about the new structure, please ask your local kula administration group first and if they cannot answer to your satisfaction hold tight as it is only a matter of weeks until I arrive in the U.S.A. and Brazil. If students who live far from a Jnanagni kula center have questions after reading this article, please email Kiranamayi at kiranamayi108@yahoo.com.

Again, I’m confident that you’ll see just how good this new structure is and how it immensely simplifies things for us all.

The New Structure

The major change is that the school will now offer two ways of studying, two ways of engaging with the tradition.

The first track of study, called “Parishioner-Student,” is for your own education in Tantrik Yoga as a philosophy and practice. You study and practice to satisfy your own intellectual and spiritual needs without taking a working role in the school itself. No name change or initiation is involved in this first track and there are no obligations to the school or the teacher.

The second track is a type of vocational training, which we will call “Vocational-Student”. In this track of study the student is preparing to become an acarya (senior instructor and lineage representative), or a permanent resident of a Jnanagni Kula retreat center, or a hermit residing in a Jnanagni Kula
hermitage. In this track the progressive system of initiations is used to impress upon the student their ever-greater commitment to the preservation and transmission of the teachings. Because these students will be lineage representatives they will be given a practice name and the Sarasvati surname. In the Vocational-Student track, the student is in training to be of service to the Parishioner-Students and the Dharma Itself.

At summer TYSG retreat in Thailand I unveiled a 7-level re-structuring of the kula. This structure has been re-worked and is now only utilized in the vocational-student track of study.

Looking at a historical time-line will help to clarify as well. When Swami Sivananda wanted the teachings to expand in post-British empire India he initiated foreigners as well as women (even foreign women, e.g. Swami Radha of Canada) into the monastic aspect of the yoga tradition called sanyas. These people became celibate nuns and monks. At that time there was no other way to be involved in the tradition.

Then Swami Satyananda wished to further extend the spiritual and health benefits of the tradition to an even wider circle. To do so he created “karma sanyas”. Karma sanyasins were initiates in the Sarasvati order of monasticism who were allowed to be in public life, even being a householder with family, but they were to maintain an inner austerity reflected in an outer austerity (without denying their family obligations) and they maintained the monastic dress code of burnt-orange robes and shaven head. They were also obliged to spend a week or more per year in the ashram.

Jnanagni Kula was the next logical step in bringing this tradition to the general public. Our school was to be an autonomous layperson branch of the tradition. Jnanagni Kula was to re-establish the most ancient form of spiritual training before the invention of monasteries and celibate orders. Our school was to reflect the tradition of the Rishis and Tantrik Mahasiddhas who were extraordinary spiritual adepts while being householders or hermits. They were often male and female practitioner couples (reciprocal consorts), e.g. Vasistha and Arundhati, who had children who also attained great heights of spiritual accomplishment.

The reason that everyone who went to the ashram got initiated, received a new name with the Sarasvati last name, and wore specific color robes etc., was that they were in training to be servants of the ashram and the teacher. They were being trained as integral parts of the school, as lineage representatives.

In modern times the majority of people going to my teacher’s ashrams for initiation do not actually want to become teachers, nuns or monks. They actually desire to learn spiritual practice and to be involved in a spiritual community.

I have found over these 12 years that it is confusing to initiate everyone who comes for meditation instructions or yoga class, etc. It creates a situation where people think that to receive the deepest teachings they have to be initiated into progressively higher levels. They also mistakenly surmise that to progress to deeper levels of spiritual attainment they must become involved in the school administration. I want to correct that misperception with this new school structure.

I want the students of the school to understand that they don’t need to be initiated and change their name in order to receive the deepest and best instruction in Tantrik practice and philosophy. The courses and classes are open to all people.

The student who is not seeking Tantrik vocational training to become a part of the school’s teaching staff, or to become a permanent resident of a center or hermitage should think of themselves as a parishioner-student. That is, they are part of a large body of practitioners of the tradition who attend school functions.

Implementing The New Structure

This means that if you have already been initiated as a Visesasamaya diksite and you do not want to enter the 7 level system of training to:

1. become an acarya
2. become a hermit, or
3. reside permanently at a retreat center serving the school,

you should no longer use the Sarasvati last name. The Sanskrit practice names and the Sarasvati surname will be used now to designate only those students undergoing vocational training.

If you have already gone to the trouble of legally performing a name-change then please feel free to keep your initiated name as your legal name. I’m not asking those people to go through the hassle of reversing that legal process. Also, if you use your sanskrit first name within work and social circles and wish to maintain that continuity, please feel free to keep using that name if you so desire.

Those previously initiated students not going the vocational-student route with initiations should remember that this change is merely external.

No longer using the Sarasvati lineage name does not say anything about your inner commitment to your path, the teachings, the school, nor does it reflect on your relationship with the teacher, nor on your level of spiritual attainment.

This last point is very important. Many students feel that unless they are initiated at higher levels they won’t receive as strong a spiritual benefit from the teacher’s instructions. This is false. Whether a person is a parishioner-student or 7^th level lineage representative initiate has zero to do with their ability to connect to the lineage and the teachings.

It is up to each of us, regardless of outer trappings, to have our own experience. Whether it is spiritually deep or shallow is wholly up to our purity, motive, and diligence in practice, not whether we have a Sanskrit name or not, and not even whether we have ever spoken to the teacher one-on-one.

In my own case I was deeply devoted to Swami Satyananda and performed intense guru-yoga for 7 years, BEFORE I EVER MET HIM IN PERSON. Not knowing him on a personal level did not prevent me from receiving some spiritual awakenings and attainments. This is because our spiritual development comes from within us – not from outside. It comes from our inner purity of heart and dedication – not from how close we think we are to their body.

Choosing Parishioner or Vocational Expression

The question may now arise as to which of the 2 tracks of study is appropriate for you.

This should not be difficult since most of those who want to be acaryas, hermits, or permanent residents at a Jnanagni Kula retreat center have already made their decision known to me.  But to be very clear, and so that we can begin to keep accurate records I am requesting that anyone in the kula who wants to be a hermit, a permanent retreat resident, or an acarya write a letter of application, including your birth data; date, time and place, and send a hard copy to:

595/147 Sukhumvit Soi 77, OnNut
Lumpini Tower, Bldg. E, #915
Suan Luang,  Suan Luang
Bangkok, Thailand 10250

and an email copy to:
kiranamayi108@yahoo.com

Once we receive and accept your application you’ll be sent a detailed description of the curriculum requirements etc. and after assessing the materials you can make a final decision and notify us of your intention.

If anyone who is new (or old) to the school develops the desire to train in the vocational track in the future you may apply at that time. This is not a one-time only admission. But please remember to consider your choice deeply before requesting the vocational track. You can see some basic requirements below in the simplified description of the vocational-student curriculum.

Adi-Yoga Teachers

Anyone interested in teaching Adi-Yoga Introductory and levels I and II courses and classes, need not apply for the vocational track. To be certified as an Adi-Yoga teacher at level III and above will necessitate the vocational track of study completed at a Jnanagni Kula residential retreat center.

The new school structure is very similar to what Chogyam Trungpa and Nomkhai Norbu came up with when they started teaching in the west. All students have equal access to the teachings and there is a specific track for those students who will become teachers. What our school teaches and the way we teach is very similar to these 2 schools. Both are lay practitioner schools preserving and transmitting Tantra in the west. We are in good company.

The Pandita Program

For parishioner-students who want a deeper education in Tantra I’m working on creating a 5 – 7 year Tantrik Pandita Program. This program will be an intensive education in Tantra at Jnanagni Kula residential retreat and learning centers like the Thailand center – Kailash Akhara.

The program is inspired by the ancient degree of “Pandita” that was given after many rigorous years of study in a residential temple of learning. The Tibetan Tantrikas of the Buddhist and Bon sects still offer the 7 year “Geshe” and “Khenpo” degrees which are the equivalents of the old world Pandita degree.

The Pandita degree program will give parishioner-students the opportunity to study and practice for 5 – 7 years as a resident of a retreat and learning center, moving through progressive, sequential stages of study without taking any initiations or commitments. Though practices are taught as part of the study, the student decides if they will do the practices and how much of them they will do.

I am currently looking for teachers for the departments of Ayurveda, Jyotisha (astrology), Puja, Sanskrit, and Philosophy. Once these teachers are in place the first class admission will be announced. I estimate taking the first students in 2010 or 2011.

This program is mostly geared to parishioner-students but is also open to the students of the vocational track (a sort of double-major).

Below is the basic outline of the 7 levels of the vocational track.

I: Parishioner

All vocational-students start out as parishioners. A parishioner is a friend of the school who participates in community ceremonies and teachings as they wish. No financial obligation, no mandatory karma-yoga.

General Principle:

One need not “climb the ladder” of commitment to gain access to the “real” or “effective” teachings and practices of Tantra. What one learns as a parishioner will assuredly bring self-realization if practiced sincerely. One need not do more. One should continue onwards to different levels of commitment in Jnanagni Kula because of genuine desire to be of service to the teachings/the Dharma itself. No essential missing secrets exist that could be revealed at later levels.

Overview:

1. Cultivate health as entry point to Tantrik practice – as the way of showing up.
2. Psychological Wholeness. Developing a clear sense of self within a fully integrated personality that is able to discern between what is and what is not appropriate for you and your path. Healing patterns of addiction, seeking approval from others, and any tendency to “follow the crowd” without proper self-reflection on one’s needs and boundaries. Gaining psychological wholeness may be best facilitated by working with a qualified therapist. The importance of psychological wholeness cannot be overemphasized. Tantra is a path that requires the student to be completely self-possessed, otherwise the ego-dissolution that is purposefully invoked at more advanced stages of Tantrik practices may cause the student with a dis-integrated personality to become mentally unstable.
3. Experiment with Foundational Tantrik practices by learning basic Adi-Yoga, prostrations, basic Ayurveda for daily routine and the basic purification mantras: Mahamrityunjaya and Gayatri.
4. Familiarize yourself with the basic view teachings of non-dual Tantra.
5. Wear a white dhoti to pujas and teachings.

To enter the next level of commitment one must spend a minimum of 2 years at parishioner level studying and completing pre-requisite courses, prostrations and mantra repetitions.

Course Requirements:

• Adi-Yoga Intro
• Ayurveda Dinacarya course
• Tantra Loka I

II: Samaya

Samaya is the first step in formalizing the student’s relationship to the Tantrik path in general and Jnanagni Kula in specific. The student studies at the Samaya level for a minimum of 3 years before applying for the Visesasamaya level if it is their desire to do so. Samaya level is a foundational level of study wherein the student lays down a solid basic understanding of Tantrik view teachings and practices.

Overview:

1. Study: View teachings, texts, history of Tantra and our lineage/our Vidya.
2. Mandatory kula seva – karma yoga: 4 hrs/month administered by local kula, or if living in a remote area – volunteering locally or internet help.
3. Complete 100,000 prostrations and 100,000 rounds of Gayatri or Mahamrtyunjaya mantra.
4. Demonstrate:
   1. Total Responsibility for one’s situation: past, present, future.
   2. Total Acceptance of others ways and beliefs as long as they do not directly threaten your life or your families life.
   3. Respect – for self (health, vajra pride/dignity) and others.
   4. Resourcefulness – able to meet your needs and offer generosity to others.
   5. Gratitude for this precious human birth, your parents, the dharma, the kula, your teacher and the lineage masters.
5. Daily study of the 21 Precepts: trying one’s best to live the precepts and to study them deeply, not expecting perfection of the precepts yet – but by the end of 3+ years at Samaya one should be keenly aware of breaks and review the day each evening and make a sankalpa to do better each day.
6. Effort at 2^nd Attention
7. Developing habit of 1 practice session a day. Same time each day.
8. Begin to decide on hermit, permanent retreat center resident volunteer, or acarya path.
9. Ending self-absorption/indulgence.
10. 1^st line of work completed.
11. Wearing yellow dhoti.
12. Minimum 3 years

Course Requirements for Samaya Level:

• Tantra Loka I & II
• Adi-Yoga levels I & II (if appropriate)
• Deeper studies in Ayurveda for self-care
• And more…

III: Visesasamaya

1. VOW to keep precepts without break.
2. Dissolution of emotional reactivity at thought formation level before expressing it.
3. Nama samskaram – Dharma name + Sarasvati surname given.
4. Proper assessment of kundalini awakening – or not and taking the appropriate upaya.
5. Choose acarya, hermit or resident volunteer path.
6. Karma Yoga – Kula Seva = 8 hours/month (unless living at a retreat and learning center.)
7. VOW to keep 2 practice times per day (length up to you).
8. Certain amount of time will be spent at a Jnanagni Kula retreat center for training. An average of 6 months/year to be decided on a case-by-case basis.
9. 3 years minimum as Visesasamaya and confirmed kundalini awakening before applying for Nirvana diksa.
10. 2^nd line of work = WORK FOR OTHERS & WORLD COMPLETED.
11. Wearing a red dhoti at pujas and teachings.
12. Plus deeper relevant studies assigned by the head teacher.

IV: Nirvana (Sisya)

• Confirmed kundalini awakening.
• Confirmed No-Returner/stream-enterer.
• Precepts as instinct. Impossible to break.
• Complete commitment to 3^rd line of work = WORK FOR THE TEACHINGS THEMSELVES/FOR THE DHARMA.
• VOWS:
  • Minimum 2 practice times daily (length up to you)
  • Mandatory period of residence at a Jnanagni kula retreat center.
  • KEEPING ALL PRECEPTS
  • And more…
• No minimum for karma yoga-Kula seva.
• Wearing a red dhoti with linga and tri-rekha symbol on it at pujas and teachings.

V: Permanent Resident, Acarya and Hermit Initiations

Hermit – Temporary

• Diksa required. Must apply with Tantracarya.
  
• Limited time period to spend at Jnanagni Kula hermitage.
• Wear medium blue, navy blue or black clothes only.
• Maximum vow of 3 yrs + 3 months.
• Specialized hermit course of study.

Hermit – Permanent

• Live at Jnanagni Kula hermitage or be self-sustaining in nature. No urban hermits allowed.
• Wear blue/black clothing only.
• Specialized hermit course of study.

Acarya

• Diksa required. Must apply with Tantracarya.
• Wear blue-maroon clothes only.
• Must choose which acarya path to take:
  • View Acarya
  • Method Acarya
  • Combined
• Completion of appropriate course of study.

VI: Purna & Maha Purna Diksa Abhisekha

VII: Mahadigambara Siddha Diksa

• Complete, irreversible renunciation of all societal roles such as husband, wife, acarya, student etc. This is the Tantrik equivalent of the Paramahamsa diksa of the sanyasin tradition. One wanders solo in union with their essence until they die or transmogrify.

F. A. Q.’s

After presenting the school’s new way of organizing the student body’s tracks of study to a small group at Kailash Akhara, some refining questions were generated. In the following FAQ section you will find some answers to questions that you may have.

1. Q: If I am on the vocational track for becoming a permanent resident of a retreat, when do I have to actually take up residence permanently?

A: A student may desire to take up residence immediately as a parishioner-student while they complete the required courses of study and time-period based sequence of initiations. Or the student may need to gather their resources first for a period of time before they can reside permanently at a retreat center because there is a fee. During the vocational track of study, the student is required to have longer periods of residence at the retreat center as they progress through the training.

By the Visesasamaya level of study (after a minimum of 5 years) the vocational-student will probably be required to reside for an average of 6 months per year at the center. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis. This will allow them time to gather resources for the next period of stay and a nest egg for the period of permanent residency.

2. Q: We’ve been taught that there is no Tantra without guru. If we are parishioner-students now (without the lineage name Sarasvati), is Dharmanidhi no longer our guru? Are we really practicing Tantra then?

A: I’ll answer this by reminding you of a story that I’ve been relating in teachings the past 2 years.

A yogini of the Bon Tantrik tradition attained the rainbow body while in her 30’s recently in northeastern Tibet. She was not a resident of a monastery or hermitage and was not a lama. She was not a lineage representative by initiation or training. Using our terminology she would be considered a parishioner-student. She studied with a lama (Tibetan for guru) but did not follow the vocational path, did not have a lineage name, and yet still experienced the greatest Tantrik attainment – the light body.

She learned and perfected (from her lama) that which is necessary to attain the rainbow body without having to become part of a hierarchy of the Bon religion as a teacher or a nun.Being a parishioner-student is not a demotion or a loss.

In the same way, parishioner-students have me as their teacher and can learn any of the methods of Tantra or its philosophical teachings and may progress along the path as they wish. If a student knows in their heart whom their guru is – nothing external can change that.

I think it is important to note in this example that the yogini attained the light body and her lama or guru did not!

Swami Niranjanananda, my junior Guru Maharaja, taught me that there is no initiation or course of study to make one a Tantrik Guru. He said that training makes teachers – God makes gurus. Then he explained that “teachers” know the teachings, “masters” are living embodiments of the teachings, and “gurus” are able to change the karma, the fate, of a student for the better through contact with them. This last capacity cannot be learned. And what I’m talking about here is very different than what passes in the modern yoga circles for “saktipat”, i.e. sitting for Rudi’s double-breath sessions with a teacher or getting bopped on the head with a peacock feather and feeling emotionally overwhelmed. The deeper sense of connection and positive influence on the student’s karma that I’m talking about is a far more grounded, more practical, and demonstrable experience that shows up over time.

A parishioner-student decides if their relationship with the teacher is based on external study or an “internal communion” that Tantrikas call “guru-yoga”. It is up to the student to know their own heart.

The student makes the teacher the guru; the teacher cannot make themselves a guru.

How does a parishioner-student know if the teacher is their sat-guru? Swami Satyananda Paramahamsa, my senior Guru Maharaj, has poetically said in answer to the same question posed to him, “How does one know their beloved? . . . They just know, it is not about thinking.”

I am a firm believer that no matter how much Tantra adapts to modern conditions, the function of the guru-student relationship will always define Tantra at its essence. (See the article entitled “Resurrecting the Guru-Disciple System in the West” by Dharmanidhi Sarasvati on the Bihar School of Yoga website).

3. Q: If you were initiated into Visesasamaya level of study before this re-organization of the school and are now a parishioner-student, do you revert to the name you used before?

A: If you’ve already legally changed your name then by all means use it. If you have a strong identity with your Sanskrit name then you may continue to USE THE PRACTICE NAME which is the first name, but from here onwards ONLY LINEAGE REPRESENTATIVES WHO HAVE UNDERGONE THE ENTIRE COURSE OF VOCATIONAL-STUDENT TRAINING and have PASSED THE EXAMINATION and have RECEIVED THE INITIATION as the sign of having done so, MAY USE THE SARSVATI SURNAME. The authorized acaryas will be listed on the Jnanagni Kula website.

4. Q: Is there a probationary “feeling out” period for a student desiring to become a permanent resident of the retreat center or hermitage?

A: Yes. In the Visesasamaya period of study the student will spend large chunks of time each year at the retreat center during which the student’s suitability for permanent residency will be assessed. The length of the time-period will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

5. Q: What defines “permanent resident”?

A: Permanent resident is defined as a vocational-student whose life purpose is to serve the school, the dharma itself, and the parishioner-students. That service may be through perma-culture expertise, gardening, construction, book editing and publishing, cleaning, doctoring, administrating courses, etc. A permanent resident has the retreat center as their only residence. They do not live part-time at the center and part-time somewhere else.

If a permanent resident desires to go to India to study more, or on a yatra (pilgrimage), or to travel with the acarya on a teaching tour, to visit family, or any other purpose, they will put in an application for a period of leave from the retreat center. A decision will be made on a case-by-case basis to ensure the workload on the land will be evenly maintained.

Of course, no one will be forced to stay. Kailash Akhara will not have broken glass on top of the walls and no one will take your passports when you stay there as in some Indian ashrams at which I’ve resided do.

But if a vocational-student is residing at the retreat center while secretly wishing to be somewhere else, they shouldn’t be in that program and would be happier as a parishioner-student.

6. Q: Can you be a permanent or semi-permanent resident of a retreat center if you’ve just started the path?

A: Yes, with some conditions. Kailash Akhara, and any future Jnanagni Kula retreat and learning centers (not hermitages) that develop, exist for the purpose of being used by the student body.

There may be times when the retreat center is closed to visiting students due to running a course at full capacity, but a good portion of each year will be open for students to take retreat.

A parishioner-student may reside at a retreat center for a period of time and may re-apply to extend their stay when the time is up. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis. The fee structure for an extended stay parishioner-student is TBA.

7. Q: What are the “vows and commitments” for the students of the vocational track? Are they possible to keep as an “in the world” householder?

A: Obviously the vows for the hermits are not possible to keep while “in the world.” The permanent resident vocational-student desires to live permanently at the retreat center so it is not an issue for them either, but of course their vows, especially concerning practicing in isolation, are not nearly as severe as they are for the hermits, because permanent residents will come into contact with people when buying supplies in town and when serving the parishioner-students who come to study.

Acaryas have a similar situation to permanent residents, but will be able to keep their vows and commitments while living as a householder if they desire.

8. Q: How will the parishioner-students learn in the new system?

A: Parishioner-students may take any course open to the public whether at a retreat center like Kailash Akhara or at a non-residential center. The administration group of the local area (the parish) will meet with the parishioner-students regularly to hear what the students would like to learn. Then, the request can be made to the head acarya for a teaching. He or she will either teach it themselves or designate a junior acarya to give the teaching.

In cases where an authorized acarya other than the head acarya is residing in the local parish area, the parishioner-students will have a regular schedule of teachings decided on by the students, the local admin group and the local acarya.

We will also be following the old system of Tantra where the parishioner-student(s) make the request to receive a specific teaching, empowerment, etc. and then they sponsor the program as well. Sponsoring means to make all the arrangements, do all the planning and organizing.

9. Q: How will the Jnanagni Kula functions be funded?

A: The parishioner-students and local vocational-students will designate which parish they belong to and that parish administration group will collect a yearly fee from them so that regular programs such as the full moon healing fire ceremonies, temple rituals, social activities, newsletters, etc. can continue.

The amount of the yearly contributions is to be decided by the individual parish.

10. Q: In this new organization, who is considered kula?

A: Any parishioner-student or vocational-student who comes to courses, anyone who attends the regular calendrical rituals of the school, anyone who is associated with Trika Institute or Jnanagni kula or who considers themselves to be a practicing Tantrika who attends the school’s courses regardless of how many or how few, is kula.

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