Mariana Caplan is a psychotherapist specializing in spiritual issues and somatic approaches to transformation. She is the author of seven books in the fields of psychology and spirituality including the award-winning “Eyes Wide Open: Cultivating Discerment on the Spiritual Path” (Sounds True), the newly released “The Guru Question: The Perils and Rewards of Choosing a Spiritual Teacher” (Sounds True), and the seminal book “Halfway Up the Mountain: The Error of Premature Claims to Enlightenment”. She has degrees in cultural anthropology, counseling psychology, and contemporary spirituality, and she is a lifelong practitioner and teacher of yoga philosophy and asana.

On Wednesday September 21, 2011 from 7:15pm – 9:15pm, Dharmanidhi will host Ms Caplan in a discussion entitled “Guru-Disciple Relationship“. On Thursday September 22, 2011 from 7:15pm – 9:15pm, Ms Caplan will discuss “Spiritual Bypassing“. These events will take place at Yoga Mandala 2807 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, California. In order to gain the most benefit from their dialogue, please consider reading her most recent book, “The Guru Question – The Perils and Rewards of Choosing a Spiritual Teacher”, which discusses whether you need a dedicated mentor to help illuminate your path to awakening–and if so, how to navigate the deep complexities of the guru-disciple relationship.

For more information about Mariana Caplan, PhD, please visit http://www.realspirituality.com/index.html.

Share

Taught by: Dharmanidhi Sarasvati, Mandaladhyaksa

Summer Retreat 2011 hosted by Adi-Yoga’s main center in the mountains of Thailand will focus on how we as Tantrik Yogins can manifest the world of our dreams that is in line with the greater Dharma AND our individual fate or purpose in life (known as nadi in Sanskrit). When we are following our fate we will feel a sense of ease and ultimate contentment along with the experience that we are benefiting all sentient beings in the process.

In ancient times an enlightened being was expected to possess the powers of the Universe as obvious verification of her/his becoming one with that Source of Ultimate Power. The Yogins powers of compassion and wisdom should grow along with their ability to manifest circumstances of ever-increasing freedom and abundance.

The focus of Adi-Yoga trainings for the past 15 years has been on inner refinement through self-observation, Hatha Yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, etc. This years Summer Retreat is a departure from the inner journey and an exploration of the yogins outer journey of Dharmic fulfillment. For a Tantrik-Yogin the ultimate aim of Life is to benefit all beings while manifesting a life that is richly enjoyed and enlightening.

The three programs offered this year represent a wonderful opportunity to take the inner realizations about one’s purpose or nadi and empower them with the energy of creation from Source so that we can all manifest our Dharmic dreams achieving a life of fulfillment and benefit.

• Part One: The 5 Doors of Light Body Tantra
• Part Two: Mining Your Ultimate Power
• Part Three: Building Worlds of Accomplishment
• Guru Purnima

Total Summer Retreat Cost: $1347US* or THB 43,105
(Deposit of 15% required on full retreat purchase.)

Part One:  The 5 Doors of Light Body Tantra
July 10 – July 14 ($349US* or THB 11,170)

(Note: Part I may be taken independent of Parts II & III.)

Central Asian shamans and wizards were the proto-yogins. These conjurers directly perceived the world’s functional components while in deep states of trance-meditation. In these heightened states of perception they learned the secrets of how the world, its objects, and situations are manifested. The key to their ability to change outer circumstances and manifest what they wanted was their skill in contacting and manipulating the five elements.

Tantrik Yogins are the modern descendents of these powerful wizards of the past. They retained the use of the five elements in order to master their circumstances but they added the dimension of dharma and enlightenment to their aims. This was the birth of a vast category of practices within the systems of Tantrik Yoga that utilize the five elements.

Many students of Tantrik Yoga and Tantrik ritual are aware of the practice known as Tattva Suddhi, (five element purification) but there are many more methods for working with the elements. None more essential to the aim of enlightenment and the attainment of the Light Body than the five element practices of the Kashmir Saivists.

In this program Dharmanidhi Sarasvati will give teachings on the elements and their use in creating your ideal world of enlightenment and enjoyment. He will be teaching the main alchemical five element meditation practice of non-dual Saivist Yoga found in the original source texts written over a thousand years ago.

Please note that these 5 practices that you will learn have never been taught before by Dharmanidhi or other instructors of Adi-Yoga. This is not Tattva Suddhi.

After we spend a few days learning about the elements and meditating to awaken their experience within us so that we can more tangibly connect with them, we will learn about the particular siddhis or benefits that come with achieving entry to Essence through each element. At this point students will assess which element’s practice (they are all slightly different from each other, ie. different visualization, different mantra, different internal bhava, etc.) and the resulting fruit of that practice is most congruent with the student’s nadi (direction in life, fate) and will turn their weaknesses of character, mind, and energy into the brilliant display of enlightenment dormant within them.

Practiced to fruition, these unique 5 element practices of Saivist Yoga ultimately lead to the highest attainment for a Tantrik Yogin – the “Body of Light”, which was attained by many Indian and Tibetan masters of our lineage in ancient times and in recent history as well.

Part Two:  Mining Your Ultimate Power
July 17 – July 23 ($499US* or THB 15,968)

(Note: Part II may be taken independent of Parts I & III.)

In this section of the retreat you will plug the gaps in your energy system (nadi, bindu, prana) and learn the secrets to accumulating unlimited spiritual and temporal power. You will learn what an energy body is, how it works, how to awaken or “birth” it, and how to continually generate and pack more energy into it.

You will learn the traditional Tantrik theory and practice of the cakra system. This is not to be confused with popular New-Age renditions of  cakra theory and practice which have flooded the market place in the past 30 years. You will learn the key signs that demonstrate the attainment of a Dharmic energy body and its healthy growth, versus the energy body of the sorcerer which is based on egoic power accumulation and which ultimately is impotent in comparison to the Dharmic energy body, not to mention karmically dangerous to one’s progress toward enlightenment.

In the non-dual Tantrik Yoga of Saivism the Individual Being is considered to be a sacred manifestation of the One Universal Consciousness and Energy. It is taught in Saivist Yoga that the potency of the Universe is inherent and dormant in humans at birth. We will understand how this theory is essential to releasing our unlimited potency as Tantrik Yogins. We will be quoting a text written by a 9th century master of this tradition (Mahasiddha Virupa) to really bring it home.

The practices of Part II will be selected and arranged in order to give students the opportunity to birth an energy body, seal its leaks and begin the process of accumulation. You will learn various physico-energetic exercises to actualize the theory of Part II. These exercises include a specific type of Kriya Yoga combined with bandhas and visualizations.

Part II is akin to building the motor and fuel supply of a “creation-vehicle”. Part III is getting into the vehicle and actually manifesting those “worlds” of enlightenment and contribution that you desire.

Part Three:  Building Worlds of Accomplishment
July 24 – July 30 ($499US* or THB 15,968)

(Note: Participation in Part III requires attendance of Part II.)

In this program you will learn the more advanced techniques of focusing and directing your accumulated Universal energies to bring the blessing power of the Universe into your life to benefit everyone, including yourself.

It is like you have made a mold and now you will fill it with creative energy and bring it into being. You will learn specific teachings and practices to manifest your ideation into reality.

Advanced kriya yoga and meditation techniques are taught here. You will learn to refine your ideation or creative vision in order to bring it into alignment with your nadi, or purpose in life. This accelerates and empowers the process of manifestation. We will teach about how to create robust health, financial abundance and opportunity, basic psychic skills (ESP), and enlightenment.

We will also make sure that you understand how to do all of this from the correct motive. We will clearly discuss how the use of these techniques have the ability to karmically bind those individuals who do not have pure motive to benefit all beings and how these same techniques can contribute to the world the energy of wisdom, compassion and the release from mental suffering.

Guru Purnima 2011
July 14 and 15 (Food & Lodging covered with registration fees for Part One, Two, or whole retreat; otherwise $30US* or THB 960)

Once again we will be celebrating the presence and love for our Guru’s on Guru Purnima this July at Kailash Akhara, the home of Adi-Yoga. Guru Purnima is the time to express the immense gratitude you have for the blessing power, guidance and unconditional love of the Parampara. It is because of these beings that the Dharma lives and flourishes and it is through their grace that we have come into this magical world of contentment, peace, vitality and benefit. Please come and join us for this wonderful celebration.

Guru Purnima ceremony, celebration and teachings are free of charge.

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.

*An additional 5% administration fee will be added if registration fee is paid in US$.

Original Posting: February 2011

Share

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:

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!

Original Posting: February 2010

Share

Celebrating the business entity conversion to 401(c)3 non-profit status, Yoga Mandala held an open house on February 18th at 7:00pm. It was an opportunity to share with the Jñānagni Kula community, Yoga Mandala clients, and the general public. Once inside from the rainstorm that evening, guests were treated to a Sarasvati Pūjā led by the temple pujarinī, Candrabhūti and some refreshments. Hasta mudra (palm reading) was offered by Śri Acala who studies jyotisha and hasta mudra with Hart deFouw.

Regarding the non-profit status change, Kameshvari Thorp, the manager for Yoga Mandala, says “since November of 2002, Yoga Mandala has established itself as a yoga center dedicated to authentic Hatha yoga and related practices. We made the transition to nonprofit status to reflect the service orientation of our community offerings so that the charitable nature of our organization is reflected inside to out.”

Physical spatial changes in layout and color at our location on Telegraph Avenue include a golden yellow and aquamarine teal paint job, ceiling repair, the main yoga space “Surya” and therapy rooms window tinting, northerly reorientation of the front desk, a re-decorated waiting area facing Telegraph Avenue, and increased retail display. Most of the work was conducted to coincide with the studio’s annual holiday season at the end of 2010 and beginning of 2011.

For more information on the Open House and Yoga Mandala’s non-profit status, please refer to the press release: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/02/prweb5027264.htm

Share

Contributed by Bhaktiprasad Ritchie

In space, shapes and colors form,
But neither by black or white is space tinged.
From the Self-mind all things emerge, the mind
By virtues and by vices is not stained.
-Tilopa

As Western students and practitioners, it is understandable that we should place our spiritual heroes on a pedestal of purity and perfection. Given that the majority of men and women venerated in our culture are represented as spiritually accomplished super-humans; divine from birth or so strictly pure that their icons and myths are more like the marble statues than flesh and bone, it is no wonder that this attitude translates onto the great beings of ‘Eastern’ lineages.

Often we look to the Siddhas of our lineage as bright beacons at the shores of saMsara, guiding, protecting and encouraging our practice and commitment. These men and women of accomplishment are our ancestors on the path of yoga, and serve as icons of Essence in human form. Though it is easy to love and revere those we consider gifted, it is important to carefully consider the human narratives of the MahAsiddhas. Like you and I, they too once felt grief, pain, loss, suffering, delusion and anger. Their virtues were once constrained energy. Their diligent practice was often initiated by moments common to our own lives; from dramatic emotional upheaval, to a generic suffocation by the ‘mundane’ necessities of householder life. The Siddhas demonstrate variable flavors and personalities. Like us they were constrained by class politics, greedy and pestilent in-laws, terror, anxiety, and yes… even eating disorders. Like us they met wise teachers and applied themselves through consistent effort to the transformation of their woes and worries. Despite their situation in an Indo-Tibetan cannon of culture and spiritual narrative, the themes revealed in their stories are applicable to our modern, Western world because they are ultimately human stories.

The energy trapped in the deluded mind is precisely the “stuff” of the psychological alchemy of the Siddha. While bound in saMsara (repeated cycles of the multivarious forms of ignorance), our unresolved contractions push toward the dissolution of our energy, the apex of which is death. Through the alchemical path of the Siddha, however, these energies are utilized for spiritual cultivation, renewal, healing and ultimately, to the benefit of all beings.

This alchemy is made possible by diligent application of the appropriate means of transformation according to the individual situation, temperament and desire of each aspirant. Every story serves to illustrate unique expressions of both suffering and liberation while revealing universal traits along the way. The characters range from princes and princesses to those of low “caste” and all walks of life in between. The main emphasis of these narratives is almost always on dedication rather than station, occupation or life circumstance. True success, for the Siddha, is mined from an inner attitude of perseverance, personal responsibility and a deep desire for change. There is no life situation or personality flaw that lacks the potential to promote the greatest expression of human health and achievement.

As Rob Preece writes in The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra:
“The forces clustered together in the unconscious often seem to follow archetypal themes shared by all. This imbues our personal inner drama with a quality that can feel even more potent and uncontrollable…The aspects of our personal drama may reflect archetypal themes and motifs that have unfolded time and again, expressed in myths and legends (Preece, 2006, p 176).”

The stories of the Siddhas are themselves examples of this archetypal wisdom. Though the diverse range of personalities and paths of the Siddhas are best illustrated as a whole collection, (each story being as unique as the characters involved), I have chosen to recount three stories that demonstrate a degree of relatability for Western householders rather than those inclined to renunciation.

We begin with KaNkarIpa, The Lovelorn Widower.

Of all footprints
That of the Elephant is supreme;
Of all mindfulness meditations
That on Death is supreme.
What is born will die,
What has been gathered will be dispersed.
What has been accumulated will be exhausted,
What has been built up will collapse,
And what has been high will be brought low.
Mahaparinirvana Sutra (Quoted by Sogyal, 2002 p 25)

KaNkAripa’s story: An Ordinary Man, becomes a Siddha

KaNkAripa married a beautiful and kind woman. The two were greatly in love and cared for each other deeply. KaNkAripa was so fulfilled by his relationship with his wife that he never considered the impermanence and delicacy of such a relationship. At a young age his wife took ill and died soon after. Consumed with grief, KaNkAripa carried her body to the cremation ground and wept bitterly. He was so immobilized by his grief and loss that he was unable to leave her body. One day a yogin approached KaNkAripa inquiring about his attachment to the body. KaNkAripa told the yogin of his immense love and grief. The yogin admonished him for his attachment to the body of his beloved wife comparing it to a lump of clay. He enticed KaNkAripa to visualize his wife as a DakinI (“indivisible pleasure and emptiness without a substance and without a self.” Dowman, 1985 p 74). Through his meditation, KaNkAripa came to resolve his attachment and gained complete liberation. Through his practice, he came to be of great benefit to all beings.
(Retold from Dowman, 1985, p 73-75)

The story of KaNkAripa displays the universal themes of death, attachment, grief and love. Unlike some of the stories of other Siddhas, KaNkAripa was a regular married man without previous spiritual inclinations. The experience of his beloved’s death demonstrates the unique opportunity found in moments of disaster and complete upheaval; the place where the structure of our everyday lives is so uprooted that radical change can occur.

The true cause of KaNkAripa’s suffering is his attachment to his wife and the pleasure associated with their life together. Her death clearly devastates his psychology, as is demonstrated by his unhealthy display of grief that results in his inability to leave her body. The yogin chastises KaNkAripa for his clinging as a way to invoke clarity to the true situation: the wife he longs for is gone. KaNkAripa’s openness through grief allow the yogin’s words to penetrate a level of consciousness and inspire him into active participation in the process of his own healing: by meditating upon his wife not as an ordinary woman, but as the commensurate union of pleasure and emptiness as represented by the DakinI. What I find most interesting in this particular story is not KaNkAripa’s reaction to the death of his wife, but rather the flavor of practice offered by the wandering yogin in the cremation ground.

KaNkAripa’s attachment to pleasure (as represented by his wife) is the principal poison that keeps him from intimacy with the nature of his own Mind. Thus, it is this attachment that is utilized by the practice KaNkAripa receives from the yogin. Because KaNkAripa is naturally drawn by his attachment to thoughts of his wife, the practice he is offered utilizes his preoccupation in such a way that promotes a healthy relationship to all phenomena, which according to Buddhist spiritual terminology is empty (one way of saying, non-dual). When the empty nature of all phenomena is misperceived, a typical response is attachment to pleasure and aversion to pain. As the DakinI, the vision of KaNkAripa’s wife emboldens both the pleasure to which KaNkAripa was attached, as well as the emptiness he feared. Rob Preece writes, “The DakinI attracts us by her fascination and vitality. Men becoming aroused by the DakinI’s glamour may seek to grasp at and hold her to them. But in that moment she shifts; she will not be clung to as something inherently solid and static. This shift can bring the sudden recognition that there is nothing solid to grasp; she is empty of solid substantiality, fleeting and elusive, which leads to a deeper awareness of her empty nature. She is the dance or play of emptiness, like the play of light rippling on the surface of water. When this is recognized, it causes obsessive, passionate grasping to burst open. We are left in space; open, empty, free to dance the same blissful dance“.
(Preece, 2006 p 209.)”

The story itself does not appear to disapprove of a happy married life per se, but rather the inevitable outcome of attachment as fostered by a lack of spiritual maturity (correct View). As we shall see, however, there are other methods for using attachments in healthy ways. One does not have to lose what one is naturally drawn toward in order to cultivate ripeness for liberation. The story of VINApa demonstrates how one can revel in the delight of the world of name and form and follow it, with proper instruction, into the fervent display of dancing emptiness and pleasure.

VINApa’s story: Following the pleasurable stream of sound into emptiness

With perseverance and devotion
I mastered the vINA’s errant chords;
But then practicing the unborn, un-struck sound
I, VINApa, lost my self.
(Dowman, 1985, p 91)

Born to a royal household, VINApa was a child who lacked no indulgence, including court musicians to soothe him when he became upset. As he grew, his interest in music piqued and he began to learn how to play the VINA (a stringed instrument). He passed his childhood and early adolescence preoccupied with his instruments. His parents and court advisers began to worry over his interest in music, considering it troublesome to his involvement in politics. Intent on curing his musical whims, his family sent for a yogin to instruct the prince in meditation and challenge his overwhelming interest in the VINA. After some discussion, the prince made clear that he would not abandon his love of music, but rather, would use his passion as practice, if such instruction was available. The yogin, after finding the prince suitable for such instruction, gave a spiritual practice that incorporated a meditation on sound. After 9 years he attained the stainless light of MahAmudrA and benefited the people of his kingdom through his ceaseless work to teach them the methods of deliverance from suffering.
(Retold from Dowman, 1985 p 91-93)

Though it is important to note how necessary it was for VINApa’s powers of concentration and diligence to be assessed by the yogin before he received instruction, the story of VINApa’s process of realization does not require remote, wild places nor staunch austerity. When his absorption in meditation through sound was complete, VINApa was able to access the state of inherent emptiness through an intrinsic talent for and love of music. It is true that along the path, as demonstrated by each Siddha in their own way, the point of access is entirely unique to each individual. In this example, VINApa shows the power and access available when one follows their own aptitude. What is most important was not VINApa’s ability to completely eradicate all longing for music and pursue the way of meditation, but rather the good fortune of finding a teacher willing to instruct him in a way that opened his capacity through his innate talents and interests. As he recounts in his song of realization; “I mastered the VINA’s errant chords; But then practicing the unborn, unstruck sound I, VINApa, lost my self.”

Coupled with VINApa’s perseverance and concentration, the correct practice (as aligned with his own personality and character) provided the appropriate structure within which the profound display of emptiness as sound was able to come forth. VINApa’s story serves as inspiration for those who have an inner calling and direction for which they have great love and passion. As demonstrated, there is no need to give up what one loves, but rather to have an appropriate relationship to it and to strive to use that which naturally draws one near to the beauty of emptiness as a vehicle. This is achieved by the perfect marriage of appropriate desire, proper instruction, and dedicated follow through of the practitioner.

The last story, that of Kamparipa, the blacksmith, shows a Siddha who attained the highest goal also without having to leave for forests and caves, by practicing the profound marriage of body, speech and mind through his form of livelihood. Though unlike VINApa, Kamparipa was not deeply passionate about black-smithing, he was able to use his daily life and routine as a practice. Here is his story.

Kamparipa: The blacksmith of subtle energy

Following the family trade, Kamparipa became a blacksmith. He didn’t enjoy his work, but followed on to make a living. One day, a yogin came into his shop and began to inquire about Kamparipa’s happiness. The outcaste blacksmith replied that he was unsatisfied with his line of work as he was constantly being burnt. After feeding the yogin, Kamparipa and his wife were invited to practice. They were astonished that the yogin would accept food from them (being outcast) and offer them teachings. They joyfully accepted. Kamparipa was instructed thus:

Transform your daily task
Into an internal meditation.
Pumping the two arms of the bellow,
LalanA on the right and rasanA on the left,
To ignite the coals of conceptual thought
Lying in the heart of the avadhuti,
Kindle the flame of knowledge and awareness
To melt the iron, the three poisons and the five passions.
The result is the immaculate DharmakAya.

Completely attuned to his work in this way, until achieving the state of MahAmudrA in complete secrecy from his peers. Eventually, his creations began to manifest spontaneously in the hearth and he was recognized as a Buddha. He lived for the sake of all beings.
(Retold from Dowman, 1985 p 242-245)

The story of Kamparipa is inspiring for multiple reasons. Unlike the previous stories, Kamparipa was not particularly attached to his way of life.. He was working for much the same reason many people in the modern world work, because it is required for a degree of survival. By uniting his daily work with the practice of the subtle channels, Kamparipa was able to make his daily life a meditation, much like VINApa. Everything required for his advancement was available right where he was. He did not attain this because of his outer talents or display of philosophical intelligence, but rather the appropriate use of an opportunity that harmonized with his daily life.

Kamparipa’s tale is inspiring because it lacks much of the glamour.of typical heroes and heroines. He is not mentioned as having any particular qualities that make him more equipped for meditation than anyone else save for this: he had a slight distaste for his life as it was before instruction and a willingness to apply the yogin’s instruction unwaveringly.

The unique appeal of the stories of these great Siddhas is found partly in their compassionately human description. Each siddha is accompanied by a unique personality and therefore, a unique path to liberation. Though only three of the 84 siddhas were discussed, the spectrum is full of further examples of distinctive paths and characters. The detailed list of their translated names accounts for their range of perversion and therefore, liberated expressions… here are a few favorite examples:

The ‘Avaricious Hermit’;
the ‘Rejected Wastrel’;
the ‘Free Lover,
‘Siddha Two-Teeth,
the ‘Lazy Monk’,
the ‘Slave-King of the Temple Whore’;
the ‘Exiled Loud-Mouth’;
‘Goitre-Necked Yogin’;
the ‘Dog Lover’,
‘the Mad Princess’;
the ‘Enlightened Moron’;
the ‘Rejuvenated Dotard’,
the ‘Gambler’;
the ‘Compulsive Liar’…

This fine list displays names of beings of good birth, of lowly birth, of excellent intelligence, of mediocre intelligence, women of beauty, and women of misconduct; there is even a Siddha who would be relegated to Overeaters Anonymous, (Sarvabhaksha, the glutton). The stories of the MahAsiddhas demonstrate the importance of individuality on the path. The path of the Siddha is one of inner alchemy, whereby emotions, passions, interests and aversions are not to be dismissed, but rather utilized as fodder for the fire of transformation.

When times are tough, and they sometimes are, the stories of the Siddhas are invaluable resources of inspiration. Sometimes what we need is an example of someone like us, who was once imperfectly human moving on the path toward sanity, wisdom and compassion. The message of the Siddhas, speaking through these stories calls to us: Don’t be discouraged. There is no loss too great, no fear, attachment or disappointment that is too big to be utilized for our cultivation. The View is the outstretched hand of those who have gone before us, lightening the burdens of isolation and timidness. We are not alone, and never really are, in the light of their Grace and Love.

Although medicine and poison create contrary effects,
In their ultimate essence that are one;
Likewise negative qualities and aids on the path,
One in essence should not be differentiated.
The realized sage rejects nothing whatsoever,
While the unrealized spiritual child,
Five times poisoned, is lost in Samsara.

-      Ghantapa

Bibliography:

Dowman, Keith (1985). Masters of Mahamudra: Songs of the Eighty-Four Buddhist Siddhas. State University Press, Albany.

Preece, Rob (2002). The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca.

Rinpoche, Sogyal (2002). The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Harper San Francisco Publishing, San Francisco.

Hansard, Christopher (2001.) The Tibetan Art of Living: Wise Body, Wise Mind, Wise Life. Hodder and Straughton Publshing, London.

Preece, Rob (2006). The Wisdom of Imperfection: The Challenge of Individuation in Buddhist Life. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca.

Rinpoche, Anyen (2010). Dying with Confidence: A Tibetan Buddhist Guide to Preparing for Death. Wisdom Publications, Boston.

Rinpoche, Tenzin Wangyal (2000). Wonders of the Natural Mind: The Essence of Dzogchen in Native Bon Tradition of Tibet. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca.

Sumegi, Angela (2008). Dreamworlds of Shamanism and Tibetan Buddhism: The Third Place. State University of  New York Press, Albany.

Share

I offer this writing with gratitude to He who engendered the Jñanagni Kula, a thousand prostrations and ten times the offering of our innermost virtues.

There’s something undoubtedly precious about the concept of kula. Much more than its literal Sanskrit translation to ‘clan,’ kula is a concept that is tangible and alive, fresh as a self-propelled spiritual practice. In fact, it is nothing less than that. A true, quaking awareness of taking part in such marvelous Śakti (blissful and dynamic essence energy of the divine feminine) is a powerful access-point into what we share as Tantrikas all over the world.

Living in today’s world as a householder raises many complicated questions in terms of what a ‘spiritual’ life is. An immediate dynamic arises between what aspects of our life are ‘spiritual’ and which are ‘worldly.’ Ashram life can sometimes deceptively allow one to funnel all experience to the ‘spiritual,’ and likewise, worldly life is…well, what were you doing before you developed a thirst for God?

A deeply-instilled practice of Tantra casts these distinctions of spiritual vs. worldly aside, but there’s something important to be said about who we are in relation to our own lives, something that allows the concept of kula to serve its essential purpose.

Who we are is often associated with where we are coming from. This is not necessarily a physical place, but more of a mental space, a focus of our perspective. Our View. In the science of Tantra, especially as showcased in Dharmanidhi’s Soul Power teachings, the identity comes through as a powerful access-point to our own essence-nature. Trying to live in the View, the state where life is inherently spiritual whether you’re chanting mantras or arguing with your lover, is something of a necessity for anyone who wishes to attain enlightenment–and it can sometimes be difficult, right?

Well then, that’s what kula is for. At least one of the many reasons. Accessing our own natural wisdom is something that allows our personalities to emanate the View through the filter of our own individual life. It comes out differently for everyone, but the essential core, that of our essence-nature, is something that is common to all practitioners. For this, we can often try and emulate the spirit of great adepts and Deity-Mandalas that were brought into this world for that very purpose–for us to emulate perfect alignment with the View. We are blessed to have the Guru, but our own kula brothers and sisters also serve as inspiring sources of spiritual motivation!

Dharmanidhi has said before that if you can’t visualize something within yourself during a spiritual practice (for example the Blue Bindu within your heart), then you can just as well visualize someone else in front of you doing it perfectly. It is all within our experience anyway. In the same way, when we are around kula brothers and sisters, it becomes an opportunity for us to keep each other ‘on board.’ This can be the funny game of ‘check!’ to see if those around you are keeping Second Attention (a foundational awareness practice), but it need not even include the physical presence of kula mates. The practice of ‘Aim Star,’ in which one sends the beauty of our own essence nature high into the unity of the Goddess’ abode and lets it consciously rain down onto all of the kula mates (and all beings if you’re a hot shot), is a way to create this kula unity every morning in about two minutes, an awesome tool no matter how you conceive of it.

Practices such as these, as well as the general friendships and beautiful relationships we all develop together as students of Tantra, are the stuff of a true householder life. It is not about check-marking our actions as spiritual or not, but about living together from the perspective of the View, and luckily we have a wonderful, world-wide community to do it with. Simply knowing that so many people all over the world are trying just as much as you to live Tantra is a constant, powerful source of inspiration for our spiritual practice, and this in itself is a priceless asset to all of our lives.

Embody the Guru, embody the Gods, embody your kula brothers and sisters! Embody your Self.

To those who live in this way, a thousand prostrations and ten times the offering of our innermost virtues. We’re all there, believe it! By acting thus you keep Dharmanidhi in your center of our experience all year long, no matter where in the three worlds He may be. May the Guru Tattva shine through us all in nondual-clarity.

Jaya Gurudev!

Share

Every creature has a certain disposition based on the predominance of Rajas, the frenetic, ever changing energy of the universe, Tamas, the force of immobility and dormancy, or Sattva, the force of equanimity and peacefulness. These forces define the general mental characteristics of a living creature. Rajasic animals are busy, mobile creatures, such as most birds, dogs, and insects. Tamasic animals are sedentary, calculating creatures, such as elephants, lions and bears. Sattvik animals are neither excessively active, nor excessively still, and include animals such as swans, cows and goats.

The life of the average goat is fairly placid. They do have territorial bouts, smashing their skulls into one another, but for the most part they spend their time roaming, sitting and chewing. Like cows, they are ruminants, meaning they have multiple stomachs, each designed to take care of a particular part of the digestive process. In between each stomach the ‘cud’ is coughed up into their mouths for more chewing. So even if they are not actively eating, they are usually chewing. They are affectionate creatures, living together in herds, and are very accepting of cohabitation with humans, particularly if there are plenty of green scraps available. They are relatively unfazed by the events of the world, and even when things do grab their attention, they disregard them pretty quickly.

Even the burning of their horns, which goat keepers do mainly for personal safety, only seems to affect them while it’s happening. When they are young and the horn buds start to grow out of the skull, a pipe heated to over 1000 degrees is pressed into them dissolving the horn and destroying the root of the horn so that it never grows. During this process, which takes up to 10 seconds, the kid “screams in pain like nothing you have ever heard,” says Frankie, an Oakland California goat owner, “then the very moment you take the tube off, they stop screaming and walk away as if nothing had ever happened. It’s remarkable.” This is a stunning example of the implacable nature of the animal, and probably plays into why goats have been domesticated from time immemorial.

Goats are used both as milk animals and as meat animals. The milk that comes from goats has an interesting property of being easier to digest than other varieties of milk, such as cow’s milk. There are several schools of thought as to why this is true. Goat milk is rather fatty, containing about one percent more milk fat than cow’s milk. However the fat in goat milk doesn’t contain the same kind of binding chemical that cow’s milk does, and as a result the fat globules don’t pull together, or ‘clabber’. Another reason is that goat milk contains less lactose, which people may have trouble digesting. It also has a different kind of protein structure, which forms a “looser” curd in the stomach and thereby spends less transit time in the digestive tract. This structure is closer to that of human milk, which, of course, is what we’re designed to digest from birth.

Ayurveda has a lot to say about milk. In the textual section on the properties of liquid substances, there is a whole section dedicated to the properties of milks of different animals. It compares cow’s milk and goat’s milk by saying that the former is the most nourishing, but the most difficult to digest, while the latter is slightly less nourishing and much easier to digest because the goat spends most of its time eating pungent and astringent plants. It also says that because of this the milk has less of a watery nature to it, and is not ideal for filling out the body.

While goat’s milk falls into the category of foods that also act like medicines, it has other medicinal uses besides drinking. There is a daily practice known as Anjanam, which is a procedure of wiping the whites of the eyes with a medicinal paste. One common recipe calls for goat’s milk to be boiled with certain herbs until it becomes thick and brownish. This compound is very astringent and causes the eyes to tear dramatically thereby removing excess stagnation and coagulation from the eyes.

One of the most prominent mentions of goats in the classic Ayurvedic texts refers to a cure for tuberculosis. Goats cannot contract tuberculosis–this was known then as it is still known today–and because of this people who had the disease were recommended to move near a goatsherd and “drink of their milk daily”. This is a true testament to the medicinal qualities of goat’s milk, for tuberculosis is listed as the most supreme of all diseases, called in sanskrit Raja Yakshma, the King of Disease.

Goat meat is easy to digest and bestows the body with strength and oiliness. Ayurveda says that their flesh is the closest in quality to human tissue. It is one of the most common meats eaten in Southern India. A customary dish is a kind of goat stew in which the goat is slow cooked, bones and all, with vegetables and then served with rice. There are many goat recipes spanning the globe, from Greek roasted goat to African goat soups, to the diverse recipes for Cabrito (cooked kid) from South America, often done either Barbacoa (barbecued) or Birria (stewed). There is even mention of a goat pastrami from Romania––however, it appears to be an acquired taste.

Goats have entered into Western mythology as well. In Greek mythology, the sea-goat Pricus attempts to keep his children from wandering out of the ocean and onto land by reversing time to warn them. After admitting the futility of it he begs his creator, Cronos, to let him die. Being an immortal, he is instead allowed to live out infinity in the sky as Capricorn. In the Norse mythology the Einherjar (soldier fallen in battle and brought to Valhalla by the Valkyries) drink of a mead spouted from the udder of the goat Heidrun as they wait for Ragnorak. The god Thor’s chariot is also drawn by two goats Tanngrisnir (snarler) and Tanngnjóstr (teeth grinder). In one story Thor and his companions slay his goats and feast on them, and in the morning Thor wraps the bones inside the goats’ skins and with his hammer brings them back to life. There is also Pan, the half man, half goat, a symbol of fertility and fecundity. Goats even make appearances in children’s fairy tales, such as the Three Billy Goats Gruff.

Most people know about the reputation of goats being able to eat anything, such as shoes and tin cans, and this commonly held belief has some basis in reality. They will try to eat just about anything––from foam insulation, to clothing, branches, belts, etc. Amazingly, goats have no difficulty digesting most of it in quantity. What makes this  even more impressive is that they don’t have any front teeth, just a hard palate and a few molars in the back of their mouths.

They are such voracious eaters that it can be a problem if they are left to regulate themselves. Goats will not only eat a plant, but will devour it down to the roots so that it has a hard time growing back. For this reason they are often used to clear weeds from overgrown areas. They will even eat poison oak without pause. On Isabella island in the Galapagos goats became a real problem. Pirates who frequented the area introduced goats so that they would have some guaranteed food. When piracy in the area ended the goats became feral and the population boomed without any natural predators, eventually wreaking havoc on the local flora.

Certain things do affect the quality of the milk and meat, which needs to be monitored by those raising goats for these purposes, and occasionally a goat will consume something that is poisonous to them. The list of plants that are poisonous to goats is not very long, but it is interesting to note that the items on that list are also poisonous to humans.

Humans have a kinship with goats. For some it’s because they have a peaceful countenance. For others it is because they are delicious. Whatever the reason, goats have attained a unique celebrity. If we take everything into context, it is easy to come to the conclusion that goats have a very nourishing nature. Even being around them can have a calming effect. Humans and goats have spent a long history living together, each benefiting from the relationship. With any luck this arrangement will continue as long as we are still around.

Share

Kamesvari and Atibala are proud to announce the birth of Līla Ananta Thorp born March 27, 2011 at home in Oakland. Congratulations to the new parents!

Wedding Bells!
Citrajyoti and Dharmamegha were married May 13 in Avalon Beach, Australia beneath a 100-year quadruple planetary conjunction. Presiding over the ceremony was Sri Rama Ramanuja Acarya and his stalwart assistant Pujari Sambhu Peterson. The newlyweds pray for this union to be of benefit to all beings and to yield many yogini bhus! Jaya Gurudeva!

Share

1 pound of goat chops (cubed without the bones)
1 small leek, diced
Goat bone broth (optional, if used, use less water)
½ cup diced daikon radish
2 large carrots
2 celery stalks
1 tbls salt
1 tbsp diced fresh ginger
5 cardamom seed pods
2 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbls coconut oil
1 cup chopped mushrooms (morels work well, oysters are also nice)
Enough water to cover 1-2 inches above

Place all ingredients in crock pot starting with meat and leek on the bottom. Cook on low heat for 8 hours, or overnight.

Share

Preregistration is strongly recommended, classes will fill up. http://www.trikainstitute.org/

The Power of Breath:  The 3 Foundational Methods of Pranayama
Saturday, February 19
7:30-9:30am
$30 (pre-reg by February 1)/ $35
Join Adi-Yoga founder Dharmanidhi for an in-depth practice session in the core breathing techniques of Bhastrika, Kapalabhati and Nadi Shodhana (bellows breath, skull cleansing breath and channel cleansing breath).  These methods are potent for creating health when taught and practiced correctly and illness when practiced incorrectly.  Come learn the essential points in this master’s class.

Releasing the Power of the 5 Elements:  The Essence of Tantrik Yoga
Saturday, February 19
10am-4pm
$65 (pre-reg by Feb 1) / $75 (after Feb 1)
Although the science of Tantrik Yoga has myriads of meditation methods, they all base their desired effects on the dynamics of the 5 elements.
This class is an in-depth look at the elements themselves in Indian Tantra and Tantrik Yoga.  You will learn 4 methods of working with your own unique configuration of the 5 elements.  Effects of those practices are to decrease one’s karmic load, increase health and vitality and create a profoundly deep basis for higher meditation and yoga.

Dynamic Stillness: Master Class in Yoga as Moving Meditation*
(*Attendance at The Power of Breath or equivalent experience with Pranayama required)
Sunday, February 20
7:30-9:30am
$30 (pre-reg by February 1)/ $35
Join Dharmanidhi Tantracarya for a class in the traditional method that combines hatha yoga and meditation as an alternating sequence.  Pulsing between activity and stillness throughout the class using specific pose-counterpose combinations you will find yourself entering a deep yet externally integrated state of Presence.

Reality Parenting:
Secrets to Raising Happy, Confident, Loving & Compassionate Children
Sunday, February 20
10am-4pm
$65 (pre-reg by Feb 1) / $75 (after Feb 1)
Most of the parenting models available today are artificial theories that result in children that lack proper boundaries, respect, self-confidence and purpose.
Reality Parenting is a radical breath of fresh air in the current pollution of politically correct parenting.  We will work with issues such as discipline, punishment, emotional fluidity, the importance of respect, how to nurture the discovery and expression of a child’s purpose in life, instilling values, handling bullies, etc.
The use of Enneagram Personality Typing, Ayurvedic Constitution Typing, and Indian Astrology to assess each child’s unique needs, limitations and possible paths in life will also be introduced.
Practical advice will be given to help attending parents with specific issues.  We will focus on ages 1 ½ – 15 with the majority emphasis spent on early childhood.

Eco-Dharma: The Central Role of Environmental Awareness & the Practice of Ecology in Authentic Spiritual Life
Tuesday, February 22
7-9pm
$20
A class exploring the changing and newly essential role of the Environment and Personal Ecology in any modern approach to the Spiritual Path.  In Tantra the human body and Nature are considered divine manifestations that when worked with can yield awakening to our innate enlightened essence.  This class will discuss new approaches in thinking and practice along those lines.

Master Class in Warrior Yoga:  Don’t try this without a helmet!
Wednesday, February 23
5:30-7:30pm

Sex Positive:  Healthy Trend or Pathology in Disguise
w/ Dharmanidhi & Sumanasa
Thursday, February 24
7-9pm
$20
Bondage and discipline, sadomasochism, pornography, polyamory and fetishes are all considered part of the sex-positive movement that emerged in response to our culture’s overall negative and repressive views of sexuality.  Like many movements with good intentions that seek to undermine the current paradigm, sex-positivity has overshot its mark, often resulting in physical, psychological and sexual confusion and injury.  How does the timeless wisdom of Tantra view these sexual practices?
Join Sumanasa and Dharmanidhi in discussing this hot topic from both the psychological and Tantrik perspectives.

Basic Sanity:  The First & Most Important Attainment of the Spiritual Path
Saturday, February 26
9am-5pm
$85 (pre-reg by Feb 14)/ $95
The Spiritual Path has distinct and recognizable landmarks along the way.  “Basic Sanity” is a modern term for the establishment of an indestructible base that allows the spiritual practitioner to make real progress without future setbacks, backsliding or delusion.
Dharmanidhi Tantracarya, founder of Adi-Yoga and Trika Institute will take the class through the parameters of Basic Sanity to discover which aspects of it have already been attained, which need to be attained and how to do so.
Yoga Therapy for Increased Vitality
Sunday, February 27
9am – 12pm
$35 (pre-reg by Feb 14)/ $40
This class will teach a set of specific practices of asana, pranayama (breathing techniques), bandhas, visualizations, chanting, yoga herbal, dietary and lifestyle measures for increasing one’s life-force (vitality).  A wonderful side effect is increased energy, health and longevity.

Awakening the Inner Guru:  The Traditional Tantrik Practice of Guru Yoga
Sunday, February 27
1:30-4:30pm
$35 (pre-reg by Feb 14)/ $40
One goal of Tantrik Yoga is to awaken higher function in ajna chakra, the third eye, which is known as the “Inner Guru”.  Once awakened this chakra gives wise guidance to our practice and life and acts as a sending and receiving station for the creative impulse form our guru and the masters of the lineage.  In this class we will perform practices that awaken our ajna chakra and increase our connection to the loving grace of the masters of the spiritual lineage.

Infinite Mirrors:  The Objects, People & Situations of our World Afford Us Infinite Opportunities for Spiritual Growth
Tuesday, March 1
7-9pm
$20
Learn how to use our worldly circumstances for deeper growth and discover that these integration moments, when recognized and celebrated as potential entries into presence, are perhaps the most direct and quickest way to self-realization.

The 3 “Bodies” of Siva:  Spaciousness, Energy & Individuality are the Three Interdependent Aspects of The One Siva.
Wednesday, March 2
7-9pm
$20
The understanding of Siva in the non-dual Saivism of Kashmir is philosophically very different from the modern mainstream Hindu conception.  Come and learn about the concept of Siva, not as a limited god, but as the sum total of all that is substantial, insubstantial and beyond…pure loving awareness.  All sentient beings are the 3 bodies of Siva.  Learn what these 3 bodies are and how to experience them.

Sivaratri Ceremony
Thursday, March 3
Time TBA
This Ceremony is Aimed at Completing the Karma of the Previous Year & Beginning the New Year in Wisdom & Compassion

Transforming Dark Force into Light
Saturday, March 5
9am-12pm
$35 (pre-reg by Feb 14)/ $40
The Spiritual Path can be summarized as the Transformation of our Tensions & Unconscious Patterns into Radiant Virtues.
In Tantrik Yoga we discover our limiting karmas and learn to transform their distorted energy (Darkness) into energy of enlightened virtues (Light).  This process, rather than a singular event, is an ongoing process of revelation.  Learn how to recognize “Dark” energy and transform it into its essential virtue.

Discovering Your Nadi
Saturday, March 5
1:30-5:30pm
$40 (pre-reg by Feb 14)/ $45
Each Human Being has a Nadi – A Unique Path that when followed gives the sense of Contentment, Joy & Purpose.
Everyone has a unique “way” or “flow” through life that when discovered and cultivated gives the heart-felt sense of having really “arrived” in your life.  Far more than career, or what you do for money, one’s nadi is comprised of your deepest purpose, desire, craft, skills, activities and things that give you joy…all contextualized with benefit to all beings.  In this teaching we will try to awaken the sense of our nadi and the fulfillment it gives.

Astrology for the Sadhika
Sunday, March 6
10am- 5pm
$75 (pre-reg by Feb 14)/ $80
Important Concepts in Spiritual Astrology to Assist the Spiritual Practioner in Assessing their Deepest Compulsive Karmas & their Unique Path to Freedom.
**Pre-registration is required to prepare your astrology chart in advance.

Satsang
Sunday, March 6
7-9pm
$5 suggested donation
An Open Question & Answer Forum about Spiritual Cultivation led by Dharmanidhi Sarasvati Tantracarya

Share