Recently, I was invited to appear as a presenter on an online Summit that was focused on raising consciousness. Turns out it was likely all about spiritual materialism*. When the invite showed up in my inbox, from people I didn’t know, I went to check out the material, check out their website, and see who …
Todd Muller, Panic Attacks and the Shame of Mental Illness
The front page article of the Herald on Saturday was a sympathetic interview with Todd Muller, he who was National leader for 53 days, and his wife Michelle. ‘I had anxiety. I experienced that quite severely and I had panic attacks,’ says Muller in the article. This is a man who has been involved in …
What’s with Tantra and Sex?
There it was, in black and white, blazoned across the Google search results, Tantra and sex, everywhere: “Tantra worship has flourished in popularity in the Western World, establishing a reinterpretation of Hindu and Buddhist practices. This new, modern practice is often referred to as Neotantra. As time progressed, some of the ancient outdated teachings of tantra have been readopted …
What’s the Difference between Yoga and Tantra?
Before I share on Yoga and Tantra, from my own direct experience, on this question, it’s useful to examine the question itself – which is a question people often ask me. The question assumes that there IS a difference between Yoga and Tantra, as if they are two separate things – like a chair and …
Conversations with Kara-Leah • Shambhavi Sarasvati on Direct Realization Tantra
Shambhavi is the spiritual director of Jaya Kula. Her principle training is in the direct realization traditions of Trika Shaivism (a.k.a. Kashmir Shaivism or Shaiva Tantra) and the Dzogchen tradition of Tibet. I first came across Shambhavi when I read her wonderful book, The Play of Awakening: Adventures in Direct Realization Tantra. I too follow …
The Kundalini Awakening Process: An Inside Story
by Kara-Leah Grant It’s 7:15 pm and I’m upside down on the carpet in front of the fire, balancing on my hands and knees, head hanging low, not quite touching the carpet. I’m meant to be on the computer, working. But Kundalini has other plans for me. There’s been pressure building up in my neck and …