196. Swami Khecaranatha

Swami KhecaranathaSwami Khecaranatha has been teaching Kundalini Sadhana since 1972. With a mastery etched from five decades of inner practice and selfless service, he is an authentic adept of Tantric Shaivism and an initiated carrier in the Shakti Transmission Lineage of Bhagavan Nityananda and Swami Rudrananda (Rudi). Khecaranatha is the spiritual leader of Heart of Consciousness, which is based at Nityakash, his retreat center on Maui, Hawaii.

Swami Khecaranatha was not born to privilege or in a spiritual environment, but to an American family in circumstances comparable to those of most of his readers. While living in an ashram for thirty years he also held several “real-world” jobs, including that of CEO of a multimillion-dollar publishing/consulting business. This personal experience has strengthened Swami Khecaranatha’s conviction that it is possible to live fully in the world while developing and maintaining one’s conscious connection with the Divinity within. From this platform, he is able to discuss spiritual growth in language that is relevant to students’ daily lives, giving them specific tools to actualize the radical transformation of consciousness that is available to anyone willing to work in-depth, over time.

Books:

Website: heartofc.org

Transcript of this interview

Interview recorded October 5, 2013.

Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Swami Khecaranatha (Nathaji)
  • 00:03:29 – From Disbelief to Spiritual Awakening
  • 00:07:12 – The Grace of Meeting Rudi
  • 00:11:39 – Rudi’s Break from Muktananda
  • 00:15:14 – The Kundalini Awakening and Meditation Techniques
  • 00:19:18 – Kundalini Yoga: Becoming aware of energy frequencies
  • 00:22:44 – The Transmission of Shaktipat
  • 00:26:26 – The Initiation from Rudi
  • 00:30:28 – Kundalini Awakening and the Potential Dangers
  • 00:34:17 – The Intensity of Kundalini Awakening
  • 00:38:02 – Burning with Emotions
  • 00:41:35 – The Divine Force that Created Us
  • 00:45:25 – The Zoomed-In Microscope and God’s Plan
  • 00:48:53 – The Four Upayas
  • 00:52:29 – Rudi’s Accelerated Growth
  • 00:55:45 – The Intensity After Rudi’s Passing
  • 00:59:02 – Siddhis and Enlightenment
  • 01:02:34 – Finding Joy in Life
  • 01:06:01 – The Seduction of Enlightenment
  • 01:09:44 – The Challenge of Describing Enlightenment
  • 01:13:46 – The Origins and Development of Shaivism
  • 01:17:15 – Awakening the Psychic Body and Ascending Consciousness
  • 01:21:15 – The Ultimate Reality within Ourselves
  • 01:24:01 – Tantra as a Practice in Kashmir Shaivism
  • 01:27:59 – The Journey to Becoming a Swami
  • 01:31:42 – Rudi’s Teaching and Tantric Shaivism
  • 01:35:21 – Swami’s Personal Life and the Levels of Sannyas
  • 01:39:09 – Surrendering to God and the creation of Rudramandir
  • 01:42:43 – Thriving Amidst Challenges and Authenticity
  • 01:45:57 – Concluding Remarks and Next Episode Preview
  • 01:48:19 – End credits