Kashmir Shaivism and Non-Dual Tantra
A lifelong student of philosophy and comparative religion, a practitioner of Shaiva Tantra in the Shaiva Siddhanta lineage, and recent entrant into the Ramakrishna lineage by his guru, Swami Sarvadevananda Puri, Nishanth Selvalingam shares an authentic, firsthand approach to the Sanskrit texts of the Tantrik scriptural tradition to expose audiences to the profoundly positive and transformative philosophies and practices that this tradition offers. Nishanth Selvalingam graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Philosophy in 2024 and now lives in Westwood, Los Angeles where he hosts satsanghs with his wife, coaches middle school debate and lectures incessantly on all things Tantra and Non-Duality.
Website: nishyoga.com
Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group
Interview recorded August 18, 2024
YouTube Video Chapters:
- 00:00:00 – Introduction
- 00:05:16 – Eclectic Background in Philosophy
- 00:09:52 – Diverse Interests and Spirituality
- 00:13:58 – The Metaphor of the Mountain Peak
- 00:17:29 – The Quest for Realization
- 00:22:28 – The Sun and Different Perspectives
- 00:26:56 – The Devotee vs the Nihilistic Void State
- 00:30:27 – Taking Spiritual Advancement in Measured Doses
- 00:34:32 – The Nature of Omniscience
- 00:40:02 – Mystical Experiences and Embodiment
- 00:43:52 – Manifestation of God and the Direct Path vs Progressive Path
- 00:47:34 – Real as God: A Conversation on Philosophy and Spirituality
- 00:50:59 – Chitsuki and Swami Saripandaji’s Explanation
- 00:54:44 – The Self-Referral Nature of Consciousness
- 01:00:40 – The Role of Experiences in Spirituality
- 01:05:06 – Selecting a Guru
- 01:08:31 – Hypocrisy in Yoga Communities
- 01:12:48 – The Complexity of Hinduism and Tantra
- 01:17:56 – The Many Forms of Deities in Tantra
- 01:22:23 – The Waves of Deities and Perceptions
- 01:26:00 – Chakshu Diksha and Sparsha Diksha
- 01:28:33 – Comparing Shiva Siddhanta and Kashmir Shaivism
- 01:34:24 – Realization of the Self through Nirvikalpa Samadhi
- 01:38:15 – The Fragrance of Samadhi with Eyes Open
- 01:42:35 – The Goddesses Within Us
- 01:47:28 – Abhichara and Crazy Sex Stuff
- 01:51:13 – The Bhakti Approach
- 01:54:59 – The Need for a Holistic Approach in Spirituality
- 01:59:15 – The Importance of Vairagya and Willpower in Spiritual Practice
- 02:03:32 – Personality Transformation in Tantra
- 02:06:58 – Spiritual Development and Understanding at a Young Age
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