651. Shambhavi Sarasvati

Shambhavi is the spiritual director of Jaya Kula, a nonprofit organization offering opportunities to learn and practice in the traditions of Trika Shaivism and the Dzogchen. She has also studied meditation with teachers in the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions. Her root Guru is Anandamayi Ma.

Shambhavi emphasizes direct encounters with the wisdom of the heart through the more explicitly devotional teachings and practices of Trika Shaivism and Dzogchen. In addition to offering teachings in spiritual practice and view, Shambhavi is a trained jyotishi and diviner. At one time, Shambhavi taught at Northwestern University. She left academia in 2004 in order to devote herself to practice, writing, and teaching in her spiritual traditions.

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Books (Author page on Amazon)

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Transcript of this interview

Interview recorded June 20, 2022

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

YouTube Video Chapters:

  • 00:00:00 – Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump and Jaya Kula
  • 00:03:39 – Esoteric Connections and Studying Different Traditions
  • 00:07:39 – Meeting Anandamayi Ma
  • 00:11:55 – Encountering Divine Intelligence
  • 00:16:35 – The Artistry of Limitation and Release from Suffering
  • 00:21:13 – The Intimate Relationship with a Teacher
  • 00:25:27 – The Role of a Teacher in Spiritual Practice
  • 00:29:08 – The Friend: A Guiding Wisdom
  • 00:33:04 – The Round World vs the Flat World
  • 00:37:09 – Continuous Learning and Refinement in Wisdom Traditions
  • 00:41:24 – The Direct Path vs the Progressive Path
  • 00:45:34 – Sticking with a Spiritual Practice
  • 00:49:33 – The Misunderstanding of Instant Enlightenment
  • 00:53:38 – Contentment and Yearning
  • 00:57:06 – The Privilege of Spiritual Practice (feat. Shambhavi)
  • 01:01:11 – The Nature of Self and God
  • 01:04:54 – Vrittis: Patterns of the Mind
  • 01:08:34 – Shaktipat and Transmission of Enlightenment
  • 01:12:38 – Science Fiction and Channeling Experiences
  • 01:16:36 – The Revelation of Devotion and Integration
  • 01:20:52 – Exploring the realms of science and spirituality
  • 01:24:41 – The Intersection of Science and Spirituality
  • 01:28:18 – The Journey to Spiritual Awakening
  • 01:32:22 – The Connection between the Cosmic Heart and the Individual Heart
  • 01:36:29 – Satsang and the Grand City of Manifest Life
  • 01:40:23 – Living Without View
  • 01:44:38 – The Nature of Reality in Trika Philosophy
  • 01:48:19 – The Nuanced View of Illusion in Advaita Vedanta
  • 01:52:11 – The Immanence of the Divine
  • 01:55:57 – The Surprises of Spiritual Practice
  • 01:59:46 – The Reality of the Experience