This episode is a conversation with Hameed Ali, who publishes under the name of A.H. Almaas. Hameed is founder of The Diamond Approach to Self-Realization, a contemporary teaching that developed within the context of both ancient spiritual teachings and modern depth psychology theories. He has authored 18 books about spirituality and realization, including the Diamond Heart series, The Pearl Beyond Price, and his new book NonDual Love. Almaas discusses his journey from physics to psychology, his discovery of his unique approach to spirituality, and the evolution of his teachings. The conversation also explores his Theory of Holes, which posits that our feelings of emptiness, where we feel there’s something missing in our lives, can lead to profound spiritual revelations and become a portal to recognising essence nature.

Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org.

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This episode is a scriptural reading and continues our exploration of Abhinavagupta's "Tantrasāra," focusing on Chapter Four, entitled “Illumination of the Empowered Method (śākta-upāya)”. The text is a magnificent description of the śākta-upāyas, the contemplative process that can refine one’s understanding of reality, ultimately leading to the experiential realization of one's true nature. The ‘empowered’ methods through which ignorance is dissolved are discernment (sat-tarka), teachings from an authentic tradition (sad-āgama), and guidance from a teacher (sad-guru).

You can read Chapter Fours (Part One) in three distinct blogposts: blogpost one, two, and three.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Abhinavagupta’s argument here must be read in its wider context lest we misunderstand him. Clearly, he does believe that yogic practices can indeed support and foster the discerning insight that leads to liberation, for he teaches yogic practices in the very next chapter. But he suggests that those yogic practices must be conjoined with at least a provisional understanding of how they illustrate the nature of Reality.

Additionally, in the Tantrāloka, he allows that even when yogic practice does not foster sat-tarka (accurate discernment), it still might be helpful to remove impediments on the path, such as doubt and fear. In Tantrāloka verse 4.98, he writes: “On the other hand, in our view, since [Consciousness] clearly consists of everything, including prāṇa, mind, and body, even practice which remains on those levels can successfully remove impediments [to liberation], just as one who wishes to leap must first overcome fear of falling.”

Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org.

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In this episode, we speak with Dr Ben Williams, an intellectual historian specializing in Indian religions and Shaiva Tantra. His academic focus has primarily been on Abhinavagupta. He holds extensive training in Indian philosophy, literature, and aesthetics, and currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Hinduism at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, where he also leads the newly launched MA in Yoga Studies. His doctoral thesis is on revelation and the figure of the tantric guru in Abhinavagupta's writings. Ben discusses his journey into this field, the distinction between a scholar-practitioner and a traditional scholar, and shares incredible insights into Kashmir Shaivism and Abhinavagupta’s teachings and texts.

Ben Williams' Patreon Close Readings.

Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org.

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