Sublime

Among many others, I draw on the ideas of two spiritual teachers I should mention. One is my friend Douglas Harding, whose unique and inimitable approach sheds light on the Self as Consciousness, which is pure Kashmir Shaivism. The other is the enigmatic 20th-century teacher G. I. Gurdjieff. I met his teachings in my earliest days as a spiritual se

Swāmī Muktānanda (“Bābā”) probably did more than anyone else in the 20th century to make the teachings of Śaiva Tantra known in the West,

Bhāskararāya himself in his book called ‘Setu-bandha,’ which is a commentary on Nitya-ṣoḍaśikārṇava of Vāmakesvara Tantra, and also in his Lalitā-sahasranāma Bhāṣya and Varivasyā Rahasya has expounded the methods and philosophy of Śakti worship. These three works of Bhāskararāya are considered the Prasthāna Traya of Śrī-Vidyā.

In general, Shaivite texts are completely unintelligible for the unawakened. An illumined guide is needed to explicate them. Siddha Meditation is, undoubtedly, the most lucid and helpful treatment from a yogic point of view, but it is far from comprehensive. I always look at the individuals who ask me, ‘Where do I go from here?’ and wonder, could t

The writings of Sri Aurobindo and his followers have also contributed to a better understanding of the subject. Kāvyakanṭha Gaṇapati Śāstri, a disciple of Sri Ramaṇa Maharṣi, has written a book of Sūtras called Daśa-Mahā-Vidyā or the worship of Kālī, Tārā, Sundarī, Bhuvaneśvarī, Bhairavī, Chinnamastā. Dhūmavatī, Bagalā, Mātaṅgī and Kamalā’tmikā. Th