Tantra Illuminated with Dr. Christopher Wallis

This guided meditation invites you to rest in the vast silence that underlies all experience, a stillness untouched by thought or sound. Within this infinite quiet, a subtle pulsation arises—the gentle rhythm that gives birth to life itself. By attuning to both the stillness and its living pulse, we discover a presence that is at once serene and dynamic, grounding and liberating. A simple yet profound practice of returning to the ground of being.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if awakening is not only an inward journey, but also a maṇḍala woven of our relationships with others and the world?This episode turns to the animist and tantric vision of relationality, where every connection—whether with people, nature, or the subtle dimensions of being—forms part of a greater sacred whole. Through the lens of classical teachings, animism and myth we are invited to reimagine relationships not as distractions from reality but as vital expressions of it, mirrors in which the Self recognizes itself. The conversation opens into how intimacy, conflict, and community can all become doorways into deeper awareness, and how the maṇḍala of relationality reveals the inseparability of self and other.Find out more about The Emerald and The Mythic Body HERE. Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org.Find out more about the upcoming retreats and pilgrimages at https://www.tantrailluminated.org/calendar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What lies at the heart of one of the most revered scriptures of non-dual Tantra?In this episode, we hear a direct reading of the opening and closing verses of the Vijñāna-bhairava-tantra, a text composed over a thousand years ago that frames 112 transformative meditation practices. These verses are far more than an introduction or conclusion—they carry profound insights into the nature of reality, the relationship of Śiva and Śakti, and the ultimate context in which Tantric practice becomes effective. Rendered here in a fresh translation, the words of the Goddess and Bhairava point us beyond ritual and form into the essence of awareness itself. Listeners are invited into the contemplative power of scripture, allowing the poetry of these ancient teachings to speak directly to the heart.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org.Find out more about the upcoming retreats and pilgrimages at https://www.tantrailluminated.org/calendar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to live from the deepest truth of who we are?This episode turns toward the question of authenticity—not as a fixed identity, but as a living presence that shines through when we release the layers of conditioning and self-concept. The episode unpacks how the authentic self is discovered not by constructing a new persona, but by attuning to the spacious, luminous awareness that underlies every moment. Listeners are invited to reflect on the difference between social roles and essential being, and to consider how daily life can become a practice of remembering what is already whole and real within.Take Kiran’s free course here.  Send an email to team@kirantrace.com with the subject ‘Ready for FYM!’ to receive 50% off the course Free Your Mind.Free tools for Sanity ebook HERE. Use coupon code tapwxmc at checkout.Kiran’s Website: https://kirantrace.com/Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode offers a gentle, evocative meditation that invites you to attune to the lotus of light at the center of the chest—a sacred center of feeling and awareness. Guided through breath, imagery, and felt sense, you’ll be led to experience the heart not just as a metaphor, but as a living site of inner unfolding. Whether you're lying down or sitting upright, this short meditation is an accessible and profound way to return to the ground of being.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org.Find out more about the upcoming retreats and pilgrimages at https://www.tantrailluminated.org/calendar . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode offers a clear, grounded conversation on one of the most misunderstood aspects of Tantra: the role of sexuality. In dialogue with Ashton Szabo, we trace the origins of this confusion, distinguishing between classical Tantra and modern neo-Tantra, and examining how the term itself was co-opted in the West. Listeners are introduced to the true context of sexual practice in the original Tantric tradition—not as a means of enhancing pleasure, but as a rare and advanced form of spiritual realization. The conversation concludes with reflections from the Tantrāloka on how the most intimate experiences can, under the right conditions, dissolve separation and reveal the undivided nature of reality.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org.Find out more about the upcoming retreats and pilgrimages at https://www.tantrailluminated.org/calendar . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can spiritual practice truly encompass the whole of our being—body, mind, and spirit?This episode unpacks the teaching of the Three Upāyas—or “effective methods”—a foundational framework in non-dual Śaiva Tantra articulated by the great master Abhinavagupta. These methods are known as the Divine Method (śāmbhava-upāya, nonconceptual direct awareness), the Empowered Method (śākta-upāya, contemplation and working with the beliefs or thought-constructs), and the Embodied Method (āṇava-upāya, yogic practices involving breath, energy, and imagination). Far from abstract theory, this teaching helps illuminate how different kinds of spiritual practice function and why they matter. Listeners are guided through examples drawn from classic texts and everyday life, with reflections on how these methods interrelate and support a truly holistic path of awakening.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if our most subtle awareness could be both deeply personal and seamlessly connected to all of life?In this rich and nuanced conversation, Judith Blackstone shares insights from her decades of teaching the Realization Process—a nonsectarian path to embodying nondual awareness. Touching on themes of individuality, resonance, psychological healing, and the tactile texture of consciousness, the dialogue gently challenges assumptions about separation and unity. Judith speaks from lived experience, offering a grounded and precise way to attune to what she calls "fundamental consciousness"—a still, luminous field that both contains and liberates the contents of our being. The conversation also explores how awareness can inhabit the body fully, how spiritual bypassing can undermine growth, and how love may underlie even our most complex emotions.Learn more about Judith and the Realization Process: https://realizationprocess.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode offers a clear introduction to one of the most influential yet widely misunderstood texts in the nondual Shaiva Tantra tradition: The Vijñāna-bhairava-tantra. We talk about the text's historical significance, its radical approach to practice, and how it diverges from earlier yogic traditions like Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras. Rather than rejecting the senses or the body, the Vijñāna-bhairava presents over a hundred contemplative techniques that lead the practitioner into direct awareness—through breath, sound, sensory experience, and even moments of emotional intensity. This scripture reveals a vision of spirituality grounded not in asceticism, but in intimate contact with the fullness of life. We also explore the challenges of translating this nuanced work, offering insights into why most English versions fall short, and how the upcoming Vijñāna-bhairava-tantra app that’s going to be published soon, aims to make the text’s teachings clearly accessible for the first time.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is an archival conversation with Christine Marie Mason, originally recorded in September 2024 for The Rose Woman podcast. Together, they explore the evolution of Christopher’s teaching path, the enduring relevance of Classical Tantra, and the deeper practices that support spiritual liberation. The episode touches on the historical roots of Neo-Tantra and its divergence from Classical Tantra, highlighting how the latter emphasizes radical freedom, embodiment, the primacy of direct experience over conceptual understanding, and the essential role of trustworthy teachers on the path. We reflect on the growth of the Tantra Illuminated community and the inspiration behind his latest book, Near Enemies of the Truth, emphasizing the importance of clarity, discernment, and lived understanding in spiritual life.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode offers a deeply restorative yoga nidra practice titled Body of Joy. Unlike other guided meditations previously shared on the podcast, this one invites you to lie in stillness - awake, aware, and fully relaxed out of the impulse to move. While yoga nidra is often used as a tool for rest, this practice is not for sleep but for remaining conscious in the liminal space of deep relaxation. It offers an exploration of the subtle body, guiding awareness through physical sensations, energetic qualities, and emotional tones to evoke a felt experience of joy and well-being.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is a deep and moving conversation with Artur Appazov, returning to the podcast for a second time. Artur shares his perspective on the nature of suffering, how it arises from mistaken identity and resistance to pain, and how it can dissolve through the recognition of our true nature as openness itself. Through inquiry and reflection, he offers a powerful invitation and tools to soften into internal stories and meet experience directly. The conversation explores identity, embodiment, nonduality, and the subtle ways suffering perpetuates, often in the name of healing.  With clarity, compassion, and presence, Artur points toward the radical freedom available when we stop trying to fix ourselves and simply rest as what we already are  - allowing the change to arise naturally. The episode offers a glimpse into how this unfolds in what could resemble a client session from Artur’s coaching practice. More of his reflections can be found on his blog. Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode features a reading of six foundational articles on Shaivism, originally written for the Encyclopedia of Religion in the late 1980s. These are: Kashmir Shaivism, Krama Shaivism, Trika Shaivism, and Abhinavagupta by Alexis Sanderson, Pratyabhijñā by André Padoux, and Pāśupata by David Lorenzen.Together, they offer a concise yet profound overview of several key lineages within the Shaiva tradition. These short but potent articles explore the evolution of Shaiva metaphysics, ritual practice, the dynamics of tantric initiation, goddess worship, and the philosophical doctrines of recognition and liberation.The reading also highlights the role of Abhinavagupta as a pivotal figure who synthesized and transmitted these teachings in Kashmir and beyond. Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is an archival interview by J. Brown, originally aired on the Yoga Talks Podcast in 2016. In this conversation, we explore the art and science of translating Sanskrit, the influence of Tantra on modern yoga, the legacy of Abhinavagupta, and the subtle difference between speaking about nonduality and directly experiencing it. The episode touches on key themes such as the integration of awakening, the balance between intellectual understanding and embodied realization, and the importance of cultural context in spiritual transmission. We also reflect on how removing conceptual overlay and integrating transcendence reveals the inherent wonder and awe in life.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is the guided meditation Bhūta-shuddhi, the purification or recalibration of the five great elemental energies in the body. This ancient practice, central to classical Tantric yoga, harmonizes the five great elements—earth, water, fire, air, and space—through visualization and mantra, restoring balance to both body and mind. In this practice, you will be introduced to the esoteric bīja mantras for each element, distinct from those commonly used in mainstream tradition. To fully receive the benefits of this meditation, set aside undisturbed time and space. Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is a conversation with accomplished artist and scholar-practitioner Christian de Vietri about his journey from the contemporary art world to the study and practice of Tantric sacred art. Christian, known for his large-scale public installations and fine art, shares how he came to know and practice non-dual Shaiva Tantra, how this transformed his approach to artistic expression, and how it led to the publication of his groundbreaking book, Trika Maṇḍala Prakāśa: Illuminating the Mandalas of Abhinavagupta's Tantrāloka—the first detailed and comprehensive study of all the mandalas presented and taught in Abhinavagupta’s Tantrāloka. The conversation explores the process of reconstructing these mandalas, including the challenges of decoding encoded texts, the significance of mandalas in Tantric initiation, and the precise methodologies required to ensure their correct construction. Christian describes the artistic and spiritual insights that emerged through this work and reflects on the broader role of sacred art in preserving and transmitting the wisdom of the tradition.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we continue the abridged reading of Alexis Sanderson's 1986 article, Mandala and Āgamic Identity in the Trika of Kashmir.  Here Sanderson unveils the role of Kāīi-based practices within the Trika tradition, exploring how Abhinavagupta infused the tradition with the transformative energy of  Kāīi worship, elevating the Goddess to a central role in tantric initiation and ritual. His analysis touches on cycles of deities, the interplay of purity and impurity, and the process by which practitioners dissolve into the ‘egoless ground’ of consciousness.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode features an archival conversation from about four years ago during the pandemic with J. Brown, host of the Yoga Talks podcast. J. Brown has been practicing yoga for over 25 years and is widely known as a writer and industry-leading podcaster. His signature offering is a deeply breath-centered, therapeutic yoga practice inspired by the TKV Desikachar tradition, aimed at fostering well-being and reducing pain. J. Brown's journey into yoga began as a way to process his mother’s death, seeking freedom from the grief and disillusionment that accompanied it. Starting with Ashtanga and Iyengar styles, J. eventually found his way to a therapeutic approach through the teachings of Swami P. Saraswati and the Krishnamacharya tradition. He teaches that yoga is not a linear progression but a practice of learning how to care for oneself. In this conversation, we explore the evolving dynamics of yoga practice and the teacher-student relationship. The discussion covers themes such as balancing devotion and discernment, the challenges of navigating modern spirituality, and common misconceptions about awakening. It highlights the importance of aligning one’s practice, goals, and philosophical view to bring clarity to the spiritual path, offering valuable insights into the role of teachers and the transformative power of yoga.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode features a reading of Alexis Sanderson's second article, first published in 1986, entitled Mandala and Āgamic Identity in the Trika of Kashmir. Here Sanderson focuses on the esoteric and ritualistic dimensions of the Trika tradition in medieval Kashmir. In this article, we explore the themes of tantric initiation, the mandala as a tool for self-realization, and the concept of āgamic identity, which Sanderson describes as the aspirant's union with the deity self. These practices are shown to dissolve the boundaries of individual identity, replacing them with an all-encompassing awareness of the cosmos as Shiva consciousness.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we talk to Tina Rasmussen, Ph.D., meditation teacher, Buddhist practitioner, and author of Practising the Jhānas. Tina shares her remarkable path of awakening, which began at the age of 13 and unfolded through profound solo retreats, including a transformative year-long retreat in 2003. She discusses her experiences as the first Western woman to complete the detailed jhāna path in the Burmese lineage under the guidance of meditation master Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw, who later authorized her to teach. Tina also shares her journey of taking refuge with Tsoknyi Rinpoche, a Tibetan Dzogchen teacher, and her initiation into the Nyingma lineage. This conversation explores Tina’s work integrating spiritual awakening into everyday life, her transition from being drawn to monasticism to embracing the dynamism of modern life, and the challenges of weaving awakening into daily relationships. Topics include non-attachment, the transformative potential of practices like jhāna and somatic inquiry, and the embodiment of spiritual realizations.There some audio quality imperfections in this episode, but we hope the insights shared more than make up for it.Tina Rasmussen’s Luminous Mind Sangha fosters awakening and its embodiment in worldly life through the application of authentic, rigorous Buddhist and modern practices.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.