714. Nishanth Selvalingam

Nishanth Selvalingam - 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 Summary and transcript of this interview 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