For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish

Every theists (those who accept the existence of God), no matter how strong their faith, will one day have to reconcile for themselves what philosophers have been calling, the "problem of evil": if God is all-good and all-powerful, then, why is there evil in the world? The existence of evil, both natural and man-made seems obvious. Natural disasters, famine, disease, genocides, petty acts of violence etc. So either is this means God is not all-good, because God can intervene but chooses not too or worse still, that God is not all-powerful because even if God wants to intervene, God is powerless to (perhaps because there is something like the "devil" or "karma" which limits God power) which of course make God, well, no longer "God", in the fullest sense of the word. Even non-theists (those who don't believe in God) must come to terms with the suffering their own lives and the general suffering of the world. 

So what are we to do?

In the first three lectures of this series,  "What is Evil?" we first challenge the existence of evil point blank by calling into question the duality of "good vs evil" and reconciling that with a powerful idea from the Advaita Vedanta, or Hindu Non-Duality there is only One that various not in type or kind, but in degree. We prove that evil doesn't actually exist thereby solving the problem of Evil.
In the next lecture, "Is God Evil?", we accept the existence of evil but prove that God is not all-good because (a) She cannot be confined to our narrow concepts of good and evil (i.e this position in philosophy is called "skeptical theism") and (b) Her ultimate value is creative self expression that includes all possible events in a spirit of infinite self exploration (the Shaiva Tantra view of "Shiva Lila" or God's play". In this lecture, we walk through a few responses from Sri Ramakrishna to Hari Maharaj (later Swami Turiyananda) regarding the problem of evil to advocate for the "God's play" idea on p.g 436 of Swami Nikhilanandaji's translation of the Kathamrita by M., The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
Then in the third lecture completing the "Theodicy Trilogy", "Why Do Personal Tragedies Happen?" we go even deeper into Sri Ramakrishna's response to offer a kind of teleology to this theodicy. That is to say, we explain why evil happens at all, ultimately to make the claim that God is not evil but ultimately good and since the ultimate good is spiritual liberation while embodied (jivanmukti), all the so-called evil in life, from personal tragedies to macrocosmic events, have a deep meaning and purpose, i.e: saint making!

You may watch the series here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfGGe32PDNMZe_6Yju87nv0rvxnSW2ub_

Notice that some of the claims of one lecture might contradict another: in the first lecture, we denied evil altogether. In the second, we accepted evil but denied God's goodness in favor of God's all-powerful nature. Then, in the third lecture, we accepted evil and God's all-powerful nature but advocated for God's ultimate goodness in light of "saint-making." You might ask now, "well, which is it?" It's all three! A complex inquiry like this can be approached in many ways to yield different insights. But it is my prayer that those who watch the lecture will find an internal consistency to the reasoning presented and will henceforth feel free and empowered in their theism! 

Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday at 6pm PST.  There's Q&A right after the lecture. 
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

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Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST 
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

If you'll allow me to be a little controversial, I'd like to make a case in this lecture for why you should have a spiritual ego. I'm going to explain what I mean by "spiritual ego" on a few levels in order to transmit to you strength, self-reliance and confidence. I'm going to say that "weakness" (which typically disguises itself as false "humility") is the ultimate obstacle in spiritual life. To combat that, I want to assure you of your own power, your own indomitable strength! And to do that, I'm going to try to convince you to have a very robust sense of ego, a "spiritual" ego!

Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday at 6pm PST.  There's Q&A right after the lecture.
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Hit Me Up x

Support the show

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST 
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

This lecture is going to be an exciting one: Can You Become Enlightened From Watching YouTube Videos?   

Despite the cheeky title, we're going to explore some of the subtlest linguistic mysticism ever: the Kashmir Shaiva development of the 5th CE sage Bhatrhari's claim of the śabdabrahman, the "sound Brahman". 

Interestingly, it is a beautiful commentary on the opening of the Gospel of John, "in the beginning was the logos, the word." 
What does it mean for the "word" to be "with" God and BE God? etc.   

Then, using this linguistic mysticism as a foundation we'll expound on the "four levels of the Word", a central model in Non-Dual Shaivism which teaches us how to: 
1. benefit truly from lectures, reading, studying etc. 
2. "rewrite" limiting beliefs   
3. empower mantas/do japa   
And so much more!   

Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday at 6pm PST.  There's Q&A right after the lecture.
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Hit Me Up x

Support the show

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST 
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

This Q&A from our recent Monday satsangh was so rich especially after Richard asked the beautiful question about learning to see God even in those places and people where its especially hard to see Her!
 
I suspect this discussion will be particularly valuable to those struggling with theodicy, or the problem of evil in theism: "if God is all-good and all-powerful, why does She permit so much suffering?"
 We also make a rather nuanced point about "karma" being the Indian version of "the devil". Either everything is God's will or it isn't! And if isn't...what kind of God you got?!?

The theodicy discussion begins at 00:33:53

Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday at 6pm PST.  There's Q&A right after the lecture.
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Hit Me Up x

Support the show

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST 
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

We are about to have a very fascinating discussion: how do I know if I am enlightened? First of all,  while there are certainly different conceptions of realization among the various spiritual traditions, there is a universal principle that is common to the all. We first discuss this and offer a few insights about why this discussion would even be valuable to have from the point of view of spiritual practice. Then, we take up the unique conception of realization offered by Kashmir Shaivism and derive about 7 symptoms or signs of enlightenment. Essentially, this is a Kashmir Shaiva take on the "stitha prajnya" (stabilized wisdom) conversation between Krishna and Arjuna at the end of Bhagavad Gita Chapter II.

May this be an offering to Swami Lakshman Joo whose birthday it is today! (9th May 2023)

Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday at 6pm PST.  There's Q&A right after the lecture.
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Hit Me Up x

Support the show

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST 
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

How do I bring in the abundance that I need to support myself and my loved ones while still remaining aligned with my spiritual values?
What should I do with my life? How do I "make a living" without making myself into the "living dead"? For so many of us, "making a living" involved doing the kind of work we might not want to be doing but feel like we have to be doing to get by! 
Interestingly, the tradition of Paramadvaya or Non-Dual Shaivism, offers some very interesting insight into why work might feel like a drag and more importantly, what I can do to change that and come to live my highest calling! In this discussion, we explore what I like to call, "Tantrik career advice"!

Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday at 6pm PST.  There's Q&A right after the lecture. 
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

Hit Me Up x

Support the show

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST 
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Sooner or later, in spiritual life, we find that there are certain habits, patterns and attachments that are getting in the way either because they prevent us from practicing as much (or as well) as we'd like or because, for whatever reason, they are obstructing the natural joy and peace that should radiate from the depths of your being.   

Naturally, then, we become interested in "renouncing" these things! And these things might take various forms: TV, substances, workaholism, sensual indulgences etc. So how do we do it? How do we wean off of these things in a way that is effortless, easeful and natural and not in a way that in violent and repressive? Can we learn to renounce in a way that is mental fortifying and not mentally debilitating? 

This a follow up conversation to our discussion last week on "Is Religion Just Sexual Repression?" which you can watch here:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/is-religion-just-81268681?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

This is one lecture in a wider lecture series on the Bhakti Sutra of Narada. You can watch the other lectures in this series and keep up with the upcoming ones here:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/narada-bhakti-80688555?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

OM Tat Sat

Hit Me Up x

Support the show

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST 
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

What is the ultimate goal of spiritual life? I’m going to propose that it’s freedom, however we choose to articulate it.

But what is that exactly?
And does freedom mean the categorical end of all suffering and the attainment of the supreme bliss?
What’s so blissful about freedom?   

Today we’re going to articulate the Kashmir Shaivism position on freedom and contrast it against the freedom of other systems like Samkhya and Advaita Vedanta to show that ultimate freedom requires ultimate agency and absolute infinitude, i.e non duality.

Remember, not all freedoms are the same. Different schools of spiritual philosophy offer different versions of freedom. As such, I hope to have a nuanced conversation regarding the goal of the various paths. Let's compare the concept of freedom of Cārvāka with that of Sāmkhya, Advaita Vedānta and finally, Kashmir Shaivism.

Lectures happen live on zoom every Monday at 7pm PST and Friday at 6pm PST.  There's Q&A right after the lecture.
It is free and open to the public. All are welcome!
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Hit Me Up x

Support the show

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST 
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

This lecture is an exciting one: we’re going to discuss sex and more specifically sexual repression! To what extent are all spiritual experiences just hallucinations caused by repression, narcissism and grandiosity as the Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysts suggest? 
As spiritual practitioners we must take these kinds of critiques seriously and really engage thoughtfully with them since they can show us the deepest aspects of spirituality as it relates to very complex human psyche! 

We're discussing 10 different Western scholars, including Freud and Lacan to consider 4 arguments from the materialist for why all religion is repressed sexuality, drawing from Swami Tyagīshananda's commentary on the Bhakti Sutra. 
Then we are going to offer levels and levels of analysis in response to all for arguments making the case for the existence of a distinctly "religious" instinct common to all life and manifest to a greater degree in certain "genius" type individuals. 
Then, I'm going to try to use some Freudian reductionist language to say to the materialist: all instincts reduce to the sex instinct but the sex instinct must itself ultimately reduce to, what I'll call, the Urge to Transcendence.

This is one lecture in a wider lecture series on the Bhakti Sutra of Narada. You can watch the other lectures in this series and keep up with the upcoming ones here:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/narada-bhakti-80688555?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Hit Me Up x

Support the show

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST 
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

In this lecture, we do a lot of philosophical work to show, at least for the sake of theoretical understanding, that everything you see in this world is nothing but Consciousness. 

From this, we come away with three insights:

1. To judge, criticize or resent anyone is to judge, criticize and resent God.
2. To serve and help anyone is really an act of worship to God. 
3. You yourself are God so you have infinite strength and potential to do anything, including overcoming #1 and doing #2 above! 

Of course, this is the central teaching of the Ramakrishna movement: "shiva jnane, jiva seva": knowing that everyone is Shiva, serve them as an act of worship. In this lecture, we explore the metaphysical foundation for such a teaching in light of the insights of Paramadvaya Vada, or Kashmir Shaivism. 

Here is an abstract of what was discussed:

What is Consciousness? None other than your very own Being, your own essence. Consciousness is You! And also, because of its Transcendent nature and its innate Freedom, Consciousness is God. Wait a minute! Doesn't that mean...you are God? Yes! Absolutely, yes! But of course here in Advaita Vedanta, or Classical Non-Duality the God that you are is the Impersonal God, Brahman without Attributes. What about the Personal God who creates, maintains and destroys? Non-Dual Shaivism, in its radically reconciliatory attitude shows that the Impersonal God is also the Personal God and such, Consciousness/You is/are also, like the Personal God, performing all the divine acts of God: creation, maintenance, destruction, self-revelation/grace, self-concealment/judgement. You can never be parted from God because you ARE God, in both the passive and dynamic aspects! But then why don't I have any control over what happens to me? Ah, because God is Consciousness and Consciousness is distinct.  from and prior to the mind which is where our preferences live! Naturally, then, the preferences of our mind and our inability to exercise personal will to meet them is not a rebuttal against our essential nature as Consciousness, God, who wills sometimes independently of the mind in a spirit of play! 

Hit Me Up x

Support the show

Lectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST 
Use this link and I will see you there:
https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815

For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:
https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnish

To get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM