Tantra Illuminated with Dr. Christopher Wallis

In this week's episode, we welcome Dr. Shamil Chandaria, a philanthropist, entrepreneur, technologist, and academic with interdisciplinary research interests spanning computational neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and the philosophy and science of human wellbeing. His PhD from the London School of Economics focused on the mathematical modeling of economic systems, and he later earned an MA in philosophy from University College London. Here, he developed an interest in the philosophy of science and explored philosophical issues in biology, neuroscience, and ethics. In 2018, Shamil contributed to founding the Global Priorities Institute at Oxford University—an interdisciplinary research center addressing humanity's most pressing issues. The following year, he co-founded the Centre for Psychedelic Research in the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London, which investigates psychedelic therapies for conditions like treatment-resistant depression. He has also supported research on the neuroscience of meditation at Harvard and the University of California, Berkeley. Shamil is not only a brilliant mind but also a person with a great, open heart, whose smile and enthusiasm are infectious. In our conversation, we discuss the intersections between spirituality, meditative practices, and neuroscience—how the latest brain science connects spiritual experiences with emerging understanding in the field. Shamil introduces the ‘free energy’ approach—a paradigm developed over the last 15 years in neuroscience, also known as predictive processing or active inference. We look into questions such as: Why does conscious experience exist at all? What is the brain's goal in experiencing? How do neurotransmitters function? What role does the self play? Why do we get to act as we do? How does this model interact with the tantric view of reality? And many more topics.  

Read Ruben Laukkonen & Shamil Chandaria’s latest paper: A beautiful loop: An active inference theory of consciousness

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

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In this episode, I was interviewed by Ralph Cree for his "Evolving Spiritual Practice” podcast. Ralph, a seasoned traveler with extensive studies in Central Asian and ancient Indian religions as well as the world’s shamanic traditions, also has a profound interest in psychedelics and entheogens. Our conversation explores the core themes of my latest book, "Near Enemies of the Truth," addressing spiritual misconceptions in contemporary culture and the nuanced truths they often obscure. This dialogue was recorded shortly after the book’s release last year.

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

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In this episode, we continue with the scriptural reading from Abhinavagupta's "Tantrasāra," specifically with the second part of Chapter Five, titled "Illumination of the Individual/Embodied Method (ānava-upāya)." Here the focus is on the practice of prāṇa-uccāra, the elevation of the life-force. 

In this chapter, Abhinavagupta presents some esoteric teachings in the form of homologies, associations, between the five prāṇa-vāyus, the five cakras, the five (or six) stages of bliss, and the five mystical experiences that one can experience in these yogic processes. These associations are elucidated with clarity in this blogpost. The episode includes a guided meditation to illustrate how to engage with these teachings, offering a practical application. 

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

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This week's episode features Dr. Ruben Laukkonen, an accomplished researcher in meditation and altered states of consciousness. With a PhD on insight experiences from the University of Queensland and postdoctoral work on the neuroscience of meditation at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Ruben now serves as an assistant professor at Southern Cross University. His research investigates some of the rarest states of consciousness available to human beings, utilizing methods like neuroimaging and phenomenology. A recipient of multiple awards, Ruben combines an eclectic contemplative background from traditions such as Zen, Advaita, and Theravada with a deep experiential understanding of altered states of consciousness, meditation, and awakening. In our discussion, Ruben shares insights from his personal journey and his experience of reality throughout it.

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

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This week's episode revisits a conversation with Adam Keen from the Keen on Yoga podcast. Originally recorded in mid-2023, this discussion offers a personal glimpse into my journey, complemented by rapid-fire questions about Classical Tantra, neo-tantra, and hatha yoga, among other topics. We delve into the nuances of the Yoga Sutras, reincarnation, the process of digesting experiences for resolution, and connecting to the subtle body during yoga asana practice. It’s a comprehensive chat that blends personal insights with spirituality. 

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

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This week's episode features a conversation with Josh Schrei, a writer, teacher, and lifelong student of cosmologies and mythologies, particularly those from the Indian subcontinent. Throughout his life, Josh has explored the animate spaces of the imagination through teaching, meditation, yogic practice, wilderness immersion, art, music, and public speaking. He is the founder of The Emerald podcast, which hosts interviews with award-winning authors and luminaries, exploring human experiences through the lenses of myth, story, and imagination. The podcast challenges conventional narratives on topics ranging from politics to literature. In this double-barreled conversation, Josh first interviews me about the role of guardianship and protector deities in Tantra, and the complex dynamics of spiritual protection in a non-dual interconnected universe. Then, I interview Josh about his personal journey and the experiences that have significantly shaped him.

Support Josh on Patreon.

You can find a traditional daily space-clearing practice here (create a free account to access). 

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

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This week's episode is a meditation practice in which we focus on fully feeling all the subtle sensations in our body, from the pelvic floor to the crown of the head. Beginning from a place of grounded awareness in the body, we are invited to explore the physical and energetic realms of our being. The practice gradually moves through our energy centers emphasizing direct experience over visualization, with the aim to be fully present with emotions and their associated sensations. 

This 40-minute meditation is divided into three stages. If you have 18 minutes, you can complete the first part (01:20 - 19:17). For 24 minutes, continue through the second part (01:20 - 25:20). With 40 minutes, you can experience the entire meditation.

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

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This week’s episode features an archival interview with Amisha Ghadiali, founder of a conscious jewelry brand, speaker, author, and facilitator. Her podcast, All That We Are (formerly known as The Future is Beautiful), explores the intersections of activism, the sacred, creativity, and regeneration—spaces where our inner and outer worlds dance. From healing trauma to connecting with nature, embracing new technologies, and rediscovering ancient wisdom, the aim is to move beyond silos into an integrated way of being. Here Amisha and Christopher delve into the true meaning of being a yogi, exploring the inner dimensions of yoga and tantra beyond common interpretations. They discuss how authentic yogic practices involve deep internal cultivation rather than merely physical postures, aiming for a state of unified awareness and self-mastery. The conversation also touches on how yoga and tantra intersect with everyday life, including politics and activism.

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

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This week’s episode is a scriptural reading from the Spanda-kārikā, or the Stanzas on Divine Pulsation, by the great 9th-century tantrik master Kallaṭa from Kashmir. The Spanda-kārikā is a foundational text of Kashmir Shaivism or nondual Shaiva Tantra, and it explores the dynamic nature of consciousness and how we can access it to live an awakened and liberated life. This episode presents a straightforward translation of the scripture, allowing the teachings to simmer in you on a deeper level beyond the mental or intellectual. For further insight, commentary on the text is available across three blog posts: 'First Flow,' 'Second Flow,' and 'Third Flow.'

Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. For those keen to delve even deeper into the Spanda-kārikā, subscribers to the portal also gain access to an online retreat and a scriptural study course, both dedicated to this foundational text.

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This week's episode features a conversation with Artur Appazov, a Stanford graduate international criminal lawyer who experienced a really profound shift during one of our immersion programs. The shift led to a year and a half of intensive integration practice to stabilize, ground, and fully integrate his realization. Artur shares his journey, detailing how the awakening process initially unfolded within him and his current perception of self and reality. He discusses how nondual inquiry, the continuous recognition of truth, and psychological work are interconnected, and explores the apparent paradoxes the mind must navigate to arrive at clarity. This episode provides a clear, vivid first-person account of a deep transformative awakening and how reality appears from this perspective.

Artur runs a transformative coaching practice and one that focuses specifically on nondual realization. 

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

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