Letter from the Guru: Namaste Kula!

This is our first issue of Vac from our new center in Thailand. We are all very excited about the construction of the various buildings. Seeing them go up around the new aquaculture pond amidst the lychee trees is like a dream come true for us.

It has also been a great time for the kula construction crews. There has been a lot of bonding and I see students starting to catch the vision of Adi-Yoga here in Thailand and what it means for yoga and the dharma worldwide.

We’re on schedule for summer retreat in July (July 13 – Aug. 3). Although we’ve been stymied by daily rain for a week now, when it clears we should be able to complete the Yoga and Meditation Training Hall. Our goal is to try and complete the Training Hall, Dining Hall/Cook House and Bath/Laundry House by the beginning of retreat. If this all goes well then we’ll attempt to erect the dormitory before retreat as well. And if we don’t get to the dorms by summer we’ll enjoy one of my favorite experiences as a student – sleeping in the Training Hall!

Summer Retreat on Siva Sutras

I would also like to extend an invitation to the Jnanagni Kula student body worldwide to join us for a week retreat (July 13 – 18) where we will study the Siva Sutras and practice meditation inspired by the sutras. The center will be open 10 days before the start of the Siva Sutra retreat for students who wish to spend more time in our new retreat facility. I’m sure there will be many last minute tasks before retreat and though no one is obligated to work that week, if you want to come and help us prepare, that would be wonderful.

After the Siva Sutra week I’ll be working with the 7-year Tantrik Yoga Study Group for 3 weeks. If you’re not in the program you’re welcome to stay on as long as we have accommodation for you in the dorms. You can walk the land, visit local temples, waterfalls, and villages.

Bali Retreat

Those of you with more time on your hands this summer may want to join us for the annual Balinese Adi-Yoga retreat from June 20-29 and then come to Thailand sometime afterwards before the start of the Siva Sutra retreat. See logistical info about this summer in Bali and Thailand to the right.

Curriculum Changes

Soon you’ll see a new face to Trika Institute and Adi-Yoga as well as a new curriculum. I’m in the process of clarifying and simplifying what Trika and therefore Adi-Yoga teach and this will be reflected in our websites, printed materials, etc.

The new focus that all future courses of study will constellate around is Adi-Yoga. Adi-Yoga for students not in the Berkeley hub, is the school within Trika that is the condensation of all the Kasmir Saivist teachings and yogas, as well as the teachings and yogas of the Nathas and is organized into levels forming a systematic approach. The practice and teachings of Adi-Yoga are also steeped in the view of ancient, alchemical Ayurveda.

There are 3 main reasons for Adi-Yoga becoming the main focus of our school. First and foremost is that the authentic tradition of Hatha Yoga as a branch of Tantrik alchemy whose aim is spiritual liberation is nearly extinct. I hope to preserve what I have learned from my masters and have discovered in my own sadhana.

The second reason is that for intermediate or advanced Tantrik meditation practices and rituals to yield fruit, the practitioner must have a solid base of health, a reserve of energy, and be operating from a minimum of stage 4 in the 12 stage view as their base. In the early stages of practice, Adi-Yoga emphasizes health cultivation via Ayurvedic daily routine and daily asana practice. The student gains the health and vitality pre-requisite to the path from stage 4 onwards. Also, the primary meditations of early Adi-Yoga training help one to gain the clear self-reflection and non-attachment necessary to make use of one’s physical, mental and spiritual energies. Without this base of vitality, non-attachment and clarity it is not possible for a student to benefit from more advanced methods of Tantrik sadhana.

Focusing on a more simplified daily practice routine and streamlined set of teachings (TantrAloka I) will better enable the beginner on this path to establish a solid foundation necessary for intermediate and advanced studies.

The third reason for the emphasis on Adi-Yoga as the core curricula is a timing issue. In 1999 I planned for the then Tantrik College of America (now Trika Institute) to offer masters degrees in Ayurveda, Puja, Philosophy, and Hatha Yoga and Doctor of Divinity degrees.

I was actively seeking students who had a desire to be practical yogins and academics. I wanted to train a handful of them in philosophy, Hatha Yoga, Ayurveda and send some to Pandit-ji Rami for Puja training. I was hoping that after 7-years of study this handful of students would be fully equipped and wanting to head a department of study they specialized in.

It has been 8-years since I had this idea and we are not where we needed to be to launch a real divinity school, so I am shifting our emphasis to making Adi-Yoga the core curriculum of study in Trika Institute.

In the future we may be able to operate as a divinity school. We’ll have to wait and see.

The Plan for 2008

Arriving here in Thailand and commencing construction of the center’s buildings while working on my family’s work permits and long-stay visas hasn’t quite gone as scheduled. It seems everyday I am presented with numerous new problems and ironically new opportunities. There is simply no way to plan anything until the first phase of construction is over (hopefully before summer Siva Sutra retreat) and I am granted a long-stay visa.

April’s courses at Yoga Mandala needed to be postponed because I’m scheduled to receive my long-stay visa 2-weeks before the training is to begin and it is highly unlikely that the Immigration department will finish on time (nothing here does). So, rather than disappoint everyone (especially out of state/country kula) it is better that we just reschedule after April.

I’d like to get to Yoga Mandala in May or June, but definitely I’ll come in the Fall. The muncara/phowa retreat is happening over 4-days in Sydney at the end of May if anyone would like to join the Aussie kula for that training. Please email Sarasvati for dates, costs, etc.

The bulk of this year is definitely dedicated to creating our new training center and kula residence.

2009

As most of you know, Jupiter will be in its sign of debilitation for most of 2009, hence a very bad time for Tantrik initiations. Jupiter does come out of debilitation through retrogression for a short spell and I will most likely hold an initiation ceremony or two during that time, but for the most part I’ll be holed up at the Thailand center writing books and training Adi-Yoga instructors. There are a few spots that are ok for travel and I’ll be going to India and possibly the United States, Brazil and Taiwan.

The Thailand centers’ dormitories will definitely be finished by 2009 so any kula who want to come for their own retreat during 2009 may apply. If you come for your own retreat you will be required to put in 2-hours per day in the gardens. Please remember that in 2009 it is important that I focus on the Adi-Yoga instructor group so I will not be available to personal retreatants on a daily basis, but will give a weekly teaching with Q&A session. Email your request to kiranamayi108@yahoo.com.

Tantra Under Attack

Thanks to all the students world-wide who gave support during our latest challenge to bringing Orthodox Tantra to the west. For those of you who don’t know, our school was threatened with a large lawsuit for being a cult. So far the lawsuit hasn’t materialized and if it does it will not be hard to defend. In fact there is absolutely no basis for a suit.

How did this come about? A student was recently put through an involuntary intensive “de-programming” by their family. The student was technically kidnapped. At the end of the 5-day session the deprogrammers pronounced the student “self-possessed” and “un-abused.” But the family and the deprogrammers felt that Trika Institute was still a danger to their family so they hatched a plan to “take down” Trika and me. Private investigators were hired and kula members may even have been under electronic surveillance in their attempt to gather evidence of cult activity.

During this time, as students found out about this threat to the school they rallied together to offer support. I want to thank all of you for that support because I am in my last 1.5 years of sada sati and cannot fight any overt battles to defend myself.

Most likely nothing will come of this situation because the deprogrammers, the family and the private investigators broke so many federal laws and moral/ethical boundaries in their efforts to “free” this student that it would be difficult for them to win a case.

Its worth looking at what this situation is actually about. This is about rich, white America fearing other cultures and religions – period!

Thankfully Americas freedoms are protected by the constitution, especially freedom of religion. The deep hold that dualistic religion with its heaven and hell, saved and damned, “with us” or “against us” attitudes has on America is so clearly evident in these situations.

White America sees anything “Hindu” or Tantrik as cultish and dangerous. But let’s take a moment to look at the facts:

1. The Vedas are the oldest scriptures still in use today, using the oldest extant liturgical language – Sanskrit.
2. Hindu/Indian religions including all sects of orthodox Tantra and Yoga are classical religions based on peace, love, and self-liberation that pre-date any middle-eastern religion.
3. Hindu/Indian religions have far richer philosophies and practices than the middle-eastern religions practiced by the majority of Americans.
4. Hindu/Indian religions are not dangerous. There has never been a “Hindu crusade” like the Christian crusades or Muslim jihad, nor is there such a concept in Hindu religions.
5. In fact – Hindu religions bless ALL beings with peace and well being at the end of their prayers and rituals.

But rather than distrust or hate our fellow human beings who are Jewish, Christian or Muslim, I believe the real non-dual Tantrik way is to see these younger religions and their adherents as our younger siblings in the quest for realization. We should adopt the bhava of compassion and kindness when dealing with them. I think a few hundred years of loving instruction from the Hindu, Daoist, Buddhist world will help the new religions evolve their view to one of peace, love, and harmony.

In Service and Gratitude,
Dharmanidhi