Category: Inspiration

Godly Attributes

31 August 2022

For millennia there have been many different religions, beliefs, spiritual paths and methods used for discovering, understanding and reaching the creator of this universe. Any attempt of the mind to describe something that exist beyond the field of our sensory perceptions and usual thinking proves to be a difficult undertaking. Religion, philosophy and science alike tried and continue to try to solve this mystery, or sometimes to disprove it altogether. In our modern world Divine creation versus random evolution is a debate fiercer than ever. 

In the past, God was ascribed many names, powers, functions, descriptions and epithets, according to epoch, culture and intellectual and technological advancements. 

Some say that reciting the names of God, or deeply understanding his characteristics will gradually take one to paradise. Could this in itself be a path, a way of finding God, as efficient as meditation, introspection, devotion, sacrifice and others?

Some say that reciting the names of God, or deeply understanding his characteristics will gradually take one to paradise.

In Christianity God is defined as an enumeration of his attributes, amongst which three are the most important; omniscient, omnipotent and omnibenevolent.  As such these attributes are called incommunicable, they only belong to God. God manifests absolute compassion, infinite intelligence, and always loves and takes care of the created. 

In Islam God is also defined as omniscient, omnipotent and completely infinite yet beyond any anthropomorphic form, as it transcends gender and any shape. God is timeless, eternal, infinite; it represents the beginning, the cause of everything and also the end, it is the “ancient” One, there is no before or after. 

We find various gods and goddesses in other traditions, for example in Hinduism there are hypostasies or descriptions of Shiva, the supreme consciousness, as well as various goddesses which are his manifesting powers. In his aspect of Brahman, the Creator, he is transcendent, unmanifested and immanent, while in his manifested form he is the Good Shepherd, the Cosmic Dancer, the united universal Man & Woman, as well as many other hypostasies. 

The word “attribute” comes from the Latin “atributum” which is a derivate of the verb “atribuere”, translated as “to attribute”. An attribute is an essential characteristic or a distinctive trait of something in particular: a human being, an object, a phenomenon or even God. 

We can distinguish between non-essential attributes, e.g. skin colour or physical shape in the case of a person, and essential attributes which designate one or more traits without which the phenomenon, object, person, or a divine being cannot exist or cannot even be known or thought about, e.g. self-awareness or cognition for a human being. 

The Godly Attributes are those characteristics, manifested as endless and enigmatic energies, which belong to the Godly Being, or God.

The Godly Attributes are those characteristics or traits, manifested as endless and enigmatic energies, which belong to the Godly Being, or God. Amongst such attributes we can mention Love, Kindness, Eternity, Compassion, Forgiveness, Omnipotence, Justice, and many more; without them God cannot be felt, understood, or even conceptualised.

The unique revelation in our school is that the Godly Attributes are and will be in eternity free, endless and beneficial subtle energies, which never change. Because we, all people, were created by the Almighty in his likeness, and because we can also recognize God by means of his Godly Attributes, we can infer that these Godly Attributes are accessible and can be known and felt directly and intuitively inside our own being. 

For this to happen, we need to create favourable and adequate conditions which will trigger a process of resonance, a subtle energetic connection, with a specific Attribute. 

Harnessing this subtle sublime energy inside ourselves will lead to the appearance of a very specific and distinct inner state which will allow us to feel, to know and to fully participate in the objective and mysterious reality of that Godly Attribute. As long as this process of resonance, that maintains this subtle connection, is kept in optimal conditions, we continue to have access to this divine reality. This is not necessarily a form of meditation, but rather an ability to feel and become that energy, to manifest it at will, to stay tuned in to it for as long as we are capable of.

Any process of resonance contains in it a dual transmission: the first is quantitative – the more we resonate with a process, an emotion or a state, the more energy of the same type we attract in our being; the second is informational – there is knowledge, wisdom and information contained in that specific energy or frequency, in the same way a radio transmission contains information. Resonating with godly attributes will allow a gradual accumulation of knowledge and sometimes revelations and divine information will be rapidly downloaded into our consciousness.

Consequently, the outstanding result of this practice, of directly knowing and feeling the specific subtle energy of a godly attribute, is directly discovering God, feeling Him inside our being. Each attribute opens a gate to one of God”s infinite realities.

The Godly Attribute of Love is an easy and accessible example for all of us. We constantly feel and manifest love in various ways and for various reasons.  Knowing or not, the Godly Attribute of Love is behind all these manifestations of love, and we can say that we get closer to its divine nature when our love becomes most sacred, refined, unconditional and full of abnegation. It has inspired many sages, saints, and advanced spiritual practitioners to state that God is Love, and Love is the expression of God which manifest as an intense, endless, refined, and pure subtle energy.

The regular practice with the Godly Attributes will gradually reveal in our lives the mysterious presence of God, not only as a detached, above-all Being, but also as a caring and loving parent, who is constantly involved in every minute detail of its creation. 

Being a direct and un-mediated process, this spiritual experience becomes a proof of the existence of God, freeing us from the endless philosophical and intellectual debates. 

In time we will be able to resonate with more attributes, to keep them alive in our consciousness and to radiate them in our lives more and more. 

The connection between spirituality and quantum physics

30 August 2022

The discovery of quantum physics in the last few decades has redefined the way we view the universe and has forever changed the face of science. Interestingly, many of the theories proposed in quantum physics resemble key concepts from ancient spiritual systems, providing us with parallels as to the way reality is represented and understood.

For modern spiritual practitioners, these parallels are a testament to the wisdom of ancient spiritual traditions, especially traditions such as yoga and tantra, where we find complex, detailed and complete descriptions of the nature of reality and the fundamental principles and universal laws that govern creation. In particular, they provide explanations as to the nature of our relationship as conscious beings to the world in which we exist.

Various spiritual traditions include descriptions of extraordinary concepts such as parallel dimensions, subtle realities that exist beyond the material world, and fundamental formative fields and energetic structures that provide matrices for the unfolding and organisation of energy and matter. 

They also include notions about the essential role of consciousness within creation. Many of these concepts do not fit into the paradigm of classical physics – the physics that describes our everyday reality, governed mostly by mechanistic laws such as Newton’s laws of motion, gravity and energy preservation. 

A similar situation also exists between quantum physics and classical physics,  where there seems to be one set of rules for the quantum world and another for classical physics, and the two do not reconcile. This relationship goes both ways – not only can the discoveries of quantum physics be seen to validate the concepts of spiritual systems, but the world view of spiritual systems can provide a completely different framework that can allow a deeper understanding and explanation of the extraordinary concepts of the quantum world, even providing answers to some of the greatest scientific challenges of today.

Unity within Diversity

Progress in theoretical physics during the past decade has led to a progressively more unified understanding of the laws of nature and of theories which point towards a fundamental unity behind the observable reality. The universe appears to us as being extraordinarily complex and diverse, but it is fundamentally unified. Such theories identify a single universal, unified field at the basis of all forms and phenomena in the universe.

The feeling of unity beneath life’s diversity, is also a central theme of every major spiritual tradition. While our everyday experience tells us that we are separate from one another and distinct from all the forms of reality that we interact with, altered states of consciousness, such as those experienced in profound meditative states reveal that at some fundamental level, we are united with each other and with all of reality. The practice of profound meditation allows one to withdraw from the outwardly directed perception of the world through the senses, to experience deeper levels of mind and stillness, to move even beyond thought and mental activity and to experience the universal unity that lies at the basis of existence. By so doing, we can have direct access to the unified field as theorised by quantum physicists.

The universe appears to us as being extraordinarily complex and diverse, but it is fundamentally unified. 

Another phenomenon in the quantum world that is in line with the idea of unity within diversity can be seen in quantum entanglement. In classical physics there are constants that can never be broken, such as the relationship between mass and energy – the result of which means that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. However, in the quantum world, two particles can be connected in such a way that information can be shared instantly between them, regardless of distance. This is known as quantum entanglement. When two particles become entangled, they remain connected even when separated by vast distances. Entanglement can also occur between millions of particles and is thought to take place throughout nature, and within the atoms and molecules in living species. When hundreds of particles become entangled, they act as one unified object. These so-called many-body entangled systems describe a network of entanglement. If we also consider the big bang theory of creation, which states that the entire universe emerged from a single point of super condensed energy, then literally everything in existence has one, single united source.

 Here we can draw a parallel to a Tantric vision of reality – the existence of an underlying fabric or network of connections, that unites all the apparently separate aspects of reality. A central tenet of Tantra is that of non-duality, the recognition that underlying the multiplicity and diversity of experience there is a single, infinite and indivisible reality, the nature of which is pure consciousness. All the apparently separate aspects of creation are ultimately an expression of that one Ultimate Reality.

Role of the observer

One of the key notions in quantum physics relates to the unusual properties of subatomic elements. At the subatomic level we see that the building blocks of matter are not so solid and well defined as we might expect. Subatomic elements exist as fields of probability rather than as defined particles located in known space and time. Moreover, we find that it is the process of observation or measurement of that quantum state that defines that state  – so until it is measured the particle exists in a state of superimposition, where it exists in many states at once. Before it is observed, the particle of matter is not actually a particle, but an abstract probability wave – it does not have a real physical state but exists only as the possible outcome of a future measurement. When the measurement takes place, the quantum probability wave collapses to a localised particle, and becomes an object of conscious experience.

This is an interpretation of quantum behaviour known as the Copenhagen interpretation. It reveals an important aspect – that there is a relationship between the act of observation of a conscious observer and the existence of physical matter. If consciousness is so inextricably linked to matter, then from the scientific perspective, we can no longer ignore its influence.

The role of the observer in spirituality is a central aspect. Upon deep enquiry into the nature of our outer experience with the empirical world and with the inner experience of our own being, fundamental questions arise: ‘Who is the one that is aware of this experience now?’ ‘Who is the subject of our perception and observation of our inner and outer reality?’ ‘What is the observed and who is the observer?’

In Tantric philosophy, the waking experience involves three components, the Subject – the one that observes, the Object – that which is observed, and the Act of observation or perception. These appear to be separate and distinct, but this is only because we see them through the prism of the mind. In reality, they are all one – the Subject, Object and Act of observation are simply the consciousness fixing itself on the different components that constitute reality. In this context, consciousness is observing the object, but it is also observing the subject – the one who perceives.

In a deep meditative state, this threefold structure of the waking experience — the observer, the observed and the process of observation — are reunited into one indivisible wholeness of pure consciousness.

Parallel worlds and dimensions

Another interpretation of the particle-wave duality of nature is called the Many Worlds Interpretation. This theory states that the collapse of the probability wave when it is observed, never really happens, and that the wave function is the only true nature of reality. When the wave is observed we become aware of one reality, however, all other possibilities continue to exist as alternative worlds. Many, perhaps infinite worlds exist, all with different quantum outcomes. And this occurs in every moment – so frequently that the rate is practically infinite. In this vision, the wave function is the complete picture of reality and our measurement i.e., our conscious experience of the observable world, is just a fraction of it.

In addition to multiple worlds, each world contains multiple dimensions. String theory, a leading theory in quantum physics, proposes that a particle is actually made of tiny strings of vibrating energy. The way a string vibrates determines what type of particle it is. However, for this theory to be true, the existence of multiple dimensions is required, because the strings need more than just three dimensions to express all their vibrational patterns. For the mathematics of string theory to be consistent, there must be ten different dimensions of space-time! 

String theory, a leading theory in quantum physics, proposes that a particle is actually made of tiny strings of vibrating energy.

These notions are not unlike what we find in Hindu cosmology, for example, that there are innumerable universes besides this one, and that the Supreme Universal Consciousness manifests in each and every one. More than this, each universe is made up of multiple dimensions of reality, so that existence is not just made up of the physical world that we perceive through the senses, but there are other subtle worlds, made of vibrational frequencies that are outside the range of the senses.

In Vedic philosophy the description of the Universe consists of three main worlds: the physical, the astral and the causal world, each of which is considered to be a distinct plane of existence defined by their vibrational frequency. The physical world is the dense world of solid reality that is perceived by the five senses. The astral world is the world of thought and subtle forms, and the causal world is the blissful realm of truth. The subtle realms of the astral and the causal worlds are further divided into different worlds, or planes of existence known as the upper or paradisiacal worlds, and the lower or infernal worlds. The yogic system also includes specific techniques that allow the practitioner to explore these subtle dimensions. With sufficient training, the yogi can perform conscious, astral projections, allowing a direct experience of the subtle worlds.

Everything is Energy

One highly significant revelation of the exploration into the subatomic world is that everything is made up of energy. At the most fundamental level there are quantum fields, and everything emerges from both fluctuations within and / or interactions between those fields.

We find the same essential notion expressed as a fundamental principle in various spiritual systems such as the Western esoteric tradition of Hermeticism, and the ancient system of Tantra. The traditional Tantric vision says that the entire manifestation is made up of energy in vibration, from the lowest vibration that characterises all phenomena that appear in the physical universe, to the highest frequencies specific to the world of spirit. 

This vibratory phenomenon is defined in Yoga in a universal principle called the Law of Resonance. This law describes the vibratory nature of existence, that all objects, beings, and phenomena are defined by their frequency of vibration. From this perspective everything can be understood in terms of the interactions between systems of resonance. Even complex phenomena such as human emotion, knowledge or states of consciousness can be defined and understood as specific resonances. All the various forms of yogic practice then, from bodily postures to breathing techniques and forms of meditation, are in reality methods of tuning into specific frequencies of vibration that exist in the universe.

There are also many enigmatic aspects of reality that have not yet been fully included in current scientific models. In order to explain the functioning of the universe it is necessary to take into account the presence of so-called dark matter and dark energy as well as anti-particles or anti-matter. 

According to the standard model of cosmology, the composition of the universe is made up of only around 5% ordinary matter, the rest being made up of 27% dark matter, and 68% dark energy. This tells us that there are still many mysteries to be discovered and included in our quest to complete the current models of reality. In the Tantric vision, these mysterious facets of creation, yet unexplainable by modern science, can be understood in terms of resonance, as energies with specific, enigmatic, vibrational frequencies.

Final thoughts

The parallels between quantum physics and the concepts found in the wise visions of universal spirituality outlined in this article provide a glimpse into the enigmatic way in which science and spirituality can be united and support each other.

A special feature of the courses offered in this spiritual school is to approach spiritual practice in a scientific way, that is, to understand the theory expressed as principles and mechanisms, to use known methods to experiment with the specific concepts, and to validate these truths and realities via direct experience.

The models of reality offered by both modern science, in particular quantum physics, combined with those offered by ancient spiritual traditions, as well as the direct experience of these models through individual and collective spiritual practice, can greatly assist in bringing us to a deeper, more essential understanding of reality and of ourselves.

An Ashram in the Middle of the City (Part 1)

16 August 2022

A Sacred Place Amongst the Hubbub

For centuries people had to undertake difficult and often dangerous journeys in search of monasteries and ashrams on distant mountain tops or on remote islands surrounded by treacherous seas. The spiritual devotee needed to remove themselves from the temptations of the world to dedicate themselves to the pursuit of perfection. Now you can hop on a bus to an Ashram, a sanctuary amongst all the buzz and busy-ness of the city.

So why would anyone choose to spend time in an Ashram? The answer is that it provides a sanctuary and a place to lay down burdens, and it provides a kind of ‘fortress’ for the spirit. Being in an ashram super-charges your spiritual energy using the challenges of daily life as rocket fuel to launch your spiritual practice and aspiration. You are embraced and held by the others who live there who share your values and principles, who join you in study and practice and they can also provide powerful iron-girder support so you may further transform without buckling under the pressure.

Being in an ashram super-charges your spiritual energy using the challenges of daily life as rocket fuel to launch your spiritual practice and aspiration.

The world can be a confusing place, with your attention pulled in so many directions, snippets of news, messages, posts, opinions, problems. You can be constantly distracted, uncertain. You can find yourself reacting through lack of attention, wasting your time, money, and energy. Society values the winners of the rat race – but who wants to be a rat?

Our ancestors knew a thing or two, and they created sanctuaries, monasteries and churches at ancient sacred sites. Sacredness in daily life may have been trampled by the march of progress, first with the industrial then the technological revolution, but sacredness can be brought back into everyday life by living in an Ashram. A gathering of spiritual people in one place will always create an accumulation of spiritual energy. In addition, it is not always easy alone, to bring consistency, discipline and rigour to your practice. The Ashram can be a place of safety where you can accelerate your growth with fellow practitioners and in the times, with heartfelt embraces. You can have a life and evolve spiritually at the same time.

What makes an Ashram a special place is the practice of Karma Yoga – the yoga of communion with God through action.

What also makes an Ashram a special place is the practice of Karma Yoga – the yoga of communion with the godly, through all the actions that you carry out in a perfectly detached way, realising that you are a channel of energy and not the author or the originator of the impulse to act.

The Ashram is intended to be a pressure cooker that creates spiritual intensity that forces the ego out of its hiding places. You learn to be relaxed while in the middle of any action, and not attached, including in situations in which in the past may have been excessively challenging. Fellow yogis in the Ashram are there to help you, and you to help them, not just because you are good people, but because you are linked to each other by your devotion to creating the highest possible spiritual outcomes in all life situations.

Negative thinking and how to transform it

12 August 2022

by Maria Porsfelt, Yoga & Tantra Teacher

“The bad stuff is easier to believe. You ever notice that?” – Pretty Woman (1990)

Have you ever noticed how the ‘bad stuff’ is easier to believe? And how when you are ‘too happy’ you start to look for what might go wrong? Have you noticed how we often think we are being realistic if we look at something in a negative way? It is said that a pessimist always calls himself a realist. This actually expresses a psychological truth – that the ‘bad stuff’ IS easier to believe, and even attracts our attention more than good feelings and experiences do. This is called negative bias.

Studies have shown that negative news is more likely to be perceived as truthful. And as negative information draws greater attention, it can also be seen as having greater validity. This might be why bad news seems to garner more attention, and we only need to look at news headlines over any given week to know that the latter is true. Drama and scandal make the most delicious gossip.

Focusing on the whereabouts of local predators or enemies was much more important for staying safe than looking at the beauty of the flowers or a rainbow.

We all want to be happy, so why do we seem to look for the negative, and for reasons to feel bad? The explanation has a lot to do with evolution – or lack thereof, depending on the perspective! Keeping an eye out for possible dangers and threats was very useful for our cave dwelling ancestors, and was most likely a condition for survival. Focusing on the whereabouts of local predators or enemies was much more important for staying safe than looking at the beauty of the flowers or a rainbow.

Like the pain response, dwelling on negativity is a way of keeping us safe. And while we no longer need to be on constant high alert as our early ancestors needed to be to survive, negativity bias still has a starring role in the way our brains operate. Research has shown that negative bias can have a wide variety of effects on how people think, respond, and feel.

The amygdala uses about two-thirds of its neurons to look for bad news.

Negative emotions rouse the amygdala, the almond-shaped brain structure that psychologist Rick Hansen calls, “the alarm bell of your brain.” The amygdala uses about two-thirds of its neurons to look for bad news. Once it sounds the alarm, negative events and experiences are stored in the memory very quickly, in contrast to positive events and experiences, which usually need to be held in the awareness for twelve seconds or more before they are transferred from short-term memory buffers to long-term storage.

Not only do negative experiences imprint on our memory more easily, they also linger longer than positive ones. Generally, we are more likely to dwell on a negative comment or event than we are to take in a compliment or remember the details of a happy event. This negative bias can mean that you focus entirely on a negative aspect, even if the positive is equally or even predominantly present. You might spend a beautiful day with your family or your beloved, but in the end you remember the day mostly because of that one comment they made that bothered you.

To a large extent, emotions make up our life experience.

Research also suggests that negative bias influences the motivation to complete a task. People have less motivation if the incentive is framed as a means to gain something, than when the same incentive will help them avoid losing something. This can play a role in our motivation to pursue a goal. You are more likely to dwell on what you might have to give up to achieve that goal, or simply feel pushed by a threat of loss in your daily activities, than focus on what you will gain if you keep working towards something, or be inspired by the positive effects that achieving that goal will bring.

To a large extent, emotions make up our life experience. Imagine your life without emotions – seeing a beautiful view or having interactions with the most important people in your life with no emotional response. Emotions transform our world from a series of objective conceptual facts into a living, breathing experience, bringing us joy, sadness, longing, anger, laughter, and love. Emotions bring meaning to our life experiences, and are an important part of what it is to be human. But emotions can of course also be difficult and tormenting, making life very challenging.

…it is very important to become aware of negative bias and to counteract its effects.

With the meaning and depth the emotions you experience bring to your life, they also shape the way you relate to different people and events. Negative bias influences your relationships and your decision making. In relationships, for instance, you will expect the worst of the other, and you will focus on their flaws and mistakes. When making decisions that are influenced by negativity bias we will tend to focus excessively on potential risks, even if the chances for a positive outcome is greater, and then we can lose many great opportunities for filling life with more happiness and abundance.

Considering the huge impact it can have on our quality of life, on our experiences and the choices we make, it is very important to become aware of negative bias and to counteract its effects. And the good news is we can do something to counteract this tendency, that otherwise gains extra power because of its unconscious nature. Thankfully, any habit can be broken, even if it implies a negative attitude or perspective.

How to counter negative bias

  • Bring awareness to the ways in which you allow negative bias to impact your life
  • Learn to let your attention linger on the positive aspects for longer, so that they transfer to ‘long-term storage’. This requires patience and repetition, as the physiological part of the rewiring takes about 45 days, so consistency is key.
  • Remember you have a choice. It’s important to realise how much agency you have in letting bad comments stick with you or not. Eleanor Roosevelt famously said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Refuse to consent to feeling inferior!
  • Be attentive to how you talk to yourself. Our inner dialogue is often very negative. Speak to yourself with the same kindness you would afford a friend.
  • In your love relationships make an effort to notice and acknowledge the positive qualities and actions of your beloved, and really savour the beautiful moments.
  • In your daily activities focus on and empower positive reasons that inspire you in your actions.
  • Make an effort to be at least as interested in success stories and positive news as you are in negative ones.

In time, cultivating these attitudes will create a huge shift in how you perceive life and yourself. From a certain perspective it can be said that emotions are about evolution – biologically and spiritually. Emotions bring our attention to different situations or attitudes. But also profound emotions are said to connect us to our soul, being an expression of our soul, and thus they allow us to discover who we are on a deeper level. But we need to be more aware of our emotions to shift from biological bias to the deep free expression of our soul, to connect to a more authentic way of being.

The Value of Experience on the Spiritual Path

10 August 2022

“A gram of practise is worth tonnes of theory.”

When properly assimilated, knowledge becomes wisdom, and we can start to see the changes such knowledge makes in our lives. We cannot simply touch knowledge on the surface, and then walk away from it imbued with deep understandings. No one can tell you how something is – you can only feel a deep understanding if it really moves in you. You need to taste it, digest it, and then allow its sweet nutritious value to seep into the soul of your being.

I can tell you how I make the most delicious cake in the world, but unless you savour it, you will never know how the cake is. And only when you really know how to make that cake, will you value its true worth.

From this perspective, the Yogis and Tantrics encourage spiritual practice as an important tool for individual evolution. It is an experiential path, not one of only reading books. Through practice and your own transformation, the knowledge becomes alive in your being, and the wisdom will sooner or later reside in your heart. If knowledge stays only as a sterile experience without living it, then it will stay on the surface and not echo and reverberate deeply within you. The teachings are guidance, but the most important ingredient is their actual use in life.

If knowledge stays only as a sterile experience without living it, then it will stay on the surface and not echo and reverberate deeply within you.

When we put in practice what we learn, we begin an eternal romance with transformation. We live in love with sadhana, with spiritual practice, we can clearly see when we easily slip into bad habits, and we learn to apply spiritual attitudes in daily life. We start to become truly independent as we know what we need to do and when, and we have the knowledge awakened within to live our lives aligned with universal principles and profound understandings.

Through practice we invite Divinity into our lives in an active way. Through practice we make our lives more sacred as we make a conscious attempt to turn the light on inside. No one can tell you what to think or how things are and make it truly believable. Deep understanding happens when we learn from our own direct experience. You need to see the results from the clinical trials of your life and your own experience.

We can learn a lot from children. They seek with a playful curiosity, and they learn from whatever they touch and see. Life unfolds during play, and they learn in their openness. In a similar way, by applying an open and non-sceptical attitude we can ‘see for ourselves’ the value of the teachings and be inspired by them.

With our hearts aspiring for true freedom, through practice we liberate the soul. By enthusiastically applying what we learn, we discover how the deepening of knowledge takes us beyond the limitations and inertia that can contain and restrict us. We see that through practice we become the connoisseur of active love in life, and each experience enriches our Heart, into the limitless freedom of our eternal nature. Through practice, we become aware of a freedom that can inspire our daily lives, that is truly authentic.

by Magdalena Hau, Tantra and Yoga teacher

The magic of Stonehenge solstice meditation

14 June 2022

THE SUMMER SOLSTICE YANG SPIRAL MEDITATIONS
Need a boost of energy? Close your eyes and imagine this. You are in astrological alignment in a physical spiral next to the ancient standing stones of Stonehenge at the exact time when this temple which was built in homage to the sun, is due to receive the first rays of the rising sun. As sunlight hits the altar stone, the music begins. You are immersed in a meditation, you feel the radiance of the sun, the ancient history of the earth beneath your feet and the expansion of your heart. At the summer solstice celebration we become like tuning forks and carry that exalted energy within us through the next weeks and months.

And if you are considering participating, you can find more information in the link below.

Stonehenge Solstice Meditation
stonehenge solstice meditation
Moment of summer solstice, Stonehenge. 2019

“The spiral is a unique form of meditation where we stand holding hands. We form this in an anti clockwise direction, which focuses the energy towards the centre – yang energy. So the idea of this spiral meditaiton is to increase the yang energy which amplifies focus and awareness.”

Morgan Arundel, Yoga and Tantra Teacher

Student reflections – Bagalamukhi

09 June 2022

Bagalamukhi

In the Bagalamukhi workshop we learned about the Power of Stopping and Fascination.


In this goddess we realised the incredible power that resides in moments of hiatus, of stillness, and in breaks… How can we drive a car well without breaks?
We cannot… Even our breathing has a pause, to be able to continue pauses are needed.

It is in these pauses, this stopping of Bagalamukhi that we can re-focus, gather our potentiality, remember who we continuously Are, the unfluctuating essence of (our) being(ness).


It is in these pauses, this stopping of Bagalamukhi that we can re-focus, gather our potentiality, remember who we continuously Are, the unfluctuating essence of (our) being(ness). Those moments are filled with tremendous power – power to create, to change direction, to become aware of something we didn’t before… where epiphanies can suddenly sprout from our inner wisdom, that we can appreciate and make sense of an experience… it’s the full stop at end of a sentence, or the page break that allows us to change the chapter and start a new one.


It is also in Bagalumukhi that we understand the beauty of the eyes, the eyes that make us become lost in a fascinating Universe, perhaps our beloved, perhaps the eyes of a stranger that absorbs us into a painting, or a piece of art where our mind just stops, fascinated by the beauty of something we can’t quite grasp that took us over, onto another dimension for a few moments… and time just… stopped. Where did we go?


During the workshop we did some exercises that help us realise that stopping is not always so easy, especially with the experiences in which we feel pleasure, we tend to want to keep that pleasurable moment going… stopping in the middle of an exciting conversation, stopping when our stomach is full but that delicious dessert is just calling us, stopping when our soul is asking us to stop, but the world wants us to keep going. The most interesting thing is the peace we experience when we do stop, when we consciously stop. It is also the power to say “No”, where a boundary can be traced, but not as rigid rule, but as a natural response from our soul.

The most interesting thing is the peace we experience when we do stop, when we consciously stop. It is also the power to say “No”, where a boundary can be traced, but not as rigid rule, but as a natural response from our soul.


At the end of the workshop we were gifted with the fascinating beautiful dance of Catherine, who left us all speechless, lost and fascinated with her incredibly feminine energy, transpiring through every move, look, gesture. Somehow she reflected a power that we women naturally possess, but are not usually so aware that we have when we just allow ourselves to completely embody and relax into our femininity.


Bagalamukhi is that goddess that makes you want to find out more and more, to discover more and more as she keeps you lost in her the gaze of her eyes, taking you into infinity…

Feedback from the workshop series:

“I feel I know myself better and that I can manifest more of my feminine qualities!”

Tantra student

“I really appreciate being in the company of other women and exploring the Divine Feminine and how She manifests in me and my life. “

Yoga student

“Discovering more in-depth the nuances of the Cosmic Powers and the breadth of the gifts they manifest in our inner feminine world is such an enrichment and it brings so much joy to my soul!”

Tanta student

spiritual community of like minded people on a path of transformation

The great goddess Bagalamukhi – the power of stopping and fascination.

The value of soul Archetypes

09 June 2022

In this interview, our 4th-year Tantra student Vivienne interviews Tantra teacher Morgan Arundel about the Archetypes of the Soul, and how knowledge of the archetypes can be used to aid spiritual transformation.

While some people may have heard about the masculine and feminine archetypes – Warrior/Heroine, King/Mother, Lover/Fascinating woman, Magician/Initiator – perhaps not so many consciously use understandings of these archetypes to affect their evolution.

Here Vivienne discusses with Morgan why we should consider learning about these archetypes and how by understanding each one, we come to know ourselves more deeply. And if you want to go even deeper, we periodically run an entire weekend workshop dedicated to this topic. Keep an eye on our events listing, and sign up to our newsletter to be notified when it is running again!

Archetypes of the soul workshop
Vivienne and Morgan discussing archetypes

“Archetypes of the soul implies that there would be some fundamental patterns that exist at this level, at this soul level of the human being. These patterns end up expressing themselves into our personality. And when we look at those patterns, they help us understand our personality to a much greater extent.”

Morgan Arundel, Yoga and Tantra Teacher

Student Star sign interviews – June & Gemini

30 May 2022

Gemini is usually described as having a quick mind, communicative, versatile, curious with a thirst for knowledge… and high intelligence as their superpower. On the shadow side there is talking too much, getting dispersed, mentally hyperactive, gossiping and acting superficially. We spoke to two Tara students to find out more.
Meet Camelia and Howard

Camelia, Tantra 3 London
howard gemini of the month
Howard, Tantra & Shaivism year 3

What are you most passionate about, and makes your heart sing with joy?

I love reading mystery fiction, I love teaching and guiding others to become their most empowered selves.

The Gemini air in me is definitely prominent as travel has always been a big part of my life (I worked in the industry for 8 years) and been to upwards of 60 countries (I want to get to 100!) exploring new places, the diversity of culture, meeting people and wonder at the natural beauty of planet earth. I find being in nature so centreing and at ease. Also being part of a community, sharing in activities, communal eating and I get energy from being around people. Companion comes from com pao (with bread) so it’s meant for sharing.
I’ve danced most of my life and can’t underestimate how good it is for the soul, connecting in the body to music and with the energy of others. It’s uplifting and I can find it very meditative and lose myself for hours in it

What attracted you to following a path of Spirituality and self-development?

I’ve always been drawn to spirituality since my early teens.

My path meandered in many ways for many years but really grew in this area over the past 10 years. In terms of self-development I embarked on Lifebook (a Mindvalley program) a few years back incorporating looking at a different area of your life for each month of the year (4 parts: beliefs, vision, purpose, and strategy). My spiritual path has particularly accelerated the past 3 years being part of Tara, on both Tantra and Shaivism courses.

Where do you feel you are most like a Gemini? Where do you feel you are the least like one?

I love connecting to people and expressing myself. I’m least Gemini in that I don’t change my mind once I set a goal.

Certainly, in terms of communication, my job is as an actor and I do training in business on it. Don’t get paranoid but I’ll be observing every nuance of tone of voice, body language etc…haha! Definitely resonate with versatility, not just in my work but I have a myriad of different interests, friend groups (though latterly I seek solitude a lot more and avoid the madness I used to love). I love learning new things and challenging myself but then on the downside, I often get bored when learning plateaus out and want a new toy so can spread myself too thinly. I can also be impulsive. Being on the cusp I definitely have some earthy Taurus traits..

What are you working on right now in terms of your spirituality or self-development?

I’m practicing Aparigraha – looking into all areas of my life where there is excess.

Certainly patience, equanimity, and looking to include more karma yoga.

What have you found most challenging on your spiritual journey?

Keeping long-term practice.

Whilst I know the theory it’s often hard in practice and can be disheartening at times when you don’t feel progress in some areas and when I don’t do as much practice as I’d like, though I try and tell myself small steps is still moving.

Geminis are known for their passion for reading and being eternal students. What book are you reading now if any, or subject you are studying and what book would you recommend others to read?

I’m reading Ikigai – highly recommend it.

I always have various reading materials on the go. Apart from reading scripts/learning lines each week and keeping up on Shaivism notes, I’m drawn to esoteric texts, currently: The Secret teachings of all ages (Manly P Hall), which I’d highly recommend and a book on geomancy. I read Jesus Christ Sun of God (David Fideler) last year which highlights elements of astrology in the bible as well as Greek gematria and sacred geometry hidden in the parables. A great read!

Also, Geminis are curious, with a thirst for knowledge, and love to use their high faculties of the mind to understand the world and reality…
–Tell us what things you tend to reflect, or explore or be curious about most, and if you can share with us one of the last epiphanies, deep understandings, or realisation you had recently?

The more you embrace all of who you are, the more easy it is to navigate the ups and downs of life

I’m always on the lookout for esoteric messaging hidden in art, literature, film, architecture etc. and I now see many things with fresh eyes, that previously went unnoticed. I’m also fascinated with the beauty of the natural world and happily while away time admiring the sheer wonder of fractals, spirals and vibrations playing out all around us.
One recent quote I saw struck a chord with me:
Nothing in Nature lives for itself, rivers don’t drink their own water, trees don’t eat their own fruit, the sun doesn’t shine for itself, a flower’s fragrance is not for itself. Living for each other is the rule of Nature.

What would you like to tell others about your feelings on being a Gemini sun?

Never ending curiosity, the thirst of knowing things, but not just knowing but really understanding them deeply, there’s that constant buzz almost like a mental activation…. but this comes from your soul, a sort of like hunger, desire for knowledge.

I guess with all signs, embrace the great aspects and the gifts it gives, be aware of the weaknesses, aim for balance with compatibility with others.

What is your life’s motto?

I don’t think is a life motto per se, but when I think I understand something I go and try look for the opposite and try to understand it as deeply as that one, I think that’s where the idea comes of the Gemini contradicting themselves, because we can see so many different angles and understand them and they can flip very easily in different perspectives. There’s always another angle, there’s always more to what I understand… maybe the motto would be what Socrates paradoxiacally said -” I know that I know nothing”

If you do only one thing in a day, meditate.
Smile and the world smiles with you.
You don’t stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing

Win a scholarship to Tara summer retreat

17 May 2022

Dear treasured student,

Aspiration is a fundamental quality on the spiritual path. And while many of us begin our journey full of aspiration and enthusiasm, both can be dampened by the inevitability of spiritual tests and challenges. And, due to the very nature of the spiritual path, aspiration can come in waves. And while it is a constant necessity, sometimes we wish we had a little more.

To celebrate this wonderful quality and engine of transformation, and to bring aspiration back into awareness for the summer, Tara is offering a free place at this year’s summer camp*, June-July 2022, to one student who can demonstrate meaningful aspiration on the spiritual path. We are asking students to submit their entry based on one of the following:

  • Something that illustrates the importance of aspiration for you on the spiritual path
  • Something that demonstrates your aspiration on the spiritual path
  • Something that illustrates the importance of spiritual community and fraternity for you on the spiritual path

The submission can be in any format you choose; a letter, a video, a poem or whatever creative endeavour you come up with. The entries will be judged by a panel of Tara teachers, and based on who they believe demonstrated the most aspiration, desire to be part of a spiritual community and general enthusiasm for the spiritual path.

The competition is open to all Tara members only, including those who have already signed up to join the retreat. And while it would be wonderful if the prize goes to someone who really needs it, the focus of this task is not only the prize!

This task is also a very good opportunity to look at your aspiration on the path – both the highs, the lows, the great things that you have experienced. And also a moment to take stock and see where you aspiration is right now.

From this perspective, this exercise of self-reflection is truly worthwhile, even if you do not need the prize or cannot anyway come to the retreat.

Details:

  • Entries accepted from 16th May – 5th June
  • Please send entries to: kieran@coreole.com
  • The winner will be announced on 6th June
  • One entry per student
  • You are free to choose the format of your entry – article, video, testimony, poem, etc. However, if it is something complex please check with kieran@coreole.com before completing it to be sure it can be accepted.

* The prize is for a free camping place. If you wish to upgrade to house accommodation you can do so for just £100. All meals and retreat activities are included.

Find out about the retreat

The are 2 forms of knowledge – knowing information about something and knowing where to find information about something.

British Library, Euston, London