Quite early in my spiritual journey, I had the good fortune to become initiated into the path of Kashmir Shaivism, an expression of Nondual Shaiva Shakta Tantra from Northern India. Shakta Tantra opened me to the potency of contemplative practice not only as a science of the mind, but as a form of aesthetic appreciation.

Sahaja Soma aims to serve as a bridge between the wisdom of Vajrayana Buddhism and plant medicines such as Ayahuasca and Soma. While some practitioners might object to offering these teachings in relationship to plant medicine, I believe that the time has come for articulating a clear connection between a Vajrayana path and the plant medicine path.

Understanding how plant medicines work through the framework of subtle body maps outlined by nondual contemplative traditions can give us greater appreciation for how they can impact spiritual awakening. So, how are ayahuasca, soma, plant medicine, and subtle body maps related?

A poem devoted to the goddess Kali.

Sahaja Soma explores the intersection of meditation and psychedelics. Learn more how we strive to support people on their journey to further awakening.

A poem about art.

A poem about consciousness.

A poem about a psychedelic experience.

The essence of Tantric sadhana, or yogic practice, is refinement of the body-mind. This article explores the myth of The Churning of the Milky Ocean and how it’s a metaphor for how yoga can allow us to lead a happier and more meaningful life.

This blog post explores the balance between masculine and feminine aspects of our experience which ultimately allows us to wake up in this reality.

A tantric poem dedicated to The Goddess Chacruna.

A poem dedicated to tantra.

Awakening is the movement of consciousness becoming conscious of itself. This article examines the path to awakening as described by Dzogchen, Mahamudra, and Shaiva Shakta Tantra and the role that plant medicines can play in it all.

The Kingdom of Heaven arises when the mind ceases to turn outwards towards impermanent objects and turns inwards to rest in its own place. So ask yourself, what if the Kingdom of Heaven is always and already here and now, if only I had eyes to see it?

This article discusses how Tantra offers an alternative to traditional paths to awakening that better balances archetypal masculine and feminine ideals.

Samsara is the wheel of desire that keeps us spinning in an endless state of wandering. Only when we become exhausted can the mind finally stop searching for happiness in external appearances and turn inward to rest in its own place.

The term “Tantra” evokes the image of a loom, for it points towards the way in which everyone and everything are intricately interwoven. An awakened mind clearly sees that tapestry and understands that the undertaking of awakening is ultimately a collective endeavor. This is why bodhicitta, the intention to wake up for the benefit of others, is essential for continued unfolding along the path.

In The Vedas, the universe begins when Shiva, who orchestrates the destruction that lays ground for creation, asks himself, “Who am I?” Why is it that most of us are afraid to become intimate with the uncertainty of this question and how can use the practice of meditation to examine this with more ease?

The ability to hold a paradox is central to the practice of meditation and the journey of awakening. Life is full of paradoxes. However, we overlook them for the simplicity and clarity of dualistic categories. In meditation, one important paradox is the importance of both effort & effortlessness. Neither is right nor wrong in an absolute sense, but the issue is what to emphasize at any given time.

There are many reasons to practice meditation, but out of respect for the cultures that developed these practices, I’d like to underscore the deeper promise: awakening to our true nature. If you’re allergic to terms like religion or spirituality, as I used to be, then you can approach awakening through Ken Wilber’s Integral Model of growing up, cleaning up and waking up.