196. Swami Khecaranatha - a podcast by Rick Archer

Swami Khecaranatha has been teaching Kundalini Sadhana since 1972. With a mastery etched from five decades of inner practice and selfless service, he is an authentic adept of Tantric Shaivism and an initiated carrier in the Shakti Transmission Lineage of Bhagavan Nityananda and Swami Rudrananda (Rudi). Khecaranatha is the spiritual leader of Heart of Consciousness, which is based at Nityakash, his retreat center on Maui, Hawaii.

Swami Khecaranatha was not born to privilege or in a spiritual environment, but to an American family in circumstances comparable to those of most of his readers. While living in an ashram for thirty years he also held several “real-world” jobs, including that of CEO of a multimillion-dollar publishing/consulting business. This personal experience has strengthened Swami Khecaranatha's conviction that it is possible to live fully in the world while developing and maintaining one's conscious connection with the Divinity within. From this platform, he is able to discuss spiritual growth in language that is relevant to students'daily lives, giving them specific tools to actualize the radical transformation of consciousness that is available to anyone willing to work in-depth, over time.

Books:Merging With The Divine: One Day at a Time
Depth Over Time: Kundalini MahaYoga: A Path of Transformation and LiberationThe Heart of Recognition: The Wisdom and Practices of the Pratyabhijna Hrdayam
Shiva's Trident: The Consciousness of Freedom and the Means to Liberation

Website: heartofc.orgTranscript of this interview

Interview recorded October 5, 2013.Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast.


YouTube Video Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction to Swami Khecaranatha (Nathaji)
00:03:29 - From Disbeliefto Spiritual Awakening00:07:12 - The Grace of Meeting Rudi
00:11:39 - Rudi's Break from Muktananda
00:15:14 - The Kundalini Awakening and Meditation Techniques00:19:18 - Kundalini Yoga: Becoming aware of energy frequencies
00:22:44 - The Transmission of Shaktipat00:26:26 - The Initiation from Rudi
00:30:28 - Kundalini Awakening and the Potential Dangers00:34:17 - The Intensity of Kundalini Awakening
00:38:02 - Burning with Emotions00:41:35 - The Divine Force that Created Us
00:45:25 - The Zoomed-In Microscope and God's Plan
00:48:53 - The Four Upayas00:52:29 - Rudi's Accelerated Growth
00:55:45 - The Intensity After Rudi's Passing
00:59:02 - Siddhis and Enlightenment01:02:34 - Finding Joy in Life
01:06:01 - The Seduction of Enlightenment01:09:44 - The Challenge of Describing Enlightenment
01:13:46 - The Origins and Development of Shaivism01:17:15 - Awakening the Psychic Body and Ascending Consciousness
01:21:15 - The Ultimate Reality within Ourselves01:24:01 - Tantra as a Practice in Kashmir Shaivism
01:27:59 - The Journey to Becoming a Swami01:31:42 - Rudi's Teaching and Tantric Shaivism
01:35:21 - Swami's Personal Life and the Levels of Sannyas
01:39:09 - Surrendering to God and the creation of Rudramandir01:42:43 - Thriving Amidst Challenges and Authenticity
01:45:57 - Concluding Remarks and Next Episode Preview01:48:19 - End credits

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