568. Paul Muller-Ortega, 2nd Interview

Buddha at the Gas Pump

Paul Muller-Ortega, Ph.D., the founder of Blue Throat Yoga, is an internationally recognized meditation teacher, and one of the world’s most highly respected academic scholars in the field of Indian Religion and Hindu Tantra. In this interview, he discusses his work on the Blue Throat Yoga tradition, his views on the nature of reality, and his insights into the process of spiritual awakening. He also talks about his experiences with psychedelics, his thoughts on the role of gurus, and his advice for those who are interested in pursuing a spiritual path. Paul is passionate and devoted to teaching students how to access their truest Self, and to offer the knowledge base to understand and support that experience. He has led hundreds of meditation retreats, offered a vast array of study courses, translated and provided commentary on many of the most inspired sacred texts of the Śaiva-Śākta tradition, and has personally trained over 40 Ācāryas as Authorized Teachers of Neelakantha Meditation. Paul is uniquely qualified to offer these potent teachings, drawing upon the synergy of his long career as an academic scholar, his particular capacity to translate complex ideas and concepts into easily accessible and comprehensible understanding, and a personal history of deep meditation and extensive practice in the Śaiva-Śākta Tantra tradition. Paul Muller-Ortega is the author of the highly acclaimed book, The Triadic Heart of Siva: Kaula Tantricism of Abhinavagupta in the Non-Dual Shaivism of Kashmir (Suny Series, Shaiva Traditions of Kashmir), in which he examines the “Heart” as the mystical core of Consciousness. He is also one of the co-authors of "Meditation Revolution", as well as numerous scholarly articles on aspects of Tantric Studies. Website: bluethroatyoga.com Another book: The Philosophy of Sadhana (SUNY Series in Contemporary Continental Philosophy) Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcript of this interview. First BatGap interview with Paul. Interview recorded September 12, 2020 Video and audio below. Audio also available as a Podcast. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:04:45 - Symbolic Forms of Goddesses and the Teacher Prajanaka Abhinavagupta 00:08:59 - The Formulation of Nilakanta Meditation 00:13:22 - The Meaning and Importance of Mantras 00:17:25 - The Activation of Mantras with Consciousness 00:21:53 - The Potency and Vibratory Frequency of Consciousness 00:26:18 - The Power of Mantra and Introversive Meditation 00:31:31 - The Increase of the Ananda Value 00:36:03 - The Shaiva Tradition and the Malas 00:40:35 - The Activity of Consciousness and Relatively Real Appearances 00:44:53 - The Subtle Attitude Towards Creation 00:49:59 - The Different Approaches of Renunciates and Householders 00:54:05 - Encounters with Ramana Maharshi 00:58:12 - The Wave of Freedom and Transformation 01:02:18 - Natural Awakening and the Impact of Grace 01:06:33 - The Difficulty of Liberated Individuals 01:10:38 - Turiya and Turiyatita States 01:15:24 - The Divya Chakshu and Celestial Perception 01:19:42 - The Value of Substandard Teachers 01:23:33 - The Value of Knowledge in Attainment 01:27:39 - Understanding the madhya space in meditation 01:31:45 - The Sequences of Reality and Evolution 01:36:25 - The Yoga Vasishta as a Syncretistic Text 01:40:38 - Cult Mentality and Lack of Discrimination in Today's World 01:44:55 - Spiritual Perspectives on Planetary Awakening 01:49:19 - The Transformation of Understanding and the Re-blossoming of Spirituality 01:53:39 - The Churning of the Ocean of Milk 01:57:51 - Making the Maximum Use of Time 02:01:39 - The Significance of Aum and its Use as a Mantra 02:05:35 - The Subtle Levels of Reality 02:09:00 - Concluding Remarks