For the Love of Yoga with Nish the Fish

Just a little riffing on the Puranic depictions of Shiva, as per or Shiva Ratri festivities this year! There's something very weird and wonderful (vicitra, in Sanskrit) about our Mahadeva, is there not? Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST Use this link and I will see you there:https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

I'm a little late on this video (I had meant to get it out before the festivities this year) but hey, maybe this is for next year and if you're particularly hardcore, for next month (since there's a śiva rātri every month the night before the new moon)! In this talk, we go over some rituals and practices for observing śiva rātri for people asking questions like, "when/what is śiva rātri?", "what should I do all night?", "what is fasting and how to do it?" etc. Here is a playlist of all our talks for śiva rātri.Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST Use this link and I will see you there:https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Leading up to Śiva Rātri (which is coming up for us this Sunday on February 15th, 2026), I'm releasing a bunch of videos on different aspects of our tradition, as part of the celebration! Having already put out Secret Kālī Teachings in Śaiva Texts which featured a (śaktra reading) of sample from the Paramārthasāra, a profound non-dual transmission from the master, Abhinava Gupta, we now turn to something even more esoteric (guhya) and essential (sāra): a teaching from the Vijñāna-Bhairava Tantra on worshipping Śiva as the pure, non-dual consciousness which you, yourself, right now are!This is the 2nd of 4 or 5 videos for Śiva Rātri this year! Here is a playlist of all our Śiva Rātri content over the years!Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST Use this link and I will see you there:https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

In this talk, we ask the question "which deity should I worship?"  & "does it even matter?" going off last week’s reflection on how Tantra works and our conjectures about Swami Brahmananda’s Ishta (chosen deity). Naturally, we end up discussing some of the nuances and complexities around the central claim of our lineage: "all religions are true" which for Tāntrikas shopping for an Ishta, comes across as "all deities are different forms of the One Absolute Reality" pointing to the tension between the broadness invited by this view versus the focus (ishta-nishta) & depth that is typically insisted upon in our view particularly with regards to choosing one path/deity and sticking to it! Mainly though, we talk about faith & renunciation, "īśvara-anurāg-vishāya-virāg" the most essential things in spiritual life. This was quite an inspiring and meaningful talk for me. Thank you for all who came live! May it be an offering! Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST Use this link and I will see you there:https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

A reflection on how selfless action and strenuous practice intersect in yoga tradition. Stories from Ramakrishna and Vivekananda explore whether inner clarity or activism should come first. Discussions link Hatha techniques and pranayama to purified service. A look at feeding the poor as worship and how lineage, love, and steady presence shape effective, non-harmful helping.

A guided tour of Śākta Tantra practice, from how Tantras arise to the role of ritual manuals. Practical ritual sequencing is covered, including japa, homa, tarpana, marjana and bojana. Traditions around Sri Ramakrishna’s puja, daytime vs night practices, and mantra transmission are explored. Left‑hand practices, substitutions, and schedules for mantra counts are also discussed.

A vibrant dive into Tantra as living deity yoga and why countless deities and paths exist to fit unique temperaments. Exploration of the Vijñāna‑Bhairava’s many practices that turn everyday moments into sadhana. Reflections on Ramakrishna, Vivekananda and Brahmananda as embodiments of varied ishtas. Breath, longing, play, and the right vs left spectrum shape an expansive, inclusive spiritual vision.

A lively dive into classical Indian systems and how they map to Shaiva and Shākta frameworks. Short sketches of Sāmkhya, Yoga and Shaiva Siddhānta set the stage for Non-Dual tantric ideas. Discussions range from guru-yoga, Shiva as Adiyogi and the role of grace to Sri Vidyā, mantra, phonology and the playful, poetic vision of Shakti.

Some years back, we gave a talk called "Can Atheist Be Spiritual?" (alas its gone now since the YouTube ban of 2025!) Anyway, there, I presented some non-theistic traditions like Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism and of course, Sāmkhya to show how Indian spirituality is inclusive to all spiritual dispositions. i.e: you don't have to believe in "God" to make spiritual progress! In that talk, we also pointed out how the atheistic position is important for theists too since we must first reject the God of dogma, i.e the God of Religion, before we can move towards the God of Realization, the Living God. Now, a few years later, in this talk, we take a slightly different approach: understanding that the bhūpura is as much the cakra as the Bindu, I try to construct a non-dual, spiritually edifying view using the basic premises of scientific materialism. My claim here is that if we are to be honest materialists, we would be fully realized actually since this too, is a valid way like any other for realizing Mā!Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST Use this link and I will see you there:https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Dive into an exploration of Ramakrishna's teachings on love as the essence of life. Discover how love transcends mere liberation and fosters heroism. Nishanth shares insights on embracing the world joyfully, viewing it as God's manifestation. He provocatively contrasts compassion with a profound devotional love, advocating a life sparked by playfulness. The discussion ranges from a whimsical theology of a free Divine to the enriching experience of suffering. Join in for a vibrant theological journey that celebrates love and life in all its forms!