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
