Dimensions of Nonduality with Tina Rasmussen

Host Michael Taft talks with meditation teacher and author Tina Rasmussen about ways to understand nondual awareness and the progress of nondual meditation, including her own unique comparison between the Formless Realms of early Buddhist meditation and the Boundless Dimensions taught by Hameed Ali (aka Almaas) of the Diamond Approach.Tina Rasmussen, Ph.D., began meditating at age 13, and has practiced in the Theravada and Tibetan Buddhist traditions for over 30 years. In 2003, she completed a year-long solo retreat, was later ordained as a Buddhist nun and became the first Western woman authorized to teach by renowned meditation master Pa Auk Sayadaw. Tina has been studied by the Yale Neuroscience Lab, and is the co-author of Practicing the Jhanas, as well as several books on human potential.Tina Rasumussen’s website: luminousmindsangha.comContribute to Michael’s Patreon or directly to help fund the creation of more of these podcasts.Show Notes00:44 - Intro03:30 - Thecore four practices of Buddhism that help us with the current crisis: shamatha,vipassana, heart, and self-transcending practices06:19 - HowTina teaches shamatha (the Theravada way: anapanasati and brahmaviharas)09:08 - The difference between anapanasati and pranayama11:45 - The similarities and differences between the Theravadan and Tibetan practices16:18 - How Tina teaches a hybrid set of Theravadan and Tibetan practices on retreat18:44 - Shamatha is needed for stability20:44 - Thedifferent flavors of nonduality (unity/emptiness)24:37 - The Buddhist map of the realms of existence (form/material realm:physical/brahmaviharas; formless/immaterial realms: 1) boundless space; 2) boundless consciousness; 3) no-thingness/void; 4) neither perception nor non-perception; 5) the Deathless/Absolute/Nameless mystery)28:53 - How ‘awareness’ is more fundamental than ‘consciousness’30:55 - Comparison of the formless realms in Buddhism and in the Diamond Approach(Ridhwan); how different spiritual traditions focus on different formless realms35:35 – Differing views in Theravada and Vajrayana 37:51 - Integrating boundless love and shamatha practices in Tina’s teachings43:00 - The non-personal practices of the Eastern traditions and the personal practices ofthe Western traditions44:08 - The synergy between spiritual and psychological technologies; the ‘inquiry’ practice46:27 - Tina’s birth trauma and the importance of trauma work53:10 - The inquiry way of working with aversion55:46 - Suffering is optional58:00 - OutroSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.