Interview with Steve Tenebrae

In this episode, I sit down with Steve Tenebrae, a contemplator of the dark feminine divine, to explore his work with non-dualism, Vedanta, and his use of Lilith as a personification of the great abyss. We get into what non-dualism actually means, how consciousness relates to energy and ether, and why he chose Lilith — a figure of transgression and non-submission — to make these Eastern philosophical concepts more accessible to a Western audience. Steve also walks me through his three-book Radiant Obscurity series, his three-year residential study at a Vedanta ashram in Rishikesh, India, and how his daily practice of meditation, mantra, pranayama, and yoga shapes his life today. Steve's link tree: https://linktr.ee/steve.tenebrae - You will find his book links here Vedanta Society of S. California - https://vedanta.org/ - This is where I received initiation (diksha) with Swami Swahananda Dayananda Ashram - https://www.dayananda.org/ - Long-term courses. Steve's bio Steve Tenebrae is the, author of the Radiant Obscurity series. Over more than a decade, he has engaged in residential training and practice across Eastern and Western traditions, including Advaita Vedanta, ceremonial ritual, and structured inquiry. This background grounds a precise, systematic approach to non-dual recognition and practices. Steve understands the obstacles that can obscure clarity: mistaking intellectual accumulation for insight, treating practice as an external technique rather than an internal realization, and confusing the refinement of perception with spiritual attainment. Doubt does not require total elimination, only sufficient relief to allow understanding to emerge. Steve's commitment to his work comes from the understanding that spiritual striving is unnecessary. His intention is to guide learners toward a direct understanding that spiritual development is not about acquiring more; it is a shift in recognition. When that understanding settles, the internal tension of seeking naturally releases. If you have knocked on the doors of this temple seeking relief from endless striving, please know that you are not alone. You can purchase the shirt I have on in the video here, It's just a simulation | lyndseysmith.io You can watch this episode on video format here, https://www.youtube.com/@lyndseysmith.io-youtube