PODCAST · religion
Methods of Contemplation
by Methods
An exploration in guided prayer and meditation. Non-Dual Awareness with Christian symbolism.
Episodes
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Becoming All Light: The Non-Dual Heart of Christianity
Hey everyone, I just wanted to take an opportunity to tell you directly about my new book, "Becoming All Light: the non-dual heart of christianity" - available on May 1st 2024. Get the kindle version here: Kindle on Amazon The paperback here: Barnes and Noble Or the audiobook here: Audible Or...
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The Supreme Source
The Kunjed Gyalpo is considered a fundamental tantra of Dzogchen, a teaching that according to tradition has been transmitted for over two thousand years from teacher to disciple. Its aim is to awaken each individual to his or her true nature: the primordial state of enlightenment, which can be...
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Ramana Maharshi: Vachana Mala
Guru Ramana Vachana Mala is a concise but powerful text that accurately summarizes the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi. It further clarifies areas of the teaching that may be a bit hazy for the seeker of wisdom by summarizing the essential Vedanta teachings. Connect with me on instagram...
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Ramana Maharshi: Nan Yar
Along with Vicharasangraham (Self-Enquiry), Nan Yar (Who am I?) constitutes the first set of instructions in the Master Ramana Maharshi's own words. These two are the only prose pieces among Bhagavan’s Works. They clearly set forth the central teaching that the direct path to liberation is...
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Upadeśa Sahasri: A Thousand Teachings
This text by Adi Śankara makes vividly clear the idea of the distinction between oneself and one's body, mind, etc., which, when rightly comprehended under the benevolent guidance of a Teacher, a person of Knowledge, will perfectly convince one that one is not other than the Unlimited Bliss...
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Drg Drsya Viveka: Dividing Seer And Seen
The Dṛg-Dṛśya-Viveka contains 46 verses performing an inquiry into the distinction between the "seer" (Dṛg) and the "seen" (Dṛśya), an overview of samadhi, centering on savikalpa and nirvikalpa, and the identity of Self and the Absolute. Connect with me on instagram @methodsofcontemplation Work...
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The Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra
The Vijñānabhairava Tantra is a compendium of spiritual prompts to enter a state of complete absorption in the Absolute, while yet remaining with the power of creativity and fecundity. If any text could be synonymous with Methods of Contemplation, it's this one. In the text, the primordial…
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Pratyabhijñana Karika: The Sutras of Recognition
In the spiritual process of recognition, because what we recognize is none other than our very Self, we re-cognize what we already have always known. We remember that we remember. A cosmic amnesia lifts, an obscuration is lifted, an ethereal fog drifts away, and there takes place a penetrating...
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Flight of the Garuda
The Flight of the Garuda explores the essence of the Buddhist path of Dzogchen or the Great Perfection, revealing insights into the nature of mind, the illusory nature of existence, and the methods for transcending suffering. The teachings are imbued with profound compassion and offer practical...
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The Devī Gita
The Song of the Goddess is a text dear to my heart. Combining the piercing lucidity of Advaita Vedanta, with the Goddess centered devotion of the Śakta tantra traditions, the Devī Gita expounds on the nature of Brahman in a style reminiscent of the greater known Bhagavad Gita. "The knot of the...
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Soundarya Lahari
Soundarya Lahari, or the Waves of Bliss is a poetic text of worship to the primordial Śakti or Goddess of the power of consciousness. Attributed to Adi Śankara, the towering giant of Advaita Vedanta, the text describes in vivid theological detail the nature of this supreme Goddess. Contesting...
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The Ashtavakra Gita
The Ashtavakra Gita is what is referred to as a nididhyāsana text in the tradition of Advaita Vedanta. After hearing the truth from the mouth of a living teacher, and meditating on it by reading introductory texts and removing doubts, the seeker of liberation then rests in the experiential...
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Vivekachudamani
Vivekachudamani, or the Crest Jewel of Discrimination, is what is referred to as a prakārana text. Meant to be a workbook for the diligent student of the yoga of Knowledge, it acts as a bridge between the guru and shishya. This bridge is what enables the longing of the student for freedom and the...
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Aparokshanubhuti
Aparokshanubhuti means the Direct Knowledge of the Self. As opposed to paroksha, or indirect knowledge, aparoksha jñana is the self-revealing nature of the Self. You know, the one you always and already have. But through this riff on yogic practices, Adi Śankara (the attributed writer) leads us...
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Yoga Vasishta
The Yoga Vasishta is an epic text comprising of the discourse between the wise Vasishta (known as one of the first sages of Vedanta) and the prince Rama. In this section, Vasishta instructs on the nature of the root of suffering as ignorance of the true nature of Reality. This ignorance itself is...
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Mandukya Upanishad
It is said that if one could only study one Upanishad, it should be the Mandukya. Even though it is the shortest of all, it contains the most concentrated essence of the Upanishads. If one truly hears, truly understands, and truly meditates on that which is contained in this one text - a fit...
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The Isha Upanishad
The Upanishads comprise the knowledge portion of the Vedas, the oldest extant religious texts on earth. As such, they represent the richest distillation of the larger corpus. The word Upanishad itself can be roughly approximated to mean "sitting near the truth" - evoking an image of listening to...
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The Dhammapada
Hello, and welcome to Methods of Contemplation. In the first turning of the wheel of Dharma, the Buddha lets us in on a secret: Life, as most of us live it - sucks. Or put more eloquently, the nature of existence is inextricably intertwined with suffering. Really, he's not telling us something we...
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Plotinus on Contemplation
Plotinus is a figure much ignored outside the halls of academic philosophy, but was integral to the birth of non-dual wisdom in the West. In a western framework, he elucidates the core philosophy underlying Neoplatonism, a school that deeply informed early Christianity, and that has much in…
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A Course in Miracles: Lesson 97
A Course in Miracles is a channeled text of non-dual wisdom that adopts the Christian lexicon to instruct all seekers of wisdom in the way of forgiveness. In seeing every being as completely innocent, and thereby solidifying our own forgiveness. For this lesson, the focus is concerning the…
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The Philokalia: On Guarding the Intellect
In this excerpt from the Philokalia, Saint Isaac the Solitary leads young ascetics through twenty seven texts discussing important points for those who have undertaken spiritual vows of the Christian life. In this passage, he describes the pitfalls of leaving the door of our heart (the…
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The Cloud of Unknowing: Action and Contemplation
In Ira Progoff's translation of the fourteenth century Christian mystical classic "The Cloud of Unknowing" - the anonymous author leads us through the practice of contemplative prayer in a way unparalleled by other methods of the tradition. In this chapter, they speak to us of the subtle...
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The Seventh Mansion: Teresa of Avila
Teresa of Avila, in this reading brings us to the heights of the Christian spiritual endeavor according to the Spanish school of mysticism. She describes in vivid experiential detail the difference between an intermittent and oscillatory perception of Grace, and the abiding and eternal marriage…
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On Loving God: Bernard of Clairvaux
In this reading, Bernard of Clairvaux takes us through to the heights of the 'fourth degree' of love. A love that has no interest in acquiring or maintaining created things, but shooting up the spine like a rocket bound for the moon of nectar that is unconditional devotion. Connect with me on...
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The Little Book of Enlightenment
A veritable firehose of mystical theology, John Ruysbroeck spoke at a level much more subtle, intricate, and experiential than many. And in his writing we can see ripples of our own deepest truth. Although this is a short passage, it is worth listening through again and again. This repeated...
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The Third Theophany
This is a contemplative reading of the Third Theophany of Moses, by Saint Gregory of Nyssa. As one of the first desert fathers of the Christian tradition, Gregory's words here give us a window into the view of Christ in its extra-temporal nature - reverberating through time as the eternal I Am....
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Meister Eckhart: Sermon 5
All creatures are words of God. A meditative reading of Meister Eckhart's Sermon 5 from his selected German translations. Often touted as the Christian tradition's most non-dual teacher, Meister Eckhart stretches the bounds of traditional Christian theology and philosophy. His words serve as a...
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Non-Dual Meditation
This method is a guided meditation on the nature of the non-dual. Non-Duality, or "A-dvaita" in Sanskrit, is the experiential realization of the oneness of the individual soul and the supreme Godhead. Literally meaning "not-two", advaita expresses the simplicity of Absolute Reality as awareness...
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The Divine Mother
This method is a non-dual guided visualization of the Divine Mother. Called by many names like Sophia, Shakti, Devī, Goddess, etc. - the Divine Feminine is typically expressed as the active or dynamic principle in spiritual ontology. In this meditation though, we take a specifically femininist…
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The Universal Christ
This method is a relaxing non-dual visualization and meditation on the Universal and Cosmic nature of Christ. The encounter with and participation in the eternal being of the Divine is the breaking free of our small sense of self into the more expansive and loving awareness that is the Logos.
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The Unspoken Tao
"The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao". So says the primary text of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching. But to trace our way back to that eternal Tao, we can make use of the spoken word as a pointer. Much like a finger pointing to the moon, use this guided non-dual meditation to become present...
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From Doing to Being with Barrett Self
In this guided meditation, Barrett Self leads us from our traditional posture of doing, to a relaxing fall back into the center of our own being. Barrett Self is a writer, cheesecake lover, and the face of 'e x h a l e', an online platform where he offers direct spiritual coaching for people of…
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Barrett Self: Directly Home
Barrett Self is a writer, cheesecake lover, and the face of 'e x h a l e', an online platform where he offers direct spiritual coaching for people of all backgrounds. In this conversation, Barrett and I discuss the importance of a heart based spirituality that incorporates the body as well as the...
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Craig Williams and the Gnostic Power of Ritual
An ordained gnostic bishop and a highly empowered adept of esoteric voudon, Craig Williams has moved beyond conservative views of Vedic studies – evolving a radically unique system of esoteric Hinduism and left hand tantra. with over 25 years of academic and initiatic study in yoga, Ayurveda,...
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Pitṛpakṣa Meditation with Dr. Kavitha Chinnaiyan
Pitṛpakṣa is a 16–lunar day period in the fall when we pay homage to our ancestors. The purpose of this tradition is to not just appease generations of our ancestors in another realm, but also to free ourselves of kārmic bonds. Ordinarily, even when we are aware of this tradition, our focus isn't...
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Non-Dual Tantra with Dr. Kavitha Chinnaiyan
Dr. Kavitha Chinnaiyan is a Cardiologist and Professor of Medicine at Oakland University School of Medicine in MI. She has studied Advaita Vedanta at the Chinmaya Mission, the Direct Path with Greg Goode, Śrīvidyā with Śri Śivapremananda, and Non-dual Śaiva Tantra (also known as Kashmir Śaivisim)...
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Self-Inquiry
Today’s method is Self-Inquiry. Self-Inquiry, is a teaching popularized by Sri Ramana Maharshi, a Tamil saint from the early 20th century. Based on the ancient Vedic practice of Atma-vichara, self-inquiry is the quintessential practice for those on the path of knowledge, and is sometimes called…
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Meditation on Love and the Heart with Colette Lafia
Colette Lafia, an author and spiritual director based in SanFrancisco leads us through a short meditation on the nature of Love as it relates to the spiritual path. Colette teaches on the nature of the heart with respect to the spiritual path, and the ways that it opens us up to receive by...
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Being-With: Colette Lafia
In this episode of Being-With, I speak with Colette Lafia, an author and spiritual director based in SanFrancisco. Colette teaches on the nature of the heart with respect to the spiritual path, and the ways that it opens us up to receive by surrendering. Her books include The Divine Heart (May...
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Centering Prayer with Dr. Brian Russell
In this episode Dr. Brian Russell (@yourprofessorforlife) leads us through his preferred method of contemplative prayer, Centering Prayer. This particular way of consenting to the divine action and presence is the topic of his upcoming book on the method of Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in...
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Being-With: Dr. Brian Russell
In this episode of Being-With, I talk with Dr. Brian Russell (@yourprofessorforlife) about his upcoming book on the method of Centering Prayer: Sitting Quietly in God's Presence Can Change Your Life. He runs the Deep Dive Spirituality Podcast as well as a coaching practice. Find him here:...
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The Cloud of Unknowing
Hello, and welcome to Methods of Contemplation, an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. The Cloud of Unknowing is an anonymous 14th century work on the practice of contemplative prayer. It has been a constant companion of Christian mystics through the ages, and outlines an incredibly...
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A Walk Through The Rosary
In this method, Mark Gladman (Brother Frederick-James) leads us through his prayer of the rosary for those new to the practice. Mark Gladman is a Benedictine monk teaching and practicing ancient forms of christian meditation, contemplation, mindfulness, and prayer for personal & community...
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Being-With: Mark Gladman
Mark Gladman is a Benedictine monk teaching and practicing ancient forms of christian meditation, contemplation, mindfulness, and prayer for personal & community transformation. He is a teacher on Insight Timer, as well as a host on the podcast The Work of God, which is a podcast centered around...
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Being-With: Carl McColman
Carl McColman is a contemplative writer, speaker, and podcast host of Encountering Silence. His recent books include: The Big Book of Christian Mysticism, Unteachable Lessons, and his new book - Eternal Heart. In this episode, Carl and I chat about the nature of the eternal heart, the gifts of…
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Mantra and Japa
Hello, and welcome to Methods, an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. Today’s method is mantra. In Buddhism, the word mantra means “mind protecting”. A mantra protects the mind by preventing it from going into its’ usual patterns, which often are not our desired or optimal conscious...
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Being-With: Scott Odom - The Awakened Heart
In this episode of Being-With, I speak with Scott Odom. Scott is a retired police officer and practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism, Kambo, and Santo Daime. Scott has a unique talent for diving into the heart of the transformative aspect of spirituality, and in that sense is a true radical. In this...
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Expansive Loving Kindness
Hello, and welcome to Methods, an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. This is our fourth season, Feel. In this season, we’ll attempt to showcase methods of prayer and meditation that facilitate feeling, embodiment, and direct perception of reality, beneath the web of our conditioned...
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Feel
Hello, and welcome to Methods, an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. This is our fourth season, Feel. In this season, we’ll attempt to showcase methods of prayer and meditation that facilitate feeling, embodiment, and direct perception of reality, beneath the web of our conditioned...
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Metta Meditation
Hello, and welcome to Methods, an exploration in guided prayer and meditation. This is our fourth season, Feel. In this season, we’ll attempt to showcase methods of prayer and meditation that facilitate feeling, embodiment, and direct perception of reality, beneath the web of our conditioned...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
An exploration in guided prayer and meditation. Non-Dual Awareness with Christian symbolism.
HOSTED BY
Methods
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How many episodes does Methods of Contemplation have?
Methods of Contemplation currently has 163 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Methods of Contemplation about?
An exploration in guided prayer and meditation. Non-Dual Awareness with Christian symbolism.
How often does Methods of Contemplation release new episodes?
Methods of Contemplation publishes regularly with 163 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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Methods of Contemplation is created and hosted by Methods.
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