"Kashmir Shaivism is known as the Pure Trika system. It is 'the three-fold science of man and his world.' Kashmir Shaivism is a philosophy meant for any human being without restriction of caste, creed, color or gender. Trika philosophy is situated in the heart of that supreme energy of God consciousness. It teaches you to realize that this whole objective world, which is already in front of you, is not separate from God consciousness. You do not have to realize God situated in some seventh heaven. God and the individual are one. To realize this is the essence of Shaivism."
Swami Lakshmanjoo
Lord Shiva
The teachings of Supreme Meditation are primarily based on the ancient, time-honored principles and practices of Trika Shaivism, an established oral tradition having its roots in the relationship between Master and Student. This is the School of Spanda Yoga first established by Vasuguptacharya on the command of Lord Shiva, that flourished under the great sage Sri Abhinavaguptacharya (see our 1-Day Introduction to Trika Shaivism course by clicking here). These teachings also spread to the south of India, into Tamil Nadu, where they came to be known as Shaiva Siddhanta.
Shiva is the name we give to the Absolute One formless being, or God-principle. Lord Shiva, this Absolute Formless Being also took a form on this Earth plane to spread the teachings now known as Trika Shaivism. He is also The Blue Being, so called after the appearances he has made to many enlightened sages in meditation.
The 5-Fold Act of Divine Consciousness
We affirm what the Shaiva Agamas state over and over again: the true meaning and use of Yoga is the transformation of human consciousness into Divine Consciousness. Therefore, the practice of Yoga is that practice by which this transformation into Divine Consciousness occurs.
Even though you are an embodied being living in the limitations of this world-appearance, you perform the same five actions, the same 5 deeds, that the Lord performs. In Supreme Meditation, this is known as The 5-Fold Act of Divine Consciousness, which is the central teaching of Trika Shaivism.
Full awareness of The 5-Fold Act of Divine Consciousness, at all times, is the experience of the exalted state of Liberation or God-Realization. It is the direct knowledge of the Experient, that One who is really experiencing at all times.
It is also the full awareness of God’s two aspects and the knowledge and experience of Bimba – Pratibimba Nyaya (1. the Supreme Subject and its reflection in Consciousness known as objects, 2. the power of objects to reflect themselves in Consciousness while remaining separate from each other). It is the awareness of these that allows you to practice the approaches mentioned above. It is this awareness that allows you to experience God in everything and everyone, everywhere.
For this reason, the practices and teachings offered in Supreme Meditation are all designed to heighten this awareness in you at all times. This heightened awareness leads to the uninterrupted state of rapture, joy, complete happiness, peace and total freedom.
Examination and experience of The 5-Fold Act of Divine Consciousness (Creation, Sustenance, Withdrawal, Concealment and Grace), examination of God’s two aspects (the transcendental and the immanent) and examination and experience of Bimba – Pratibimba Nyaya form the central teachings of this path.
All Must Retrace Their Path Back To God
The path to God-realization is a path that you are destined to tread at some point in this life or future lifetimes. At some point in the evolution of your karmas, you will have nowhere else to turn and nowhere else to look but to God. You can make the commitment to become a Student of Yoga, a Disciple of the Acharya now, or you can put it off for another lifetime. However, it is inevitable that you will reach a point in a particular life of yours when you will have to retrace your path back to God.
All beings eventually seek out a Teacher who can show them the way back. You can choose to do it now or you can do it later. If you choose to do it now, a true Paradise of ultimate Freedom, total Joy, complete Happiness, all- encompassing Peace and total insulation from the "rat race" of pleasure and pain will be your steady experience, through the Grace of the Master and your own Grace, which is your steady effort at spiritual practice. Why wait?
