Over the past weeks, Awarezen has begun a series of meditation teachings and transmission on Tantra. We had seven weeks focusing on tantric body; have just begun another seven weeks this time focusing on tantric energy; and will culminate the series with seven more weeks on tantric mind. Together, these three facets of Tantra provide a powerful auxiliary practice approach to the Direct Path of nondual awareness.
Tantra They harness the innate powers of our bio-energetic physiology, vocal and sonic resonance, and reflexive flow of cognizance and intuition towards the end of nondual direct knowing that is transparent, luminous, irreducible, dynamic, blissful, non-substantial and empty of inherent self and what belongs to self. At the same time, Tantra in its three key facets also draws forth the recognition of nondual knowing to overflow into our everyday experience the body, mind, self, relationships, and the world. Tantra thus is both inward-facing into the depth of who we are and outward-facing into the margins of how we live. In these two tantric movements, the spiritual empowerment of an authentic tantric master is highly beneficial, even indispensable. Resonance of energy and consciousness between teacher and student can greatly facilitate the process of blissful awakening.
Enlightenment Recognizing and being sheer unborn awareness without conceit of self and grasping at inherency is an instance of enlightenment, a penetration into luminous nibbana. Integrating all of life into this recognition and awakening is enlightened living, embodiment of enlightened insight overflowing in acts of compassion and love. This is arriving at the ground of our spirit, either regenerated by grace through faith in Christ (for those who have been born-again and awakened to faith in Christ) or blessed and touched by God's Spirit in His common grace (everyone else yet to be illumined to Christ and awakened to faith in Him). A certain freedom and limitlessness reflective of God's ineffable infinity abounds in spirit and can be easily mistaken to be the final end achieved. But this is not quite the case.
Salvation Salvation rooted in redemption and issuing in reconciliation with God has yet to be effected, particularly for those yet to come to illuminating faith in Christ's person and work. True eternal freedom and victory over evil, sin, death, and darkness remain unrealized short of salvation in Christ.
Hence, in the apparent freedom and bliss of nondual unbound awareness (our spirit), the opportunity and potential for in-breaking grace is there, pregnant with God-infused life and vibrancy. At least (but not least) three conditions need to be present: undistracted effortless abidance in awareness; non-reification of awareness as inherently existing; and absence of ego-conceit which is self-making of awareness into some ultimately true identity of "I am" and what belongs to this self that is "me" and "mine." Many may see this abidance in unborn, signless (free of any distinguishing idea, mark, feature, notion of any phenomena whatsoever), non-fabricating awareness as enlightenment, the end of the Path. But it is not the end.
Beyond Enlightenment What awaits and lies beyond this enlightenment is dawning infusion of grace that truly takes spirit/awareness beyond its hidden margins that are nonetheless real and define its created nature—not born in natural terms but breathed into being by God and thus imbibing the eternal nature of the Spirit of God. In its nature of pure knowing, luminosity, bliss, love and joy—that is in terms of its experience—spirit or awareness is unborn and timeless, not confined by space and time. Ontologically, in terms of its existence, awareness is nevertheless a sliver of God's breath and utterly contingent on Him.
When in-breaking grace overwhelms awareness and true illuminating faith breaks out in white-hot worship and obedience, everything changes—the old is shattered and the new is born. A new creation shines forth in life, light, and love, truly. The triune communion dance of love who is God Father-Son-Spirit is enacted in us even as we are brought into intimate participation in and into the Trinity. Alienation finished. Rupture healed. Reconciliation accomplished. Sin crucified. Death conquered. Evil overcome. Salvation dawns. Resurrection awaits. Glorification beckons.
Coming Home In the end, we see Tantra supporting nondual enlightenment, opening the way for the Way, Truth and Life to enter into us and set us free in the freedom of Christ. An awesome possibility. A clarion call. A self-emptying love. The time is now. Return home, return now, return and rest in the bosom of our Creator, Father, Beloved Saviour, Messiah and King: the Alpha (Α) and the Omega (Ω ), the Alef (א) and Tav (ת), the First and the Last.
Yeshua Ha Maschiah (ישׁוה המשׁיה).
