Mark Shveima and I discuss the rich world of Tantra Yoga, specifically through the collections of lineages that has come to be known as Nondual Shaiva Tantra. Through studying Anusara Yoga with founder John Friend, Mark encountered the teachings of Tantra Yoga. It was through the Anusara scene that Mark met the man who came to be his primary meditation and yoga philosophy teacher, Tantrik scholar Paul Muller-Ortega. Mark’s journey is one familiar to many others on the path of yoga: that postural yoga can serve as an entry point into the vast richness of what the yoga tradition has to offer. Shownotes: 0:00-14:10: Opening Remarks 14:10-18:35: Mark’s initial entry point into yoga 18:35-24:48: How Anusara Yoga introduced Mark to Tantra and to Paul Muller-Ortega 24:48-31:12: What is Nondual Shaiva Tantra? What distinguishes it from the Classical Yoga of                        Patanjali?          31:12-34:21: The relationship between the Bhagavad Gita and later Tantric traditions 34:21-43:05: Expansion & Contraction of Consciousness in the Shaiva Tantra Viewpoint 43:05-51:05: Practical Ways for working with the contractions of consciousness to step into a                        Patanjali?   51:05-1:00:00: Committing to and prioritizing your practice. 1:01:50-1:07:57: Travel abroad as practice; Mark’s reflections on life as an expat  in Japan. 1:07:57-1:14:53: Myth of the Churning of the Milky Ocean 1:14:53-1:19:16: Importance of Lineage. Integrating various traditions into a coherent path in                             today’s globalized marketplace of ideas. 1:19:16-1:37:15: Benefits of Qi Gong vs Hatha Yoga 1:37:15-1:42:28: Role of Initiation in Tantra 1:42:28-1:46:00: Closing Remarks Guest Bio: Mark Shveima is currently the Yoga Director of studio BiNDU, nestled within the quiet back streets of Kyoto, Japan, where he landed after making a Hanuman leap from San Francisco in 2008. He has been immersed in the study, practice and teaching of Yoga for over two decades. Mark is an Authorized Teacher of Neelakantha Meditation, as taught by Paul Muller-Ortega, the founder of Blue Throat Yoga, a school of non-dual Shaiva Tantra practice and study. Mark has been a dedicated and assiduous student of this path for over a decade. He is a tireless presenter of courses, intensives and workshops throughout Japan, where he is widely regarded as a deeply knowledgeable and highly experienced teacher and practitioner of asana, meditation, and Indian philosophy. Recently, he has entered into an immersive study of Qigong and Taoism, which has opened him to new vistas of communication of the workings of the subtleties of the body, mind and emotional center. Mark`s practice and teaching have become an ever-evolving organic expression of his heart intention to assist people in re-discovering ease in their body, stillness in their mind, and the inherent creative power and beauty of their awakened heart. Links: Mark Shveima Yoga Blue Throat Yoga (Blue Throat Yoga is directed by Mark’s principal teacher, Paul Muller-Orega. Mark is a teacher in the Blue Throat Yoga community). Please help to make Hacking the Self a sustainable project by: * Making a donation at https://www.patreon.com/hackingtheself You can also help us to get the word out by: * Sharing this interview with friends and on your social media platforms * Writing a review for the podcast on iTunes, Sticher or the Google Music Store