Introduction

The teachings of Heart of Consciousness focus on Kuṇḍalinī Sādhana — an ancient spiritual practice in the nondual tradition of Trika Śaivism. It allows individuals to deeply experience their own direct, inner connection to the Divine. This practice focuses on awakening the powerful transformative force called kuṇḍalinī, the divine energy that is always present within every human being. When it flows through us, kuṇḍalinī can wash away our deepest tensions, expand the flow of creative energy, and eliminate our misunderstandings about our true nature.

As our individual heart merges with the divine heart, our total unity with God is revealed. This is Consciousness doubling back on Itself. In Sanskrit, "Heart of Consciousness" is called saṃviddhṛdaya — the potency by which the Universal Heart knows Itself and causes individuals to recognize themselves as That in their own heart.  

Swami Khecaranatha (Nathaji), the spiritual leader of Heart of Consciousness, has been a master teacher for five decades. He is a carrier of the śakti transmission lineage of Bhagavan Nityananda and Swami Rudrananda (Rudi). Nityananda, whose name means “bliss of the eternal,” spent most of his years in Ganeshpuri, a village in southwest India. The resonance of his powerful presence continues to be felt world-wide, to this day. Rudi, Khecaranatha's immediate guru, met Nityananda in 1959 and through that relationship began teaching the eye-open classes we use in our practice. Rudi emphasized channeling the liberating power of energy, and his fierce presence was the embodiment of that force.

The transmission of a living spiritual energy is a vitally important component in the awakening of kuṇḍalinī. Śaktipata is defined as the descent of grace. This is God’s power, awakening in us, creating a longing to find a teacher who can provide us with that same energy on a continuous basis to direct and empower us to find our own liberation.

In engaging with a śakti transmission guru, we are coming in contact with a palpable transmission of that liberating force, which we can only feel because it already exists within us. There is a direct conveyance of spiritual energy from teacher to student that gives the student a concrete experience of the vital force that connects all things and binds us together as one. Śakti transmission is a catalyst for profound spiritual unfoldment, culminating in Self-realization.

The mission of Heart of Consciousness/Sacred Space Yoga Sanctuary is to provide the opportunity for a broader audience to benefit from the practices of our tradition, lineage, and teachers—by exploring ancient tantric practices, encouraging translations of ancient texts, and working with academic experts in the field. We seek to offer complementary programs to support the total well-being of body, mind, and spirit.

Our Centers

Nityakash, Maui Retreat Center, Hawaii

In 2020 we were able to purchase a stunning 5+ acre property on the island of Maui to serve as a permanent retreat facility for our community. This center is called Nityakash, named for our root guru Bhagavan Nityananda, whose energy permeates the land. A life-size statue of Nityananda was commissioned in India and is installed in the meditation hall to further enhance the energy and presence for all who attend immersions there. Nathaji splits his time between Nityakash and the Bay Area, with ācāryas also teaching on Maui. Click here to view more images of Nityakash.

Rudrakash - Main California Center: Richmond (S.F. East Bay)

Nathaji came to Berkeley in 2001 to establish a center for his teaching, and over the years a community of practitioners has spread throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. We are now teaching in a lovely, spacious home in Richmond and rent space nearby for our periodic Bay Area retreats. Nathaji lives on Maui but returns to the Bay Area three times a year, for 2-3 weeks each time, to teach 3-day retreats and local classes. Ācāryas Purnata and Amrita are the teachers at Rudrakash throughout the year.

Ācārya's Satellite Centers

Nathaji has initiated a number of his students as ācāryas. These lineage carriers teach his programs at venues around the USA, Australia, and over the internet by Zoom!

Click here for information about these satellite centers and the ācāryas at each location.

About Our Logo

Trika Śaivism masterfully and succinctly articulates the movement toward liberation and was significantly influenced by the direct recognition that emerged from Kuṇḍalinī Sādhana. The practice of kuṇḍalinī, with evidence of the term showing up as early as the 7th century, was very influential and widespread, and it is one of the most exalted of the ancient Eastern spiritual traditions. This logo is the perfect symbol of our practice, as it is a powerful visual image of spiritual realization according to Trika Śaivism and Kuṇḍalinī Sādhana.

The Elements of the Design:

• The three prongs of the trident represent Śiva’s triadic powers of will, knowledge, and action, as well as Consciousness, energy, and the individual—three expressions of an undifferentiated unity.
• The trident also refers to the upāyas, which are the triadic means to liberation and the state of awakened Consciousness—the recognition of one’s own Śiva-hood revealed by the descent of grace.
• The staff of the trident depicts the suṣumṇa, the central channel within an individual that is the pathway for kuṇḍalinī to rise through the psychic body and back to its source, Consciousness, revealing the direct recognition of our own divinity. This is significant because our individual lives, divinely offered to us, are our means to discovering the highest truth in God.
• The lotus represents the Goddess Parā, who is Śakti—the Goddess Kuṇḍalinī, who is also the energy of bliss, the essential nature of our existence that is awakened and enlivened through our practice.
• The open halo encircling the trident represents the liberation of kuṇḍalinī, opening and expanding into the Heart of Consciousness – the unbounded, universal Self.
• The “open arms” of this circle represent the sacred space for the community of practitioners to come together, held in union and energetic embrace.

Logo designed by Lubosh Ceck: artbyluce.com