Chitheads is a smorgasbord of contemplative education. Each episode is like a mini masterclass, exploring the diverse landscapes of spiritual practice, philosophy, and the transformative power of embodied knowledge. Each episode is crafted with the curious and open heart in mind, aiming to illuminate the path of self-inquiry and empowerment for yoga teachers, scholar-practitioners, meditators and other spiritual seekers and contemplative folks from around the world. From the profound teachings of Yoga and Buddhism to the sometimes complex theories of contemplative psychology and the vibrant tapestry of indigenous wisdom, our guests share insights that awaken, challenge, and inspire. With every episode, we dive into discussions that matter, exploring questions that guide us closer to our true selves and to a deeper understanding of the world around us. Our mission is to create a space where wisdom (and not fame, power, or money) is the center of gravity and what we are most concerned about cultivating in this lifetime. Join us on Chitheads as we explore the liminal spaces of consciousness, embrace the complexities of the human experience without dogma or self-righteousness, and discover the beauty again and again of the interconnectedness of all things. Subscribe to Chitheads on YouTube and your favorite podcast platform, and please consider leaving us a positive review on one iTunes, or your favorite podcast player. Come dive into these in-depth conversations that illuminate our path of contemplative discovery. If you’ve felt like you’re the only one full of chit – full of consciousness or awareness ˀ– welcome home. This community of listeners, seekers, and scholar-practitioners is for you.
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Chitheads is a smorgasbord of contemplative education. Each episode is like a mini masterclass, exploring the diverse landscapes of spiritual practice, philosophy, and the transformative power of embodied knowledge. Each episode is crafted with the curious and open heart in mind, aiming to illuminate the path of self-inquiry and empowerment for yoga teachers, scholar-practitioners, meditators and other spiritual seekers and contemplative folks from around the world. From the profound teachings of Yoga and Buddhism to the sometimes complex theories of contemplative psychology and the vibrant tapestry of indigenous wisdom, our guests share insights that awaken, challenge, and inspire. With every episode, we dive into discussions that matter, exploring questions that guide us closer to our true selves and to a deeper understanding of the world around us. Our mission is to create a space where wisdom (and not fame, power, or money) is the center of gravity and what we are most concerned about cultivating in this lifetime. Join us on Chitheads as we explore the liminal spaces of consciousness, embrace the complexities of the human experience without dogma or self-righteousness, and discover the beauty again and again of the interconnectedness of all things. Subscribe to Chitheads on YouTube and your favorite podcast platform, and please consider leaving us a positive review on one iTunes, or your favorite podcast player. Come dive into these in-depth conversations that illuminate our path of contemplative discovery. If you’ve felt like you’re the only one full of chit – full of consciousness or awareness ˀ– welcome home. This community of listeners, seekers, and scholar-practitioners is for you.
In this episode, Jacob Kyle sits down with his longtime friend and collaborator Nataraj Chaitanya, whose early creative influence helped shape the founding vision of Embodied Philosophy and even inspired the name CHITHEADS.
Ten years after those first late-night conversations about yoga, consciousness, and modern spirituality, Jacob and Nataraj reunite to explore what it means to live a tantric life—one that embraces devotion, awareness, creativity, and radical honesty as integral parts of the spiritual path.
From the story of Nataraj’s early encounter with mantra practice as a young gay teenager in Virginia to his life as a teacher, devotee, and lineage-holder in the meditation tradition of Bhagavan Nityananda, this conversation moves through the full terrain of sādhana as both an art and a science of awakening.
Together they discuss:
The origins of Embodied Philosophy and the early spirit of CHITHEADS
Sādhana as alchemy: how awareness and aliveness generate bliss (ānanda)
Aesthetics and yoga: why āsana is more like theatre than therapy
Lineage and transmission: the living power of a genuine spiritual tradition
Devotion and nonduality: giving reality a personality and meeting the divine in all forms
Queerness as contemplative opportunity: living between identities as a form of freedom
Pilgrimage as a way of life: learning to meet every moment as the Goddess herself
Throughout the conversation, the two reflect on their parallel journeys—academic, creative, and spiritual—and on the importance of rebuilding Embodied Philosophy around its original vision: to make philosophy and practice inseparable, and to honor both the scholar and the practitioner within each of us.
The episode also marks a new chapter for Embodied Philosophy: Nataraj will be joining the faculty of Wisdom School and Sādhana School, contributing his decades of experience in yoga, mantra, and contemplative education to a new generation of seeker-teachers.This is a conversation about devotion, transformation, and friendship—about what it means to practice in a world that needs both scholarship and surrender, intellect and love.
Guest Bio: Nataraj Chaitanya
Nataraj Chaitanya has led retreats, workshops, kīrtans, and teacher training programs around the world for more than twenty years.
After beginning a daily meditation and yoga practice at the age of thirteen, Nataraj immersed himself in the teachings of yoga and tantra and, by sixteen, began sharing these nectarean teachings with others. Over two decades, he has inspired countless seekers to take up a committed spiritual practice and has dedicated his life to bringing the wisdom of yoga into everyday life.
His love of teaching is evident in the devotional and enthusiastic spirit with which he leads his sessions, creating environments where people from all walks of life can directly contact the fullness of their own Being.
In January 2019, Nataraj became a formal initiate and custodian of the meditation tradition of Bhagavan Nityananda of Ganeshpuri, under Mahamandaleshwar Swami Shankarananda, one of Swami Muktananda’s senior disciples.
He currently lives and teaches in Melbourne, Australia.
Chitheads is a smorgasbord of contemplative education. Each episode is like a mini masterclass, exploring the diverse landscapes of spiritual practice, philosophy, and the transformative power of embodied knowledge. Each episode is crafted with the curious and open heart in mind, aiming to illuminate the path of self-inquiry and empowerment for yoga teachers, scholar-practitioners, meditators and other spiritual seekers and contemplative folks from around the world. From the profound teachings of Yoga and Buddhism to the sometimes complex theories of contemplative psychology and the vibrant tapestry of indigenous wisdom, our guests share insights that awaken, challenge, and inspire. With every episode, we dive into discussions that matter, exploring questions that guide us closer to our true selves and to a deeper understanding of the world around us. Our mission is to create a space where wisdom (and not fame, power, or money) is the center of gravity and what we are most concerned about cultivating in this lifetime. Join us on Chitheads as we explore the liminal spaces of consciousness, embrace the complexities of the human experience without dogma or self-righteousness, and discover the beauty again and again of the interconnectedness of all things. Subscribe to Chitheads on YouTube and your favorite podcast platform, and please consider leaving us a positive review on one iTunes, or your favorite podcast player. Come dive into these in-depth conversations that illuminate our path of contemplative discovery. If you’ve felt like you’re the only one full of chit – full of consciousness or awareness ˀ– welcome home. This community of listeners, seekers, and scholar-practitioners is for you.
