Tina’s “Finding Freedom in Troubled Times” Interview for Tantra Illuminated Podcast
In this grounded and compassionate conversation, Dr. Tina Rasmussen reflects with with Dr. Christopher Wallis on the nature of awakening in the midst of difficulty — personal, collective, and existential. Speaking from decades of lived inquiry and realization, she points toward a freedom that does not depend on circumstances being resolved, but emerges through honesty, deep presence, and allowing in relation to one’s own experience. Tina clarifies ‘purification’ on the spiritual path as a process of clearing obstacles – not...
read moreTina’s “Dimensions of Non-duality” Interview for Tantra Illuminated Podcast
Tina has recently been interviewed by Dr. Christopher Wallis for the Tantra Illuminated podcast, titled “Spiritual Practice and the Dimensions of Nonduality.” This may be her best and most complete interview yet! Join Tina and Christopher for their engaging and delightful conversation covering Tina’s remarkable path of awakening, which began at the age of 13 and unfolded through profound retreats, including a transformative year-long solo retreat in 2003. She discusses her experiences as the first Western woman to complete...
read moreHow to Meditate–The 4 Practices Rooted in Tradition and Confirmed by Neuroscience
In this video, Tina gives concise overview instructions and guidance on how to begin meditating, suitable for beginners and experienced meditators alike. She talks about general guidelines that apply to every type of meditation. Then she gives an overview of the 4 practice categories being studied in neuroscience, which are also reflected in the Buddhist tradion. Then she gives instructions on how to practice each type of meditation, with a short period of practice. To watch the video on YouTube, click here. To listen to the audio on Dharma...
read moreTina Interviewed by TIME Magazine
Tina has recently been interviewed by TIME Magazine Executive Editor Naina Bajekal for a feature article regarding meditation and the jhanas. According to the World Economic Forum, TIME has one of the largest readerships in the world, at 26 million globally and 20 million in the US. Tina is quoted and referenced several times in the article. Unfortunately, the article describes what is actually access concentration, and presents it as jhana. With TIME’s wide readership, there is also the risk of the “McMindfulness”...
read more6 Innercraft Video Workshops By Tina Now Published
Tina has now published 6 video workshops on the Innercraft Platform, which have been received with glowing reviews. People are finding the quality very high, and the content phenomenal. As of June 2023, the workshops she has developed that are now on the Innercraft site include: What is Awakening?–Parts 1 and 2 The Heart Practices: Bodhicitta and the Bramaviharas Focused Attention: Samatha Practice Open Monitoriing: Vipassana Practice Self-Transcending: Dzogchen Practice These workshops provide instruction, overviews, and...
read moreDeconstructing Yourself Podcast with Tina
Host Michael Taft talks with dharma teacher and author Tina Rasmussen about ways to understand nondual awareness and the progress of nondual meditation, including her own unique comparison between the Formless Realms of early Buddhist meditation and the Boundless Dimensions taught by Hameed Ali (aka AH Almaas) of the Diamond Approach. Listen here
read moreNew Innercraft Platform Invites Tina to be a Founding Teacher
In 2021, Tina was been invited to be one of five founding teachers to a new, online platform designed for intermediate to advanced spiritual practitioners. She felt honored to be their first teacher signed to this new platform. The past six months have been filled with preparation for the platform’s launch. Tina has met the other two current founding teachers (one from the Zen tradition and one from the Sufi tradition), and has great respect for their offerings. She also thinks highly of the two founders of the platform, who created...
read moreTina Interviewed on Imperfect Buddha
Tina discusses compatibility issues between neo-Advaita and Buddhism, generational conceptions of practice; from Boomers to Millennials, the need to evolve our understanding and ways of thinking about and describing awakening/enlightenment, the phases and stages of a practising life, roadblocks, hurdles, maturation; limitations, critiquing the language we use to talk about self, ego, awakening, the way belief shapes practice, perception, and expectations and the contours of subjectivity. Listen on SoundCloud
read more“After Awakening” Interview with Ryan Burton
Tina is interviewed by Ryan Burton of “After Awakening.” This is Tina’s best interview covering aspects of awakening. Ryan has studied with Tina for many years, so they have a lot of fun! You can listen to the audio interview or read the transcript on Ryan’s website. Also available on Spotify.
read moreGuruViking Interviews Tina
In this interview, Tina talks to “Guru Viking” (Steve James) about her life-defining quest for enlightenment, undertaking a 1-year solo retreat, awakening, jhāna practice, and the integration of awakening into ordinary life.
read more4-Minute Video on “The Four Benefits of the Samatha Practice”
Tina has released a 4-minute video summarizing the tremendous benefits of committing to the Samatha (concentration and serenity) practice. The benefits are both practical, and can lead to significant experiences of our deeper nature. Click here to watch the video on YouTube.
read moreBuddha at the Gas Pump Interviews Tina
Tina was recently interviewed by “Buddha at the Gas Pump”, a site that enables people to relate and share their experiences of spiritual awakening. The video has had more than 10,000 views.
read moreTina Interviewed by Meaning of Life
Tina’s interview on the “Meaning of Life” website is now available. Tina’s interview is titled “The Meaning of Life: Awakening to our True Nature.” The site features interviews with leaders from all fields and walks of life, about their view of the meaning of life. View the page here: https://excellencereporter.com/2018/05/18/tina-rasmussen-the-meaning-of-life-awakening-to-our-true-nature/
read moreTina Interviewed on Conscious TV
Conscious TV’s interview of Tina, “Living the Enlightenment Drive,” is now available and includes the 55 minute interview, a 40 minute segment discussion with Tina, Stephen and the hosts Iain and Renate, and a 7 minute guided meditation at the end. This program is broadcast on the internet, and in many countries worldwide. Conscious TV features select spiritual teachers around the world. Here’s the hotlink: http://conscious.tv/single.php?vid=5761500972001 The description on the Conscious TV website is as follows:...
read morePractice as a Balm in Difficult Times
Practice as a Balm in Stressful Times Question from a student: Recently, I have begun a very emotionally stressful period in my life. I have been called to my meditation practice more often to try and quiet my mind. I have often in the past turned to my practice in times of stress for clarity, guidance and divine connection. During a couple of my sittings intense emotions have bubbled up mostly in the form of sadness and crying. I think my breathing when starting those sittings was a bit shallow and as the breathing deepened the emotion...
read moreYale Neuroscience Article on Concentration Meditation; Tina was a research subject
In this article, Dr. Judson Brewer (former director of the Yale Neuroscience Clinic, and current director of Research at the Center for Mindfulness at U-Mass) and his associates summarize the research for which Tina was one of the meditation subjects, as an advanced meditator. The study focuses on the activation and deactivation of the posterior cingulate cortex center (PCC) of the brain through concentration meditation. The PCC is thought by some to be the center of the sense of self within the brain. Especially interesting is their...
read moreKorean and Italian Versions of Practicing the Jhanas
Practicing the Jhanas is now available in Korean and Italian, as well as English. We appreciate the beauty of the Korean cover, shown here.
read moreAwakening Buddhist Women Feature Tina
Awakening Buddhist Women featured Tina in their Dec. 14 blog. The post is an overview of an article on Tina in Nonduality Magazine. To read the blog post, or view the Awakening Buddhist Women website, click here.
read moreJoin Tina on her Insight Timer Group!
Tina now has a virtual sitting group on the Insight Timer! The Insight Timer is a great app for timing your meditations. You can select the time you want, and choose from several beautiful meditation bells that will ring at the time(s) you set. Best of all, you can see who you are meditating with from around the world! The basic version of the app is free, and there is a small fee for the full app. Tina’s group is called the “Awakening Dharma Samatha Meditation” group, which you can find in the “groups” area. All...
read moreFirst Month-long Retreat Held at Cloud Mountain
We held our first month-long (27-day) retreat from Sept. 6-Oct. 3,2014, at Cloud Mountain Retreat Center in Castle Rock, Washington. We had 37 participants from 8 countries around the world. It was a deep and profound experience, for us as well as the yogis who attended. One of our criteria was that all accommodations would be singles, which worked out well for the participants. We have decided to offer another month-long retreat in 2017–look for information soon.
read moreFirst European Retreat Held in Tuscany, Italy
Our first European retreat was be held at the Lama Tsong Kapa Institute, the largest Tibetan Buddhist Center in Europe, Sept. 21-29, 2013, thanks to the sponsorship of Dr. Andrea Serafino. Yogis from 11 different countries attended the retreat. Here is a hotlink to a 2-minute video summary of the retreat. http://youtu.be/NREuDy3vT-U We are considering offering future retreats in Italy. If you are interested in our future European events, please email us via our Contacts page.
read moreInternational Vipassana Teachers Conference
We were delighted to be invited to the International Vipassana Teachers Conference in June 2013, along with about 90 other Buddhist Teachers from around the world. We appreciated being with such a dedicated group of teachers and practitioners. Much of the agenda focused on issues of engaged Buddhism, such as diversity and inclusion, and climate change.
read moreTina Neuro Tested at Yale
Dr. Jusdon Brewer, head of the Yale Neuroscience Lab, invited us to teach a daylong to his sangha at Yale University Chapel in April 2014. It was a treat to teach in a space with such an esteemed history of contemplation. While we were there he invited us to participate in a study of advanced meditators. Here is a photo of Tina with her EEG “swim cap” on, during the testing. A summary of the research can be found on our Books/Articles page.
read moreOriginal Website–50,639 visits from 40 countries
Our first website served us well for 4 years, and amazingly was visited 50,639 times by people from 40 countries, with 30,779 unique site visitors . In October 2012 we launched this new website. We hope you find it easy to use and beautiful. We are so grateful that the internet has allowed us to connect with all of you, no matter where you are. Welcome to all!
read moreKnowing & Seeing, by Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw
This seminal book is now available at cost for purchase on Amazon.com, thanks to two yogis in our sangha–Ted Weinstein and Michael Nagy. The book is beautiful, and is so much easier to read and use than the download version. It sells for cost at $15.99, with any small proceeds donated to Pa Auk Monastery. Click here to order: http://amzn.to/knowingseeing or for a description visit our Books page. Knowing & Seeing (4th Edition) presents a series of talks and question & answer sessions at a meditation retreat by the Venerable...
read moreTina's Book
Practicing The Jhanas:
Traditional Concentration Meditation As Presented By The Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw147 page paperback book, published by Shambhala Publications - Click for more info.