<p> The full moon rising in the dark sky and the river of stars in the Milky Way galaxy have fascinated humans since their first days on Earth. For the ancients, the universe was so alive that they could not help but share its awe and wonder, and they created myths to live by. In modern times, this intimate connection to the universe seems to have been lost. This dissertation explores and rediscovers the profound sense of human embeddedness and participation in this grandeur, the dynamic universe evolving for over 13.8 billion years, through reflection on the cosmologies of Shinto, Tantra, and cosmogenesis. </p><p> This dissertation argues that when Shinto and Tantra are placed in a dialectical relationship in the context of cosmogenesis, all are enhanced, providing a new way of consciously participating in the sacred universe. Shinto affirms the sacred nature of the phenomenal world and celebrates the powers of the universe through ritual ceremonies. Tantra shows a way to fully realize the infinite consciousness of the universe through meditation. Cosmogenesis provides the perspective of being inside of the universe, and thus of being embedded in its unfolding in each moment. </p><p> To embody the new cosmology that arises from the integration of the wisdom of the three cosmologies, I suggest a new practice: Two way falling in love. This is a tool to see the sacred nature of every form of existence, to see how they are interconnected, and how the whole is reflected in each part by zooming into the smallest and zooming out to the largest with love, simultaneously. Human beings, when situated in the course of the evolution of the universe can develop an identity as an earthling with cosmic roots, becoming the awe and wonder of the universe. This project hopes to inspire those who seek to mend the distorted human relationship with the Earth and the universe, and to help those seekers find their own unique way to enter into an intimate and participatory relationship with the universe.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Religious Studies, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-11, Section: A, page: 4735. Adviser: Richard B. Miller. Title from dissertation home page (viewed May 22, 2008).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of History and Philosophy of Science, 2005. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 66-02, Section: A, page: 0615. Advisers: Michael L. Friedman; Noretta Koertge. Title from dissertation home page (viewed Oct. 18, 2006).

<p> The present work comprises a detailed study of specific terms of discourse in the pre-twelfth century sources of esoteric "Tantric" Shaivism, both scriptural and exegetical, some of which are still unpublished and others of which are published only in the original Sanskrit. As a dissertation in South Asian Studies using the philological method, the primary purpose of the study is to ascertain the range of meanings of certain technical terms of great importance to the theology and practice of the &Sacute;aiva religion, namely <i> &amacr;ve&sacute;a, sam&amacr;ve&sacute;a,</i> and <i>&sacute;aktip&amacr;ta. </i> The work focuses on both the independent meaning and the intersection of these key terms, incorporating also the terms <i>d&imacr;k&dotbelow;s&amacr; </i> and <i>vedha</i> in the latter endeavor. The intersection of these terms constitutes a complex set of relationships, a nexus of ideas that lie at the very heart of the &Sacute;aiva tradition and which, due to the latter's widespread influence, came to be important in Tantric Buddhism and later forms of Hinduism as well. This thesis contends that <i>sam&amacr;ve&sacute;a </i>&mdash;meaning the fusion or commingling of one's self with the energy of one's deity and/or the consciousness of one's guru&mdash;is <i>the </i> key term that distinguishes Tantric Shaivism from mainstream (esp. Vaidika) Indian religion. This constitutes a reinterpretation and overcoding of the earlier meaning of <i>&amacr;ve&sacute;a,</i> i.e. self-induced controlled possession by a deity. </p><p> <i>Sam&amacr;ve&sacute;a</i> is important to all forms of Shaivism, whether dualistic and ritualized (the Siddhanta) or nondual subitist charismatic forms (the Kaula). This thesis further contends that a philological study of <i>sam&amacr;ve&sacute;a</i> and related terms like <i> &sacute;aktip&amacr;ta</i> demonstrates that <i>religious experience </i> (or evidence thereof) was considered central and indispensable to initiatory Shaivism throughout the medieval period. <i>&Sacute;aktip&amacr;ta </i> was requisite to receive the basic level of initiation, and in the Kaula branch of the tradition, <i>sam&amacr;ve&sacute;a</i> denoted forms of religious experience that were necessary for aspirants to demonstrate in order to receive higher-level initiations. The former term is still commonly used in many Hindu communities today to designate a "spiritual awakening" or initiatory experience that is transmitted by a qualified guru. </p><p> Part One of this work is a comprehensive overview of the nature and structure of the Shaiva religion, providing important context to what follows. Part Two studies the key terms of <i>(sam)&amacr;ve&sacute;a, &sacute;aktip&amacr;ta, </i> etc. in a) early Sanskrit literature generally, b) &Sacute;aiva scriptures, and c) the abundant exegetical literature based on those scriptures. </p>