Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati and Nataraja Guru, Varkala Gurukula 1971. Photo by Deborah Buchanan.
My name is Scott Teitsworth, and I introduce myself farther down the page. This is a continuation of my old website, still accessible: Here . Welcome to the new site. The migration is in progress. In the meantime, the old outdated website continues to be accessible, so I'm leaving it to survive as long as it may.
If you are already enamored with the wit and wisdom of Guru Nitya, I can send you a free copy of his sensational autobiography, Love and Blessings. Request one via the Contact page.
If you are already enamored with the wit and wisdom of Guru Nitya, I can send you a free copy of his sensational autobiography, Love and Blessings. Request one via the Contact page.
The site is basically a storage locker for an ocean of wisdom from the first three Gurus of the Narayana Gurukula parampara: Narayana Guru himself, and the two gents in the picture. At the Portland Gurukula, we have continued holding regular classes since the 1970s, on this tradition, and the record of them is an extensive elaboration in practical terms of the transformative significance of their insights.
I'm in the process of uploading the edited Class Notes to the site. They add recent science and personally-reported anecdotes to the original texts, and are my main body of writing, after the Gita commentary. They are best read in conjunction with the masterful books, but can stand alone as an elucidation of a most exciting philosophy, one I call Liberation Psychology for its efficacy in freeing people of burdensome habits.
I'm in the process of uploading the edited Class Notes to the site. They add recent science and personally-reported anecdotes to the original texts, and are my main body of writing, after the Gita commentary. They are best read in conjunction with the masterful books, but can stand alone as an elucidation of a most exciting philosophy, one I call Liberation Psychology for its efficacy in freeing people of burdensome habits.
For those with a science-based understanding of themselves and their world, my Guru, Nitya, was supremely brilliant at teaching Indian philosophy in accord with modern conceptions, elucidating its psychological symbolism in a highly practical form. Firmly grounded in the compassionate philosophy of Narayana Guru, it perfectly expresses the scientific spirit of self-inquiry with the goal of personal transformation. Nitya's elucidations of the complex masterworks of Narayana Guru and Nataraja Guru are both necessary and without equal. His decoding of myths and religious iconology in commonsense terms inspired all the work presented here, which is intended as a bridge to their collective genius. An excellent introduction to this unique wisdom school may be found in Nitya's testimonial, Nataraja Guru and Samadhi.
Nitya's first revelation to me, in 1970, was the profundity of the Bhagavad Gita, which we studied together for many years. Despite popular opinion, it is not a religious book but a science of consciousness. I began teaching it myself in the 1980s, and spent ten years (2005-2015) writing a detailed commentary grounded in his radical perspective, absorbed at the feet of Nataraja Guru, which you can read on this site. I now begin a new in-depth Gita class every year, which has proved to be life-changing for many. It meets via email, and begins around the winter solstice. There is no cost, and I'll keep it up as long as the interest lasts. Sign up any time, via the contact page (click More, above). No special knowledge is required, just be prepared to share your written ideas every two weeks with the rest of the class. Auditing is permitted. Here's a participant's comment:
I can't recommend this amazing opportunity enough, my friends. If you have the time and can commit, take advantage of this offer. It might change your life. - A.E.
My name is Scott Teitsworth. Along with my wife Deborah Buchanan we manage the Portland Gurukula, an offshoot of the Narayana Gurukula based in Varkala, Kerala, India. We host a weekly class on mystical philosophy and liberation psychology, in alignment with modern scientific understandings. A detailed summary of each class, which are based on the works of the Gurus above and their inspiration, Narayana Guru, is mailed out to a number of interested friends around the world. You can receive the free mailings by sending me your address and a brief story of your interest in wisdom. The summaries are eventually posted here as Class Notes.
In addition, I host online classes on the Bhagavad Gita, where participants are guided through its full depth, taking over a year to fully savor its transformative vision of Yoga. The Gurus above were expert elucidators of that magnificent work, providing a very different interpretation from the norm, in resonance with modern science and philosophy. Please get in touch if you are seriously interested. There is no charge, other than the bioelectrical charge of enthusiasm.
My Bhagavad Gita commentary is my main contribution to human welfare this life, other than making some of the works of Guru Nitya readable and available in English. Two books have been published from it, covering chapters 1 and 2 (The Path to the Guru), and 11 (Krishna in the Sky with Diamonds). All 18 chapters are available on both my sites.
Mainly I’m operating a file cabinet. I was trained by Guru Nitya in Indian philosophy, and since his death in 1999 I have been transmitting his brilliance in my everyday fashion. It’s already old-fashioned, yet I try to be clear enough that even twenty-first century humanoids can learn something valuable from what he and his gurus, Nataraja and Narayana, have to offer.
Narayana Guru, after all, was one of history’s greatest mystics, on a par with Sankara and Patanjali, who peacefully transformed an entire region of the globe from a woefully oppressed feudal state into a progressive democracy. No wonder you’ve never heard of him!
In addition, I host online classes on the Bhagavad Gita, where participants are guided through its full depth, taking over a year to fully savor its transformative vision of Yoga. The Gurus above were expert elucidators of that magnificent work, providing a very different interpretation from the norm, in resonance with modern science and philosophy. Please get in touch if you are seriously interested. There is no charge, other than the bioelectrical charge of enthusiasm.
My Bhagavad Gita commentary is my main contribution to human welfare this life, other than making some of the works of Guru Nitya readable and available in English. Two books have been published from it, covering chapters 1 and 2 (The Path to the Guru), and 11 (Krishna in the Sky with Diamonds). All 18 chapters are available on both my sites.
Mainly I’m operating a file cabinet. I was trained by Guru Nitya in Indian philosophy, and since his death in 1999 I have been transmitting his brilliance in my everyday fashion. It’s already old-fashioned, yet I try to be clear enough that even twenty-first century humanoids can learn something valuable from what he and his gurus, Nataraja and Narayana, have to offer.
Narayana Guru, after all, was one of history’s greatest mystics, on a par with Sankara and Patanjali, who peacefully transformed an entire region of the globe from a woefully oppressed feudal state into a progressive democracy. No wonder you’ve never heard of him!
Feel free to get in touch with me through the Contact page under "More," on the Navigation Bar.
