140. Stuart Perrin

Stuart Perrin, an American spiritual master of Kundalini Yoga who has been quietly teaching small groups of students around the world for the last thirty-nine years, and is a direct disciple of Swami Rudrananda, more commonly known as Rudi. Stuart studied six years with Rudi. In 1973, Rudi died in an airplane crash and Stuart was one of three survivors. Stuart Perrin was born August 10, 1942 in the Bronx, New York. The first child and only son of Sylvia and Michael Perrin, he began his spiritual quest at the age of sixteen. Sitting at his father’s deathbed, he was shocked and awakened to a simple reality. “Why,” he asked himself, “is it the first time I’ve seen my father in such a profound state of inner peace? Why did he have to wait till the last moments of his life to be filled with so much love and serenity?” Stuart realized he’d have to find someone to train him in deep meditation practice. Stuart spent nine years looking for a master only to find him in his hometown, where he met Rudi, who trained Stuart in the fine art of deep inner work and Kundalini Yoga. Stuart’s training with Rudi was filled with profound and ancient teachings, “streetwise yoga”, humor, and more than a few swordstrokes to the ego. After four years of intense training Stuart became a teacher in Rudi’s lineage. Stuart taught meditation at Rudi’s New York City center for two years. Then Rudi asked him to teach at a newly-formed meditation center in Denton, Texas. While in Texas, Stuart started meditation programs for hungry and homeless people, for people in prison and ex-offenders, addicts and ex-addicts, the elderly, high school students, and other people in all walks of life. He also initiated devoted disciples into the mysteries of inner work, and he, in turn, created new teachers of meditation. In February 1973, Stuart and Rudi were in a plane crash in the Catskill Mountains, a plane crash that took Rudi’s life. “I never feel he is gone,” Stuart wrote of his guru. “When I wish to be with him, to learn from him, I just open my heart. He is there, sitting, smiling, sharing his teachings. The moment he died, I felt his soul pass into me.” A well-known and respected author, Stuart has published The Mystical Ferryboat (1983), Leah (1988), A Deeper Surrender: Notes on a Spiritual Life (2001), Moving On: Finding Happiness in a Changed World (2004), an essay for Kundalini Rising (2009), and most recently Rudi: The Final Moments (2011) Interview recorded 9/29/2012 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background of Stuart Perrin 00:03:27 - A Transformative Experience 00:06:19 - The Rigorous Training for Spiritual Enlightenment 00:09:44 - The Need for a Spiritual Life 00:11:46 - The Will to Have a Spiritual Life 00:14:04 - Using the Mind and Breath in Meditation 00:16:26 - Wisdom and Compassion in Tibetan Buddhist Teachings 00:18:21 - The Fire of Compassion 00:20:18 - Spiritual Teachings and Ego 00:22:03 - Awakening and Consciousness 00:23:55 - Building Consciousness in Ourselves 00:25:38 - Learning to Get Out of the Way 00:27:31 - Buddha and Shankara's Enlightenment 00:29:31 - The Twinkle in Their Eyes 00:31:23 - Transformation at Ramana Maharshi's Ashram 00:33:07 - A Life of Spiritual Experiences 00:34:33 - Meeting Rinpoche in Texas 00:36:01 - The Discipline of Tummo and the Teachings of Kala Rinpoche 00:38:00 - The Universe Sending Teachers 00:40:08 - The Need for Avatars and Teachers 00:42:21 - Individual Consideration and Practical Teaching 00:44:34 - Absorbing the teachings 00:47:49 - Rudi's Journey to Nityananda and Muktananda 00:50:36 - Profound Influence and Root Guru 00:53:05 - The Significance of Sexuality in Spirituality 00:55:50 - Mastering Energy and Meditation 00:57:57 - Cannibalism and Consuming Energy 01:00:23 - The Transformation of Suffering 01:02:23 - Finding Joy and Flow in Life