Lesson 6
IN THIS LESSON
“This is the way the Guru Shakti works. It does not generate a recourse to a system of beliefs, it absolutely does not create a new religion. It simply breathes the life of truth into you, and you are transformed. This takes place from the inside out. The quality of this touch, this knock on the door, this wake up call, is called Shaktipat. The word Shaktipat translates very beautifully as ‘descent of Grace.’”
— Mark Griffin
In this essential teaching, Mark Griffin offers a clear and powerful introduction to Shaktipat, the awakening touch of spiritual energy that comes directly from the awakened state of the Guru. Shaktipat is not a doctrine or a dogma—it is a transmission that bypasses the intellect and directly enlivens the deepest part of the seeker.
This “descent of Grace” awakens the dormant spiritual energy within you, often experienced as a sudden clarity, a deep inner stillness, or a shift in perspective. It is not something imagined or conjured—it is received, and its effects ripple throughout the architecture of the human system, initiating profound change from the inside out.
Mark teaches that Shaktipat is a natural part of the Tantric path, not reserved for the few, but available to anyone sincerely drawn to truth. In this lesson, you’ll begin to understand how spiritual energy moves, how the Guru principle functions, and how this sacred inner ignition can begin your real journey home.
Receiving Shaktipat
🧘♂️ Module 6: What Is Shaktipat?
✨ Teaching Summary
In this profound teaching, Mark Griffin demystifies the sacred and often misunderstood subject of Shaktipat—the transmission of spiritual awakening energy from guru to student.
Shaktipat is not merely symbolic or conceptual. It is a direct activation of the kundalini, the latent spiritual energy within each person, stirred awake through the will of the teacher and the receptivity of the student. Mark presents this as a living reality, not a metaphor.
He emphasizes that:
Shaktipat awakens a deep, internal process of remembrance. The soul begins to turn inward, away from its habitual identification with the external world and toward its eternal Source.
This transmission is an act of Divine Will, arising not from the ego of the teacher but from the intelligence of the Self itself. It moves with grace, precision, and inevitability.
The experience of Shaktipat isn’t always grand or dramatic. For some, it’s subtle—a shift in awareness, a softening, a sense of coming home.
As the kundalini rises, so does the need for sadhana (spiritual practice). The fire has been lit, and the student must now tend it with discipline and devotion.
Mark repeatedly returns to the triadic unity of Guru, God, and Self—three aspects of the same luminous awareness. The guru is both external and internal, ultimately merging into the Self.
Shaktipat, then, is not just an event but a turning point in the soul’s long journey back to the One. It is the beginning of a process that is unfailing, and if nurtured with the help of the teacher, can lead to liberation in a single lifetime.
🌀 Contemplation Questions
Contemplation is the means by which we can “feel” our way into the deep, existential questions of life. In this way it is a mode of “thinking” that differs from discursive fact gathering —the step-by-step means by which we assemble and organize information. While this form of knowledge gathering can be crucial to our mastery of a subject, contemplation activates the intuitive faculties of mind that lead towards insight, understanding, wisdom, and realization. Begin to observe how this ability to feel deeply into a subject differs from the more rudimentary stages of learning. Let Mark’s words move you into a space where the mind has room to integrate your own fields of deeper knowing. Towards that end each module will offer an opportunity for focused contemplation. We recommend journaling as a means to engage with these questions and to activate one’s own intuitive faculties.
Use these as daily or weekly points for deep reflection. Let them unfold within your awareness intuitively.
What part of me still seeks refuge in the external world, and how does this contribute to forgetfulness of my inner Source?
Reflect on the dynamic of "phenomenal attachment" that Mark describes. In what subtle or overt ways do you find your attention pulled outward, and what “fog” arises as a result?Have I experienced moments where the divine will seemed to override my personal will? How did it feel?
Consider how the interplay between individual will and Divine Will shapes your life’s direction. Are there times when a deeper wisdom moved through you—without planning or resistance?What does the union of Guru, God, and Self mean to me, beyond philosophy?
Explore the internalized meaning of this triad. How does it shift your perception of the Guru principle—not as something external, but as the bridge to your essential Self?What does “right action” mean in my life—and where am I resisting it?
Consider Mark’s description of Kriya and skillful means. What happens when you know the right thing to do but hesitate to act? What would alignment look like in practice?