In this episode I am once again joined by Dr Chencho Dorji, Bhutan’s first psychiatrist and the Professor of Psychiatry at Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences.

Dr Dorji reveals the challenges he faced establishing modern psychiatrist in Bhutan, a culture heavily invested in a supernatural model of mental illness. He recounts stories of patients possessed by ghosts, local avatars of Shiva, reincarnations of Padmasambhava and more. 

Dr Dorji explains the role of religion and superstition in stigmatising mental illness, and considers whether shamanistic rituals and other traditional healing methods can co-exist with modern medical practices.

Dr Dorji also warns that mental illness in general, and borderline personality disorder in particular, is on the rise on Bhutan and shares his vision for a greater collaboration between modern medicine, the clergy, shamans, and Sowa Rigpa healers.

…

Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep245-padmasambhava-psychosis-dr-chencho-dorji-2

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

…

Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
01:04 - Return to Bhutan to establish psychiatry 
05:40 - Programme to train primary healthcare staff
06:18 - Advocating for community based mental health services 
10:38 - DANIDA funding and mental health survey 
12:07 - Collaboration with and educating traditional healers
13:47 - Locating and treating cases in remote communities 
18:13 - What kinds of mental illness is commonly found in Bhutan? 
19:29 - Challenges identifying depression
21:16 - The stigma of epilepsy 
22:50 - Community fear of contagion of mental illness
26:55 - Culture of taboo and about mental illness in Bhutan
29:00 - Impact of the pandemic
30:29 - Using social media to educate 
31:22 - Psychological first aid
35:09 - Why is South Asian psychology and psychology training weak?
37:41 - Mental health as a luxury for the rich
40:40 - Borderline personality disorder encounters
43:36 - Rise in cases of BPD in Bhutan
45:05 - Social changes in Bhutan causing rise in mental illness
49:10 - Chronic psychosis and social disturbance
51:26 - Lack of compassion for BPD
52:17 - Economic aspiration and the rat race 
54:36 - Overlap and clash with religious professionals 
56:21 - Buddhism and shamanism in Bhutan
58:05 - Use of rituals in healing mental illness
59:00 - Personal indifference towards Buddhism
01:00:19 - Challenges engaging with Sowa Rigpa practitioners 
01:02:39 - Educating Sowa Rigpa doctors about mental health
01:03:34 - Do traditional healing modalities have a role in modern medicine?
01:04:17 - Different kinds of monk
01:05:41 - Religious control of the population
01:07:33 - Difficulties communicating with clergy
01:09:58 - Karma and the importance of openness
01:10:56 - Navigating patients’ supernatural world views 
01:14:42 - Example of a manic patient claiming to be Guru Rinpoche
01:17:18 - Impact on families 
01:18:05 - Cases of entity possession and mass hysteria
01:24:38 - Possession by Lord Shiva 
01:29:58 - Advice for working with traditional healers and shamans
01:31:01 - Future challenges of mental health in Bhutan
01:34:41 - Explosion of mental illness, obesity, and substance abuse
01:35:43 - Neglect of the elderly
01:37:31 - A model for the third world

…

Previous episode with Dr Chencho Dorji:
- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep237-bhutans-first-psychiatrist-dr-chencho-dorji 


To find out more about Dr Chencho Dorji, visit: 
- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057403100633 

 For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep245: Padmasambhava Psychosis - Dr Chencho Dorji 2

In this interview I am once again joined by John Maki Evans, teacher of Japanese swordsmanship and several esoteric spiritual disciplines, and author of ‘Kurikara: The Sword and the Serpent’.

John discusses his time at Oxford University, his depression as a student, and why it took him years in a monastery and extensive training in Japan to undo the effects of academic study on his mind. 

John shares his insights into ‘The Subtle Art of a Cat’, a little known, centuries old Japanese text with a potent message about spiritual cultivation, true art, and complete spontaneity.

John tells the story of the text and explores its hidden meanings, including how to maintain awareness during dynamic action, access freedom and flow, and move beyond self consciousness.

John also reflects on his powerful near-death experience, the art of teaching, and how to harmonise the primal forces of Thanatos and Eros, death and desire.

…

Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep246-subtle-art-of-a-cat-john-maki-evans-2   

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

…

Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
01:09 - Getting into Oxford University
04:30 - John’s experiences at Oxford University 
07:57 - Struggles with depression
09:12 - Bad effect of Oxford on John’s mind
10:25 - Stultification and John’s personality 
11:04 - Time at the monastery and releasing inner stuckness 
13:26 - Time in Japan and developing a different personality 
17:28 - How John learned Japanese
18:43 - Study arc for reading Japanese classics 
21:19 - Gaining practice value from texts 
23:37 - Accessing the real thing
27:22 - The Subtle Art of a Cat
33:17 - The polarising ego 
35:14 - Spontaneity and beyond self consciousness
37:09 - Neti neti 
39:12 - Spontaneous action and the spiritual side of martial arts
41:35 - Freedom and flow
43:09 - Maintaining awareness and complete spontaneity
45:47 - John’s life changing near-death experience 
54:20 - Hara power, the unconscious, and the survival instinct
58:16 - True martial cultivation
01:00:06 - Common mistakes and hurting oneself
01:04:11 - Complete body-mind participation 
01:05:43 - Evaluating quality of movement and being
01:07:46 - Duende and art 
01:09:18 - England and the old white male
01:10:24 - Learning to be with Thanatos and Eros 
01:12:39 - The Gate of Killing and Death
01:15:39 - Harmonising intuition and manipulation
01:16:16 - Egotism in the martial arts 
01:18:00 - Becoming exposed and the art of teaching
01:21:39 - Letting go of feeling good

…

Previous episode with John Maki Evans:
- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep231-esoteric-arts-of-japan-john-maki-evans 

To find out more about John Maki Evans, visit:
- https://www.battodo-fudokan.co.uk/ 

Read ‘The Subtle Art of a Cat’
- https://terebess.hu/zen/neko.pdf 
…
 For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep246: Subtle Art of a Cat - John Maki Evans 2

In this episode I am join by Steve Donoghue, writer, nationally published book critic, and popular Youtuber. 

Steve details his remarkable daily routine in which he sleeps 90 minutes a night and devotes vast amounts of time to reading and writing. He recalls his Jesuit education and reveals the intellectual doctrines at the heart of the religious order famed for its rigour and learning.

Steve reflects on the healing power of high states of concentration, the art of memory and how to train it, and considers the threats posed to human attention by social media and smartphones. Steve considers strategies for more effective reading, how to grapple with difficult texts, and how to engage in criticism without losing appreciation.

Steve also offers his views on religion, shares his fasciation for religious writing, and expresses his passion for the Gospel of Luke and the works of Erasmus and St Augustine.

…

Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep247-a-life-in-reading-steve-donoghue

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

…

Topics include:


00:00 - Intro
01:03 - Background and career in book reviewing
03:54 - A Jesuit education 
06:28 - The brain is a muscle 
09:50 - Learning and reading Ancient Greek and Latin
13:15 - A breakthrough moment in Latin
15:48 - Steve’s favourite Latin authors 
18:06 - Common misunderstandings about memorisation
20:06 - What is the point of memorisation?
21:46 - Can memory be trained?
23:22 - Memory palaces and other ancient memory techniques
25:51 - Advice for those who wish to improve memory
27:01 - 21st century attacks on human attention
28:29 - A simple test of concentration
32:00 - The healing power of concentration
33:26 - People don’t know what they’re missing
37:18 - Experiences of transcendence and intrinsic reward
38:47 - The value of boredom and rest 
42:00 - Meditation as rest taken too far?
44:02 - Generational changes in attention 
46:08 - Meditation as attention training 
47:00 - Steve’s amazing sleep and reading schedule
52:39 - Sleeping 90 minutes a night
55:19 - The joy of starting a new book
57:20 - Grappling with a text
59:27 - Sub-vocalising slows you down
01:03:32 - Difficulties in discussion religion
01:04:36 - Steve’s view on religion 
01:06:00 - Steve’s admiration for religious people
01:11:37 - Steve’s fascination with religious writing and texts 
01:14:52 - Philosophers are priests
01:15:29 - Faith based on texts?
01:17:07 - The danger of criticism without appreciation
01:22:07 - Reluctance to examine scripture
01:23:01 - Cynical critics 
01:24:28 - A Christian meme of losing one’s faith
01:30:36 - The thrill of engaging with religious texts even without belief 
01:32:37 - Following the thread 
01:33:05 - The Gospel of Luke
01:34:10 - Steve’s love for St Augustine and Erasus
01:36:36 - Luke vs the other Gospels
01:38:25 - St Augustine’s Confessions 
01:40:40 - In Praise of Folly and mocking religious hypocrisy 
01:45:40 - Concluding remarks on faith and religion 

…

To find out more about Steve Donoghue, visit:
- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1B9FfvVLRt8s6scUa79oag
- https://www.stevedonoghue.com/ 

…
 For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep247: A Life in Reading - Steve Donoghue

In this episode I am joined by Dr James Justin Sledge, a professor of philosophy and religion specialising in the Western Esoteric tradition and founder of the popular Esoterica Youtube channel.

Dr Sledge recounts how his working class upbringing profoundly influenced both his view of academia and his work ethic within it. He recounts his early fascination with philosophers and mystics, and recalls his studies in religion, philosophy, and the occult.

Dr Sledge discusses the importance of language learning in academic study of religion and shares his own practical strategies for achieving competency in several ancient and modern languages including Latin, Hebrew, German, French, Akkadian, and more. 

Dr Sledge also shares his views on education, diagnoses its problems and offers solutions, gives advice to the self-learner, and reveals his surprising view on whether attaining enlightenment is worth the effort. 

…

Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep248-esoterica-academia-dr-justin-sledge

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

…

Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
01:07 - Working class upbringing in Misissipi
03:03 - Limited access to education 
04:13 - Exploitation in academia 
05:20 - Fascination with Aristotle 
08:55 - Accidentally entering college
11:28 - Dr Sledge’s experience in college
12:58 - Double majoring in religious studies and philosophy while working full time
1408 - Studying Western Esotericism in Amsterdam, Holland
15:44 - Bad reputation of Western Esotericism in academia
18:07 - Lessons learned studying in Amsterdam
20:37 - Distaste of punching down
21:44 - Surprising difference between USA and European education 
24:47 - Toxicity in American academia 
25:57 - How should we educate ourselves?
28:42 - Intellectual aristocracy or a cartel?
29:50 - Educating through Youtube
31:47 - How would Dr Sledge fix the American education system?
34:42 - The importance for scholars to read French and German 
37:28 - Learning Latin and Hebrew, reading the Bible in the original language 
39:50 - How to learn ancient languages
41:56 - Philology and the dirty secret of The Key of Solomon 
43:56 - Copying out texts and scrolls 
46:46 - Dr Sledge shows scrolls he has copied by hand
49:59 - Dr Sledge’s highly structured work and study life
58:24 - Common mistakes when learning Latin and other languages
01:01:21 - Pedagogical data and living Latin
01:05:48 - Dr Sledge’s advice for young students who wish to go to University
01:06:56 - Advice for the autodidacts 
01:09:54 - The importance of education
01:13:30 - Why Dr Sledge doesn’t want to become enlightened 
01:15:10 - The horror of heaven 
01:16:15 - How Dr Sledge wants to die 
01:16:47 - Enlightenment isn’t worth it

…

To find out more about Dr Justin Sledge, visit:
- https://www.justinsledge.com/
- https://www.youtube.com/@TheEsotericaChannel 

…
 For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep248: Esoterica & Academia - Dr Justin Sledge

In this interview I am once again joined by Lama Glenn Mullin, spiritual teacher, Tibetologist, and author of over 30 books on Buddhism.

Glenn discusses the mysterious Kālacakra ‘Wheel of Time’ Tantra, exploring its history, and uncovers its unique esoteric characteristics,

Glenn recounts his own connection to the Kālacakra tantra, including his memories of the Dalai Lama’s first ever public Kālacakra empowerment given to hundreds of thousands of people in Bodhgaya, and discusses the surprising pros and cons of mass public initiations.

Glenn reveals the subtle body yogas of the Kālacakra, compares its methods to other highest yoga tantras such as Cakrasaṃvara and Guhyasamāja, and considers the Kālacakra prophecies of Śambhala and a coming age of darkness over the world.

…

Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep249-kalachakra-tantra-lama-glenn-mullin  

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

…

Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
00:56 - Kālacakra
03:01 - Glenn’s history with the Kālacakra
04:25 - Dalai Lama’s first public Kālacakra empowerment
08:18 - Coney Island of the mind
08:49 - Blavatsky and Theosophical Society’s interest in Kālacakra and Śambhala
10:25 - Dreams and other signs during tantric empowerment
14:24 - Why give public tantric empowerments?
15:35 - Outer, Inner, and Secret levels 
18:14 - Exclusively secret traditions 
18:38 - History of public Kālacakra empowerments
20:06 - Tantric vows 
21:07 - Śambhala prophecies and the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra
23:48 - Today’s signs of fulfilment of prophecy 
26:30 - Origin of Kālacakra in the Buddha’s teaching career
32:42 - Time capsule wisdom teachings 
35:09 - Highest Yoga Tantra’s characteristics 
36:29 - Cross-fertilisation with Himalayan shamanism 
37:30 - Later ways of categorising tantric systems 
40:20 - Unique and common aspects of the Kālacakra yogas
42:30 - 7 initiations of entering like a child
46:48 - Kālacakra completion stage  
48:18 - Subtle body yogas and rainbow body
53:35 - Misunderstandings about Śambhala
55:15 - A century of Russian interest in Kālacakra
01:00:27 - Limits of Helena Blavatsky’s understanding 
01:01:38 - Blavatsky’s world legacy 
01:06:50 - Why is Kālacakra so little practiced?
01:15:10 - How to receive teachings from Glenn

…

Previous episodes with Lama Glenn Mullin:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=glenn%20mullin 
 To find out more about Lama Glenn Mullin, visit:
- http://www.glennmullin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Maitripa.Glenn
 …

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep249: Kalachakra Tantra - Lama Glenn Mullin

In this interview I am joined by Dr Willoughby Britton, an Associate Professor at Brown University, the Director of Brown’s Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, and founder of Cheetah House which provides support to those experiencing meditation-related difficulties.

Dr Britton recounts her unusual childhood interest in consciousness, why a friend’s suicide drove her to meditation, and how a psychedelic peak experience changed her view of the world.

Dr Britton considers the overlaps between spiritual experience and mental illness, why deconstructing the sense of self in search of enlightenment can lead to lasting psychological damage, and questions if experiences of fear are a necessary part of the meditative path.

Dr Britton also covers the neurobiology of attention, reveals the hidden religious messaging woven into mindfulness techniques such as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and shares how she deals with the negative responses from meditation enthusiasts towards her work.   

…

Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep250-when-meditation-goes-wrong-dr-willoughby-britton  

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

…

Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
01:15 - Dr Britton’s upbringing and early interest in consciousness
03:58 - Friend’s suicide and a life crisis 
05:02 - Powerful high dose psychedelic experiences
08:46 - Influence of peak experiences 
09:28 - Operative mechanism of Dr Britton’s epiphany
11:04 - Is redefinition of the self necessary for awakening?
11:50 - What is the ‘self’?
13:31 - A caveat
14:19 - Many possible modifications to the sense of self and identity
18:18 - What do Buddhists really mean when they talk about no-self?
19:01 - Surprising disagreement between Buddhist sects 
19:48 - Lack on consensus about the end goal in Buddhism
20:47 - Awakening or mental illness?
24:01 - Cultural differences in what constitutes mental health
24:58 - Cultural influences and personal goals 
26:39 - When meditation goes wrong
28:35 - When no-self experiences lead to negative outcomes 
30:46 - The importance of connection 
32:14 - Strategic ambiguity of enlightenment
34:34 - The enlightenment fantasy
35:23 - Absorbing a world view from meditation instructions 
36:31 - How to assess your meditation practice
39:04 - Stealth Buddhism
40:31 - Hidden frames of meditation techniques 
41:37 - Metaphysics of MBSR 
45:18 - Market forces and religion as product
47:50 - Negative reactions to Dr Britton’s work
51:48 - Does Dr Britton’s work threaten meditators?
54:39 - Nasty emails and internet comments
56:08 - Is Dr Britton upset by the negativity?
57:31 - What is the goal of Dr Britton’s work?
59:51 - Why look for problems?
01:01:07 - How often do meditation related problems happen?
01:03:03 - Founding Cheetah House to help meditators in crisis 
01:04:29 - Is fear necessary on the spiritual path?
01:06:20 - The neurobiology of attention
01:07:43 - Attention and arousal 
0110:12 - The phenomenology and meaning of fear in Buddhist meditation
01:11:46 - Is fear part of the path?
01:13:10 - Buddhism doesn’t have its story straight
01:14:30 - The desire for a comprehensive world view 

…

To find out more about Dr Willoughby Britton, visit:
- https://www.cheetahhouse.org/
- https://www.brown.edu/public-health/mindfulness/people/willoughby-britton-phd
 …

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep250: When Meditation Goes Wrong - Dr Willoughby Britton

In this episode I am once again joined by Mattias Daly, Taoist practitioner and translator of ‘Taoist Inner Alchemy’, published by Shambala.

Mattias recounts the unusual circumstances that saw him travel to a remote monastery to meet Abbess Liu Yuanhui, under whom he would begin intensive training in meditation.

Mattias discusses Taoist meditation and its relationship to magical powers, psychic abilities, and other unusual meditation experiences.

Mattias then pulls back the veil to reveal the history and evolution of Taoist inner alchemy, referencing classical texts to contextualise and explain the Golden Elixir, differing ideas of the goal of alchemy, and the various ways in which the practice was undertaken.

…

Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep251-taoist-inner-alchemy-mattias-daly-2

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. 
…

Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
00:54 - Meeting Abbess Liu Yuanhui 
03:23 - Recruited to rescue a wealthy son 
08:10 - Miraculous cure through Buddhist ritual 
11:38 - First visit to Abbess Liu’s monastery 
13:05 - Initial intensive training with Abbess Liu
16:19 - Attachment to unusual meditation experiences 
19:05 - Siddhi and magical power in Taoism 
24:00 - Influence of Kung Fu novels 
26:06 - Ge Guolong’s commentary Huang Yuanji’s The Oral Record of the Hall of Joyous Teaching 
30:30 - History and evolution of Taoist inner alchemy 
34:58 - Sexual interpretations of Taoist inner alchemy
36:30 - Disagreement about the goal of inner alchemy
39:29 - What about physical immortality?
42:08 - Mechanism of alchemy
45:43 - The Nameless Master and physical secretions
48:26 - Text alteration and philological considerations
52:02 - Achieving the Goku moment
52:53 - Why close reading of classical texts is a necessity for practitioners
56:34 - How to read early texts 
58:24 - Is facility in Classical Chinese necessary?
01:00:50 - What is the Golden Elixir?
01:03:48 - Mattias shares some of his translations about Golden Elixir 
01:06:07 - Decoding alchemical symbols and metaphors 
01:10:08 - Confusion about sex 
01:12:09 - How to go about practicing?

…

Watch the previous episode with Mattias Daly:
- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep244-taoist-adventures-mattias-daly  
- 

To find our more about Mattias Daly, visit:
- https://www.shambhala.com/authors/a-f/mattias-daly.html 

…

 For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
 - www.guruviking.com 

…

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep251: Taoist Inner Alchemy - Mattias Daly 2

In this episode I host a dialogue between Dr Chencho Dorji, Bhutan’s first psychiatrist and the Professor of Psychiatry at Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences, and Dr Caroline Van Damme, an adult psychiatrist and family and systemic psychotherapist specialising in chronic psychotic disorders.

Drs Dorji and Van Damme dialogue about their experiences as psychiatrists in very different countries, Bhutan and Belgium. They compare their experiences treating religious psychosis in which patients believe they are Jesus or Padmasambhava, address mental health stigma, and examine the interaction of supernatural beliefs such as spirit possession with modern psychiatry. 

The Drs discuss the emerging mental health laws in Bhutan, including forced treatment laws, innovative treatment models, and pressures from pharmaceutical companies.

The Drs also consider the pros and cons of religion to both society and the individual, examine three levels of Bhutanese Buddhism, and reflect on the dire consequences of the death of Christianity in Europe.

…

Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep252-religion-psychiatry-dr-chencho-dorji-dr-caroline-van-damme

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

…

Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
01:16 - How they met
03:44 - Dr Chencho’s visit to the Night Hospital in Belgium
05:12 - Dr Chencho’s side of the story
06:07 - Fascination with the ‘Night Hospital’ model
08:33 - Sharing models between countries
09:39 - Not trying to cure
12:36 - Mental health challenges in developed vs developing countries
15:04 - Psychiatry is a simple science
17:26 - Negligence of psychotic patients
19:01 - Stigma around mental illness 
23:03 - Pressure from pharmaceutical companies
25:53 - Mental health laws in Bhutan
30:17 - Forced treatment laws in Belgium  
39:15 - Complications of supernatural beliefs in Bhutan
41:28 - Getting the family on side
45:02 - Anti-psychiatry beliefs
46:57 - Psychosis or spirit possession?
49:25 - Dangers of marijuana
55:38 - Padmasambhava’s proscription against smoking
58:00 - Religion at societal and personal level
59:47 - Religious psychosis 
01:01:23 - 3 levels of Buddhism 
01:02:27 - Pros and cons of religious belief
01:06:25 - Treating psychotic Padmasambhavas 
01:08:06 - Patients who hear God
01:11:00 - Fading of Christianity in Europe
01:13:03 - Spiritual void and fading of religion in Bhutan
01:13:55 - Today’s Buddhist monks’ failings
01:16:00 - Learning from the fall of European religion
01:21:17 - Science vs religion
01:22:05 - Spiritual void and suicide
01:24:04 - Is religion needed?
01:26:38 - Lack of priests
01:29:40 - Uniqueness of psychiatry 
01:31:25 - Reflections on inter-cultural collaboration
01:33:53 - Dr Caroline praises Dr Chencho’s accomplishments

…

Previous episodes with Dr Chencho Dorji:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=chencho 

Previous episode with Dr Caroline Van Damme:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=damme 


To find out more about Dr Chencho Dorji, visit: 
- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057403100633 

To find out more about Dr Van Damme, visit:
- https://www.sowarigpainstitute.org/dr-caroline-van-damme 

…

 For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- https://www.guruviking.com 

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep252: Religion & Psychiatry - Dr Chencho Dorji & Dr Caroline Van Damme

In this episode I am once again joined by Leigh Brasington, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of ‘Right Concentration, A Practical Guide to the Jhanas’.

Leigh discusses his latest book, ‘Gradual Training: The Buddha’s Step-by-Step Guide for Awakening’, in which Leigh lays a 13 step training which culminates in enlightenment.

Leigh explains the scriptural origins of this formulation, why it is so crucial for meditation success, and speculates as to why it is so rarely taught by Buddhist teachers in America.

Leigh also emphasises the importance of moral precepts, wrestles with contradictions in the Buddhist scriptures, considers how the scriptures have been altered over the centuries, and reveals his opinion of Buddhist claims to psychic powers. 

…

Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep253-the-buddhist-path-leigh-brasington

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

…

Topics Include:

00:00 - Intro 
00:53 - Leigh’s latest book
02:09 - A life changing meditation encounter
03:00 - The gradual training
05:05 - Training in insight practice under Ayya Khema
05:49 - Leigh’s insight journey
07:31 - Why isn’t gradual training taught in Western Buddhism? 
07:55 - Buddhist teacher schtick 
09:00 - People don’t teach the suttas
09:47 - 13 steps to awakening
12:23 - Origin and evolution of the 13-step Gradual Training
13:23 - The Buddhist scriptures have been tampered with
15:23 - Evolution of the doctrine of 12 links of dependent origination
16:34 - Philological implications 
17:51  - Did the Buddha have supernatural powers? 
21:59 - Contradictions in Buddhist scripture
24:11 - Early vs late suttas 
26:20 - When were the suttas composed?
29:39 - When was the gradual training devised?
31:11 - Gradual training vs Lamrim 
32:35 - Fruits of the spiritual life
36:38 - Keeping the precepts
40:08 - Guarding the senses 
42:41 - Mindfulness and clear comprehension 
44:47 - Contentment with little
47:04 - Overcoming hinderances 
49:12 - Are psychic powers real?
50:14 - Meditation or morality?
54:13 - Consequences of skipping ethics
58:05 - Do the precepts spoil the fun of life?
01:01:19 - What makes practice life changing?
01:02:36 - Enjoyment without attachment
01:04:17 - The power of motivation to change habits
01:06:19 - How Leigh gave up pot and sweets
01:08:19 - How to do insight practice 
01:09:08 - Future writing projects 
01:13:30 - Why Leigh publishes his books for free

…

Previous episodes with Leigh Brasington:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=brasington 

To find our more about Leigh Brasington visit:
- http://www.leighb.com/ 

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- https://www.guruviking.com 
	

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep253: The Buddhist Path - Leigh Brasington

In this episode I am joined by Jason Miller, occultist, author, and teacher of magick.

Jason shares his explorations in Tibetan Buddhism, including life changing encounters with Lama Vajranatha and famed ngakpa Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche. Jason recalls his months spent in Nepal during which he received esoteric empowerments, conducted cave and charnel ground practice, and refused the offer of discipleship under a spiritual master.

Jason also discusses encountering the goddess Hekate and beginning to teach a magickal system associated with her. Jason compares Western ritual magick to the tantric sorcery of the Himalayas, and considers the role of natural talent in spiritual accomplishment.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep254-adventures-in-vajrayana-jason-miller

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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Topics Include:

00:00 - Intro
00:53 - Meeting Lama Vajranatha 
04:27 - Experiments in Voodoo and psychedelic insights
07:23 - Beginning studies in Buddhism
10:31 - Travel to Nepal and meeting Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche
14:12 - Cave practice of Vajrakilaya 
16:38 - Refusing Kunzang Dorje’s offer of traditional training
20:01 - Charnel ground practice and introduction to the nature of mind
22:37 - Realising rigpa 
23:56 - Memories of empowerments in Nepal
30:30 - Powerful encounter with Hekate 
36:26 - Choosing Western Magick over Tibetan Buddhism
37:37 - Communication with Hekate 
40:53 - Grimoire culture of the early 2000s
42:45 - Beginning to teach the Hecate system
44:01 -Success of the Sorcery of Hekate online courses
45:56 - Why collect Buddhist empowerments?
49:19 - Illusory body and connections between systems 
51:00 - Empowerments and further adventures in Nepal
57:01 - Himalayan vs Western Magick
59:17 - The truest wizard Jason has ever met
01:01:22 - What makes a powerful wizard?
01:02:46 - Old vs new systems 
01:09:08 - Are some people supernaturally or spiritually gifted?
01:18:34 - Spiritual duds 
01:19:41 - Senders vs receivers
01:20:17 - How to relate to spiritual experiences 
01:23:11 - Astral projection and guitar playing 
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Previous episode with Jason Miller:
- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep235-strategic-sorcery-jason-miller 

To find out more about Jason Miller, visit:
- https://strategicsorcery.net/ 

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- https://www.guruviking.com 
	

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep254: Adventures in Vajrayana - Jason Miller 2

In this episode I am joined by John Yates, PhD, aka Culadasa.

Culadasa is a meditation master with more than four decades of experience in the Tibetan and Theravadin Buddhist traditions. A former professor, he taught physiology and neuroscience for many years, and later worked in the field of complementary and alternative medicine. 

His book ‘The Mind Illuminated’ has been described as ‘a rare and valuable treasure’ and has been enormously popular among dedicated meditators for it’s incredible clarity and usability even to very advanced stages of practice. 

In this interview we talk about how Culdasa’s traumatic upbringing led to him to being homeless on the streets at 15 years old and why even years in Catholic seminary didn’t provide the answers he was looking for. We discuss his initially frustrated attempts at meditation practice, the colourful cast of characters of his teachers, and the one key discovery changed everything. 


- Culadasa’s traumatic upbringing
- Running away from home at 15 and the search for truth 
- Entering Catholic seminary in search of the truth
- Experiments with psychedelics in the 60s 
- Early attempts at meditation and learning Transcendental Meditation
- Discovering Buddhism 
- What was lacking in the seminary
- Doctrinal disagreements with Catholicism
- Virtuoso Buddhism vs village Buddhism
- Living on the streets and recovering from a traumatic childhood 
- Achieving a PhD with no high school education 
- Glimpses of emptiness 
- Meeting Upasaka Kema Ananda in Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Encountering Namgyal Rinpoche (aka George Dawson)
- Blending Kagyu and Theravadan practice
- Struggles with the Mahasi meditation technique
- Introduction to shamata (calm-abiding) practice 
- Common misunderstandings about shamata 
- Key distinctions about attention and awareness
- Revisiting Mahasi-style meditation
- Stages of samadhi
- Culadasa’s personal journey of insight 
- How Culadasa attained stream entry
- Falling away from meditation and taking up shamanism 
- Further path attainments
- Second path practice and meditation on mind states
- Craving and dissatisfaction 
- Mara I have seen you!
- The mechanics of path attainments 
- The two edged sword of the human mind 
- Developing compassion 
- Waking up, cleaning up, and growing up
- Implications of facing death

For the video version of this interview visit: https://youtu.be/roTWZ9GcBMY

To find our more about Culadasa, visit: https://dharmatreasure.org/

For more interviews, videos, and more visit: www.guruviking.com

Music 'Deva Dasi' by Steve James

Ep13 Culadasa - Guru Viking Interviews

The Guru Viking Podcast specializes in in-depth interviews with remarkable figures in the world of meditation, spirituality, and self development.

Steve travels internationally teaching somatic practices and meditation, and leads explorations in contemplative, mystic, & relational realms.

Ep13 Culadasa - Guru Viking Interviews

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