Guru Viking Interview Series

In this episode I am joined by Lorna Byrne, spiritual teacher and best selling author of “Angels in my Hair”.

Lorna describes her childhood in Ireland when she first began to see and interact with angels and souls of the dead, and recalls how she navigated these visionary experiences.  

Lorna discusses the different types of angels that she sees, as well as other beings such as souls of the deceased, land spirits, elementals and more, and how others might learn to see as she does.

Lorna also reflects on feeling the energy of a place; her lifelong experience of being different to others; unusual reactions people have towards her; and the importance of love, hope, and compassion. 

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep301-angels-in-my-hair-lorna-byrne
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Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
00:52 - Growing up different 
04:17 - Learning from angels
05:27 - Be your unique self
06:36 - Seeing angels physically 
07:50 - Holding things back and confusion about mankind
09:07 - Consulted by clerics, theologians, and academics 
10:04 - Is God real?
11:32 - Responses from people all over the world
13:02 - Deep interactions with strangers 
15:20 - Lorna’s view of human beings
16:39 - Can anyone see angels and spirits?
19:10 - Being open to new knowledge
21:39 - Intertwining of the human body and soul
23:43 - Everything is possible
25:57 - Has Lorna met others who can see angels?
28:32 - People who pretend to see spirits for money
39:37 - Feeling the energy of a place
30:35 - Local traditions, land spirits, and the range of beings Lorna encounters
35:59 - How to see spirits 
37:53 - The Spirit of the Water
39:52 - Everything has energy
41:51 - Angel at the Centre of the Earth
43:25 - Detecting the influence of Satan
45:59 - A story of boy soldiers
49:06 - Cycles of abuse
50:12 - Thoughts about the future of mankind
52:50 - Love, hope, and compassion
54:43 - Lorna’s retreat centre, Sanctuary
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Find our more about Lorna Byrne:
- https://lornabyrne.com/
- 
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For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- https://www.guruviking.com 

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep301: Angels in my Hair - Lorna Byrne

In this episode I host a dialogue between Stephen Snyder, meditation teacher and author, and Mark Mininberg, Zen master and dharma heir to Bernie Glassman. 

Stephen and Mark discuss their new podcast interview series, “Anatomy of Awakening”, in which they engage in peer-to-peer trialogue with other teachers of enlightenment.

Stephen and Mark reveal why they chose the  teachers they have featured, the degree to which various claims to spiritual attainment played a part in their selection, and how they navigated conversations with teachers from other Buddhist sects.

Stephen and Mark reflect on the increase in meditation teachers who claim spiritual awakening, recall their own trainings in Zen communities in which discussion of enlightenment was taboo, and emphasise the need for rigorous training under an experienced guide.

Stephen and Mark also warn about teachers who overestimate their abilities, offer suggestions to aspiring gurus, and emphasis the whole body commitment required to truly attain Buddhist awakening.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep308-anatomy-of-awakening-stephen-snyder-mark-mininberg

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

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Topics include: 


00:00 - Intro 
01:12 - Anatomy of Awakening
03:12 - How did Stephen and Mark decide which teachers to interview?
05:43 - Are these teachers enlightened?
06:13 - Enlightenment doesn’t belong to anybody
07:36 - A synergy of awakening
08:21 - How can you even tell if someone is enlightened?
09:46 - Teachers who promote themselves as teaching awakening
10:16 - No teacher is flawless
10:56 - The danger of speaking openly about awakening
12:14 - Buddhism and awakening traditions are evolving in the West
14:54 - Why are more teachers claiming enlightenment?
16:29 - Changes in American Buddhism and the New Age since the 70s
18:15 - The lost virtue of humility
19:50 The Absolute awakens to Itself
20:49 - Going public with ones’s awakening
22:59 - Holding this life in reverence
24:05 - Signs of a mature practice
26:02 - Becoming a meditation teacher
28:11 - The true job of a teacher
30:47 - Teachers should not overestimate their level
34:35 - Ways to know you are in too deep as a teacher
35:45 - Teachers need teachers
37:50 - Is there any substitute for a 1-1 relationship with a teacher
39:54 - Humility and the truth a spouse sees
41:04 - People assume their teacher is perfect 
41:47 - Mark’s conservative Zen training
43:00 - Customer services spirituality
45:08 - Holding a teacher in reverence
47:13 - The pitfalls of leadership by committee
49:51 - Awakening is a whole body commitment
54:29 - Surprises when meeting enlightenment teachers
57:20 - Peer to peer trialogues
58:12 - How to find the interview series
59:24 - Host and guest
01:00:14 - Praise for the Guru Viking Podcast 

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Previous episodes with Stephen Snyder:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=snyder 

To purchase Anatomy of Awakening visit:
- https://awakeningdharma.org/anatomy-of-awakening/ 

GV Podcast receives no affiliate commission from your purchase.

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

…

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep308: Anatomy of Awakening - Stephen Snyder & Mark Mininberg (Bonus Episode)

In this episode I am joined by Johan Hausen, Taoist teacher, translator, Chinese medicine practitioner, and founder of Purple Cloud Press.

Johan shares his life story from years of competitive Tae Kwon Do, through his travels and travails in China in search of a master, and to his eventual training and discipleship in the Wu Dang mountains.

Johan reflects on his years learning Classical and spoken Chinese, considers the challenges of translating ancient literature for modern readers, and reveals the unique metaphors and analogies used in textual descriptions of Internal Alchemy.

Johan also describes the Taoist quest for immortality, explains his research into the dantien and the mineralogy of cinnabar, and recounts stories of his own encounters with spiritually advanced beings.

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

...

Topics Include:

00:00 - Intro
00:57 - Admiration for Mattias Daly
02:56 - Learning Chinese to better learn Taoism 
04:53 - How Johan learned Classical vs Spoken Chinese
08:11 - Language is about communication 
08:47 - Should we consult living masters about textual translation problems?
10:24 - Metaphors and analogies used in Internal Alchemy
12:53 - Why are there different ideas about the dantian?
14:12 - Is the dantian constructed or inherent?
16:12 - Elixir fields?
17:37 - Johan’s research on the mineralogy of cinnabar using Chinese texts
18:04 - The old alchemists’ surprisingly good understanding of organic chemistry
20:56 - Johan’s childhood and training in Tae Kwon Do
22:47 - Johan’s competitive Tae Kwon Do career of over 100 fights
25:18 - Injury and travel to China for healing
26:24 - Travelling to China at 20 years old to train Shaolin kung fu
28:48 0 Training methods of Shaolin kung fu
30:35 - Demystifying the myths of Shaolin training
33:08 - Recovery routine
34:26 - Illness and leaving China
36:15 - Returning to Germany and feelings of failure
37:47 - Leaving a film course in London to train in the Wu Dang mountains
40:32 - Meeting Li Shifu at the Five Immortals Temple 
41:54 - Curriculum at the Five Immortals Temple
43:08 - Studying acupuncture and dedication to learning
44:19 - Years of study under Li Shifu and joining the lineage 
47:26 - Struggles with being treated as a foreigner in China
50:50 - Growing resentment and leaving China
55:26 - Johan’s Dragon Gate Lineage
56:28 - The quest for immortality
58:53 - Details about Taoist Immortals
01:00:34 - Difficulty of becoming an Immortal
01:02:10 - Consolation prize if you fail to achieve immortality
01:03:38 - Ethical rules of the Dragon Gate Lineage
01:04:59 - A typical daily practice routine
01:06:47 - Singing the scriptures to communicate to spirits 
01:09:26 - Taoist patron spirit of Wudang 
01:14:45 - The remarkable qualities of Li Shifu 
01:15:52 - Praise is bad in traditional Chinese teaching
01:17:05 - Is Li Shifu an Immortal?
01:18:02 - Johan’s reverence for his teacher
01:19:29 - Explaining culture clashes to Lif Shifu 
01:20:33 - Is charisma and spiritual power inherent or cultivated?
01:24:45 - Li Shifu does not have attained disciples
01:26:05 - Is it really possible to achieve success in Taoism, or is it mostly just natural talent?
01:33:11 - Using gifted practitioners as inspiration 
01:34:18 - Purple Cloud Press 
01:35:56 - Johan’s goal to create community and preserve texts 
01:37:09 - Search for location and funds 
To find out more about Johan Hausen, visit:
- https://purplecloudinstitute.com/about-us/who-we-are-2/ 

…

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

…

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep312: Disciple of Wu Dang - Johan Hausen

This trialogue continues a series of discussion exploring the latest interdisciplinary research into tantric completion stage practices such as yogas of dream, sleep, and death.

Dr Tawni Tidwell is a biocultural anthropologist and doctor of traditional Tibetan medicine. 

Dr Michael Sheehy is the Director of Research at the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia.

Dr Julian Schott is an Indologist, Tibetologist, and assistant professor at the University of Vienna. 

Dr Tidwell leads a deep-dive into the mysterious death practices of tantric yoga, the post-mortem state of suspended animation called tukdam, and the history of scientific investigation into these phenomena.

Dr Sheehy explores the implications of tantric death practices on current scientific models of the body, Dr Schott reflects on Buddhist vs Cartesian notions of consciousness, and Dr Tidwell explains the cultural sensitivities of working with Himalayan gurus.

The panel also discuss the importance of osel - clear light awareness - in completion stage practices, the relationship between nonduality and transformation, and consider new research directions on the cutting edge of contemplative neuroscience. 


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

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01:37 - Recap previously discussed themes
02:30 - Research in tukdam and yogic dying 
05:17 - Researching dying spiritual masters
09:27 - Recruiting Tibetan monastics
10:33 - Cultural dynamics around studying tukdam 
12:32 - Early phases & baseline measures 
13:23 - Collaboration with the Russian Academy of Science 
14:39 - What could tukdam contribute to science?
15:52 - American mortician shocked
18:40 - Biological aspects of tukdam
20:53 - Funding and reliance on Russian equipment
22:14 - What happens to the body after death
23:25 - Tukdam documentary
25:39 - Future direction for the project
27:15 - Skepticism about the project and growing body of evidence
30:45 - Siloed scientific disciples
31:22 - Catholic saints and attained mystics from other traditions	
32:16 - Fundraising 
33:05 - New learnings about the body and reflections on the Self
34:17 - The death process as a series of dissolutions
37:22 - Tracking heat, oxygenation, fluid movement, and visual imagery
44:27 - Buddhist vs Cartesian notions of consciousness 
46:56 - Different tukdam methods across lineages 
49:18 - Evan Thompson's theories of consciousness 
51:24 - We can die in different ways 
54:56 - Methodologically rich ways to attain wisdom
57:41 - The soteriological essence of Buddhism
01:01:35 - Human transformation and experiences of the edge
01:04:02 - Exaltation  
01:05:03 - How do tantric techniques lead to tukdam?
01:09:04 - Tummo & vajra recitation to control subtle energies
01:10:41 - Dream, orgasm, and death
01:13:26 - Tukdam is counter-rational and challenges scientific reductionism
01:17:28 - The personal impact of witnessing tukdam
01:19:38 - Tantra is radical
01:20:38 - Julian quotes the Hevajra Tantra 
01:22:40 - Can tukdam candidates be studied before death?
01:25:40 - Aggregate or sudden?
01:27:25 - Understanding osel, nondual awareness, and NDE
01:30:08 - Clear light sleep
01:33:04 - Challenging reductionistic paradigms
01:35:11 - The importance of nondual awareness 
01:37:53 - Sentience and yeshe 
01:41:44 - Exalted form in co-creation with consciousness
01:43:31 - Steve comments on scientific reductionist materialism
01:44:19 - What measurements has the project recorded?
01:47:04 - Julian’s closing remarks
01:47:31 - Tawni’s closing remarks 
01:48:57 - Michael’s closing remarks 

Previous panel discussion:
- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep305-neuroscience-of-dream-yoga-dr-michael-sheehy-dr-tawni-tidwell-dr-julian-schott

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

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep311: Neuroscience of Yogic Death Practice - Dr Tawni Tidwell, Dr Michael Sheehy, Julian Schott

In this episode I am once again joined by Mary Shutan: author, occultist, and spiritual teacher. 

Mary explains her activities as a modern spirit worker, reveals how to form and maintain working relationships with spirits, details the difference between spirit pacts and contracts, and warns about the unintended consequences of making deals with unknown beings.

Mary explores the problems associated with using the word “shaman”, offers a critique of modern shamanism training courses, and explains why many people who pursue shamanism would be better suited to a religious orientation to animism.

Mary also reveals her own aborted attempt at the infamous Abramelin ritual, details the resultant fallout and years of recovery, and reflects on the impact of magickal practice on mental and physical health.

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Full episode link in bio.

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

01:00 - What is a modern spiritual worker?
02:20 - Why Mary doesn’t like to use the word “shaman”
02:44 - Mary’s problems with Core Shamanism 
04:31 - Shamanism and patriarchy 
05:34 - Why Mary doesn’t call herself a shaman
07:54 - Core Shamanism, Christian conditioning, and legacies of colonisation
10:58 - Anthropologists as shamanic teachers 
13:21 - Training in Core Shamanism 
15:41 - Critique of Core Shamanism and wounded healers
18:43 - Post-colonial critiques of modern shamanism
20:00 - Some people really want animism 
21:42 - When shamanism goes wrong
22:33 - Cherry-picking shamanism and reconstruction
23:47 - Discernment and tainted gnosis 
24:22 - Words have energy and the need for respect
26:36 - Mary uses the word “shaman” in her business and books
27:33 - Pervasive Christian conditioning
28:30 - Patriarchy in shamanism
29:38 - Pop-shamanism vs direct experience 
30:55 - 20 years of teaching shamanism 
32:16 - People don’t believe in spirits any more
34:04 - Modernity and scientism 
37:06 - Modernity and  shamanism
40:40 - Martin Prechtel engaging with indigenous shamanism 
43:06 - Indigeneity and the routes to become a shaman 
46:52 - What Mary tells people who feel called to shamanism?
49:05 - Conflating personal religious practice with professionalising 
49:53 - How to get started in animism
52:55 - Which spirits and entities does Mary work with?
55:27 - Spirit relations
57:42 - Mary’s way of relating to spirits 
59:33 - Spirit communication in dreams and through rituals
01:00:27 - Spirits who come to Mary 
01:01:23 - Spirit contracts 
01:03:56 - Spirit ID and the danger of spirit contracts 
01:04:53 - The Buddha in Sri Lanka
01:06:35 - Be careful what you wish for
01:07:31 - Spirit Lawyering
01:07:52 - Healthy skepticism when dealing with spirits
01:10:00 - Cultural misunderstandings about spirits 
01:11:21 - Don’t make a pact with a spirit
01:12:29 - Warning about spirit contracts 
01:13:18 - Pact vs contract
01:16:41 - Mary’s training in Western Occultism and time in the Void
01:20:14 - Mary’s spiritual crisis 
01:24:17 - Orienting to the Dark Feminine 
01:27:09 - Two attempts at the Abramelin ritual
01:29:16 - Abandoning the 18-month Abramelin ritual
01:29:50 - How did Mary exit the ritual?
01:30:48 - Magick and mental health
01:32:36 - Psychotherapists for magicians 
01:33:32 - Struggles with the Golden Dawn and pivoting to shamanism
01:38:24 - Christian monks did magick
01:38:55 - Giving up seeking

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Previous episode with Mary Shutan:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=shutan 

To find out more about Mary Shutan, visit:
- http://maryshutan.com/ 

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

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep313: Modern Spirit Worker - Mary Shutan 3

In this episode I am joined by Ani Pema, an American nun in the Tibetan Buddhist religion and former swami in the Siddha Yoga organisation.

Ani Pema recalls her childhood in Boise Idaho, her high flying career in fashion working for Vogue magazine, and how dissatisfaction with the American dream set her on a spiritual search.

Ani Pema details her sixteen years of close discipleship and ordination under the renowned Siddha Yoga guru Swami Muktananda, her transformative encounters with the 16th Karmapa, and her subsequent discipleship under Tibetan Buddhist teachers such as Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and Namkhai Nyingpo.

Ani Pema also explains the powerful phenomena of shaktipat including the severe karmic consequences for its use, reflects on Western shaktipat gurus such as Rudi and Adi Da Samraj, and gives her heart advice for those who wish to follow the spiritual path.
 
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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep314-me-my-gurus-ani-pema

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

Topics include: 


00:00 - Intro
01:06 - High flying fashion career 
02:41 - Questioning the American dream
03:24 - Taking up yoga 
04:02 - Meeting Swami Muktananda
04:55 - A precognitive vision
05:40 - Close study with Swami Muktananda in India
07:29 - Rigorous practice regime at the ashram 
08:38 - Obliterating the self
11:02 - Muktananda as a vortex of energy
12:09 - A past life connection
14:47 - Swami Muktananda’s 1974 USA tour
19:17 - The serious karmic burden of giving shaktipat
20:09 - Attending the 16th Karmapa
22:02 - Leaving Muktananda’s organisation
22:55 - Becoming a disciple of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
24:24 - Becoming a disciple of Namkhai Nyingpo in Bhutan
26:03 - Working for Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche after he became famous
27:19 - You hire the guru to assassinate your ego
28:44 - Lichivi House
30:02 - Reflections on past gurus
31:23 - Rudi and shaktipat
32:28 - Adi Da’s ego and meeting with Swami Muktananda
36:33 - 4 methods of shaktipat
38:31 - Health consequences of offering shaktipat
40:25 - Dangers of unauthorised shaktipat
41:48 - Mind to mind transmission in Tibetan Buddhism
42:32 - 4-6hrs of chanting per day
43:24 - Celibacy and guru controversies 
47:27 - Comparing 16th Karmapa with Swami Muktananda 
49:19 - Kashmir Shaivism vs Tibetan Buddhism 
50:39 - Depression after Swami Muktananda’s death
52:47 - Profound periods of purification 
54:48 - Consequences of the spiritual path
56:23 - Do Tibetan teachers recognise Muktananda’s dharma?
59:18 - Meditation is beyond tradition
01:00:46 - Ani Pema reflects on her experience as a practitioner
01:03:55 - Ani Pema’s advice for practitioners 
01:06:19 - Difficulties in following famous gurus

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To find out more about Ani Pema, visit:
- https://www.facebook.com/karen.schaefer
- https://dayananda-lifewithandafterbaba.blogspot.com/

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

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep314: Me & My Gurus - Ani Pema

In this episode I host a dialogue between Dr Caroline van Damme and Lama Justin von Bujdoss.

Dr Caroline Van Damme is an adult psychiatrist and family and systemic psychotherapist specialising in chronic psychotic disorders, and co-teacher of Buddhist guru and Sowa Rigpa doctor Nida Chenagtsang. 

Lama Justin von Bujdoss is an American Buddhist teacher, dark retreat yogi, founder and spiritual director of Yangti Yoga Retreat Center in Buckland Massachusetts, and author of ‘Modern Tantric Buddhism’.

Caroline and Justin discuss the risk of psychosis during extreme religious practices, consider the rewards and dangers of dark retreat, and describe the different forms of hallucination.

Caroline and Justin warn about engaging in advanced practices too soon, consider the pros and cons of spiritual ambition, and offer a mental health checklist for those considering intensive practice.

Caroline and Justin also reflect on their own biographies, share challenges they have faced, and recount anecdotes of religious psychosis.

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Video version: www.guruviking.com

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

…

Topics include:

00:00 - Intro 
01:08 - Justin explains the practice of dark retreat 
5:55 - What is the purpose of dark retreat?
06:50 - Obstacles during dark retreat 
09:39 - Distracted and disturbed by experience 
11:08 - Sensory deprivation induces psychosis and delusional ideation 
12:41 - Auditory or visual?
13:16 - Hallucinations in dark retreat vs in schizophrenia 
18:51 - Practice prerequisites to dark retreat
21:10 - The purpose of intensive practice contexts 
22:42 - Trekchod is the best antidote
23:38 - Justin laments the rush to do advanced retreats and practices 
24:35 - Lack of mental health crisis intervention skills in Buddhist sanghas
25:38 - The devastating consequences of psychosis 
27:09 - Sensory deprivation as torture and the “White Room”
29:01 - Tantric context of dark retreat and other challenging experiences 
31:34 - Gek sel literature and “set and setting”
34:24 - Disastrous outcomes of Vipassana and other group retreats
38:19 - Mystical delusions and the manic state
41:59 - Consent, context, and the need for a guide
46:17 - Practice slowly, arrive quickly
46:51 - Extreme sports practitioners and disregard for tradition
50:24 - - Social pressure to avoid boredom
54:48 - A menu of spiritual materialism
57:10 - Outer, inner, and secret yidam practice 
59:50 - Tilopa’s Six Nails 
01:00:47 - Śamatha and raw-dogging
01:02:33 - Lojong
01:03:21 - Dream yoga and illusory body practice
01:05:14 - Walking meditation
01:05:28 - Frequency, duration, and intensity
01:08:21 - Spiritual ambition and Justin’s own training
01:13:10 - Ngondro and building a good foundation
01:14:12 - Bodhicitta as context
01:15:44 - A story of temporary insanity
01:17:29 - Health checklist for extreme spiritual adventures
01:20:17 - Dr Caroline’s difficult intake experience
01:22:02 - Spiritual bypass and the role of the teacher
01:24:13 - Long term relationships with patients and students
01:25:40 - John Welwood’s advocacy for psychotherapy 
01:29:40 - Today’s lack of a long term relationship with the guru
01:35:22 - The power of relationship
01:40:00 - Justin’s concluding remarks
01:41:56 - Dr Caroline’s concluding remarks

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Previous episodes with Lama Justin von Bujdoss:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=bujdoss  
Previous episodes with Dr Caroline van Damme:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=caroline 

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Find out more about Lama Justin von Bujdoss:
- https://justinvonbujdoss.com/
- https://www.yangtiyoga.com/ 

Find out more about Dr Caroline van Damme:
- 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

Ep315: Religious Psychosis & Dark Retreat - Dr Caroline van Damme & Lama Justin von Bujdoss

I was recently interviewed by Jake and Alex from the ⁨@mysterycollege⁩ about a wide range of topics. 

...

Mystery College Shownotes:

Join Steve James—host of the acclaimed Guru Viking Podcast and founder of the Movement Koan Method—as he sits down with Jake and Alex Leonhart at the Mystery College Podcast to share his remarkable spiritual journey. Discover Steve’s unique insights gained from years of contemplative study, teaching internationally, and leading retreats at renowned centers, including the upcoming program at the Omega Institute.

In this interview, Steve discusses:

-His personal path through various spiritual and contemplative traditions
-Lessons from years in practice, solitude, and also wilderness survival 
-The genesis and philosophy behind the Movement Koan Method—a fusion of mindful movement and deep embodiment
-Practical advice on meditation and humility

Whether you’re a meditation practitioner, a movement enthusiast, or someone seeking wisdom for spiritual growth, Steve’s grounded and experiential teachings offer a wealth of inspiration.

Connect with Steve James:
Website: https://www.guruviking.com
Instagram:   / guruviking  
Movement Koan Method: https://www.guruviking.com/shop
Guru Viking Podcast: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast



Steve James Interviewed on the Mystery College Podcast

In this episode I am joined by Alex W, long term practitioner of Zen, Pragmatic Dharma, and Western Occultism.

Alex describes his journey from elite upbringing in Geneva; through NeoPlatonism, Zen practice, and magick; to advanced states of spiritual attainment and insight.

Alex tells stories of his discipleships under pragmatic dharma teacher Kenneth Folk and renowned occultist Alan Chapman and details the lead up to, and attainment and after effects of his own experience of enlightenment.

Alex recounts his successful operation of the Abramelin Ritual, a powerful kundalini awakening, and his ongoing encounters with spiritual beings such as Kālī Mā and Hecate.

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https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep316-dharma-the-goddess-alex-w

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

Topics include: 

00:00 - Intro
00:55 - Elite upbringing in Geneva
03:50 - Religious experiences in America 
05:39 - Major surgery and turn towards spirituality
08:05 - Immersion in a Hindu religious group
10:25 - First spiritual experiences and power places
12:07 - Interest in philosophy and the Kyoto School
13:05 - Law school and studying mediaeval philosophy 
15:52 - Entering Zen Buddhist practice with Deshimaru Taisen
18:14 - Finding a real Zen master & understanding Zen in Japan
21:55 - Observations about Japanese religiosity
24:09 - 1996 financial crisis and internship in law firm
24:58 - Connecting with advanced practitioners online
26:53 - Interest in Chan Buddhism
30:08 - Japan vs Chinese and Korean monasticism
32:15 - Plateau after 15 years of Zen
33:01 - Daniel Ingram & Kenneth Folk
39:09 - No-self experience
39:54 - Become a student of occultist Alan Chapman
45:25 - Scrying the Enochian Æthyrs 
48:02 - Visions and esoteric Christianity 
50:09 - Abramelin Ritual w/ Alan Chapman
53:50 - Meeting the Holy Guardian Angel
56:32 - Approaching enlightenment 
01:02:38 - Achieving enlightenment
01:10:59 - Consequences of enlightenment 
01:14:45 - Confirmation by Stuart Lachs 
01:18:54 - Massive kundalini experience 
01:22:21 - Loss of interest in spirituality
01:23:21 - Spirit encounters in Santeria 
01:27:23 - Strategic presentations of Tibetan Buddhism
01:28:13 - Difficulties after awakening
01:29:52 - Post kundalini energetic development 
01:31:56 - Loss of fear of death
01:33:15 - Breathwork
01:34:54 - Opening of psychic senses
01:37:40 - Powerful encounters with Kālī Mā
01:45:03 - Meeting other Dark Goddesses
01:48:27 - Synchronicities and initiations
01:49:20 - Alan Chapman’s Magia
01:53:26 - Adventures in Bali 
02:03:14 - Chinese Internal Alchemy & Mattias Daly 
02:05:25 - Nan Huai-Chin
02:07:31 - Energy rewires for 12 years after awakening 
02:09:11 - Neoplatonist theurgy
02:12:31 - Reviving the Western spiritual tradition
02:12:53 - Instructed by Hecate to be interviewed
02:14:31 - Specialties of the Western tradition
02:17:00 - Sacred geography and local deities
02:20:27 - #1 problem in the West
02:23:11 - Karmic connections 
02:24:34 - Fall from grace after awakening
02:26:16 - Divine beings care about authenticity
02:28:15 - Sequel plans
02:29:57 - Praise for the Guru Viking Podcast

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

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep316: Dharma & the Goddess - Alex W

In this episode I host a dialogue between Lama Glenn Mullin and Oded Rahav about the magic of the Dead Sea. 

Oded shares how he fell in love with the Dead Sea, the power of story and the arts in communicating important messages, and why he believes water is a sacred medium.

Glenn reveals the power of sacred places and how they are formed through a combination of geomantic features and human spiritual activity.

Glenn and Oded explore the history of the Dead Sea region, trace 10000 years of Western mysticism, and discuss how the area may hold the keys to peace in the region.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep317-dead-sea-magic-lama-glenn-mullin-oded-rahav

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

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Topics include:

00:00 - Intro 
00:47 - Oded’s world record swim to save the Dead Sea
03:10 - The political complexity of the Dead Sea swim
04:11 - Falling in love with the Dead Sea
05:51 - Meeting Glenn Mullin
06:52 - How to build trust
08:08 - The powerful energy of sacred places
11:03 - The impact of humans on the earth
11:37 - Glenn talks about the Dead Sea
13:02 - How to relate to sacred places
14:19 - A great healing sea 
14:55 - The Dalai Lama’s prophecy 
15:39 - Saving the Dead Sea
16:48 - A potential peace initiative  	
18:45 - A million signatures
19:29 - Water is a scared medium
20:24 - Dead Sea stories
22:08 - Biological attributes of the Dead Sea
23:05 - Dead Sea is vanishing 
23:38 - 4 main threats to the Dead Sea 
27:55 - Water treating
28:55 - Practical solutions to political problems
30:03 - Power places and pilgrimage 
32:03 - Magic of the Dead Sea
34:49 - Twin rivers and other initiatives
36:49 - Incentivising capitalism 
38:00 - Poems about the Dead Sea
39:34 - Glenn’s history with the Dead Sea
40:27 - Arts initiatives 
41:02 - More Dead Sea poetry
41:39 - 10000 years of Western mysticism 
42:14 - Glenn’s message to listeners
43:36 - Oded’s invitation to listeners
45:41 - Geomancy vs human mystical infusion in creating sacred places
49:01 - Why save the Dead Sea?
50:04 - A future-oriented perspective 
52:03 - How change happens
56:41 - Meditation caves next to the Dead Sea
57:34 - Meditation caves around the world
01:01:03 - Tibetan medicine and healing retreats
01:03:09 - Oded’s documentary
01:04:33 - Rheumatism and skin 

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

Find out more about Oded Rahav & the Dead Sea Guardians:
- https://deadseaguardians.org/team/ 
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For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- https://www.guruviking.com 

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep317: Dead Sea Magic - Lama Glenn Mullin & Oded Rahav

In this episode I am joined by Victor Shiryaev a teacher of  Buddhist and modern meditation and somatic practices.

Victor recounts his childhood in the Soviet Union, early underground exposure to the New Age, and subsequent study of Avaita Vedānta and Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory.

Victor details his discipleship under American mindfulness teacher Shinzen Young, reflects on the tension between tradition and innovation, and shares stories of his own awakening experiences.

Victor also lays out his disagreements with Shinzen Young’s approach, critiques the Pragmatic Dharma’s use of maps and stages, and presents his own understanding of the spiritual experiences to be expected on the road to awakening and beyond.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep318-modern-mindfulness-victor-shiryaev

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

00:00 - Intro
00:56 - Childhood in the Soviet Union
02:24 - Exposure to the New Age and psychotherapy
07:15 - Studying Chinese History at university
08:07 - Advaita Vedānta and Ken Wilber
09:18 - Unity experience 
10:21 - Altered states and psychic phenomena
13:14 - Personal crisis 
14:52 - Awakening in Myanmar 
17:19 - “I know what I have is working”
19:17 - Meeting Shinzen Young and adopting his model
24:50 - Observational statistics
27:29 - Studying with Shinzen
29:27 - Divorce and launching meditation teaching career
31:00 - Finding a path thru crisis
37:10 - Writing a letter to nature
42:48 - Finding purpose in spirituality
44:15 - Victor’s teaching approach and activities
48:58 - Why go deeper in practice?
51:17 - Creating a culture of openness
58:33 - Shinzen & Ken Wilber vs Victor
01:05:16 - Being a clear conduit 
01:19:32 - I am not a Buddhist teacher
01:12:40 - Experience vs faith
01:15:58 - Disagreements with Shinzen
01:17:43 - Disagreements with Theravāda 
01:19:32 - Shinzen’s modernism and scientism
01:25:19 - Steve’s understanding of Shinzen 
01:28:15 - Victor’s update on Shinzen’s scientism 
01:30:50 - Heretics and reformers
01:33:39 - Fundamentalism and the world-centred view
01:30:39 - A world-centred view is also fundamentalist
01:42:50 - Victor on the Pragmatic Dharma movement
01:46:55 - Hypocrisy of Pragmatic Dharma
01:49:29 - Traditional vs modern practitioners
01:58:13 - Critique of maps and stages 
02:06:18 - First stage: thoughts to presence
02:09:41 - Second stage: all experience is consciousness
02:12:09 - One taste
02:13:38 - Intimacy with all things
02:15:26 - The consciousness trap
02:18:18 - We shape our experience 
02:19:10 - The pregnant void 
02:22:32 - Victor’s view of the path


To find out more about Victor Shiryaev, visit:
- https://victorshiryaev.co/ 

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

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Ep318: Modern Mindfulness - Victor Shiryaev

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.

Ep301: Angels in my Hair - Lorna Byrne

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