In this episode I am once again joined by Dean Sluyter: meditation teacher and best-selling author of several books including ‘Cinema Nirvana: Enlightenment Lessons from the Movies’.
Dean explores the distinction between the art and craft of meditation, what it means to rest in effortlessness, and critiques much meditation practice is egoic aggrandisement and fetishisation.
Dean discusses the edifying effect of finding religious themes in literature and cinema, and discusses the approach he takes in his books to analyse both the Western Canon and the great movies of the past.
Dean also recounts stories of his time studying with Ngak’chang Rinpoche of the Aro gTer Buddhist group, draws parallels between jazz and enlightenment, and weighs in on the direction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep189-effortless-awakening-dean-sluyter-2
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
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Topics Include:
00:00 - Intro
00:59 - Stories about Ngak’chang Rinpoche of the Aro gTer
06:48 - The living edge of practice
08:43 - Craft in art
09:54 - Creativity and the secret of improvisation
11:21 - The vocabulary of jazz
11:47 - Work to play
13:01 - Meditation does not require work
15:38 - Resting in effortlessness
17:43 - Egoic meditation heroics
18:23 - Dean guides contacting effortlessness
20:45 - Dealing with being caught up with thoughts
23:19 - Meditation on-ramp
26:59 - Dean’s favourite mantras
28:23 - Fetishising meditation
29:42 - Dean’s free meditation classes
30:19 - Facsimiles of true meditation
30:43 - Mood making and intellectualisation
33:59 - Spontaneous openings to awakening
37:40 - Practice vs effort
43:14 - What is the ultimate practice?
43:49 - The moment of enlightenment
46:28 - Evaluating results of practice
49:34 - Emily Dickinson and the watershed moment
51:55 - Finding dharma in literature
52:45 - Finding dharma in cinema
53:19 - Interpreting art
57:46 - Dean’s interpretive approach
01:00:51 - Spreading dharma in the dialect of the people
01:03:53 - Addiction to intensity and the Marvel Cinematic Universe
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Previous episode with Dean Sluyter:
- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/163-dharma-bums-guide-to-western-literature-dean-sluyter
Interview with Ngak’chang Rinpoche:
- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep16-ngapka-chogyam-and-khandro-dechen-guru-viking-interviews
To find out more about Dean Sluyter, visit:
- https://deansluyter.com/
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For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- www.guruviking.com
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Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James
