Balancing Tradition and Progress in Spirituality

Dr. John Churchill is a psychologist, dharma teacher, and the founder of Planetary Dharma – an integrally informed community embracing the vows and path of the Bodhisattva, committed to elevating human consciousness and collective transformation.

John holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from William James College and is also a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. His journey into Buddhist psychology began as a monk at Samye (sam-yay) Ling Monastery in Scotland, where he undertook an in-depth study of Buddhist contemplative practice. He later spent 15 years training and teaching “Great Seal” (Mahamudra) meditation within an Indo-Tibetan Mahayana lineage under the mentorship of Dr. Daniel P. Brown.

John is a founding member of the Integral Institute, led by transpersonal philosopher Ken Wilber, and has received advanced training in attachment therapy, hypnosis, positive psychology for peak performance, and the “Pointing Out” style of Mahamudra meditation. He is also the author of Becoming Buddha: Buddhist Contemplative Psychology in a Western Context.

For the past 25 years, John has been developing what he calls the Fourth Turning Planetary Dharma—a full-spectrum psychospiritual approach that integrates the great Indo-Tibetan traditions with psychodynamic healing and adult development.

In this episode, we discuss the vision of a 4th turning dharma, John’s differences with his teacher Dan Brown, navigating the traditional vs progressive polarity in spirituality, connecting to sacred world, moving into the transrational, transitioning from Buddhism to Sacred Humanism, and so much more. 

🔗[Links & resources] 🔗

• Learn more about Planetary Dharma
• Follow Planetary Dharma on Instagram
• Follow Planetary Dharma on Facebook 
• Planetary Dharma’s Medicine Dharma Course
• Dan Brown
• Ken Wilber
• A.H. Almaas
• Hamilton Souther
• Lama Mike Crowley

🕰️[Time stamps] 🕰️

0:00 - Intro 
3:29 - Unpacking the four turnings of Buddhism 
9:58 - Further distinguishing the fourth turning 
16:09 - Artem’s experience participating in the Planetary Dharma introductory retreat 
17:27 - Planetary Dharma’s emphasis on the imaginal and self-image 
25:25 - John’s differences with his mentor and teacher Dan Brown 
37:56 - Navigating the traditional vs progressive polarities in spirituality 
49:01 - Transitioning beyond Buddhism into Sacred Humanism
55:15 - Why modern minds are disconnected from Sacred World 
1:02:46 - The pre-trans fallacy and navigating the trans-rational 
1:16:17 - The role of psychedelics on the psychospiritual path 
1:28:00 - What’s needed to build out a fourth turning academy 
1:37:40 - The constraints of a householder and the future of Dharma 
1:50:37 - Planetary Dharma offerings

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