Rupert Spira Podcast

In this latest Rupert Spira Podcast episode, Rupert joins David Chuter from Watkins Mind Body Spirit magazine for an eye-opening conversation about finding inner peace and lasting happiness, to mark the publication of Rupert's new book You Are the Happiness You Seek. Watkins Mind Body Spirit magazine is a quarterly esoteric magazine published by Watkins Books in London. Like the famous bookshop (established over 100 years ago), the magazine covers a wide range of subjects from contemporary spirituality and self development to mysticism and Eastern philosophy.

Moderated again by host Steve James, Rupert and award-winning poet and author Henry Shukman pick up their discussion from a few months earlier. Here they discuss the practice of art and its connection with spirituality. Amidst sharing observations on one another’s artistic evolution, they discuss in depth their respective apprenticeships. At first artistic, then spiritual, the training for both men involved total immersion in traditional forms and, crucially, surrender to a master teacher. They consider such lengthy, one-to-one training in relation to their desire to make the teaching available to large numbers of people. Is it possible to go deeply with those few who are interested and, simultaneously, widely to many? Regarding what makes impactful spiritual art, they concur that artists with great humanity can enter very deeply into the whole human drama with powerful empathy and understanding, and thereby convey what is eternal and universal.

​​Bernardo Kastrup joins Rupert for a follow-up conversation, with Simon Mundie moderating. This conversation covers several complex topics. It is a deep dive into matters such as the sharing of our being, how to love those who are causing pain and war, infinite consciousness’s experience of itself, and much more. Bernardo has two PhDs, one in computer science and another in philosophy. He was employed first at CERN, the European council for nuclear research, where he began working in artificial intelligence (AI) in connection with the Large Hadron Collider. Then he moved on to artificial consciousness (AC), wondering if which inspired him to ponder whether he could build an artificially conscious entity and piqued his interest in philosophy. Simon Mundie is the host of the podcast Life Lessons: From Sport and Beyond, which explores life’s bigger questions.

Karl Morris is a highly regarded golf coach, an author of many books, and a podcast host. This conversation with Rupert explores the non-dual perspective on the illusory versus true self and the relevance of this perspective to performance in sport at all levels, to the ability to play ‘in the zone’, as well as to the inevitable time when sport can no longer be played.

Steve James hosts a conversation between Rupert and Award-winning English poet and author Henry Shukman. Henry and Rupert have much in common, they were both successful artists in the first two decades of their adult life – Henry, with his poetry, and Rupert, as a potter; they are both now spiritual teachers – Henry in the Zen tradition; and Henry grew up in Oxford in the same street where Rupert now lives. With all this in mind, Steve James, who knew them each separately, has brought them together for this wonderful conversation.

Rupert Spira and Bernardo Kastrup engage in a wide-ranging conversation on consciousness, exploring the limitations of science, the nature of reality, and the implications on our experiences. They discuss the concept of consciousness as the foundation of reality and debunk the misconception that a consciousness-only model is nihilistic. The speakers delve into the illusory self, the difference between metaconsciousness and phenomenal consciousness, and the striking resemblance between the brain and the universe's structure. They also discuss dissociative identity disorder, the reduction of suffering, interconnectedness with nature, and evidence for analytical idealism and non-duality in relation to death and psychedelic experiences.

What do the highest achievers do when they can’t achieve anymore? How do they deal with it? Jonny Wilkinson, a professional rugby star, whose sporting prowess could not have been higher at the peak of his career, has found the integrity and courage to face this question head-on. He has acknowledged that emergence from a mental health crisis has led him to a personal exploration of a broadly spiritual nature. Wanting to bring his new perspective to the coaching of younger players, he travelled to Oxford to talk to Rupert. Their conversation ranges from the deepest meaning of ‘being in the zone’ to a definition of ‘a life well lived’; and they bring to light how an understanding of our true, essential nature is as relevant to athletes’ issues as it is for all of us.

In this episode, Rupert speaks with Steve James, aka Guru Viking, who is based in the United States and works globally with elite athletes and performing artists on matters of high-performance as well as spiritual introspection. To frequent listeners of Rupert’s podcast conversations, this episode with Steve will likely strike them as a bit different. Rather than being asked at the outset about the topics he generally speaks and writes about, Rupert is invited instead to share about his earlier life experiences – growing up, then establishing himself as a renowned ceramic artist. He recounts in depth about his childhood, upbringing and education, both at school and later as Michael Cardew’s apprentice, which led to his understanding of the spiritual nature of art.

Rupert Spira and Mark Vernon met for a second conversation, beginning with one of William Blake’s great exclamations of nondual awareness: “Awake! awake O sleeper of the land of shadows, wake! expand! I am in you and you in me, mutual in love divine I am not a God afar off, I am a brother and friend; Within your bosoms I reside, and you reside in me: Lo! we are One” They discussed the meanings of suffering and death that feel so needed and neglected in our times; different possibilities for the experience of time and the value of disagreement, similarly overlooked; the role of the erotic, play and the imagination on this path; and the reality of angels and the guidance of myths.

In this episode, Rupert talks to Neil Webster about his new book 'Being Myself', the love we feel for others and the search for happiness. Neil Webster is one half of the duo who host the 'I Can't Believe It's Not Buddha' podcast. In which Neil, and comedian Lee Mack, explore Buddhism, mindfulness and leading a more spiritual life.