Natural Awakening

Peter McEwen, an expert in Tantra, Dzogchen, and Artful Living, discusses his unique upbringing, Zen and Dzogchen practices, Tantra, Tummo, and artful living. He explores advanced Buddhist practices, integration with daily life, Vajrayana, Cohen Practice, and Tantra in the Western context, offering insights on enhancing energy, boundaries, and life satisfaction.

In which we hear a brief version of Stephen's biography, a history of the company Jhourney, and discuss concerns and comments regarding adverse effects, harm-reduction practices, ongoing support for meditators, and navigating respectfully and responsibly scaling such intensive practices beyond their traditional religious contexts. You can find Stephen on X here: https://x.com/stephen_zerfas His co-founder Alex Gruver here: https://x.com/Alex_Gruver1 Their company Jhourney here: https://www.jhourney.io/? Me on X: https://x.com/WystanTBS My website, for personalized 1:1 teaching, essays, and more: https://www.wystantbs.com/ If you find these interviews and conversations valuable, I invite you to support their ongoing production directly here: https://www.wystantbs.com/donations Thanks for listening, reading, and for your interest in all this! May you and all beings be well, free from suffering, awake and flourishing!

Charlie Awbery, an expert in Vajrayana and Dzogchen practices, shares his journey from the UK to India and his connection with the Dharma. He delves into the flexibility and accessibility of these spiritual practices in modern times, emphasizing the balance between discipline and openness. The discussion highlights Yidam practices and the importance of personal discernment within the guru-student dynamic. Awbery also reflects on societal changes, advocating for a pluralistic approach to spirituality that addresses contemporary challenges while fostering community.

Wystan Bryant-Scott, a monk with profound insights on suffering, shares his transformative journey from deep personal struggles to serenity. He reflects on his childhood experiences leading to anxiety and depression, and his pivotal seven-year path to healing through wilderness therapy. The conversation touches on the power of mindfulness and storytelling in overcoming challenges. Wystan also discusses the intricate relationship between self-esteem and liberation, highlighting the role of mentorship and the value of a Zen practice in achieving enlightenment.

Leigh Brasington & Andrés Gómez Emilsson discuss jhāna, consciousness correlates, neural feedback mechanisms, non-duality, psychic powers, lucid dreaming, and strange attractors in a mind-bending exploration of the mind and altered states.

Wherein Rick recounts the transformative meditative experiences which led him to eventually pursue philosophy academically, the distinctively philosophical concerns which meditation occasions and engages, reviews a small part of the Routledge Handbook he recently edited on the topic, and addresses potential objections regarding the validity of meditation as a philosophical subject or endeavor, and much more besides! You can find Rick at his website here: https://www.rickrepetti.com/ and on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rickrepetti and the Routledge Handbook on the Philosophy of Meditation can be found here: https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Handbook-on-the-Philosophy-of-Meditation/Repetti/p/book/9780367647469 You can find me on my website: https://www.wystantbs.com/ and on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WystanTBS Thanks for watching and listening! May you be happy! May all beings everywhere be free from all suffering!

Chris discusses the contents of his excellent book, Philosophy of Psychedelics, wherein he defends a naturalistic account of the epistemic, therapeutic, and spiritual benefits of psychedelics, and mystical-type experiences of unselfing more generally. You can find Chris at his website here: http://www.chrisletheby.com/ and on Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrisletheby His book, the Philosophy of Meditation: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/philosophy-of-psychedelics-9780198843122? and the Routledge Handbook on the Philosophy of Meditation, to which he contributed: https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Handbook-on-the-Philosophy-of-Meditation/Repetti/p/book/9780367647469 I mentor meditation in Shinzen Young's Unified Mindfulness system. If that or any of my ambling thoughts in long-form are of interest to you, you can check out my own website: https://www.wystantbs.com/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/WystanTBS Thanks for watching and listening! May you be happy! May all beings everywhere be free from all suffering!

Wherein Julianna introduces Unified Mindfulness' approach to attentional skill development, transcendent states, traits, healthy integration, and the function of transcendence in fostering connection and care. Enjoy! You can find out more about Julianna here: https://unifiedmindfulness.com/team/julianna-raye/ and about Unified Mindfulness: https://unifiedmindfulness.com/ U.M.'s introductory manual: https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Unified-Mindfulness-Happiness-Anywhere-ebook/dp/B092HMTFZW I mentor meditation in Shinzen Young's Unified Mindfulness system. If that or any of my ambling thoughts in long-form are of interest to you, you can check out my own website: https://www.wystantbs.com/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/WystanTBS Thanks for watching and listening! May you be happy! May all beings everywhere be free from all suffering!

Wherein Graham provides a very brief sketch of Buddhist metaphysics in classical India and its transit to China, explains the vertiginous psychedelic interpenetration of phenomena, and connects the radical metaphysics of Huayan to a practical ethics of universal care.  Enjoy! You can find Graham and his work at: https://grahampriest.net/ I mentor meditation in Shinzen Young's Unified Mindfulness system. If that or any of my ambling thoughts in long-form are of interest to you, you can check out my own website: https://www.wystantbs.com/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/WystanTBS Thanks for watching and listening! May you be happy! May all beings everywhere be free from all suffering!

Apologies for the occasional audio hiccups. :| Though, on the upside, it is quite amusing that it blipped just as Stephen began discussing cessation ;). Wherein I host Stephen and Andrés for a wide-ranging discussion and sharing of perspectives covering jhāna, Brahmavihārās, comparisons with psychedelic states, and the journey to and from the Absolute. Enjoy! You can find Stephen, his books, and upcoming retreats at: https://awakeningdharma.org/ and his Twitter: https://twitter.com/BuddhasHeart3 Andrés blogs at: https://qualiacomputing.com/ His Twitter is: https://twitter.com/algekalipso QRI's website: https://www.qualiaresearchinstitute.org/ I mentor meditation in Shinzen Young's Unified Mindfulness system. If that or any of my ambling thoughts in long-form are of interest to you, you can check out my own website: https://www.wystantbs.com/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/WystanTBS Thanks for watching and listening! May you be happy! May all beings everywhere be free from all suffering!