Guru Viking Podcast

In this episode I am joined by Dr K.A Shakoor: spiritual life coach, doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, and author of several books including ‘Ghetto Sutras’ and ‘Maahaah Yoga’. Dr Shakoor recalls his childhood upbringing in which he overcame illness and bullying through martial arts and meditation. Dr Shakoor recounts his early martial training, the unfolding of his psychic abilities, and the influential mystical experiences and people that influenced his life. Dr Shakoor reveals how he learned to be assertive and handle conflict, how he developed his own variation of tonglen meditation, and the importance of trusting one’s first thought. Dr Shakoor also shares his training in various religious and energetic systems, including qigong, yoga, aikido, Buddhism, traditional Chinese medicine, and more. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/164-dr-ka-shakoor-ghetto-sutras 

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 00:55 - Growing up in Detroit Michigan 03:17 - Childhood illnesses and bullying 05:09 - Discovering martial arts and meditation in 1963 07:38 - Existential turning point after seeing a baby’s corpse 09:34 - Disillusionment with religion and a search for experience 12:59 - Psychic talents 15:06 - Deciding to become a yogi 16:13 - The influence of Catholic nuns 17:55 - A mystical encounter with a stranger 22:27 - Touring as a musician and training with many teachers 27:17 - Studying with Gelek Rinpoche and reading about Buddhism 28:54 - Academic achievement in the family 30:08 - Transformative effects of Dr Shakoor’s childhood Aikido training 33:44 - An experience of racism 38:28 - Learning to be assertive and handling conflict 41:09 - Psychic development 44:43 - Changing attitudes towards women 46:16 - Women’s psychic power 46:52 - Trusting what you feel 49:04 - Significant teachers 53:37 - Discussing karmamudra with Lama Wangchuk 56:07 - Dr Shakoor’s tonglen practice 57:54 - A spiritual epiphany 59:25 - S3men retention and pop tantra 01:05:21 - Becoming a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine 01:10:36 - Meeting Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche and encountering traditional Tibetan medicine 01:14:11 - Training with Dr Nida Chenagtsang ... To find out more about Dr K.A. Shakoor, visit: - https://www.drkashakoor.com/ … 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this episode I’m joined by Dean Sluyter: meditation teacher, best-selling author of several books including his most recent ‘The Dharma Bum’s Guide to Western Literature: Finding Nirvana in the Classics’. Dean recounts his fortunate upbringing, how he began to realise he had an unusually fast mind, and the early mystical experiences that would change his life in profound ways. Dean talk about his parent’s radical left activism, and how one event caused him to re-examine his family’s beliefs. Dean shares the arc of his spiritual life, including his psychedelic sadhu period, his twenty years as a teacher of Transcendental Meditation while teaching English at the illustrious Pingry School, his studies in Buddhism and Dzogchen, and why he now considers himself to be a spiritual elder. … Video version: www.guruviking.com/podcast/163-dharma-bums-guide-to-western-literature-dean-sluyter Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 00:55 - Origins of the book 03:05 - Dean’s Moby Dick karma 04:02 - A literature primer 05:16 - Art comes through people 06:30 - Dean’s fortunate upbringing 07:55 - A special mind 09:01 - Spontaneous childhood mystical experiences 12:18 - The mystery of awakening experiences 16:13 - Is Dean spiritually talented? 17:48 - Teaching literature and enlightenment at the illustrious Pingry School 20:03 - Dean’s emotional and social development 21:51 - Radical left activism of Dean’s parents 24:40 - Being wrong is a precious opportunity 30:57 - The appeal of certainty 32:18 - How to examine one’s inherited views 36:59 - Dean’s psychedelic sadhu phase 42:35 - Encountering Transcendental Meditation 48:09 - Mood making enlightenment 52:09 - Making your day a practice 54:20 - Why Dean left TM 57:15 - True meditation is effortless 01:00:12 - Life after TM 01:05:17 - Interest in Buddhism and Dzogchen 01:06:39 - Studying with Ngakchang Rinpoche and Surya Dass. 01:07:45 - Umbanda explorations 01:09:31 - Becoming a spiritual elder 01:11:14 - Rupert Spira as a spiritual reality check 01:13:36 - Emily Dickinson’s pure nonduality 01:16:39 - Facing the impossible in art 01:17:44 - Dean’s writing routine 01:18:18 - Dean’s teaching activities … To find out more about Dean Sluyter, visit: - https://deansluyter.com/ … For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this interview I am joined by Martin Faulks: author, hermeticist, meditation adept, and memory expert. Martin recalls his upbringing in Norwich England, including his childhood love of martial arts, the dissonance between an intellectual home life and school yard bullying, and an intuition for something more in life. Martin shares his first steps in practicing hermeticism according to Franz Bardon's methods, and offers the fruits of his unbroken daily practice of over thirty years. Martin also reveals elemental personality strategies for facing adversity and how to balance them, how to find one’s authentic self amidst society's mixed messages of approval, and how the Renaissance era memory techniques of Giordano Bruno can be used today as a path to enlightenment. ... Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/162-the-hermeticist-martin-faulks 

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 00:56 - Upbringing in nature 03:40 - Childhood love for martial arts 06:57 - An intuition for something more 08:14 - Bullying at school vs intellectual home life 11:36 - Learning to learn 13:06 - Testing martial arts claims 15:58 - Discovering Franz Bardon and hermeticism 18:44 - Genuineness is a super power 22:02 - Coming home to hermeticism 24:24 - Developing awareness beyond the normal level 29:40 - Were there enlightened world leaders in the past? 31:51 - Elemental strategies to get ahead 35:17 - Correcting elemental imbalance 38:43 - First steps on the hermetic path 41:14 - Sources of authority 42:46 - Martin’s rigorous practice regime 45:18 - Initial exercises of Franz Bardon’s system 51:44 - How to discover your authentic self 54:37 - Mixed signals of societal approval 01:00:07 - Esoteric aspects of hermeticism 01:03:50 - Everything is real 01:06:59 - Meetings with extraordinary people 01:07:53 - Proving Giordano Bruno’s memory wheel system 01:13:20 - Renaissance era memory techniques for enlightenment … To find out more about Martin Faulks, visit: - https://martinfaulks.co.uk/ … 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this interview I am once again joined by Beth Upton, meditation teacher, ex-nun, and student of renowned meditation master Pa Auk Sayadaw. Beth shares her emphasis on meditation with the natural rhythms of the body and reveals how she deals with students who experience low motivation, psychological challenges, and even psychosis as a result of meditation practice. Beth also discusses her own relationship difficulties after disrobing as a nun, why she embarked on special communication trainings to address them, and explains why erotic feeling diminishes as one becomes more enlightened. … Video version: www.guruviking.com/podcast/161-natural-meditation-beth-upton-2

 Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 00:43 - Beth’s Sanditthika meditation community in Spain 04:16 - Different modes of community 07:36 - Meditation with one’s natural rhythm 10:45 - The structure at Pa Auk monastery 12:04 - Resting for the first few days of retreat 14:35 - Working with low motivation to practice 17:30 - Facing challenging mental and emotional states during retreat 19:47 - Psychosis on retreat 21:34 - Common teacher mistakes when dealing with emotional states and psychosis 23:12 - Fear of litigation and criticism 27:14 - Scandal, transparency, and patriarchal models 31:57 - Living in harmony with nature 33:12 - Relationships after leaving monasticism 40:12 - Does enlightenment eliminate erotic function? 41:58 - Begin in a relationship with an enlightened person 43:49 - Tantric and kundalini practices 47:05 - The value of relational and communication practices 48:14 - Meditation isn’t enough to heal relational patterns 52:04 - Beth’s training in relational practices 53:20 - Truth in relationship 55:32 - Balancing retreat practice and practice in life 58:51 - Off-cushion meditation toolkit 01:01:09 - Beth’s personal practice rhythm 01:03:48 - Sense restrain is a gift to oneself 01:06:00 - The consequences of indulgence … Previous episode with Beth Upton: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep138-trained-as-a-nun-beth-upton … To find out more about Beth Upton, visit: - https://bethupton.com/ - https://www.sanditthika.org/ … 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com

In this episode I am joined by Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche, Dzogchen master, teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, and author of over 15 books. Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche recounts his nomad upbringing in Amdo, Tibet including his family circumstances, early education in his local tent school, and more. Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche recalls, the spiritual influence of his mother, his rigorous religious education under the mahasiddha Lama Tamcho Gyatso, and the early signs of his being a tulku. Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche also describes his love of books and reading, and how the circumstances of his early life have shaped him today. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/160-nomad-master-tulku-yeshi-rinpoche 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:44 - Nomad upbringing in Amdo, Tibet 11:08 - Early education in a tent school 16:43 - Further education at boarding school 26:36 - Mother’s religious influence 28:13 - Reopening of the local temples and monasteries 30:34 - Studies with the mahasiddha Lama Tamcho Gyatso 36:45 - Rigorous learning regime in the monastery 38:36 - About Lama Tamcho Gyatso 44:16 - Receiving the name ‘Yeshi Gyatso’ 45:12 - Early signs of being a tulku 54:51 - A love of books and reading 01:02:28 - Journey to India … To find out more about Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche, visit: - https://www.facebook.com/HerukaInstitute/ - https://www.herukainstitute.org/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this episode I host a dialogue between Tibetologist and Tantric Buddhist Lama Glenn Mullin and doctor of Tibetan Medicine and Yuthok Nyingthig spiritual teacher Dr Nida Chenagtsang. Lama Glenn and Dr Nida discuss impact of three key revolutionary figures in Tibetan Buddhism from historical and doctrinal perspectives: Padmasambhava, Atisha, and Tsongkhapa. The discussion extends to include the history and evolution of the famous 6 Yogas of Naropa. Both Lama Glenn and Dr Nida are known to teach these hitherto secretive practices relatively openly, and they discuss the issues that have influenced them to do so, including prophecy, the true meaning of secrecy, and the importance of including the body in religious practice. Lama Glenn and Dr Nida also discuss subjects such as the geomancy of Samye and the surrounding areas, the pros and cons of the multiplicity of religious sects in Tibet, similarities between Buddhist lineages and Western psychological schools, and more. …

 Video version: www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep159-meeting-of-ngakpas-lama-glenn-mullin-dr-nida-chenagtsang 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include:
 00:00 - Intro 01:10 - Jimi Hendrix and Je Tsongkhapa 03:29 - 3 revolutionaries: Padmasambhava, Atisha, Tsongkhapa 09:38 - Tsongkhapa’s 5 stages of the Dzogrim vs 6 Yogas of Naropa 14:13 - Padmasambhava’s big breakthrough 18:07 - Civil war, religious persecution, and Muslim invasion 20:08 - Why was Atisha special? 21:09 - Sect consciousness 21:41 - Tsongkhapa and the Sarma Renaissance 23:27 - Importance of historical perspective in understanding Tibetan Buddhism 26:16 - Samye College & the 5 Perfections 29:27 - Similarities with psychology schools 31:07 - Milarepa and experiential learning 35:38 - Core of all the schools 37:24 - Pros and cons of many schools 41:16 - The geomancy of Samye and Tibet 48:26 - Geomancy and dream yoga 51:36 - Historical evolution of the 6 Yogas of Naropa 56:34 - Why secrecy? 59:06 - Experiential vs academic learning 01:04:07 - Completion stage secrecy doesn’t make sense 01:08:08 - Body liberation is essential in tantra 01:12:47 - Physical activity is important 01:15:07 - Subtle body yogas of vajrayana 01:23:29 - Glenn’s closing remarks on the pros and cons of recent spread of Buddhism 01:33:19 - Nida’s closing remarks on social awareness and finding balance in Buddhist teaching 01:41:14 - The need for female teachers 01:43:32 - BONUS: Lama Glenn & Dr Nida's first meeting (in Tibetan) … Previous episodes with Lama Glenn Mullin: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=glenn%20mullin Previous episodes with Dr Nida Chenagtsang: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=chenagtsang … 
To find out more about Lama Glenn Mullin, visit: - http://www.glennmullin.com/ - https://www.facebook.com/Maitripa.Glenn To find out more about Dr Nida Chenagtsang, visit: - https://www.facebook.com/DoctorNida/ - http://www.skypressbooks.com/ … For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Dr Evan Thompson is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia an Associate Member of the Department of Asian Studies and the Department of Psychology, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
 Evan recounts his upbringing in his father’s intentional community, the Lindisfarne Association, and shares stories of childhood encounters with teachers of Zen, Sufism, Tibetan Buddhism, Yoga, and more. Evan traces his intellectual and academic trajectories, and reflects on the problems of community dynamics and religious perennialism that his father’s community faced. Evan then outlines his critique of what he calls ‘Buddhist Exceptionalism’, as laid out in his book ‘Why I Am Not A Buddhist’. As part of this critique, Evan addresses subjects such as why Buddhism is not a science of the mind (or of anything else), why presentations of the historical Buddha used by figures such as Goenka are a useful fiction, the problems of borrowing the authority of science for the purposes of Buddhist evangelism, and the surprising influence of Protestantism on Buddhism’s development in Asia. Evan also reflects on the future of Buddhism and explores the question, ‘what is enlightenment?’. … Video version: www.guruviking.com/podcast/158-why-i-am-not-a-buddhist-evan-thompson 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:23 - Evan’s upbringing in his father’s intentional community 06:38 - Exposure to Zen via Richard Baker Roshi 09:34 - Zen takeover of the Lindisfarne Association 11:13 - Childhood encounters with Buddhist, Sufi, Yoga, and Christian teachers 14:29 - Evan’s distaste for Chogyam Trungpa’s scene 16:48 - Fractious community dynamics and the Zen takeover 21:19 - Problems of perennialism 25:03 - An ecology of mysticism 26:32 - Religious superiority 28:18 - Evan’s intellectual development and academic trajectory 35:36 - Buddhist exceptionalism and the Mind & Life Institute 41:20 - What is Buddhist modernism 44:065 - Evan’s misgivings about Buddhist exceptionalism 47:37 - Evan summarises his critique 49:21 - Reactions from colleagues 54:44 - Why do elite academics engage in Buddhist apologetics? 56:58 - Goenka’s useful fiction of the historical Buddha 01:01:09 - B Alan Wallace and religious vs academic register 01:04:19 - Exceptionalism as evangelism and exhortation 01:05:20 - The core philosophical engine of Buddhism 01:07:41 - Buddhism is not scientific 01:10:56 - Personal experience and ‘test and see’ 01:15:59 - Is Buddhist philosophy uniquely rich? 01:21:12 - What is enlightenment? 01:25:00 - Awakening as a regulative ideal 01:27:20 - What counts as the experience of awakening? 01:32:28 - Protestant Christianity’s surprising influence on Buddhism in Asia 01:40:23 - What would convert Evan to Buddhism 01:42:22 - Exceptionalism harms Buddhism and science … To find out more about Evan Thompson, visit: - https://evanthompson.me/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Tseyang Osel is a Buddhist yogini who has spent most of her twenties in solitary retreat in remote mountain areas. Recorded in Tang Valley, Bhutan. Tseyang tells the story of her childhood, the beginning of the inspiration to become a yogini, and her attraction to solitary retreat. Tseyang details the practicalities as well as the dangers of spending months in the remote mountains, and the unique challenges of being a female practitioner in today’s world. Tseyang also discusses her love of Vajrayogini practice, the effect of kye-rim naljor on the subtle body channels, themes of devotion and attachment, and gives her heart advice to those who wish to practice well. …

 Video version: 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:47 - Tseyang’s childhood and upbringing 04:25 - The desire to become a mountain practitioner 06:35 - Searching for female inspirations 12:07 - Solitary retreats and attraction to remote mountain areas 16:05 - Special qualities of mountain retreats 20:25 - Food and provisions on remote retreats 23:28 - Challenges and dangers in the mountains 29:07 - Five elements practice as sustenance 30:43 - Nomad encounters 32:30 - Vajrayogini practice 36:51 -Generation stage and the subtle body 39:33 - Tendrel and devotion 41:34 - Skill in practice 42:37 - Being a female practitioner 44:40 - Long hair and attachment 51:59 - Wearing religious robes 53:51 - Advice to male and female practitioners 59:51 - Tseyang’s upcoming mountain retreat 01:01:20 - What inspires Tseyang’s practice … For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Candia Raquel recently interviewed me for her ‘Sensual Sessions’ Podcast. Video version: www.guruviking.com/podcast/steve-james-interviewed-on-the-sensual-sessions-podcast 00:00 - What does Steve do? 02:00 - Does Steve have magical powers? 03:36 - Is Steve enlightened? 06:14 - Why is Steve interested in mysticism and relationship? 08:45 - Are Steve’s interests useful in daily life? 10:17 Applying sublime and subtle practices in daily life 14:31 - Falling in love with the mundane 17:22 - Feeling pleasure in meditation 22:37 - Do men struggle to describe feeling? 26:40 - 3 blocks to feeling pleasure 31:20 - Relaxations vs excitation 36:05 - Pleasure in martial arts and competition 39:11 - The ritual of preparation 42:53 - Winning 45:17 - Candia on ritual and the unexpected 47:08 - Biggest challenges for men in feeling pleasure 48:55 - Do men have unique stresses? 50:36 - Stoicism and emotions 54:47 - Candia on macho culture 58:42 - Repression vs narcissism 59:52 - How Steve works with people who want to feel more pleasure 01:04:52 - Mapping pleasure and going beyond method 01:07:39 - Movement as a portal 01:12:36 - Steve describes his present experience 01:13:20 - Steve online Candia Raquel: https://www.centrodepoder.com/ Other times I have been interviewed: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/category/Steve+Interviewed  #guruviking #stevejames #candiaraquel

In this episode I am once again joined by Delson Armstrong, spiritual teacher, meditation virtuoso, and author of ‘A Mind Without Craving’. Delson draws on his scriptural knowledge and personal experience to take a deep dive into dependent origination, the doctrine believed by many Buddhists to be the key to enlightenment. In practical and relatable terms, Delson explains how this doctrine works, why it is important yet so often misunderstood, and how to use meditation to move from an intellectual understanding to the experiential understanding that is Buddhist enlightenment. Delson also compares the enlightened to the unenlightened experiences of time, memory, and decision making process, and gives a surprising answer to the question: can enlightened people make mistakes? …

 Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/155-key-to-enlightenment-delson-armstrong-3 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:53 - How to obtain an experiential understanding 05:56 - Essence of Dependent Origination 07:37 - How choices create reality 11:09 - Delson explains the 12 links 21:38 - Common mistakes in understanding the 12 links 24:25 - 6R’s as a craving intervention 30:09 - Consequences of disrupting the 12 links via meditation 36:30 - Does the wisdom mind generate karma? 39:01 - Exhaustion of past life karma 41:09 - Enlightened vs unenlightened experience of life 45:14 - Enlightened vs unenlightened experience of time, memory, and future planning 48:38 - Enlightened vs unenlightened decision making processes 55:22 - Why do enlightened people make mistakes? 01:00:03 - Lifting the veil that filters reality 01:06:36 - Trauma how to recondition the mind 01:15:01 - Letting go of craving is wholesome 01:17:21 - Is cultivation of wholesome states necessary? 01:20:39 - How purification works 01:23:42 - Healing trauma and MDMA-assisted therapy 01:27:39 - Simply observing suffering is not enough 01:31:24 - Riding the 12 links to stream entry and beyond 01:41:46 - Practical advice for the practitioner ... Previous episodes with Delson Armstrong: - https://www.guruviking.com/ep120-meditation-virtuoso-delson-armstrong/ - https://www.guruviking.com/ep127-siddha-tales-delson-armstrong-2/ - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep136-meeting-of-the-dharmas-daniel-ingram-delson-armstrong To find out more about Delson Armstrong, visit: - https://www.suttavada.foundation/our-teachers/ - https://www.dhammasukha.org/ 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James