Guru Viking Podcast

Dorje, an American Vajrayana practitioner, discusses his journey from the gay liberation movement to Buddhism amid the AIDS crisis. He shares about grief, death, and helping the dying, highlighting the power of Yamantaka practice and Buddhist teachings in his life.

Award-winning poet and Zen teacher Henry Shukman shares insights on love in spiritual practice, his awakenings, and transitioning from head to heart. He discusses neurological illness, heartbreak, and deep jhana practice. Henry explores the purifying effects of awakening and the importance of releasing the heart in spiritual development.

Lama Glenn Mullin discusses the history and significance of Boudhanath Stupa, shares his early dharma training, talks about the movement of Buddhist masters through Nepal, reflects on the Tibetan exile community, explores stupa architecture and symbolism, and discusses the implications of Kālacakra prophecies.

Dr Justin Sledge, a philosophy professor, discusses questioning enlightenment, morality theories, and tradition vs subjective experience. He critiques postmodernism, recommends esoteric readings, and explores existential questions, virtues ethics, and the danger of hazing. Topics include belief in God, natural law, and the meaning famine.

Anthropologist and Tibetan Buddhism scholar Dr. Ben Joffe delves into demonology, discussing pre-Buddhist spirit frameworks, the influence of Buddhism, and Tantric practices. He explores spirit domination, missionary geomancy, spirit contact for practitioners, and handling predatory demons. Dr. Joffe shares personal experiences with the spirit world, highlighting the unique methods used to establish Buddhism in Tibet.

Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, Tibetan Medicine doctor, shares wisdom on meditation styles, cultural appreciation, and transformative retreat experiences. Topics include Western culture, roots exploration, Inner dialogue meditation, and essence of meditation.

Explore the rich history of Newar Buddhism with Prajwal Vajracharya, a tantric priest and master of Charya Nritya. Discover the suppression, secret lineages, and distinctive rituals of Newar Buddhism. Learn about the 10 Paramita system, sacred sounds, alphasyllabary, mudras, mantras, mala prayer beads, and deity artwork. Unravel the complexities of this ancient Buddhist tradition in the Kathmandu Valley.

Dr. Anthony Metivier, memory expert, shares language learning journey from French struggles to mastering German, Mandarin, Latin, Hebrew, and Sanskrit. Challenges popular language input theories, criticizes gamified apps. Reveals memory techniques for fast-tracked acquisition, importance of extensive reading and setting clear goals.

Jason Miller, occultist, reflects on encounters in Tibetan Buddhism, rejecting discipleship, and powerful experience with the goddess Hekate. He compares Western magick to tantric sorcery, discusses empowerments in Nepal, and choosing Western magick over Tibetan Buddhism. The podcast explores Vajrayana practices, cave rituals, and the role of natural talent in spiritual accomplishments.

Leigh Brasington, Buddhist meditation teacher, discusses the 13-step Gradual Training for enlightenment, origins of Buddhist scriptures, importance of moral precepts, and skepticism towards claims of psychic powers. Topics include teaching inconsistencies, evolution of doctrines, and tampering of scriptures.