Guru Viking Podcast

In this interview I am joined by Anthony Metivier, author and memory expert who’s life was unexpectedly transformed by the meditation practice of memorising long form Sanskrit texts. Anthony recounts his childhood of familial chaos and extreme religion, and how a psychotic break at university saw him wrestle with his mental health for years while self-medicating with anti-psychotic drugs and alcohol. A lifelong meditator, Anthony shares how applying his world-class memory skills to the practice of memorising and reciting long-form Sanskrit texts caused a series of profound spiritual experiences that revolutionised his perception of reality. Now a world-renowned memory educator, Anthony also reveals his daily routine for optimal mental performance, and shares insights into the role of memory in identity formation and in spiritual awakening. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep123-master-of-memory-anthony-metivier/ Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. …

In this episode I am joined by Leigh Brasington, Buddhist meditation teacher to discuss his new book ‘Dependent Origination and Emptiness: SODAPI’. Leigh lifts the lid on his writing process, including how he overcame severe writer’s block to complete the book that his students had been asking for years, and shares his reasoning for making the book free. Leigh reveals why he considers the dependent origination to be at the heart of the Buddha’s teaching, and traces different interpretations of the doctrine throughout the Buddhist literature. Leigh draws on the works of Nagarjuna to discuss emptiness, and levels a critique of the teaching of reincarnation which he calls an ‘immortality project’. Leigh explains why he translates ‘dukkha’ as the hippy slang word ‘bummer’, how he came up with the acronym SODAPI - Streams of Dependently Arising Phenomena Interacting, and offers medium and long term strategy advice for how to practice this powerful method to achieve the liberation of promised in Buddhism. …

In this interview I am joined by Thupten Phuntsok, Buddhist teacher who, after 21 years as a monk in the Gelugpa order, disrobed to live the life of a lay person in New York City. Phuntsok describes his childhood in Haiti, and the awakening of his desire to become Christ-like and dedicate his life to spiritual contemplation. Phuntsok shares his subsequent explorations in Western Esotericism, Indian yoga, and Tibetan Buddhism including studies under Rato Rinpoche and Geshe Lobsang Tharchin. Phuntsok also shares his views on the dysfunctions of modern sexuality, the scholastic emphasis of his Gelugpa training, the 6 Yogas of Naropa, and reveals the surprising reasons why after two decades he chose to leave the monastic life behind. … 

Video version at: https://www.guruviking.com/ep121-leaving-monasticism-thupten-phuntsok/ 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:49 - Childhood spiritual leanings 03:21 - Why Phuntsok did not becom

I was recently interviewed on Shane Hanner’s ‘Humint’ podcast. We talk about meditation, Dzogchen, embodiment, trauma, and more… https://www.guruviking.com/guru-viking-on-the-humint-podcast/ 00:00 - Steve’s background 09:55 - Steve’s practice 14:00 - Shane on meditation 18:13 - Shane’s background and Dzogchen studies 21:32 - Realising rigpa 25:24 - What motivated Shane’s spiritual seeking? 27:40 - Shane’s search for meaning 30:35 - The War of Art 33:16 - Why meditate? 40:14 - Steve’s daily process 42:35 - What is embodiment 45:32 - Trauma and meditation 52:30 - Embodiment and relationships Check out Shane’s other interviews at: https://linktr.ee/shanehanner You can find me at: www.guruviking.com

In this episode I am joined by Delson Armstrong, spiritual teacher and star student of Bhante Vimalaramsi, who’s senior student David Johnson has said ‘Delson Armstrong has mastered every practice we have given him. He is the most amazing student we have ever seen.’ In this interview, Delson recalls his early life training in the Himalayas where he mastered the system of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, attaining to all of its highest states of Samadhi; attained all 6 levels of Kriya Yoga under three separate lineages; studied Sanskrit; and was exposed to practices of Shaiva Tantra through students of Osho. Delson shares his subsequent explorations of Buddhism, including Mahamudra, Dzogchen, and the TWIM practice of Bhante Vimalaramsi. Delson recounts and contrasts his experiences accomplishing the 8 jhanas, attaining the 4 levels of Buddhist awakening, and realising Rigpa. Delson also reveals yogic feats such as recalling past lives and entering into a type of suspended animation called nirodha-samāpatti for up

In this episode we consider the effect of meditation practice and classical enlightenment on sexuality, as we continue the ongoing conversation between:

 - Shinzen Young, meditation teacher and neuroscience research consultant
 - Chelsey Fasano, a Columbia University neuroscience student 
- Dr Jay Sanguinetti, Assistant Director for the Center for Consciousness Studies and Research Professor at the University of New Mexico We recall Leigh Brasington’s statements in episode 115 that many of his students experience states of meditative absorption as erotic in nature, and we consider Chelsey’s observation that Leigh’s brain scans in these absorption states resemble images of the brain during orgasm. I contrast early Buddhist scriptural statements which state that it is impossible for enlightened people to have sexual intercourse with later, highly sexual accounts of enlightened masters such as ‘The Saint of 5000 Women’, Drukpa Kunley, and Rinzai saint and erotic poet Ikkyū Sōjun, and pose the question, ‘Wha

In this episode I am once again joined by Henry Shukman, award-winning poet, Zen teacher, and author of ‘One Blade of Grass; a Zen memoir’.  In this interview Henry discusses the dangers of early spiritual openings, reflects on personality changes after awakening, and questions the complexifying of enlightenment in such activities as the yogas of dream and sleep. Henry also shares his own journey rediscovering the power of community as crucible, how to navigate religious trauma, and offers his thoughts on a viable formula for Zen in America.
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 Video version at: https://www.guruviking.com/ep118-henry-shukman-3-zen-the-crucible/ 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:43 - What’s it all about? 05:29 - Early openings can cause trouble 11:24 - Self as a seed 15:54 - What happens to the self after awakening? 20:31 - Personality changes after awakening 27:14 - Zen and sleep yoga 31:06 - Complexifying enlightenment 34:32 - Nondu

In this interview I am joined by internationally renowned yoga teacher Angela Farmer. Angela recounts the story of her life in yoga, from her birth in 1939 pre-war England, to her studies under yoga guru BKS Iyengar, to her international teaching career spanning over fifty years. Angela reveals how after a decade of rigorous training under Iyengar, she broke away from strict asana practice to find her own path of listening to the body. Despite the resultant blacklisting by the yoga community, Angela uncovered a radically different way of practicing yoga. Angela also shares what it means to be receptive to life in the face of fear, trauma, and change, and offers her heart advice to women of all ages. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep117-angela-farmer-a-life-in-yoga/ Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:45 - Angela’s childhood during WW2 04:37 - Differences between girls’ and boys’ education 08:02 - Major child

In this interview I am joined by Greg Kaminsky, host of the Occult of Personality podcast and author of ‘Pronaos: Reflections on the Preliminary Practices of Buddhist Tantra’. In this episode, Greg details over twenty years of extensive occult studies, including his daily magickal practice regime, and reveals why an encounter with American born spiritual teacher Traktung Khepa Rinpoche, saw him leave the path of Western esotericism in favour of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Greg shares just why Traktung Rinpoche impressed him so much, and contrasts the view of magic and entity binding in the occult and Buddhist traditions. Greg also discusses his new book on ngondro, so-called preliminary practices involving hundreds of thousands of repetitions of special prayers and prostrations, and recounts the profound spiritual transformations that occurred when he himself took up this practice. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep116-greg-kaminsky-occult-of-personality/ Also available on Youtube, iTune

In this episode special guest Leigh Brasington, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of ‘Right Concentration, A Practical Guide to the Jhanas’, joins the ongoing conversation featuring: 

- Shinzen Young, meditation teacher and neuroscience research consultant
 - Chelsey Fasano, a Columbia University neuroscience student
 - Dr Jay Sanguinetti, Assistant Director for the Center for Consciousness Studies and Research Professor at the University of New Mexico In this episode Shinzen and Leigh engage in a detailed discussion about the variety of classifications of jhana in Buddhist scripture and the competing interpretations of them that exist today. They examine the contents and political context of 5th century text the Visuddhimagga and its author Buddhagosa and consider possible conflicts between its jhana system and the those of the Sutta and Abhidhamma literature. Chelsey reveals fascinating research on the neuroscience of pleasure and its relationship to meditational bliss, Jay shares the research o

n this episode I host a dialogue between Dhammarato and Daniel Ingram on the question ‘Lineage: Who May Teach The Authentic Dharma?’. Dhammarato is a lineage teacher in the Thai Buddhist tradition, a student of the meditation master Bikkhu Buddhadasa, and is known for his unique, 1-1 teaching style conducted over Skype. Daniel Ingram is an independent Buddhist author and co-founder of the Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium (EPRC), a multidisciplinary, multinational alliance of researchers, clinicians, and patrons who share a vision of bringing scientific methods and clinical sensibilities to the study of emergent phenomena. In this episode Dhammarato and Daniel offer various definitions of the word ‘lineage’ and debate the value of lineage authorisation as a qualification to teach the Buddhist religion. Dhammarato recalls his own monastic training in what he calls the ‘noble lineage’ under teachers such as a Ajahn Po and Bikkhu Buddhadasa and critiques the lack of authentic lineage in the West, w

In this interview, I am once again joined by Professor Arthur Versluis, a professor and Department Chair of Religious Studies in the College of Arts & Letters at Michigan State University, author of over 25 books on subjects ranging from Western esotericism, magic, Christian Theosophy, ancient mystery schools, and more. In this episode we discuss Arthur’s 2015 book, ‘American Gurus’ and trace the uniquely American cultural and philosophical factors that lead to the prevalence of independent spiritual teachers such as Adi Da, Andrew Cohen, and Ken Wilber. Arthur argues that a philosophy he calls immediatism is the key cultural force and traces its origins from Plato to Emerson to the 60s counter-culture and beyond. Arthur recounts personal meetings with figures such as Stephen Gaskins, Bill Ayers, and Bernadette Roberts as well as reflecting on his own affiliation with Tibetan Buddhism as both a practitioner and teacher. Arthur also shares his take on the psychedelic movement, the revolutionary politics of

In this interview I am joined by Bhante Vimalaramsi: author, American Buddhist monk, and abbot of the Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center in Annapolis, Missouri. In this episode Bhante Vimalaramsi describes how twenty years of dedicated practice of Mahasi-style vipassana meditation left him unsatisfied and how discarding that method and learning to relax and smile unlocked the spiritual path. Bhante describes how his current teaching approach, based not on Buddhaghosa’s Visuddhimagga but on Vimalaramsi’s interpretation of the earlier Buddhist scriptures, sees anything from 25% to 50% of his students attain nibbana in a single 10-day retreat. Bhante Vimalaramsi also details the four path model of enlightenment found in the Theravada schools, and claims that his advanced students experience a permanent cessation of sexual activity and the ability to meditate for up to 7 days without breathing or heart beat. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep112-bhante-vimalaramsi-relaxing-into-nibbana/ Also availa

In this interview I am joined by Mike Crowley, Buddhist Lama, musician/composer, and author of ’Secret Drugs of Buddhism: Psychedelic Sacraments and the Origins of the Vajrayana’. We learn about Mike’s childhood as the son of a psychopath, and his extensive experimentation with all manner of drugs and psychoactive substances. Mike recalls his encounters with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and his 7 year apprenticeship with Lama Yungdrung which eventually resulted in Mike becoming a lama himself. Mike reveals details of his training and experiences practicing the yogas of Naropa including dream yoga, tummo, and more. Mike lays out his argument that psychedelic sacrament was an essential part of Buddhist Vajrayana, discussing symbolism in sacred art, references in hagiographical accounts, and artefacts of psychedelic use in modern practice forms. Mike also discusses how to transform negative emotion into wisdom, and compares Taoist inner alchemy to the inner yogas of Tibet. … Video version at: https://www.g

In this episode special guest Leigh Brasington, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of ‘Right Concentration, A Practical Guide to the Jhanas’, joins the ongoing conversation featuring: - Shinzen Young, meditation teacher and neuroscience research consultant - Chelsey Fasano, a Columbia University neuroscience student, - Dr Jay Sanguinetti, Assistant Director for the Center for Consciousness Studies and Research Professor at the University of New Mexico In this episode Leigh shares his work with jhana meditation and neuroscience, summarising his 2013 paper ‘Case Study of Ecstatic Meditation’ and showing his brain scans in profound states of samadhi. Dr Sanguinetti offers his own interpretation of Leigh’s scans, and Chelsey asks why mystics report states of nothingness as so much more satisfying than the mundane pleasures associated with the reward systems of the brain. Listen in as Shinzen and Leigh, old friends with decades of elite-level meditation experience, engage in far reaching discussions of sam

In this interview I am once again joined by Tibetologist, author, and Tantric Buddhist Lama Glenn Mullin. Glenn takes a deep dive into the use of yidam, or meditation deities, in Buddhist tantra including the role of personal preference, karmic coincidence, and divination in choosing the right yidam for you. Glenn reveals his own primary yidam practice and details the unusual experiences around his initiation as well the effects of the yidam practice over his lifetime. Glenn also explains the use of ritual instruments, mudra, and choreographed hand gestures in Tantric practice, and discusses what it means to become an accomplished practitioner of these disciplines. … Full episode link in bio. Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 00:47 - How to choose a practice deity 11:54 - How to determine your karmic dispositions and tales of empowerments 18:13 - Divination and karmic coincidence 24:57 - Effects of Yamantaka tantric pra

In this episode I am joined by Erik Jampa Andersson, a teacher of Tibetan medicine, astrology, and meditation endorsed by luminaries of the field such as Dr Nida Chenagtsang and Lama Tsultrim Allione. Erik recounts how childhood tragedy and an early interest in the occult saw him deeply influenced by the works of J.R.R Tolkien, and to eventually become a Buddhist in the Nyingma lineage of Tibet. Erik reveals his personal journey in resolving friction points with the Buddhist religion, including doctrines of hell realms and heteronormative ethical standards. Erik also discusses his education in Tibetan medicine, and shares his deep interest in and personal experience of the realm of spirits and unseen beings, both as mythic devices and also as influences in mental health and physical disease. … 

Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep108-erik-jampa-andersson-from-tolkien-to-tibet/ 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro

I was recently interviewed by James Iandoli at 'Engaging the Phenomenon', where we discussed meditation, psychic powers, and UFOs

In this episode I am once again joined by Henry Shukman, award-winning poet, Zen teacher, and author of ‘One Blade of Grass; a Zen memoir’.  In this interview Henry reveals what he calls Zen’s true miracle, and shares his own personal journey of healing childhood trauma in the context of spiritual awakening and integration of enlightenment. Henry also explores the two purposes of Zen koan training, contrasts different models of enlightenment, and explains how to awaken in the midst of intense suffering and pain. …

 Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep107-henry-shukman-2-zens-true-miracle/ 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:36 - Endorsed by Dr Rick Hanson 01:25 - Evolving definitions of trauma 05:16 - Cold War espionage and Henry’s infant trauma 08:18 - Profound insights from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy 10:43 - Exploring Jungian dream work 17:36 - Can one be enlightened and traumatised? 21:08 - Integration

In this interview, I am joined by Professor Arthur Versluis, a professor and Department Chair of Religious Studies in the College of Arts & Letters at Michigan State University, author of over 25 books on subjects ranging from Western esotericism, magic, Christian Theosophy, ancient mystery schools, and more. In this episode we discuss Arthur’s latest book, ‘Conversations In Apocalyptic Times’ and trace a thread of esoteric Christianity that stretches back to the mystery schools of Ancient Greece. We discover fascinating figures such as shoemaker and mystic Jakob Böhme; priest, alchemist, and astrologer John Pordage; and learn about the negative theology of Christian Neoplatanist Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, contrasting it with Buddhist notions of emptiness and the ‘neti neti’ method advocated by Shankara. Arthur also explains the differences between historical and a-historical lineages and discusses the recurring friction between the religious mystic and the religious institution. … Video version