Ep231: Esoteric Arts of Japan - John Maki Evans

In this episode I am joined by Nadia Rafaat, yoga and meditation teacher, doula, and former journalist with a special interest in female empowerment and female spirituality. Nadia recounts her difficult childhood, early career in gymnastics, and multi-year rebellious phase of class A drug use in London. Nadia recalls how attending her first yoga class radically changed her life direction, and how bringing her spiritual practices of meditation and pranayama into her own pregnancy journeys unlocked profoundly transformative effects. Having trained extensively as a doula and in pregnancy yoga, Nadia dives deep into the world of pregnancy and birth, criticising the mainstream medicalising model and offering an alternative, more intuitive approach. Nadia also shares the powerful spiritual potential of giving birth, including her own spiritual experiences during labour, and shares her perspective on female empowerment and spirituality. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep170-yoga-of-birth 

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:10 - Childhood and gymnastics career 04:47 - A difficult upbringing and the beginnings of spirituality 07:38 - Rebellious phase and drug use 11:39 - Class A’s vs psychedelics 14:17 - First yoga class and a change in life direction 16:30 - An unplanned pregnancy and life uncertainty 19:44 - Going into labour at a meditation retreat 24:40 - Birth and attachment mothering 29:25 - Second pregnancy and pushing for a home birth 35:36 - Training in pregnancy yoga with Francoise Freedman and ongoing studies 38:18 - Nadia’s meditation training 45:24 - Yogic meditation experiences 47:54 - Mindfulness for mothers 49:01 - Third pregnancy and attentiveness to the mind 53:09 - Insight into suffering during labour 54:53 - History of childbirth from domestic to medical 01:01:32 - An intuitive birthing countercurrent 01:07:47 - Agendas behind the C-section trend 01:17:11 - The spiritual dimensions of giving birth 01:21:53 - Bringing birth back home 01:24:12 - The yoga of pregnancy 01:31:01 - Pratyahara during labour 01:34:15 - Female empowerment and spirituality 01:41:56 - Yoga on a woman’s terms 01:46:07 - Nadia’s work … To find out more about Nadia Rafaat, visit: - https://nadiaraafat.com/ … 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

7 Loka 20221h 47min

In this episode I travel to the tropical island of Ko Pha-ngan in the Kingdom of Thailand, to visit recurring podcast guest Dhammarato, a lineage teacher in the Thai Buddhist tradition who is known for his unique, 1-1 teaching style conducted over Skype. I arrived at Dhammarato’s home and over the course of two days engaged in discussions with him about his life, practice, and teaching. Dhammarato shares stories of his childhood in the American South, where he faced conflict and racism that influence his world view today. He recalls his time in Ana Arbor where, immersed in the New Age movement, he studied with a witch, and attended meetings with the Indian siddha Muktananda. Dhammarato unfolds his approach to teaching Buddhism, and addresses commonly misunderstood topics such as the 8 fold noble path, stream entry, paticca samuppada, the power of placebo, how to deal with malicious people, and the importance of sangha. … Video version: www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep169-visting-dhammarato Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. ... 00:00 - Intro 01:02 - Finding Dhammarato 02:15 - Life after the Wat 06:04 - Starting to teach on Skype 07:30 - Noble Dhamma vs ordinary Buddhism 08:30 - Respect for Bikkhu Buddhadasa in Thailand 11:22 - Other teachers of the Noble Dhamma 13:27 - Skilful means 14:44 - Dhammarato’s approach to concentration and jhana 16:37 - Common practice mistakes 19:25 - How to practice the Supra-mundane Dhamma 20:05 - Right view 22:20 - Right effort and sati 23:53 - Remember to look, then make a change 25:08 - From victim to winner 28:53 - No need for examples 36:09 - Is stream entry permanent? 37:16 - Does it get easier? 42:19 - Fear and the self 48:04 - Realisation of no-self is overrated 01:01:21 - Identification with the body 01:06:31 - Liking and disliking 01:23:06 - Tour of Dhammarato’s house 01:25:30 - ‘The Handful of Leaves’ sutra 01:26:58 - Dhammarato’s Skype teaching set-up and protocol 01:30:20 - Dinner with Dhammarato 01:31:39 - Placebo and meditation 01:44:27 - Dhammarato’s upbringing 01:48:05 - Paticca samuppada and movie projection 01:52:10 - Racism in the American South 01:56:46 - Why did Dhammarato’s family move from place to place 01:58:18 - Experiences of racism and jealousy 02:03:25 - Dhammarato’s childhood dreams 02:05:24 - New age period in Ana Arbor 02:06:31 - Studies with a witch 02:11:17 - Swami Muktananda and shaktipat 02:16:23 - Dhamma is playful 02:19:02 - Anything goes? 02:25:55 - Dealing with malicious people 02:34:04 - The sangha and good friends 02:38:31 - Capitalism vs socialism 02:41:52 - Dhammarato’s work to build the Western Sangha 02:46:04 - What is Dhammarato’s motive? 02:48:18 - Dhammarato’s students and graduates … Dhammarato Episode Playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlkzlKFgdknyGISEfksirYaYpsrXdf8va … To find out more about Dhammarato, visit: - https://dhammaratoblog.wordpress.com/ - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxg5GJFsRqnS-YLTzyrjLQ … For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

30 Syys 20223h 3min

In this episode I host a dialogue between Stephen Snyder, meditation teacher and author of several books including ‘Buddha’s Heart’ and his new release ‘Trust in Awakening’; and Mark Mininberg, Zen master, dharma heir to Bernie Glassman, and founder CEO of Environ Energy. Stephen and Mark recount how they met and why they decided to become each others’ teacher, Stephen teaching Mark heart meditation methods while Mark completed Stephen’s Zen koan training. Stephen and Mark pull back the curtain to give us an intimate view into their mutual teaching relationship, including accounts of mind-to-mind transmission, powerful spiritual epiphanies, and a blossoming friendship. Stephen also announces his new book ‘Trust In Awakening’, a reworking with commentary of the classic Tang Dynasty Chan poem of awakening the XinXin Ming, and offers a teaching and commentary on two of the stanzas from the book. Stephen and Mark also discuss their rigorous new program for training the next generation of teachers, their plans to open a residential retreat centre, and reflect on the dharma politics of traditionalists vs innovators. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep168-trust-in-awakening-stephen-snyder-mark-mininberg

 Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
 … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:13 - First meeting 03:35 - Becoming each others’ teacher 06:47 - Adding heart to Zen 12:54 - Zen master learning heart practices from Stephen 17:09 - A powerful heart experience 20:50 - Receiving Dharma transmission in the Glassman-Roshi lineage 24:27 - Deepening koan practice 26:18 - Meeting the minds of the ancient masters 29:04 - Trust in Awakening 33:48 - Stephen and Mark teach about awakening from the 5th stanza of Stephen’s reworking of the Xinxin Ming 39:59 - How to practice with Xinxin Ming stanzas 43:40 - Stephen and Mark teach from the 8th stanza 50:17 - What is the Zen transmission process? 55:09 - Demonstration and the Mu koan 01:00:21 - Buddha’s Heart Meditation Centre 01:07:44 - Training the next generation of teachers 01:08:37 - Qualities needed in a trainee teacher 01:15:29 - The program for trainee teachers 01:18:45 - Respect for the Zen tradition 01:24:00 - Stephen’s in-person retreats 01:25:26 - Dharma politics and traditionalists vs innovators … Previous episode with Stephen Snyder: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=Stephen%20Snyder To find our more about Stephen Snyder, visit: - https://awakeningdharma.org/ To find out more about Mark Mininberg, visit; - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mininberg-3ba7b2a … 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

23 Syys 20221h 29min

Michael Taft is a meditation teacher, author, and host of the ‘Deconstructing Yourself’ podcast.
 In this episode, Michael reveals why he dislikes maps of meditation, and why he believes the Progress of Insight, a widely taught meditation map in Theravada Buddhism, causes more problems than it solves. Michael also discusses his points of agreement and disagreement with the Buddhist four path model, how he defines and teaches stream entry, the common traps on the way to enlightenment, how to cut through spiritual ego, and why Michael questions if becoming an arhat is actually good for anybody. Michael goes on to explain his own meditation map, based on the teachings of Shinzen Young, and shares his takes on emptiness, jhana, fire kasina, and how life changes after awakening. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep167-maps-to-enlightenment-michael-taft-2 Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
 … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:57 - Cons of meditation maps 06:06 - Why the Progress of Insight map causes more problems than it solves 09:50 - Disagreement with Daniel Ingram 10:37 - Controversy of claiming Arhatship 14:15 - Teaching towards stream entry 15:06 - Defining stream entry 18:16 - Do meditators really want stream entry? 20:17 - Where Michael diverges from the 4-path model 22:42 - different approaches to spiritual practice 23:24 - What changes after enlightenment? 29:01 - Stress tolerance of enlightenment 30:09 - Michael’s perceptive 31:16 - Dangers on the way to stream entry 36:29 - Post-stream entry pitfalls 37:54 - Spiritual ego trips 38:35 - How Michael slices through spiritual ego 39:39 - Michael’s own map of vipassana 45:35 - The failure mode of high concentration 48:05 - Differences between low concentration and insight into emptiness 51:05 - The problem with cessation 52:47 - Emptiness of self and other 54:37 - Pointing to the self 56:02 - When Michael’s students achieve stream entry 57:02 - Welcome to the club 57:41 - Sutra vs Mahamudra 58:53 - Running the map backwards 01:01:21 - Emptiness and form 01:05:07 - The big temptation of emptiness and bliss 01:08:35 - Why leave emptiness? 01:13:10 - Vipassana vs vipasyana 01:15:41 - Quick fire round 01:16:13 - Wet of dry vipassana? 01:16:39 - Hard or soft jhana? 01:17:22 - Breath or fire kasina? 01:18:21 - BIT or SHF? 01:19:09 - Shinzen Young’s evolution … Previous episode with Michael Taft: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep149-deconstructing-yourself-michael-taft To find out more about Michael Taft, visit: - https://deconstructingyourself.com/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

16 Syys 20221h 21min

In this episode I am once again joined by Daniel Ingram, independent Buddhist writer, author of ‘Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha’, and co-founder of the Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium (EPRC). Daniel recounts his history with the obscure but powerful fire kasina technique, which uses a candle flame to enter into advanced states of meditative concentration. Daniel shares his successes and failures, encounters with occultists and meditation masters, and investigations into ancient texts. Daniel reveals the many uses of the powerful concentration that can be developed using fire meditation, discusses his own experiences of psychic powers and out of body experiences, and considers the risks of mental illness when dabbling in esoteric realms. At the time of recording, Daniel had just returned from a three week intensive private fire kasina meditation retreat, and he also gives a detailed practice report from his meditative seclusion, as well as practical advice for those who wish to explore this technique for themselves. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep166-fire-kasina-mystic-daniel-ingram Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:10 - Daniel’s history with the fire kasina technique 06:23 - Bhante Gunaratana 07:03 - Honeybunny the ceremonial magician 09:08 - Retreats at Gaia house and first out of body experience 12:15 - Breakthrough retreat 17:36 - Correlating fire kasina experiences with Daniel’s insight levels 19:43 - What age is best for peak meditation attainment? 25:50 - Ceremonial magic path to high concentration 27:25 - Crowley’s Book Four 28:00 - Concentration vs liberation 29:44 - A powerful experience on retreat 32:22 - Various applications of fire kasina 34:42 - Safety warning 36:55 - Experiences of OBE’s and the powers 43:09 - Divine eye and divine ear experiences 46:54 - Psychic powers or a daydream? 50:30 - Dangers of the powers 52:15 - Daniel’s guide for group retreats 01:02:14 - Practice dose advice and ideal retreat duration 01:09:10 - Aftershock and afterglow 01:19:15 - Intention, summoning entities, and retreat goals 01:29:32 - Mania, psychosis, and the clinical view 01:35:07 - Daniel’s report from his recent intensive fire kasina retreat 01:51:19 - Kripal’s flip and coping mechanisms … Daniel Ingram Episode Playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlkzlKFgdkny_MJSecHyvKHPpvxTskBAC To find out more about Daniel, visit: - https://theeprc.org/ - integrateddaniel.info - https://firekasina.org … 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James x

10 Syys 20221h 56min

In this interview I host a conversation between iconoclastic yoga teacher Angela Farmer, and internationally renowned counsellor, workshop teacher, and author of ‘The Wild Woman’s Way’, Michaela Boehm. Michaela shares her admiration for Angela’s work, and Angela describes the journey of her relationship to her body, including childhood struggles , meeting her pain, and beginning a love affair with the body. Angela discuses her life’s process of teaching and eventually going beyond traditional yoga, as well as sharing the remarkable account of recovery from severe injuries received in a recent fall. Angela and Michaela also discuss Milarepa and the feminine, surrender vs giving up, the wisdom of the body, structure and imposition, learning to receive, and how to meet the world with all one’s fullness. … Video version: www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep165-wisdom-and-the-body-angela-farmer-michaela-boehm Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 00:57 - How Michaela first encountered Angela 05:31 - Angela’s struggle to connect with her body 08:08 - Finding yoga 09:25 - The story of the body and judging oneself 12:30 - The spiral and childhood challenges 13:53 - Meeting one’s pain and disfunction 23:03 - Beyond the social persona 24:24 - Freedom from traditional yoga 30:32 - Learning about women 31:20 - Students’ projections 35:05 - Milarepa and the feminine 37:20 - Women’s empowerment 38:50 - A love affair with the body 43:38 - Deepening practice in pandemic sabbatical 45:47 - Angela’s recent fall 48:54 - Angela’s remarkable recovery process 52:09 - Be here now 56:26 - Surrender vs giving up 58:06 - Being in the head and being stuck in the underworld 01:01:27 - Wisdom of the body 01:04:36 - Structure and imposition 01:08:23 - Learning to receive 01:10:55 - Softening inside to meet the world 01:14:58 - Role models and learning through resonance 01:17:45 - Animals as role models 01:21:58 - Inspiring others 01:24:05 - Zoom vs in-person teaching … Previous episode with Angela: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep117-angela-farmer-a-life-in-yoga Previous episodes with Michaela: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=michaela%20boehm To find our more about Angela, visit: - https://angela-victor.com/ To find out more about Michaela, visit; - https://www.michaelaboehm.com/ … 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

2 Syys 20221h 28min

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

26 Elo 20221h 16min

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

19 Elo 20221h 20min