Ep304: Crumbs from the Parrot’s Beak - Tulku Sherdor

In this interview I am joined by John Riley Perks, author, teacher, and was for seven years the butler and attendant of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Born in 1934, John recounts his childhood during World War 2, where he learned how to harness his intuition and psychic capacities under the guidance of his mother while avoiding air strikes and other dangers. John recalls moving to the USA in 1950 and tells of his life there through the decades of cultural change that marked the latter half of the 20th century. John describes his first meeting with renowned guru of Tibetan Buddhism Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and the subsequent years in his service as personal attendant and butler. John recalls the powerful spiritual field of tantric masters and details how Trungpa worked to dismantled John’s ego in a variety of potent ways. John also reflects on the line between so called crazy wisdom activity intended to enlighten students and the abuse of trust of which so many celebrity spiritual masters, including Trungpa himself, have been accused. John also explains how to send and receive messages on the wind, the protocol for interacting with spirit beings, and how to live in the mystery. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep229-butler-of-vajrayana-john-riley-perks Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:27 - Childhood during WW2 04:36 - Seances with John’s mother 07:54 - Britains’ native lineages of psychic and healing abilities 08:26 - Clearing the mind of psychic interference 10:00 - Interacting with other beings 11:43 - Learning to live in the mystery 12:57 - Recurring visions throughout John’s life 14:18 - Sending and receiving messages on the wind 16:38 - Importance of deity yoga and Vajrayogini practice 17:47 - Playing the Great Game 20:12 - Fantasy and reading 22:46 - Advice for those who have psychic experiences 25:06 - Panic attacks and PTSD 26:44 - Living in the USA in the 1950s 27:22 - Working as a farmhand and heading West 31:13 - Running a school for exceptional children 34:19 - The assassination period and gun culture 39:35 - The 60s and comments on drug use 42:38 - Living with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche 43:48 - Meeting Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche 45:29 - Powerful first impression 49:19 - The energy field of spiritual masters 51:29 - Dismantling John’s ego 53:26 - The art of serving the guru 54:39 - John’s love for Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche 57:58 - The terror of being so close to the guru 59:55 - How did John last so long? 01:01:51 - Not trying to get enlightened 01:04:38 - Stories of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche 01:08:38 - Accusations of abuse and cruelty 01:13:38 - Facing things as they are 01:14:19 - Đid Trungpa Rinpoche go too far? 01:15:32 - Trungpa Rinpoche’s drinking 01:18:07 - Working for Bill Cosby … To find out more about John Riley Perks, visit: - https://www.celticbuddhism.org/ … 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

24 Marras 20231h 20min

In this interview I am joined by Buddhist teacher and doctor of Tibetan Medicine Dr Nida Chenagtsang and author and Buddhist teacher Justin Von Bujdoss. Dr Nida and Justin discuss the esoteric Dzogchen practices of trekchö and tögal, and comment on their application to inner emotional disturbance and to times of external conflict and war. Dr Nida and Justin extensively discuss the mysterious practice of dark retreat, in which the retreatant seals himself in complete darkness for days or weeks at a time, triggering powerful hallucinations which can be worked with using special techniques for spiritual advancement. Dr Nida and Justin discuss the history of dark retreat, compares the differences in the various schools of its practice, warns of its dangers in terms of psychosis, and considers the potential it offers for attaining Buddhist enlightenment. Dr Nida and Justin also explore themes of fixation, nationalism, translation, and spiritual trauma. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep228-dzogchen-dark-retreat-dr-nida-chenagtsang-and-justin-von-bujdoss Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:01 - Geomantic energy of Bhutan 03:55 - The Dzogchen practice of trekchö 05:02 - Cutting through hardness 07:53 - The importance of using Sanskrit and Tibetan words 08:18 - The hardness of conceptual thinking 08:47 - Translating trekchö 09:45 - Dr Nida’s new approach to translation 11:54 - Dharma as medicine 12:27 - Freeing difficult emotions 14:24 - Palestine and political polarisation 17:29 - The pressure to take sides 21:10 - Meditation as medicine 21:33 - Bringing dharma experience to politics 25:09 - The value of softness and passivity 26:10 - Nationalism and fixation 28:09 - The price of enlightened politics 30:27 - Ashoka’s dharma reign 32:47 - Dr Nida’s new book about Yuthok’s Mahāmudrā 35:00 - Varieties of Dzogchen tögal practice 37:42 - The history of dark retreat 45:01 - Nyingma vs Kālachakra dark retreat versions 47:35 - Transforming energy and perception 49:57 - Yuthok and other dark retreat yogis 52:40 - Special characteristics of dark retreat 53:51 - The actual practice 55:07 - Dr Nida’s remarkable dark retreat teacher 01:00:29 - How Dr Nida’s teacher introduced him to the nature of mind 01:09:18 - The signs of success in practice 01:09:42 - The mystical story of Dr Nida and Justin’s karmic connection 01:17:21 - Mahasiddha way vs the educational path 01:20:19 - Side-effects of meditation and dark retreat 01:28:04 - Fun vs beneficial 01:29:48 - Requirements for a dark retreat location 01:30:47 - Dark retreat psychosis 01:35:01 - The need for financial support 01:36:43 - When to break your retreat 01:38:07 - Looking for experiences 01:42:43 - Dr Nida’s recent lucid dream 01:44:23 - Hallucinations and visions 01:47:59 - How to get involved 01:49:51 - Multi-cultural enlightenment 01:52:51 - How did Dr Nida assess Justin’s readiness for dark retreat 01:55:34 - Dark retreat progression 02:03:54 - The power of ngondro 02:04:34 - ‘Spiritual not religious’ 02:13:48 - Spiritual trauma 02:16:14 - Why Dr Nida wrote his book in Tibetan 02:19:07 - Questions for the practitioner 02:21:42 - Bad spiritual pedagogy … Previous episodes with Dr Nida Chenagtsang: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=nida Previous episode with Justin Von Bujdoss: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=justin … To find our more about Justin Von Bujdoss, visit: - https://justinvonbujdoss.com/ - https://www.yangtiyoga.com/ 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

17 Marras 20232h 26min

In this interview I am joined by Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, a tantric priest in a centuries old Newari Buddhist family lineage, and master of the religious dance tradition of Charya Nritya. Prajwal Vajracharya recounts his upbringing and early training, explains why his lineage was kept secret for hundreds of years, the reasons for its emergence into public awareness, and why his family received criticism for opening up their sacred secrets. Prajwal describes the holy dance tradition of Charya Nritya and details its layers of spiritual meaning, impact on the subtle energetic body, and emphasis on embodied awakening. Prajwal also shares the application of Charya Nritya to meditation, deity yoga, and ritual, and reveals the stages of enlightenment in the Newari Buddhist tradition. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep227-the-vajra-master-prajwal-ratna-vajracharya Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:54 - Prajwal’s sacred family lineage 02:53 - 800 years of secrecy under oppressive Hindu rule 04:14 - Newari family rituals of the 10 paramitas 06:20 - 2200 years of lineage 07:38 - Secret Newari tantric masters 10:40 - Prajwal’s remarkable father, Ratna Kaji Vajracharya 12:48 - Prajwal’s family dynamics 15:23 - Learning holy dance at 8 years old 16:32 - The meditative training process of Charya Nritya dance 17:53 - The importance of the five Buddhas and their animals 19:56 - Charya Nritya key to enlightenment 20:44 - Embodying the deity 21:24 - Inner, outer, and secret mudras 22:12 - Practice in every moment 22:56 - The power of hand mudra 24:37 - The outer mudra of nature 25:20 - The role of sitting meditation 26:52 - Making a mind connection to the deity 27:40 - Becoming one with the deity 28:37 - The effect of holy dance on the audience 29:36 - Embodied vs intellectual dharma 30:31 - Breaking the secrecy and facing opposition 35:36 - Powerful subtle body effects 37:30 - Ritual and working with spirits 39:06 - Stages of Newari enlightenment 42:13 - Prajwal’s teaching activities … To find out more about Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, visit: - https://www.dancemandal.com/ 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

10 Marras 202347min

In this interview I am joined by Lama Lhanang, a spiritual teacher of the Nyingma Longchen Nyingthig lineage of Tibetan Buddhism and an expert in meditation, anuyoga, geomancy, art, cultural and historical studies, and Tibetan medicine. Lama Lhanang describes his upbringing in a nomad family in Golok, Tibet, and how an encounter with a wrathful mahasiddha changed his childhood for ever. Lama Lhanang details his education in religion, ritual, and meditation as well as the disciplines of astrology and Tibetan medicine; and recounts stories of his teachers’ miraculous powers and spiritual realisations. Lama Lhanang also reveals his initial struggles upon arriving in America, highlights the distinctive qualities of American disciples, and shares his perspective on today’s turbulent events such as war in Europe and the Middle East and political division in the USA. … Link in comments. Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:06 - Nomadic childhood in Golok, Tibet
04:16 - Recognised by the local mahasiddha 06:17 - Religious study and pilgrimage 07:57 - Invited to America by Tarthang Tulku 09:06 - Initial struggles living in America 11:40 - The turning point 13:17 - Details about monastery education 17:46 - Various lineages and transmissions 19:14 - Extraordinary enlightened teachers 20:58 - Stories of miracle powers 28:14 - Wrathful teachers 29:41 - Trinley Norbu Rinpoche 30:15 - Lama Lhanang’s Sowa Rigpa teacher’s remarkable abilities 32:25 - The genius of Lama Lhanang’s astrology teacher 36:17 - How to cultivate siddhi 39:20 - Miracles of Milarepa 41:33 - Enlightened masters 42:52 - Meditation during dental operation 44:06 - Work with the mind 45:38 - Don’t worry about tomorrow 48:40 - Astrologer’s advice for the future 49:52 - Recognised as abbot by various monasteries 51:45 - Eastern vs Western disciples 55:27 - Group vs 1-1 instruction, and prerequisites to receive teachings 58:45 - Advice for those who are worried about the state of the world 01:01:00 - War in Palestine 01:04:10 - Create peace 01:05:23 - Don’t take sides 01:07:52 - The importance of communication 01:09:52 - The opportunity cost of war 01:11:22 - A story of mercy … To find out more about Lama Lhanang, visit: - https://www.buddhistsandiego.com/ 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

3 Marras 20231h 15min

In this episode I am once again joined by David Johnson, a meditation teacher and author of ‘A Path to Nibbana’. In this episode David describes the forgiveness meditation technique that he teaches to his students who encounter emotional blocks in meditation practice. David recalls his own journey with forgiveness, including his experience forgiving a toxic boss, and shares his students’ accounts using this technique. David also explains the links between keeping Buddhist precepts and a peaceful mind, and details other benefits of a moral life, including increase in personal power and acquisition of siddhi. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep225-forgiveness-meditation-david-johnson-2 Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 00:47 - Dealing with emotional blocks in meditation 01:47 - Metta vs breath as meditation object 02:37 - Advantages of metta meditation 03:16 - Emotional and psychological blocks to feeling good 04:20 - When the 6R’s aren’t enough 05:55 - The process of forgiveness 07:32 - How to forgive 08:47 - Don’t dredge the mind 10:09 - How David forgave his toxic boss 13:19 - Anecdotes of students’ forgiveness 17:51 - The power of the habit of forgiveness 19:27 - Phrases to unlock forgiveness 20:38 - A common metta meditation mistake 24:11 - The Buddha’s forgiveness method 25:19 - Meditation dosage 27:17 - David on psychiatry and therapy 31:22 - When to stop the technique 32:55 - Will forgiveness make me a pushover? 35:44 - Developing personal power 36:33 - David’s fears 37:30 - The root of fear 43:01 - Why keep the precepts 42:22 - How negative karma ripens 44:55 - Benefits of following the precepts 48:33 - Investing virtue for positive rewards … Previous episode with David Johnson: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep212-path-to-nibbna-david-johnson To find our more about David Johnson visit: - https://www.dhammasukha.org/forgiveness-meditation - https://www.dhammasukha.org/david-johnson For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

27 Loka 202357min

In this episode I am joined by Joe Evans, founder of the Rangdröl Foundation and teacher of Dzogchen under the name Jigme Rangdröl. Joe discusses his impoverished upbringing, recounts unusual childhood resonances with aspects of Tibetan Buddhism, and reveals how his boyish fantasies about meeting a guru were shattered when he met Gelek Rinpoche in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Joe shares his own practice journey, including his dream yoga skills and understanding of the Great Perfection, and recalls a transformative Vajrayogini retreat in which powerful meditation and dream experiences saw him seek the guidance of famous Dzogchen master Namkhai Norbu. Joe also shares his love of books, gives a tour of his library, highlights volumes of particular significance, and discusses the role of study in the path of Dzogchen. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep224-american-dzogchenpa-joe-evans Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:02 - Joe’s love of books 02:52 - Tour of Joe’s library 06:09 - Showing some favourite books 07:32 - Study vs practice in Dzogchen 10:57 - Higher standards for teachers 12:22 - Learning the Tibetan language 12:55 - Tibetan terms that require better translation 13:22 - Meaning of ‘yeshe’, ‘sherab’, and ‘dhatu’. 16:30 - Joe’s upbringing and early interest in meditation 21:17 - Teenage reading about Buddhism 22:41 - Fantasies about meeting a teacher 23:21 - Meeting Gelek Rinpoche 28:18 - University study of Buddhism and Tibetan language 28:54 - Praise for Professor Luis Gómez 32:22 - Decision not to enter graduate school 34:22 - Director of marketing for Wisdom Publications 37:01 - A life transforming Vajrayogini retreat 37:51 - Inspiration to seek out Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche 39:10 - Mystical experiences and spiritual dreams on retreat 41:18 - Namkhai Norbu’s revelatory dreams 44:16 - Joe’s talent for dreaming 45:27 - Namkhai Norbu’s emphasis on dream yoga 46:10 - Joe’s current dream yoga practice 47:29 - Meeting Namkhai Norbu in a dream 50:41 - 24hr Dzogchen practice 56:06 - Founding the Rangröl Foundation … To find out more about Joe Evans, visit: - https://www.rangdrolfoundation.org/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

20 Loka 20231h 3min

In this episode I am once again joined by Naomi Levine, author, under her birth name Norma Levine, of multiple books including ‘The Miraculous 16th Karmapa’, ‘A Quest For The Hidden Lands’, and ‘Chronicles of Love and Death: My Years With The Last Spiritual King of Bhutan’. In this interview, Naomi discusses the life of Freda Bedi, born in 1911 and also known as Sister Palmo; activist, radical, and the first Western woman to take full ordination in Tibetan Buddhism. Naomi recounts Freda’s upbringing, education at Oxford University, controversial marriage to the communist activist BPL Bedi, flight from Nazi Germany, and arrival in India. Naomi describes Freda’s conversion to Buddhism, ordination, and founding of the ‘Young Lama’s Homeschool’, where she taught English to young Tulkus such as Chogyam Trungpa, Ringu, Thupten Zopa, Chokyi Nyima, and more. Naomi also discusses Freda’s religious practice, the remarkable circumstances of her death, and shares the accounts of Buddhist lamas who ascribe to Freda high spiritual attainments. … Video episode: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep223-the-spiritual-odyssey-of-freda-bedi-naomi-levine-3 Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:13 - Writing about Freda Bedi 06:00 - The extraordinary death of Freda Bedi 10:56 - Living through remarkable times 12:30 - Born in a working class family 13:06 - Time at Oxford University 14:34 - Marrying Baba Pyare Lal ‘BPL’ Bedi 16:02 - Participation in Gandhi’s freedom movement 17:36 - Childhood meditation 20:41 - Flight from Nazi Germany 21:57 - Trouble in Kashmir 26:04 - Learning meditation under Sayadaw U Titthila and experiencing shunyata 27:14 - Friendship with Indira Gandhi and refugee work in Assam 29:02 - Founding the Young Lama’s Homeschool 31:01 - Convincing 16th Karmapa to travel to the West 33:31 - First Western woman to attain enlightenment? 35:01 - Didi Contractor on Freda Bedi 40:36 - Why is Freda Bedi not better known? 45:33 - Turbulent times and war 44:57 - Complexity and charisma 46:42 - How did Freda Bedi penetrate elite political and religious circles? 51:36- Ayang Rinpoche on Freda Bedi’s death 54:40 - Freda Bedi’s Marxism 58:27 - Ambiguities and motherhood 01:01:20 - The home life of great humanitarians 01:04:30 - BPL Bedi’s miraculous healing powers 01:09:32 - Freda Bedi’s spiritual and meditation practices 01:17:09 - Audio recording of Freda Bedi 01:35:44 - Kabir’s intention to make a film about Freda Bedi 01:36:16 - Naomi’s great admiration for Freda Bedi … Previous episodes with Naomi Levine: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep190-love-death-in-the-himalayas-naomi-levine - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep208-karmapa-tales-naomi-levine-2 To find out more about Naomi Levine, visit: - https://www.facebook.com/naomilevine111 - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Norma-Levine/author/B001K86LZ4?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

13 Loka 20231h 39min

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 Arthur discusses his latest book ‘American Gnosis’ in which he explores the surprising connections between the Gnostic tradition and contemporary American spirituality, politics, and popular media. Arthur shows the ways in which gnostic religious themes explicitly and implicitly express in political groups such as the dissident right, probes Eric Voegelin’s theories which propose links between gnosticism and left wing political movements, and explores the blend of cosmological and metaphysical gnosis in the writings of David Icke. Arthur also details the key features of neognosticism, discusses the meme battles over the Matrix film’s ‘red pill’, and considers the overlaps between light work, conspiracy theories, and Tibetan Buddhism. … Video episode: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep222-american-gnosis-arthur-versluis-phd-3 Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:19 - American Gnosis 02:17 - Origins of and surprises in the research 06:03 - An anecdote of American Gnosticism 08:02 - The gnosis of Twin Peaks 08:38 - Defining Gnosticism 12:18 - Emerging 20th century Neo-Gnosticism 14:30 - Cosmological vs metaphysical gnosis 17:19 - A surprising claim of awakening 21:26 - Crossover between Buddhist and Neo-Gnostic awakenings 23:40 - Political gnosis on the left and right 25:50 - Psychedelic gnosis 26:33 - Neo-gnosticism and the dissident right 29:31 - Is there neognosticism on the left? 34:01 - Are analyses in terms of whiteness and patriarchy neognostic in structure? 36:14 - Double-view of gnosticism on the right 40:44 - A problem in the American Buddhist world 42:23 - Struggle between the left and right over the symbolism of the Matrix’s red pill 49:22 - The pseudo-religion of the state and the 2nd reality 53:03 - Overreach of the label of ‘gnostic’ 55:18 - The gnosis of David Icke 01:02:14 - Suicidal nihilism of neognosticism vs Icke’s metaphysical gnosis 01:06:02 - Lightwork and conspiracy theory overlap with Buddhism 01:13:33 - Entities and dark forces in Tibetan Buddhism … Previous episodes with Prof. Arthur Versluis: - https://www.guruviking.com/ep106-arthur-versluis-phd-conversations-in-apocalyptic-times/ - https://www.guruviking.com/ep113-arthur-versluis-phd-2-american-gurus/ … To buy ‘American Gnosis’, visit: - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/american-gnosis-9780197653210?cc=gb&lang=en& To find out more about Prof. Arthur Versluis, visit: - https://arthurversluis.com/ 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

6 Loka 20231h 17min