Ep248: Esoterica & Academia - Dr Justin Sledge

In this episode I am once again joined by Delson Armstrong, spiritual teacher and star student of Bhante Vimalaramsi. In this interview, Delson recalls tales of unusual spiritual mentors, including an Indian cobbler who taught Delson to read peoples’ karma, unlocking the ability to see not only others’ past lives, but also their future fate. Delson engages in a detailed discussion of how to acquire, refine, and master siddhi, aka special powers, discusses his own encounters with entities while on dark retreat, reveals his experience with the yogas of dream and sleep, and offers advice on dealing with periods of karmic reckoning. Delson also describes the 31 planes of existence, from the Brahma Lokas to the Hell Realms, and shares his opinion on figures such as Mara, Patanjali, and Jesus Christ. …

 Video version at: https://www.guruviking.com/ep127-siddha-tales-delson-armstrong-2/ 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:56 - The Indian cobbler who taught Delson to read peoples’ karma 09:24 - Delson’s powerful precognitive experiences 10:41 - How to unlock precognition 15:33 - Acquiring, refining, and mastering Siddhi (aka special powers) 20:54 - Delson’s mentor Greg Halpern who had 13 near-death experiences 30:53 - Delson on psychedelics and anti-aging herbs taken during dark retreat 32:41 - Visions of entities on dark retreat 35:39 - Delson’s yogic experience of sleep 39:05 - How Delson can operate without sleep 42:40 - Delson on dream yoga 47:23 - Periods of intense karmic purification 53:58 - How to relate skilfully to karmic reckonings 56:40 - 31 Planes of Existence 01:00:47 - Who is Mara? 01:02:56 - Brahma Lokas and Hell Realms 01:06:27 - The Formless Realms 01:11:57 - Do this before interacting with entities 01:22:30 - Can entities influence our lives? + Nagas and reptilian entities 01:26:22 - Was Patanjali a Naga? 01:26:55 - What did the ancient Naga teach humans? 01:27:45 - Delson on astral travel 01:32:48 - Contacting deceased masters and alien teachers 01:36:29 - How Delson perceives Jesus 01:39:31 - Dependent origination and future episodes … Previous episode with Delson Armstrong: - https://www.guruviking.com/ep120-meditation-virtuoso-delson-armstrong/ Previous episode with Bhante Vimalaramsi: - https://www.guruviking.com/ep112-bhante-vimalaramsi-relaxing-into-nibbana/ 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

24 Dec 20211h 41min

In this interview I am joined by Jack Haubner, prize winning author of the memoirs Zen Confidential: Confessions of a Wayward Monk; and Single White Monk: Tales of Death, Failure, and Bad Sex. In this interview Jack shares his early spiritual openings, his strict Catholic upbringing, subsequent break from Christianity, and discovery of Buddhism. Jack reveals his complex relationship with his first Zen mentor, describes the development of his personal meditation practice, and recounts his initial meetings with renowned and latterly infamous spiritual teacher Joshu Sasaki Roshi. Jack went on to become the head monk of Sasaki’s monastery, a role which he occupied during the widely publicised sexual misconduct allegations made against the aged abbot, who was then in his hundreds. Jack reflects on the decades long open secret of Sasaki’s conduct within the Zen community, and discusses the widespread and complex fallout of a charismatic religious leader’s fall from grace. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep126-zen-scandal-jack-haubner/ Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 
 00:00 - Intro 01:03 - Catholic childhood and early spiritual opening 05:03 - Explaining the opening in Zen terms 08:05 - Leaving Catholicism 11:59 - Steve’s Catholicism 14:35 - European vs American Catholicism 18:07 - Encountering Lama Ole Nydahl and Shambala Buddhism 22:59 - Why Zen? 25:56 - Jack’s Zen mentor 28:07 - The evolution of Jack’s meditation practice 31:20 - ‘Finally learning to sit’ 35:43 - The Rinzai style of training 37:17 - How to express No-Self in a Los Angeles bar 39:24 - Sexually propositioned by his mentor 45:23 - Meeting Joshu Sasaki Roshi 46:25 - First impressions of Joshu Sasaki 48:28 - Who was Joshu Sasaki? 51:59 - How much persona did JS have? 53:16 - JS’s daily routine 55:36 - Does Jack still orient to JS? 56:53 - JS’s sexual scandal 01:01:54 - The open secret of JS’s sexual misconduct in the Zen community 01:10:50 - Being Head Monk during the scandal 01:17:50 - The legacy of JS’s scandal 01:24:23 - Does Jack teach Zen today? 01:26:15 - Joshu Sasaki’s death 01:32:28 - Where does Zen lead? … To find out more about Jack Haubner, visit: - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt9Q74t3o7AUCJ_bKTc5CgA 

 For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

17 Dec 20211h 40min

In this episode I host a third dialogue between Dhammarato and Daniel Ingram, this time on the vipassana meditation method of the highly influential Burmese monk Mahasi Sayadaw. While Daniel’s own path has been deeply informed by the Mahasi Method, Dhammarato has critiqued it as incomplete - particularly as it has been applied by the American Vipassana movements that it influenced. In this episode Daniel and Dhammarato share their own experiences of the method, reflect on its changes from Mahasi to U Pandita to America, and reveal rarely seen teachings from Mahasi’s own writings. Daniel and Dhammarato also debate different approaches to working with meditation hinderances, compare the results of Mahasi practitioners to those of fire kasina meditation and Culadasa’s ‘Mind Illuminated’ school, and address topics such as the Dark Night, Stream Entry, and perennialism. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep125-the-mahasi-debate-dhammarato-daniel-ingram/ 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 00:58 - Dhammarato vs Daniel on the internet 03:55 - Daniel’s practice history with the Mahasi Method 12:47 - Who was Mahasi Sayadaw and what was his emphasis? 16:16 - Dhammarato’s experiences with the U Pandita and the Mahasi method 18:52 - ‘U Pandita was not the nicest of people’ 19:20 - What was lost in the translation of Mahasi’s method to America? 29:46 - Dry vs wet vipassana 31:08 - Daniel on rare and surprising Mahasi teachings 32:52 - U Pandita’s stern personality 34:45 - The joyful vibe at the Malaysian Buddhist Meditation Centre 37:53 - Open discussion of attainments 38:47 - Does Mahasi noting dwell on hinderances and cause Dark Nights of the Soul? 39:57 - Do different people need different meditation methods? 46:16 - How to deal with hinderances 49:52 - Comparing Mahasi, TMI, and Fire Kasina 01:00:21 - Is there a good side to hindarances? 01:07:03 - Is the Dark Night inevitable or a sign of practice gone wrong? 01:23:42 - Dhammarato’s rock bottom and investigation vs noting 01:29:03 - The richness of the full Buddhist tradition 01:30:28 - Different definitions of stream entry and Daniel’s personal experience 01:35:47 - Perspective on practice 01:40:33 - Daniel’s concluding reflections on the varieties of insight experiences 01:42:59 - Has Daniel nuanced his perennialsm? ..
 Dhammarato Episode Playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlkzlKFgdknyGISEfksirYaYpsrXdf8va Daniel Ingram Episode Playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlkzlKFgdkny_MJSecHyvKHPpvxTskBAC … To find out more about Dhammarato, visit: - https://dhammaratoblog.wordpress.com/ - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxg5GJFsRqnS-YLTzyrjLQ To find out more about Daniel, visit: - https://theeprc.org/ - integrateddaniel.info … 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

10 Dec 20211h 46min

In this interview I am joined by Rupert Spira: a teacher of the direct path method of Advaita, and an internationally acclaimed ceramic artist. In this episode Rupert discusses his childhood in British boarding school, his disenchantment with science, and his discovery of spirituality. Rupert explains how his decision to pursue a career in pottery caused a rift with his father, and reveals the profound significance of their subsequent reconciliation many years later. Rupert recounts his intensive apprenticeship with the Zen Master-like British studio potter Michaela Cardew, and shares the essence of his artistic process as it expresses both in ceramics and in his work as a teacher of nonduality. Rupert also discusses personality cults in the arts and spirituality, the seductiveness of adulation as a spiritual teacher, the apparent conflict between beauty and truth, and why awakening so often still the artistic impulse but can also liberate it. … https://www.guruviking.com/ep124-art-of-awakening-rupert-spira/ Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include:

 00:00 - Intro 01:11 - Rupert’s upbringing and education at boarding school 05:25 - Disenchantment with science 08:00 - Discovery of spirituality and the arts 10:32 - Rupert’s parents’ mixed response to his career in the arts 10:58 - Estrangement and powerful reconciliation with Rupert’s Father 15:31 - Apprenticeship under the Zen-like master potter Michael Ambrose Cardew CBE 23:04 - The education of a master artist 27:37 - Spiritual interests kept secret from Michael Cardew 30:57 - The essence and process of Rupert’s internationally acclaimed 30 year career as a ceramic artist 35:35 - Transitioning from pottery to spiritual teaching 36:58 - Similarities between Rupert’s arc as a potter and as a spiritual teacher 38:00 - Leaving the master and the emergence of the artist’s own voice 42:36 - Rupert’s art in every aspect of teaching 50:14 - Personality cults in the arts and spirituality 55:06 - Navigating student’s projections 57:06 - The seductiveness of adulation 01:04:48 - Resolving the conflict between beauty and truth 01:11:00 - The liberation of Rupert’s art 01:17:19 - Why awakening can kill art, and why it didn’t kill Rupert’s art … To find out more about Rupert Spira, visit: - https://rupertspira.com/ 

For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

3 Dec 20211h 26min

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’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:58 - Childhood of chaos and extreme religion 02:46 - Exposure to meditation and memorising sanskrit texts 07:05 - Charismatic religious experiences 12:18 - Psychosis and self medication 21:07 - Psychedelics and Carlos Castaneda 25:48 - Past life regression 27:16 - Spiritual entities and rational skepticism 30:59 - Gary Weber and the effect of memorising long-form Sanskrit 35:15 - The essence of spiritual insight 39:25 - Plato and being vs non-being 41:45 - Sanskrit memorisation as a spiritual practice 49:18 - A profound spiritual experience 52:51 - Loss of the fear of death and the psychopathic danger 56:51 - Storytelling and identity 01:01:52 - Narrative drift and how memory works 01:07:34 - Anthony’s daily routine for optimal memory and productivity … To find out more about Anthony, visit: - https://www.youtube.com/c/AnthonyMetivierMMM - https://www.magneticmemorymethod.com/ 
 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

26 Nov 20211h 14min

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. … Video version at: https://www.guruviking.com/ep122-mysteries-of-dependent-origination-leigh-brasington/ Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:03 - Leigh’s new book 02:24 - Why the book is free 06:00 - Dharma teacher income 09:35 - What is dependent origination? 13:21 - Inspired by teachers 18:00 - The writing process 20:15 - Overcoming writer’s block 23:00 - Dukkha is a bummer 30:36 - Various sutta presentations on dependent originations 37:55 - Dependencies not causes 43:04 - Consciousness and the body 45:25 - Critique of religious immortality projects 49:12 - kāmataṇhā (NB: Leigh meant to use the word bhavataṇhā, not kāmataṇhā) 52:35 - Moment to moment model 55:17 - Buddhism without reincarnation? 01:01:37 - Jakatta tales and the tulku system 01:08:56 - Short and long term practice strategies 01:16:27 - Is mindfulness of vedana enough to uproot ignorance? 01:19:56 - Nagarjuna and the implications of the emptiness doctrine 01:23:43 - How did Leigh come up with SODAPI? 01:29:07 - Sañña and the Honeyball Sutta 01:32:27 - How to practice dependent origination for jhana meditators … Previous episodes with Leigh: - https://www.guruviking.com/?s=BRASINGTON … To find out more about Leigh, visit: - http://leighb.com 
 Read Leigh’s new book ‘Dependent Origination and Emptiness: SODAPI’: - http://sodapi.leighb.com/download.htm 
 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

19 Nov 20211h 35min

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 become a Catholic priest 04:46 - Christian vs Buddhist monasticism 06:13 - Interest in reading and meeting Kyongla Rato Rinpoche 09:50 - What does it mean to be Christ-like 12:46 - Tonglen and substitutionary atonement 13:55 - Studies with Rato Rinpoche, the Himalayan Institute, and Rosicrucianism 19:31 - Meeting Sermey Khensur Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang Tharchin 23:55 - Social context, Hinduism & Buddhism 25:26 - Phuntsok’s daily practice 27:24 - Daily esoteric practice of Rosicrucianism 31:00 - States of high concentration and the lack of masters 34:45 - Ordination as a Buddhist monk 40:28 - Family opinion on Phuntsok’s ordination 42:34 - Struggles as a monk 49:22 - Sexuality and celibacy 51:52 - Modern sexuality is dysfunctional, multi-generational trauma 55:22 - Analysis of dysfunctional sexuality 01:02:50 - How did Phuntsok arrive at this view? 01:21:31 - Why Phuntsok didn’t live in a monastery 01:30:00 - Doctrinal education under Geshe Lobsang Tharchin 01:39:05 - 6 Yogas of Naropa and sacrilegious views on tantra 01:43:49 - Disrobing as a monk after 21 years 01:50:23 - Out of touch with people 01:57:43 - Teaching activities ... To find out more about Thubten Phuntsok, visit: - https://www.thuptenphuntsok.com/ - https://www.youtube.com/c/ThuptenPhuntsok - https://www.patreon.com/thuptenphuntsok 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

12 Nov 20212h 1min

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

11 Nov 20211h 2min