Ep269: When Qigong Goes Wrong - Damo Mitchell

I was recently interviewed by Wim Hof instructor, men's group leader (and much more) Asher Packman for his 'Warrior Within Podcast' about all kinds of topics including embodiment, extreme outdoor survival, leadership, the Me Too movement, meditation, the practice of practice, and my near death experience (NDE). Topics Include: 0:00 - About Steve 03:38 - Steve on Embodiment 11:12 - Pleasure / pain calculation 13:30 - Extreme outdoor survival 18:50 - Men’s work and leadership 21:15 - ‘What does being a man in 2020 look like to you?’ 25:35 - The Me Too Movement and Toxic Masculinity 37:52 - Relationship and the burden of being 42:28 - Death and death practices 58:58 - Meditation and the ‘practice of practice’ 1:00:00 - Steve’s near death experience (NDE) 1:13:54 - Sudden vs gradual awakening 1:21:52 - Divorce and system errors To find out more about Asher Packman, visit: - https://www.t5d.com.au/asher For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com/

9 Feb 20201h 33min

In this episode I talk with Stephen Snyder, meditation teacher and author who is perhaps best known as being the first non-monastic Western man to master the virtuoso-level shamata meditation system of Pa Auk Sayadaw. Video version here: https://www.guruviking.com/ep24-stephen-snyder-a-stroke-of-realisation-guru-viking-interviews/ In this interview we learn about Stephen’s early fascination with meditation, teaching himself Zen practice from books for years before attending his first traditional sesshin. We also explore Stephen’s vivid past life memories in detail. At 28 Stephen had a radical spiritual awakening, went on to develop unique processes to integrate that awakening and improve his behaviours. We also discuss how Stephen’s professional role as a lawyer to various Zen masters revealed to him the importance of combining psychological work with spiritual practice. In 2018 Stephen had a serious stroke, during which he was thrust into a profound experience of what he calls the Vajra Body. In the last part of the interview Stephen recounts this incident and details the realisations that followed. Topics include: 01:00 - Childhood meditation experiences 03:30 - Learning Zen practice from books 05:04 - Encountering Zen monks at 3 years old 06:55 - Stephen’s past life experiences 12:56 - Siddhis and special powers that can arise from concentration practice 16:26 - Choosing the right practice 19:10 - Stephen’s first Zen retreat 21:18 - Learning to sit through pain 23:14 - Radical awakening at age 28 28:00 - Stephen’s strategies for working with the personality material after awakening 39:30 - Recognising awakened people 41:09 - Integrating spiritual experience in work and daily life 46:33 - Working with recurring interpersonal conflict 48:00 - When to stay in conflict and when to walk away 51:44 - Lessons learned lawyering for Zen Masters 56:20 - Meeting Tina Rasmussen and a mutual recognition 1:00:53- Mastering the jhanas with Pa Auk Sayadaw 1:08:03 - Meditations to train disgust towards the body 1:13:04 - Current book projects 1:14:58 - Stephen’s stroke in 2018 and experience of the Vajra Body 1:23:54 - Cultivating the Vajra Body 
1:28:40 - How to contact Stephen 


To contact Stephen Snyder, please email: - stephendharma108@yahoo.com For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com/ Music 'Deva Dasi' by Steve James

8 Feb 20201h 30min

In this episode I talk with Ian A. Baker, author of 7 books and an initiate of Buddhist, Taoist, and Hindu Tantric lineages. Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep23-ian-a-baker-the-secret-yogas-of-tibet-guru-viking-interviews/ Ian is an international fellow of the Explorers Club and the Royal Geographic Society and was joint curator of the 2016 exhibition “Tibet’s Secret Temple” at the Wellcome Collection, London. In this interview we discuss Ian’s 25 years living in India and Nepal, seeking out the ‘beyul’, the mystical hidden lands of the Himalayas whilst simultaneously pursuing academic studies at Oxford and Columbia Universities. We discuss the history of the illustrious 6 Yogas of Naropa, and hear about Ian’s research into the monastic re-interpretation (and perhaps even distortion) of these Tantric techniques of India. We also examine the remarkable overlap between Tibetan completion stage practices, the practices of Shakta Shaivism, and Taoism - including stories about Ian’s own training in these esoteric disciplines. Topics Include: 0:00 - Intro 1:00 - Initial fasciation with the art and landscape of the Himalayas 04:36 - Ian’s quest for the ‘beyul’, the mystical hidden lands of the Himalayas 07:54 - Remote retreats under the guidance of Chatral Rinpoche 10:12 - Leaving Columbia University to pursue fieldwork in Nepal 14:00 - The integration of academic and spiritual training 19:56 - How to integrate ancient wisdom traditions into modern day life 21:17 - The Dalai Lama’s Secret Temple 23:27 - The unusual story of the 6th Dalai Lama 30:06 - The esoteric murals of the Secret Temple 34:10 - Why were the 6 Yogas of Naropa kept secret? 36:58 - The sanitisation of the Vajrayana by the monastic institutions 40:49 - Commonalities with the Shaiva tantric traditions 42:55 - Heresy or innovation? And the history of the 6 Yogas 1:01:46 - Ian’s extraordinary training in the esoteric Kaula sect 1:09:54 - Falling in love with his consort, Uma Devi 1:13:10 - Is tantric practice dangerous? 1:23:35 - Reactions to Ian’s views in the academic and religious establishments 1:32:29 - Taoist influence on Indian Tantra 1:35:52 - Ian’s training with the Magos of Java, Taoist Master John Chang 1:44:38 - Stories of Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche, Dzogchen and Tsa Lung Master 1:50:51 - Ian’s upcoming projects To find out more about Ian A Baker, visit: - http://ianbaker.com/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music 'Deva Dasi' by Steve James

3 Feb 20201h 55min

In this episode I talk with Tina Rasmussen Ph.D, a meditation teacher and author who is best known as being the first Western woman to master the virtuoso-level shamata meditation system of Pa Auk Sayadaw. In this interview we learn about Tina’s life-defining quest for enlightenment which inspired her 1-year solo retreat in which her practice of Dzogchen triggered not only massive energetic phenomena but also a profound spiritual awakening. We hear all about Tina’s training and authorisation under the notoriously rigorous Pa Auk Sayadaw, culminating in mastery of all 8 jhanas, with all ten kasinas, and much more. We also discuss issues such as integration of awakening in professional life, romantic relationship after enlightenment, and s3xual scandal among meditation teachers. Topics Include 0:00 - Intro 00:53 - Learning meditation at 13 years old 03:19 - Rediscovering the spiritual path after divorce 07:10 - Discovering a natural faculty for deep meditation experiences 10:31 - Straddling deep practice and high end business consulting 14:11 - Why Tina outed herself as a meditator in her professional life 18:36 - Effects of Tina’s spiritual practice on her romantic relationships, and meeting Stephen Snyder 24:10 - Rewired romantic life after enlightenment and Tibetan Tantra 29:20 - Tina’s 1 year solo retreat 40:55 - Extreme energetic experiences and DIY Tummo 44:21 - Tsoknyi Rinpoche and subtle body trauma 50:38 - The challenges of working with very popular teachers 55:33 - Finding mentors as an advanced practitioner 58:52 - Tina’s dream yoga practice and 24hr meditation 1:02:31 - Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Mingyur Rinpoche 1:03:24 - Tina’s Dzogchen practice 1:06:53 - Mastering shamata meditation under Pa Auk Sayadaw’s instruction 1:20:14 - Which is more difficult, shamata or awakening? 1:22:06 - The consequences of jhana mastery 1:27:14 - Scandals among spiritual teachers, levels of awakening, and personality material 1:33:21 - Defining ‘Do No Harm’ and the need for psychological understanding 1:43:20 - Working with Tina To find out more about Tina Rasmussen Ph.D, visit: - http://www.awakeningdharma.com/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music 'Deva Dasi' by Steve James

25 Jan 20201h 45min

In this episode I talk with Bar-ché Dorje, a Dutch Lama in the Aro gTer tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. We discuss Bar-ché Dorje’s early interest in kebatinan, an Javanese esoteric tradition, that saw him plunge his hands into boiling oil and deflect strikes from poisonous machetes. We find out how Bar-ché Dorje first made contact with Ngakchang Rinpoche, who was to become his tantric guru for over 25 years. We hear stories of the infamous wrahthful teaching style of the wandering ngakpa Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche, with whom Bar-ché Dorje spend a great deal of time in Nepal. Video version available at: https://www.guruviking.com/ep21-bar-che-dorje-guru-viking-interviews/ Topics Include: - 00:00 - Intro - 00:38 - Cast of characters - 01:40 - Early experiences in Catholicism and martial arts - 04:00 - Exploring the esoteric Javanese tradition of Kebatinan - 08:33 - the dark side of Kebatinan - 10:00 - Encountering Tibetan Buddhism and Ngak’chang Rinpoche - 15:22 - About Ngak’chang Rinpoche - 18:16 - How Ngak’chang Rinpoche worked with Bar-ché Dorje - 21:15 - Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche’s opinion of Ngak’chang Rinpoche - 22:50 - The point of the teacher-student relationship - 27:45 - Bar-ché Dorje’s personal practice - 28:30 - The Ling Gesar Terma of warriorship - 39:29 - Stories about the wrathful teaching style of Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche - 56:48 - Western Buddhists in the East who miss the point - 1:02:30 - Becoming ordained as a Lama and receiving a Terma - 1:11:13 - Bar-ché Dorje’s opinion on himself as a Lama - 1:16:21 - How to contact Bar-ché Dorje ... To find out more about Bar-ché Dorje, visit: - https://www.facebook.com/barche.dorje - http://arobuddhism.org/lamas/lamas-bar-che-dorje-and-me-sel.html For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music 'Deva Dasi' by Steve James

23 Dec 20191h 17min

In this episode, I talk with Dhammarato - a lineage teacher in the Thai Buddhist tradition who has gained an enthusiastic internet following for his unique, 1-1 teaching style conducted over Skype. We discuss Dhammarato’s adventures throughout India studying in search of magic and meditation; his encounters with gurus such as Muktananda, Sai Baba, and Osho; why meeting famed meditation master Buddhadasa turned his search for magic upside down and saw him ordain as a Buddhist monk in the Thai Tradition. We discuss what Dhammarato calls the ‘supra-mundane Dhamma’; hear his take on the failings of Western Buddhism; learn why he believes Visuddhimagga author Buddhaghosa was either a charlatan or a fool; and discover Dhammarato’s surprisingly simple advice on correct practice. For the video version of this interview, visit: https://www.guruviking.com/ep20-dhammarato/ Topics include: 00:50 - Dhammarato’s professional background and search for magic in India 04:42 - A challenging 10-day retreat with U Upandita 05:47 - Time with Muktananda and the practices of Siddha Yoga 07:55 - Buddha magical vs Buddha reality 09:50 - The Magicians of India 12:48 - Meeting the meditation master Buddhadasa 17:32 - The story of Bikkhu Buddhadasa 19:24 - The real teachings of the Buddha 24:06 - The trial of Bikkhu Buddhadasa 29:09 - Life at the monastery 31:14 - What is correct practice? 33:12 - How to be free of the five hindrances 36:25 - Gathering the jhana factors 37:59 - The flaws of the Visuddhimagga and critique of Buddhaghosa 52:48 - What is an arhat? 57:52 - The Pragmatic Dharma movement, the 4 Path Model, and Stream Entry 1:02:22 - Why students need teachers and not just books 1:03:41 - Teaching on Skype and Dhammarato’s internet popularity 1:06:35 - The results of Dhammarato’s personal practice 1:10:07 - The problem with words like ‘arhat’ and ‘enlightenment’ 1:15:10 - How to find Dhammarato 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

18 Dec 20191h 16min

This episode of the Guru Viking Podcast sees the return of one of my absolute favourite guests, Glenn Mullin. Glenn is a Tibetologist, translator, and Tantric Buddhist meditation teacher, who studied for many years in Dharmsala with the Dalai Lama’s own gurus. In our last conversation, way back in Episode 9, we talked all about this fascinating period of Glenn’s life. We ended that podcast just beginning to touch on the inner yogas of Tantric Buddhism. In this episode we dive deeper into the completion stage practices as we discuss tummo (tsa lung tigle), the balancing of the male and female energies, clear light yoga, and we enter the realms of karmamudra, or ‘Tantric sex’, as it is presented in the Six Yogas of Naropa. Video version of this podcast: https://www.guruviking.com/ep19-glenn-mullin-guru-viking-interviews/ …. Topics include: - Producing heat with tummo practices - Tests of tummo practice in old Tibet - Demonstrations of energy control - The three qualities of inner bliss - The real purpose of tummo practice - Samayamudra, karmamudra, mahamudra, and dharmamudra - Esoteric nutrition practices of chu len - Magic pill, stone, and starlight - the 3 types of chu len practice - Solo vs group retreat in Tibetan Buddhism - Glenn’s training in chu len - 21 Day Flower Essence Fast - Magic pill recipe of the 2nd Dalai Lama - The effect of past life karma on practice - Are retreats necessary? - The teacher-student relationship in Tantra - The role of Guru Yoga in the 6 Yogas - Glenn’s spiritual friendship with Ling Rinpoche - Balancing the male and female energies in the body - Glenn’s Korean Zen student - The eternal radiance of the soul - Natural encounters with the mother clear light mind - The death process - Death yoga and assisting the dying - Tummo as a death simulation process - The 4 mudras - Karmamudra controversies - Problematic attitudes towards sex in the West - Comments on Dzogchen and Mahamudra - Consequences of balancing the male and female energies - Tantra and the office supplies salesman - Expressing Buddha nature in daily life - The Yoga of the Playful Deity - Dangers in tummo practice - Tantric love-making in the Tibetan tradition - Secrecy in tantric practice - How widespread is genuine karmamudra today? - The meaning of monastic vows of celibacy - The forbidden nature of eroticism - Glenn’s training in karmamudra - The superiority of the female body in tantra - Is monogamy preferable? - Male dominated cultural trends - Semen retention techniques in the 6 Yogas of Naropa - Do both partners need to be trained? - 3 different types of karmamudra partner - Problems with bringing Tibetan Buddhism to the West - ‘One lama, one student’ - Manifesting from the natural radiance of your stream of being … Previous Glenn Mullin episode: https://www.guruviking.com/guru-viking-interviews-ep9-glenn-mullin/ To find our more about Glenn, visit: http://www.glennmullin.com/ https://www.runawayjourneys.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Maitripa.Glenn For more interviews, videos, and more visit: www.guruviking.com Music 'Deva Dasi' by Steve James

8 Okt 20191h 45min

Ep18: Leigh Brasington - Guru Viking Interviews In this episode I am joined by Leigh Brasington, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of ‘Right Concentration, A Practical Guide to the Jhanas’. Leigh talked about how he transformed from a self described pot-head to a serious meditation practitioner in his very first retreat. We learn how learning the jhanas - 8 altered states of consciousness, brought on by deep meditative concentration - from meditation master Ayya Khema radically changed his life’s direction. We discuss stream entry for non-monastics, why most people underestimate their meditation potential, Leigh’s controversial take on Western Dharma teachers who claim full awakening, and why the Siddhis, or supernormal powers, are so associated with the practice of jhanas. Let me know what you think in the comments section below! 00:21 - How Leigh first became interested in meditation 00:57 - Chögyam Trungpa, Ayya Khema, and Leigh’s first meditation retreat 02:20 - Pot head to yogi - giving up heavy pot use after the retreat 03:01 - Buddhist practice vs Buddhist religion 04:25 - How Leigh quit pot 05:05 - Ayya Khema, Leigh’s first teacher 06:48 - The importance of following instructions closely 09:03 - Discovering the first jhana in Thailand with Ajahn Buddhadasa 11:16 - Further studies and learning all 8 jhanas from Ayya Khema 12:46 - Insight training with Ayya Khema 15:25 - Did Ayya Khema use the 4 Path Model? 20:00 - Leigh on Stream Entry and gradual vs sudden awakening 23:46 - Is awakening achievable by non-monastics? 25:38 - Leigh’s controversial take on Western Dharma teachers who claim full awakening 27:52 - Sutta criteria for an arhat 30:45 - Did Ayya Khema become an arhat before her death? 32:45 - Learning Rigpa practice from Tsoknyi Rinpoche 37:19 - How Leigh uses the rigpa state in his own practice 40:51 - Comparisons between Tummo and the Jhana practices 44:14 - What are the jhanas and how are they practiced? 51:23 - Are the jhanas necessary for insight practice? 54:33 - Surprising obstacles to learning the jhanas and the role of talent. 1:01:16 - Why most people underestimate their concentration potential. 1:03:01 - The role of lifestyle and sexuality in meditation success 1:08:10 - Leigh’s take on the Siddhis, supernormal powers, achieved through concentration practice 1:16:16 - Considering anecdotes about the siddhis of teachers like Guru Ma and 16th Karmapa 1:18:45 - The current frontiers of Leigh’s personal practice 1:25:41 - The Buddha’s most important teaching 1:27:51 - Nagajuna and the Suttas Video version of this interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9xP28pzQAA To find out more about Leigh, visit: http://leighb.com For Leigh’s book, ‘Right Concentration’, visit: http://rc.leighb.com/index.html For more interviews, videos, and more visit: www.guruviking.com Music: ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

12 Aug 20191h 30min