Guru Viking Podcast

During a recent trip to Nepal, I met with Lama Glenn Mullin, spiritual teacher, Tibetologist, and author of over 30 books on Buddhism.

Glenn was in Kathmandu to lead a group of pilgrims into tantric retreat and graciously agreed to film with me at various sacred sites before and after their retreat.

In this video, Glenn and I travel to Pharping where we explore sacred sites, temples, and meditation caves.

We meet a student of Glenn’s who performs a fire pūjā after a multi-year cycle of tantric retreat, enter the meditation cave of Padmasambhava, view a self arising Tara image, and encounter guard dogs at the Vajrayoginī temple.

Glenn converses with monks, explains the meaning of prayer flags, and traces the esoteric history of the region.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep369-esoteric-pharping-lama-glenn-mullin

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
00:57 - Pharping as a sacred site
01:32 - Pāṃthiṅpa brothers
02:21 - Fire pūjā footage
03:02 - Esoteric meaning of the fire puja
04:17 - Guru Rinpoche’s enlightenment place
04:43 - Other great masters who practiced in Pharping
06:05 - History of Tibetan monasteries in Pharping
09:27 - Ra Lotsawa Tulku’s monastery
10:17 - View of the developing valley
10:58 - Self-arisen (rangjung) Tara shrine
11:21 - Ganesh in Buddhism
11:51 - Entering the shrine and viewing the self-arisen Tara
12:26 - About the rangjung phenomenon
13:48 - Lighting the butter lamp
15:56 - Drupthob Rinpoche and persecutions
18:58 - 5 visions of Tsongkhapa
19:16 - Retreat huts
20:00 - About prayer flags
21:16 - Origin of the Dalai Lamas
23:00 - Prayer in Buddhism
24:52 - Evening vs morning kora advice
26:20 - About Thrangu Rinpoche
27:31 - Namo Buddha and the Buddha’s sacrifice
28:28 - Towards the Asura cave
30:12 - Guru Rinpoche cave
31:51 - Hand print of Guru Rinpoche
33:00 - Entering the cave
34:04 - Walking and conversations
37:11 - Vajrayoginī temple
38:31 - Kathmandu’s Buddhist past
40:25 - Remarks on religious conflict

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Previous episodes with Lama Glenn Mullin:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=glenn%20mullin


To find out more about Lama Glenn Mullin, visit:
- http://www.glennmullin.com/
- https://www.facebook.com/Maitripa.Glenn

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James


Thanks to Norbu Samphel for checking my translation of the Tibetan language.

In this episode I am once again joined by Dr Francisco José Luis, scholar of Indo-Iranian Studies and Comparative Religion trained at the Sorbonne, Paris and SOAS, London.

Francisco describes the religious and philosophical view of Traditionalism, tracing the ideas of figures such as René Guénon, Julius Evola, and Henry Corbin to give a sense of the different strands of this increasingly influential system of thought.

Francisco explains what he sees as the importance of uniting spiritual and martial disciplines, recounts his own experiences of receiving death threats during his academic research, and argues for an aristocracy of the soul.

Francisco also addresses criticisms that associate Traditionalism with the political far right, various forms of ethnic and cultural chauvinism, and imperialism; compares and contrasts different caste and class systems from around the world; and outlines his objections to Plato’s ideas about education.

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Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search “Guru Viking Podcast”.

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Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
01:06 - First encounter with Traditionalism
06:03 - René Guénon
10:11 - Devotion to Indian saints
12:05 - Concern for the working class
15:51 - At odds with society’s direction
16:55 - Beyond René Guénon
17:50 - Debates are a competition between egos
19:30 - Julius Evola and the aristocracy of the Soul
22:45 - Who was Julius Evola
26:02 - Warriors, Brahmins, and merchants
28:07 - Corruption of the Brahmin class
29:51 - Evola’s theory of the body, soul, and spirit
33:05 - Evola and fascism
34:58 - Trial of Evola
36:31 - Francisco’s favourite Traditionalist
37:15 - Where does religion and mysticism fit into Traditionalism?
42:30 - Elites should practice a spiritual discipline
44:03 - Critique of institutional Catholicism
45:17 - Warrior spirituality
47:33 - Why Francisco is attracted to Sikhism
48:45 - Spiritual warfare
51:39 - Sikh Khalsa
52:17 - Francisco’s interest in the martial arts
55:13 - Receiving death threats
57:37 - Facing death like a samurai
59:38 - Embodiment
01:01:13 - Limitations of Henry Corbin
01:05:41 - Is Traditionalism far right?
01:20:34 - Cultures should respect each other
01:25:31 - European vs American cultures
01:26:44 - Pros and cons of American culture
01:31:55 - Warning about the language of Traditionalism
01:32:48 - Spirituality and politics
01:34:37 - Warrior spirituality is not for everyone
01:41:28 - Dangers of warrior spirituality
01:42:24 - Francisco’s spiritual path
01:43:11 - Francisco’s therapy journey
01:45:15 - Setting boundaries without hatred
01:47:13 - Why discuss the application of religion to politics?
01:48:52 - Plato’s views on education
01:50:55 - Francisco’s disagreement with Plato
01:53:18 - Francisco’s suggestion for education
01:55:15 - Waldorf education
01:55:59 - Speculum principum

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Previous episodes with Dr Francisco José Luis:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=francisco

To find our more about Dr Francisco José Luis, visit:
- https://www.instagram.com/hludvig_tradicionalista

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- https://www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this interview I am once again joined by Martin Faulks: author, hermeticist, meditation adept, and memory expert.

Martin discusses the recent death of his mother, reflects on the profound power of her positive support in his own life successes, and describes the surprising consequence of her loss in his own mindset and practice.

Martin discusses his latest book “Long Livers”, a new edition of a work published in 1722 by English alchemists Thomas and Rebecca Vaughan. Martin explains the text’s methods of life extension, shows their links to spiritual and moral practice, and reflects on his successful participation in the Rejuvenation Olympics.

Martin also muses on the appeal of high demand religious groups, espouses the virtues of philosophical Freemasonry, and compares Western and Eastern methods of spiritual alchemy.

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Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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Topics Include:

00:00 - Intro
00:59 - Long Livers editions
02:24 - Martin’s current daily practice
03:55 - Interest in esoteric rejuvenation methods
07:23 - How to measure effectiveness of rejuvenation?
08:00 - Martin’s 2hr daily regime to slow the ageing process
11:16 - Setbacks
12:06 - Death of Martin’s mother
13:36 - Ascetic or English gentleman?
14:56 - Aftermath of Martin’s mother’s death
17:44 - Don’t let anything pull you out of who you are
18:33 - Sending well wishes to his mother
19:43 - The power of supportive observers
25:07 - Martin summarises his progress
26:41 - Authorship of “Long Livers” (1722)
28:45 - Thomas and Rebecca Vaughan, practical alchemists
31:33 - Anti-ageing advice in “Long Livers”
34:48 - Eccentric techniques
36:39 - Western vs Eastern Inner Alchemies
38:52 - Christian Inner Alchemy
42:31 - Morality and rate of ageing
46:52 - Simulacra of virtue
48:32 - Philosophical Freemasonry
53:22 - Is Freemasonary a good spiritual path?
01:01:48 - An avoidant pattern in Martin’s life
01:03:20 - Detachment vs engagement
01:06:34 - Respect through observation of authenticity
01:07:49 - Skepticism about public spiritual claims
01:09:58 - When spirituality is a distraction from the real challenges of life
01:14:54 - Actions as truth
01:16:37 - Intuition vs intellect
01:19:45 - Unity of complementary opposites
01:20:27 - Jordan Peterson
01:22:56 - Pushing the borderlines of human potential
01:27:00 - A cultural turn to rigorous religion and high demand groups
01:29:16 - Why anti-ageing?
01:30:36 - 5 top anti-ageing tips

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Previous episodes with Martin Faulks:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=FAULKS

To find out more about Martin Faulks, visit:
- https://martinfaulks.co.uk/

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For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- www.guruviking.com

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Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

I was recently interviewed by Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho from the Clear Mountain Monastery Project. They asked wonderful questions and we talked a lot about the power of listening.

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Their shownotes:

In this session, Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho interview Steve James, meditation teacher & host of the Guru Viking Podcast (https://www.guruviking.com/).

00:00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:01:32 Formative faith moments and vocation
00:06:18 Life on an English canal boat
00:08:40 The rhythm of travel and interviewing
00:10:59 Interviewing the same guest over time
00:14:20 Most moving and luminous conversations
00:17:21 Handling negative reactivity in conversation
00:22:24 Balancing internal and external awareness
00:23:50 Advice for engaging with teachers and mentors
00:29:50 Finding beauty in people on different paths
00:34:45 Questions that bring out conversational depth
00:41:06 Personal frameworks for organizing experience
00:48:15 Belief alignments and the "pie chart" of faith
00:55:30 Personal relationship to the Buddha
00:59:44 Navigating dual vs. non-dual teachings

In this episode I am once again joined by Leigh Brasington, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of “Right Concentration, A Practical Guide to the Jhanas”.

This episode begins with a brief comment from Leigh about his appearance in “Ep329: Enlightened Politics” in which he explored the relationship between Buddhism and political ideology.

After that we discuss Leigh’s new book “On the Way to the Far Shore”, his commentary on the Pārāyanavagga, chapter five of Suttanipāta, one of the earliest sutta collections in the Pali canon. The text takes the form of a question and answer session with the Buddha himself and evidences nascent forms of the doctrines of the four noble truths and the path of gradual training.

Leigh considers the pros and cons of formal study of the Pali language, explains the ways in which English translations can be misleading, and muses on why so few Buddhist converts read their own scriptures.

Leigh also reveals how his Dzogchen practice helped him understand early Buddhist doctrine, gives advice about how to internalise intellectual ideas through meditation practice, and shares how a profound experience of the nature of mind changed his life forever.

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Video version: www.guruviking.com

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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Topics Include:

00:00 - Intro
01:17 - Can there be an enlightened tyrant?
02:49 - Anyone can perform enlightened activity
04:20 - Why Leigh wrote On the Way to the Far Shore
08:13 - Wrestling with the Pali sutta
09:07 - Leigh’s training the the Pali language
11:18 - Struggles to learn foreign languages
12:37 - Is training as a scholar worth it?
14:36 - 4 categories of Pali suttas
17:05 - Why Leigh won’t pursue a PhD
19:17 - Why don’t Buddhists read the Pali canon?
23:14 - Diving into the the Pārāyanavagga, book five of the Suttanipāta
27:50 - Vedanā and āsava - don’t believe the English translations
29:44 - Literal vs meaning translations + implications of grammar
33:40 - Q&A with the Buddha
36:20 - Questions the Buddha refuses to answer
37:46 - Experiencing the world raw
42:27 - The most important insight
44:22 - How to really gain insight
45:24 - Leigh’s Dzogchen practice
46:14 - Leigh’s mind blowing experience of the nature of mind
51:28 - After effects of Leigh’s epiphany
53:56 - Integrating vs losing an insight
55:04 - How to keep an insight fresh
56:31 - How to regard the world so you are not seen by the King of Death
59:17 - How to become “ever mindful”
01:01:30 - This is a different kind of book
01:02:41 - The roots of the Four Noble Truths and the gradual training
01:05:13 - Will Leigh start a Pali sutta discussion group?
01:07:14 - Man in the Light of History of Religion
01:10:02 - Scripture as literature or an instruction manual?
01:12:32 - Leigh’s advice for approaching difficult books
01:13:46 - What do the suttas say about the brahmavihārās?

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Previous episodes with Leigh Brasington:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=brasington

To find our more about Leigh Brasington visit:
- http://www.leighb.com/

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- https://www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James