Guru Viking Podcast

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”.

Leigh discusses his new book “Love, Compassion, Joy, Equanimity: The Brahma Viharas – Suttas, Stories, Practices, Hidden Gems” in which he delves into the Pali canon of Buddhist scripture to shed new light on how to understand and practice these potent meditations.

Leigh gives detailed descriptions of each of the four brahma viharas. He draws from his decades of teaching experience, as well as scriptural and commentarial literature, to offer his best advice for how to utilise these methods in meditation practice.

Leigh reveals how far the brahma viharas can take you towards enlightenment, reflects on the trivialisation of love in today’s culture, and I challenge Leigh to retire what I describe as a tired cliché of Western Buddhist pedagogy.

…

Episode link in bio.

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

…

Topics Include:

00:00 - Intro
01:05 - Why Leigh wrote the book
05:50 - How far towards enlightenment can brahma vihara practice take you?
08:54 - Entering the jhanas with the brahma vhiaras
11:48 - Defining “brahma vihara”
13:41 - Paucity of sutta evidence to link the four attitudes with the term “brahma vihara”
14:12 - The Buddha did not invent the brahma viharas
16:43 - Using phrases is a much later development
18:14 - The pervading practice
19:51 - Ayya Khema’s metta practice method
22:32 - Steve’s brahma vihara story
25:46 - Real or fake?
28:19 - Brahma vihara as antidote practice
32:25 - Steve challenges Leigh on mudita claims
37:17 - Suttas do not teach mudita as appreciative joy
37:44 - Leigh’s disappointment in the English language
39:25 - How to practice appreciative joy
40:43 - Can we retire the cliche?
42:30 - Does the West lack the concept of appreciative joy?
44:13 - Metta, unconditional love
47:27 - Problems with “unconditional love”
47:54 - Trivialisation of love
50:34 - Attachment vs love
53:07 - How to practice metta in daily life
56:43 - How metta reduces personal suffering
59:17 - Less thinking, more loving
01:03:25 - Late night reading and being a night owl
01:04:15 - Karuna, compassion and kindness
01:07:42 - Compassion is active
01:10:40 - Do gooders and dumb compassion
01:14:52 - Compassion burnout
01:20:01 - Does compassion need results?
01:21:16 - Ambiguity of sickness
01:22:56 - Upekkha, equanimity
01:25:28 - Leigh’s stories of equanimity
01:32:54 - Equanimity vs apathy
01:36:14 - States, traits, and the equanimity range
01:39:12 - Antidote to freak out
01:43:32 - Bias and practicing equanimity with political enemies
01:45:47 - Exchanging self and other and reducing self clinging
01:49:10 - Will brahma vihara lead you to enlightenment?
01:54:17 - Leigh’s mahasiddha story
01:55:49 - The beauty of the metta sutta
01:57:40 - Leigh reads the metta sutta

…

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

In this episode I am joined by Peter Kelly, independent spiritual teacher and author of “The Phoenix Birth” and “The Saturated Breath”.

Peter recalls his troubled childhood, struggles with crime and addiction, imprisonment, and subsequent spiritual quest.

Peter recounts what he describes as a series of powerful spiritual initiations that he believes have led him to the level of adept, how his use and facilitation of ayahuasca trips contributed to his path, and the role that esoteric reading has played in informing his insights.

Peter reveals that he has slept for only 30 minutes a night for most of his life, details childhood astral learning and experiences of gnosis in contact with ascended masters such as Kuthumi, and emphasises the importance of fully embodying spiritual truth.

I also question Peter about his claim to specialise in the “alchemy of the Egyptian Priesthood and Hermetic Traditions, the sacred wisdom of the fire temples of Zoroastrianism, and the Qabalah of the Essene and Mosaic traditions”, among others and suggest that in doing so he risks misrepresenting both those traditions and his own teachings.

…

Episode link in bio.

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

…

01:20 - Peter’s childhood
03:29 - Drugs, alcohol, and crime
04:42 - Prison, rehab, and becoming a father
05:17 - Healing work and interest in esoteric wisdom
05:47 - 9 years of intense initiations
06:20 - Boyhood
08:05 - Peter has slept 30 minutes a night for most of his life
10:16 - Aastral plane teaching during childhood
11:05 - Unusual spiritual knowledge
14:14 - Wired but drained
14:44 - How much does Peter sleep now?
15:19 - Ascended masters and spiritual activation at age 6
19:54 - A bodily sense of knowing about Egyptian culture
21:42 - What is gnosis?
23:46 - Deep healing work, ayahuasca, and connection to esoteric teachings
28:53 - Initiations, unlocking parts, and visions
30:19 - Hermeticism and perennialism
31:02 - Peter’s understanding of the Egyptian tradition and alchemy
31:51 - Teaching what comes through
32:22 - How Peter draws on various religious systems in his client work
34:58 - Using the names of traditions to help people understand Peter’s work
38:36 - Peter’s 3 types of learning
40:09 - Peter’s esoteric and religious reading
42:32 - Graham Hancock’s books and linking to the astral plane
43:50 - Reading in archaeology, the occult, Egypt, and Tarot
46:08 - Finding a book that explains a past experience
46:58 - A personal perspective on ancient traditions
48:55 - Ayahuasca, Youtube, and Crowley
53:00 - Youtube became stale
53:42 - Spiritual experiences make sense of esoteric books
56:59 - Gnosis vs intellectual learning about symbols
01:02:28 - More on intellectual absorption and different was of knowing
01:05:58 - Peter reflects on his ayahuasca trips and learning to trust his experience
01:08:26 - Embodying knowledge
01:08:49 - How Peter correlates his experiences to traditions
01:13:46 - Peter’s understanding of the traditions in which he claims to specialise
01:18:32 - Is Peter a specialist in Zoroastrianism and Hermeticism etc?
01:21:23 - Using traditional terminology
01:22:32 - The dangers of using traditional terminology
01:26:18 - Is Peter misrepresenting traditions and his own work?
01:26:52 - Peter reflects on his use of traditional terminology
01:28:14 - Peter Kellyianism
01:30:50 - Dedication to truth, even when it’s uncomfortable to hear
01:32:41 - Communication with Master Kuthumi and other astral teachers
01:38:08 - Peter’s understanding of consciousness
01:39:38 - How Peter became a Western Adept
01:47:16 - Isolation and learning to live in the world
01:52:08 - What triggers Peter’s initiation experiences
01:55:18 - Defining “adeptship”
02:02:54 - What is a “Western” adept?

…

To find our more about Peter Kelly visit:
- https://peterkelly.online/

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

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this episode I am joined by Stuart Camps, a 30 year devotee of the American spiritual teacher Adi Da, long time curator of Adi Da’s zoo, the “Fear No More Zoo”, and author of “Lightning Thunder Cows”, a memoir of Stuart’s life with his guru.

Stuart recalls his upbringing in Papa New Guinea, his later struggles to reintegrate into Australian society, and his lifelong connection with animals.

Stuart describes his approach to Adi Da and their first meeting, how he became a devotee and zoo keeper, and details his master’s teachings about animals and natural contemplation.

Stuart shares many anecdotes of his personal interactions with Adi Da, reflects on the teacher’s controversial behaviours and claims, and considers whether Adi Da was trapped by his own spiritual community.

…

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

…

Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
01:00 - 30 years with Adi Da
04:16 - Lightning Thunder Cows
05:56 - Natural contemplation
07:31 - Are animals inferior to humans
11:15 - Childhood in Papa New Guinea
12:53 - Explaining Adi Da’s use of the term “non-humans”
13:47 - Life in Papa New Guinea
15:36 - Childhood mystical experiences
17:45 - Reading habit
18:49 - Difficulties adjusting to Australian life
20:45 - Connection with animals
22:43 - The Eating Gorilla Comes In Peace
25:35 - Approaching Adi Da
26:56 - Trying to escape
31:47 - The need to grow up
35:25 - “Come to me when you’re already happy”
38:44 - Preparing to work with Adi Da
42:39 - Powerful first meeting with Adi Da
48:58 - Stuart’s unique relationship with Adi Da
53:04 - Adi Da on animals
58:27 - Direct relationship rather than religion
58:55 - Stuart’s evolving understanding of Adi Da and his controversial behaviour
01:04:31 - Adi Da’s sannyasin period
01:07:40 - What was it like to be around Adi Da?
01:08:24 - Reflecting on Adi Da’s claims to superlative spiritual realisation
01:12:03 - Why did Adi Da incarnate?
01:16:02 - More of Adi Da on animals
01:21:18 - Adi Da’s roar when a camel died
01:25:48 - Human congestion and thought
01:30:14 - Energetic conductivity and premodern peoples
01:35:27 - The role of spiritual practitioners
01:37:06 - Australian aborigines
01:40:08 - What it takes to be in relationship with a guru like Adi Da
01:49:59 - Problems with the community
01:50:45 - Was Adi Da trapped by his own community?
01:53:10 - Adi Da’s sacred theatre activities
01:56:30 - Why Stuart left Adidam
01:57:56 - Adi Da’s death
02:02:40 - Life after Adidam
02:06:54 - Sadness at how Adi Da is perceived in the world
02:08:23 - Exhortation to consider Adi Da’s teachings
…

To find our more about Stuart Camps, visit:
- https://fearnomore.vision/
- https://www.amazon.com/stores/Stuart-Camps/author/B0CKQ9PFVJ?

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

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this episode I am once again joined by Dr Ben Joffe anthropologist and scholar practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism.

Dr Joffe shares his recent research and publications on the topic of gegs sel, Tibetan writing about how to remedy the various obstacles and illnesses that can arise during meditation.

Dr Joffe draws on Tibetan gegs sel texts to describe three types of meditation problems and five categories of solution and explains the surprising technique that Taranatha emphasises as central to removing spiritual obstacles.

Dr Joffe also argues that although there has been increased interest in the negative effects of meditation, gegs sel literature remains understudied, and we reflect on the possible incompatibility between Tibetan medical and spiritual cures and modern psychological and psychiatric approaches to meditation injury.

…

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

…

Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
01:00 - Spiritual obstacles
02:53 - Ben’s research into meditation sickness
07:20 - Tibetan oral instructions for adverse yogic effects
11:47 - Taranatha on gegs sel
14:03 - Ben’s personal experience with gegs sel
16:26 - Why is gegs sel so understudied?
21:58 - Is intensive tantric practice dangerous?
24:06 - Practices should produce signs
28:22 - It is timely to talk about meditation sickness
31:47 - Differing medical and therapeutic models
36:33 - Catching lice in retreat
38:40 - Gegs gsel literature is for committed practitioners
42:38 - Do tantric solutions make psychiatric symptoms worse?
48:40 - Dr Nida on psychosis in retreat
56:50 - Dza Paltrul on demons
01:01:28 - Ultimate vs relative
01:03:31 - Guru Yoga and a psychodynamic lens on gegs sel
01:09:42 - Night terrors and deity devotion
01:12:50 - Ben’s experience of devotion
01:17:29 - 3 categories of problems, 5 categories of solutions
01:31:55 - 5 fundamental gegs sel methods
01:33:55 - Dispelling demonic obstacles
01:38:56 - Warning to not ignore devotion
01:40:23 - Meditation experiences vs obstacles
01:44:09 - Simple visualisation methods
01:46:35 - Tsa, rlung, thig le
01:50:49 - Breathing techniques
01:54:37 - How common is meditation sickness?
02:11:22 - The most important thing
02:13:43 - PTSD and MDMA
02:23:16 - Where to read more

…

Previous episodes with Dr Ben Joffe:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=joffe

To find out more about Dr Ben Joffe, visit:
- https://perfumedskull.com/
- http://www.skypressbooks.com/

…

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

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

In this episode I am joined by Raya Thorne, occultist, psychic, and spiritual mentor.

Raya recounts her troubled childhood, early ghost encounters, and teenage experiments in the occult and witchcraft.

She describes terrifying encounters with summoned entities, details an ongoing working with a demon of the Goetia, and reveals her current understanding of the nature of spirit pacts and psychic connections.

Raya also reflects on the role of trauma in awakening psychic gifts, shares her thoughts on the connection between protection spells and personal boundaries, and warns of the dangers of spiritual psychosis and ego inflation when practicing magick.

…

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

…

Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
00:49 - Middle class up-bringing in Australia
02:47 - Effects of isolation after premature birth
05:04 - Neglect and sensitivity to energy
07:25 - Chaotic household and learning to read people
09:32 - Ongoing work with childhood trauma
11:28 - Spiritual bypass and terrifying magickal experiences
16:27 - Why magicians should have therapy
17:51 - Spiritual psychosis and ego inflation
20:25 - Deconstructing the persona
24:29 - Which therapies Raya used
29:08 - Should Raya become a therapist?
31:06 - Childhood ghost encounters
34:18 - Early magickal workings
36:39 - Deep listening and interpreting intuition
38:53 - Local spirit encounters and violent dream
42:00 - Seeing spirits
45:12 - Dramatic exorcism by neighbour
50:18 - Reflection on sharing vulnerable stories
54:18 - Trauma and the new age
55:15 - Teenage magickal experiments summoning demons and the dead
01:02:41 - Seeking power through magick
01:05:06 - Similarities to the Labyrinth movie
01:06:36 - Terrifying Goetia demon experience
01:10:12 - Raya’s understanding of how to work with demons
01:11:16 - Working with the Goetia demon Gemory
01:15:47 - Psychic connection to demons
01:20:37 - Connecting directly to demons vs using protection
01:27:04 - Personal boundaries as protection
01:29:59 - Listening to feedback from entities
01:30:56 - Intense magickal experiences in 20s
01:34:09 - Shapeshifter encounter
01:36:38 - Ormus, remote viewing, tantra, and telekinesis
01:39:32 - Sequel plans

…

To find our more about Raya Thorne, visit:
- https://www.rayathorne.com/

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

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James