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 meditatio...

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 influenti...

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...

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. ... 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...

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...

In this episode I am once again joined by Lorin Roche PhD, meditation teacher and author of “The Radiance Sutras”. I first met Lorin at the Summit at Sea conference in 2015 where we were both teaching. We attended each others’ workshops and immediately hit it off. In those days, we both taught on the California conference circuit and were often booked to teach at the same gatherings. Over the year...

In this episode I am once again joined by Tara Springett, a Buddhist psychotherapist who specialises in treating what she calls “Kundalini Syndrome”. Tara discusses her book "Stairway to Heaven" in which she lays out a 9 stage model of consciousness from innocence to enlightenment. Tara compares psychological ego strengthening to Buddhist ego deconstruction, reflects on her own childhood developme...

In this episode I am once again joined by Duncan Barford, occult practitioner, counsellor, and author of “Occult Experiments in the Home”. Duncan reflects on his training as a counsellor and the difficulties in sharing his occult interests in that context; his deep appreciation of Freud and Jung; and the links between psychoanalysis and mythic figures such as such as Uranus, Oedipus, and Narcissus...

In this episode I am once again joined by Delson Armstrong, spiritual teacher, meditation virtuoso, and author of ‘A Mind Without Craving’. Delson describes his recent initiation into the goddess tradition of Śri Vidya, recounts his subsequent encounters with deities and supernatural beings, and discusses his latest writings on para-consciousness and nibbanadhatu. Delson explains how to relate to...

In this episode I am once again joined by Stephen Snyder, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of several books including “Living Awakeness: Embodying Your Awakening”. Stephen compares Theravada to Zen in terms of difficulty and depth, explains why 30 minutes of cessation is his minimum to achieve Theravada stream entry, and shares why he believes cessation has a feminine energy. Stephen discuss...

In this episode, I am once again joined by Dr Christopher “Hareesh” Wallis, a Sanskritist and scholar-practitioner of Classical Tantra. Christopher shares how he became a spiritual teacher, explains the dangers of guru idealisation, and considers if he may be misleading his students. Christopher discusses his own series of religious peak experiences, explores their causes, and reflects on their co...

In this episode, I am once again joined by Jensen Martin, a scholar-practitioner and PhD student at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. Jensen leads a deep dive into Narasiṃha, compares different version of the Narasiṃha myth, and examines contradictions in the tradition. Jensen reveals his motive for pursuing a PhD, describes his plans for a meditation retreat as part of the p...

In this episode I am once again joined by Mary Shutan: author, occultist, and spiritual teacher. Mary opens her casebook as a spirit lawyer, working on behalf of her clients with occult techniques to solve all manner of natural and supernatural problems. Mary recounts stories of jealous wizards, astral encounters, and the dark side of shamanism. Mary also reveals the two ways in which curses opera...

In this episode I am joined by Muho, Sōtō Zen teacher, Youtuber, and previous abbot of Antai-Ji monastery in Japan. Muho recalls the death of his mother when he was 6 years old, his childhood behavioural problems and time in boarding school, and initial contact with meditation. Muho shares what he describes as his narcissism, which arose from the death of his mother and a subsequent yearning to be...

In this episode I am joined by Ken Wilber, contemporary philosopher, author, and founder of Integral Theory. Ken recounts his biography and intellectual development including prodigious early reading, major spiritual experiences, and his models of spiritual and psychological development. Ken reflects on his rise to fame, his deeper motivations for writing, and whether or not his Integral Institute...

In this episode, filmed in Sarnath, India, I am joined by Doug Nurnberg, a close student of Tarthang Tulku for over 50 years and project manager and board member of the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute (SINI). Doug recalls his childhood in a conservative farming family in Kansas, how an out of body experience saw him embark on a search for meaning, and why he sometimes thinks of himself as...

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 shares his research into the links between Indian and Tibetan tantric practices and the mystical teachings of Shi’ite Islam, reveals the prevalence of lucid dreaming techniques in antiquity, and emphasises the importan...

In this episode I am once again joined by Rebekah Sturgill, mother, school teacher, and convert to Orthodox Christianity. Rebekah discusses the contemplative methods of Orthodox Christianity; shares one of the tradition’s core practices, the Jesus Prayer; and discusses the importance of the liturgical year. Rebekah explorex the phenomenology of a felt sense of Christ, explains the ideal of theosis...

In this interview, filmed at Oxford University, I am once again joined by Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, a 35th generation tantric priest in a centuries old Newar Buddhist family lineage and master of the religious dance tradition of Charya Nritya. Prajwal explains the use of mudrā and movement to embody enlightenment and teaches a full sequence of movement and mantra to use in daily practice when tak...

In this episode I am once again joined by Alana Fairchild, spiritual teacher, psychic, and author of the best-selling Kuan Yin Oracle Deck. Alana recalls her spiritual apprenticeship, initial failed attempts to work as a psychic, and what it takes to make it as a new age entrepreneur. Alana describes the tension between following one’s intuition and getting things done, why even spiritual teachers...

In this episode I am once again joined by Victor Shiryaev a teacher of Buddhist and modern meditation and somatic practices. Victor traces a contemplative history of modern Russia from the days of the esotericism and Orientalism of the Russian Empire, through the religious restrictions of the Soviet Union, the New Age spiritual fervour of the 1990s, and the Westernisation of recent times. Victor c...

In this episode I am once again joined by Alex W, long term practitioner of Zen, Pragmatic Dharma, and Western Occultism. Alex takes a deep dive into the world of magick to compare esoteric systems from around the world including Western Occultism, Tibetan Buddhism, Indian Tantric and Goddess systems, Santeria and more. Alex gives a history of the development of Western Occultism, exploring the Eg...

In this episode, I am joined by Jensen Martin, a scholar-practitioner and PhD student at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. Jensen recalls how his childhood experiences playing the World of Warcraft and reading fantasy books awakened a deep longing for real experiences of magick and shamanism, how reading spiritual biographies inspired him become a live-in member of the Self R...

In this episode I host a dialogue between Buddhist teacher and doctor of Tibetan Medicine Dr Nida Chenagtsang and adult psychiatrist and family and systemic psychotherapist Dr Caroline Van Damme. Drs Nida and Caroline reflect on a half decade of collaboration in which they have explored the meeting of Western psychology and psychiatry with Tibetan medical and Buddhist models. They discuss the stre...

In this episode, I am joined by Dr Christopher “Hareesh” Wallis, a Sanskritist and scholar-practitioner of Classical Tantra. Christopher recounts his unusual upbringing, early meetings with Osho and Muktananda, early shaktipat experiences, and powerful spiritual awakenings. Christopher traces his educational journey under professors such as Douglas Brooks and Alexis G. J. S. Sanderson, offers his...