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Guru Viking Podcast

Guru Viking Podcast

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The Guru Viking Podcast specializes in in-depth interviews with remarkable figures in the world of meditation, spirituality, and self development. Steve travels internationally teaching somatic practices and meditation, and leads explorations in contemplative, mystic, & relational realms.All rights reserved Espiritualidad
Episodios
  • Ep337: Guru Ghostwriting & Tantric Retreat - Dr Ben Joffe

    Ep337: Guru Ghostwriting & Tantric Retreat - Dr Ben Joffe
    Dec 12 2025
    In this interview I am once again joined by Dr Ben Joffe, anthropologist, occultist, and scholar practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism. Ben reveals the industry convention of guru ghostwriting in which spiritual teachers employ one or a team of writers to produce their dharma books, explains his collaborative process with Nida Chenagtsang on their latest Vajrayana book, and sheds light on his own editorial process. Ben discusses whether a scholar should have practice experience before translating religious texts, considers whether historical inaccuracies debunk the spiritual value of Buddhist scriptures, and raises questions about the origin of terma treasure texts. Ben also compares the Yuthok Nyinthig retreat format to the Abramelin Ritual of Western Occultism, details the signs of success in tantric practice, and shares Yuthok’s promise to appear in bodily form to practitioners with sufficient devotion and attainment. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep337-guru-ghostwriting-tantric-retreat-dr-ben-joffe Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:12 - Ghostwriting for gurus 08:03 - Lamas often don’t write their books 10:24 - Ben’s editorial process 18:32 - Is guru ghostwriting a dirty secret? 19:17 - Vajrayana jargon vs a felt sense 29:56 - What is a scholar practitioner? 37:39 - Ben’s retreat experiences 41:13 - Did Yuthok the Elder really exist? 50:06 - Anachronisms and retroactive attribution in Tibetan historiography 51:57 - Origins of the Tibetan medical tantras (rgyud bzhi) 58:08 - Terma treasure texts: mystical revelation or an editorial process? 01:02:08 - Why have Western scholars been hesitant to question terma texts? 01:05:04 - Does critical scholarship debunk Buddhism? 01:10:55 - Medicine Buddha ex machina 01:12:45 - Referring out 01:13:24 - Encountering Yuthok vs the Holy Guardian Angel in the Abramelin Ritual 01:20:10 - Special 7-day Yuthok ngondro 01:24:10 - Is Yuthok Nyingthig the best tantric system? 01:28:27 - The power of aspiration prayers 01:30:53 - How long does it take to become fully enlightened? 01:33:51 - Practice according to number, time, or signs 01:34:54 - Mythic resonance of lineage 01:36:33 - Signs of spiritual progress 01:41:35 - Ben comments on the Abramelin Ritual 01:43:59 - Sumton’s Yeshe Zung’s devotional prayer 01:46:50 - Yuthok as a Mighty Dead 01:48:47 - Do Yuthok’s promises cause ego inflation and delusion? 01:52:09 - Verifying dreams and spiritual signs 01:58:26 - How to connect with spiritual blessings 02:05:09 - What are blessings? 02:06:32 - Spiritual signs in the Jesuit tradition 02:08:49 - Ngondro as a hazing 02:10:55 - Do people expect to encounter Yuthok at Dr Nida’s retreats? 02:15:38 - Dr Nida’s approach vs traditional contexts 02:21:00 - Typical student profile and outcomes 02:29:28 - Permissive approach to tantric vows 02:32:37 - Pros and cons of laissez-faire tantric practice 02:33:28 - Charismatic founder stage 
… Previous episodes with Dr Ben Joffe: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=joffe Previous episodes with Dr Nida Chenagtsang: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=nida 
… 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
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    2 h y 35 m
  • Ep336: The Magick of Abramelin - Duncan Barford 3

    Ep336: The Magick of Abramelin - Duncan Barford 3
    Dec 5 2025
    In this episode I am once again joined by Duncan Barford, occult practitioner, counsellor, and author of “Occult Experiments in the Home”. Duncan begins with an analysis of the 2016 film, “A Dark Song”, which he believes is the most accurate depiction of occult practice in cinema. Duncan details the plot, breaks down its depictions of ritual, and shares his own emotional reaction to the film's climax. Duncan then shifts gear and gives a detailed explanation of the infamous Abramelin ritual, a multi-month ritual considered by many to be the most ambitious working a magician can attempt. Duncan gives a survey of the major written accounts of those who have attempted it including Aleister Crowley, Lionel Snell, and William Bloom; reveals why the ritual has such a high failure rate; and shares what he believes is the key to success. Duncan also analyses the esoteric structure of Coleridge’s poem “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” and interprets it as a description of the spiritual path, proposes an equivalency between success in the Abramelin and Buddhist stream entry, and reveals why he believes the study of history is an obstacle to magickal success. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep336-the-magick-of-abramelin-duncan-barford-3 Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:28 - The Magick of A Dark Song 02:45 - The film 04:41 - The Abramelin Ritual 07:23 - Cinematic depictions of magick 08:04 - Spoiler warnings and the plot 08:24 - Hiring the magician 10:03 - Sophia’s motive for the ritual 11:36 - A deep understanding of how ritual works 14:40 - Describing the magickal working 17:04 - Meeting the Holy Guardian Angel 21:01 - The practitioner’s journey 25:58 - Characer arcs 30:03 - The key of devotion 33:02 - The esoteric structure of Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” 33:34 - The cycle of insight 38:37 - Crisis, breakthrough, ordeal, union 43:38 - Unsettling themes 44:12 - Interventus Caninus 44:57 - What next after absolution? 45:33 - What is the point of the Abramelin Ritual? 46:46 - Reflecting on the ending of the film 49:39 - Crowley, Snell, Bloom, and Katz - those who attempted the Abramelin 49:54 - Mysterious history of the Abramelin Ritual 52:39 - Recensions of the Abramelin 53:56 - Duncan describes the Abramelin text and ritual 01:00:20 - Why does the Abramelin ritual have such a high failure rate? 01:02:12 - Meeting Lionel Snell 01:04:51 - A tarot reading and why history is an obstacle to real magick 01:06:53 - Daniel Ingram’s revision of traditional fire kasina meditation 01:11:00 - Crowley’s attempts at the Abramelin ritual 01:14:37 - Other accounts 01:16:40 - William Bloom’s attempt 01:20:45 - Secret to success with the Abramelin Ritual 01:24:13 - How to increase the success rate of rituals 01:29:18 - Are you ready to attempt the Abramelin? 01:31:52 - Stream entry and Abramelin 01:34:35 - Duncan reflects on his past claims to attainment 01:37:16 - Questioning pragmatic dharma assumptions and the vogue of stream entry 01:41:00 - Insider vs outsider views 01:42:13 - Does magick really work? 01:43:31 - A story of powerful magickal effects 
… Watch previous episodes with Duncan Barford: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=barford To find our more about Duncan Barford, visit: - https://www.duncanbarford.uk/ … For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James
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    1 h y 48 m
  • Ep335: How-to Guide for Awakening & Beyond - Alex W 3

    Ep335: How-to Guide for Awakening & Beyond - Alex W 3
    Nov 28 2025
    In this episode I am once again joined by Alex W, long term practitioner of Zen, Pragmatic Dharma, and Western Occultism. Alex lays out his ideal curriculum of practices to achieve awakening including a full technique sequence, explanation of the signs of success at each stage, and the various post-awakening paths that are available. Alex details the energetic openings that occur after awakening and how to nurture them, contrasts Buddhist tummo to Daoist inner alchemy, and explains the process to open the psychic senses. Alex challenges the meditation retreat model of practice which he sees as putting economic concerns over student benefit, offers his opinion on the amount of time one should spend in daily meditation, and emphasises the importance of retaining one’s autonomy in the spiritual market place. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep335-how-to-guide-for-awakening-beyond-alex-w-3 Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
 … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:05 - What is the ideal curriculum for awakening? 02:55 - Alex’s teaching experience 03:30 - Core skills for all traditions 04:42 - Never surrender your autonomy 06:32 - You must learn to sit 08:56 - The first meditation technique 12:32 - Recommended traditions and books 16:11 - First signs of success 19:45 - A major shift 23:39 - Should you pursue enlightenment? 24:51 - Soto vs Rinzai vs Dzogchen vs Mahāmudrā 37:50 - The goal of Dzogchen and Mahāmudrā 39:54 - How to embody realisation 45:35 - Moving from abdomen to heart space 47:04 - Saccidānanda 48:17 - Result of awakening the three energy centres 53:04 - Gurdjieff and self-remembering 55:35 - Using stress to strengthen the energy body 01:00:37 - Tummo and inner alchemy 01:05:55 - Warning about energy practice 01:08:19 - A summary of Alex’s recommended path 01:09:54 - How long does the path take? 01:13:24 - The Chinese view of inner alchemy 01:17:32 - Opening the psychic senses 01:22:55 - How much should one practice? 01:25:04 - The economic trap of meditation retreats 01:34:50 - Solo retreats and the limitations of lay life 01:41:21 - Economic logic vs practice effectiveness 01:46:53 - How to relate to strong experiences? 01:49:20 - St John of the Cross 01:56:04 - Deconstructing the Self 02:04:57 - Recognising what is already here 02:07:26 - Closing remarks … Previous episodes with Alex W: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=alex For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James
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    2 h y 9 m
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