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Guru Viking Podcast

Guru Viking Podcast

By: Guru Viking
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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 Spirituality
Episodes
  • Ep348: Visions of the Lion-Headed Avatar - Jensen Martin

    Ep348: Visions of the Lion-Headed Avatar - Jensen Martin
    Feb 13 2026
    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 Realisation Fellowship, and how trips in India drew him to the practice of bhakti. Jensen recounts powerful visions of Narasiṃha and Egyptian gods, transformative darśanas with Indian gurus such as Amma the Hugging Saint, and experiments with the power of mantra recitation. Jensen also describes his deep dive into psychedelic use, reveals his extensive experience with ayahuasca, and details his journey to a full-scholarship PhD at the Graduate Theological Union. … Video version: www.guruviking.com Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:07 - Narasiṃha 01:52 - Jensen’s childhood 02:50 - Drawn to shamanism through World of Warcraft 04:41 - Reading about shamanism and pagan religion 06:17 - Inspired by fantasy and World of Warcraft 09:48 - Lucid dreaming practice and animal totems 12:42 - Reading “Autobiography of a Yogi” 14:35 - Move to Humboldt county to pursue samadhi in nature 15:45 - Experimenting with substances 16:48 - Living at the Self Realisation Fellowship and time in India 20:55 - Masters degree in Yoga Studies 21:36 - Thirst for magickal experiences 27:50 - Living hand to mouth 29:33 - Jensen’s practice regime 32:00 - Hassidic Judaism, Orthodox Christianity, and Amma Sri Mātā Amritānandamayī Devi 35:35 - Academic studies 37:09 - Powerful darśana from Amma Sri Karunamayi 40:38 - Further trips to India and practicing bhakti 42:36 - Encounter with Narasimha 46:38 - Attending the 2019 Kumbh Mela 50:00 - Dream of Egyptian Narasimha connections 54:41 - Extreme sickness and vision of Narasimha 01:02:52 - Meeting Dhruva Gorrick 01:04:37 - Powerful encounter with Amma the hugging saint 01:08:52 - Why not to share significant spiritual experiences 01:10:00 - Going deep with ayahuasca and other psychedelics 01:23:18 - Mantras coming alive 01:24:54 - High frequency of psychedelic trips 01:25:58 - Work as park ranger 01:26:54 - Negative ayahuasca experiences and magickal attack 01:39:47 - Encountering Narasimha on ayahuasca 01:49:37 - A new theme for Jensen’s ayahuasca ceremonies 01:57:02 - Lineage spirits commanded Jensen to stop ayahuasca 01:57:38 - Further visions 01:59:05 - Encountering Vishnu and further pleas to stop taking ayahuasca 02:07:27 - Return to Amma and Narasimha initiation 02:08: 42 - Receiving a PhD scholarship to study Narasimha 02:15:41 - Still drinking ayahuasca 02:19:52 - Uniqueness of the human body 02:21:02 - Borrowing psychic power and astral contracts 02:29:46 - Why does Jensen keep using ayahuasca despite warnings? … To find our more about Jensen Martin visit: - https://www.instagram.com/jensen_sudarshan/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James
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    2 hrs and 40 mins
  • Ep347: Nurturing the Mind - Dr Nida Chenagtsang & Dr Caroline Van Damme

    Ep347: Nurturing the Mind - Dr Nida Chenagtsang & Dr Caroline Van Damme
    Feb 6 2026
    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 strengths and weaknesses of each others’ systems, consider placebo as an explanatory mechanism for traditional health systems, question the benefits of an over-therapised culture, and contrast Tibetan and European approaches to knowledge. Drs Nida and Caroline also discuss the role of traditional ideas of spirit possession in today’s clinical contexts, share anecdotes of exorcisms and psychosis, and offer their best insights and techniques to truly nurture the mind. … Link in bio. Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:04 - How did their collaboration begin? 02:38 - Dr Nida’s long standing interest in Western Psychology 06:38 - Meeting Dr Caroline 08:30 - Sowa Rigpa Counsellor Course 13:23 - The power of individualised therapy 16:14 - Reflections on Buddhist psychology and Sowa Rigpa 22:23 - Trauma and childhood conditioning 23:52 - Tibetan vs European ways of thinking 28:50 - Industrial revolution, scientism, and mind-body dualism 30:43 - Open-mindedness when working with psychotic patients 33:04 - Family therapy 36:57 - Weaknesses of Tibetan medicine 42:59 - Traditional medicine leans into placebo 45:46 - Do malevolent spirits cause psychological illnesses? 46:54 - African cultural ideas about spirits and black magic 47:40 - Do exorcisms cause further trauma? 53:12- Dr Nida reflects on the strengths of Western Psychology 57:05 - Too much digging for trauma 58:49 - European Garden vs Tibetan Forest 01:03:23 - Psychological illness from a spirit-influence perspective 01:05:04 - Exorcism rituals as a psychological tool 01:08:01 - Machig Labdron and the greatest evil spirit 01:08:40 - Using spirit-beliefs to encourage personal hygiene 01:09:23 - Exposure therapy 01:11:53 - A Canadian account of possession 01:14:32 - Dr Nida’s African patients 01:15:33 - A ghost story case study 01:21:04 - Duty of care 01:23:00 - The importance of sleep 01:27:54 - Nurturing the mind 01:33:42 - Blaming parents 01:36:55 - Compassion vs positivity 01:39:30 - Attributing everything to childhood trauma 01:42:09 - “Nurturing the Mind” online course … To find out more about “Nurturing the Mind: A Dialogue between a Psychiatrist & a Yogi“, visit: - https://www.sowarigpainstitute.org/course/nurturing-the-mind … Previous episodes with Dr Nida Chenagtsang: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=nida Previous episodes with Dr Caroline van Damme: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=caroline … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James
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    1 hr and 44 mins
  • Ep346: Tantric Scholar-Practitioner - Christopher “Hareesh” Wallis

    Ep346: Tantric Scholar-Practitioner - Christopher “Hareesh” Wallis
    Jan 30 2026
    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 opinions about optimal pedagogy for Sanskrit language study, and questions lineage claims made in Tibetan Buddhism. Christopher also considers the tension between religious faith and academic skepticism, explains why he thinks it is possible to receive spiritual benefit from corrupt gurus, and descries why he believes spiritual awakening leads to a deep trust in the unfolding of life. … Video version: www.guruviking.com Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:57 - An unusual family of origin 03:28 - Mother’s conversion to Hinduism 03:50 - Meeting Osho and Swami Muktananda 05:17 - Awakening experience at 16 years old 05:55 - Attraction to Tantric Shaivism 07:35 - Academic training and intellectual infatuation 09:00 - Multiple teachers 10:13 - Seeing through intellectual ego 12:57 - Teenage rebellion and psychedelics 14:44 - Love of sci fi and fantasy 17:05 - Siddha yoga shaktipat 18:33 - Gurumayi Chidvilasananda 20:33 - Heart opening shaktipat 24:01 - Saint or psychopath? 28:26 - The guru’s shadow 30:18 - Transmission from a disgraced guru 32:25 - No single objective reality 35:32 - No doubts despite guru’s flaws 38:18 - Has Christopher missed the point? 39:53 - Parsing subjective certainty 41:55 - A belief but not really 43:21 - Innate intelligence and trusting the unfolding of life 46:50 - Harmonising with the pattern 50:17 - Don’t pretend to be more enlightened that you are 51:56 - The same awakening as the Buddha’s 54:22 - Waking up out of your tradition 55:32 - Agnosticism about reincarnation 57:29 - BA at Rochester 01:00:53 - Alexis G. J. S. Sanderson 01:05:40 - Great professors at Rochester 01:08:22 - Learning Sanskrit 01:11:12 - Art of translation 01:13:27 - Sanskrit pedagogy 01:16:42 - Christopher’s approach to teaching Sanskrit 01:21:19 - Why learn Sanskrit? 01:24:10 - Parallel primer method 01:26:06 - Does academia ruin religious faith? 01:30:39 - Mantra disillusionment 01:34:40 - Disillusionment with saints and siddhas 01:38:10 - Religious professors 01:39:13 - Debunking tantric lineage claims 01:42:05 - Did Tibetan Buddhists fabricated their lineages? 01:43:10 - Tantric Shaivism as a living tradition 01:46:16 - Is Christopher a lineage holder? 01:48:04 - Critique of lineage holders and lamas … To find our more about Dr Wallis visit: - https://hareesh.org/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James
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    1 hr and 51 mins
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