In this episode I host a dialogue between Dr Caroline van Damme and Lama Justin von Bujdoss.Dr Caroline Van Damme is an adult psychiatrist and family and systemic psychotherapist specialising in chronic psychotic disorders, and co-teacher of Buddhist guru and Sowa Rigpa doctor Nida Chenagtsang. Lama Justin von Bujdoss is an American Buddhist teache…

In this episode I am joined by Ani Pema, an American nun in the Tibetan Buddhist religion and former swami in the Siddha Yoga organisation.Ani Pema recalls her childhood in Boise Idaho, her high flying career in fashion working for Vogue magazine, and how dissatisfaction with the American dream set her on a spiritual search.Ani Pema details her six…

In this episode I am once again joined by Mary Shutan: author, occultist, and spiritual teacher. Mary explains her activities as a modern spirit worker, reveals how to form and maintain working relationships with spirits, details the difference between spirit pacts and contracts, and warns about the unintended consequences of making deals with unkn…

In this episode I am joined by Johan Hausen, Taoist teacher, translator, Chinese medicine practitioner, and founder of Purple Cloud Press.Johan shares his life story from years of competitive Tae Kwon Do, through his travels and travails in China in search of a master, and to his eventual training and discipleship in the Wu Dang mountains.Johan ref…

This trialogue continues a series of discussion exploring the latest interdisciplinary research into tantric completion stage practices such as yogas of dream, sleep, and death.Dr Tawni Tidwell is a biocultural anthropologist and doctor of traditional Tibetan medicine. Dr Michael Sheehy is the Director of Research at the Contemplative Sciences Cent…

I was recently interviewed by ⁨@gabikoyenov⁩ about a wide range of topics for his podcast. ...Gabi's shownotes:In this enlightening episode, I'm joined by Steve James, known as Guru Viking, who delves into his unique life experiences and the genesis of his intriguing persona. Steve shares insights from living on a boat, his personal religious explo…

In this episode, I am once again joined by Dhammarato: a lineage teacher in the Thai Buddhist tradition. Dhammarato critiques Western and Asian Buddhist forms, including the Mahasi method, and addresses misconceptions about stream entry.Dhammarato comments on The Shorter Discourse to Mālunkyāputta, explains why the Buddha refused to teach on certai…

In this episode, I am once again joined by Lopon Yudron Wangmo, American teacher of Tibetan Buddhism and author of several books including her recent “Clearing the Way to Awakening”.Lopon Yudron Wangmo shares the story of her life, her childhood with a spiritualist mother, anecdotes of childhood psychic explorations in automatic writing and other t…

In this episode I host a dialogue between Stephen Snyder, meditation teacher and author, and Mark Mininberg, Zen master and dharma heir to Bernie Glassman. Stephen and Mark discuss their new podcast interview series, “Anatomy of Awakening”, in which they engage in peer-to-peer trialogue with other teachers of enlightenment.Stephen and Mark reveal w…

In this episode I host a dialogue between Lama Justin von Bujdoss and Charlie Morley.Justin and Charlie share their extensive experience as modern teachers of Vajrayana, compare notes on the state of Tantra in the West, and reflect on the responsibility of openly teaching previously restricted, esoteric practices. Justin and Charlie wrestle with th…

In this episode I am joined by Professor Mara Einstein, digital marketing critic; author and public speaker on cult brands and influencer scams; and tenured professor of media studies at Queens College (CUNY).Mara discusses her latest book “Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults”, warns about manipulative marketing techniques used …

This trialogue is the first in a series exploring the latest interdisciplinary research into tantric completion stage practices such as yogas of dream, sleep, and death.Dr Michael Sheehy is the Director of Research at the Contemplative Sciences Center in the Department of Religious Studies in the University of Virginia.Dr Tawni Tidwell is a biocult…

In this episode I am joined by Tulku Sherab Dorje, Buddhist teacher, translator, and author of scholarly and popular books about Tibetan Buddhism.Tulku Sherdor reflects on the changes in the spiritual journey over a lifetime, whether or not the world is becoming more turbulent, and the effects of ageing on yogic practice and view.Tulku Sherdor expl…

In this episode, I am joined by Lopon Yudron Wangmo, American teacher of Tibetan Buddhism and author of several books including her recent “Clearing the Way to Awakening”.Lopon Yudron Wangmo offers an analysis of the shortcomings of today’s Buddhist literature, details the writing process for “Clearing the Way to Awakening”, and reveals the stylist…

In this episode I am joined by Rebekah Sturgill, mother, school teacher, and convert to Orthodox Christianity.Rebekah details her upbringing in a Texan evangelical church and how encounters with authoritarianism and questions about her sexuality saw her leave the religion.Rebekah describes a period of passionate teenage atheism before becoming deep…

In this episode I am joined by Lorna Byrne, spiritual teacher and best selling author of “Angels in my Hair”.Lorna describes her childhood in Ireland when she first began to see and interact with angels and souls of the dead, and recalls how she navigated these visionary experiences. Lorna discusses the different types of angels that she sees, as w…

In this episode I am once again joined by Katarina Falkenberg & Tommy Westlund, alchemists, practitioners of Western Esotericism, and authors of ‘Alchemy, The Divine Work’.Katarina and Tommy detail the stages and methods of the spiritual path of Western alchemy. They explain the movement through four phases, describe the operations employed during …

In this interview I am once again joined by Mordy Levine, serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and author of ‘The Beginner’s Guide to Karma’ with Lama Lhanang.Mordy discusses the Buddhist doctrine of karma, explores its history in Indian thought, and differentiates the various types of karmic actions and their consequences.Mordy reveals special…

In this episode I am once again joined by Stephen Snyder, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of several books including ‘Buddha’s Heart’, ‘Trust in Awakening’, and his latest release ‘Liberating the Self’.Stephen emphasises the importance of working with personality structures even after Buddhist awakening, and offers methods to resolve trauma …

In this episode I am once again joined by Piers Cross, ex-Buddhist monk, coach, and creator of the documentary “Boarding on Insanity”.Piers explains the British boarding school system, examines its history and social context, and reveals how and why boarding school attendance is seen by many as a pathway to power.Piers recalls his own boarding scho…

In this episode, I am joined by Gerald Ilyas Klawatsch, Sufi musician, music therapist, and founder of the international Ensemble Ak Pirim.Ilyas recalls stories of his Sufi path, his meeting and discipleship under his Sufi sheik, and stories of profound spiritual connection and transcendence through devotional music and religious practice.Ilyas des…

In this interview I am once again joined by Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, a tantric priest in a centuries old Newari Buddhist family lineage and master of the religious dance tradition of Charya Nritya.Prajwal Vajracharya reveals the rich world of Newari life rituals, in which major life events such as birth, coming of age, marriage, and death are cel…

In this episode I am once again joined by Mary Shutan: author, occultist, and spiritual teacher. Mary discusses her new book “Shadow Work for the Soul”, shares her lifelong fascination with the psychological power of dark fairytales, and explains the function of social masks and personae. Mary remarks on a notable increase in spiritual emergencies,…

In this episode I am once again joined by Khandro Kunzang Dechen Chodron, teacher of Tibetan Buddhism and executive director of Saraswati Bhawan Publications.Khandro Kunzang reveals her experience as a spiritual consort to a Tibetan lama, and shares her understanding of this controversial practice.Khandro Kunzang recalls how she became a consort, d…

In this episode I once again host a dialogue between Daniel Ingram and Delson Armstrong.Daniel Ingram is an independent Buddhist writer, author of ‘Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha’, and co-founder of the Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium (EPRC).Delson Armstrong is a spiritual teacher, author of ’A Mind Without Craving’, and foun…