Podcast appearances and mentions of Kalu Rinpoche

Speaking to a room full of Buddhists and psychotherapists, Ram Dass explores the impact that Eastern traditions have had on his life and his extraordinary adventure of coming home to being human. Ram Dass Here & Now is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ramdass and get on your way to being your best self.The Ram Dass community gathers regularly to engage in meaningful discussions about the podcast. We invite you to join us and share your curiosities, insights, and wisdom. Sign up for the General Fellowship to receive event invitations directly in your inbox.This episode of Here and Now comes from the keynote address Ram Dass gave at the 2nd Annual Buddhism & Psychotherapy Conference in 1987, which was sponsored by the Karma Kagyu Institute. Ram Dass begins by outlining his connection with the Kagyu lineage of Buddhism, sharing stories of his time with Trungpa Rinpoche. He then gives a brief recap of his journey in life and how he was eventually drawn towards Eastern writings and teachings.Ram Dass talks about embracing Buddhist practices and his spiral path of bouncing back and forth between being in retreat and being in the marketplace of life. He explores how his work with dying people helped him embrace the extraordinary adventure of coming home to being human.Sharing a story about Kalu Rinpoche, another friend in the Kagyu line, Ram Dass discusses honoring compassion and the different levels at which we can do service in the world. He wraps things up by saying, “I cannot conceivably repay the debt that I feel to the Eastern traditions for having introduced me to myself.”About Ram Dass:Ram Dass's spirit has been a guiding light for generations, carrying millions along on the journey. Ram Dass teaches that through the Bhakti practice of unconditional love, we can all connect with our true nature. Through these teachings, Ram Dass has shared a little piece of his guru, Maharaj-ji, with all who have listened to him. Learn more at ramdass.org.“And I see that as an extraordinary adventure of coming home to being human. It's interesting that more of the letters I've gotten in the past year have said to me, ‘Thank you for being human.' Isn't that bizarre? I mean, I've spent 25 years trying to be divine, and people write and thank me for being human. I mean, that just seems like a bizarre paradox to me.” – Ram DassSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Podcast: This week on the show we feature a pre-recorded conversation with Donna McLaughlin, Mahamudra teacher in the Karma Kagyu tradition. Donna was first introduced to the Dharma in her teenage years. In 1970, having finished college, she travelled overland to India. After attending retreats in Bodhgaya with S. N. Goenka, she stayed at a Buddhist mission outside Delhi. Several people had already mentioned the name of Kalu Rinpoche to her, but it wasn't until she met Ken McLeod at that mission that she learned how to negotiate the logistical difficulties in getting to Darjeeling. In 1971, she made the journey to Kalu Rinpoche's monastery in Sonada, near Darjeeling. Her meeting with him was a turning point, solidifying her commitment to this branch of Buddhist practice. Along with other practices, Kalu Rinpoche encouraged her to study Mahamudra. Instruction and guidance was difficult to come by in those days and it was only with the 1986 publication of Tashi Namgyal's Mahamudra: The Quintessence of Mind and Meditation, that she appreciated the full scope and range of Mahamudra teaching. In the 1980's, she attended two Mahamudra retreats with Ken McLeod. She then attended four more Mahamudra retreats with Thrangu Rinpoche, a senior scholar and meditation master in the Karma Kagyu tradition. In the course of these retreats, he became her principal teacher. Her transcriptions of the teachings he gave at those retreats were later published under the title Essentials of Mahamudra. In 1990, with Thrangu Rinpoche's blessing, she and Peter Barth, another student of Thrangu Rinpoche, co-taught a Mahamudra study group for four years in Sonoma County, California. In 1996 she joined with Lama Palden, a graduate of the three-year retreat, to establish the Sukhasiddhi Foundation in Marin County, California. There she continued to teach Mahamudra. In 2006, Thrangu Rinpoche suggested she teach under his auspices in Sonoma County as part of the Vajra Vidya or Indestructible Heart Wisdom network. To this day, she continues to teach and guide students in this practice. More information about Donna McLaughlin's work can be found at:   The Practice of Mahamudra website: www.mahamudra-practice.com.

In this episode I have a privilege to discuss again with Ken McLeod, who began his study and practice of Buddhism in 1970 under the eminent Tibetan master Kalu Rinpoche. We will be doing in-depth exploration of topics such as: What is the nature of prayer in Buddhism - and what is the role of dilemmas in spiritual growth? Are religions really a centuries long conversations about a certain question - and what are these different questions? Ken McLeod began his study and practice of Buddhism in 1970 under the eminent Tibetan master Kalu Rinpoche. After completing two three-year retreats, he was appointed as resident teacher for Kalu Rinpoche's center in Los Angeles, California, where he developed innovative approaches to teaching and translation. After his teacher's death in 1989, Ken established ⁠Unfettered Mind⁠, a place for those whose path lies outside established institutions. His published works include The Great Path of Awakening, Wake Up to Your Life, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, A Trackless Path and The Magic of Vajrayana. Here are some blog post in Finnish I wrote on his book Trackless path: ⁠https://tietoisuustaidot.com/2016/07/23/poluton-polku-1-1/

Welcome to Bhutan's first podcast: Hello from Bhutan! This podcast was originally a virtual retreat organized by Bhutan Global Mindfulness & MICE Holdings (https://bhutanmindfulness.com) - a joint venture company between Druk Holding & investments Singapore, and G Nine Investment, also a Singapore-based company. The virtual retreat was  called “Finding Calm in the Chaos.” H.E Kalu Rinpoche, recognized by H.H. the Dalai Lama, is a renowned yogi and meditation master, celebrated for his profound knowledge of Tibetan yoga and mindful living. Rinpoche's teachings harmonize body, mind, and spirit through a unique blend of ancient practices and modern insights.

Podcast: This week on the show we feature a pre-recorded conversation with Ken McLeod, Buddhist teacher and author the recently released book, The Magic of Vajrayana. In today's conversation, we discuss Ken's recent English translation of The Diamond Sutra from the Tibetan and his development of a new commentary. The Diamond Sutra is one of the most influential early Mahayana sutras that has been central to a number of Buddhist traditions such as Chan and Zen. It describes a way of being and acting that is not mediated by the conceptual mind. Ken's approach to his translation and his upcoming commentary is less about understanding the meaning of The Diamond Sutra and more about how to engage with the text so that its magic can infuse and inform the Being of the practitioner. One of the more innovative Buddhist teachers today, Ken McLeod is known for his clear explanations, poetic translations, and pragmatic approach to practice. He is one of the first generation of Western teachers in the Tibetan tradition and one of the few to be authorized to transmit the full scope of these teachings to students. In particular, his approach resonates strongly with those whose path lies outside established institutions. After graduating with a degree in mathematics, Ken cycled across Europe to Istanbul and then continued his journey overland to India. In 1970 he met his principal teacher Kalu Rinpoche at his monastery near Darjeeling. There Ken began a study and practice in Tibetan Buddhism that lasted more than twenty years. He completed the traditional three-year retreat program two times, translated for many teachers, and helped set up Buddhist centers in Canada and the United States. After his teacher's passing, Ken moved away from the hierarchical structures of Asian Buddhism to explore new approaches. In 1990, he founded Unfettered Mind in Los Angeles. His approach of one-on-one consultations roiled the Buddhist world in the early '90s, but was quickly recognized as a viable way to teach and guide students in the West. He made individual interviews a central feature of the many retreats he taught in California, New Mexico, and British Columbia. Through numerous small groups in Southern California, he developed the materials that became the encyclopedic meditation manual, Wake Up to Your Life. Now retired from formal teaching, he lives in Northern California where he hikes and writes. His writings and translations include The Great Path of Awakening (1987), Wake Up to Your Life (2001), An Arrow to the Heart (2007), Reflections on Silver River (2014), A Trackless Path (2017), and The Magic of Vajrayana (2022), as well as a corpus of articles and translations in Tricycle and other Buddhist magazines. More information about Ken McLeod's work can be found at:  Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org.

Host Michael Taft speaks with eminent Buddhist teacher, translator, and author Ken McLeod about how to use the Diamond Sutra as a practice text. What is the sutra really getting at? Is it merely an ancient and enigmatic philosophical puzzle or can we use it as a powerful pointing out instruction?Ken McLeod began his study and practice of Buddhism in 1970 under the eminent Tibetan master Kalu Rinpoche. After completing two three-year retreats, he was appointed as resident teacher for Kalu Rinpoche's center in Los Angeles, California, where he developed innovative approaches to teaching and translation. After his teacher's death in 1989, Ken established Unfettered Mind, a place for those whose path lies outside established institutions. His many published works include Wake Up to Your Life, A Trackless Path, and his latest book, entitled The Magic of Vajrayana. Ken's website: Unfettered MindYou can support the creation of future episodes of this podcast by contributing through Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode of the Wisdom Podcast, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat features special guest, H. E. Kalu Rinpoche. Rinpoche is the Lineage Holder of Shangpa Kagyu. He was born in 1990 and recognized by H. H. the Dalai Lama and H. H. the 12th Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa. Kalu Rinpoche completed the traditional […] The post H. E. Kalu Rinpoche: ⁠Illusory Body and Mind (#186) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

Podcast: This week on the show we feature feature a pre-recorded conversation with Ken McLeod, Buddhist teacher and author the newly released book, The Magic of Vajrayana. In today's conversation, we unpack a compelling quote from Ian McGilchrist's book, The Matter with Things: If you had set out to destroy the happiness and stability of a people, it would have been hard to improve on our current formula: remove yourself as far as possible from the natural world; repudiate the continuity of your culture; believe you are wise enough to do whatever you happen to want and not only get away with it, but have a right to it—and a right to silence those who disagree; minimise the role played by a common body of belief; actively attack and dismantle every social structure as a potential source of oppression; reject the idea of a transcendent set of values. One of the more innovative Buddhist teachers today, Ken McLeod is known for his clear explanations, poetic translations, and pragmatic approach to practice. He is one of the first generation of Western teachers in the Tibetan tradition and one of the few to be authorized to transmit the full scope of these teachings to students. In particular, his approach resonates strongly with those whose path lies outside established institutions. After graduating with a degree in mathematics, Ken cycled across Europe to Istanbul and then continued his journey overland to India. In 1970 he met his principal teacher Kalu Rinpoche at his monastery near Darjeeling. There Ken began a study and practice in Tibetan Buddhism that lasted more than twenty years. He completed the traditional three-year retreat program two times, translated for many teachers, and helped set up Buddhist centers in Canada and the United States. After his teacher's passing, Ken moved away from the hierarchical structures of Asian Buddhism to explore new approaches. In 1990, he founded Unfettered Mind in Los Angeles. His approach of one-on-one consultations roiled the Buddhist world in the early '90s, but was quickly recognized as a viable way to teach and guide students in the West. He made individual interviews a central feature of the many retreats he taught in California, New Mexico, and British Columbia. Through numerous small groups in Southern California, he developed the materials that became the encyclopedic meditation manual, Wake Up to Your Life. Now retired from formal teaching, he lives in Northern California where he hikes and writes. His writings and translations include The Great Path of Awakening (1987), Wake Up to Your Life (2001), An Arrow to the Heart (2007), Reflections on Silver River (2014), A Trackless Path (2017), and The Magic of Vajrayana (2022), as well as a corpus of articles and translations in Tricycle and other Buddhist magazines. More information about Ken McLeod's work can be found at:  Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org.

Ep. 125 (Part 1 of 3) | Purpose guide, activist, nonduality student/teacher, and meditation teacher Jonathan Gustin is passionate about bringing the subject of the metacrisis into spiritual practice, essentially updating spiritual traditions that originated on deeply local levels to reflect the world of interrelated global crises we live in today. Jonathan proposes we delve into the relationship between nondual awakening and the metacrisis, using the metacrisis as our spiritual koan, and fostering within our contemplative practice a sense of responsibility for life that manifests in activism. Jonathan's focus is also on guiding individuals to explore the notion of soul-level purpose—not only to discover our true purpose but embody a purpose that is consistent with love without boundaries. This is a warm, lively, far reaching, and enlightening discussion, tying many intriguing subjects to the overarching theme of nonduality, metacrisis, and soul-level purpose: Native American vision questing, karma yoga, skillful communication, the developmental stages of purpose, the consequences of the delusion of separateness, the difference between humancentric nonduality and ecocentric nonduality, and much more. It is deeply inspirational to approach the metacrisis (which Jonathan provides a wonderful definition of) as an investigation into our relationship with life and reality. Recorded April 4, 2024.“When we wake up, we wake up to a love and a responsibility for all things.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing meditation teacher, activist, nondual student/teacher, and founder of the Purpose Guides Institute & the Green Sangha organization, Jonathan Gustin (00:51)What inspired Jonathan to adopt climate change as a spiritual practice: Jonathan's vision of whole person midwifery (02:20)A passion for bringing spiritual practice and activism together (04:20)How can the metacrisis inform nonduality? How can nonduality inform the metacrisis? (05:27)Why does a nondual experience not effect more change in people? (07:43)Nonduality defined: “not two;” the difference between separate and individual, and the underlying unity of reality (09:42)The responsibility aspect: expanding our circle of care, the realization that we are responsible to life brings us to our purpose (12:50) Marrying liberation (moksha) and service (dharma) into one: liberation/service (15:03)Purpose discovery falls between self-actualization and self-transcendence (17:04)Native American nondual wisdom and Jonathan's daily practice (19:45)“What is this?” Seung Sahn and Kalu Rinpoche (23:16)For the first time in history we can access all the world's wisdom: YouTube is the new Alexandria (24:12)Privilege, the top 1%, and the option of service (26:11)Handling the overwhelm of the world's suffering (29:10)Awakening soul-level purpose and mythopoetic identity (31:09)Understanding and implementing whole person midwifery: Who are you at a soul level? Who are your people? What are you good at? (34:27)“Find the place where your deepest gladness and the world's deep hunger meet” – Frederick Buechner (37:51)Resources...

Reema Datta (www.reemadatta.com | @reemayoga) In this conversation, Reema Datta shares her journey of discovering yoga and becoming a teacher. She discusses her background growing up in a family immersed in yoga and Ayurveda. Rima also talks about her experience with Larry Schultz and the perception of yoga appropriation. She emphasises the need for a holistic approach to yoga, including integrating mind practices. Rima suggests that ancient texts should be translated and made applicable to modern life to deepen the understanding of yoga. The conversation explores the importance of incorporating mental aspects in yoga and the need to go back to the original teachings of yoga. It discusses the role of translations in understanding yoga texts and the significance of cultural appropriation and respect in yoga. The meaning and pronunciation of Namaste are explored, along with the importance of respecting yoga traditions and practices. The conversation also delves into overcoming the fluctuations of the mind and the gift of yoga to humanity. It highlights the need to improve the representation of yoga and the use of yoga sequences to work with emotions.  The conversation concludes with discussing the need for a feminine touch in yoga and the mind-body experience in yoga. The chapter ends with a reflection on inspiration and guilty pleasures. Highlights Yoga can be practised in various ways and is not limited to asana.        The perception of yoga appropriation can be divisive and counterproductive. ·       There is a need for a holistic approach to yoga that integrates mind practices. ·       Ancient texts should be translated and made applicable to modern life to deepen the understanding of yoga. Incorporating mental aspects in yoga is essential to honour the original teachings of yoga. ·       Translations of yoga texts can greatly impact our understanding and practice of yoga. ·       Cultural appropriation in yoga should be approached with respect and understanding. ·       The meaning and pronunciation of Namaste can vary, but the intention behind it is what matters. ·       Respecting yoga traditions and practices includes understanding the symbolism and significance of statues and other elements. ·       Yoga helps overcome the fluctuations of the mind and promotes unity and connection. ·       Yoga is a gift to humanity and should be represented with integrity and authenticity. ·       Yoga sequences can be designed to work with specific emotions and promote emotional well-being. ·       Including more feminine perspectives in yoga can bring balance and depth to the practice. ·       The mind-body experience is an integral part of yoga and should not be suppressed or denied. ·       Honesty and authenticity are inspiring qualities in yoga and in life. ·       Taking time for guilty pleasures, such as watching movies and enjoying snacks, is important for self-care. You can find links to Reema's book, Sacred Sanskrit Words for Yoga, Chant, and Meditation and her two mantra albums on her website: www.reemadatta.com  You can also follow her on Instagram @reemayoga Sources:  Eknath Easwaran's translations of the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads are excellent. He taught at the University of California, Berkeley for decades, and was an amazing bridge between India and the West. His translations are easy to read and full of relatable stories. Roopa Pai has written The Gita for Children and The Vedas and Upanishads for Children. They are both excellent books if you'd like to share with your kids and learn with them! Even for adults, these books are a great introduction to these texts, which carry the original wisdom teachings of yoga that focus on the mind.  You can learn more about Niguma from H.E. Kalu Rinpoche.  Reema offers a free online community gathering on the last Sunday of each month to discuss aspects of yoga philosophy and engage in a short practice of mantra, pranayama, and meditation together. Everyone is welcome to join. You can register online and receive a link. She also has a few online courses that combine asana, mantra, pranayama, meditation, and philosophy. www.reemadatta.com

Episode #199: Following a period of rebellion and exploration through the tumultuous 1960s, Michael Stein embarked on a journey that ultimately led him to a profound spiritual connection with S.N. Goenka. Winding his way through Israel, Turkey, Iran, and Afghanistan, he reached India just before the 1971 war with Pakistan. Michael had a deep sense of belonging the moment he crossed the border.At first, his main interests were dope smoking and travel, though the pull of spiritual practice was always in the background. Financial constraints forced him to return to the U.S. briefly to make some money before going back to India, where he sat his first vipassana course with S.N. Goenka in Dalhousie. India in the early 1970s offered a smorgasbord of great, spiritual teachers—Ram Dass, Neem Karoli Baba, Sai Baba, and Kalu Rinpoche, and Munindra among others. Michael became part of a close group of international seekers, including Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, Daniel Goleman, and Sharon Salzburg, forming lifelong personal and Dhamma friendships. Michael spent time with several of them, but felt his personal path was the practice as taught by Goenka.As that group of friends and seekers drifted apart in the mid-1970s, most returned to their home countries, bringing those vipassana teachings with them. Western teachers like Joseph Goldstein, Robert Hover and John Coleman started teaching meditation across the world at that time as well, and a further pivotal moment came when Goenka expanded his teachings outside of India.Michael played a key role in disseminating vipassana practice in the US. He managed many of Joseph Goldstein's early courses, as well as some courses taught by Robert Hover. He was instrumental in helping start the International Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, and then in helping Goenka establish his first U.S. center, Dhamma Dhara, in nearby in Shelburne Falls.For Michael, Goenka's legacy can ultimately be summarized by what he accomplished. “He wanted people to be able to meditate, he wanted people to learn this technique, and you have to surrender your life towards doing these things,” he says in closing. “That's the gratitude I have, because I can't tell you how much it's helped me in my life. I was pretty messed up! I've gone through quite a bit over the years, and whatever came my way, I was not perfect in it, but I had the Dhamma and I kept my sīla, and I got through everything.”

This episode of the Wisdom Podcast, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat features Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche. Rinpoche is the Lineage Holder of Shangpa Kagyu. He was born in 1990 and recognized by H. H. the Dalai Lama and H. H. the 12th Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa. Kalu Rinpoche completed the traditional three-year retreat between January 2004 and September 2008. After graduating […] The post Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche: The Yoga of Niguma (#169) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

In der heutigen Folge geht es um den guten Namen. Aber was bedeutet es eigentlich, einen guten Namen zu haben, und gibt es auch schlechte Namen? Über den guten Ruf und die Bedeutung des Namens spricht Curse in der heutigen Folge, und dreht dabei eine spannende Schleife: Was der gute Ruf in unserer Gesellschaft bedeutet, wie unterschiedlich die Wahrnehmungen in den verschiedenen Kulturen ist, und wie schnell Beurteilung zu Verurteilung wird. Zur Folge mit Kalu Rinpoche: https://podcast9059c0.podigee.io/250-kalu-sommer-special Kalu Rinpoche auf Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kalu.rinpoche Kalu Rinpoche auf Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kalu.rin www.curse.de www.instagram.com/cursezeit www.facebook.com/curseofficial

Podcast: This week on the show we feature a pre-recorded conversation with Ken McLeod, Buddhist teacher and author of the newly released book, The Magic of Vajrayana. In today's conversation, we explore four ways of working in spiritual practice sometimes characterized by the archetypal forms of the King, the Warrior, the Magician, and the Lover. We discuss how these ways, Compassion, Will, Insight, and Ecstasy, can be brought into balance for a richer and more complete spiritual engagement with life. One of the more innovative Buddhist teachers today, Ken McLeod is known for his clear explanations, poetic translations, and pragmatic approach to practice. He is one of the first generation of Western teachers in the Tibetan tradition and one of the few to be authorized to transmit the full scope of these teachings to students. In particular, his approach resonates strongly with those whose path lies outside established institutions. After graduating with a degree in mathematics, Ken cycled across Europe to Istanbul and then continued his journey overland to India. In 1970 he met his principal teacher Kalu Rinpoche at his monastery near Darjeeling. There Ken began a study and practice in Tibetan Buddhism that lasted more than twenty years. He completed the traditional three-year retreat program two times, translated for many teachers, and helped set up Buddhist centers in Canada and the United States. After his teacher's passing, Ken moved away from the hierarchical structures of Asian Buddhism to explore new approaches. In 1990, he founded Unfettered Mind in Los Angeles. His approach of one-on-one consultations roiled the Buddhist world in the early '90s, but was quickly recognized as a viable way to teach and guide students in the West. He made individual interviews a central feature of the many retreats he taught in California, New Mexico, and British Columbia. Through numerous small groups in Southern California, he developed the materials that became the encyclopedic meditation manual, Wake Up to Your Life. Now retired from formal teaching, he lives in Northern California where he hikes and writes. His writings and translations include The Great Path of Awakening (1987), Wake Up to Your Life (2001), An Arrow to the Heart (2007), Reflections on Silver River (2014), A Trackless Path (2017), and The Magic of Vajrayana (2022), as well as a corpus of articles and translations in Tricycle and other Buddhist magazines. More information about Ken McLeod's work can be found at:  Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org.

Theme: Change Artwork: Human Cranium Prayer Beads; Tibet; 18th or 19th century; Cranium and stone; Rubin Museum of Art, Gift of Anne Breckenridge Dorsey; http://therubin.org/36p Teacher: Kalu RinpocheThe Rubin Museum of Art presents a weekly meditation session led by a prominent meditation teacher from the New York area, with each session focusing on a specific work of art. This podcast is recorded in front of a live audience, and includes an opening talk, a 20-minute sitting session, and a closing discussion.The guided meditation begins at 21:52. This meditation is presented in partnership with Sharon Salzberg, teachers from the NY Insight Meditation Center, the Interdependence Project, and Parabola Magazine.  If you would like to attend Mindfulness Meditation sessions in person or learn more, please visit our website at RubinMuseum.org/meditation.If you would like to support the Rubin Museum and this meditation series, we invite you to become a member and always attend for free.  Have a mindful day!

Theme: Change Artwork: Human Cranium Prayer Beads; Tibet; 18th or 19th century; Cranium and stone; Rubin Museum of Art, Gift of Anne Breckenridge Dorsey; http://therubin.org/36p Teacher: Kalu RinpocheThe Rubin Museum of Art presents a weekly meditation session led by a prominent meditation teacher from the New York area, with each session focusing on a specific work of art. This podcast is recorded in front of a live audience, and includes an opening talk, a 20-minute sitting session, and a closing discussion.The guided meditation begins at 21:52. This meditation is presented in partnership with Sharon Salzberg, teachers from the NY Insight Meditation Center, the Interdependence Project, and Parabola Magazine.  If you would like to attend Mindfulness Meditation sessions in person or learn more, please visit our website at RubinMuseum.org/meditation.If you would like to support the Rubin Museum and this meditation series, we invite you to become a member and always attend for free.  Have a mindful day!

In this episode I have a privilege to discuss with Ken McLeod, who began his study and practice of Buddhism in 1970 under the eminent Tibetan master Kalu Rinpoche. We will be doing in-depth exploration of topics such as What is clear empty knowing - and how does it relate to deity practice of White Tara? How can prayer and meditation come together? Is it possible to follow a ready-made spiritual path? Ken McLeod began his study and practice of Buddhism in 1970 under the eminent Tibetan master Kalu Rinpoche. After completing two three-year retreats, he was appointed as resident teacher for Kalu Rinpoche's center in Los Angeles, California, where he developed innovative approaches to teaching and translation. After his teacher's death in 1989, Ken established Unfettered Mind, a place for those whose path lies outside established institutions. His published works include The Great Path of Awakening, Wake Up to Your Life, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, A Trackless Path and The Magic of Vajrayana. Here are some blog post in Finnish I wrote on his book Trackless path: https://tietoisuustaidot.com/2016/07/23/poluton-polku-1-1/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mielen-laboratorio/message

Podcast: This week on the show we feature a pre-recorded conversation with Ken McLeod, author of the newly released book, The Magic of Vajrayana. The Magic of Vajrayana weaves original translations of instructions, insightful commentary and context about key practices, and authentic personal experiences into a powerful transmission of this vibrant tradition of mystical practice. One of the more innovative Buddhist teachers today, Ken McLeod is known for his clear explanations, poetic translations, and pragmatic approach to practice. He is one of the first generation of Western teachers in the Tibetan tradition and one of the few to be authorized to transmit the full scope of these teachings to students. In particular, his approach resonates strongly with those whose path lies outside established institutions. After graduating with a degree in mathematics, Ken cycled across Europe to Istanbul and then continued his journey overland to India. In 1970 he met his principal teacher Kalu Rinpoche at his monastery near Darjeeling. There Ken began a study and practice in Tibetan Buddhism that lasted more than twenty years. He completed the traditional three-year retreat program two times, translated for many teachers, and helped set up Buddhist centers in Canada and the United States. After his teacher's passing, Ken moved away from the hierarchical structures of Asian Buddhism to explore new approaches. In 1990, he founded Unfettered Mind in Los Angeles. His approach of one-on-one consultations roiled the Buddhist world in the early '90s, but was quickly recognized as a viable way to teach and guide students in the West. He made individual interviews a central feature of the many retreats he taught in California, New Mexico, and British Columbia. Through numerous small groups in Southern California, he developed the materials that became the encyclopedic meditation manual, Wake Up to Your Life. Now retired from formal teaching, he lives in Northern California where he hikes and writes. His writings and translations include The Great Path of Awakening (1987), Wake Up to Your Life (2001), An Arrow to the Heart (2007), Reflections on Silver River (2014), A Trackless Path (2017), and The Magic of Vajrayana (2022), as well as a corpus of articles and translations in Tricycle and other Buddhist magazines. After the main podcast conversation, we include a recording of a book event that Ken McLeod gave at Many Rivers Books & Tea in Sebastopol, CA, on March 23rd, 2023. The event includes an extended moderated question and answer segment with a live audience. More information about Ken McLeod's work can be found at:  Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org.

Join host Michael Taft as he continues his talk with translator, author, and teacher Ken McLeod about Ken's new book: The Magic of Vajrayana, and issues around receiving initiations and empowerments, the experiential component, aspects of White Tara and Mahakala practices, the power of mystical poetry, and the future of Vajrayana in the West.Ken McLeod began his study and practice of Buddhism in 1970 under the eminent Tibetan master Kalu Rinpoche. After completing two three-year retreats, he was appointed as resident teacher for Kalu Rinpoche's center in Los Angeles, California, where he developed innovative approaches to teaching and translation. After his teacher's death in 1989, Ken established Unfettered Mind, a place for those whose path lies outside established institutions. His many published works include Wake Up to Your Life, A Trackless Path, and his new book, entitled The Magic of Vajrayana.You can support the creation of future episodes of this podcast by contributing through Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join host Michael Taft as he talks with translator, author, and teacher Ken McLeod about Ken's new book: The Magic of Vajrayana, particularly the tripartite practice structure of guru, deity, and protector in Tibetan Buddhism.Ken McLeod began his study and practice of Buddhism in 1970 under the eminent Tibetan master Kalu Rinpoche. After completing two three-year retreats, he was appointed as resident teacher for Kalu Rinpoche's center in Los Angeles, California, where he developed innovative approaches to teaching and translation. After his teacher's death in 1989, Ken established Unfettered Mind, a place for those whose path lies outside established institutions. His many published works include Wake Up to Your Life, A Trackless Path, and his new book, entitled The Magic of Vajrayana. You can support the creation of future episodes of this podcast by contributing through Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode I am once again joined by Bruce Frantzis, world renowned Taoist master and author of books such as ‘Opening the Energy Gates of your Body' and ‘Taoist Sexual Meditation'. Bruce recounts his training as a Taoist priest in an ancient secret society, including psychic training, sexual training, spiritual training, and more. Bruce discusses his training in Taoist exorcism, recalls the first exorcism he witnessed, and tells stories about exorcising trapped spirits in concentration camps and other sites of historical suffering. Bruce goes into depth about his training with Liu Hung Cheh, the Taoist immortal who would become Bruce's most significant master, and shares impressions and memories from that time including Liu Hung Cheh's last great miracle. Bruce also reflects on personal enlightenment, astral projection, the business of religion, compares Buddhism with Taoism, and considers his own legacy as a Taoist master. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep188-esoteric-taoism-bruce-frantzis-2 Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:09 - Wang Shu Jin and Taoist priesthood 03:01 - China's history of secret societies 04:39 - Inducted into a secret society 08:36 - Branches of learning 09:39 - Witnessing an exorcism 10:50 -Bruce's Taoist sex education 11:55 - Secret psychic training 14:16 - Problem with modern presentations of Buddhism, Taoism, and Christianity 16:23 - The role of a Taoist priest 17:16 - Sexual tests 19:39 - Learning qigong tui na 20:45 - Feeling chi and releasing trauma 26:14 - Varieties of enlightenment 29:42 - Personality development and the human condition 34:31 - Becoming aware of what's inside and clearing out trauma 38:39 - Bruce's teachers' extreme methods 42:50 - Enlightenment and the 10,000 identities 47:53 - Internal alchemy after enlightenment 48:23 - Seeing beyond this life 51:33 - Astral body journeys to other planets 53:28 - The life of Bruce's master, Liu Hung Cheh 57:06 - Bruce reflects on Liu Hung Cheh 59:27 - Life with Liu Hung Cheh 01:03:55 - The death of Liu Hung Cheh and leaving China 01:09:36 - Kalu Rinpoche and mystical visions 01:15:49 - Compassion and Bruce's tonglen practice 01:22:00 - Bruce's greatest gift 01:22:04 - The cultural revolution 01:23:26 - Beginning to teach meditation 01:25:03 - Clearing out trapped spirits in concentration camps and comments on Kabbalah 01:27:53 - Comments on Scientology 01:31:18 - Miraculous physical feats of Liu Hung Cheh 01:32:31 - Liu Hung Cheh's final miracle 01:36:39 - Taoist exorcism 01:38:57 - Sex with 1000 women 01:40:37 - Full effort with no force 01:44:44 - Dzogchen vs Taoism 01:47:53 - The martial and spiritual potentials of Tai Chi 01:52:26 - Buddhism vs Taoism 01:54:54 - Beyond happiness 01:53:44 - Difficulties teaching Taoism in the West 01:56:44 - Bruce's legacy 01:57:40 - Taoism is practical … Previous episode with Bruce Frantzis: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep171-taoist-master-bruce-frantzis To find out more about Bruce Frantzis, visit: - https://www.energyarts.com/ … 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

This episode was recorded in 2020. Mirabai Bush teaches contemplative practices and develops programs through the application of contemplative principles and values to organizational life. Her work with individuals and organizations includes entrepreneurial project management, compassionate staff-board relations, organizational leadership, public relations, communication, networking, and strategic relationship building all through the lens of contemplative practice in action. Her spiritual studies include two years in India with Hindu teacher Neemkaroli Baba; meditation in monasteries with Buddhist teachers Shri S.N. Goenka, Anagarika Munindra, and IMS guiding teachers; and studies with Pir Vilayat Khan and Tibetan Buddhist lamas Kalu Rinpoche, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Gelek Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, and others; and five years of intensive practice in Iyengar yoga and five years of Aikido under Kanai Sensei.

Podcast: This week on the show we feature a pre-recorded conversation with returning guest Ken McLeod. Among the topics explored in this conversation are the engagement in spiritual practice with beings and deities, how to negotiate when entering into the ontology of a spiritual system, how to pray, the valuation implicit in focused attention, and the release of control in the deepening of a spiritual practice. This episode is another installment in an extended conversation that we have been having with Ken over the last couple of years. After learning Tibetan, Ken McLeod translated for his principal teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, and helped to develop Rinpoche's centers in North America and Europe. In 1985, Kalu Rinpoche authorized Ken to teach and placed him in charge of his Los Angeles center. Faced with the challenges of teaching in a major metropolis, he began exploring different methods and formats for working with students. He moved away from both the teacher-center model and the minister-church model and developed a consultant-client model. Ken is the founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org. He is the author of Wake Up to Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, The Great Path of Awakening, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, and his most recent book, A Trackless Path. More information about Ken McLeod's work can be found at:  Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org.

Sei kostenfrei dabei: "Ruhiger Geist, wacher Geist - Shine meditation für alle!" am 08.08.2022 um 19h. Einfach hier kostenfrei anmelden: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpcemgrTsvE9XCm8wY2jGP-HA13gqUpmym * Im Sommer Special diesen August stellt Curse vier seiner bisherigen Lieblingsfolgen neu vor. Mit aktuellen Kommentaren erscheinen sie in einem neuen Licht: was ist seit dem passiert, was ist anders, was gleich? Heute: das Gespräch aus 2020 mit Kalu Rinpoche, einem sehr besonderen buddhistischen Lehrer und reinkarnierten tibetischen Lama. Viel Freude mit dieser neuen Folge! Kalu Rinpoche auf Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kalu.rinpoche Kalu Rinpoche auf Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kalu.rin * "199 Fragen an dich selbst" - das neue Buch von Michael CURSE Kurth! https://www.rowohlt.de/buch/michael-curse-kurth-100-fragen-an-dich-selbst-9783499002410 Das Buch und Hörbuch "Stell dir vor, du wachst auf - Die OOOO+X Methode für mehr Klarheit und Präsenz im Leben" von Michael CURSE Kurth ist ebenfalls überall erhältlich www.curse.de www.instagram.com/cursezeit www.facebook.com/curseofficial

Lama Palden Drolma is a western teacher trained by Tibetan Buddhist masters. She the founder of Sukhasiddhi Foundation. She is a licensed psychotherapist, spiritual teacher, coach, and has studied Buddhism in the Himalayas with some of the preeminent Tibetan masters of the 20th century. She was authorized to become one of the first western lamas by Kalu Rinpoche.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Lama Palden Drolma is a western teacher trained by Tibetan Buddhist masters. She the founder of Sukhasiddhi Foundation. She is a licensed psychotherapist, spiritual teacher, coach, and has studied Buddhism in the Himalayas with some of the preeminent Tibetan masters of the 20th century. She was authorized to become one of the first western lamas by Kalu Rinpoche.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/buddhist-studies

Lama Palden Drolma is a western teacher trained by Tibetan Buddhist masters. She the founder of Sukhasiddhi Foundation. She is a licensed psychotherapist, spiritual teacher, coach, and has studied Buddhism in the Himalayas with some of the preeminent Tibetan masters of the 20th century. She was authorized to become one of the first western lamas by Kalu Rinpoche.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podcast: This week on the show we feature a pre-recorded conversation with Dr. Asa Hershoff about his development of what he calls the 5-Element Energy Healing and Elemental Psychology system. This system posits a three-self model of the human being (Spirit, Essence, and Persona) in which the Essence has five modes of being corresponding to the five traditional elements (Ruler, Creator, Lover, Warrior, and Guru). These modes are in turn reflected in the Persona as expressions of Empowerment, Loss, and Shadow. One therapeutic aim of this system is to support practitioners in moving from a Persona-centered life to an Essence-centered life. Asa Hershoff has practiced Mindbody medicine and Vajrayana concurrently for 40 years. Completing the traditional Tibetan 3-year meditation retreat under the auspices of Kalu Rinpoche, he was later ordained as a lay Lama. A pioneer in the Canadian holistic health movement, he is founder of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (1978) and currently author of 3 books on holistic health. Asa has developed Elemental Psychology as an integration of Vajrayana, humanistic psychology, bioenergy medicine, and a pan global perspective on the 5 elements. This transformative methodology of self-healing, therapy, and spiritual growth is represented in his many current book projects, You: True & False and The 5 Ways of Wisdom. More information about Asa Hershoff's work can be found at:   Asa Hershoff's website: www.asahershoff.com,   The 5 Wisdoms website: www.the5wisdoms.com,   5 Element Energy Healing website: www.5elementenergyhealing.com,   Asa Hershoff's Healing Practice website: www.drasahershoff.com,   Asa Hershoff on Facebook: www.facebook.com.

Podcast: This week on the show we feature a pre-recorded conversation with returning guest Ken McLeod in which we continue our ongoing discussion about the degree to which a transactional mode of being permeates our lives, relationships, and spiritual practice. We explore goals in relationship, the transactional as the currency of the Horizontal Realm, what a non-transaction way of living might be, and the unconditioned nature of the Vertical Realm. After learning Tibetan, Ken McLeod translated for his principal teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, and helped to develop Rinpoche's centers in North America and Europe. In 1985, Kalu Rinpoche authorized Ken to teach and placed him in charge of his Los Angeles center. Faced with the challenges of teaching in a major metropolis, he began exploring different methods and formats for working with students. He moved away from both the teacher-center model and the minister-church model and developed a consultant-client model. Ken is the founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org. He is the author of Wake Up to Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, The Great Path of Awakening, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, and his most recent book, A Trackless Path. More information about Ken McLeod's work can be found at:  Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org.

Podcast: This week on the show we feature a pre-recorded conversation with returning guest Ken McLeod in which we delve more deeply into the nature of the Vertical and Horizontal dimensions of life, what this means in the context of spiritual practice, the nature of transaction as the currency of the Horizontal realm, how we might relate to a spiritual practice in non-transactional terms, and what it means to say that a spiritual path is a “way of living”. This episode is another installment in an extended conversation that we have been having with Ken over the last couple of years. After learning Tibetan, Ken McLeod translated for his principal teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, and helped to develop Rinpoche's centers in North America and Europe. In 1985, Kalu Rinpoche authorized Ken to teach and placed him in charge of his Los Angeles center. Faced with the challenges of teaching in a major metropolis, he began exploring different methods and formats for working with students. He moved away from both the teacher-center model and the minister-church model and developed a consultant-client model. Ken is the founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org. He is the author of Wake Up to Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, The Great Path of Awakening, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, and his most recent book, A Trackless Path. More information about Ken McLeod's work can be found at:  Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org.

Magnus and Sheila talk with the Tibetan Buddhist teacher, Kalu Rinpoche.Kalu Rinpoche is the lineage head of the Shangpa Kagyu tradition. He completed his three-year retreat in 2008.Ever since Rinpoche continues the unbroken transmission of the Shangpa and Karma Kagyu Lineages,ensuring that these precious teachings remain available to those who seek to walk the blessed Path of Liberation.As a Millennial, the current Kalu Rinpoche understands the pressures and experiences of modern life.He's down-to-earth, genuinely honest about his own experiences and practice, and able to relate to practitioners from around the world. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Podcast: This week on the show we feature a pre-recorded conversation with returning guest Ken McLeod in which we discuss the role of Imagination in spiritual practice, the distinction between the Vertical and Horizontal dimensions of life and the modern struggle to imagine the Vertical dimension, how we might imagine a non-transactional embodiment of spiritual practice, and much more. After learning Tibetan, Ken McLeod translated for his principal teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, and helped to develop Rinpoche's centers in North America and Europe. In 1985, Kalu Rinpoche authorized Ken to teach and placed him in charge of his Los Angeles center. Faced with the challenges of teaching in a major metropolis, he began exploring different methods and formats for working with students. He moved away from both the teacher-center model and the minister-church model and developed a consultant-client model. Ken is the founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org. He is the author of Wake Up to Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, The Great Path of Awakening, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, and his most recent book, A Trackless Path. More information about Ken McLeod's work can be found at:  Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org.

This episode of the Wisdom Podcast, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, features a conversation with Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche, the lineage holder of Shangpa Kagyu. Rinpoche and Daniel discuss  what it means to be a lineage holder; how lineage helps preserve the Dharma; the difference between tradition and lineage; how to connect with a […] The post Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche: Lineage, Renunciation, and Engaged Buddhism (#120) appeared first on The Wisdom Experience.

This week's Dharma Talk is entitled The Two Truths by Lama Adam Berner. Lama Adam talks about The Two Truths using a chapter from Kalu Rinpoche's book Luminous Mind. Topics discussed...

Host Michael Taft talks with teacher and author Ken McLeod about his insights into Vajrayana, spiritual practice as "choosing a way to live," the Tibetan idea of lam khyer, the power of prayer as a kind of raw, naked stance, why the seeds of spirituality need to be nurtured in secret, difficulties Westerners face when attempting to work within traditional Asian religious systems, and the true meaning of spirituality.Ken McLeod began his study and practice of Buddhism in 1970 under the eminent Tibetan master Kalu Rinpoche. After completing two three-year retreats, he was appointed as resident teacher for Kalu Rinpoche's center in Los Angeles, California, where he developed innovative approaches to teaching and translation. After his teacher's death in 1989, Ken established Unfettered Mind, a place for those whose path lies outside established institutions. His published works include The Great Path of Awakening, Wake Up to Your Life, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, and A Trackless Path. Ken's website: Unfettered MindContribute to Michael's Patreon or directly to help fund the creation of more of these podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this second part of their extended conversation Robert Thurman and His Holiness the Second Kalu Rinpoche share personal stories from their years of studying and practicing Buddhist Vajrayana meditation exploring the impact of Tibetan Buddhism in exile and the global influence of the Buddha's teachings of wisdom & compassion. To enjoy the full video please visit: www.bobthurman.com.

In this first part of their extended conversation Robert Thurman and His Holiness the Second Kalu Rinpoche share personal stories from their years of studying and practicing Buddhist Vajrayana meditation exploring the impact of Tibetan Buddhism in exile and the global influence of the Buddha's teachings of wisdom & compassion. To enjoy the full video please visit: www.bobthurman.com.

Podcast: This week on the show we feature feature a pre-recorded conversation in which Ken McLeod and Jim Wilson return to continue our discussion from several weeks ago. In this installment we go deep on the question allegorical thinking and the modern mind's difficulty with allegory. Only here will you find the subjects of Star Wars, the Borg from Star Trek, Game of Thrones, the function of feeling in allegorical mentation, abiding peace as a consequence of deep practice, and the challenge of describing Tibetan Deity Practice to a Western Mind weaved together in an engaging conversational quartet. After learning Tibetan, Ken McLeod translated for his principal teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, and helped to develop Rinpoche's centers in North America and Europe. In 1985, Kalu Rinpoche authorized Ken to teach and placed him in charge of his Los Angeles center. Faced with the challenges of teaching in a major metropolis, he began exploring different methods and formats for working with students. He moved away from both the teacher-center model and the minister-church model and developed a consultant-client model. Ken is the founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org. He is the author of Wake Up to Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, The Great Path of Awakening, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, and his most recent book, A Trackless Path. Jim Wilson was a monk and abbot under the direction of his teacher Seung Sahn, a Korean Chogye sect Zen master. He served as a Buddhist Prison Chaplain, studied western philosophy, co-founded Many Rivers Books & Tea in Sebastopol, conducts a website devoted to syllabic form Haiku, and has penned and published many books of poetry. In recent years his spiritual practice has centered on the Quaker Christian tradition. In addition to his many poetry volumes, he has published several books on spiritual matters, including On Trusting the Heart, a commentary on a famous poem by the third Zen patriarch, and An Annotated Edition of a Guide to True Peace. More information about Ken McLeod and Jim Wilson's work can be found at:  Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org,  On Trusting the Heart - A Commentary on the Xin Xin Ming: On Trusting the Heart,  An Annotated Edition of a Guide to True Peace (2nd Edition): Guide to True Peace,  Shaping Words Poetry Website: shapingwords.blogspot.com.

In this second episod extracted out of a teaching in Palden Shangpa La Boulaye (France) about the protector Mahakala Tchadrupa, Kalu Rinpoche gives us a second tip on what are what we call visions, and how we must distinguish them from our own imagination.

In this first episode extracted from a teaching about Mahakala Tchadrupa, in Palden Shangpa La Boulaye (France) on February 27th 2021, Kalu Rinpoche gives us tips on the motivation of such practice.

In this episode, I am joined by David Curtis, a Lama in the Shangpa-Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism and founder of the Tibetan Language Institute. David reveals how a radically transformative experience of LSD led to his leaving a career in military intelligence to dedicate himself to spiritual exploration We discuss David’s love for classical languages, the Western canon, and why conversion to Buddhism often includes a rejection of Western civilisation. David tells of hitchhiking across Europe, entering a 3-year retreat under the direction of famous meditation master Kalu Rinpoche, and recounts his powerful experiences there practicing the 6 Yogas of Naropa. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep84-lama-david-curtis-hitchhiking-in-samsara/ Audio version of this podcast also available on iTunes and Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … 0:00 - Intro 0:46 - Studying philosophy and meeting the Dalai Lama 8:55 - Vietnam, military intelligence, and a transformative experience with LSD 14:44 - David’s extensive LSD explorations 20:09 - What would David’s life have been like without LSD? 21:47 - Falling in love with the Greek Classics 25:02 - Why many American Buddhist converts rejected Western civilisation 30:39 - Beat Zen, Square Zen and religious conversion 39:09 - David’s advice for reading the Western canon 42:00 - ‘Hitchhiking in Samsara’, David’s way of life 58:00 - Stories from David’s 3-year retreat 1:11:49 - Love, wisdom, and power 1:16:10 - Archetypes and reification 1:28:27 - David’s significant intuitive and dream experiences 1:38:51 - Powerful experiences with the 6 Yogas of Naropa 1:44:50 - Out of body experiences with illusory body yoga 1:47:46 - The value of experiences on the spiritual path 1:55:12 - Final anecdote about entering the 3-year retreat … To find out more about Lama David Curtis, visit: - http://www.bigskymindmontana.org/ - http://www.tibetanlanguage.org/ 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Podcast: This week on the show on the show we feature a pre-recorded conversation with two of our favorite guests, Ken McLeod and Jim Wilson. Today we tackle a number of questions that have been bubbling up from the early days of Christianity through to the Reformation and into the modern epic. Topics include Faith versus Works as a path to salvation, what happens when Mythos is projected onto Logos, the distinction between Belief and Faith, how practice depends upon context, the practice of asceticism, and the relationship between allegorical thinking and the opening of the heart. After learning Tibetan, Ken McLeod translated for his principal teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, and helped to develop Rinpoche's centers in North America and Europe. In 1985, Kalu Rinpoche authorized Ken to teach and placed him in charge of his Los Angeles center. Faced with the challenges of teaching in a major metropolis, he began exploring different methods and formats for working with students. He moved away from both the teacher-center model and the minister-church model and developed a consultant-client model. Ken is the founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org. He is the author of Wake Up to Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, The Great Path of Awakening, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, and his most recent book, A Trackless Path. Jim Wilson was a monk and abbot under the direction of his teacher Seung Sahn, a Korean Chogye sect Zen master. He served as a Buddhist Prison Chaplain, studied western philosophy, co-founded Many Rivers Books & Tea in Sebastopol, conducts a website devoted to syllabic form Haiku, and has penned and published many books of poetry. In recent years his spiritual practice has centered on the Quaker Christian tradition. In addition to his many poetry volumes, he has published several books on spiritual matters, including On Trusting the Heart, a commentary on a famous poem by the third Zen patriarch, and An Annotated Edition of a Guide to True Peace. More information about Ken McLeod and Jim Wilson's work can be found at: Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org, On Trusting the Heart - A Commentary on the Xin Xin Ming: On Trusting the Heart, An Annotated Edition of a Guide to True Peace (2nd Edition): Guide to True Peace, Shaping Words Poetry Website: shapingwords.blogspot.com.

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we feature a pre-recorded conversation with Zoketsu Norman Fischer and Ken McLeod framed by two key questions. The first is whether mystics or mystically inclined practitioners have responsibilities to society and the World, and if so, what might those responsibilities be. Out of this question comes an extended exploration of what it means to be a mystic, the nature of the world in which we practice, the distinction between direction and goal in spiritual practice, and spiritual practice as learning how to die. The second question is of the great spiritual questions, for which ones have we found the answers and for which ones do the questions remain? Out of this comes reflections on the role of questions themselves, the nature of divinity, the mystery of the passage of Time, the impending meeting we all have with Death, and how to prepare for Death as the cessation of all conceptualization. Zoketsu Norman Fischer is an American poet, writer, and Soto Zen priest, teaching and practicing in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. He is a Dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman, from whom he received Dharma transmission in 1988. Fischer served as co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center from 1995–2000, after which he founded the Everyday Zen Foundation in 2000, a network of Buddhist practice group and related projects in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Fischer has published more than twenty-five books of poetry and non-fiction, as well as numerous poems, essays and articles in Buddhist magazines and poetry journals. His most recent book is The World Could Be Otherwise: Imagination and the Bodhisattva Path. After learning Tibetan, Ken McLeod translated for his principal teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, and helped to develop Rinpoche's centers in North America and Europe. In 1985, Kalu Rinpoche authorized Ken to teach and placed him in charge of his Los Angeles center. Faced with the challenges of teaching in a major metropolis, he began exploring different methods and formats for working with students. He moved away from both the teacher-center model and the minister-church model and developed a consultant-client model. Ken is the founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org. He is the author of Wake Up to Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, The Great Path of Awakening, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, and his most recent book, A Trackless Path. More information about Norman Fischer and Ken McLeod's work can be found at: Norman Fischer's website: www.normanfischer.org, Ken McLeod's website: unfetteredmind.org.

Podcast: This week we feature a pre-recorded conversation with Hokai Diego Sobol and Tibetan Buddhist teacher Ken McLeod. In this penetrating discussion, we explore the nature of Vajrayana Buddhist practice and its antecedents in the Tantric tradition, the primacy of the teacher-student relationship and the intimacy of spiritual transmission, as well as the body as the foundation for the awakening experience. Hokai Diego Sobol started practice and study of Buddhism in 1985. After 10 years of exploring Buddhist thought and practicing martial arts, while broadly learning from sources Eastern and Western, mainstream and fringe, Hokai became a practitioner and eventually instructor in the Shingon esoteric tradition of Japanese Vajrayana, under the private tutelage of Ajari Jomyo Tanaka. Hokai founded the Mandala Society of Croatia in 1999. Continuing to explore and cultivate his own Buddhist practice, Hokai maintains an ongoing conversation with a number of teachers and senior practitioners. Starting from 2012, he focuses on mentoring individuals to deepen their practice in the context of their lives – those who pray, learn to meditate; and those who meditate, learn to pray. Hokai's areas of special interest include mystical principles and esoteric practices in daily life, sacred apprenticeship, and deep semiotics. He is based in Rijeka, Croatia. After learning Tibetan, Ken McLeod translated for his principal teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, and helped to develop Rinpoche's centers in North America and Europe. In 1985, Kalu Rinpoche authorized Ken to teach and placed him in charge of his Los Angeles center. Faced with the challenges of teaching in a major metropolis, he began exploring different methods and formats for working with students. He moved away from both the teacher-center model and the minister-church model and developed a consultant-client model. Ken is the founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org. He is the author of Wake Up to Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, The Great Path of Awakening, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, and his most recent book, A Trackless Path. More information about Hokai Diego Sobol and Ken McLeod's work can be found at: Hokai Sobol's website: hokai.eu, Hokai Diego Sobol on Twitter: @hokaisobol, Ken McLeod's website: unfetteredmind.org., Ken McLeod on Twitter: @kenmcleod.

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we feature a pre-recorded conversation with Zoketsu Norman Fischer and Ken McLeod exploring key questions in contemporary Buddhist Dharma, Western spiritual practice in general, and the potential for transformation in multiple directions inherent in the modern crises of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Climate Change. Among the topics considered are how senior spiritual teachers are dealing with the challenges of the current pandemic, the commodification of spiritual technology in the contemporary Western world, and the distinction between seeking results within the horizontal dimension of life versus the cultivation of depth within the vertical dimension. In addition we touch on the growing importance of technologies such as Zoom in maintaining spiritual connectivity, and we conclude with reflections on what we have come to value and reevaluate after decades of spiritual practice. Zoketsu Norman Fischer is an American poet, writer, and Soto Zen priest, teaching and practicing in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki. He is a Dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman, from whom he received Dharma transmission in 1988. Fischer served as co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center from 1995–2000, after which he founded the Everyday Zen Foundation in 2000, a network of Buddhist practice group and related projects in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Fischer has published more than twenty-five books of poetry and non-fiction, as well as numerous poems, essays and articles in Buddhist magazines and poetry journals. His most recent book is The World Could Be Otherwise: Imagination and the Bodhisattva Path. After learning Tibetan, Ken McLeod translated for his principal teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, and helped to develop Rinpoche's centers in North America and Europe. In 1985, Kalu Rinpoche authorized Ken to teach and placed him in charge of his Los Angeles center. Faced with the challenges of teaching in a major metropolis, he began exploring different methods and formats for working with students. He moved away from both the teacher-center model and the minister-church model and developed a consultant-client model. Ken is the founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org. He is the author of Wake Up to Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, The Great Path of Awakening, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, and his most recent book, A Trackless Path. As sometimes happens with energetic conversations with spiritual practitioners transmitted over electronic media, we had an unusual number of unexpected cell phone calls and Zoom breakdowns throughout the recording. Some of this has been edited for continuity and some left as we all experienced it. However, these interruptions do not detract from the quality of the discussion. More information about Norman Fischer and Ken McLeod's work can be found at: Norman Fischer's website: www.normanfischer.org, Ken McLeod's website: unfetteredmind.org.

Podcast: This week on The Mystical Positivist, we feature a pre-recorded conversation with two of our favorite guests, Ken McLeod and Jim Wilson. Speaking from our respective bunkers of the California Shelter-In-Place order, we will touch upon the relevance of spiritual practice in an age of social distancing, as well as the possibility and freedom inherent in moving discourse beyond mere critique and contradiction. After learning Tibetan, Ken McLeod translated for his principal teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, and helped to develop Rinpoche's centers in North America and Europe. In 1985, Kalu Rinpoche authorized Ken to teach and placed him in charge of his Los Angeles center. Faced with the challenges of teaching in a major metropolis, he began exploring different methods and formats for working with students. He moved away from both the teacher-center model and the minister-church model and developed a consultant-client model. Ken is the founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org. He is the author of Wake Up to Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, The Great Path of Awakening, An Arrow to the Heart, Reflections on Silver River, and his most recent book, A Trackless Path. Jim Wilson was a monk and abbot under the direction of his teacher Seung Sahn, a Korean Chogye sect Zen master. He served as a Buddhist Prison Chaplain, studied western philosophy, co-founded Many Rivers Books & Tea in Sebastopol, conducts a website devoted to syllabic form Haiku, and has penned and published many books of poetry. In recent years his spiritual practice has centered on the Quaker Christian tradition. In addition to his many poetry volumes, he has published several books on spiritual matters, including On Trusting the Heart, a commentary on a famous poem by the third Zen patriarch, and An Annotated Edition of a Guide to True Peace. More information about Ken McLeod and Jim Wilson's work can be found at: Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org, On Trusting the Heart - A Commentary on the Xin Xin Ming: On Trusting the Heart, An Annotated Edition of a Guide to True Peace 2nd Edition: Guide to True Peace, Shaping Words Poetry Website: shapingwords.blogspot.com.

Podcast: This week on the show we converse in the studio with Ken McLeod, founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org, a website offering resources on practical Buddhism. Ken trained in the Tibetan Buddha-dharma, translated for his teacher Kalu Rinpoche, and has written books that translate and comment on Tibetan texts. His books include A Trackless Path, Reflections on Silver River, An Arrow to the Heart, and Wake Up To Your Life. Ken's work focuses upon making the Buddha's teachings relevant and accessible to western practitioners. In today's penetrating conversation, Ken elaborates on a recent posting on his blog about Vajrayana and Archetypal Imagery. Rather than concerning ourselves with the ontological status of Buddhist cosmologies (i.e. are they real?), Ken describes in detail how archetypal imagery acts on much deeper parts of us to instill or imprint the possibility of peace and freedom beyond both the conceptual and the emotional. In addition to all of this, Ken and Rob provide a spiritual analysis of the recent movie, The Two Popes. More information about Ken McLeod's work can be found at: Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org, Ken McLeod's Blog: musingsbyken.blogspot.com, Ken's post on Archetypal Imagery: Vajrayana and Archetypal Imagery, Unfettered Mind Podcasts: itunes.apple.com.

Podcast: This week on the show we converse in the studio with Ken McLeod, founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org, a website offering resources on practical Buddhism. Ken trained in the Tibetan Buddha-dharma, translated for his teacher Kalu Rinpoche, and has written books that translate and comment on Tibetan texts. His books include A Trackless Path, Reflections on Silver River, An Arrow to the Heart, and Wake Up To Your Life. Ken's work focuses upon making the Buddha's teachings relevant and accessible to western practitioners. In today's spirited conversation we discuss Ken's project to convey the flavor of Tibetan Buddhist practice to a Western audience and context, the ontological status of deities in the Vajrayana Deity practice, the use of reason in the Mystical endeavor, how modalities of practice need to align with the primary means by which different pratitioners relate to the world, and much more. More information about Ken McLeod's work can be found at: Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org Ken McLeod's Blog: musingsbyken.blogspot.com Unfettered Mind Podcasts: itunes.apple.com

Podcast: This week on the show we converse in the studio with Ken McLeod , founder and director of UnfetteredMind.org, a website offering resources on practical Buddhism. Ken trained in the Tibetan Buddha-dharma, translated for his teacher Kalu Rinpoche, and has written books that translate and comment on Tibetan texts. His books include A Trackless Path, Reflections on Silver River, An Arrow to the Heart, and Wake Up To Your Life. Ken's work focuses upon making the Buddha's teachings relevant and accessible to western practitioners. More information about Ken McLeod's work can be found at: Unfettered Mind website: www.unfetteredmind.org Ken McLeod's Blog: musingsbyken.blogspot.com Unfettered Mind Podcasts: itunes.apple.com

This one goes out to all those who have crossed over...may we all find inner peace in the neart future! Birth Life Next This segment we will explore...the NEXT, making Peace with 'Next'. Exploring mortality and immortality. Preparing yourself for death. Letting go of grief and makine peace with the loss of another. Music Freedom Child Jesus Dances Longevity Prayer to Kalu Rinpoche by Jean - Philippe Rykiel Apl.de.AP I Cry Shining a LIGHT on The Dinner Party Next with 'She' Suzanne Toro Sessions with 'She'