Incomparable: the combination of learnedness, personal experience, and silver-tongued story telling that Vajranatha brings to your conversations allows his genuine wisdom to shine through effortlessly. Thank you for all three interviews with him. 🙏
Excellent interview. I've studied shamanism as my day job for many decades and worked with both Nepali and Mongolian shamans intimately for about 20 years, combining those traditions with Vajrayana Nyingma Ngakpa traditions. it is lovely to hear such an accurate portrayal of Himalayan shamanism and it's interaction with Buddhism... delightful, thank you.
Excellent. Vajranatha has such knowledge of the traditions and history he always reveals new layers of understanding. His translation of Seeing with Naked Awareness is a favourite text for me, though I consider I'm an old Bönpo! The dependence on the Yidam as the vehicle of realisation in Maha Mudra, I have heard said, distinguishes it from Dzogchen. Because there is always this dependence. But the result cannot be different. And the yidam is part of Nature of Mind. I'm sure Vajranatha could clarify this very easily. Sarvamangalam. Matsug marro.
This interview is valuable from an anthropological point of view. It offers a concise and wide ranging description of Tibetan Buddhist culture. The frightening thing is people can still be drawn into believing this stuff. Treating illness as an attack by a vengeful spirit is exactly the same psychology of the witch doctor. Such an outlook is what allowed the burning of witches and the torture of individuals who opposed the Catholic Church which featured in our own culture only a few hundred years ago. The baseline for human psychology, it seems, is superstition. Reaching back 100's and 1000's of years in an uncritical manner to find meaning in life condemns us to not learn from our ancestors but rather simply to repeat their mistakes.
I agree that humans do have a baseline, psychologically speaking, of magical thinking. That can be formulated, psycholoogically, as a kind of Schizotypal continuum - natual human creativity and meaning making through to psychotic experiences; or the fact that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. I'd say both and.. All the best. 🙂
@@TheGigantus "as a kind of Schizotypal continuum -" I agree there is a continuum. The task is to test one's perceptions against material experience. At the psychotic end of that spectrum an individual takes every mental experience as completely real and can not be convinced otherwise. The notion that their experience might be solely mind created is not one they are willing to countenance. " we are spiritual beings having a human experience."... there is a lot that could be discussed in this. The bottom line as I see things is we live a physical existence and every mental perception and impulse to action has an objective outcome. We do not live in a dreamworld which is devoid of consequence. If that was not so then we would not have a way to discern reality. We would not have a way to correct erroneous mental fantasy.
If one wishes to express themselves, look to what is happening within ones own heart. Look within, feel, express. Because the heart never lies, cheers.
Physiologically and with methods from the science of physics altered states of consciousness can be measured (for example patterns of brain waves). Possesion trance like in voodoo ceremonies is very different from shamanic trance seen in Nepal.
Having no thoughts is not a dull state of mind. Ones path, ones practice and all of ones goals are merged into this one present moment. Add an unconditioned love for all beings, and one is Home already. Thoughts, concepts, theories and notions are like clouds crossing the beautiful clear blue sky, blocking the sunlight. Thoughts are unnecessary to any serious seeker. One may express themselves through words without thinking, just feeling their way forwards, cheers.
Hello. I find it interesting that in most christian areas there is far less spirit harmful or disturbing activity than in most buddhist countries. In India, Tibet, Japan and theravadan countries you hear of this stuff all the time butnot in christian cultures, except Africa. It is interesting in the light of forced christian influence, crusades etc. because before christianity shamanism and all that spirit stuff was everywhere around the globe. So in my view christianity got something very right.
It's probably more that western countries have become more secular, not because they're "Christian." And if you look into the Christian groups in the west that are less secular, they're still very obsessed with "spiritual warfare" and "demonic possession" and such. Their ways of dealing with entities is typically far more confrontational and far less effective, as well.
Christianity didn't eradicate "harmful or disturbing activity", it's just that the Enlightenment changed peoples minds about the cause. Now, instead of spiritual sickness and possession, people have psychological sickness. No shortage of that in Christian cultures, in fact it's steadily on the rise.
It's nice to know Lama Vajranath visited and learned in my hometown - DARJEELING. 🙏
Incomparable: the combination of learnedness, personal experience, and silver-tongued story telling that Vajranatha brings to your conversations allows his genuine wisdom to shine through effortlessly. Thank you for all three interviews with him. 🙏
Wonderful ❤
John is an old friend from the US Dzogchen Community. I last saw him over 20 years ago in Graz. Good to see him un-changed and well.
Excellent interview. I've studied shamanism as my day job for many decades and worked with both Nepali and Mongolian shamans intimately for about 20 years, combining those traditions with Vajrayana Nyingma Ngakpa traditions. it is lovely to hear such an accurate portrayal of Himalayan shamanism and it's interaction with Buddhism... delightful, thank you.
Nagas also like flowers, phul corn meal, eggs, titepati and copper. Even in Egypt snakes spirits love milk.
How about having Asa Hershoff on for Chod ? ❤❤❤
Fascinating, packed with genuine experience, and wisdom. Thank you so very much.
Nice one. wish i I could share an old photo of the Dzogchen group here. 30 year photo. we were all young then.
Excellent. Vajranatha has such knowledge of the traditions and history he always reveals new layers of understanding. His translation of Seeing with Naked Awareness is a favourite text for me, though I consider I'm an old Bönpo! The dependence on the Yidam as the vehicle of realisation in Maha Mudra, I have heard said, distinguishes it from Dzogchen. Because there is always this dependence. But the result cannot be different. And the yidam is part of Nature of Mind. I'm sure Vajranatha could clarify this very easily. Sarvamangalam. Matsug marro.
Very good. I hope to see you inner-view Keith Dowman, scholar, incidental poet, "teacher" of radical dzochen. Also, Prof. Dennis Evenson sufi priest.
This interview is valuable from an anthropological point of view. It offers a concise and wide ranging description of Tibetan Buddhist culture. The frightening thing is people can still be drawn into believing this stuff.
Treating illness as an attack by a vengeful spirit is exactly the same psychology of the witch doctor. Such an outlook is what allowed the burning of witches and the torture of individuals who opposed the Catholic Church which featured in our own culture only a few hundred years ago.
The baseline for human psychology, it seems, is superstition. Reaching back 100's and 1000's of years in an uncritical manner to find meaning in life condemns us to not learn from our ancestors but rather simply to repeat their mistakes.
I agree that humans do have a baseline, psychologically speaking, of magical thinking. That can be formulated, psycholoogically, as a kind of Schizotypal continuum - natual human creativity and meaning making through to psychotic experiences; or the fact that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. I'd say both and.. All the best. 🙂
@@TheGigantus
"as a kind of Schizotypal continuum -" I agree there is a continuum.
The task is to test one's perceptions against material experience.
At the psychotic end of that spectrum an individual takes every mental experience as completely real and can not be convinced otherwise. The notion that their experience might be solely mind created is not one they are willing to countenance.
" we are spiritual beings having a human experience."... there is a lot that could be discussed in this.
The bottom line as I see things is we live a physical existence and every mental perception and impulse to action has an objective outcome. We do not live in a dreamworld which is devoid of consequence. If that was not so then we would not have a way to discern reality. We would not have a way to correct erroneous mental fantasy.
If one wishes to express themselves, look to what is happening within ones own heart. Look within, feel, express. Because the heart never lies, cheers.
Great speach Vajranatha😇🙏👍
Amazing, wonderful teaching!!!i
thank you, Lama! 🤠
Excellent! Thanks
I met John in Austria with Enrico Kosmus!
You're very fortunate
@@emiliafernandez4234 ,he is very accomplished and definitely non sectarian!
book recommend: THE TREASURY OF THE BASIC SPACE OF PHENOMENA by longchen rabjam.
Im from Jersey and live in new Jersey. I wish you was out here too learn from you
❤❤❤
Jai namo narayana 🙏🙏
whoa interesting 👁 👁
Wonderful. ❤🙏🏼
Swooning in ecstacy at the awesomeness! …. as usual ✨
More of him master please !😊
Physiologically and with methods from the science of physics altered states of consciousness can be measured (for example patterns of brain waves). Possesion trance like in voodoo ceremonies is very different from shamanic trance seen in Nepal.
Not all shamans have access to the so called 'lower world'. In Nepal they are seen as specially gifted and called tunsuriban.
Having no thoughts is not a dull state of mind. Ones path, ones practice and all of ones goals are merged into this one present moment. Add an unconditioned love for all beings, and one is Home already. Thoughts, concepts, theories and notions are like clouds crossing the beautiful clear blue sky, blocking the sunlight. Thoughts are unnecessary to any serious seeker. One may express themselves through words without thinking, just feeling their way forwards, cheers.
Hello. I find it interesting that in most christian areas there is far less spirit harmful or disturbing activity than in most buddhist countries. In India, Tibet, Japan and theravadan countries you hear of this stuff all the time butnot in christian cultures, except Africa. It is interesting in the light of forced christian influence, crusades etc. because before christianity shamanism and all that spirit stuff was everywhere around the globe. So in my view christianity got something very right.
Really really enjoyed this one! Very few lamas are willing to discuss these things in such detail in public. Wonderful.
It's probably more that western countries have become more secular, not because they're "Christian." And if you look into the Christian groups in the west that are less secular, they're still very obsessed with "spiritual warfare" and "demonic possession" and such. Their ways of dealing with entities is typically far more confrontational and far less effective, as well.
Christianity didn't eradicate "harmful or disturbing activity", it's just that the Enlightenment changed peoples minds about the cause. Now, instead of spiritual sickness and possession, people have psychological sickness. No shortage of that in Christian cultures, in fact it's steadily on the rise.
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Cada vez que volteabas una piedra en California, encontrabas a un Shamán. 🤣😂