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Guru Viking Podcast

Guru Viking Podcast

By: Guru Viking
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 The Guru Viking Podcast specializes in in-depth interviews with remarkable figures in the world of meditation, spirituality, and self development. Steve travels internationally teaching somatic practices and meditation, and leads explorations in contemplative, mystic, & relational realms.All rights reserved Spirituality
Episodes
  • Ep306: Marketing Tactics of Religions & Cults - Prof. Mara Einstein

    Ep306: Marketing Tactics of Religions & Cults - Prof. Mara Einstein
    May 16 2025
    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 in media and religions, details the 9 steps of cult recruitment, and shares case studies of religious marketing models. Mara recalls her own life journey from an early interest in religions and cults, her path through academia studying religion and marketing, and her own discipleship under and subsequent disillusionment with spiritual teacher and political activist Marianne Williamson. Mara also considers religion as a product, analyses stealth Buddhism and prosperity gospel preachers, and offers her own thoughts on how religious groups can market themselves more ethically. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep306-marketing-tactics-of-religions-cults-prof-mara-einstein Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:08 - Hoodwinked, 01:21 - Religion as a product 02:17 - Early interest in religion and cults 03:36 - PhD about religion and policy 05:35 - Televangelists and the Passion of the Christ 06:52 - The Purpose Driven Church marketing 07:34 - The secularisation theory and why the US bucks the trend 08:13 - Joel Osteen vs Oprah Winfrey 09:34 - Why do secular organisations use religious themes? 11:41 - Cults and Multi-level marketing 13:14 - Brand cults such as Apple 14:46 - Marketing Hoodwinked 1536 - Social media vs television advertising 16:37 - Rage farming, increased anxiety, and becoming susceptible to messaging 20:20 - Brand purchases as expressions of individual identity 21:42 - Selling the sacred, how religion and marketing intersects 25:03 - Mara’s own religious journey through Judaism and the New Age 26:31 - Becoming a follower of Marianne Williamson 27:01 - Disillusioned by religion 27:13 - Studying evangelicals 27:58 - Interviewing Ralph White 28:29 - Mara analyses her own journey to becoming a follower of Marianne Williamson 32:00 - World Nutella Day 34:18 - Going deeper with Marianne Williamson 36:10 - 9 steps of cult recruitment 36:47 - Targeting the vulnerable 40:26 - Upselling and the Kabbalah Centre 42:02 - Love-bombing 43:14 - Tough love 44:34 - Creation of in and out groups 46:30 - Severe repercussions for leaving 47:22 - American Evangelism 49:33 - How should religions market themselves with integrity? 49:52 - “He Gets Us” and the Alpha Course 52:07 -2 year mission trips don’t work 52:41 - The best marketing is to live the message 54:49 - Shady marketing tactics to avoid 56:22 - Beware of panacea answers 57:02 - Beware the charismatic leader 57:56 - How would Mara advice a religious group to use marketing ethically? 59:33 - Know your target audience 01:01:13 - The brilliance of Rick Warren’s consumer research driven marketing 01:02:47 - Is stealth Buddhism shady marketing? 01:04:44 - Bait and switch of secular mindfulness 01:06:34 - Capitalist meditation 01:07:42 - Is MBSR a bait and switch? 01:09:09 - Mara’s advice for those selling corporate mindfulness 01:10:15 - Transparency vs deception 01:12:23 - Make it ok to question and ok to leave 01:13:31 - Hoodwinked 01:14:15 - Pervasiveness of cults 01:15:13 - Influencers and a spectrum of cults 01:16:29 - Teal Swan and lifestyle marketing 01:17:21 - Anyone can be pulled into a cult … To find our more about Professor Mara Einstein, visit: - https://www.drmaraeinstein.com/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Ep305: Neuroscience of Dream Yoga - Dr Michael Sheehy, Dr Tawni Tidwell, Dr Julian Schott

    Ep305: Neuroscience of Dream Yoga - Dr Michael Sheehy, Dr Tawni Tidwell, Dr Julian Schott
    May 9 2025
    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 biocultural anthropologist and doctor of traditional Tibetan medicine. Dr Julian Schott is an Indologist, Tibetologist, and assistant professor at the University of Vienna. Dr Sheehy shares his cutting edge research into the tantric completion stage yogas of dream and sleep, reveals the implication of new directions in neuroscience and micro-phenomenology, and warns of the danger of esoteric practices becoming extinct. Dr Sheehy proposes a two-way split in the future of religious practice, Dr Tidwell reflects on the decline in the number of spiritual masters, and Dr Schott considers the real meaning of secrecy in Tibetan tantra. Video version: www.guruviking.com Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:22 - Current research about yogic practices of dream and sleep 02:46 - Overview of Tibet and Indian dream and sleep practices 04:15 - Michael’s scientific studies of yogic lucid dreaming practice 07:53 - Opening a 2-way channel of communication between dreamer and scientist 08:46 - Rigorous micro-phenomenology 10:04 - Comparisons with classic descriptions and prescriptions found in Tibetan dream manuals 11:34 - Dreams are unpredictable spaces 13:53 - Understanding lucidity 16:27 - Psychological flexibility, imaginal simulation, and somatic awareness 22:28 - The impact of dream yoga on daily life 23:59 - 6 similes of reality and dream yoga 26:26 - Lucid waking practices & the illusory body 29:45 - 2-fold practice curriculum of day and night 31:16 - A devastating pitfall 32:07 - New ways to amplify practice 35:38 - Designing virtual reality simulations for dream yoga exercises 39:49 - Intersections with psychedelic research 42:16 - 2 ways to approach contemplative practice 47:05 - Generating interdisciplinary hypotheses 48:14 - Utilising VR meditations as practice supports 52:37 - Drawing on traditional expertise 53:27 - Bringing traditional practice categories into neuroscience research 55:27 - Neuroscience as the next level of translation 59:40 - Michael challenges ahistorical perspectives; Tibetan tradition has been highly experimental 01:02:32 - Community-based partnerships 01:05:02 - What does it mean that a practice is “secret”? 01:07:01 - The body in tantric traditions and secularising tantra 01:09:33 - A 2-way split in the global culture of religious practice 01:12:10 - Esoteric traditions are in danger 01:16:56 - Bold experimentation is historically consonant with the tradition 01:18:23 - Great masters are decreasing in number 01:23:17 - Esoteric practices have a coherent logic 01:26:22 - Traditional practices have undergone evolution and change 01:28:36 - Ethics of scholar-practitioners To find our more about the panel, visit: - https://michaelrsheehy.com/ - https://centerhealthyminds.org/about/people/tawni-tidwell - https://stb.univie.ac.at/en/about-us/team/julian-schott/user/schottj85/inum/1083/backpid/198178/ For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James
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    1 hr and 32 mins
  • Ep304: Crumbs from the Parrot’s Beak - Tulku Sherdor

    Ep304: Crumbs from the Parrot’s Beak - Tulku Sherdor
    May 2 2025
    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 explains why mind training is superior to mystical experiences, emphasises the reality of impermanence, and shares the best tests of successful retreat and spiritual growth. Tulku Sherdor also warns about the prognosis of tulkus who do not conduct extensive retreat; critiques the shortcomings of the 3-year retreat model as conducted in the West; and details the temptations for dharma teachers in pleasure, profit, praise, and popularity. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep304-crumbs-from-the-parrots-beak-tulku-sherdor Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:04 - Crumbs from the Parrot’s Beak 02:43 - The spiritual journey and the phases of life 04:24 - Is the world becoming more turbulent? 05:56 - The effects of ageing on spiritual practice 07:53 - How to relate to physical limitations 09:56 - Ambition for enlightenment 12:26 - This is more fundamental than Bodhicitta 13:23 - Reality of impermanence 15:20 - The unique challenges of intensive practice and retreat 18:39 - Distinguishing appearance from substance 19:41 - The title “lama” is not a guarantee of quality 21:12 - The best proof of progress 23:17 - The role of a demanding retreat schedule 26:24 - Mature practice 28:03 - Tulkus must conduct extensive retreat but sometimes don’t 30:28 - Prognosis for high lamas who don’t do extensive retreat 32:30 - Hopes for corrections in the tulku system 34:58 - The Tibetan Buddhist tradition is unique and precious 35:41 - Signs of a successful retreat 38:01 - Completing a 3 year retreat is not a guarantee of quality 38:56 - Substandard Western 3 year retreats 40:49 - Pre-1950s Tibet and the renunciate yogi system 46:11 - Today’s economic challenges when practicing the dharma 49:47 - Mind training is superior to glimpses of the nature of mind 55:45 - The best test of success in practice 57:00 - Does practice ever get easier? 01:01:28 - The 4 payoffs: pleasure, profit, praise, popularity 01:06:49 - Guru devotion and the guru relationship 01:12:31 - A story about Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche 01:14:41- Peace Prayer Gathering in June 2025 … Previous episode with Tulku Sherdor: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep276-canadian-tulku-translator-tulku-sherab-dorje To find our more about Tulku Sherdor, visit: - https://blazingwisdom.org/tulku-sherab-dorje/ - https://dharmakayacenter.org/all-programs/2637/sadhana-practice-expanding-our-compassion-for-all-beings/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKAGaRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFXZEJ2cmRmb0U3VTExUWpmAR729nsWXoI6VZEb9GkrzCeajdhS6ze_zGrQZUTvLpsphQJQHPSdJABxQ0brag_aem_dWMYHIGmMRk_dxeWxEuL7A For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James
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    1 hr and 18 mins

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