Michael Taft is a meditation teacher, author, and host of the ‘Deconstructing Yourself’ podcast.

In this episode, Michael reveals why he dislikes maps of meditation, and why he believes the Progress of Insight, a widely taught meditation map in Theravada Buddhism, causes more problems than it solves.

Michael also discusses his points of agreement and disagreement with the Buddhist four path model, how he defines and teaches stream entry, the common traps on the way to enlightenment, how to cut through spiritual ego, and why Michael questions if becoming an arhat is actually good for anybody.

Michael goes on to explain his own meditation map, based on the teachings of Shinzen Young, and shares his takes on emptiness, jhana, fire kasina, and how life changes after awakening.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep167-maps-to-enlightenment-michael-taft-2

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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Topics include:

00:00 - Intro

00:57 - Cons of meditation maps

06:06 - Why the Progress of Insight map causes more problems than it solves

09:50 - Disagreement with Daniel Ingram

10:37 - Controversy of claiming Arhatship

14:15 - Teaching towards stream entry

15:06 - Defining stream entry

18:16 - Do meditators really want stream entry?

20:17 - Where Michael diverges from the 4-path model

22:42 - different approaches to spiritual practice

23:24 - What changes after enlightenment?

29:01 - Stress tolerance of enlightenment

30:09 - Michael’s perceptive

31:16 - Dangers on the way to stream entry

36:29 - Post-stream entry pitfalls

37:54 - Spiritual ego trips

38:35 - How Michael slices through spiritual ego

39:39 - Michael’s own map of vipassana

45:35 - The failure mode of high concentration

48:05 - Differences between low concentration and insight into emptiness

51:05 - The problem with cessation

52:47 - Emptiness of self and other

54:37 - Pointing to the self

56:02 - When Michael’s students achieve stream entry

57:02 - Welcome to the club

57:41 - Sutra vs Mahamudra

58:53 - Running the map backwards

01:01:21 - Emptiness and form

01:05:07 - The big temptation of emptiness and bliss

01:08:35 - Why leave emptiness?

01:13:10 - Vipassana vs vipasyana

01:15:41 - Quick fire round

01:16:13 - Wet of dry vipassana?

01:16:39 - Hard or soft jhana?

01:17:22 - Breath or fire kasina?

01:18:21 - BIT or SHF?

01:19:09 - Shinzen Young’s evolution

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Previous episode with Michael Taft:

- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep149-deconstructing-yourself-michael-taft

To find out more about Michael Taft, visit:

- https://deconstructingyourself.com/

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James