In this episode I am joined by Dr Yannis Toussulis, Sufi lineage holder, psychotherapist, and author of ‘Sufism and the Way of Blame’.

Dr Toussulis recounts his upbringing in Manhattan, New York and how a childhood vision of Jesus Chris changed his life forever.

Dr Toussulis recalls several profound mystical experiences and traces his life of travel and study with gurus and sheiks, including his time at the Esalen Institute, close studies with Tibetan Lama Khenchen Palden Sherab, experiments in psychedelic assisted therapy, travel to India, personal time with Osho, and more.

Dr Toussulis also critiques new age presentations of Sufism, including modern interpretations of Rumia and early 20th century ideas of the Sarmoung Brotherhood, and considers the case of Idries Shah and the collusion between teachers and disciples to create exaggerated origin myths.

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Video version: www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep179-adventures-of-a-sufi-mystic-dr-yannis-toussulis

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

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Topics Include:

00:00 - Intro

01:01 - Upbringing in Manhattan

03:04 - Inspired to attend church after a vision of Jesus Christ

04:30 - First encounter with Sufism

07:17 - Meeting first Sheikhs

08:43 - Close study with Khenchen Palden Sherab

09:32 - Return to Sufism

12:42 - A vision of Jesus Christ

15:52 - Interpreting mystical experiences

17:15 - More visionary experiences

21:55 - Realising that God is everywhere

24:09 - Psychedelic experimentation

27:16 - Psychedelic therapy in Vancouver

31:04 - Carlos Castaneda

31:39 - Travel to India and studies with Osho

39:26 - Final conversation with Osho

44:35 - What is enlightenment?

50:23 - Meeting gurus

53:15 - Meeting his Lama in a lucid dream

01:04:40 - ’Nyingthik Drak’ and learning Buddhist tantra

01:08:46 - Sarmoung Brotherhood and misconceptions about Sufism

01:13:57 - What is Sufism?

01:18:25 - Origin myths and the naive audience of the early 1900s

01:22:17 - Collusion and mystification

01:25:39 - The modern inversion of Rumi

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To find our more about Dr Yannis Toussulis, visit:

- http://www.itlaqfoundation.com/

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James