In this episode I am once again joined by Dean Sluyter: meditation teacher and best-selling author of several books including ‘Cinema Nirvana: Enlightenment Lessons from the Movies’.

Dean explores the distinction between the art and craft of meditation, what it means to rest in effortlessness, and critiques much meditation practice is egoic aggrandisement and fetishisation.

Dean discusses the edifying effect of finding religious themes in literature and cinema, and discusses the approach he takes in his books to analyse both the Western Canon and the great movies of the past.

Dean also recounts stories of his time studying with Ngak’chang Rinpoche of the Aro gTer Buddhist group, draws parallels between jazz and enlightenment, and weighs in on the direction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep189-effortless-awakening-dean-sluyter-2

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

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Topics Include:

00:00 - Intro

00:59 - Stories about Ngak’chang Rinpoche of the Aro gTer

06:48 - The living edge of practice

08:43 - Craft in art

09:54 - Creativity and the secret of improvisation

11:21 - The vocabulary of jazz

11:47 - Work to play

13:01 - Meditation does not require work

15:38 - Resting in effortlessness

17:43 - Egoic meditation heroics

18:23 - Dean guides contacting effortlessness

20:45 - Dealing with being caught up with thoughts

23:19 - Meditation on-ramp

26:59 - Dean’s favourite mantras

28:23 - Fetishising meditation

29:42 - Dean’s free meditation classes

30:19 - Facsimiles of true meditation

30:43 - Mood making and intellectualisation

33:59 - Spontaneous openings to awakening

37:40 - Practice vs effort

43:14 - What is the ultimate practice?

43:49 - The moment of enlightenment

46:28 - Evaluating results of practice

49:34 - Emily Dickinson and the watershed moment

51:55 - Finding dharma in literature

52:45 - Finding dharma in cinema

53:19 - Interpreting art

57:46 - Dean’s interpretive approach

01:00:51 - Spreading dharma in the dialect of the people

01:03:53 - Addiction to intensity and the Marvel Cinematic Universe

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Previous episode with Dean Sluyter:

- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/163-dharma-bums-guide-to-western-literature-dean-sluyter

Interview with Ngak’chang Rinpoche:

- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep16-ngapka-chogyam-and-khandro-dechen-guru-viking-interviews

To find out more about Dean Sluyter, visit:

- https://deansluyter.com/

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For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- www.guruviking.com

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Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James