In this interview I am joined by John Riley Perks, author, teacher, and was for seven years the butler and attendant of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

Born in 1934, John recounts his childhood during World War 2, where he learned how to harness his intuition and psychic capacities under the guidance of his mother while avoiding air strikes and other dangers. John recalls moving to the USA in 1950 and tells of his life there through the decades of cultural change that marked the latter half of the 20th century.

John describes his first meeting with renowned guru of Tibetan Buddhism Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and the subsequent years in his service as personal attendant and butler. John recalls the powerful spiritual field of tantric masters and details how Trungpa worked to dismantled John’s ego in a variety of potent ways.

John also reflects on the line between so called crazy wisdom activity intended to enlighten students and the abuse of trust of which so many celebrity spiritual masters, including Trungpa himself, have been accused.

John also explains how to send and receive messages on the wind, the protocol for interacting with spirit beings, and how to live in the mystery.

…

Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep229-butler-of-vajrayana-john-riley-perks

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

…

Topics include:

00:00 - Intro

01:27 - Childhood during WW2

04:36 - Seances with John’s mother

07:54 - Britains’ native lineages of psychic and healing abilities

08:26 - Clearing the mind of psychic interference

10:00 - Interacting with other beings

11:43 - Learning to live in the mystery

12:57 - Recurring visions throughout John’s life

14:18 - Sending and receiving messages on the wind

16:38 - Importance of deity yoga and Vajrayogini practice

17:47 - Playing the Great Game

20:12 - Fantasy and reading

22:46 - Advice for those who have psychic experiences

25:06 - Panic attacks and PTSD

26:44 - Living in the USA in the 1950s

27:22 - Working as a farmhand and heading West

31:13 - Running a school for exceptional children

34:19 - The assassination period and gun culture

39:35 - The 60s and comments on drug use

42:38 - Living with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

43:48 - Meeting Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

45:29 - Powerful first impression

49:19 - The energy field of spiritual masters

51:29 - Dismantling John’s ego

53:26 - The art of serving the guru

54:39 - John’s love for Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

57:58 - The terror of being so close to the guru

59:55 - How did John last so long?

01:01:51 - Not trying to get enlightened

01:04:38 - Stories of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

01:08:38 - Accusations of abuse and cruelty

01:13:38 - Facing things as they are

01:14:19 - Đid Trungpa Rinpoche go too far?

01:15:32 - Trungpa Rinpoche’s drinking

01:18:07 - Working for Bill Cosby

…

To find out more about John Riley Perks, visit:

- https://www.celticbuddhism.org/

…

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James