In this interview I am once again joined by Ralph White holistic learning pioneer, international speaker on cultural transformation and the history of the Western esoteric tradition, and co-founder of the New York Open Centre.

Ralph reflects on his decades at the centre of the American spirituality and human potential movements and discusses the life and works of figures such as poet Robert Bly, Ram Dass, Colin Wilson, RD Laing, and Rupert Sheldrake and tells personal anecdotes of his time spent with each.

Ralph also reflects on today’s psychedelic renaissance, the pros and cons of AI, and why he is more motivated than ever before to bring about an enlightened cultural shift.

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https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep239-gurus-i-have-known-ralph-white-3

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

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Topics Include:

00:00 - Intro

02:14 - Ralph on Robert Bly

07:48 - Bly as a source of spiritual strength

08:35 - Where did Bly get his depth of insight?

09:48 - The Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart

11:06 - Spiritual Athlete in an Orange Robe

13:29 - The mysterious Colin Wilson

18:49 - RD Laing’s wildness

20:04 - RD Laing’s alcoholism

22:53 - British vs USA approaches to the esoteric

24:27 - Rupert Sheldrake and the psychedelic renaissance

28:35 - Do psychedelics affect one’s credibility?

31:05 - Ralph on Ram Dass and Timothy Leary

35:30 - Was the 60s psychedelic movement good or bad?

37:13 - Reconnecting to the earth and existential crisis

41:13 - Is civilisational utopia naive?

46:33 - The rise of the religious right in America

49:34 - Engage with society or withdraw into the ark?

54:14 - Ralph’s work organising international conferences

56:29 - Indigenous Peoples’ Resistance To Globalisation

57:56 - Techno utopian attitudes of Silicon Valley

01:00:39 - Revitalising the Western Esoteric tradition

01:04:09 - Ralph on the current frontiers of human potential and culture

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Previous episodes with Ralph White:

- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep140-quest-for-a-life-of-meaning-ralph-white

- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep202-mission-to-tibet-ralph-white

To find out more about Ralph White, visit:

- https://www.ralphwhite.net/

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- www.guruviking.com

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Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James