In this episode I am joined by Duncan Barford, occult practitioner, counsellor, and author of ‘Occult Experiments in the Home’.

Duncan discusses his own journey into the occult including reality-bending experiments with Chaos Magick, invocation of his holy guardian angel, identifying and relating to entities, and meeting his long-time collaborator, the magician and spiritual teacher Alan Chapman.

Duncan recalls his first encounter with Daniel Ingram’s “Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha”. He explains how he combined Daniel’s approach with Western occult methods and rituals to attain arhatship for himself.

Duncan declared his enlightenment on the internet and began teaching awakening in a short-lived venture called “Open Enlightenment”. Duncan reflects on the strongly negative reactions that both his declaration and teaching project received.

Duncan also comments on demonic affliction, both his own experiences as well as those of recent podcast guest Mattias Daly, the influence of social class and geographic location, navigating kundalini crisis, the intersection of mysticism and magick.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep265-occult-experiments-duncan-barford

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

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Topics include:

00:00 - Intro

01:19 - Occult experiments in the home

02:38 - Duncan comments on Mattias Daly’s demonic affliction

04:34 - Demonic or kundalini awakening?

06:27 - - Duncan’s own kundalini crisis

08:44 - Seeking guidance from Tara Springett

11:39 - Identifying entities

14:19 - Duncan’s specialism in counselling those having unusual occult experiences

17:05 - Finding the best paradigm

19:38 - Does Duncan prescribe magickal practice?

21:50 - Spirituality vs everyday life

24:42 - Meeting Alan Chapman and sustained interest in the occult

26:59 - Invocation of the Holy Guardian Angel

27:57 - Encountering Daniel Ingram and bringing awakening back to magick

30:31 - Duncan’s childhood interest in the supernatural and strange

33:13 - Gothic horror and psychoanalysis

33:52 - Beginning to explore magickal practice

35:03 - Moving from intellect to feeling and emotion

36:32 - Abandoning a PhD, meditation frustration, and life crisis

44:12 - Encountering Chaos Magick and leaning to bend reality

46:26 - Envy of Daniel Ingram and reception in the Chaos Magick community

49:40 - Are mysticism and spirituality compatible with magick?

51:09 - Using magick to induce mystical experiences

52:44 - Declaring arhatship and attaining the four paths

57:45 - Powerful experience with Andrew Cohen

01:01:43 - Advice from Christopher Titmuss

01:03:50 - Dreaming of Gary Numan

01:05:25 - Is arhatship the end of enlightenment?

01:07:09 - Duncan asks Steve’s opinion

01:09:07 - Did Duncan and Alan keep pace in their awakening path?

01:10:03 - The 3 doors and awakening with visions

01:13:39 - Fire kasina retreat with Daniel Ingram

01:16:26 - Why did Duncan declare arhatship?

01:17:59 - Ego inflation through magickal practice

01:19:08 - Negative responses to declaration of enlightenment

01:19:54 - Failure of Open Enlightenment and the compulsion to share one’s awakening

01:24:49 - Is UK conducive to spiritual and magickal work?

01:27:27 - Reflections on being working class

01:28:33 - Travellers vs locals

01:29:15 - Comments on the spectrum of entities

01:31:09 - Discount code for the Baptist Head Compendium

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To find our more about Duncan Barford, visit:

- https://www.duncanbarford.uk/

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For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- https://www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James