In this episode, I am once again joined by Lopon Yudron Wangmo, American teacher of Tibetan Buddhism and author of several books including her recent “Clearing the Way to Awakening”.

Lopon Yudron Wangmo shares the story of her life, her childhood with a spiritualist mother, anecdotes of childhood psychic explorations in automatic writing and other techniques, and reflects on whether psychic abilities are inherent or cultivated.

Lopon Yudron Wangmo recounts how she became a radical lesbian feminist at university, details the social and theoretical aspects of that movement and time, and reveals the surprising choices she made when relating to male Tibetan teachers as a feminist.

Lopon Yudron Wangmo also discusses the pitfalls of performing death rites such as phowa for others, explains why she does not emphasise her feminism and politics in her dharma teaching, and considers the healing power of reparenting by taking the guru as a father figure.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep309-my-radical-life-lopon-yudron-wangmo-2

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

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01:08 - Yudron’s unusual spiritualist, new age mother

03:50 - Lawyer father

04:57 - Early attraction to Tibetan Buddhism

06:19 - Likelihood of past life connections

07:11 - Early interests in environmentalism and solar energy

08:51 - Psychic readings, automatic writing, and hands-on healing

10:06 - Are psychic powers gifts or can they be cultivated?

12:09 - More stories of Yudron’s psychic mother

14:28 - Yudron reflects on her mother’s final years and death

17:06 - Performing phowa and other death practices for others

18:21 - Remarkable death of Yudron’s father

19:28 - Affluent background affords opportunities for spiritual seeking

21:27 - Going to university and becoming a radical lesbian feminist

22:54 - Impressed by Yeshe Tsogyal’s life story and other female practitioners

25:34 - Letting go of radical feminism to pursue the dharma

26:21 - Relating to male Tibetan teachers as a feminist

27:26 - What attracted Yudron to radical lesbian feminism

30:40 - Today’s backlash against feminism

33:00 - Conflicting theoretical and philosophical approaches to radical feminism

35:11 - United in building woman power

37:12 - Working on anger and Vajrakīlāya practice

41:27 - Giving up female chauvinism and relating to male Tibetan lamas

43:49 - Stories of great female practitioners

44:24 - Being typecast as an angry feminist

45:24 - Why Yudron doesn’t criticise Tibetan culture

46:02 - Rage about abuse of women by Lamas

46:33 - Yudron’s desire to teach pure dharma and not mix in her politics

49:43 - Why Yudron didn’t challenge her lamas with feminist ideas

5149 - The lama as a father figure, reparenting, and the influence of Yudron’s lamas

54:10 - Dropping one’s storyline and going beyond trivialities

55:48 - Motivated to counteract abusive lamas

58:05 - Americans are discouraged from teaching Tibetan Buddhism

58:51 - What to look for in a dharma teacher

01:00:55 - Sycophants vs finding the inner lama

01:02:27 - Fading interest in Tibetan Buddhism

01:03:26 - Dharma teachers should be full time

01:04:16 - The ideal amount of money and pastoralist rhythms

01:05:34 - Two extremes of converts

01:07:22 - Becoming soft

01:08:26 - Dharma teachers vs mindfulness teachers

01:09:53 - Yudron reflects on Theravada meditation and the appeal of Sharon Salzberg

01:11:35 - Prophecies of an impending dark age

01:12:38 - Simplifying dharma teaching

01:15:36 - Yudron asks for Steve’s opinion

01:16:43 - Ben Joffe and relating with spirits

01:17:36 - Steve reflects on the five perfections

01:18:38 - Yudron on the pros and cons of ritual

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Previous episode with Lopon Yudron Wangmo:

- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=yudron

To find our more about Lopon Yudron Wangmo, visit:

- https://www.yudronwangmo.com/

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- https://www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James