In this episode I am joined by Dr Francisco José Luis, scholar of Indo-Iranian Studies and Comparative Religion trained at the Sorbonne, Paris and SOAS, London.

Francisco recalls his upbringing and education in Luxembourg; details his rigorous academic training in classical languages such as Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit; and laments what he sees as the rise of idealogical indoctrination in modern education

Francisco discusses his PhD in pre-reformist Sikhism, his years of field work living in the Punjab, and expresses his love of the German intellectual tradition.

Francisco reveals the influence of Neoplatonism in Islamic theology and mysticism, describes his own turn to Shiʿi Islam, and explains why he believes that even today there is a living lineage of Neoplatonism that stretches directly back to Plotinus.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep327-neoplatonic-mystic-dr-francisco-jos-luis

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

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Topics include:

00:00 - Intro

01:01 - Upbringing in Luxembourg

02:56 - Classical education

04:28 - Learning Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit

08:03 - Germanic intellectual tradition and WW2

12:37 - Advantages of an anti-American education

15:06 - Critical thinking and intellectual independence

17:04 - Boomer educators and idealogical indoctrination

20:59 - German literature

22:56 - Post WW2 culture shock and the boomer revolution

27:20 - Vatican II and loss of trust

30:35 - Filling education gaps

32:06 - A deeply pagan Catholic

35:21 - Meditation practice and interest in Neo-Vedanta

37:52 - Studying two masters degrees simultaneously at the Sorbonne

39:57 - Rigorous training in Sanskrit

43:56 - MA theses in French literature and pre-reform Sikhism

45:20 - PhD at SOAS in pre-reformist Sikh monastic orders

46:48 - Living among the Sikh community and learning Punjabi

49:54 - Young Sikh’s interest in pre-reformist religion

50:54 - Death threats from Sikhs

53:00 - Changes in Sikhism

55:20 - Tradition religious music of Sikhism and other pre-reformist features

01:00:18 - Neo-traditionalist Sikh movements in the UK and India

01:03:59 - Falling in love with Shiʿi Islam

01:10:16 - Conversion to Islam?

01:11:45 - Shi’ism as a personal practice

01:13:23 - Cultural barriers against European converts

01:16:12 - Neo-Platonic Vajrayanism

01:17:43 - Mysticism perceived as a threat

01:21:48 - Neoplatonic influence on Islam

01:27:28 - Surprising Neo-Platonic features of Islamic mysticism

01:33:30 - Metempsychosis in Islam

01:37:16 - Francisco is a Neoplatonist

01:43:08 - Vajrayana and Shiʿi inner alchemy and dream yoga

01:50:43 - Islamic tummo

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To find our more about Dr Francisco José Luis, visit:

- https://www.instagram.com/hludvig_tradicionalista

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- https://www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James