In this episode, I am joined by David Curtis, a Lama in the Shangpa-Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism and founder of the Tibetan Language Institute.

David reveals how a radically transformative experience of LSD led to his leaving a career in military intelligence to dedicate himself to spiritual exploration

We discuss David’s love for classical languages, the Western canon, and why conversion to Buddhism often includes a rejection of Western civilisation.

David tells of hitchhiking across Europe, entering a 3-year retreat under the direction of famous meditation master Kalu Rinpoche, and recounts his powerful experiences there practicing the 6 Yogas of Naropa.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep84-lama-david-curtis-hitchhiking-in-samsara/

Audio version of this podcast also available on iTunes and Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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0:00 - Intro

0:46 - Studying philosophy and meeting the Dalai Lama

8:55 - Vietnam, military intelligence, and a transformative experience with LSD

14:44 - David’s extensive LSD explorations

20:09 - What would David’s life have been like without LSD?

21:47 - Falling in love with the Greek Classics

25:02 - Why many American Buddhist converts rejected Western civilisation

30:39 - Beat Zen, Square Zen and religious conversion

39:09 - David’s advice for reading the Western canon

42:00 - ‘Hitchhiking in Samsara’, David’s way of life

58:00 - Stories from David’s 3-year retreat

1:11:49 - Love, wisdom, and power

1:16:10 - Archetypes and reification

1:28:27 - David’s significant intuitive and dream experiences

1:38:51 - Powerful experiences with the 6 Yogas of Naropa

1:44:50 - Out of body experiences with illusory body yoga

1:47:46 - The value of experiences on the spiritual path

1:55:12 - Final anecdote about entering the 3-year retreat

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To find out more about Lama David Curtis, visit:

- http://www.bigskymindmontana.org/

- http://www.tibetanlanguage.org/

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James