Guru Viking Podcast

In this episode I am once again joined by Stephen Snyder, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of several books including ‘Buddha’s Heart’, ‘Trust in Awakening’, and his up-coming release ‘Soothing the Longing Heart’. Stephen talks about the importance of working with one’s personality material especially after awakening. He points to an idealisation of the Buddha and other blindspots in Buddhism that he believes have led to the various behavioural scandals that have surrounded so many famous Zen masters. Stephen discusses how to work with fear and anger, how to heal one’s core wound, how to convert the superego into Absolute guidance, and reflects on the pros and cons of American culture’s interaction with the Buddhist religion. Stephen also reflects on how he approaches leading meditation retreats, why he does not enforce strict Zen schedules, the deleterious effect of electronics on concentration power, and the subtle power of taking a dharma name. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcas