Guru Viking Podcast

In this episode I host a dialogue between Dr Ian Wickramasekera, Bön Buddhist practitioner and associate professor of Mindfulness Based Transpersonal Counselling at Naropa University, and Petra Tauchner, a student at the University of Vienna with a degree in microbiology and genetics, whose current batchelor’s thesis in psychology is based on Dr Ian’s ‘Empathic Involvement Theory’ of hypnosis. In the first part of this interview, Dr Ian gives an overview of the history of the mysteries and theories of hypnosis, lays out his own journey to formulating EIT, and discusses its implications for therapy and enlightenment. Then, Dr Ian and Petra dialogue about how to increase one’s own hypnotisability, why empathy does not guarantee pro-social outcomes, and the very particular empathy skills of psychopaths - including a case review of Dr Ian’s own psychopathic client. Dr Ian also recounts his own experiences practicing Dzogchen, meeting spiritual gurus, and taking ayahuasca, while Petra reveals her own passion f