Guru Viking Podcast

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. … 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’. … 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