In this episode I am joined by Victor Shiryaev a teacher of Buddhist and modern meditation and somatic practices.Victor recounts his childhood in the Soviet Union, early underground exposure to the New Age, and subsequent study of Avaita Vedānta and Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory.Victor details his discipleship under American mindfulness teacher Shinzen Young, reflects on the tension between tradition and innovation, and shares stories of his own awakening experiences.Victor also lays out his disagreements with Shinzen Young’s approach, critiques the Pragmatic Dharma’s use of maps and stages, and presents his own understanding of the spiritual experiences to be expected on the road to awakening and beyond.…Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep318-modern-mindfulness-victor-shiryaevAlso available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
…Topics include: 00:00 - Intro00:56 - Childhood in the Soviet Union02:24 - Exposure to the New Age and psychotherapy07:15 - Studying Chinese History at university08:07 - Advaita Vedānta and Ken Wilber09:18 - Unity experience 10:21 - Altered states and psychic phenomena13:14 - Personal crisis 14:52 - Awakening in Myanmar 17:19 - “I know what I have is working”19:17 - Meeting Shinzen Young and adopting his model24:50 - Observational statistics27:29 - Studying with Shinzen29:27 - Divorce and launching meditation teaching career31:00 - Finding a path thru crisis37:10 - Writing a letter to nature42:48 - Finding purpose in spirituality44:15 - Victor’s teaching approach and activities48:58 - Why go deeper in practice?51:17 - Creating a culture of openness58:33 - Shinzen & Ken Wilber vs Victor01:05:16 - Being a clear conduit 01:19:32 - I am not a Buddhist teacher01:12:40 - Experience vs faith01:15:58 - Disagreements with Shinzen01:17:43 - Disagreements with Theravāda 01:19:32 - Shinzen’s modernism and scientism01:25:19 - Steve’s understanding of Shinzen 01:28:15 - Victor’s update on Shinzen’s scientism 01:30:50 - Heretics and reformers01:33:39 - Fundamentalism and the world-centred view01:30:39 - A world-centred view is also fundamentalist01:42:50 - Victor on the Pragmatic Dharma movement01:46:55 - Hypocrisy of Pragmatic Dharma01:49:29 - Traditional vs modern practitioners01:58:13 - Critique of maps and stages 02:06:18 - First stage: thoughts to presence02:09:41 - Second stage: all experience is consciousness02:12:09 - One taste02:13:38 - Intimacy with all things02:15:26 - The consciousness trap02:18:18 - We shape our experience 02:19:10 - The pregnant void 02:22:32 - Victor’s view of the pathTo find out more about Victor Shiryaev, visit:- https://victorshiryaev.co/ …For more interviews, videos, and more visit:- www.guruviking.comMusic ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James