Escaping Samsara

Nathan Thompson & Evgeny Dziatko
Escaping Samsara

Escaping Saṃsāra - Yoga and Meditation Podcast about practices that liberate us. Interviews with spiritual teachers from the yoga world and beyond. We are a group of friends dedicated to exploring the deep teachings of yoga and other spiritual traditions to see what unites them in their search for Truth and how each practitioner has danced with the Mystery. We want to learn from today’s elders about their paths and experiences. What has worked, what hasn’t and what is downright weird. From California psychedelic culture to Tantric Tibet we span the globe finding out what has helped people on their spiritual journey. We hope that it will be of benefit to our fellow truth seekers. OM

  1. 14 SEPT

    S2, Ep. 20 Escaping Samsara Bookclub: 'Chakras, Drugs, And Evolution'

    This is our 4th Escaping Samsara Bookclub and we are joined by author and teacher Daniel Simpson to discuss Gregor Meahle's "Chakras, Drugs, and Evolution: A Map of Transformative States." Daniel and I discuss our thoughts on Chakras and how they are used in new ways by modern practitioners, our drug experiences and how they affect the spiritual path, and how our subjective experience shapes our practice. Daniel Simpson Daniel makes timeless insights accessible and relevant. He’s the author of The Truth of Yoga, an engaging overview of history and philosophy. He also hosts the Ancient Futures podcast. His latest course is a year-long immersion, The Path of Knowledge – you can find out more and join us here. "In this ground-breaking book, Gregor Maehle shows how the chakras offer a blueprint for the natural evolution of life via single-cell organisms, reptiles, mammals and humans. He draws on his experiences with mind-altering plant agents and chemicals during the late 70’s and early 80’s, as well as extensive research, to objectively describe how drugs influence each chakra, including their potential but also spiritual setbacks and dangers. The author further explores whether psychoactive substances are a useful supplement, shortcut or accelerator of spiritual evolution. The book culminates in a complete map of transformative and mystical states, including their potential accessibility through psychedelics versus traditional yogic methods."

    2h 51m
  2. 20 AUG

    S2, Ep. 18 Sex, Bindu, and The Yogic Body as Applied to Women, with Ruth Westoby (Episode 1/2)

    This is the first of two episodes expanding the previous topic of Sex, Semen Retention, and Brahmacharya as it may or may not apply to women. Female practitioners of yoga don't show up in the old texts but there have been many female-specific physical practices through the ages. And who better to explain how to practice with these archaic information than Ruth Westoby. Ruth Westoby is a yoga practitioner and academic researcher in yoga studies. Ruth Westoby holds a PhD from SOAS University of London on ‘The body in early haṭha yoga’, supervised by James Mallinson and Richard Williams. Ruth is working on two book projects from her doctoral thesis that passed without corrections. Ruth has published early research findings in the peer-reviewed Religions of South Asia and numerous public articles. Ruth is Visiting Lecturer in Indian Religions at Roehampton University, teaching postgraduate theory and method in the study of religion and undergraduate courses on asian religions, cultures and ethics, contemporary issues in global religions, being human and religion, ecology and politics. Ruth collaborated with the Haṭha Yoga Project’s ‘embodied philology’, interpreting postures from an 18th-century text teaching a precursor of modern yoga, the Haṭhābhyāsapaddhati, in 2016 and 2017. In 2010 she received an MA in Indian Religions from SOAS, University of London, with Distinction. Ruth has practiced yoga for almost 30 years and in 2015 was authorized by Sharat Jois to teach Ashtanga level 2. Ruth has studied closely with and assisted Hamish Hendry and Richard Freeman. Ruth does not practice at studios that display images of Pattabhi Jois on altars in solidarity with those who were sexually abused by him. Ruth founded and chaired the successful environmental campaign for floodplain meadow restoration at Bartonsham Meadows, Hereford. www.enigmatic.yoga ruthwestoby@gmail.com Instagram @ruthwestoby

    1h 5m

About

Escaping Saṃsāra - Yoga and Meditation Podcast about practices that liberate us. Interviews with spiritual teachers from the yoga world and beyond. We are a group of friends dedicated to exploring the deep teachings of yoga and other spiritual traditions to see what unites them in their search for Truth and how each practitioner has danced with the Mystery. We want to learn from today’s elders about their paths and experiences. What has worked, what hasn’t and what is downright weird. From California psychedelic culture to Tantric Tibet we span the globe finding out what has helped people on their spiritual journey. We hope that it will be of benefit to our fellow truth seekers. OM

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