In this episode I am once again joined by Dean Sluyter: meditation teacher and best-selling author of several books including ‘Cinema Nirvana: Enlightenment Lessons from the Movies’. Dean explores the distinction between the art and craft of meditation, what it means to rest in effortlessness, and critiques much meditation practice is egoic aggrandisement and fetishisation. Dean discusses the edifying effect of finding religious themes in literature and cinema, and discusses the approach he takes in his books to analyse both the Western Canon and the great movies of the past. Dean also recounts stories of his time studying with Ngak’chang Rinpoche of the Aro gTer Buddhist group, draws parallels between jazz and enlightenment, and weighs in on the direction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep189-effortless-awakening-dean-sluyter-2 

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 00:59 - Stories about Ngak’chang Rinpoche of the Aro gTer 06:48 - The living edge of practice 08:43 - Craft in art 09:54 - Creativity and the secret of improvisation 11:21 - The vocabulary of jazz 11:47 - Work to play 13:01 - Meditation does not require work 15:38 - Resting in effortlessness 17:43 - Egoic meditation heroics 18:23 - Dean guides contacting effortlessness 20:45 - Dealing with being caught up with thoughts 23:19 - Meditation on-ramp 26:59 - Dean’s favourite mantras 28:23 - Fetishising meditation 29:42 - Dean’s free meditation classes 30:19 - Facsimiles of true meditation 30:43 - Mood making and intellectualisation 33:59 - Spontaneous openings to awakening 37:40 - Practice vs effort 43:14 - What is the ultimate practice? 43:49 - The moment of enlightenment 46:28 - Evaluating results of practice 49:34 - Emily Dickinson and the watershed moment 51:55 - Finding dharma in literature 52:45 - Finding dharma in cinema 53:19 - Interpreting art 57:46 - Dean’s interpretive approach 01:00:51 - Spreading dharma in the dialect of the people 01:03:53 - Addiction to intensity and the Marvel Cinematic Universe … Previous episode with Dean Sluyter: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/163-dharma-bums-guide-to-western-literature-dean-sluyter Interview with Ngak’chang Rinpoche: - https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep16-ngapka-chogyam-and-khandro-dechen-guru-viking-interviews To find out more about Dean Sluyter, visit: - https://deansluyter.com/ … 
For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com … Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James