Ep327: Neoplatonic Mystic - Dr Francisco José Luis
Freitag, 3. Oktober 2025 · 1 h 54
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Shownotes
In this episode I am joined by Dr Francisco José Luis, scholar of Indo-Iranian Studies and Comparative Religion trained at the Sorbonne, Paris and SOAS, London.
Francisco recalls his upbringing and education in Luxembourg; details his rigorous academic training in classical languages such as Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit; and laments what he sees as the rise of idealogical indoctrination in modern education
Francisco discusses his PhD in pre-reformist Sikhism, his years of field work living in the Punjab, and expresses his love of the German intellectual tradition.
Francisco reveals the influence of Neoplatonism in Islamic theology and mysticism, describes his own turn to Shiʿi Islam, and explains why he believes that even today there is a living lineage of Neoplatonism that stretches directly back to Plotinus.
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Video version: guruviking.com/podcast/ep327-neoplatonic-mysti…
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
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Topics include:
- Intro
- Upbringing in Luxembourg
- Classical education
- Learning Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit
- Germanic intellectual tradition and WW2
- Advantages of an anti-American education
- Critical thinking and intellectual independence
- Boomer educators and idealogical indoctrination
- German literature
- Post WW2 culture shock and the boomer revolution
- Vatican II and loss of trust
- Filling education gaps
- A deeply pagan Catholic
- Meditation practice and interest in Neo-Vedanta
- Studying two masters degrees simultaneously at the Sorbonne
- Rigorous training in Sanskrit
- MA theses in French literature and pre-reform Sikhism
- PhD at SOAS in pre-reformist Sikh monastic orders
- Living among the Sikh community and learning Punjabi
- Young Sikh’s interest in pre-reformist religion
- Death threats from Sikhs
- Changes in Sikhism
- Tradition religious music of Sikhism and other pre-reformist features
- Neo-traditionalist Sikh movements in the UK and India
- Falling in love with Shiʿi Islam
- Conversion to Islam?
- Shi’ism as a personal practice
- Cultural barriers against European converts
- Neo-Platonic Vajrayanism
- Mysticism perceived as a threat
- Neoplatonic influence on Islam
- Surprising Neo-Platonic features of Islamic mysticism
- Metempsychosis in Islam
- Francisco is a Neoplatonist
- Vajrayana and Shiʿi inner alchemy and dream yoga
- Islamic tummo
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To find our more about Dr Francisco José Luis, visit:
- instagram.com/hludvig_tradicionalista
For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- guruviking.com
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James
