Ep354: Islamic Mysticism & Tantric Buddhism - Dr Francisco José Luis

In this episode I am once again joined by Dr Francisco José Luis, scholar of Indo-Iranian Studies and Comparative Religion trained at the Sorbonne, Paris and SOAS, London.

Francisco shares his research into the links between Indian and Tibetan tantric practices and the mystical teachings of Shi’ite Islam, reveals the prevalence of lucid dreaming techniques in antiquity, and emphasises the importance of the Silk Road in transmitting esoteric knowledge between civilisations.

Francisco discusses the Islamic yogi, Jâbir ibn Ḥayyān; traces the historical tensions between the scholarly, jurist factions and mystics within Shi’ism; and asserts that Iranian Buddhism was a key part of the Islamic Golden Age.

Francisco also argues for significant Islamic influence on Buddhism, the need for a sense of civilisational greatness, and why he believes the time has to come to reignite sacred chivalry.

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Video version: guruviking.com/podcast/ep354-islamic-mysticism…

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
01:02 - Lucid dreaming techniques in a 19th century Shi’ite text
03:34 - The focal point of the Shi’ite tradition
04:28 - 4 volume Shi’ite encyclopaedia of dreams
06:21 - Links between Tibetan and Shi’ite dream yoga techniques
08:01 - Silk road, Gandhāra, and the internationalisation of Buddhism
09:07 - Jâbir ibn Ḥayyān, the Islamic alchemist and “Buddhist yogi”
11:06 - Iranian Buddhist influence on the Golden Age of Islam
14:26 - The rise of the scholar
16:20 - Islamic influence on Buddhism
17:04 - Practice over dogma in Oḍḍiyāna
19:11 - The influence of Classical Greece
19:51 - Lucid dreaming in antiquity
22:27 - Hesychasm: a Christian breath, body, and mind meditation
25:16 - A prophet is always awake
26:19 - Rosary and the influence of Christianity on Islam
28:01 - Lucid dreaming and the Desert Fathers
31:54 - Sleep deprivation to achieve mystical states
37:51 - Bardo ideas and the Iranian worldview
40:49 - Monastic routine and lucid dreaming
42:57 - Tasks to complete in the dream
43:28 - Angelic possession and contacting the Imam in dreams
50:28 - Is mystical Shi’ism practiced today?
58:22 - Francisco’s initiation and anti-mystical, Occidental materialism
59:20 - Political Shi’ism
01:01:41 - Attachment to matter to the detriment of spirit
01:02:07 - The need for the spirit for civilisational greatness
01:04:13 - Francisco’s mentoring
01:07:14 - Reigniting sacred chivalry
01:08:07 - Plato, Evola, and Traditionalism
01:10:19 - Use of the letter “a” in Shi’ite mysticism and other tantric similarities
01:11:13 - Entheogen use in Iranian mysticism
01:12:06 - Francisco’s mushroom trip
01:13:23 - Francisco’s aims
01:15:22 - Reading recommendations: Henry Corbin and Mostafa Vaziri
01:19;18 - Buddhism in Iran

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Previous episodes with Dr Francisco José Luis:
- guruviking.com

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