In this episode I am joined by Delson Armstrong, spiritual teacher and star student of Bhante Vimalaramsi, who’s senior student David Johnson has said ‘Delson Armstrong has mastered every practice we have given him. He is the most amazing student we have ever seen.’
In this interview, Delson recalls his early life training in the Himalayas where he mastered the system of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, attaining to all of its highest states of Samadhi; attained all 6 levels of Kriya Yoga under three separate lineages; studied Sanskrit; and was exposed to practices of Shaiva Tantra through students of Osho.
Delson shares his subsequent explorations of Buddhism, including Mahamudra, Dzogchen, and the TWIM practice of Bhante Vimalaramsi. Delson recounts and contrasts his experiences accomplishing the 8 jhanas, attaining the 4 levels of Buddhist awakening, and realising Rigpa.
Delson also reveals yogic feats such as recalling past lives and entering into a type of suspended animation called nirodha-samāpatti for up to six days, and reveals his passion for neuroscience and recent participation in a study at the University of Amsterdam that has examined his brain and body in this state of yogic suspension.
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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep120-meditation-virtuoso-delson-armstrong/
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
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Topics include:
00:00 - Intro
01:17 - David Johnson’s endorsement
02:46 - Raised in America, and return to India
04:57 - First encounter with yoga
06:16 - Leaving school to study the practices of the yoga sutras and kriya yoga in the Himalayas
11:07 - Return to the US and meeting Bhante Vimalaramsi
14:29 - How was Delson able to master Raja Yoga, Kriya Yoga, and Buddhism so quickly?
15:17 - Raja Yoga path
23:56 - The Kriya Yoga path
26:29 - Delson’s timeline to mastery of Raja and Kriya yogas
28:51 - Brahmacharya and sexuality after realisation
31:34 - Is Delson beyond sexuality?
34:41 - Yogic vs Buddhist samadhi
41:13 - Studies of the Yoga Vasistha
46:00 - Intergalactic beings
47:09 - Studies of Shaiva Tantra
51:55 - Learning from Osho’s lineage
52:52 - Studying Dzogchen and Mahamudra with Lama Lena
55:10 - Rigpa vs TWIM
59:24 - Achieving all challenges set by Johnson and Bhante Vimalaramsi
01:07:14 - Attaining Stream Entry and the other path attainments
01:18:22 - How to see past lives and Delson’s previous life as a Sadhu
01:25:02 - Entering suspended animation of nirodha-samāpatti for 6 days
01:27:55 - Studied at University of Amsterdam
01:30:33 - Surprising results from the study
01:35:09 - Conflicts between traditional accounts and the scientific data
01:43:06 - Is Delson an outlier?
01:51:06 - Why do so few people become enlightened if anyone can do it?
01:54:30 - Why do people keep enlightenment secret?
01:55:35 - Delson’s view on his future
02:00:25 - Delson’s upcoming book and previous publications
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Previous episode with Bhante Vimalaramsi:
- https://www.guruviking.com/ep112-bhante-vimalaramsi-relaxing-into-nibbana/
To find out more about Delson Armstrong, visit:
- https://www.suttavada.foundation/our-teachers/
- https://www.dhammasukha.org/
For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- www.guruviking.com
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James