Ep307: Modern Vajrayana Buddhism- Lama Justin von Bujdoss & Charlie Morley
In this episode I host a dialogue between Lama Justin von Bujdoss and Charlie Morley about Vajrayana in the modern world.
Available on Youtube, iTunes, SoundCloud & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
Justin von Bujdoss is an American Buddhist teacher, dark retreat yogi, founder and spiritual director of Yangti Yoga Retreat Center in Buckland Massachusetts, and author of ‘Modern Tantric Buddhism’.
Charlie Morley is an English lucid dream and dream yoga teacher authorised by the Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism and best-selling author of several books including the recently reissued “Dreams of Awakening”.
Justin and Charlie share their extensive experience as modern teachers of Vajrayana, compare notes on the state of Tantra in the West, and reflect on the responsibility of openly teaching previously restricted, esoteric practices.
Justin and Charlie wrestle with the tension between conserving traditional religious forms and innovating to meet today’s moral sensibilities and technological currents. They suggest changes they would like to see in both Asian Buddhist cultures and Western society, consider the pros and cons of long meditation retreats in today’s world, and call for hierarchical equality for women practitioners and teachers.
I invite Justin and Charlie to reveal the underlying principles that guide their desired reforms and consider the pitfalls of advocating change without awareness of one’s guiding rationale.
Justin and Charlie also discuss the role of neuroscience in the furthering of Buddhist understanding, reveal the potential trauma-healing power of dream yoga and dark retreat, and share their thoughts on the impact of fatherhood on one’s religious life.
00:00 - Intro
01:52 - State of the Dharma in 2025
06:12 - Secret practices now widely available
09:37 - Whiteness and misogyny
10:02 - Why are secret practices openly taught now?
11:49 - Conservatism is the achilles heel of the Karma Kagyu sect
12:23 - Controversy about giving empowerments online
14:32 - Understanding emptiness in empowerments
16:00 - Empowerments in dreams
16:39 - The Pope and online Mass
17:48 - Technology and survival of Buddhist Dharma
19:22 - A story scriptural amulets of protection
21:16 - Neuroscience is the 4th turning of the wheel of Dharma
23:58 - Generational trauma, racism, and classism, and refugees
25:54 - Justin’s story about working for the NYC Department of Corrections
27:22 - Retraumatisation in law enforcement
28:41 - Profound potential of dream yoga and dark retreat for healing trauma
29:19 - Why don’t Tibetan lamas talk about integrating trauma through Dharma practice?
29:55 - Cultural overlay, Tibetan identity, and religion
32:44 - Western calls for reform vs traditional Tibetan values
40:22 - Application of Dharma practice in the context of chaplaincy
48:53 - Conservatism vs reform
51:43 - Real religion vs mere cultural overlay
52:31 - Charlie on prerequisites and requiring ngondro vs 3-year retreat
58:14 - Different versions of ngondro
01:02:12 - Classical Indian approaches to tantra
01:03:12 - How to reform without losing the spirit of the religion
01:04:28 - Acclimatising to the energy of the tradition
01:06:28 - Justin’s desire for social change in Vajrayana
01:08:41 - Wisdom keeper vs lineage holder
01:12:51 - 2-way revolution
01:14:20 - Criteria of adjudicating what should be changed vs what should be preserved
01:15:32 - The Nagual’s courier
01:18:32 - Charlie’s collaboration with Choje Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche
01:22:05 - Charlie criticises misogyny in Tibetan Buddhism
01:23:50 - Transgender and non-binary people in Himalayan Buddhist contexts
01:27:49 - Religious traditions are diverse and evolving
01:30:11 - Specialist yogis and practice results
01:33:41 - Being a father and a Dharma practitioner
01:36:37 - Long retreats are not important if you can rest in rigpa
01:39:29 - Dharma Dads workshop
01:42:09 - How important is ordination really?
01:43:31 - Why is ordination so emphasised?
01:46:04 - Justin almost became a monk
01:48:22 - Advice for parents
01:49:14 - Charlie reflects on impending fatherhood and not being a monk
01:50:38 - Steve’s concluding remarks
01:51:11 - Steve urges a deeper investigation into motives behind advocacy for change
01:52:01 - Culture and Dharma essence
01:53:01 - Charlie’s concluding remarks and encouragement for practitioners
01:54:04 - Justin’s concluding remarks
01:54:15 - Praise for Guru Viking Podcast, and encouragement to practitioners
Previous episodes with Lama Justin von Bujdoss:
Previous episode with Charlie Morley:
Find out more about Lama Justin von Bujdoss:
Find out more about Charlie Morley:
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James