Ep323: British Occultist - Alan Chapman
Alan Chapman is a British writer, occultist, and spiritual teacher.
Available on Youtube, iTunes, SoundCloud & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
Alan recalls his troubled childhood in the impoverished North of England, reflects on the British class system, and shares his first encounter with Aleister Crowley.
Alan recounts his occult adventures with long time collaborator Duncan Barford, shares his spiritual biography of awakenings and mystical experiences, and considers the power and pitfalls of spiritual transmission.
Alan also compares gurus Papaji, and Andrew Cohen, and Adi Da; reveals why he considers Stephen Batchelor and Sam Harris to be Black Brothers; and discusses the role of the Dark Goddess on the path of awakening.
00:00 - Intro
00:55 - Duncan Barford and Alex W
03:07 - Impoverished upbringing in the North of England
05:05 - Early reaction to Christ
05:56 - First encounter with Aleister Crowley
11:17 - Chaos magic and meeting Duncan Barford
12:00 - What kind of boy was Alan?
14:28 - Class consciousness
15:44 - Sensitive boy in a cruel environment
19:20 - Regret about violence
20:58 - One’s own nature
22:25 - Alan questions Steve’s questions
22:45 - British class system
27:21 - Liminal identity
29:50 - Working vs middle vs upper class
31:18 - Anti-aspiration
33:18 - Growing out of musical aspirations
37:36 - Shedding Feathers and fulfilment on the path
41:41 - Crowley book and facing challenges
47:37 - Path myth in The Book of the Law
54:56 - True path vs the New Age
58:08 - Following the Silent Knowing
01:05:10 - Facing darkness
01:10:36 - Black Brothers like Stephen Batchelor and Sam Harris
01:19:48 - Stephen Batchelor’s crisis of faith
01:22:49 - Warning about spiritual teachers
01:23:48 - Stereotypes of culture and awakening
01:27:54 - Papaji and the nondual car crash
01:31:33 - Adi Da and guru yoga
01:35:45 - Papaji vs Adi Da
01:41:24 - Invoking the Holy Guardian Angel
01:47:30 - Andrew Cohen
01:52:16 - Great White Brotherhood
01:54:34 - Enlightened in India
01:57:26 - Ancestors appear
01:59:11 - Practicing with Adi Da
02:01:01 - Transmission traps
02:05:02 - Confronted by Adi Da disciple
02:06:51 - Solid, vital, peculiar
02:09:12 - Cutting truth and Adyashanti
02:10:43 - Reflections on Adi Da’s trajectory
02:11:52 - Further awakening at 33
02:19:52 - Receiving the Magia teaching
02:33:58 - The Dark Goddess
02:36:15 - Accommodating yourself to the Damned
02:37:25 - Finding Sophia
02:40:28 - Crowley and Jung
02:42:14 - Myth of Sophia
02:47:42 - Sequel plans
02:48:58 - Alan’s perspective on near death experiences
03:00:31 - Purpose of life and awakening
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Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James