Steve Briggs, Took His MBA to the Himalayan Yogis And Discovered… |452|

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Steve Briggs, Took His MBA to the Himalayan Yogis And Discovered… |452|
by Alex Tsakiris | Jun 17 | Spirituality
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Steve Briggs recounts his experiences with Himalayan yogis.
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photo by: Skeptiko
[Clip 00:00:00 – 00:00:18]
[00:00:18] That’s Kronk from The Emperor’s New Groove struggling with whether to do the right thing. It’s a topic we talk about with today’s guest, Himalayan Yogi expert Steve Briggs.
Alex Tsakiris: [00:00:32] Steve, I think you’re down with this, but our culture, we’ve lost that. I mean, again, when I talk to people in religious studies, they’d go the exact opposite of that. They say, “Of course there isn’t a moral imperative. Of course, there isn’t a judgment between right and wrong.” I challenge whether or not that’s true. I’m saying scientifically, you guys are men of logic, men of reason, men of science. I think you’re misinterpreting the data in a fundamental way.
Steve Briggs: [00:01:00] Well, I can come back to that comment and my definition of evil in the very beginning and that is the act of denying another person their right of freedom, their free will.
Alex Tsakiris: [00:01:12] Welcome to Skeptiko where we explore controversial science and spirituality with leading researchers, thinkers, and their critics. I’m your host Alex Tsakiris and today we welcome Steve Briggs back to Skeptiko.
Steve is really a remarkable guy. I hope you remember him from his last interview. You can check that out. He has a couple of books, one that we’re going to talk about today. I just showed it on the screen, The Tale of the Himalayan Yogis. This is a book of fiction, unlike his first book. But I wanted to just as an introduction, remind you that even though this is a book of fiction, this is a book written by a guy who spent years and years in India working at a professional level, but also working with yogis, would regularly go on retreat with some very mystical kind of crazy yogis that we all imagine in the mountains. And also working with people who were interested in meditation because Steve was a meditation teacher, a transcendental meditation teacher in India.
So this is a fantastic opportunity to have him back on to, I was just warning him to kind of drag him into this discussion I’ve been having about evil and about these extended realms and about what we might learn about them.
And I was really reminded to recontact Steve by Ben, a friend of mine who is an emergency room physician here in San Diego and kind of vouched for Steve, because I said, “Hey, there’s a guy you might want to talk to. You’re planning on going to India to do this kind of spiritual journey kind of thing.” Even though Ben I a Mormon he likes to expand his spiritual horizons, and he came back and he said, “Steve is the real deal, and he connected me with some people over there, a fantastic experience.” I’m not promoting Steve as like a tour guide or anything like that, but he’s the real deal, he really knows a lot of stuff about what he’s going to be talking today about, in terms of yogis and their understanding of these extended realms and what we might learn about that.
So, Steve, welcome back. Thanks so much for joining me.
 
There is definitely something odd at the end of that podcast!

I was quite taken by Steve's idea that evil is taking away other people's free will.

David
 
I've read both of Steve Briggs' books and thought they were both great. I think that the Vedic/Yogic tradition is a safe and promising pathway for an individual to personally probe extended consciousness. I liked the discussion of the Granthis or knots in our subconscious that impede the flow of energy within us, and how meditation and inner work can help us to discover and loosen these knots. Steve can discuss evil, but in practice he seems to follow the Claire Broad quote "I don't go there", which I feel is the best advice. The interview gave an overview of a lot of ideas that could be further explored.
 
I've read both of Steve Briggs' books and thought they were both great. I think that the Vedic/Yogic tradition is a safe and promising pathway for an individual to personally probe extended consciousness. I liked the discussion of the Granthis or knots in our subconscious that impede the flow of energy within us, and how meditation and inner work can help us to discover and loosen these knots. Steve can discuss evil, but in practice he seems to follow the Claire Broad quote "I don't go there", which I feel is the best advice. The interview gave an overview of a lot of ideas that could be further explored.

Glad you liked the books, Ben. You're correct in your assumption that I don't go in search of evil. That said, a decade back several members of my community were being bothered by beings of a malevolent nature. I decided to help out. The situation gave me a close (too close) look at the darker side of things, which unless one is properly trained to deal with (I am not), I recommend steering clear of. I'd be happy to provide details if there is an interest.
 
First the back story: Like many demons, the one in question entered the earth’s plane through a human. In her previous life, this human, who was egotistical and hungry for spiritual power, but not wisdom, performed a beneficial act, hoping to earn a boon. When she died, her soul was indeed offered the reward of a spiritual boon in her next life. The soul chose spiritually enhanced sight. However, the soul was warned that if its incarnation was egotistical about its power, the boon would be revoked.

To avoid this, the soul attempted to suppress its ego by taking birth in a spiritual community. However, the soul did so out of fear of losing its power, not the desire to evolve, and because of that, it didn’t work. The girl remained egotistical about her power. She was contacted by the higher beings who had given her the boon, and they warned her that she was breaking her vow. Afraid of losing her power, she used her boon to see into a demonic plane and contact a demon. She asked the demon to save her from losing her power. The demon said that if she allowed the demon to possess her, it would ensure that she didn’t lose her power, and that she would, in fact, gain more. She accepted, and the demon possessed her, entering the human plane in the process.

As forewarned, the girl’s boon was revoked. The demon attempted to prevent this, not to keep its word, but to protect the power that it now controlled, but instead worsened it. Instead of her sight returning to that of a normal human, the girl went blind. As a result, she committed suicide.

The demon left the girl’s corpse. There happened to be a higher plane master who agreed to destroy the demon. The demon fled from the town, but was overtaken by the master. The demon phased out of this plane, but the master followed it. The demon had taken on the some of the traits of the girl who it possessed, as always happens when a demon enters this plane through a physical being, and the master took advantage of this, targeting the demon’s eyes, which were both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. The demon was blinded. Before the master could finish the demon off, the demon phased even further out to a demonic plane where the master was unwilling to follow. However, in order to do this, the demon cut itself off from this plane. It would have to find another physical being to possess in order to return.

Where we got involved: The blind demon sensed an opportunity in Fairfield (our community) and came to it. Spiritual communities are good places for demons to search for possession victims since misguided people with spiritual power are often more open to possession than spiritually ignorant people. The demon had just arrived and came into contact with a girl who was ‘high’ on drugs. Since the girl’s consciousness was not in contact with the demon, only her rampant power, the demon tricked her into inviting it into her. However, the demon could not penetrate her aura.

The demon remained latched to the girl’s aura, seeking a way in, but before it found one, the demon was exorcised from the girl. The blind demon cannot find the girl again, but could try again if the girl takes drugs again.
 
Glad you liked the books, Ben. You're correct in your assumption that I don't go in search of evil. That said, a decade back several members of my community were being bothered by beings of a malevolent nature. I decided to help out. The situation gave me a close (too close) look at the darker side of things, which unless one is properly trained to deal with (I am not), I recommend steering clear of. I'd be happy to provide details if there is an interest.

I ould welcome hearing the details Steve. Many thanks in advance.
 
I ould welcome hearing the details Steve. Many thanks in advance.

The following is a description of an encounter with evil from 10 years back...

First the back story: Like many demons, the one in question entered the earth’s plane through a human. In her previous life, this human, who was egotistical and hungry for spiritual power, but not wisdom, performed a beneficial act, hoping to earn a boon. When she died, her soul was indeed offered the reward of a spiritual boon in her next life. The soul chose spiritually enhanced sight. However, the soul was warned that if its incarnation was egotistical about its power, the boon would be revoked.

To avoid this, the soul attempted to suppress its ego by taking birth in a spiritual community. However, the soul did so out of fear of losing its power, not the desire to evolve, and because of that, it didn’t work. The girl remained egotistical about her power. She was contacted by the higher beings who had given her the boon, and they warned her that she was breaking her vow. Afraid of losing her power, she used her boon to see into a demonic plane and contact a demon. She asked the demon to save her from losing her power. The demon said that if she allowed the demon to possess her, it would ensure that she didn’t lose her power, and that she would, in fact, gain more. She accepted, and the demon possessed her, entering the human plane in the process.

As forewarned, the girl’s boon was revoked. The demon attempted to prevent this, not to keep its word, but to protect the power that it now controlled, but instead worsened it. Instead of her sight returning to that of a normal human, the girl went blind. As a result, she committed suicide.

The demon left the girl’s corpse. There happened to be a higher plane master who agreed to destroy the demon. The demon fled from the town, but was overtaken by the master. The demon phased out of this plane, but the master followed it. The demon had taken on the some of the traits of the girl who it possessed, as always happens when a demon enters this plane through a physical being, and the master took advantage of this, targeting the demon’s eyes, which were both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. The demon was blinded. Before the master could finish the demon off, the demon phased even further out to a demonic plane where the master was unwilling to follow. However, in order to do this, the demon cut itself off from this plane. It would have to find another physical being to possess in order to return.

Where we got involved: The blind demon sensed an opportunity in Fairfield (our community) and came to it. Spiritual communities are good places for demons to search for possession victims since misguided people with spiritual power are often more open to possession than spiritually ignorant people. The demon had just arrived and came into contact with a girl who was ‘high’ on drugs. Since the girl’s consciousness was not in contact with the demon, only her rampant power, the demon tricked her into inviting it into her. However, the demon could not penetrate her aura.

The demon remained latched to the girl’s aura, seeking a way in, but before it found one, the demon was exorcised from the girl. The blind demon cannot find the girl again, but could try again if the girl takes drugs again.
 
First the back story: Like many demons, the one in question entered the earth’s plane through a human. In her previous life, this human, who was egotistical and hungry for spiritual power, but not wisdom, performed a beneficial act, hoping to earn a boon. When she died, her soul was indeed offered the reward of a spiritual boon in her next life. The soul chose spiritually enhanced sight. However, the soul was warned that if its incarnation was egotistical about its power, the boon would be revoked.

To avoid this, the soul attempted to suppress its ego by taking birth in a spiritual community. However, the soul did so out of fear of losing its power, not the desire to evolve, and because of that, it didn’t work. The girl remained egotistical about her power. She was contacted by the higher beings who had given her the boon, and they warned her that she was breaking her vow. Afraid of losing her power, she used her boon to see into a demonic plane and contact a demon. She asked the demon to save her from losing her power. The demon said that if she allowed the demon to possess her, it would ensure that she didn’t lose her power, and that she would, in fact, gain more. She accepted, and the demon possessed her, entering the human plane in the process.

As forewarned, the girl’s boon was revoked. The demon attempted to prevent this, not to keep its word, but to protect the power that it now controlled, but instead worsened it. Instead of her sight returning to that of a normal human, the girl went blind. As a result, she committed suicide.

The demon left the girl’s corpse. There happened to be a higher plane master who agreed to destroy the demon. The demon fled from the town, but was overtaken by the master. The demon phased out of this plane, but the master followed it. The demon had taken on the some of the traits of the girl who it possessed, as always happens when a demon enters this plane through a physical being, and the master took advantage of this, targeting the demon’s eyes, which were both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. The demon was blinded. Before the master could finish the demon off, the demon phased even further out to a demonic plane where the master was unwilling to follow. However, in order to do this, the demon cut itself off from this plane. It would have to find another physical being to possess in order to return.

Where we got involved: The blind demon sensed an opportunity in Fairfield (our community) and came to it. Spiritual communities are good places for demons to search for possession victims since misguided people with spiritual power are often more open to possession than spiritually ignorant people. The demon had just arrived and came into contact with a girl who was ‘high’ on drugs. Since the girl’s consciousness was not in contact with the demon, only her rampant power, the demon tricked her into inviting it into her. However, the demon could not penetrate her aura.

The demon remained latched to the girl’s aura, seeking a way in, but before it found one, the demon was exorcised from the girl. The blind demon cannot find the girl again, but could try again if the girl takes drugs again.

Shivers... I am so much reading much of my own story - and why, 8 years now - no drugs, no alcohol - zero, zilch... I am all but certain if I, even once, use drugs (in fact, in my case, most specifically marijuana), "it" will be waiting. I should be blind in both eyes, a miracle saved one, I think because I had two poles of my personality, one wanting to "save the world" - the other, of true faith (note: not in "religion")... the voice in my head in 2012 was (most likely) a demon - telling me to "kill myself to save the world." Seemed the same voice as in 1986 when I heard it say, "If you love God, "break the seals" (ie. blind yourself)...
 
The following is a description of an encounter with evil from 10 years back...

First the back story: Like many demons, the one in question entered the earth’s plane through a human. In her previous life, this human, who was egotistical and hungry for spiritual power, but not wisdom, performed a beneficial act, hoping to earn a boon. When she died, her soul was indeed offered the reward of a spiritual boon in her next life. The soul chose spiritually enhanced sight. However, the soul was warned that if its incarnation was egotistical about its power, the boon would be revoked.

To avoid this, the soul attempted to suppress its ego by taking birth in a spiritual community. However, the soul did so out of fear of losing its power, not the desire to evolve, and because of that, it didn’t work. The girl remained egotistical about her power. She was contacted by the higher beings who had given her the boon, and they warned her that she was breaking her vow. Afraid of losing her power, she used her boon to see into a demonic plane and contact a demon. She asked the demon to save her from losing her power. The demon said that if she allowed the demon to possess her, it would ensure that she didn’t lose her power, and that she would, in fact, gain more. She accepted, and the demon possessed her, entering the human plane in the process.

As forewarned, the girl’s boon was revoked. The demon attempted to prevent this, not to keep its word, but to protect the power that it now controlled, but instead worsened it. Instead of her sight returning to that of a normal human, the girl went blind. As a result, she committed suicide.

The demon left the girl’s corpse. There happened to be a higher plane master who agreed to destroy the demon. The demon fled from the town, but was overtaken by the master. The demon phased out of this plane, but the master followed it. The demon had taken on the some of the traits of the girl who it possessed, as always happens when a demon enters this plane through a physical being, and the master took advantage of this, targeting the demon’s eyes, which were both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. The demon was blinded. Before the master could finish the demon off, the demon phased even further out to a demonic plane where the master was unwilling to follow. However, in order to do this, the demon cut itself off from this plane. It would have to find another physical being to possess in order to return.

Where we got involved: The blind demon sensed an opportunity in Fairfield (our community) and came to it. Spiritual communities are good places for demons to search for possession victims since misguided people with spiritual power are often more open to possession than spiritually ignorant people. The demon had just arrived and came into contact with a girl who was ‘high’ on drugs. Since the girl’s consciousness was not in contact with the demon, only her rampant power, the demon tricked her into inviting it into her. However, the demon could not penetrate her aura.

The demon remained latched to the girl’s aura, seeking a way in, but before it found one, the demon was exorcised from the girl. The blind demon cannot find the girl again, but could try again if the girl takes drugs again.

thanks for sharing this. it's a super insightful experience.

but again, I struggle with how to understand this. one of the things I really appreciate about tom zinser's work is his methodical client centered push for a methodology. it's a case where I think psychology practices might offer some great clues for how to move forward. it seems to me that we risk running in circles the way that some in the near-death experience community have... or, on the other hand, settling on the idea that none of them are"real" because they lack perfect consistency. I'm also impressed by claire broad and the "secret of the ascent is to always look up" advice.
 
The following is a description of an encounter with evil from 10 years back...

First the back story: Like many demons, the one in question entered the earth’s plane through a human. In her previous life, this human, who was egotistical and hungry for spiritual power, but not wisdom, performed a beneficial act, hoping to earn a boon. When she died, her soul was indeed offered the reward of a spiritual boon in her next life. The soul chose spiritually enhanced sight. However, the soul was warned that if its incarnation was egotistical about its power, the boon would be revoked.

To avoid this, the soul attempted to suppress its ego by taking birth in a spiritual community. However, the soul did so out of fear of losing its power, not the desire to evolve, and because of that, it didn’t work. The girl remained egotistical about her power. She was contacted by the higher beings who had given her the boon, and they warned her that she was breaking her vow. Afraid of losing her power, she used her boon to see into a demonic plane and contact a demon. She asked the demon to save her from losing her power. The demon said that if she allowed the demon to possess her, it would ensure that she didn’t lose her power, and that she would, in fact, gain more. She accepted, and the demon possessed her, entering the human plane in the process.

As forewarned, the girl’s boon was revoked. The demon attempted to prevent this, not to keep its word, but to protect the power that it now controlled, but instead worsened it. Instead of her sight returning to that of a normal human, the girl went blind. As a result, she committed suicide.

The demon left the girl’s corpse. There happened to be a higher plane master who agreed to destroy the demon. The demon fled from the town, but was overtaken by the master. The demon phased out of this plane, but the master followed it. The demon had taken on the some of the traits of the girl who it possessed, as always happens when a demon enters this plane through a physical being, and the master took advantage of this, targeting the demon’s eyes, which were both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. The demon was blinded. Before the master could finish the demon off, the demon phased even further out to a demonic plane where the master was unwilling to follow. However, in order to do this, the demon cut itself off from this plane. It would have to find another physical being to possess in order to return.

Where we got involved: The blind demon sensed an opportunity in Fairfield (our community) and came to it. Spiritual communities are good places for demons to search for possession victims since misguided people with spiritual power are often more open to possession than spiritually ignorant people. The demon had just arrived and came into contact with a girl who was ‘high’ on drugs. Since the girl’s consciousness was not in contact with the demon, only her rampant power, the demon tricked her into inviting it into her. However, the demon could not penetrate her aura.

The demon remained latched to the girl’s aura, seeking a way in, but before it found one, the demon was exorcised from the girl. The blind demon cannot find the girl again, but could try again if the girl takes drugs again.
Thanks for this Steve, but I'd really like to know how the backstory was obtained.

David
 
thx Steve... but not sure I totally buy this as it raises more questions than it answers. it asks us to follow without question.
"when you believe in things you don't understand you suffer" -- Stevie Wonder

In Papua New Guinea's Sorcery Wars, A Peacemaker Takes On Her Toughest Case
www.npr.org.ico

thanks for sharing this. it's a super insightful experience.

but again, I struggle with how to understand this. one of the things I really appreciate about tom zinser's work is his methodical client centered push for a methodology. it's a case where I think psychology practices might offer some great clues for how to move forward. it seems to me that we risk running in circles the way that some in the near-death experience community have... or, on the other hand, settling on the idea that none of them are"real" because they lack perfect consistency. I'm also impressed by claire broad and the "secret of the ascent is to always look up" advice.
Thanks for this Steve, but I'd really like to know how the backstory was obtained.

My family has a spiritual guide who is an Ascended Master who has offered us spiritual training for the past 15 years. When members of my family discovered that a girl in our community was struggling with suicidal tendencies, we reached out to our Ascended Master friend. He provided the back story so that we could understand the bigger picture as part of our training. He also did the 'dirty work' of dealing with the demon while we were mostly, but not entirely, observers. He intervened because we asked for his help. You see, the girl is my niece.
 
thanks for sharing this. it's a super insightful experience.

but again, I struggle with how to understand this. one of the things I really appreciate about tom zinser's work is his methodical client centered push for a methodology. it's a case where I think psychology practices might offer some great clues for how to move forward. it seems to me that we risk running in circles the way that some in the near-death experience community have... or, on the other hand, settling on the idea that none of them are"real" because they lack perfect consistency. I'm also impressed by claire broad and the "secret of the ascent is to always look up" advice.

The intellect is a wonderful tool. Without it, where would we be? That said, the intellect is not equipped to venture very far into the realm of extended consciousness. Human beings have other and better faculties for this purpose, but they need to be developed. The rishi Patanjali wrote a wonderful treaty (The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali) explaining how to develop these higher faculties. My guru taught his students an advanced meditation designed to utilize Patanjali's teachings which I've practiced for some 40+ years.

When another being is struggling, out of compassion, one shifts their attention to that person in an effort to help. In the case of the girl/demon, one might argue that I took my eye off the ball ("secret of the ascent is to always look up") depending on how one interprets Claire Broad's advice. But I view helping other souls as part of the ascent and possibly the result of being fully committed to keeping one's eye on the ball.

Alex, How does this story "ask us to follow without question'? David Bailey asked if would elaborate on my experience and I shared a simple story. I go out of my way not to impose on anyone. If I have, I apologize because I truly believe that denying a person their free will is evil.
 
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