Ep268: Sitting with Terror - Khandro Kunzang Dechen Chodron

In this episode I am joined by Khandro Kunzang Dechen Chodron, teacher of Tibetan Buddhism and executive director of Saraswati Bhawan Publications.

Khandro Kunzang recalls her childhood samadhi experiences and communications with animal spirits, her meetings with great gurus, and her own path of mystical experiences.

Khandro Kunzang recounts stories about Lama Dawa and Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche including tales of mirror divination, precognitive dreams, chulen mastery, and other yogic feats.

Khandro Kunzang also explains how to work with terror and collapse of the Self, how to hold a place in one’s practice for uncertainty, and the importance of the student’s capacity when working with a guru.

…

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

…

Topics include:

00:00 - Intro
00:52 - Early life and connection to nature
03:06 - Exposure to Eastern religion and samadhi experiences
05:38 - Powerful experience with a Buddha statue at 14 years old
08:07 - Initial Buddhist seeking
09:44 - Involvement in New Age
10:03 - Transformative resonance with Yeshe Tsogyal’s biography
12:42 - Collapse of the Self structure
14:11 - Active Buddhist involvement
16:31 - Taking refuge and life falling apart
18:34 - All in for Dharma
20:29 - Meeting Lama Dawa and open discussion of the spirit realm
26:29 - Karmic affinity with Lama Dawa
28:16 - Invitation to meet Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche
29:59 - Accompanying Lama Dawa on a 9 month tour
33:10 - The influence of Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
34:10 - Childhood communication with nature spirits and interest in environmental activism
38:20 - Dreams of guardian angel / dharma protector
40:42 - Feelings of alienation and other awakening experiences
44:58 - Past life as a Kagyu retreat master
47:00 - New Age interpretations
50:17 - Time as a sound healer
53:00 - More than mere appearances
54:13 - Trauma and the subtle body
55:52 - Lama Dawa’s yogic emphasis on experience
58:42 - Lama Dawa’s criticisms of scholars
59:55 - Bad death of a geshe
01:00:29 - Lama Dawa’s skill in debate
01:02:06 - Disillusionment with scholarship and social status
01:03:25 - Using the body to process trauma and “stuff” on retreat
01:05:21 - Intense experiences on retreat
01:07:18 - Discipline and music
01:09:08 - Constructive criticism and student capacity
01:11:27 - History of Lama Dawa and Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche
01:18:40 - Mastery of stone chulen and other yogic feats
01:23:12 - Mirror divination and other prognostication
01:31:21 - Living with a collapsed Self
01:33:16 - Sitting with terror and holding the place for uncertainty
01:36:14 - Working with the edge
…

To find our more about Khandro Kunzang Dechen Chodron, visit:

…

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

[susieq]

Enjoying - terrified is good - let’s go & totally have to practice - thanks for being!

[johninman]

Emaho ! What great pleasure Lama Dawa Chodack Rinpoche was a great Bodhisattva ovin generous and Khandro la is a faithful disciple of Lamaje

[cynthiarobinson]

Wow this point about exchanging the word "experience" where we usually say "visualize" in our meditations is SO helpful!!!! Thanks you!

[davidandlaurabranscombandh]

Please have her back soon! Thank you both for the inspiring conversation.

[HC-czbs]

Fabulous interview; thankyou GV for giving Khandro Kunzang the time to answer each question fully - and for your interesting questions. Kind Regards

[Healerscall]

Lama Dawa Rinpoche's mirror divination greatly helped my path by answering important questions about my spiritual path. 🙏

[orshaharorna.shahar]

The whole interview was interesting but the last few minutes were the most important for me. Thank you for reminding me to continue to sit with the inner terror, with the feeling of impending death, with the knowledge that everything I have achieved in life is shattering and evaporating. I've been standing on this cliff for almost two years now and the moment of jumping forward is closer than ever. thanks.

[martinavavra]

Thank you. This was very good. I wish could upvote it more than once

[traceler]

In felt better after listening to her, she touch people.

[Yayllll-qc]

She so calming and down-to-earth.

Fascinating interview!
Thanks ❤❤❤

[saraswati]

This is the most amazing teacher every time I listen to Khandro Kunzang its simply amazing

[echokehn]

good to hear these stories. Thank you!

[trixy]

I clicked because “sit with terror” was in the title but I got so much more out of this than I could have imagined. Im just 2 years younger, than you Khandro Kunzang, and I feel as if I had planned a very similar life path but stepped on too many CPTSD land minds on the way. Bits and pieces of my soul torn off and strewn across the decades.

I was raised as a fall away Catholic (if my mom had only known about Unitarian Universalism😣) but from a very young age I identified as a Buddhist and duh of course reincarnation is real. Yet I held an animosity towards the Buddhist “religion” that no experience, i had in this life, could explain.

I have always had the same sense of Buddhism as you first had Khandro Kunzang. Too patriarchal and too stuck in dogma. It was so heartening to hear about the teacher who embraced the nature spirits. I even teared up when I imagined such a possibility. I pictured it as the difference between a strict mainstream school and Montessori.

At this point my path has strayed so far off course I easily lose heart at finding a way back. If what you say is true, about the body holding all the trauma, then my picture is likely right next to that definition.

The physical pain stunts all attempts at being “trustworthy”. Isn’t that how you describe the ability to absorb understanding and consistently grow in learning?

Anyway this conversation gave me much to think on and perhaps a path out of this hell of my own making. I sincerely thank you both… and the algorithm that led me here.🙏

[dreamcreate]

It's gets more difficult to find those that can help us deeper into the path. A wonderful interview. Thank you ❤ 🙏

[yangjum]

I became speechless out of crying silently. Experienced a deep meditative state while listening to her. I saw my grandmother, Guru, Yeshe Tsogyal and all forms of female relations in May be may not be possible to see her in person, but my veneration to her in everyway

[lovingvibes]

Very interesting talk and experiences! I really appreciate the way she conveys her past, and wisdom. Thank you for this.

[suryamitra]

Great interview, so inspiring! I am looking forward to the sequel ! Thank you!

[petermcgee]

How absolutely wonderful, great thanks, many. many thanks!!!

[suryamitra]

Great interview, very inspiring and interesting. I am looking forward to part III !

[mani]

Brilliant and fascinating ...I just love her.