Stephen Snyder, a meditation teacher and author, explores the profound practices of the Brahma Viharas in his new book, 'Buddha's Heart.' He shares his journey of awakening, revealing how heart practices helped him overcome early deficiencies in meditation. With a critical view of the American Zen community, he discusses the risks of awakening without a developed heart. Snyder emphasizes the transformative power of forgiveness and how combining deep jhana with heart practices can lead to spiritual insight and improved relationships.
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Jhana Retreat Opened His Heart
Stephen entered jhana-level absorption on a two-month retreat with Pa Auk Sayadaw and penetrated hidden heart recesses.
The intense concentration purified his consciousness and produced lasting heart changes after each session.
insights INSIGHT
Jhana Amplifies Heart Purification
Jhana absorption produces a non-dual experience where the sense of self drops and consciousness merges with the heart-quality.
This 'dipping' of awareness into loving-kindness purifies and causes durable shifts in the heart.
insights INSIGHT
Awakening Needs Both Love And No-Self
First awakening can arise via unity (oneness) or emptiness (no-self), but full awakening needs both.
The complete experience combines boundless love with realization of no-source as core identity.
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In this episode I am once again joined by Stephen Snyder, a meditation teacher, author, and the first non-monastic Western man to master the virtuoso-level shamata meditation system of Pa Auk Sayadaw.
In this interview we discuss Stephen’s new book ‘Buddha’s Heart’ a modern presentation of the Brahma Viharas, Buddhist heart meditations, from the perspective of Absolute Reality/ Awake Awareness.
Stephen reveals how deficiencies in his early practice and the inaccessibility of his heart saw him engage these powerful heart practices derived from early Buddhism.
Stephen discusses the damage done in the Americn Zen community by deeply enlightened masters with undeveloped hearts who abused students, embezzled money, and more.
Stephen lays out the two routes to awakening, and how combining the brahma viharas with deep jhanic absorption can lead to profound spiritual insight.
Stephen also talks about the counter-intuitive power of forgiveness, and his own journey in awakening the heart.
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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep70-stephen-snyder-buddhas-heart/
Audio version of this podcast also available on iTunes and Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
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Topics include:
0:00 - Intro
1:05 - Writing two books at once and other writing projects
2:49 - What are the brahma viharas?
4:20 - How to do brahma vihara meditation
6:28 - Head, heart, and belly centres of spiritual practice
8:02 - The deficiencies of Stephen’s early practice
9:42 - Do heart practices translate to improved relationship skill?
10:55 - How the heart practices transformed Stephen’s behaviour
12:40 - The disaster of deeply enlightened masters with no heart
14:36 - Witnessing cruelty in the Zen world
15:42 - Stephen’s mastery of deep jhanic practice
17:16 - Combining super-concentration with brahma vihara practice
20:20 - The two routes to First Awakening
24:37 - Kensho vs Satori in the Zen tradition
25:57 - Common resistances to the brahma viharas
28:56 - How to work with resistances in heart meditation
32:41 - The power of heart practice to reveal and release negative emotion
35:02 - Stephen’s journey with forgiveness
39:23 - The counter-intuitive power of forgiveness
41:37 - Are heart practices relevant to awakening?
45:02 - Stephen’s 12 month mentorship program
47:01 - Stephen’s legacy
Check out my previous interviews with Stephen:
- https://www.guruviking.com/ep24-stephen-snyder-a-stroke-of-realisation-guru-viking-interviews/
- https://www.guruviking.com/ep33-stephen-snyder-pandemic-edition-guru-viking-podcast/
Purchase 'Buddha's Heart’:
- https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Heart-Meditation-Developing-Well-being/dp/1734781025/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=buddha%27s+heart+snyder&qid=1606403777&sr=8-2
To contact Stephen Snyder, please email:
- stephendharma108@yahoo.com
For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- https://www.guruviking.com/
Music 'Deva Dasi' by Steve James
Guru Viking Podcast 