I will say something that interests me as a Buddhist. I have a Christian neighbor that is always chilled out, friendly, kind and genuinely a good person. He’s been my neighbor twenty years and I talk to him almost every week especially during the summer while we’re out doing yard work. I think a lot can be said for just moral and ethical living. He has also told me a few supernatural stories connected with prayer. How much do we actualy need to know to be free from suffering? I myself have practiced off and on for twenty years. I’ve studied daily for twenty years and had periods for years of daily meditation three to five hours per day. Now I am battling a pretty severe social anxiety disorder for ten years. I recently started back daily meditation two to four hours a day along with daily Qi Gong and breathwork. Six months in and I have had only a little relief. I started lifting weights also prior to my meditation practice and that also did give me a bit of a mental lift. I did overcome severe depression twenty years ago simply using a lying down meditation focusing on a spot on the ceiling. Within five months my depression ended permanently and never returned even when the anxiety kicked in. Without I teacher perhaps I am wasting my time.

Great Interview, this guy Delson is very Genuine, not one time did I detect any Arrogance, or defensiveness even though you asked some hard questions. Now thanks to Steve’s excellent Channel I have finally found a Guru I connected with.

Appreciate the range of folks you interview, and especially your (fearless) willingness to wander down deep lines of inquiry that makes your offerings unique (and fascinating and useful). Deep bows Steve.

He didn't come here to make the attainments. He's already made the attainments. He came here to show us how attainments are made.

Delson Armstrong is a wonder in his spiritual attainments, and yet so humble, honest, straightforward. Guru Viking did a marvelous job on asking probing questions which kept the interview rolling. For those below who doubt the possibility of 6 day nirodha/cessation, I think skepticism is quite healthy but please keep the mind open and await the results of scientific research. The truth will come out. Personally, I believe Delson is being completely honest, no exaggeration or embellishment.

I usually do not give much credence to these kind of discussions where people are making claims. I do believe this guy is very well along the path and his testimony does seem real, and credible. I do not get the usual ego maniac or megalomania I have seen in some claiming high attainments. I would love to have this guy as a master. Best of luck to all on the path. I am suffering social anxiety and I have to break through that first, and I’m not quite there yet. ☸️☯️☦️🕉️

Looking forward to hearing this!

oh boy, this one was really impressive in such a good way. i mean the transparency, humility and sincerity at the end. incredible. thank you very much steve. if it wasn't for you and the magic of the internet there's no way such things would cross my path. no way!!! p.s. pushing the envelope here. in the future, don't ask them if they want to have sex, they clearly don't. ask them if they are capable of having sex. cheers! :)

Wow. This was amazing to see. I had recently been clued into Bhante V's center and found Delson super interesting to listen to. After this interview, I can see myself sitting as his feet taking instruction. Was impressed with how you interviewed this total stranger to you, someone you never heard of before, and came around in the end to believe this guy is the real deal and we should hear more of him. At only 31, this guy has a long teaching career ahead of him. Bhante V's sutta based instructions really hit home with me and I feel my practice deepening as I follow them, but hearing Delson gives me a sense of how far this could go! May you continue to be blessed Steve, and may we all continue to reap the rewards of your efforts.

Well this was an absolutely fascinating interview. I hope to see Mr. Armstrong on here again!

Only someone like this could know the similarities and differences between all these states. So valuable. Thank the gods for him!!

What a fascinating interview with this very knowledgeable and advanced practitioner.

What a beautiful interview! Can’t wait for the dependent origination book! 🙏🙏🙏

Absolutely fantastic interview Steve. What a wonderful inspirational person, Delson is.

Very inspirational and guiding. Gives me more confidence in Bhante Vimalaramsi and the Buddha.

This is vitally important to let the information out. It’s very important guidance and inspiration to fellow practitioners.

My greatest gratitude from bottom of my heart asking this questions directly and to Deleson answering to such extent of truthfulness. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Each and every discussion of Delson is awesome because of tremendous knowledge of different meditations he attained .he is right person to listen .I can listen him day and night .🙏🏻

Interview at it’s best. Fascinating interview. Steve thank you for your awesome work. Looking forward to follow some retreat with Nelson 🙏

Thank you so much, Steve and Delson. The comparison between the different practices and exploration of TWIM has been the missing link I needed for my practice. I stumbled on the jhanas (and consequently metta) by myself but had heard that one could not achieve enlightenment by indulging in the jhanas, since then I have explored Goenka, self inquiry, advaita Vedanta but never felt that the practices were intuitive for me in the same way jhanas were. TWIM seems to show a way to achieve insight by incorporating mindfulness\Vipassana with the jhanas, and it just makes so much sense to me. I feel so grateful to have found a path that really speaks to me and feels natural. I have signed up for two online retreats, one metta and one zoom. Thank you again. Much metta. 🙏

Thanks so much, Delson has inspired me to reboot my practice, put in more effort.

52 hours of cessation, good lord. He has me beat by 51 hours 59 minutes and 59.999 seconds :O

Thank you to both of you.

Stellar wonderful magnificent show!!!! Cuts right through mountains of confusing BS, thank you ....wooo hooo.

Great interview. Delson is the real deal -deep spiritual achievements without conceit.

I really really appreciate how this brings insight for me, NOT to take myself too serious. That’s so important for logical types.😊 thanks Delson

Very interesting conversation and nice shout out to Lama Lena--one badass bodhisattva! A little curious why, for example, B. Alan Wallace's contemplative research observatories never come up in these conversations, but some rather dubious claimants and oddball practitioners are interviewed seriously on the platform.

Great listen! Thanks!

What a fascinating character! I don't know what to think. Unlike some alleged modern lay arahants (e.g., Daniel Ingram, Culadasa, etc.), he does seem to have actual in-depth knowledge of the suttas and actually takes the 10-fetters model fairly literally and seriously. I appreciate that. Also, the Suttavada foundation claims he lives entirely on dana, which is consistent with the renunciant lifestyle of a fully attained person. Hopefully, time will tell if his attainments turn out to be real or temporary, but so far I haven't seen anything that leads me to dismiss his claims outright.

Great interview. Agree that theoretically anyone can become enlightened. But it can’t hurt to been an Indian sadhu in one’s previous life. Wish you had probed a bit more on the role karma plays on the path.

Really impressed with the earnest beginners mind and constant curiosity and development in spite of so many attainments

Fascinating talk. Thanks for this

Your interviewing style is fantastic Steve! 🙏

What an incredible story. Those who learn when they are adults have a better understanding of the teaching of the Buddha and the related techniques such as Meditation.

Awesome interview. Thank you.

Nice talk, thanks its nice to hear someone up to talk all this topics, some are forvidden to share for the monks with lay people, intresting fact as theravada states that for attaing enllightment you need to be at least 35 years old. Buddha age when he entered nibbana

Great interview. Thank you to both of you 🙏

I'm curious if he, or anyone else thinks the MUSE device, or similar wearable, can help a meditator advance more quickly. The algo brought me to this channel looking for info on neurofeedback for CPTSD, so it was rather exciting to have someone of his attainments talk about it. Great interview Steve!

First time I have heard someone talk about opening the 8th chakra, when I opened it first, it was very present, I could sense it with my hands.

Incredible, thanks for doing this

Thank you for this interview. Its very inspiring

One thing that I found in doing this, is that for me at least, it was like slipping, mentally; like holding a fish, suddenly your attachment to the body, and focus on the senses suddenly slip from your grasp. I have never tried what he is describing. Just the basic Kriya, not longer than 2 hours, and also Shinnay (Diamond Way), and Clear Light of Sleep. In the end overwhelming Bliss is like a drug, lights, sound or rose sent tricks, and detachment from the world not really beneficial to the world. I think if you can spread knowledge, love, and bliss - that is more important. I really like his attitude. I also would say from experience that very slow heart beats are real, I have hit 43 before, I wonder what could be too low?

Absolutely brilliant

Thanks for the great interview, as always, Steve! If you manage to get Delson on again, I wonder whether you could ask him to be precise about the content/contour of his waking state when he is not practicing the jhanas/entering cessation, for the sake of comparing his account to Shinzen's, for instance. Cheers!

Thank you!

Wonderful

As a semi Daoist who practices Baguazhang I need a map to all these Buddhist meditation terms, got any recommendations?

So good 🙏🏻

amazing chat . thanks

Has the University of Amsterdam study been published?

I noticed something strange about all of these “enlightened people” interview, no one talks about “sufferings and the end of sufferings.’ They talk about the mechanics, attainments, experience but no one talks about “sufferings and the end of sufferings.” Or going back to take care of elderly parents, living with elderly parents LOL. Paying your bills, raising kids, doing volunteer work, cooking potlucks at neighbourhood parties? I remember a quote a long time back from a teacher. “If you think you’re enlightened, try going back to live with your parents.”

Great talk

I am always amazed at the moderners or westerners pathologic obsession with sex. Don't know if it is the influence of Freud or the comercial marketing that uses sex to drive consumerism.

Im wondering what the best translation of Patanjali yoga sutra is?

Alot of so really interesting things here, very glad for Armstrongs openness and encouragment. One point I have huge problem with is that it seemed at one point that the interviewer and Armstrong both are of the impression that Armstrong has mastered the Great Perfection? Thats honestly really clueless, mastering the Great Perfection would mean one is a buddha and nothing else, and this doesnt happen simply by recognizing rigpa or even reach some insights due to that isnt the same as mastering it or fruition stage (its not the same as fruition stage as in therevada)

Truly awesome interview one of the best. There's one thing that puzzle me, please Steve if you have a second chance can you ask for clarification? In 1:04:40 he says rigpa is like signless state, there's no conceit or sense of I but is a volitional state, therefore impermanent and there's still a subtle formation of I am. That is definitely not how the accomplished Dzogchen and Mahamudra yogis and yoginis describe their experience of rigpa. Could you ask for this please?

Hi Delson, What is Samma Samadhi? how to practice it using metta meditation or TWIM?

Me the first half of this conversation: Yeah just regular stuff, nothing new under sun...🥱 Me towards the last part of the conversation: WOW! Holy s###... 😳

🙏🙏

Legendary

Watching Kumaré movie would be a great sequel to this interview :)

Delson is simply beautiful

Huh, interesting that nirodha still produces detectable brain waves, but those waves are even broader than deep sleep waves. If it's true that heart rate and respiration won't slow down unless you're in nirodha for several days straight, how could anyone tell if they're achieving nirodha over, say, a 30 minute period and not just falling asleep?

🙏🙏🙏

Premium contribution as always. I think you could've challenged him a bit more about those 6 days. Does he have an IV, and is where is he pissing and pooping?!!?!

Chaturia - 4th state. Sounds like Russian `chetyre` - four.

Highly Sensational but Siddis are not a measure of any level of attainment. Mostly unnecessary. He mentions Sri Nisargadatta. He did none of these extreme practices??

if people do get less egocentric with his attainments they should want everyone to feel the way they do

I wonder how an Indian came to be named Delson Armstrong?

Very interesting. But all these „achieved“ states that were confirmed by this or that teacher. Much of it could be delusional! For instance: Just because he was introduced to the Vijnana Bhairava doesn’t mean he has mastered the states of Shaiva Tantra. The same thing is true for other traditions. Another example is, that it is well known that different teachers totally disagree how easy the Jhanas can be achieved. Some teachers „create“ certified stream enterers like crazy, even over the weekend. Does this proof anything? But besides that a very good and interesting interview!

💜🕉☸️☯️✡️🔯✝️☪️🕎

At the spot where ya discussing science vs historical accounts on breathing and mental activity during nirodha. I'd wager this will occur again when the discussion shifts scientifically to past life occuranced. Did you really take apart dependent origination. Surely there lies the answer as to why you would mistakenly actually believe you lived more then one life as in more then one person. Because I have entered cessation and from there I forgot who I was. I had to start my life all over again. And for years I have looked to see if any one individual had come close to what I did and have found none. Was hoping you would have been as astute. But the events differed immensely. You never said you forgot who you were and then remembered that past life with all its evolving states. Instead when you remember a past life it's actually a different person. Same with me but that different person was me before nirvana. I.e. it was the flame that was blown out.but it seems everyone else has many candles. One of us is wrong. And I don't think it's me. Hence why we will have to wait a long time before science answers this for me. Then again I had no teacher. No schooling. No lineage. Self taught and the great forgetting or great death occured at 18. Autodidactic. Means I skipped all the bias and fear that is inherent in all schools. It is the modern age after all. Much has changed. I'm pretty certain I only get one candle. As for the flame that will turn on when needed and turn off when needed. It is the candle that mattered. But from where I am standing everyone else values the flame. Otherwise death is death. Insight into self should include insight into the limits and parameters of self. Otherwise it is unbalanced and unrealistic. True insight would naturally lead one from the realization of dependent origination and the limits of consciousness. These limits are inescapable. When you look at nature and want to learn you also have to observe as diligently as you would when looking inside. This leads to the scientific method and a way to go about testing ones own convictions in reality. Trusting what others say is also fraught with many perils. Such is the nature of consciousness. Some roads we must walk alone and as if we were the first ones there to give a true accounting. And now that I have heard what nirodha is I'm certain I've never done that. I wouldn't train to sit. But cessation I did have to do. Six months it took before it blew out my flame. Almost 2 years before another flame arose. More importantly created a new self and will dismantle again to see if the great forgetting can occur more then once in a lifetime or if once is enough. Had to stop meditating for 20 years though. Took 10 years for no mind to be replaced with monkey mind. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Y6iCgcZ429_Hf40.html kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bNh-qd2VmavZXWg.html Everyone else over there trying to see into past lives and im over here like a dickhead trying to learn from life. Like a sore thumb that sticks out. Armed with nothing but a library and a harsh environment. But im still coming out and very soon. Say what ya want now. We shall let the test of time decide. This is called monastacize life itself. And learn from life itself. And yeah it takes time and it takes effort. But self inquiry leads the way. Personally only read four books on the subject before figuring it out. Platos apology. Baghavad gita. Tao te ching. 101 analects Confucius. Carlos came later but after him no more since i already knew he could teach me nothing and i got the feeling it would be the same with everyone else since time makes a big difference. It is the modern age after all. Much has been uncovered since. And carlos was recent. Good but blind. Its why i see why i skipped nirodha. As a kid i surmised but also understood the nature of nature. I chose instead to only focus on life. So i did self inquiry first and gained clarity. Then i used dreaming to learn intent and no mind. I chose horse stance meditation and martial arts as well as daily life as my vehicles. That way neurologically it would cause networks to form that favor social interactions and a natural interest in all things life. So i am limited by the senses and what it means to be a brain locked inside a skull fitted with a nervous system to control an organic powerful mech. Its neurplastic see. It grows based off what you feed it. So i hit the streets and fed it virtue. Its why i work medical and not giving it up. Corpsman up. ❤ kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hMeZja-hq9PUYWw.html kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ott7icumutmrfZc.html

Is “eventually you lose interest in sexuality” code for erectile dysfunction? I mean… is it a mental choice or because no physical ability to do so? And Of course there wouldn’t be desire without arousal

The thing is Delson is always saying "you" as opposed to "I" when he talks about his journey and realisation. This is dangerous as it is impliying that what he has realised should be the case for everyone. It would be more authentic to say that this is how he has experienced it, rather than implying certain absolutes. The buddha was more wise than this as he never said that nirvana is impersonal. He just told us to give up views of self and non-self, and let us find out for ourselves using his suggstions.

He does not have understanding of Tibetan Buddhism. It’s deeply rooted in Abhidharma.

I wouldn't consider Osho to be a lineage holder of Shaivism.

Anyone who claims to be a meditation virtuoso or can enter long trance-like stages has missed the point actually. I blame Bhante Vimalaramsi if he’s producing and promoting students like this. A red flag for spiritual bullshit are people like Daniel Ingram, Frank Yang and Delson Armstrong who present claims without evidence. Even IF it’s true they’ve had spiritual experiences or a spiritual awakening -- it’s what zen calls enlightenment stink. Another red flag is shopping mall dharma -- they’ve often claim to have studied trendy various spiritualities despite being of a young age. There’s often woo-woo claims of magick, or fairies, siddhis, or intergalactic beings. And my feeling is listening to Delson -- for an enlightened being -- he’s not particularly interesting at all to listen to. He has these dead eyes, rarely smiles, doesn’t seem to tell his story in a natural engaging way. It’s often a lot of buzzwords and word salad. Delson was a participant in an Amsterdam meditation study. A participant. Yet he's carefree with talking about the results, interpretation, and findings pre-publication. A mindfiul participant might let the researchers themselves discuss their own findings. However, I'm under no illusion that this Amsterdam study will ever come to light. Delson never mentions any actual names. He's well-versed on all the results and obviously must have talked to the researchers at great length. Yet he never refers to them by name. They are just scientists. I'd think someone who was mindful and an arahat would naturally learn people's names and use them effortlessly in conversation. Please link to this study if it is ever published. I’ve met a lot of people who claim attainments. 99% of the time they are delusional, lying, or grifting. I question then any legitimate claimants who wish to put themselves in such a rogue’s gallery of delusion and fraud. If they are mindful, surely they are aware of the large amount of bullshit spread around like fertilizer in this arena. In which case, they’d perhaps have a sense of humor about their story and claim and perhaps, just perhaps, provide some evidence they are not part of the problem. Just my .02.

The difficulty with claims of staying in Nirodha for 6 days is that it is very unlikely scientifically. The body uses calories to stay warm, water is still lost, urine still needs to be excreted, muscles still waste away. How is Delson preventing all these things? Even people in coma still need IV infusions and catheters. Barring something like a 6 day livestream showing him not moving on his bed, I am forced to conclude that he's strongly "embellishing" the truth. He seems like a straightforward and intelligent guy, so I don't know why he would lie about that, claims of nirodha samapatti for any length of time would be impressive enough.

What a frustrating interview Unfortunately did not get to talk significantly about nirodha samapatti, or the data that the researchers collected… Mainly about an potential AI meditation teacher

One should not cause harm to others by his sexuality, right? If you are married and lose intetest in sex due to meditation you are certainly causing harm to your wife.

You seem mixed vegetables!

Unlike Daniel Ingram someone who knows what he is talking about.

? Consciousness is the soul, the spark of life from the divine, It is limitless, It contains within it the subtle bodies, including the spirit which is the mind. All souls are the same neither good or evil, but the mind on the other hand is programmed to function in its own unique way. We are constructed by thought, Gods imagination, thought energy. The core of consciousness and mind is, conscious light molecules vibrating at a very high pace, within it, interlinked, sacred geometric patterns making up the mind. One cannot exist without the other, as soon as a thought form, forms, they are interlinked. Everything has consciousness and a mind, even a phone, in the sense that molecules are aware of each other, and are processing binary information.

1:03:15 to 1:18:30 DA drops one of the biggest truth bombs in plain english... GV "fascinating", asks a different question, OMG, please GV, listen to what what people are actually saying, focus, and ask how did they do that, in detail (ie as a procedure), and, what are the benefits? Please, just don't keep asking only semi relevant curiosity type questions. Inquire to the depths when a truth bomb is dropped to explore how we can do it, if we want to. Thank you, great channel.