Deep Transformation: Recent Episodes

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Ep. 239 | Renowned gerontologist and author Dr. Kerry Burnight is passionate about changing the way we think about aging. Growing older isn’t a bad thing, she emphasizes, let’s look at what gets better as we get older! Early in Dr. Kerry’s career, she marveled at how elderly people with the same degree of physical health could be absolutely miserable or happily engaged with life, and she dug into finding out why. Her research revealed four pillars of aging that together make all the difference in the quality of our well-being. Kerry urges us to adopt these practices as soon as we can, because just like with cardiovascular training, the earlier we start, the more benefit we accrue. In fact, the evidence is clear: research shows that people who have a “decline mindset” about aging die an average of seven years earlier than their counterparts with a “growth mindset.” It seems our beliefs about aging can easily become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Finding joy in the second half of life involves not only cultivating connection and growth among other things, but also, very importantly, countering our own internalized ageism. Dr. Kerry gives some telling examples of common derogatory thoughts we have about ourselves as we age, and shows us how we can turn this around and step into our power as older people. In a moving testament to the special beauty and authenticity of the elderly, Kerry expresses gratitude for her opportunities as a gerontologist to be infused with the presence of her patients, in all their humility and greater appreciation of friendships, nature, music, art—of life itself. A poignant, lovely, illuminating, and inspiring conversation with someone who lives her talk and is making a meaningful difference in a culture that has lost its way in its approach to aging and caring for elders. Recorded September 18, 2025.

“When we step into our power, we can revolutionize longevity.”

Topics & Time Stamps Introducing “America’s gerontologist,” Dr. Kerry Burnight, author of Joyspan, The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half (00:59) * What is missing in the field of gerontology in America? (01:52) * Lifespan, healthspan…what does “joyspan” signify? (02:44) * The multibillion dollar anti-aging industry works on fear (04:57) * Stepping into our internalized ageism (06:11) * From revering elders for their wisdom to depending on youth to help us with technology (07:38) * How is AI dividing us? (10:05) * Kerry’s 4 pillars of aging: grow, connect, adapt, give (12:55) * The psychological & physical benefits of service & the ripple effects of joy (21:51) * Differentiating joy from happiness: practicing soul-centric activities (23:07) * Beliefs about aging become self-fulfilling prophecies: the decline mindset vs the growth mindset (27:02) * What gets better with aging? (30:23) * How to get this research out to people? (33:24) * Elder abuse, neglect & exploitation: the critical need to protect elders’ access to healthcare & housing (35:01) * World wide poverty and the future for elders (40:47) * Leaning into the older version of ourselves (43:37) * We will all face tough stuff on this journey… but there are things that get better as we age (44:46) * Counter your internalized ageist thoughts! When we step into our power, we can revolutionize longevity (46:56)*

Resources & References Dr. Kerry’s website: https://drkerryburnight.com/ * Dr. Kerry Burnight, Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half * Roger Walsh, Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind * Dr. Laura Mosqueda at UC Irvine (Dr. Kerry’s partner in aging research) * M. T. Connolly, The Measure of Our Age: Navigating Care, Safety, Money, and Meaning Later in Life * Bernadette Boden-Albala, founding dean of public health at UC Irvine*

Dr. Kerry Burnight, known as America’s Gerontologist, is on a mission to help people fall in love with the rest of their lives. Fed up with the fear-driven, anti-aging hysteria, millions of people turn to her for a proven approach to navigating the new longevity—one based upon a profound truth: the key to good longevity isn’t the length of your life, it’s the quality of your life. Efforts to maximize lifespan, and even healthspan, don’t address the whole picture. Longevity is meaningless if you don’t like your life. In her New York Times best-seller, Dr. Burnight introduces the critical concept of “joyspan,” based on the science of well-being, contentment, connection, meaning, growth, and choice.

Dr. Kerry Burnight taught Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology for 18 years at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, where she co-founded and directed the nation’s first Elder Abuse Forensic Center. She currently teaches at the University of Chicago and has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Time Magazine, CBS Mornings, Oprah Daily, CNN, and BBC News. She is the longevity health advisor at Forbes Health and in the TIME 100 Health.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 238 | In this brilliantly articulated and illuminating conversation, renowned international facilitator Thomas Hübl shares his deep understanding of the dynamics of collective trauma as well as practical wisdom about how we can heal the large, often inherited, wounds we carry. Thomas conveys the magnitude of problems created by shoving our collective wounds out of sight and mind, perhaps the worst consequence of which is when we do this, we are destined to repeat the same horrors over again. What we need, Thomas explains, is to develop an architecture that would provide a healing space to deal with our wounds (racism, genocide, and immigration, to name a few). Meeting our collective pain in this way would allow us to mature to a level of forgiveness where we could collaborate globally on urgent issues like AI and climate change. Without this healing, Thomas says, the energy that can forgive remains frozen in the wound.

The dialogue becomes profoundly hopeful as Thomas describes someone who has met their pain and healed themselves of individual and collective trauma. Listening is like receiving a transmission—for a moment we feel ourselves to be this person: integrated, authentic, vulnerable, fully attuned to our reality, at peace with both the beauty and the difficulties, free of false hopes and unrealistic dreams. If we could embrace the power of collective healing that Thomas has witnessed again and again in his work, and “melt the permafrost of our collective trauma,” we could step out of the never-ending cycle of violence, cruelty, and misunderstanding that will otherwise continue to haunt us. This conversation goes right to the heart of things: if we recognize our interrelatedness and find a way to practice interdependence, we can grow beyond our individual and collective pain into a tremendously more hopeful future. Recorded October 30, 2025.

“Unconscious information is destiny. Conscious information has a choice, has a future.”

Topics & Time Stamps Introducing teacher, author & facilitator Thomas Hübl, who offers a deep understanding of collective trauma—and collective healing (00:49) * How is Thomas able to stay attuned and hold this large field he works with? (02:43) * Attunement is another way to say interdependence (05:56) * A grounded spiritual practice helps to hold the space & learn from the process, rather than direct the process (06:57) * How does Thomas understand the healing process? (10:51) * Bringing awareness to a collective wound allows it to give its gift (14:03) * Has Thomas found a way of working with the Israel/Gaza situation? (16:03) * Hot trauma is different from historical or ancestral trauma (21:55) * Without processes to deal with large wounds, the repetition compulsion will keep happening (23:00) * How to deal with authoritarian regimes whitewashing history? (25:47) * Huge trauma wounds in the U.S.: racism, genocide, and now immigration (27:07) * We need a collective healing space; everybody who is alive has been born into this legacy and it has become normalized (28:22) * In this global village, there is no “them” anymore (30:25) * Cultural amnesia allows us to live with violence; nonviolence is a natural consequence of realizing interdependence (32:06) * Ethics and health are inherently interrelated (34:17) * You cannot erase history; it’s a felt experience in our bodies (36:14) * The exaggeration of separation & self-righteousness by social media (37:11) * The reality we create with each other is painful; hope lies in a sense of agency (40:16) * How can we forgive horrific violations of life? Melting the permafrost of our collective trauma (42:58) * What does a person look like who has faced these deep issues and healed? (49:08) * The power of healing collectives is very hopeful for accelerating social transformation (55:58)*

Resources & References Thomas Hübl’s website: https://thomashuebl.com/ * Thomas Hübl’s podcast: Point of Relation * Thomas Hübl, Healing Collective Trauma * Thomas Hübl, Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma—and Our World * Thomas Hübl & Richard Schwartz (founder of Internal Family Systems), Releasing Our Burdens: A Guide to Healing Individual, Ancestral, and Collective Trauma * Global Restoration Institute, promoting global interconnectivity & long-term peace through integrating innovative trauma-informed practices with conflict resolution & prevention methods*

Thomas Hübl, PhD, is a renowned teacher, author, and international facilitator who works within the complexity of systems and cultural change, integrating the core insights of the great wisdom traditions and mysticism with the discoveries of science. Since the early 2000s, he has led large-scale events and courses on the healing of collective trauma.

Thomas is the author of Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma—and Our World, Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds, and most recently, co-author of Releasing Our Burdens: A Guide to Healing Individual, Ancestral, and Collective Trauma, with Richard Schwartz. Hübl has served as an advisor and guest faculty for universities and organizations, as a coach for CEOs and organizational leaders, and is currently a visiting scholar at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 237 | In the 19th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, an exploration of the final chapter of The Inner Journey Home, Hameed Ali looks at the evolution of Western culture and how it happened that soul, world, and God became divided as the culture developed. Hameed explains this was a necessary evolutionary step, an inherent part of our development, and though we lost our spiritual footing in the process (with secularization came a “gaping emptiness, meaninglessness, a lack of true fulfillment”), the separation of science and Church freed science and later psychology to take off on their own trajectories, leading to great strides in our understanding of our physical world and psychological make-up. The secularization of society turned out to have plenty of benefits, including improving the physical and economic well-being of many.

But where does that leave us now, and what does the future hold? Will there be an integration of these disparate parts, where spiritual ground becomes a foundational piece of our next stage of evolution? Can the scientific perspective, with its precision and clarity of mind, be brought to bear on our inner life of spiritual inquiry as well as the outer nature of reality? In realizing that oursoul needs life’s encounters to mature—meditation alone is not enough—will we find the lost “pearl beyond price” individually and possibly collectively or in small groups? Hameed concludes by telling us that the Diamond Approach is about redeeming the mind: integrating the diamond clarity of the intellect with spiritual depth. He shares his vision of fully realized scientists merging a spiritual perspective with precise and penetrating inquiry, and ends with the wish for all human beings to know: “People who are listening… it’s possible for you.” Recorded June 11, 2026.

“The spiritual ground that science doesn’t deal with is needed to complete the story.”

Topics & Time Stamps Introducing dialogue #19 in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, in which Hameed Ali explores the final chapter of The Inner Journey Home (00:45) * The development of Western culture & the idea that soul, God, and world are separate (03:27) * The separation of God, soul & world was a necessary evolutionary step (05:39) * This secularization of society allowed the scientific point of view to develop (09:15) * The bifurcation happened also in the field of psychology, especially with the influence of Freud (14:49) * Our inherent spirit of inquiry came to be applied to the outer world instead of the inner; with secularism, the spiritual perspective was left behind (17:50) * With secularization came meaninglessness; capitalism & communism focused on economics (26:16) * Will integration happen? Can secularization find its spiritual depth? (30:08) * What does the future hold? Hameed thinks humanity’s enlightenment is a LONG way off (34:47) * Valuing autonomy is an outer reflection of the valuing of the uniqueness of the individual, the pearl beyond price (36:06) * Gurdjieff thought humans don’t live long enough to grow spiritually (40:12) * Finding the lost pearl: the soul matures through encounters in life—not just in meditation (42:24) * The complete pearl integrates the compassion, love & intelligence of boundless awareness: the personalization of the absolute (45:00) * What are the possibilities of developing a cultural pearl or a species pearl? (47:00) * The Fermi paradox, the future, AI, and the importance of personal experience (51:20) * Can we teach AI to make truth the #1 priority? (56:22) * Roger reads the epilogue of The Inner Journey Home, a beautiful distillation of the soul’s journey (57:17) * Having a few spiritual individuals living their true nature is what keeps humanity alive (59:49) * Redeeming the mind: this teaching integrates the diamond clarity of the intellect with spiritual depth (1:00:23) * Hameed’s wish for all human beings (1:05:49)*

Resources & References A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School, home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Roger Penrose, prize-winning physicist & philosopher of science * Isaac Newton’s occult studies, Hermeticism * Bertrand Russell, philosopher, logician, mathematician * Ken Wilber, Quantum Questions: Mystical Writings of the World’s Greatest Physicists * Kieran Fox, I Am Part of Infinity: The Spiritual Journey of Albert Einstein * G. I. Gurdjieff, Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson: All and Everything * A. H. Almaas, The Pearl Beyond Price: Integration of Personality into Being: An Object Relations Approach * The Fermi paradox asks why, given the vast number of potentially habitable planets in our observable universe, there is no clear evidence of extraterrestrial civilizations*

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series generally follows the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Special Diamond Approach Course Discount for Deep Transformation ListenersIf you are interested in taking a course offered by Diamond Approach Online, Hameed’s team at the Ridhwan School have offered a special 20% discount for Deep Transformation listeners. You can access the Course Catalog here: https://online.diamondapproach.org/catalog/. And enter the code DTP20 to receive your discount when you sign up.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 236 | In The Call of the Cosmos, cosmologist and astronomer Stephan Martin brings a new and revelatory perspective into play on Deep Transformation, sharing his profound knowledge of the evolving cosmos and its relationship with consciousness. To cover the immensity of the mystery we are involved in, Steve explains, we need to look at both the inner dimension—consciousness—and the outer mystery, the cosmos. Steve does a remarkable job of explaining the psychological, spiritual, and ethical implications of living in an evolving universe, and draws fascinating parallels between cosmic evolution and human evolution, and the manifestation of being and cosmos. Steve teaches that we can expand the concept of self from separate, small self to ecological self to planetary self, and beyond—to cosmic self.

Steve says the fundamental essence of the universe is creativity, and invites us to heed the call of the cosmos and align ourselves with cosmic creativity by expressing the whole through our individual modes of being. “What is the causal cosmic chain that leads to our allurement to do a certain thing?” he asks, adding, “13.8 billion years of cosmic evolution have led to this moment.” The universe is participatory, Steve has discovered, and we live in a relational reality. Put on your paradigm shifting hat for this lively, wise, and impassioned conversation. Your relationship with the cosmos will be illuminated for sure, and quite possibly entirely transformed. Steve is also a gifted author; you can explore more in his books Cosmic Conversations, This Playful Universe, Becoming the Change, and soon, Traveling in the Shadow of the Moon. Recorded August 21, 2025.

“If you look at the universe through telescopes, you see stars and galaxies… However, if you engage in a relationship with the universe through, say, devotional or contemplative practices, you discover other qualities.”

Topics & Time Stamps Introducing astronomer & cosmologist Stephan Martin, author of Cosmic Conversations and This Playful Universe (00:46) * The relationship between cosmos and consciousness (03:34) * What does it mean to be part of an evolving, dynamic universe? (05:09) * Einstein’s “greatest blunder” (08:18) * The emergence of complexity theory & the idea of the self-determining universe (09:48) * Thomas Berry’s 1st universal dynamic: differentiation; every being is a unique mode of the universe (14:29) * Is consciousness an emergent part of the universe? Thomas Berry’s 2nd dynamic: subjectivity (18:07) * The universe is participatory (22:06) * What quantum theory brings crashing down is the idea of a static universe; reality is relational (26:39) * Cosmic leadership: the intuitive callings we feel… do they come from the universe? (30:10) * The earth is what’s in charge here and, by extension, the cosmos is what’s in charge (31:54) * What is the causal cosmic chain that leads to a creative impulse? (33:15) * Expanding the concept of self to a cosmic dimension (34:43) * The fundamental essence of the universe is creativity; the cosmic imperative is aligning with that (38:32) * Are ethics a mind-made construction, or are they tied with something deeper? Thomas Berry’s third dynamic: the principle of communion (42:46) * The concept of ego is Newtonian static cosmology internalized (51:10) * The manifestation of being parallels the manifestation of the cosmos (53:12) * Are we living in a multiverse? (57:34) * What does the universe desire? (01:01:32) * Are we living in an AI simulation? Is our universe a hologram? (01:05:07) * Is there life on other planets? What types of “life” haven’t we considered yet? (01:11:34) * Looking for other humans to talk to: the era of cosmic loneliness (01:15:52) * What is the current edge for cosmologists? (01:20:16) * Stephan’s new books: Becoming the Change with Carol Kilby & Traveling in the Shadow of the Moon (available for pre-order) (01:26:32)*

Resources & References Stephan Martin, director of the Deeptime Leadership Program * Stephan Martin, Cosmic Conversations: Dialogues on the Nature of the Universe and the Search for Reality and This Playful Universe (audiobook narrated by Michael Toms) * Stephen Martin & Carol Kilby, Becoming the Change: Evolutionary Rituals and Practices for Everyday Emergence * Stephan Martin, Traveling in the Shadow of the Moon: A Deep Cosmology Journey in Baja (available for pre-order) * Edwin Hubbell and the discovery of the Andromeda Galaxy * Georges Lemaître, first physicist to argue the recession of galaxies is evidence of an expanding universe, who also made the first formulation of the Big Bang theory * Erich Jantsch, The Self-Organizing Universe, The Evolutionary Vision * Thomas Berry, theologian and evolutionary thinker, The Great Work: Our Way into the Future * Panpsychism * A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series (Deep Transformation podcast series) * Ken Wilber introduced Integral Methodological Pluralism in his book Integral Spirituality * Carlo Rovelli, Helgoland: Making Sense of the Quantum Revolution * The Copenhagen interpretation * Brian Swimme, co-founder of the Center for the Story of the Universe * Matthew Fox, Creativity: Where the Divine and Human Meet * A. H. Almaas’ Diamond Approach * Cosmological constant * David Chalmers, Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy * Enrico Fermi’s paradox*

Stephan Martin is an astronomer, author, educator, and cosmic guide who has spent more than thirty-five years exploring how scientific discovery, spiritual inquiry, and human experience can deepen our relationship with the evolving universe. Through his work with the Deeptime Network, along with workshops, retreats, lectures, and contemplative stargazing experiences, he helps people bring the wisdom of the cosmos into everyday life. He is the author of Cosmic Conversations and Living a Cosmic Life, co-author of Becoming the Change (with Carol Kilby), and author of the forthcoming Traveling in the Shadow of the Moon (January 2027). His work invites people to align their lives with the creative unfolding of the cosmos and participate more consciously in our shared evolutionary journey. www.cosmicconversations.org and dtnetwork.org.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 235 | In the 18th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali delves into the fascinating subject of how the physical world is related to the absolute. From a nondual perspective, reality includes the physical world, he explains; the world cannot be reduced to an illusion. Material reality is every bit as compelling as the spiritual perspective, he continues. How we perceive it depends on where we find our stance, what we are immersed in—in the formless or the world of form. Hameed recognizes and honors physical reality, while describing material objects as expressions, or glimmerings, of the ground of being—the physical and the ground of being inseparable, whether pure presence or pure emptiness.

And how does the relationship between creator and creation relate to the individual? Hameed presents his mystical theology: a triadic reality formed by God, the individual, and the physical world, where each maintains its own truth. Because the absolute is inherently not self-aware, it needs an individual to become aware of itself, he explains. We are its “knowing instruments.” Hameed’s mystical theology, establishing the relationship between the human being, the world, and God, or true nature, is both elevating and grounding, enlightening and somehow comforting. The essential puzzle pieces of reality fitted together, creating unity. From atoms and quarks to what happens after death and how all dimensions can possibly exist in exquisite harmony when there is so much disharmony in the world, this conversation is far ranging, stimulating, and punctuated with laughter, as Hameed, Roger, and John continue to explore The Inner Journey Home. Recorded May 14, 2026.

“When we experience the absolute, we see it as the truth of everything, the nature of everything—all are glimmerings of the absolute.”

Topics & Time Stamps Introducing dialogue #18 in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, an exploration of the chapter titled “Reality” in Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (00:49) * Hameed explains how the Path of Love Series relates to the The Inner Journey Home/Wisdom Series (04:51) * Seeing the physical world from the perspective of the absolute (06:10) * Why do we experience the world as so very solid? (09:28) * From the absolute perspective, material objects are glimmerings of the ground of being (11:49) * From the scientific perspective, the physical world is “rock-level real” (14:45) * The physical world should not be reduced to an illusion; it has properties that cannot be denied (18:13) * In the physical world, death means no longer alive; spiritually, death is a transformation (21:50) * Does the individual soul continue after death? (25:04) * Why isn’t everyone awakened if we’re all part of the absolute? (26:40) * Standing in the absolute, all dimensions are inseparable, existing in exquisite harmony, but this does not negate people’s experience of disharmony (30:38) * The absolute is inherently not self-aware, that’s why it needs an individual to become aware of itself (32:56) * The divine coma is the entry to the absolute (35:38) * The relationship between the human being, the world, and God (38:59) * Is there a personal God? (41:47) * You can be an individual without being separate (47:33) * God fulfillment & soul fulfillment are one and the same (50:36) * The concept of service has many stages (52:57) * Hameed’s mystical theology: a triadic reality, each with its own truth (57:06) * The dimension of energy (01:04:26) * Reality appears differently from different perspectives; this teaching is from the nondual perspective (01:06:10) * Dzogchen & Hameed both give an inherent meaning to life; traditions espousing illusion do not (01:09:19) * Individual creativity gives voice to the creativity of the universe (01:12:24)*

Resources & References A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School, home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Advaita Vedanta * Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, I Am That * Beginning of a famous Hadith Qudsi: “I was a hidden treasure and wanted to be known…” * Sufi master Ibn Arabi, “God needs a soul just as much as a soul needs God.” * A. H. Almaas, The Pearl Beyond Price: Integration of Personality into Being: An Object Relations Approach * The Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas, Deep Transformation podcast series * Meister Eckhart, German Catholic priest, theologian, philosopher & mystic * Ramana Maharshi, Hindu sage and liberated being * Longchenpa, Dzogchen poet*

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series generally follows the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Special Diamond Approach Course Discount for Deep Transformation ListenersIf you are interested in taking a course offered by Diamond Approach Online, Hameed’s team at the Ridhwan School have offered a special 20% discount for Deep Transformation listeners. You can access the Course Catalog here: https://online.diamondapproach.org/catalog/. And enter the code DTP20 to receive your discount when you sign up.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 234 | Renowned thought leader, speaker, and prolific author Warren Farrell has a passion for getting the truth out about issues that matter deeply—issues with enormous human consequences that might begin to heal if people better understood the forces driving these trends: the boy crisis, fatherlessness, the cultural tendency to vilify men, and the lack of healthy and effective communication between men and women. Warren has authored several data-driven bestselling books that go right to the heart of these matters, and in this conversation his expertise is clearly evident, right alongside his dedication to do everything he can to shift the evolution of the harmful idea that women are good but men are bad.

Warren has put himself on the line time and again to stand up for fatherless boys. He puts out a clarion call to couples to communicate with care, so that a father can be involved with the raising of a child, and in his books and workshops, Warren offers concrete steps to minimize children’s trauma, such as his four must-do’s after a divorce and the caring and sharing practices he teaches couples around accepting criticism without getting defensive. Immensely insightful, immensely practical, Warren points the way forward through a territory that has become murky, difficult, and hateful. Guaranteed, you will learn things about our contemporary culture you didn’t know before, and be inspired to do what you can to heal the disastrous divide between the sexes. Recorded September 25, 2025.

“We’re all in this together. We’re all in the same family boat.”

Topics & Time Stamps Introducing Warren Farrell, outstanding feminist, intellectual father of the men’s movement, champion of gender role innovations & prolific author (00:54) * How did Warren come to champion the women’s movement? (02:33) * The opposite of power & privilege: what men are giving up (05:35) * Toxic masculinity (11:05) * Why do men commonly trade put-downs? (14:29) * Misinterpreting male behavior & the need for dialogue between men & women (18:29) * Sexual harassment and the “believe women letter” (22:01) * After a divorce, the child’s needs need to come first (26:04) * Speaking up about the importance of father involvement in raising boys changed Warren’s professional trajectory (30:29) * Death from overwork, called kuroshi in Japan (33:55) * Fatherless children have issues in 55 different areas, and the biggest predictor of male suicide is lack of father involvement (37:10) * The idea that women are good, men are bad (38:26) * Biological effects of lack of father involvement (40:22) * 4 must-do’s after divorce to minimize children’s trauma (41:37) * Rough-housing is a gift (44:07) * A father’s unconditional love incorporates conditions (49:07) * Teasing, one of the 7 important contributions that fathers make (50:31) * Couples counseling: why is criticism so hard to handle? (54:04) * Teaching couples to communicate effectively is the most important way to prevent the boy crisis (58:03) * The relation between dad-deprived youth, gang membership, prison & being a victim of sexual molestation (58:53) * The worst thing you can do after a divorce (01:05:11) * The biggest hole in my heart and the best decision of my life: John Lennon (01:09:16) * The ramifications of dad-deprivation in 1965 and currently (01:17:40) * A closer look at gender differences in income (01:21:57) * The feminist argument against Warren (01:31:00) * When only one sex wins, both sexes lose (01:36:06) * What can men do to help boys? (01:38:37) * We need to work toward equality while recognizing our evolutionary differences (01:40:50) * Our bias about men being full-time dads (01:45:06) * Important skills Warren teaches in his Role Mate to Soul Mate book & his online course (01:51:48) * Warren’s current book-in-progress, The Man Crisis (01:57:17) * Roger’s summary of the extraordinary impact Warren has had on our culture (01:59:00)*

Resources & References Warren Farrell’s website, https://warrenfarrell.com/, and YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/user/drwarrenfarrell * Warren Farrell & John Gray, The Boy Crisis: Why Our Boys Are Struggling and What We Can Do About It * Warren Farrell, Why Men Are the Way They Are, The Myth of Male Power, Why Men Earn More: The Startling Truth Behind the Pay Gap – and What Women Can Do About It * Warren Farrell, From Role Mate to Soul Mate: The Seven Secrets to Lifelong Love * National Organization for Women (NOW) * National Coalition for Men (NCFM), a non-profit educational & civil rights organization that addresses sex discrimination against men and boys * Marilyn French, The Women’s Room * John Gottman, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work * Spotlight, movie about the Boston Globe uncovering a massive child molestation scandal within the local Catholic Archdiocese * The Boy Crisis TEDx talk with Warren Farrell * The 1965 Moynihan Report on the huge population of black, dad-deprived youth * Gloria Steinem, leader of second-wave feminism in the U.S. * The Boy Crisis: Cancel Warren Farrell (YouTube documentary) * Mankind Project: Initiation Weekend + Integration Training * Boys to Men Mentoring, co-founded by Joe Sigurdson * Young Men’s Ultimate Weekend, founded by Mark Schillinger * Big Brothers Big Sisters of America * John Gray, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus: The Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex*

Warren Farrell, PhD, has been chosen by the Financial Times of London as one of the world’s top 100 thought leaders. His books are published in 19 languages. They includeThe New York Times bestseller Why Men Are the Way They Are, and the international bestseller The Myth of Male Power. Dr. Farrell presented the findings of The Boy Crisis (2018) worldwide, from the White House to the Norwegian Parliament. It was a catalyst for bipartisan legislation for father involvement in Florida. He is currently working on The Man Crisis.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 233 | In the last episode of the Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas, Hameed explores the themes he introduced in the later chapters of his new book, The Inner Beloved. Hameed clarifies the role of mind on the path of heart (the mind is bedazzled and awed; the heart open), and details what happens when we reach the beloved, like “falling in love with everything” and experiencing the absolute as a “coming home” (even though there’s no one there!). We learn that, on the path of love, no matter what we do or don’t do, a heart-driven force beyond the mind is pulling us onward. Once we arrive, we realize the beloved has always been there—which is why our heart has been longing for the beloved all along.

Hameed explains that on the path of love, nonduality becomes intimacy—reality itself is pure intimacy, he says—and in fact, the nonbeingness of the beloved is the ultimate truth of reality. In a state of mystical poverty, we discover that all we are and have ever been has been borrowed from the beloved. The culmination of this Path of Love Series ends very beautifully, the love and intimacy of the beloved pervading Hameed’s words and the images he conjures for us. “The world is simply the luminosity of the beloved,” Hameed says. In listening to him, we share in some of the wonderful sense of coming home he experienced, a little of the radiant luminosity, too, and his own ongoing excitement over the ever unfolding mystery of the divine. Recorded April 9, 2026.

“We can be in the lap of the beloved and still enjoy life—loving everything from that place.”

Topics & Time Stamps Introducing the 4th dialogue in the Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas, focusing on the role of mind and the culmination of the path (00:49) * On the path of love you are heart-driven by forces that mind cannot fathom (01:39) * Hameed’s experience of falling in love with everything and experiencing the absolute as if “coming home” (03:00) * The mind is bedazzled by the Mystery and recognizes its limitation in relation to the heart (08:20) * When you get there, you realize the beloved has always been there (11:46) * Emptiness beyond normal emptiness: Hameed calls this “absence” (13:05) * The great liberation: where there’s nothing more to dissolve (17:18) * As we are pulled, the love deepens & intensifies; we drown in the passion (22:06) * Mystical poverty: the soul recognizes all of its qualities are borrowed from the beloved (25:05) * What is right relationship between the realized heart and a healthy mind? (25:51) * Krishnamurti would talk about no mind—but he was always using mind (28:40) * Cutting through illusion & Hameed’s transmission from Manjushri (30:29) * True mind: knowing in the moment (38:43) * Dissolving dichotomies into wholeness: the world is simply the luminosity of the beloved (43:31) * The ultimate truth of reality: the nonbeingness of the beloved (50:21) * When tantra is enhanced by real love, then you can dissolve into the vastness (53:30) * Stabilizing the realization is the second stage, actualizing the realization and not going back to the “doer” is the third stage (58:51) * The dissolution of self doesn’t necessarily last: humility is an important step towards making the realization more constant (01:00:46) * Nonbeing is the essence of intimacy: being completely one with the inner beloved (01:03:43) * On the path of love, nonduality becomes intimacy; reality itself is pure intimacy (01:06:22)*

For fans of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, the Wisdom Series, based on Hameed’s book The Inner Journey Home, will be continued in June 2026.

Resources & References A. H. Almaas, The Inner Beloved: The Heart’s Journey to Divine Unity * Previous Deep Transformation Path of Love dialogues: Entering the Path of Heart, Emptying the Heart of All that Obscures the Inner Beloved & Dissolving into Bliss: The Ecstasy of Ego Death * Kabir, Indian mystic and poet, Songs of Kabir * Rumi, The Book of Love: Poems of Ecstasy and Longing * Fakhr al-Din Iraqi, Persian Sufi poet, Divine Flashes * St. John of the Cross, The Dark Night of the Soul * Krishnamurti, Indian spiritual figure, speaker, and writer * Manjushri, bodhisattva of discriminating wisdom, wielding the sword of discrimination * Avalokiteśvara, principle bodhisattva in Buddhism, associated with Great Compassion * Vajrapāṇi, principal bodhisattva in Mahayana & Vajrayana Buddhism, embodying the condensed power, energy, and strength of all the Buddhas * Jigme Lingpa, a central figure in the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism * Proclus, Neoplatonic philosopher who hierarchically structures all levels of reality, including the complex subdivisions of the intellect * Huston Smith, “The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder,” from Beyond the Post-Modern Mind*

Deep Transformation’s Path of Love Series with A. H. AlmaasDeep Transformation’s Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas begins with an overview of Hameed Ali’s Love Trilogy — Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, and The Inner Beloved — to orient us on the spiritual path of love unique to Hameed Ali and the Diamond Approach, then delves into the profound and deeply touching topics Hameed addresses in his most recent book, The Inner Beloved, published in February 2026. Listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this extraordinary path of awakening. Also, if you are interested in taking a course on The Inner Beloved in the fall of 2026, you can register your interest here: https://da.pages.ontraport.net/inner-beloved-interest.

Special Diamond Approach Course Discount for Deep Transformation ListenersIf you are interested in taking a course offered by Diamond Approach Online, Hameed’s team at the Ridhwan School have offered a special 20% discount for Deep Transformation listeners. You can access the Course Catalog here: https://online.diamondapproach.org/catalog/. And enter the code DTP20 to receive your discount when you sign up.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 232 | In this potent and profound conversation, Zen teachers, Integral Facilitators, and conflict mediators, Diane Musho Hamilton and her student and co-author Gabriel Wilson, eloquently reveal the practical benefits of a life founded on contemplative practice. What they bring home so effectively—both in this conversation and in their new book, Waking Up and Growing Up—is how much we have to gain from an interface of traditional Zen and contemporary knowledge. “Buddhist practice is the most genius way to work with human suffering,” Diane says, and grounded in awareness of the fundamental oneness is where we want to be when engaging in social or political activism, or when facing any kind of conflict. “It’s the evolution of consciousness and the attendant set of skills to support that,” she continues. We can awaken to an awareness of our true nature, and then take up the gauntlet of growing up—“straight up maturation, straight-up ego development.”

In fact, what Gabe calls Diane’s “experiment” is nothing less than evolving the 2,500-year-old tradition of Zen, preserving and innovating, holding on to the wisdom, power, and grace of the tradition while bringing in the contributions of the West: psychology, shadow work, neuroscience, emotional development, and stage-appropriate interpersonal skills. Also, how to make sense of power dynamics, work with authority, and allow being pushed out of our comfort zone. A testament to Diane and Gabe’s own inner work, this groundbreaking conversation is inspiring and impactful, punctuated with deep, personal, experiential wisdom from both guests that speaks directly to how we can best wake up, grow up, and show up in this challenging world of ours. Recorded July 24, 2025.

“There’s nothing like sitting with what is to prepare you to be with what is.”

Topics & Time Stamps Introducing Zen teachers, authors, and Integral Facilitators, Diane Musho Hamilton & Gabriel Wilson (00:44) * What drew Gabe to Zen, and what lack did he feel Waking Up and Growing Up would fill? (01:35) * Evolving the Zen tradition: what do we need, particularly in western Buddhism, that we’re not finding? (05:26) * Using Ken Wilber’s framework of waking up and growing up (08:50) * What does “waking up” really mean? (10:02) * Practice IS enlightenment: the awakened mind is only found in the here and now (12:23) * There’s nothing like sitting with what is to prepare you to be with what will come (17:30) * The realization that there’s no big opening to be had (23:05) * What does “growing up” mean? (24:07) * Providing students with interpersonal skills to accommodate their evolving levels of development (27:00) * Writing for the younger generations: how to make sense of power dynamics, work with authority & allow being pushed out of your comfort zone (31:15) * The wisdom of learning from those who have gone before us (34:49) * Growing the capacity to deal with intensity in the moment (38:59) * The example of John Lewis: being inclusive of the ego but not limited by it (44:29) * How do we respond to what’s happening without imagining it shouldn’t be happening? (49:15) * Holding the vision that we are fundamentally one when we engage in social activism (51:18) * Be wary of using aggression in the name of love (54:11) * Within the container of conventional religious traditions, developmental tasks are different for each stage (59:40) * The teacher/student relationship cuts both ways (01:07:21) * Preserving and evolving the Zen tradition for today’s world (01:08:55) * Buddhist practice is the most genius way to work with human suffering (01:13:40) * Looking to the future: are we innovating too much? (01:16:24) * A lot of technology is racing us to the bottom of our brainstem; where we put our attention is important (01:20:32)*

Resources & References Diane Musho Hamilton, co-founder of Two Arrows Zen Center * Gabriel Wilson, founder of Freedom & Fairness * Diane Hamilton & Gabriel Wilson, Waking Up and Growing Up: Spiritual Cross-Training for an Evolving World * Diane Hamilton, The Zen of You and Me: A Guide to Getting Along with Just About Everyone * Diane Hamilton, Gabriel Wilson & Kimberly Loh, Compassionate Conversations: How to Speak and Listen from the Heart * Ken Wilber, Welcome to the Integral Approach (Integral Life website) * Ken Wilber, Finding Radical Wholeness (where Ken expounds his “waking up, growing up, cleaning up, showing up” model * Deep Transformation’s A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series * Dōgen Zenji, “Practice is enlightenment” (from the Fukan zazengi) * Joanna Macy (1929-2025), environmental activist, author, and scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory & deep ecology * Sam Harris, philosopher, neuroscientist, author & podcast host * John Lewis interview with On Being’s Krista Tippett: Love in Action * What is Buddha? Zen koan (case 21) in The Gateless Gate: Classic Book of Zen Koans * The Hidden Lamp: Stories from Twenty-Five Centuries of Awakened Women, edited by Zenshin Florence Caplow, Reigetsu Susan Moon * Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology*

Diane Musho Hamilton is an award-winning mediator and a teacher of Zen meditation. Diane served as the Director of Dispute Resolution for the Utah Judiciary from 1994 – 1999, mediating many matters, from simple neighborhood disputes to complex, multi-party negotiations. She was most recognized for her skills in facilitating difficult conversations about race, gender, and religion in Utah. She began working with Ken Wilber and the Integral Institute in 2004 and has held transformative containers for people interested in their development for more than twenty years. Diane is the co-founder of Two Arrows Zen, a Buddhist practice center in Utah, and is the author of four books: Everything Is Workable, The Zen of You & Me, Compassionate Conversations, and, most recently, Waking Up and Growing Up: Spiritual Cross-Training for an Evolving World.

Gabe Wilson is the founder of Freedom & Fairness, an executive coach, facilitator, and conflict mediator whose work sits at the intersection of organizational leadership, adult development, and contemplative practice. He is a monk in the Soto Zen lineage at Two Arrows Zen Center and a certified Integral Facilitator. Gabe co-authored Compassionate Conversations: How to Speak and Listen from the Heart and Waking Up and Growing Up: Spiritual Cross-Training for an Evolving World with Diane Musho Hamilton, and holds a master’s degree from Stanford in Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies.

Note to Listeners: A Change in Our Podcast Release ScheduleStarting with this episode, Deep Transformation is changing to a new release schedule. Going forward we will release one full, undivided episode every other Thursday at the usual time (5 a.m. Eastern Time). No more part 1 and part 2 of each episode weekly! We hope you will enjoy having the full episode available to listen at your convenience and won’t miss having a new release every week. If you would like to comment on this change, please email us at support@deeptransformation.io. Thank you so much for all your support. In gratitude, the Deep Transformation Team

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 231 (Part 2 of 2) | In Part 2 of Deep Transformation’s third dialogue in the Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas, Hameed Ali relates what happens on the path of return, after we have experienced dissolving into the radiance of the absolute. In following the path of heart (as opposed to the path of mind), we discover that in addition to pure emptiness, the absolute has (in its beingness aspect) a quality of consciousness that is pure intimacy. “The beloved is intimate with all things in the universe: intimate with people, with the rocks, with the stars… because its nature pervades everything.” Upon returning to the world, we find the universe has become the radiance of the beloved and ordinary life becomes full of love. That said, we may experience a great fear of losing our awakened realization, Hameed adds, which can further stir up old woundings which still need to be faced.

Back in the world, as the embodied beloved, do you feel compassion for other people’s suffering? co-host John Dupuy wonders. The extent of the compassion is almost unimaginable, Hameed answers. There is vast empathy for all the suffering in the world, and especially for the deep suffering underlying it all that is caused by people not knowing their inner truth. It is by giving the beloved the opportunity to appear and know itself as we live our lives that we love and serve the inner beloved, Hameed continues. He explains that awareness is the beloved witnessing its creation, and that the emptiness aspect of the beloved, emphasized in Buddhism and on the path of mind, brings a searing clarity to our experience. A beautiful conversation, in which co-host Roger Walsh remarks that the presence of the inner beloved seems to be increasingly reflected in these dialogues as they unfold. Perhaps you will feel it too. Recorded January 29, 2026.

“Regardless of what we think and feel, at our essence we are love.”

​Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 The path of return: the fear of losing the beloved (00:34) * Old wounds come up bringing more fear; you have to welcome all the wounding (01:24) * Upon return, ordinary life becomes full of love—can this be translated into a scientific or mathematical theory? (02:26) * Service is giving the inner beloved the opportunity to appear & know itself (04:47) * The depth of compassion felt for the suffering of the world is almost unimaginable (06:50) * If you don’t work things out, you can’t live in this world as the deity (10:47) * The beloved is intimate with all things in the universe because its nature pervades everything (11:49) * The primal cavity: the deep wish to go into dark, black emptiness (15:39) * What is the relation between love and compassion? (19:36) * The heart is just there for the beloved—the throne of the beloved (22:15) * The more hatred and aggression, the more the disconnection (25:05) * Witnessing: awareness is the beloved witnessing its creation (26:48) * Realizing the emptiness: the radiance of the darkness is the essence of awareness (28:07) * The feeling tone of these dialogues increasingly reflects the presence of the inner beloved (29:50) * There is a lot more in the book The Inner Beloved, including conversations with Hameed’s students & exercises, that hasn’t been discussed (31:07) * At our essence we are love: moving towards heart is the inherent potential of humanity (32:23)*

Resources & References – Part 2 A. H. Almaas, The Inner Beloved: The Heart’s Journey to Divine Unity * Previous Deep Transformation Path of Love dialogues: Entering the Path of Heart, Emptying the Heart of All that Obscures the Inner Beloved & Dissolving into Bliss * Ramakrishna, Hindu mystic * “I was a hidden treasure and wanted to be known” is the beginning of probably the most famous hadith qudsi or extra-Qur’anic Word of God * Longchenpa: A Guide For Readers (Shambhala)*

Deep Transformation’s Path of Love Series with A. H. AlmaasDeep Transformation’s Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas begins with an overview of Hameed Ali’s Love Trilogy — Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, and The Inner Beloved — to orient us on the spiritual path of love unique to Hameed Ali and the Diamond Approach, then delves into the profound and deeply touching topics Hameed addresses in his most recent book, The Inner Beloved, published in February 2026. Listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this extraordinary path of awakening. Also, if you are interested in taking a course on The Inner Beloved in the fall of 2026, you can register your interest here: https://da.pages.ontraport.net/inner-beloved-interest.

Special Diamond Approach Course Discount for Deep Transformation ListenersIf you are interested in taking a course offered by Diamond Approach Online, Hameed’s team at the Ridhwan School have offered a special 20% discount for Deep Transformation listeners. You can access the Course Catalog here: https://online.diamondapproach.org/catalog/. And enter the code DTP20 to receive your discount when you sign up.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 230 (Part 1 of 2) | The third dialogue in the Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas opens with co-host Roger Walsh commenting that in reading Hameed’s most recent book, The Inner Beloved, he is struck by how different the Diamond Approach’s path of love is from those in other traditions. Hameed explains that, indeed, his path is different in that it addresses the sequence of events on the path of love systematically, using contemporary psychological language to describe the difficulties and barriers that arise, and further, that he includes not only obstacles that come up in the mind (concepts and beliefs), but emotional pain and woundings, abandonments and betrayals, which is something other traditions don’t often talk about. Why are our hearts not open? Because opening to such painful emotions is scary; our fear blocks us from opening to the vastness of divine love. The secret to moving forward on the path of love, Hameed says, is to love more intensely, more deeply. Love itself is the fuel that gets us through the obstacles to union with the inner beloved.

Hameed speaks of the “death wish” that happens along the path, referring to our desire to dissolve completely into the beloved. “The deep heart loves the prospect of melting away and being nothing, being annihilated, completely absorbed into the beloved,” he explains. The death wish is a common reference in other paths of love, too—the Buddha calls this annihilation of self “emptiness”—and interestingly, Freud recognized it as a universal human characteristic, calling it the nirvana principle. “A deep intuition resides in every human heart,” Hameed continues, “a need for unification with what we love.” This can be small things—chocolate ice cream, our cell phone—which are legitimate objects of love, but in the end, only the inner beloved calls. Once again, Hameed gifts us with an illuminating teaching about the path of love, our desire for nonbeing, the hidden essence of love, and the integration of all we have let go of that happens after we awaken—all coming directly from his own lived experience. Recorded January 29, 2026.

“It is inherent to the human being… the movement to dissolve into bliss, into the beloved.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing the 3rd dialogue in the Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas, where we continue to explore Hameed’s latest book, The Inner Beloved (00:41) * How Hameed’s path of love differs from other traditions (02:03) * One difference is Hameed addresses the sequence of events on the path of love systematically, using psychological language to describe the difficulties & barriers that arise (05:27) * On this path, obstacles are not just in the mind but include woundings that occur in relationships (08:09) * After union with the beloved comes integration; here is where the nondual connection between the beloved and the world comes in (09:52) * The state of desirelessness (10:36) * The death wish: the yearning to be completely absorbed into the beloved (11:58) * Freud called this deep, universal death wish in humans the nirvana principle (13:53) * Buddha called this annihilation of self “emptiness” (18:28) * The secret to moving the process along is to intensify our love (20:26) * A deep intuition resides in every human heart: a need for unification with what you love (22:46) * There is a kind of love where the yearning and wanting is just as ecstatic as loving itself—this is the hidden essence of love (26:45) * Why are some called to the path of love yet others keep grasping for more substitute gratification? (28:50) * There are 4 paths of yoga but the end is the same; the 4 suits of the tarot tell the stages of each yoga path (30:27) * Coming out of the divine “coma,” the whole world is ablaze with love (33:02) * The descent is not a loss of the realization, it is a further integration of what we have let go of (35:10)*

Resources & References – Part 1 A. H. Almaas, The Inner Beloved: The Heart’s Journey to Divine Unity * Previous Deep Transformation Path of Love dialogues: Entering the Path of Heart & Emptying the Heart of All that Obscures the Inner Beloved * Plato’s Symposium * Freud’s nirvana principle was introduced in Beyond the Pleasure Principle * His Holiness the Dalai Lama & Thubten Chodron speak about the absence of inherent existence in Searching for the Self * Ken Wilber’s core text on substitute gratification is in The Atman Project: A Transpersonal View of Human Development * The 4 paths of yoga: Karma, Bhakti, Raja and Jnana (Yoga Easy) * Mystical Origins of the Tarot by Paul Huson * St. John of the Cross writes about ascent in Ascent of Mount Carmel and descent in The Dark Night of the Soul*

Deep Transformation’s Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas

Deep Transformation’s Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas begins with an overview of Hameed Ali’s Love Trilogy — Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, and The Inner Beloved — to orient us on the spiritual path of love unique to Hameed Ali and the Diamond Approach, then delves into the profound and deeply touching topics Hameed addresses in his most recent book, The Inner Beloved, published in February 2026. Listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this extraordinary path of awakening. Also, if you are interested in taking a course on The Inner Beloved in the fall of 2026, you can register your interest here: https://da.pages.ontraport.net/inner-beloved-interest.

Special Diamond Approach Course Discount for Deep Transformation Listeners

If you are interested in taking a course offered by Diamond Approach Online, Hameed’s team at the Ridhwan School have offered a special 20% discount for Deep Transformation listeners. You can access the Course Catalog here: https://online.diamondapproach.org/catalog/. And enter the code DTP20 to receive your discount when you sign up.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 229 (Part 2 of 2) | In part 2 of our What is Real Greatness Series podcast with Margaret Cullen, author of Quiet Strength, Margaret continues to enlighten us about equanimity: its power, its wisdom, and its practice. She relates some of the history of equanimity—first considered a supreme virtue in Stoicism, then passed on to Sufism and Judaism—and explains that throughout time, equanimity (and humility) have always been an integral part of people who have made a true difference in the world. Margaret talks about how humor can break the spell of our trance (“when we lose equanimity, we get caught in a trance, believing in something that has us prisoner—humor breaks the spell”), and, in the spirit of “The Serenity Prayer” (“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference”), she encourages us to make peace with what we can realistically do and let the rest go.

While Part 1 of this dialogue focuses on the power of equanimity in relation to the big picture and what is going on now politically, in Part 2 Margaret looks at practicing equanimity in personal relationships and in our individual lives. She marvels at Thoreau’s equanimous approach to his own death, and shares that she has found forgiveness to be the most important equanimity tool in relationships. “We reclaim our wisdom when we say ‘I’m sorry,’” Margaret explains. Margaret’s deep and nuanced understanding of the power and practice of equanimity is inspiring and illuminating, and bringing this virtue to our attention as a pragmatic tool we can use is also incredibly timely, leaving us with a sense of hope and empowerment. Recorded January 14, 2026.

“What aids in my equanimity more than anything else is self-forgiveness.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Welcome teacher, what am I supposed to be learning? (00:59) * How humor can break the spell that holds us prisoner (03:03) * The relationship between equanimity and peace (05:17) * The praise and blame algorithm has exponentially increased our reactivity (08:14) * Equanimity was a supreme virtue in Stoicism; the Stoics passed it on to the Sufis, who passed it on to Judaism (11:11) * Thoreau’s equanimous approach to death (12:24) * Nature’s effect on one’s equanimity (13:29) * Equanimity is an integral part of true change makers, also humility (14:27) * What practice would Margaret most recommend to cultivate equanimity? (17:19) * Making peace with what you can do and letting the rest go (21:03) * Practicing equanimity in relationships (22:13) * Using self-forgiveness as an equanimity tool (23:44) * In relationships, softening where we’re most triggered helps more than imposing ideals of how we should be (26:25) * One key flavor of equanimity is non-defensiveness (28:51)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Margaret Cullen, Quiet Strength: Find Peace, Feel Alive, and Love Boundlessly Through the Power of Equanimity * Swami Beyondanda on the Deep Transformation podcast: Laugh Yourself Sane, Enlighten Up & Awaken to Cosmic Comic Consciousness * Maimonides introduced the concept of equanimity to Judaism * Stoicism, a philosophical movement & practical guide to living originating in ancient Greece * When asked about facing death, Thoreau said, “One world at a time.” Henrietta Christian Wright, American Men of Letters * Sri Aurobindo, The Synthesis of Yoga * Sufi teacher Habīb Boerger, “Rather than making the ego your boss, make it your personal assistant” * The Serenity Prayer (Reinhold Niebuhr’s original version) * Richard Davidson & Daniel Goleman, Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body * Paul & Eve Ekman’s Cultivating Emotional Balance training*

“We could not help contrasting the equanimity of Nature with the bustle and impatience of man. His words and actions presume always a crisis near at hand, but she is forever silent and unpretending.” – Henry David Thoreau

Margaret Cullen, a Licensed Psychotherapist (MFT), has been at the cutting edge of translating contemplative trainings into universal and accessible formats in mainstream settings ranging from elite military to maximum security prisons. She was one of the first certified Teachers of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR); is the founder of Mindfulness-Based Emotional Balance; and is co-developer of Compassion Cultivation Training at the Stanford School of Medicine (with Thupten Jinpa). Margaret also co-developed Mindfulness Based Attention Training for military spouses with neuroscientist Amishi Jha at the University of Miami, and is the founder of Compassion Corps, offering free compassion and mindfulness programs to under-resourced communities around the world. Margaret is a Fellow of the Mind & Life Institute.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 228 (Part 1 of 2) | In part 1 of our second What is Real Greatness Series podcast, Margaret Cullen, author of the newly published book Quiet Strength: Find Peace, Feel Alive, and Love Boundlessly Through the Power of Equanimity, explains there is far more power in the virtue of equanimity than we may have thought. Because equanimity is associated with non-reactivity, people often confuse it with a neutral sort of feeling, a dampener of emotions, when actually, equanimity allows us to expand our capacity to feel; it widens our tolerance and empowers us to be comfortable with change. “Equanimity is big enough to include our broken, despairing hearts,” Margaret says. “We can hold a vision of equanimity that is completely inclusive of the human experience.” Practicing equanimity allows us to deepen our love—for the world and for others—without becoming attached.

Margaret shares practical ways we can access equanimity—ways we can achieve conceptual clarity or a “wedge of spaciousness” when a moment has been hijacked by out-of-control emotions; how we can learn to turn directly and fully to what is arising in the moment; and how we can unhook from reactivity by not taking things too personally. “How can we respond heroically to the times we live in?” co-host John Dupuy asks. Margaret shares what she has learned teaching military units and special forces to cultivate equanimity—equanimity can save lives—and describes a compassion cultivation training program that has been established for police officers in California. Takeaways from this discussion may have important, powerful, timely effects on your life—and all of our lives; as John put it, “Never before have we had such a need for the medicine Margaret brings us.” Recorded January 14, 2026.

“How do we care about this world that is in so much trouble without feeling overwhelmed? The answer is equanimity.“

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing podcast #2 in our What is Real Greatness Series with Margaret Cullen, psychotherapist, meditation & compassion cultivation trainer, author of Quiet Strength: Find Peace, Feel Alive, and Love Boundlessly Through the Power of Equanimity (00:48) * What is equanimity and how did Margaret begin to experience it? (03:07) * Coming to understand we don’t have control over the happiness of our loved ones (07:27) * Finding a way to deepen our love without attachment (11:21) * How can we respond heroically to the times we live in? (13:21) * Equanimity is wisdom; wisdom is equanimity (17:16) * Equanimity is big enough to include our broken, despairing hearts—we can hold a vision of equanimity that is completely inclusive of the human experience (18:11) * Ways to access equanimity: perspective taking (22:12) * Remembering the reality of impermanence (26:18) * Unhooking from reactivity: Am I taking things too personally? (26:31) * Cultivating equanimity in the military can make a huge difference—it can save lives (30:55) * Compassion cultivation training program for police officers (32:51) * The reframing technique & the power of turning directly to what is arising in the moment (37:31) * Emotions are packed with important information for us; we gradually learn we can turn towards an emotion and survive it (38:28) * Studies show that when subjected to provocative stimuli, practiced meditators actually feel more than other people (40:03)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Margaret Cullen, Quiet Strength: Find Peace, Feel Alive, and Love Boundlessly Through the Power of Equanimity * Margaret Cullen founded Compassion Corps, offering free compassion & mindfulness training to under-resourced communities around the world; co-developed Compassion Cultivation Training at Stanford University, and is a founding faculty of the Compassion Institute * Chögyam Trungpa, preeminent teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, founded Naropa University * Sharon Salzburg, co-founder of the Barre Insight Meditation Society * Dr. Dan Siegel’s window of tolerance is described in ​​The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are * Joseph Goldstein, co-founder of the Barre Insight Meditation Society, on Deep Transformation: Living on the Spiritual Edge * Amishi Jha & Elizabeth Stanley, pioneers of bringing mindfulness into the military * Courageous Heart, compassion cultivation training program for police officers in California * Chief Ryan Johansen & former officer Chris Orrey on Deep Transformation: Enlightened Ways to Make Policing Work For Everyone * Paul & Eve Ekman’s Cultivating Emotional Balance training * Richard Davidson & Daniel Goleman, Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body * James Baraz on the Deep Transformation podcast: Awakening Joy*

Margaret Cullen, a Licensed Psychotherapist (MFT), has been at the cutting edge of translating contemplative trainings into universal and accessible formats in mainstream settings ranging from elite military to maximum security prisons. She was one of the first certified Teachers of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR); is the founder of Mindfulness-Based Emotional Balance; and is co-developer of Compassion Cultivation Training at the Stanford School of Medicine (with Thupten Jinpa). Margaret also co-developed Mindfulness Based Attention Training for military spouses with neuroscientist Amishi Jha at the University of Miami, and is the founder of Compassion Corps, offering free compassion and mindfulness programs to under-resourced communities around the world. Margaret is a Fellow of the Mind & Life Institute.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 227 (Part 2 of 2) | In Part 2 of Deep Transformation’s second Path of Love Series dialogue, A. H. Almaas explains that the inner beloved is at work in our hearts, pulling us irresistibly nearer as we venture forward on the path of love. The force comes and pulls us, he says, melts us and overwhelms us—sometimes with wounding and sometimes with ecstasy. Our great love for the inner beloved ultimately dissolves our attachments to other, smaller beloveds, which can be big things—family, friends, teachers—or little things: ice cream, cake, our favorite movie star. But our heart isn’t going to be happy until it meets the beloved face to face, Hameed assures us. Then, after emptying our heart, when we finally behold the inner beloved, love becomes the nature of the whole universe. Now our relationships are expressions of the inner beloved, and we find we love everything.

What makes the Diamond Approach’s path of love unique is that it uses love and inquiry combined to penetrate the obstacles that arise along the path. Thus, obstacles are not only burnt away through sheer devotion but also understood and recognized for what they are. Hameed also explains the difference between spiritual poverty of the soul and mystical poverty of the heart, between realization of the absolute via the path of mind versus the path of love, that nonduality is an outer expression of the inner beloved, and describes his own astonishing experience of “thunder and lightning in the heart” on this path. Towards the end of the conversation, Hameed reminds us that when we feel love, that is the beginning. Take the love itself rather than the object of the love, he says, and let it get bigger, let it get deeper, see where it takes you. Recorded January 8, 2026.

“The beloved is the source of love and what loves everything.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 21. The path of love also has many joys and rewards (00:30) 2. The experience of the absolute on this path is distinctly about love (02:41) 3. The Diamond Approach’s inquiry practice allows us to understand the obstacles that arise (05:11) 4. Relationship can be a path on its own, but it’s not the same as the path of love, where outer relationships are disengaged from (09:30) 5. Mystical poverty: when the heart has nothing left in it, only the inner beloved (12:53) 6. The inner beloved is a jealous lover (13:44) 7. When we finally behold the inner beloved, we find we love everything (14:18) 8. Hameed’s experience of thunder & lightning in the heart (15:23) 9. The inner beloved is the source of love, the source of the universe (17:10) 10. Nonduality is an outer expression of the inner beloved (17:40) 11. Love has a magnetic component to it; the inner beloved wants to be one with us (21:19) 12. Mystical poverty is a relinquishment of all competing loves; love is what melts the attachments (23:46) 13. Mystical poverty of the soul is not the same as mystical poverty of the heart (25:40) 14. We need to remember the mystery of the inner beloved (28:05) 15. The soul is an experiential lens for perceiving inner truth (28:52) 16. When we feel love, that’s the beginning; let it get bigger, let it get deeper, see where it takes you (30:22) 17. Love is the most powerful force in the spiritual universe (30:44)

For fans of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, the Wisdom Series, based on Hameed’s book The Inner Journey Home, will be continued later this spring.

Resources & References – Part 21. A. H. Almaas, The Inner Beloved: The Heart’s Journey to Divine Unity 2. Poet Longchenpa only rarely talks about love and beauty, Finding Rest in the Nature of the Mind 3. Ramakrishna, Hindu mystic devoted to Kali 4. Advaita Vedanta 5. A Course in Miracles, a path which focuses on relationships 6. St. John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night of the Soul

Deep Transformation’s Path of Love Series with A. H. AlmaasDeep Transformation’s Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas begins with an overview of Hameed Ali’s Love Trilogy — Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, and The Inner Beloved — to orient us on the spiritual path of love unique to Hameed Ali and the Diamond Approach, then delves into the profound and deeply touching topics Hameed addresses in his most recent book, The Inner Beloved, published in February 2026. Listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this extraordinary path of awakening. Also, if you are interested in taking a course on The Inner Beloved in the fall of 2026, you can register your interest here: https://da.pages.ontraport.net/inner-beloved-interest.

Special Diamond Approach Course Discount for Deep Transformation Listeners

If you are interested in taking a course offered by Diamond Approach Online, Hameed’s team at the Ridhwan School have offered a special 20% discount for Deep Transformation listeners. You can access the Course Catalog here: https://online.diamondapproach.org/catalog/. And enter the code DTP20 to receive your discount when you sign up.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 226 (Part 1 of 2) | In Part 1 of Deep Transformation’s second Path of Love Series dialogue with A. H. Almaas, we learn what a spiritual journey on the path of love entails: particularly, emptying our heart so it can discover the deepest inner truth, the inner beloved. “Most of the path of love has to do with emptying the heart with love and yearning combined to burn through all the idols which stand for the inner beloved,” Hameed says. “The heart knows it loves something deeper than itself… and it pains it that it is separate from it.” There are other paths of awakening, for example, the Buddhist way is largely the path of mind, but for Hameed it was the path of heart that took center stage and revealed its secrets.

The path of love is not methodical or intentional—it just happens, Hameed continues. The beloved works on the heart, works on the soul, and throws itself nearer—and it’s in this nearness that you encounter all the obstacles that keep you from uniting with the beloved. Longtime practitioner, co-host Roger Walsh mentions that the exercises included in Hameed’s latest book, The Inner Beloved, intended to help us remove our blocks to perceiving the inner beloved, have worked a treat for him, opening him up in a new way to where his practice feels more flowing and easeful than before. “Love is sorely needed these days on earth,” Hameed concludes, “as our hearts are full of garbage—wounding, hatred, envy. But there is an organ in the soul—the heart—which has its own dynamic: yearning, love, intensity, and passion that penetrate the barriers and dissolve them.” Another deeply moving and illuminating conversation with co-founder of the Diamond Approach, Hameed Ali. Recorded January 8, 2026.

“Love is a much bigger force for a human being than any other thing.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 11. Introducing the 2nd dialogue in the Path of Love Series, focusing on A. H. Almaas’ latest book: The Inner Beloved (00:40) 2. Most of this path towards discovering our inner nature has to do with emptying the heart (02:48) 3. There are other paths of awakening, but for Hameed the path of love took center stage (06:53) 4. Getting a taste of the inner beloved early on can become the seed of our inner longing (08:41) 5. Can we have a second person relationship with the inner beloved? (09:55) 6. The path of love has to do with yearning and with feeling “nearer”—some traditions even have words for different degrees of nearness (11:16) 7. Even after realizing absolute truth, the heart continues to need emptying; we haven’t yet recognized the inner beloved (14:47) 8. The path of love isn’t for everybody; for Buddhists, it’s the path of the mind (18:04) 9. In Hameed’s book, there are powerful exercises to remove blocks to perceiving the inner beloved—these worked a treat for Roger (19:07) 10. The heart is a subtle organ of the soul with its own dynamic: yearning, love, intensity & passion that penetrate the barriers and dissolve them (22:34) 11. The suffering people go through is inevitable without pursuing the spiritual path to its final stages (25:21) 12. Great fears come up: of losing our love for our loved ones & our love for the world (29:26) 13. We encounter our deep woundings on the path of love; it’s not an easy path (33:00) 14. The path of love is not methodical or intentional—it just happens (33:46) 15. The beloved throws itself nearer, and in that nearness you encounter all your obstacles (34:41) 16. Our hearts are full of garbage… love is sorely needed these days on earth (35:10)

For fans of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, the Wisdom Series, based on Hameed’s book The Inner Journey Home, will be continued later in the spring.

Resources & References – Part 11. A. H. Almaas, The Inner Beloved: The Heart’s Journey to Divine Unity 2. A. H. Almaas, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart 3. A. H. Almaas, Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality 4. Rumi, The Book of Love: Poems of Ecstasy and Longing 5. Abraham Maslow wrote about meta-motives and meta-pathologies in Toward a Psychology of Being and The Farther Reaches of Human Nature 6. Poet Longchenpa only rarely talks about love and beauty, Finding Rest in the Nature of the Mind 7. Ramakrishna, Hindu mystic devoted to Kali

Deep Transformation’s Path of Love Series with A. H. AlmaasDeep Transformation’s Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas begins with an overview of Hameed Ali’s Love Trilogy — Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, and The Inner Beloved — to orient us on the spiritual path of love unique to Hameed Ali and the Diamond Approach, then delves into the profound and deeply touching topics Hameed addresses in his most recent book, The Inner Beloved, published in February 2026. Listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this extraordinary path of awakening. Also, if you are interested in taking a course on The Inner Beloved in the fall of 2026, you can register your interest here: https://da.pages.ontraport.net/inner-beloved-interest.

Special Diamond Approach Course Discount for Deep Transformation Listeners

If you are interested in taking a course offered by Diamond Approach Online, Hameed’s team at the Ridhwan School have offered a special 20% discount for Deep Transformation listeners. You can access the Course Catalog here: https://online.diamondapproach.org/catalog/. And enter the code DTP20 to receive your discount when you sign up.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 225 (Part 2 of 2) | In Part 2 of our eloquent, passionate, and humorous, dialogue with comedian John Fugelsang, author of the important and irreverent book, Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds, we come to understand what fundamentalism is, and what it signifies for our culture, our politics, and our future. John outlines five common features that characterize fundamentalism across religious traditions, pointing out that fundamentalist Christians have more in common with fundamentalist Muslims than they do with moderate and liberal Christians. “I go after fundamentalists of all religions,” John says, “because it’s turning people off to faith—ruining Christianity, ruining Islam, ruining Judaism.” This is the tragedy for John and what fuels his passion for calling out the hypocrites who do hateful things in the name of religion.

John also enlightens us as to what Christian nationalism is all about, starting way back: “In the U.S., our history of Christianity is inseparable from our history of white supremacy.” Christian nationalism’s religion is power—a gospel of domination over love. Authoritarian leaders and their followers all worship power, he continues, and fills us in on how Christian nationalism is playing out in Russia now. John’s own message is not hateful; his intention is to make it clear that Jesus always taught love and kindness; to suggest that if the Church wants to survive, it needs to go back to the teachings of Jesus; and to help us come together in a common understanding of fundamental values. “It’s hard to love the bigot in your family,” John says. But we can “…hold to the deepest values, the most love, and do what needs to be done with love. We can’t hate the haters back, but we have to beat them without hating them—that’s the challenge.” Recorded December 18, 2025.

“The greatest tragedy to me is when people think that something is religion and don’t realize it’s just fundamentalism.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 21. Fundamentalist Christians have more in common with fundamentalist Muslims than they do with moderate & liberal Christians (00:39) 2. 5 common features of fundamentalism across traditions: women are inferior, violence is okay, punishment over healing & a victimhood complex (00:51) 3. MLK was deeply unpopular at the time of his death—just like Jesus (03:43) 4. Every generation there’s a new word to smear the virtues of love, empathy & caring for others (05:01) 5. Christian nationalism: a gospel of domination over love (07:59) 6. Prosperity gospel: God will reward you if you give to our Church (09:50) 7. Christian nationalism in Russia (13:47) 8. Authoritarian leaders & followers all worship power (15:34) 9. If the Church wants to survive, they need to go back to the teachings of Jesus (17:28) 10. Recreating Jesus as a white guy led to centuries of racism and cruelty (19:55) 11. Using the Bible as camouflage: most people haven’t read it & figure others haven’t either (21:06) 12. What weirdness in the Bible stands out most for John? (26:02) 13. Growing up, it seemed normal that Christianity was about love & helping people who don’t look like you (29:45) 14. It’s hard to love the bigot in your family (30:58) 15. We can’t hate the haters back, but we have to beat them without hating them—that’s the challenge (33:04) 16. Abortion has redefined Christianity, but the Bible never mentions anything against it (34:35)

Resources & References – Part 21. John Fugelsang, Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds 2. John Fugelsang’s SiriusXM show: Tell Me Everything 3. John Fugelsang’s podcast: The Sanity-Cast 4. King in the Wilderness, documentary about Martin Luther King focused on the final two years of his life 5. Jerry Falwell, televangelist & conservative activist 6. Freedom From Religion 2026 Convention 7. Prosperity theology 8. Matthew 25 9. Sharon Salzberg, renowned meditation teacher

John Fugelsang is the author of the New York Times bestseller SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND HATE: A Sane Person’s Guide To Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds. He has been murdered on CSI and picketed by the Westboro Baptist Church. John is a Drama League–nominated actor, comedian, and broadcaster, who’s hosted many TV shows and podcasts, including the acclaimed Tell Me Everything series on SiriusXM Progress.

He got George Harrison to give his final performance on VH1, debated Jerry Falwell and David Duke, and made many appearances on MSNBC, FOX News, and CNN. His epic PBS road trip film on the American Dream, Dream On, directed by Roger Weisberg, was named Best Documentary at the New York Independent Film Festival. Fugelsang lives in New York City with his family.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 224 (Part 1 of 2) | John Fugelsang, author of the brilliant, irreverent book, Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds, talks eloquently about the difference between true Christianity as taught by Jesus and the hateful teachings of Christian nationalists and televangelists who are in it for the power and the money. John grew up with a clear notion of what Christianity should look like; his parents lived their faith grounded in peace, love, empathy, and service, dedicating their lives to helping people in need, no matter their color or differences. So John set out to take the Bible back from “small-minded, right-wing, nationalist racists,” because he finds it tragic that vast numbers of people are being alienated from faith altogether, and he wanted to give his readers arguments they could use to face off with right-wing Christians about what the Bible really says. Christians and atheists have told him his book validates all of their beliefs, and he has inspired crowds of atheists to cheer loudly for Jesus.

John is an actor, comedian, and talk show host, and his quick wit and well-informed, well-intentioned intellect make for a fast-paced, enjoyable, and educational foray into subjects such as how right-wing nationalists have made Christianity out to be a religion of condemnation and domination; how they quote Saint Paul, with all of his sex hangups and homophobia, rather than Jesus; and how it’s always been the Christ followers pushing back against authoritarian Christianity—adding that Jesus’ teachings are as threatening to authoritarian power today as they were 2,000 years ago. This is a timely, very important conversation about a subject that involves all of us: reclaiming the foundational values of love, humility, open-mindedness, and service. Recorded December 18, 2025.

“Jesus is not about condemnation or domination; his whole movement is about transformation.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 11. Introducing John Fugelsang, award-winning actor & comedian, author of Separation of Church and Hate (00:40) 2. Feeling your religion of peace and love has been hijacked by small-minded, right-wing, nationalist racists (02:59) 3. What was John’s experience writing Separation of Church and Hate? (05:15) 4. How could a religion of love be the same as the fundamentalist stuff we hear on televangelical TV? (08:58) 5. Religion didn’t invent hate, but hate has always found a home in religion (11:25) 6. It’s always been the Christ followers who push back against authoritarian Christianity (14:26) 7. It was Saint Paul—not Jesus—who was anti-woman, anti-gay, and a persecutor of Christians (16:51) 8. Hypocrisy is what outraged Jesus (21:51) 9. Right-wing Christianity does not care about the teachings of Christ, only about conservative Christian power (23:47) 10. The media never covers all the ways people of different religions get along just fine (26:29) 11. Showing our right-wing Christian relatives that Jesus is not an immigrant-hating homophobe in the Bible does more good than calling them out for being immigrant-hating homophobes (29:34) 12. Using scripture & nonviolence to shame frauds out of the Christian nationalism racket (31:50) 13. In the Bible, you can find anything you want to justify your actions (33:29) 14. How has John’s book been received? (35:46) 15. Fundamentalism in any religion means you know that God thinks you’re better than other people (38:19) 16. Fundamentalism is rooted in a particular stage of development where absolute beliefs—black & white, right & wrong—are what’s most important (40:13)

Resources & References – Part 11. John Fugelsang, Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds 2. John Fugelsang’s SiriusXM show: Tell Me Everything 3. John Fugelsang’s podcast: The Sanity-Cast 4. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, pastor who gave his life resisting Nazi Germany’s Christian nationalism 5. Paul the Apostle was born Saul of Tarsus 6. Bishop John Shelby Spong of Newark 7. Matthew 25 8. Senator Raphael Warlock uses scripture & nonviolence to shame frauds out of the racket of Christian nationalism

John Fugelsang is the author of the New York Times bestseller SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND HATE: A Sane Person’s Guide To Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds. He has been murdered on CSI and picketed by the Westboro Baptist Church. John is a Drama League–nominated actor, comedian, and broadcaster, who’s hosted many TV shows and podcasts, including the acclaimed Tell Me Everything series on SiriusXM Progress.

He got George Harrison to give his final performance on VH1, debated Jerry Falwell and David Duke, and made many appearances on MSNBC, FOX News, and CNN. His epic PBS road trip film on the American Dream, Dream On, directed by Roger Weisberg, was named Best Documentary at the New York Independent Film Festival. Fugelsang lives in New York City with his family.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 223 | Four solid years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, integral thinkers Kateryna Yasko and Vytautas Bučiūnas relate what life in Ukraine is like—emotionally, physically, spiritually. Far from what you might expect of a conversation about the state of Ukraine after four years of war—far from being battered and downtrodden—this is a story of resilience, resourcefulness, courage, and accelerated human development. Kateryna likens Ukraine to a living laboratory of transformation—with everyone united in the fight to preserve democracy and their identity as a nation, “the social fabric is strong, the resilience is astonishing…heroes receive a lot of gratitude from the people they serve.” On a personal level, Kateryna and Vytas share how they have grown in ways they wouldn’t have expected: capacities have widened, appreciation of life has deepened, and experiences of profound joy arise in giving their all, together with their compatriots, for the future of the next generation.

Leadership in Ukraine is in an evolutionary elevator, Vytautas, an integral leadership development consultant, tells us. Leaders no longer have the option to be reactive or habitual, and this has generated extraordinary creativity and courage in leadership in the military, business, politics, and social groups. Kateryna, a pedagogical psychologist, points out that human rights, democracy, and freedom are foundational for spiritual growth. People need to understand how to manifest their political self, she says, because if they don’t, they will tend to escape into spirituality in a form of spiritual bypassing. “What can we do to help? co-host John Dupuy asks. “Come to Ukraine!” Kateryna and Vytas respond. Come experience and co-create the vertical development happening in this living laboratory of modern crisis. Recorded February 8, 2026.

“The best way to practice spirituality is human rights assurance and activism; all the rest is secondary.”

Topics & Time Stamps1. Introducing from Kyiv, Kateryna Yasko, pedagogical psychologist & Vytautas Bučiūnas, integral coach & leadership development consultant (01:01) 2. What is the psychological and physical weather in Ukraine after 4 years of war? (03:36) 3. Russia is using this very cold winter as a weapon, deliberately targeting infrastructure that supplies electricity & heat (04:08) 4. The social fabric is strong, the resilience is astonishing (06:34) 5. There’s no choice—surrendering is not an option; the war would not end (12:10) 6. Transformation has to include politics: assuring free speech and democracy comes before spiritual work (14:12) 7. What forces are keeping Ukrainians together? (18:14) 8. Humor is a big help (22:15) 9. Leadership in Ukraine is in an evolutionary elevator (24:38) 10. Courage, creative thinking, and gaming logic in the military (27:17) 11. In Kyiv, with guns everywhere, the level of crime is very low (33:14) 12. Putin is hostage to this war now; there are up to 50,000 Russian casualties per month (35:09) 13. John shares his Ukraine! song and the accompanying YouTube video, created by Kateryna’s daughter (36:44) 14. Come to Ukraine! Experience the vertical development happening in this living laboratory of modern crisis (42:10) 15. Measuring teenagers’ developmental levels: Ukrainians are maturing faster, evolving faster (43:59) 16. Donations are welcome (see recommended options under Resources below) (46:04) 17. Passing the 1,418 days of war mark: this war has now run longer than Russia’s “Great Patriotic War,” so glorified after WWII (47:28)

Resources & References1. James Hillman & Michael Ventura, We’ve Had a Hundred Years of Psychotherapy and the World’s Getting Worse 2. Keeping the Soul of Ukraine Alive: Maintaining Personal & National Ideals while Under Fire in Ukraine (Deep Transformation podcast) 3. Валерій Пекар, Бесіди майстра Хай Тао про стратегію (Master Hai Tao’s Conversations About Strategy by Ukrainian Integralist Valeriy Pekar – as of this writing, this book is not yet available in English, but here is a YouTube interview with the author: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btADES9iwfY 4. Ukraine! Song by John Dupuy (YouTube video) 5. Daniel Kirkpatrick, At The Edge of Democracy: A Pacifist’s Visit to Ukraine 6. Robert Kegan’s Stage Theory of Adult Development 7. Susanne Cook-Greuter, Stages of Human Development (Elevating Consciousness podcast YouTube video)

Recommended Donation Sites – Support Ukraine!1. United24, the official fundraising platform of Ukraine initiated by President Zelenskyy, founded to protect, save, and rebuild Ukraine 2. Come Back Alive, the Foundation for Competent Assistance to the Army 3. You are also welcome to donate to a cause of your choice (i.e., evacuating soldiers from the front lines, buying rifles, saving Ukrainian culture, and more, through Kateryna’s PayPal email below, full transparency guaranteed.

Support via PayPal

Kateryna Yasko (Ukraine) is a psychologist and business trainer specializing in the development of emotional intelligence, trust, cooperation, effective communication, and peaceful conflict resolution. She is the co-founder of the civic and cultural initiatives Embassy of Ukrainian Sense-making and Prōstory. Her academic background includes degrees in international relations and law (MSc), business administration (MBA), and psychology (MSc). Kateryna’s programs are grounded in Integral Theory developed by Ken Wilber, Nonviolent Communication created by Marshall Rosenberg, Speech Act Theory, and the commitment-based organizational culture approach of Fernando Flores. She holds certifications from the Center for Nonviolent Communication, Spiral Dynamics Integral, Harthill Consulting (Leadership Development Framework), and Integrative Enneagram Solutions.

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kateryna has dedicated a significant part of her time to volunteering and fundraising in support of both military and humanitarian needs.

Vytautas Bučiūnas (Lithuania–Ukraine) is a co-founder and managing partner of U-Integral, an integral leadership development company. Vytautas also has vast experience as a top manager in the banking sector including working as the Head of Resident Office, Senior Banker, Associate Director at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Russia, Ukraine). Vytautas’ professional profile includes building organizational units from scratch, carrying out large-scale transformations, and managing crises. Vytautas is a certified Integral Master Coach™ (Integral Coaching Canada), an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC)™, and the only business consultant in Ukraine certified in Leadership Maturity Framework – Maturity Assessment for Professionals (LMF-MAP) and Global Leadership Profile (GLP). Vytautas explores the development of human consciousness and complex social systems from a holistic perspective. He considers the growth of a critical mass of mature leaders with systemic thinking and transformational capabilities to be the key to society’s healthy development.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 222 (Part 2 of 2) | A. H. Almaas’ teachings on spiritual love and the inner beloved are based on his own experience, he explains in Part 2 of the first dialogue in the Path of Love Series. “In this path, experience is almost everything,” he says. Spiritual experience created the Diamond Approach—it isn’t a philosophy. What makes Hameed’s path of love unique and different from other paths of love, like the Sufi and the bhakti paths? First off, it is the methodology: the practice of inquiry. Inquiry combines both mind and heart, Hameed explains. It adds a means of discernment that helps to keep the force of love from going astray on its own; it brings understanding to our experience, and shows us our obstacles. “[This path] has in it the sensibilities of modern mind and modern life and how to live it from the perspective of the heart.”

Another unique feature of A. H. Almaas’ path of love is how we experience drawing closer and closer to the inner beloved. Hameed describes the experience of approaching the inner beloved as a heartrending mixture of “sweetness, passion, ecstasy, drunkenness… many stages of melting, surrender, effulgence, fullness, radiance… all intertwined with yearning and pain and the feeling of being separate” from one’s heart’s true desire. With his customary concise eloquence, Hameed also answers several of the co-hosts’ questions: How does Hameed see contemporary society in the light of this vision of love? Does he think humanity will wake up? What is a fulfilled life? Hameed concludes by telling us that the question this path of love is designed to answer is, how do you live your life while also engaging in the way of the heart? Recorded December 11, 2025.

“The mind asks the questions, the heart finds the answers. The mind gets clear, the heart melts.“

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 21. The difference between Hameed’s approach and other paths of love is the methodology: inquiry (00:32) 2. Truth is a quality of the heart, not the mind; the heart knows truth, the mind doesn’t (05:43) 3. Spiritual experience created Hameed’s teaching—it isn’t a philosophy (09:08) 4. The union between inquiry and the force of love (11:19) 5. The heart is patterned by our history, especially our history of love (15:39) 6. Two common misunderstandings: attributing love to an external source, and believing there is only one manifestation of spirit (17:51) 7. Nearing the inner beloved, there are many stages of melting, surrender, passion, ecstasy, all intertwined with yearning and pain, the feeling of separation (18:49) 8. How does Hameed see contemporary society and its many discontents in the light of this vision of love? (20:53) 9. Is humanity going to wake up? (23:03) 10. What is a fulfilled life? (27:29) 11. On the path, the ego self becomes not just secondary—it’s gone (31:11) 12. The death wish: to dissolve into the inner beloved (32:07) 13. A possible future series by Hameed: What happens after you’re enlightened? (34:21) 14. How do you live your life and follow the way of the heart? (35:57)

Resources & References – Part 21. A. H. Almaas, The Inner Beloved: The Heart’s Journey to Divine Unity 2. A. H. Almaas, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart 3. A. H. Almaas, Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality 4. Bhakti, a concept common in Indian religions, may refer to loving devotion for a personal God, a formless ultimate reality, or an enlightened being 5. Seven Levels of Being, Sufi Path of Love 6. Ken Wilber, The Spectrum of Consciousness 7. Exploring Gurdjieff’s Insight: Man as a Machine (Gurdjieff Central) 8. Sri Ramana Maharshi, Who Am I?

Deep Transformation’s Path of Love Series with A. H. AlmaasDeep Transformation’s Path of Love Series begins with an overview of Hameed Ali’s Love Trilogy — Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, and The Inner Beloved — to orient us on the spiritual path of love unique to Hameed Ali and the Diamond Approach, then delves into the profound and deeply touching topics Hameed addresses in his most recent book, The Inner Beloved, published in February 2026. Listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this extraordinary path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 221 (Part 1 of 2) | Deep Transformation is excited to release the first episode in our new Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas, in honor and celebration of Hameed Ali’s latest book, The Inner Beloved. The series begins with Hameed sharing his motivation for writing all three of the books in his Love Trilogy (Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, The Inner Beloved), namely, when he realized his prior books had omitted to teach specifically about the role of love on the spiritual path. Love is the energy, the driving force toward union with our inner nature, Hameed explains, and it is love that dissolves the obstacles that remain towards the end of the path. It is the path of heart that gets you all the way.

Hameed orients us with an overview of the Diamond Approach’s experiential path of love, gifting us with some tremendous teachings on love as a prelude to delving deeply into his newest book, The Inner Beloved. When asked, What is the inner beloved? he responds, The beloved is not just love. Love serves the beloved, love is the way to the beloved. The inner beloved is what our deepest heart longs for. The path of the heart is painful at times, he continues, because we feel separate from what we yearn to become one with. At the end of the dialogue, Hameed shares that with his path of love teachings, he wants us to know there is a way to address our longing, our yearning. There is a way for it to complete itself, he assures us. Recorded December 11, 2025.

“The beloved is the deepest nondual truth you can experience.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 11. Introducing A. H. Almaas and his trilogy of books on love: Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, and The Inner Beloved (00:48) 2. Hameed’s motivation to write about love came when he realized his prior books had omitted teaching about the role of love on the spiritual path (04:27) 3. The first book in the trilogy, Love Unveiled, talks about 3 kinds of love important in human life and in spiritual practice (07:01) 4. The second book, Nondual Love, talks about the boundless dimension of universal love (09:05) 5. The third book, The Inner Beloved, is about the path of love—the movement toward our fundamental nature through the heart (10:59) 6. Roger points out that Hameed’s teachings on love go far beyond other spiritual teachings (12:20) 7. The beloved is not just love: love serves the beloved, love is the way to the beloved (13:35) 8. We all have 3 centers of operation: head, heart & belly—each one is a spiritual brain of its own (16:24) 9. Love is the most explicit motivator for the spiritual journey (18:08) 10. The Diamond Approach is not about being liberated or free from suffering, it’s about loving to know the truth (20:40) 11. The path of the heart is painful because we feel separate from what we yearn to become one with (24:13) 12. Emptying the heart of all other loves (26:01) 13. The inner beloved is the most jealous of beloveds (30:21) 14. Was there a certain point of surrender for Hameed? (33:04) 15. Love’s function is to move us towards the inner beloved (35:55)

(For fans of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, the Wisdom Series, based on Hameed’s book The Inner Journey Home, will be continued later in the spring.)

Resources & References – Part 11. A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series on Deep Transformation, based on Hameed’s book The Inner Journey Home 2. A. H. Almaas, The Inner Beloved: The Heart's Journey to Divine Unity 3. A. H. Almaas, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart 4. A. H. Almaas, Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality 5. A. H. Almaas, The Point of Existence: Transformations of Narcissism in Self-Realization 6. A. H. Almaas, The Pearl Beyond Price: Integration of Personality into Being: An Object Relations Approach 7. A. H. Almaas, The Void: Inner Spaciousness and Ego Structure 8. Ram Dass, renowned spiritual teacher, psychologist, and author 9. Bhakti, a concept common in Indian religions, may refer to loving devotion for a personal God, a formless ultimate reality, or an enlightened being 10. Sri Ramana Maharshi, Who Am I? 11. Kabir, Indian mystic and poet

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 220 (Part 2 of 2) | In part 2 of Sliding Towards Authoritarianism, Constitutional Law expert and Ethics professor Mark Fischler unpacks the significance of the extreme lack of civic understanding in the United States and, well informed about students’ cognitive abilities and mental health status nationwide, adds the precipitous drop in achievement scores and through-the-roof diagnoses of ADHD, autism, anxiety, and depression to the mix, concluding, “You begin to see why an authoritarian world requiring only simple actions and answers would be more attractive than a democratic world that requires complexity, conversation, and the ability to see the intrinsic worth of the person across from you… to collectively decide to honor democratic processes and the winner who was voted in.”

This is the challenge, Mark says: “Since everybody has a partial piece of the truth, we need to ask ourselves, am I curious enough to understand another’s partial piece of truth in order to enrich myself and help me understand that we are all in this together?” “We need to take up the fight for greater awareness that recognizes the good, the true, the beautiful, and the oneness of what is,” he continues. Despite all that Mark has shared with us regarding the current Administration’s dehumanizing, authoritarian tactics and other significant factors contributing to the deterioration of our democracy, when asked what gives him hope, Mark answers, “A lot of things!” The discussion ends in a hopeful place—grim realities balanced with inspiring trends, including the growing recognition around the world that we are all in this together in what is essentially one global village. Recorded December 4, 2025.

“To understand is to forgive.” – Dr. Michael Fischler

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 21. What the problem of pervasive civic ignorance signifies for our democracy (01:02) 2. Our susceptibility to authoritarian leaders is not surprising considering our ignorance of civil responsibility (04:53) 3. Future shock: people under stress regress psychologically, making it even easier for an authoritarian to take over (06:57) 4. There is more than one reason for our pervasive civic ignorance (09:08) 5. Using A.I. to fact-check what we see and hear (10:37) 6. Education: cognitive understanding in young people has plunged below lowest-level functioning thresholds (16:35) 7. Among students, autism, ADHD, anxiety & depression diagnoses are through the roof (18:03) 8. Because of people’s lack of achievement & lack of civic understanding, it makes sense that people are willing to let democracy go (19:40) 9. Cultivating a quest for truth is part of the solution (22:48) 10. A call to contemplative warriors to take up the fight for greater awareness that recognizes the good, the true, the beautiful—and the oneness of what is (25:35) 11. Everybody has a partial piece of the truth (28:36) 12. To understand is to forgive (32:30) 13. The Supreme Court is asking, should we even take race into account? (35:22) 14. What gives Mark hope? A lot of things! (39:51)

Resources & References – Part 21. Professor Mark Fischler, Plymouth State University 2. The Integral Justice Warrior series, co-hosted by Mark Fischler and Corey deVos (Integral Life website) 3. Justice David Souter’s speech at UNH’s Franklin Pierce School of Law: Constitutionally Speaking: How Does The Constitution Keep Up With The Times 4. Alvin Toffler, Future Shock 5. Jia Lynn Yang, America’s Children Are Unwell (NY Times, Nov 2025) 6. Ken Wilber, A Post-Truth World: Politics, Polarization, and a Vision for Transcending the Chaos 7. Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 27: “…what is a good man but a bad man’s teacher…” 8. Ken Wilber’s prime directive: protect and promote the well-being of the whole developmental spiral of consciousness,rather than privileging just one level or worldview, A Theory of Everything 9. Louisiana v. Calais 10. Greg Thomas on the Deep Transformation podcast: Using the Dance of Our Differences to Wise Up, Harmonize, and Actualize

Mark Fischler is a professor of Ethics, Constitutional Law, and Criminal Procedure at Plymouth State University. Prior to joining the Plymouth State faculty, he practiced law, representing poor criminal defendants for the New Hampshire Public Defender’s Office. Mark left the law after being guided by the Universe to focus on his Spiritual Awareness for almost two years. Upon his return, he was called to become a teacher and accepted a job at Plymouth State in 2003.

Since then, Mark has worked extensively with alternative theoretical models in law, constitutional law, and higher education, and has published on integral applications to teaching, being a lawyer, and legal theory. In his time at the university, he’s been a chair, Dean, and Interim VP. His focus in the classroom is ethics and criminal procedure and constitutional law. He is well respected for a teaching philosophy that emphasizes recognizing the humanity and dignity of each student. Professor Fischler was awarded the outstanding teaching award at his university in 2014. He currently offers a weekly Spiritual Inquiry class for college students and also for faculty and staff.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 219 (Part 1 of 2) | Constitutional Law expert and Ethics professor Mark Fischler joins Deep Transformation again, to help us make sense of the slide towards authoritarianism happening in the United States today. Mark’s vast knowledge of the law, the Constitution, and the Supreme Court, his deep comprehension of ethics and morality, his Integral understanding, and his profound contemplative awareness all make for an extraordinary exploration of what is going on in this country at levels we don’t often consider. Beginning with examples of events in 2025 that are representative of various facets of authoritarianism, Mark goes on to discuss how the very crassness of the current Administration is undermining democracy: “We need to demand civil, fact-based discussion from our leaders, but we’re all accepting it’s okay to act like toddlers and dehumanize each other.”

Mark cites some stunning figures illustrating the widespread ignorance of democratic processes and institutions among the populace in this country, and describes why a lack of civic understanding makes us susceptible to authoritarians coming in and taking over. He also acknowledges that progressives are at fault for marginalizing conservatives, and calls on us to recognize the honor and dignity of all people, regardless of their politics—this is part of the solution, he explains. Mark’s passionate caring, wanting the best for all people and all beings, is a current that flows throughout, grounding the discussion in a beautiful way, while also making for a heartbreaking contrast relative to the chilling events happening in the political arena now. Recorded December 4, 2025.

“An ignorant people can never remain a free people.” – Thomas Jefferson

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 11. Introducing a frequent guest on Deep Transformation: Ethics, Law & Criminal Justice professor Mark Fischler, to help us make sense of our deteriorating democracy (00:43) 2. The trajectory of Trump’s presidency: the devolution of democracy towards authoritarian government (01:51) 3. John presents defining characteristics of fascism according to A. I. (04:01) 4. How does Mark define authoritarianism? (07:24) 5. Mark offers examples of 12 hallmarks of authoritarian government that happened in 2025, beginning with the stifling of dissent and speech (08:12) 6. Statistics on how U.S. citizens feel our democracy is performing (16:51) 7. What surprises Mark the most? The crassness & crudeness of the Trump Administration (18:15) 8. The deterioration in the greater culture at large: who and what is responsible? (21:19) 9. Deflecting our attention using whataboutism breeds cynicism & corrodes our democracy (24:45) 10. We need to demand civil, fact-based discussion from our leaders, but we’re all accepting it’s okay to act like toddlers and dehumanize each other (30:00) 11. Recognizing the humanity & inner dignity of everyone is part of the solution (31:16) 12. Progressives on their side are at fault for marginalizing conservatives (33:38) 13. The red meme mentality (Spiral Dynamics) that is taking place (39:24) 14. Why pervasive civic ignorance in the U.S. is a very significant problem (41:57)

Resources & References – Part 11. Professor Mark Fischler, Plymouth State University 2. The Integral Justice Warrior series, co-hosted by Mark Fischler and Corey deVos (Integral Life website) 3. NY Times Editorial Board, Are We Losing Our Democracy? (Oct 2025) 4. Judge Michael Luttig, President for Life (The Atlantic, Dec 2025) 5. Tom Nichols, A Confederacy of Toddlers (The Atlantic, Nov 2025) 6. Supreme Court Justice David Souter 7. Ken Wilber’s prime directive: protect and promote the well-being of the whole developmental spiral of consciousness,rather than privileging just one level or worldview, A Theory of Everything 8. Mona Charon, Whataboutism Is Rotting Our Brains, Our Consciences, and Our Politics (The Bulwark, June 2025) 9. David Brooks, What if We’re the Bad Guys Here? (NY Times Opinion, Aug 2023) 10. Don Beck & Christopher Cowan, Spiral Dynamics, Mastering Values, Leadership and Change 11. Ken Wilber, Boomeritis 12. Justice David Souter’s speech at UNH’s Franklin Pierce School of Law: Constitutionally Speaking: How Does The Constitution Keep Up With The Times

Mark Fischler is a professor of Ethics, Constitutional Law, and Criminal Procedure at Plymouth State University. Prior to joining the Plymouth State faculty, he practiced law, representing poor criminal defendants for the New Hampshire Public Defender’s Office. Mark left the law after being guided by the Universe to focus on his Spiritual Awareness for almost two years. Upon his return, he was called to become a teacher and accepted a job at Plymouth State in 2003.

Since then, Mark has worked extensively with alternative theoretical models in law, constitutional law, and higher education, and has published on integral applications to teaching, being a lawyer, and legal theory. In his time at the university, he’s been a chair, Dean, and Interim VP. His focus in the classroom is ethics and criminal procedure and constitutional law. He is well respected for a teaching philosophy that emphasizes recognizing the humanity and dignity of each student. Professor Fischler was awarded the outstanding teaching award at his university in 2014. He currently offers a weekly Spiritual Inquiry class for college students and also for faculty and staff.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 218 (Part 2 of 2) | In Part 2 of the 17th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali explores the great freedom we experience when we allow being itself to unfold through us—when we let reality take its course without our egoic selves getting in the way. When we are out of the way, Hameed explains, all the virtues come through us: responsibility, ethics, morality, compassion, caring, sensitivity, and more. These ideals are not human-made, he says, they are expressions of our true nature. In fact, Hameed adds, this is what a true human is; expressing the absolute is the fulfillment of life.

Just knowing the absolute does not eliminate all obstacles, Hameed continues. Even as we go very deep, there are “ego islands” that pose ongoing difficulties. But the practice is to be with our experience and let it inform us—allow our life experiences to become the arena for the expression of spirit. All we need to do is abide in the knowing that the absolute is expressing itself through us, Hameed says. And laughs telling a story about the “do nothing” instructions of lamas and Zen teachers, as they attempt to show their students that there is nothing to be done but get out of the way. All manifestation, our lives, even our problems and challenges and getting lost in the illusion is all a play of the absolute, Roger reflects. Another very rich, deeply nourishing conversation with A. H. Almaas. Recorded November 13, 2025.

“If we become mature enough to cease and desist, to let reality take its course… when we’re out of the way, true nature will come through—that’s what a true human is.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 21. Is there such a thing as a false descent? (00:33) 2. Most of the time, a realization of the absolute is incomplete—there are still some issues that haven’t been worked out (01:43) 3. Hameed’s teachings expanded as his experience expanded (04:22) 4. Even a spiritual teacher with an incomplete realization can be helpful; what causes trouble is when teachers don’t acknowledge their knowing is limited (07:26) 5. All we need to do is abide in the knowing that the absolute is expressing itself through us (12:25) 6. The practice is to be with our experience; the ego gets in the way by trying to take over (15:00) 7. The great freedom of allowing reality to take its course: the do nothing meditation (18:02) 8. Our life is fulfilled when we’re acting at the behest of the absolute (23:10) 9. Even as we know the absolute, there is always more to be free from (24:17) 10. The central issue of descent is letting go of all identification—of our ego, even of the absolute (28:41) 11. Reality is such an interesting thing—even ignorance is an interesting thing (31:57) 12. True nature is indestructible, incorruptible—at bottom it is perfect (34:26) 13. Don’t get discouraged reading this chapter, if you just learn a few things, that’s all that matters (37:02)

Resources & References – Part 21. A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School, home of The Diamond Approach 2. A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality 3. Chogyal Namkhai Norbu & Adriano Clemente, The Supreme Source: The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde, initial Dzogchen book that says any spiritual practice will only delay enlightenment 4. Seng-t’san, the Third Chinese Patriarch, The Hsin Hsin Ming, Verses on the Faith-Mind 5. A. H. Almaas, Runaway Realization: Living a Life of Ceaseless Discovery 6. Dzogchen 7. Lectio Divina

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 217 (Part 1 of 2) | In the 17th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali explores the classic spiritual theme: the journey of descent. What happens after we awaken, having had a realization of the deepest kind? The path of descent, where we retain the awareness of what came with our experience of the absolute, and bring it into our life, expressing it with every aspect of our being. Many teachings talk about the ascent (the journey of awakening) and the descent, Hameed explains, but when they talk about the descent, they interpret it as an individual coming down the mountain with their great realization. Hameed thought this was how it happened too, he laughs. But then it became clear to him following his own descent that it is not an enlightened individual who descends back into the world—it’s the absolute. In Christian terms, it’s the father who comes, appearing as the son.

What was it like for Hameed as he descended, living in the absolute dimension at the same time as living in the everyday world? co-host John Dupuy asks. Something transcendent lives through the body with the individual as the organ of perception, Hameed responds. “The entire universe becomes subtle shimmerings…like the waves in quantum theory; the blackness so extreme that it shines—and that sheen is the world.” Different from the classic Eastern spiritual path, where what is significant is living the transcendent rather than living regular life, in the Diamond Approach (Hameed’s path), actualization is the goal, coming back to the everyday world and living life as an expression of the Absolute. Recorded November 13, 2025.

“It is inherent to true nature for it to be lived in the world.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 11. Introducing the 17th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, focusing on the journey of descent: actualizing the realization of the absolute (00:39) 2. The path begins with the journey of ascent, then comes realization, then the path of descent: actualization, living your realization (04:46) 3. Being in the world and not of it is an important principle of the Diamond Approach (06:44) 4. What was it like for Hameed as he descended, living in the absolute dimension and the everyday world simultaneously? (08:17) 5. It’s not the individual who descends but the Absolute (14:45) 6. Differentiating from the Eastern spiritual path, where what’s important is living the transcendent rather than living life (19:33) 7. Are there obstacles to the descent? (20:44) 8. In descent, the entire universe becomes subtle shimmerings… like the waves in quantum theory (25:04) 9. Something transcendent lives through the body; the individual is the organ of perception (27:06) 10. Hameed was already a spiritual teacher, sharing about the journey of ascent, before he experienced the journey of descent (29:49) 11. Can a person experience a series of cycles of ascent and descent? (31:06) 12. In Christian language, the descent is the father coming into this world, appearing as the son (33:14) 13. Authenticity: the practice is to be your experience, abide in it, and let it reveal its truth (34:29) 14. The quintessence is the full integration of all the dimensions (36:13) 15. The absence of substance is what gives the Absolute its power (37:46)

Resources & References – Part 11. A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School, home of The Diamond Approach 2. A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality 3. Ramana Maharshi, Hindu sage and liberated being 4. Cynthia Bourgeault, modern-day mystic, author, retreat leader 5. Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj 6. Arnold Toynbee’s cycle of withdrawal and return, A Study of History 7. Dzogchen 8. Mahamudra 9. Dharmakāya

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 216 (Part 2 of 2) | In Part 2 of Deep Transformation’s first episode in the What is Real Greatness Series, longtime spiritual teacher Jack Kornfield declares that in his experience real greatness is a greatness of heart. In Buddhism, greatness of heart is embodied in the ideal of the bodhisattva—one whose life is dedicated to the well-being of all. Embodying compassion is not a grim proposition, Jack explains, but a joy! The whole point of it being human happiness and inner freedom. Because of his deep understanding of compassion, Jack was invited to the Oslo Freedom Forum to counsel global activists on how to prevent burnout, and when talking to them about their outrage, he told them, “You do this because you care—that is not a loss of power, it’s actually the deep power. Tune into the care.” Greatness of heart is the great power.

Jack relates that the experience of awakening can be felt in different ways: it might feel like everything is love, perfection, emptiness, or freedom. For me, the channel is love and my practice is to love everyone, he explains. We have to love both the lion and the gazelle, he continues, and shares a poignant story of how very loving Ram Dass became towards the end of his life, loving everything, even his pain. When the conversation turns towards the potential demise of humanity, Jack wonders, will we be able to do something beneficial with our consciousness now that we’re aware that we are all connected? What is the spirit you want to lead with? he asks. What is the dance you want to do? A thoroughly thought provoking, nourishing, inspiring conversation. Recorded October 2, 2025.

“You think you’re separate – you think you exist. But you’re not who you think you are. You are consciousness in drag.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 21. You think you’re separate, but you’re not who you think you are (00:27) 2. The bodhisattva vow as aspiration, never off-duty (04:23) 3. What real greatness is changes with each turning of Buddhism (08:26) 4. The experience of awakening can be felt in different ways: love, perfection, emptiness, or freedom (12:19) 5. Jack’s channel & inspiration is love; and a story of how very loving Ram Dass became (19:00) 6. Teaching activists to remember to hold themselves in their own circle of compassion at the Oslo Freedom Forum (23:52) 7. Jack’s upcoming workshop: Inner Technology for Outer Technologists (29:18) 8. How do you embody the bodhisattva? Spiritual practice isn’t a grim duty—it’s actually joyful (31:08) 9. As Andre Gidé said, joy is our moral obligation (32:49) 10. What stands out to Jack about all the amazing people he’s encountered? (34:09) 11. When there’s a greatness of heart…that is the great power (35:04) 12. The hospice now is for humanity, not for Earth, which knows how to take care of itself (37:42) 13. What is the spirit you want to lead with? What is the dance you want to do? (40:18) 14. The end questions: Did I love well? Did I live fully? Did I learn to let go? (41:13) 15. Your purpose here is to deliver your cargo, your gifts (41:47)

Resources & References – Part 21. Jack Kornfield, founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center and the Insight Meditation Society, author of A Path with Heart and many more 2. Stanislav Grof, LSD: Doorway to the Numinous 3. Ram Dass & Rameshwar Das, Be Love Now: The Path of the Heart 4. The Oslo Freedom Forum, bringing together the world’s most engaging human rights advocates, journalists, artists, tech entrepreneurs & world leaders to brainstorm ways to unleash human potential around the globe 5. The Dalai Lama & Desmond Tutu, The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World 6. Nobel prize winner André Gide 7. Malidoma Patrice Somé, shaman, writer & workshop leader, primarily in the field of spirituality 8. Zen Master Seungsahn, The Compass of Zen

Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, India, and Burma. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is a founding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California. He is one of the key teachers to introduce mindfulness practice to the West, has taught internationally since 1974, and is the author of 17 books which have sold 2 million copies.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 215 (Part 1 of 2) | The first of Deep Transformation’s What is Real Greatness Series, this conversation with world-renowned meditation teacher Jack Kornfield is filled with beautiful teachings touching into the sacred at the heart of our lives and the point of our whole spiritual journey: to remember and embody our innate capacity to awaken and experience the reality of our own innate dignity and nobility. Respecting ourselves at the deepest level is what transforms us and transforms society too, Jack explains. “Do you hold yourself with nobility and respect?” he asks. “Can you remember your own beauty and dignity? Can you see it in others?”

The topic of greatness—real greatness—is woven throughout the dialogue, as Jack recounts the seed events of his own spiritual journey and ruminates on Roger’s question, what is the sacred question at the center of your life? This is a question Jack often asks his own students, and we are inspired to ponder it for ourselves, along with, if you were to write your own bodhisattva vow, what would it be? Jack is a master at inspiring us to live our ideals, to broaden the possibilities of our lives, and to remember the miracle of our existence. A warmly personal, deeply profound discussion. Recorded October 2, 2025.

“The beautiful thing about the bodhisattva ideal is that it becomes your intention… it becomes the setting of the compass of your heart.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 11. Introducing the first of Deep Transformation’s What is Real Greatness? series (00:38) 2. Introducing renowned meditation teacher, prolific author, and clinical psychologist Jack Kornfield (03:09) 3. In discussing real greatness, Jack advises not to throw out money & power as being unworthy (04:47) 4. The story of Emperor Ashoka, who shifted from seeking outer greatness to seeking inner greatness: peace of mind and heart (07:49) 5. How the Buddha turned the Hindu caste system on its head, honoring young monks for their innate nobility (13:17) 6. Can you remember your own beauty & dignity? Can you see it in others? (16:19) 7. Each of us has a sacred question at the center of our lives, what’s been Jack’s? (17:30) 8. Jack’s first draw to Buddhism: suffering and the relief from suffering (21:08) 9. The seeds of our sacred journeys: the path doesn’t go from here to there but from there to here (24:15) 10. It’s completely weird that we exist! (25:40) 11. King Ashoka & other historical figures, good candidates for the What is Real Greatness Series (27:13) 12. Do we ask ourselves, “How do I live?” (28:28) 13. The beautiful thing about the bodhisattva ideal is that it becomes the setting of the compass of your heart (31:32) 14. The prayer with which the Dalai Lama begins his day (36:37) 15. Ideals illuminate the possibilities of how we might live (38:39) 16. If you were to write your own bodhisattva vow… what would it be? (40:47) 17. Sometimes it’s suffering and sometimes it’s an awakening experience that draws us to spirituality (44:28) 18. Jane Goodall, interspecies bodhisattva, and the story of Joanna Macy’s wake (47:37)

Resources & References – Part 11. Jack Kornfield, founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center and the Insight Meditation Society 2. Mind & Life Institute, bringing science & contemplative wisdom together to better understand the mind and create positive change in the world 3. Jack Kornfield, A Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life 4. Jack Kornfield, The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology 5. Jack Kornfield, No Time Like the Present: Finding Freedom, Love, and Joy Right Where You Are 6. Emperor Ashoka the Great is credited with an important role in spreading Buddhism across ancient Asia 7. Dr. Wing-tsit Chan, Chinese scholar and professor 8. T. S. Eliot, “…the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time, ” from Eliot’s 1942 poem “Little Gidding” 9. Meditations of Marcus Aurelius 10. Shantideva, 8th-century CE Indian philosopher, Buddhist monk, poet & scholar 11. Diane Ackerman’s poem “School Prayer,” “In the name of daybreak… I offer myself humbly as a guardian of nature…” 12. The Sufi tradition of Sohbet 13. Trudy Goodman, founding teacher of InsightLA and co-founder of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy 14. Remembering Jane Goodall 15. Joanna Macy, beloved environmental activist, author & scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory, and deep ecology

Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, India, and Burma. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is a founding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California. He is one of the key teachers to introduce mindfulness practice to the West, has taught internationally since 1974, and is the author of 17 books which have sold 2 million copies.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 214 (Part 2 of 2) | Part 2 of the 16th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series takes us on a sweet journey farther into our exploration of the nature of the absolute. Hameed Ali discusses the paradox of the absolute, being both source and cessation of all things, the nonduality of emptiness and beingness, these being two sides of the same coin, and explains why many nondual teachings do not touch upon the absolute. He makes sense of the difficult-to-fathom concept of pure emptiness, explaining that the absolute’s nature is absence—in contrast with presence—and relates that Mystery is the essence of the absolute, the fundamental essence of the nature of reality. “We are never going to know where it’s at, what’s happening, what life is about,” he laughs. Our knowledge is but “small islands in the vast ocean of mystery we live in;” mystery cannot be eliminated.

In the absolute, the soul finds its final resting place, Hameed tells us. The absolute is our true home—the essence of the meaning of home. All humans are searching for their true home, Hameed says, and they search in many places. But here the search is over. Reflections of the absolute bring us closer to love, like when we are in love, Hameed continues. Being in love with an outer beloved brings us closer to the inner beloved and we see deeper. “The absolute is total intimacy, Hameed finishes. “In the absolute we are intimate with everything.” How do we express this in the world, in our ordinary lives? “It becomes very simple,” Hameed says. “The absolute is the essence of simplicity—so simple, even though there is a profundity…” Recorded October 9, 2025.

“You don’t have to experience the absolute to know nonduality.”

​ Topics & Time Stamps – Part 21. Emptiness is nondual with consciousness, two sides of the same thing (01:03) 2. Many nondual teachings don’t talk about the absolute (02:50) 3. You don’t have to experience the absolute to know nonduality (03:32) 4. There’s no sense of individual self, but some teachings take the absolute as the ultimate Self (04:52) 5. Making sense of pure emptiness: the absolute’s nature is absence—in contrast with presence (09:47) 6. The absolute is the essence of mystery (12:59) 7. Experiencing all phenomena as projections of the absolute (13:57) 8. The absolute reveals that true nature itself is unmanifest (17:58) 9. Mystery is the nature of the absolute; the absolute IS mystery (19:08) 10. The absolute is the extreme limit of purity; the heart empty of everything except the love of God (23:13) 11. We live in an ocean of mystery; what we know are little islands (25:07) 12. The search ends in the absolute; the soul is home (27:32) 13. Reflections of the absolute bring us closer to love, like when we are in love (32:28) 14. The absolute can pour itself into a manifest being expressing itself in the world: beyond realization to actualization (33:46) 15. The absolute is the essence of simplicity, even though there is a profundity… (35:23) 16. The absolute is total intimacy; we are intimate with everything (38:28)

Resources & References – Part 21. A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School, home of The Diamond Approach 2. A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality 3. Stanislav Grof writes about the plenum void in Beyond the Brain: Birth, Death, and Transcendence in Psychotherapy 4. Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, I Am That 5. Kashmir Shaivism 6. Longchenpa: A Guide For Readers (Shambhala) 7. Samaneri Jayasāra’s YouTube readings: The Wisdom of the Masters 8. Samaneri Jayasāra on the Deep Transformation podcast: Creating Priceless Gifts of Wisdom 9. Huston Smith’s autobiography, Tales of Wonder: Adventures Chasing the Divine 10. The Ten Ox Herding Pictures from the Zen tradition 11. Isaac Newton, “… to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore…”

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 213 (Part 1 of 2) | The 16th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series is about the absolute, the source dimension of all manifestation, deeper than any other dimension, the vastness beyond vastness. In Part 1, Hameed gives a wonderful description of the majesty and the blackness of the absolute, and tells the story of when he first experienced being one with the absolute himself. When Roger Walsh asks him, what are the doorways to the absolute, Hameed talks about mystical poverty and also the way of the heart. “When the true beloved shines through the heart, it’s an amazing ecstasy… a mindblowing kind of beauty,” he says. He discusses the fear people often feel as they approach cessation of all perception, and the need for the basic trust we were born with (which often gets clobbered as we grow up) to proceed. What changes after an experience of the absolute? John Dupuy asks. If one abides in this realization, it cleanses the soul of all impurities, and our action embodies the virtues, Hameed answers.

In Part 2, which will be released December 25th, Hameed delves into the paradox of the absolute (the absolute is the elimination, the annihilation, the cessation of all things—and the source of all things), the nonduality of emptiness and awareness, and explains that mystery is the essence of the absolute: the absolute IS mystery, he says. There is laughter all around when Hameed says you can never completely “get” it, because there’s nothing there to get! Your mind disappears as you’re trying to get it. Towards the end, the conversation relaxes so deeply into the subject of the absolute, you can just about feel its presence. We become intimate with everything in the absolute, Hameed says. It is the soul’s final resting place, our true home, where the search ends. Recorded October 9, 2025.

“The absolute itself is majesty, and the universe that emerges is beauty.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing dialogue #16 in the * A.H. Almaas Wisdom Series, focusing on the source dimension, the apex of Hameed’s book The Inner Journey Home* (00:41) * “By simply witnessing the process of manifestation… the soul experiences itself as a vast silent witness… discovering a dimension deeper than any other, the absolute” (02:18) * Being the absolute, one experiences an emptiness so empty there is no sensation (05:29) * Cessation of perception, as the Buddha called it, was exactly Hameed’s experience (09:57) * Neglected teachings of Nisargadatta: awareness that is not aware of itself can be experienced as “rock-like” (11:26) * The story of Hameed’s first experience of the absolute (15:19) * Is the absolute the destination? What is cessation? Is it the same as the absolute? (16:47) * What changes after an experience of the absolute? (21:00) * The absolute is majesty, the universe that emerges is beauty (23:18) * The flowering of virtues follows true realization (24:24) * The spiritual path has two sides: knowing who you are and living it (26:03) * Moving towards cessation, people feel terror (26:53) * Trust is essential; the more we are loved as an infant, the more we trust (28:25) * What are the doorways into the realization of the absolute? (32:02) * Mystical poverty is one doorway; the recognition that the soul has nothing of its own—it all comes from the Source (35:29) * There is also the way of the heart, finding the true beloved within (38:03)

Resources & References – Part 1 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Beloved: The Heart’s Journey to Divine Unity * Ramana Maharshi*, Hindu sage and liberated being* * Dzogchen’s dharmakāya * The black light in Sufism (see Henry Corbin’s The Man of Light in Iranian Sufism and others) * Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj*,* I Am That*, “I am rock-like; awareness that is not aware of itself”* * Advaita Vedanta * St. John of the Cross talks about black light in The Dark Night of the Soul * Erik Erikson*,* Childhood and Society : The Landmark Work on the Social Significance of Childhood * Ibn Arabi**, Sufi mystic, poet, philosopher, “… look for me in the heart of my lovers”

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 212 (Part 2 of 2) | In Part 2 of the compelling conversation with SAND founders Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo, the discussion turns to the making of their 2021 documentary film about the tragic injustices inflicted upon Palestinians in the West Bank. Where Olive Trees Weep is a very beautiful, heartbreaking, and eye opening film we highly recommend to our listeners. “How do we stop the violence?” asks co-host John Dupuy. No one knows the answer, but “each of us can find a way to alleviate the suffering in Palestine now as we grapple with the question of how to stop the wounds that continue to bleed,” Zaya and Maurizio contend. “We can stand for justice, food, and human rights, recognize the dignity of Palestinians and fight for their freedom.”

Spiritual communities are mostly quiet on this issue, Zaya mentions. But “it’s not a political issue,” she says, “it’s a human issue—we are losing our humanity. If we believe in oneness, we need to face our discomfort and turn towards the pain, towards the suffering. Discomfort is the very essence of the issue on a psychological and archetypal level,” Zaya adds. Zaya and Maurizio are also working on a remarkable series of films called The Eternal Song, an ongoing project to bring forth teachings from Indigenous communities around the world. To date, they have released The Eternal Song, Mauri: The Vital Essence of All Beings, and most recently If an Owl Calls Your Name. Thank you, Zaya and Maurizio, for contributing your gifts in these stunning films, so poignant and important in these disconnected, turbulent times, and for sharing your extraordinary wisdom with our Deep Transformation listeners. Recorded October 16, 2025.

“Opening to the darkness and the pain is the gift of this time. We are all one; we cannot continue to separate ourselves into our comfortable silos.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Making the 2021 film Where Olive Trees Weep, about the tragic mistreatment of Palestinians in the West Bank (00:58) * Making films about the effects of colonization all over the world (04:36) * The more hateful the emails Zaya & Mauriozio received, the more they answered & engaged (06:01) * There are 80 years of history behind the conflict in Palestine; everywhere you look there’s injustice (06:57) * Apartheid in Palestine is maybe more extreme than in South Africa (10:26) * What can we do about Gaza now? Stand for justice, food & human rights, recognize the dignity of Palestinians & fight for their freedom (12:37) * Netanyahu is not the problem, the system is rotten to the core (15:20) * How do we stop the violence? (18:49) * Acknowledging the beauty & power of Zaya & Maurizio’s Where Olive Trees Weep (20:37) * The silence about Gaza in most spiritual communities: if we believe in oneness, we need to turn towards the suffering (25:38) * Thanking Zaya & Maurizio for the film, and tales of the transformative effects of engaging with senders of hate mail (29:26) * Zaya & Maurizio’s movie The Eternal Song came out in June 2025, but they are making many more films in Indigenous communities, like If an Owl Calls Your Name (link below) (34:10) * Opening to the darkness and the pain is the gift of this time—we are all one, and we cannot continue to separate ourselves into our comfortable silos (37:57)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Zaya & Maurizio Benazzo, founders of the* Science & Nonduality Conference * The Wisdom of Trauma featuring Gabor Maté*, produced by Zaya & Maurizio Benazzo* * Where Olive Trees Weep*, produced by Zaya & Maurizio Benazzo* * Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb * Meital Yaniv, Bloodlines * Tara Brach*, courageous spiritual teacher* * John Dupuy’s song, Ukraine! on YouTube * The Eternal Song*, produced by Zaya & Maurizio Benazzo* * Mauri: The Vital Essence of All Beings*, produced by Zaya & Maurizio Benazzo* * If an Owl Calls Your Name**, produced by Zaya & Maurizio Benazzo

Maurizio and Zaya Benazzo merged their lifelong passions for science and mysticism when they met in 2007, and their first project together was filming the documentary Rays of the Absolute on the life and teachings of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. This project sparked their next level of creation and collaboration: SAND, a global community inspired by the timeless wisdom traditions, informed by modern science, and grounded in direct experience. Together they have produced and directed several award-winning documentaries including The Wisdom of Trauma, The Art of Life, Rays of the Absolute, Where Olive Trees Weep, Mauri, and If an Owl Calls Your Name.

Zaya and Maurizio live, work, and play on the unceded ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo people, in Sebastopol, California.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 211 (Part 1 of 2) | Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo are not only the founders of the longstanding and highly regarded Science & Nonduality Conference (SAND), but also brilliant filmmakers, producing stunning documentaries about the injustice and suffering occurring in Palestine and elsewhere, as well as films that feature the eternal wisdom of elders from Indigenous communities around the world. Zaya and Maurizio are clearly passionate about their work, and co-host Roger Walsh points out they do a beautiful job of intertwining the personal, professional, and spiritual into an offering that meets the needs of our time. As Maurizio says, “There is no spiritual work. Period. Everything is spiritual work! It’s life.”

In Part 1 of this episode, lively and inspired, Zaya and Maurizio share what they’ve learned about life, spirituality, trauma, healing, guidance, and the deep-time perspective of the Maori. They relate the trajectory of SAND’s evolution from featuring male-dominated nondual teachings to including an understanding of trauma, somatic healing, feminine, earth-oriented teachings, and Indigenous wisdom. “Healing never ends; it’s a lifelong journey—there’s no modern solution that will ‘fix’ you,” Zaya tells us. Also, “We are constantly being guided if we just listen.”

In Part 2, Zaya and Maurizio describe the making of their 2021 documentary about the tragic mistreatment of Palestinians in the West Bank, a beautiful, heartbreaking film called Where Olive Trees Weep. Also their film The Eternal Song, an ongoing project to bring forth Indigenous teachings, so valuable and timely for us now in our chaotic, disconnected world. This whole conversation is thought provoking, delightful, profound, paradigm shifting, and inspiring all at once. Recorded October 16, 2025.

“There is no spiritual work without trauma work.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing Zaya & Maurizio Benazzo, documentary filmmakers & founders of the Science & Nonduality Conference (SAND) (00:57) * Tracing the trajectory of Zaya & Maurizio’s work, beginning in India (02:24) * What was Nisargadatta Maharaj’s legacy? (03:47) * Putting science and mystics together: the seed that created SAND (06:35) * How SAND evolved from male-dominated nondual teachings to include the body, an understanding of trauma, and female & Indigenous teachers (08:18) * Feminizing spiritual teachings: women mystics & their connection with the Earth (12:38) * SAND focuses on educating the audience to be open, ask good questions, rather than uplifting particular teachers (16:09) * How the film The Wisdom of Trauma with Gabor Maté went viral (20:08) * All of life is spiritual work, and there’s no spiritual work without trauma work, but spiritual bypassing was very real at SAND (24:13) * With Maté’s understanding about trauma, people find they’re not alone and they don’t need to “fix” the pain (26:39) * Healing is a lifelong journey; trauma is systemic and intergenerational (32:08) * The deep-time perspective and how the Maori trace their ancestors back to the stars (33:22) * Indigenous teachers say we heal backwards and we heal forwards; nothing is individual, we are all interconnected (34:54) * Now is the time for the Long Dark, not the time for the search for the light (38:52) * We are all here for a purpose, and we are constantly being guided if we just listen (42:31) * The suffering of today’s youth, isolated and without elders (45:00)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Zaya & Maurizio Benazzo, founders of the* Science & Nonduality Conference * Zaya & Maurizio’s first movie together: The Rays of the Absolute: The Legacy of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj * Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj*,* I Am That * Dr. Gabor Maté*,* The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture * The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series (on the Deep Transformation podcast) * The Wisdom of Trauma featuring Gabor Maté*, produced by Zaya & Maurizio Benazzo* * Mauri: The Vital Essence of All Beings*, produced by Zaya & Maurizio Benazzo* * Francis Weller: The Long Dark (YouTube video) * Arnold Toynbee*,* A Study of History (the cycle of withdrawal and return) * Where Olive Trees Weep**, produced by Zaya & Maurizio Benazzo

Maurizio and Zaya Benazzo merged their lifelong passions for science and mysticism when they met in 2007, and their first project together was filming the documentary Rays of the Absolute on the life and teachings of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. This project sparked their next level of creation and collaboration: SAND, a global community inspired by the timeless wisdom traditions, informed by modern science, and grounded in direct experience. Together they have produced and directed several award-winning documentaries including The Wisdom of Trauma, The Art of Life, Rays of the Absolute, Where Olive Trees Weep, Mauri, and If an Owl Calls Your Name.

Zaya and Maurizio live, work, and play on the unceded ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo people, in Sebastopol, California.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 210 (Part 3 of 3) | In Part 3 of the 15th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali speaks about the evolutionary aspect of the creative dynamism of the universe. He explains there is an optimizing, transformative force that is responsible for one form changing to another, like a caterpillar to a butterfly. This developmental force is in alignment with Western concepts of evolution and progress, and applies to spiritual realization, too. There is also an optimizing force specific to the human soul, Hameed tells us, that fuels the hearts that burn with the desire for liberation. This is the force responsible for spiritual development. In Buddhism it is called bodhicitta, the desire for enlightenment.

Why do some people have a fierce desire to seek the truth, asks co-host Roger Walsh, but many do not? Hameed replies that most people are busy making a living, doing their best to get by. In this case the transformative force remains a potential but is not actualized. Seekers possessed by the flame of the search turn inward, asking, What is God? What is truth? What is reality? Scientists look at this externally, he says, but it is the inward turn that reveals the source of the inner fire, the logos, the word that speaks through our souls and through our hearts. Towards the end of the conversation, Hameed laughs at how upside down things are with us looking for answers everywhere but within and thinking the logos speaks through who we think we are, not realizing we ourselves actually are the logos. If we realize who we truly are, he says, the world itself becomes richer. Another infinitely inspiring talk with A. H. Almaas, filled with astonishing wisdom and loving humor. Recorded September 11, 2025.

“Be attentive to the inner calling. Inner pleasure far surpasses outer pleasure.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 3 The developmental aspect of creative dynamism & the Western concept of evolution, of progress (00:39) * Development is part of the order, the progression of one form to another, the process of maturation, like spiritual realization (03:36) * The universe has an optimizing, transformative force, like a caterpillar to a butterfly (09:02) * There is also an optimizing force specific to the human soul, where hearts burn with desire for liberation; this is responsible for spiritual development (11:41) * Why do some people have this desire and most do not? (13:44) * In the Western world, spiritual realization is a luxury; in the East there is some support for people pursuing realization (17:08) * Intensifying & purifying spiritual aspiration with practice: we find pleasure when the soul turns inward (19:13) * Be attentive to this inner calling: know thyself (22:40) * The flame of the search reveals the source of the inner fire, the logos, the word that is speaking through our souls, our hearts (25:02)*

Resources & References – Part 3 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Mahamudra*’s one taste, the third of the Four Stages of Yoga* * Dzogchen * Ramana Maharshi * Markabah**, the second diamond vehicle to appear, is the vehicle of pleasure, understanding pleasure from the spiritual perspective

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 209 (Part 2 of 3) | In Part 2 of the 15th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali delves into the very creation of reality by the logos, the source of all life. Logos (an ancient Greek term) is often considered to mean “word,” but Hameed uses it in its deeper sense, where logos is not only the word but also the speaker—the living field of manifestation. The soul is very similar to the logos, Hameed adds, with the same sense of flow, dynamism, and creativity. Hameed points out that the universe could have been created haphazardly, but because it was created in an orderly fashion, it allows for our lives to be meaningful. And, he continues, it is the dimension of love implicit in the logos that brings a beautiful sense of harmony, love, and gratitude to the human soul.

What about all the disharmony in the world? co-host Roger Walsh asks. How can genocide happen in a world that is divinely harmonious? To help explain this, Hameed uses the human body as an example of two perspectives that co-exist: from the perspective of time, we die, he says, but from the perspective of the particle, all is perfect. Hameed also describes his personal experience of being aligned with the creative dynamism of the logos, creating himself and the world anew each moment, like the way frames in a movie are constantly being replaced. The more we live this, he says, the more we bring harmony to the world. Join us also for Part 3 of this deep and intriguing dive into the nature of reality, where Hameed continues to talk about creative dynamism and the logos, and explains how this pertains to our own individual spiritual evolution. Recorded September 11, 2025.

“For the divine all is harmony, but for us human beings, it looks like mayhem.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 The soul is very similar to the logos, with the same sense of flow, dynamism & creativity (00:42) * Quantum theory says the field is generated by physical phenomena—but the logos is created out of spiritual mass, it’s the living field of manifestation (01:25) * The universe is alive and the logos is the source of all life (05:25) * Creative dynamism is a nondual dynamism that brings order to the universe; this creative order is what makes our lives meaningful (05:50) * An intelligence has created the universe so that it knows itself (09:42) * All forms in the nondual are basically noetic forms, and the logos is an unfoldment of these forms (11:30) * If the dimension of love is implicit in the logos, it brings a beautiful sense of harmony, love & gratitude to the human soul (12:35) * What about all the disharmony in the world? For the divine all is harmony, but for us human beings, it looks like mayhem (13:24) * Take the example of the human body: from the perspective of time we die, from the perspective of the particle it’s all perfect (14:47) * Hameed’s experience of creating himself and the world each moment (17:01) * The dualistic world is not an illusion; it’s one way the logos manifests reality (21:18) * Direct transmission: the Black Hat Ceremony of the 16th Karmapa (22:30) * In the Diamond Approach, transmission happens through words; the word is not separate from the state (25:59) * The word transmission is a misnomer; it’s a direct invocation (28:53)*

Resources & References – Part 2 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Federico Faggin*, Italian-American physicist, engineer, inventor* * The Great Perfection*, Center for Contemplative Research* * Advaita Vedanta * Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, 16th Karmapa*, the* Black Hat Ceremony**

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 208 (Part 1 of 3) | In Part 1 of the 15th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali enlightens us about the dynamic, creative force that generates our reality. “Dynamism is constant,” Hameed explains, “it never stops—it is constantly creating what we experience, what we perceive.” Hameed calls this nondual dimension of true nature—of our nature—creative dynamism. How do you explain change, he asks, if it’s not happening in time, and all of reality is one fabric, nondual? The dynamism Hameed speaks of, ongoing and total, has a radical implication: the entire universe is re-created, instant by instant. Not only the physical dimension, Hameed adds, but all dimensions—mental, emotional, and spiritual—are re-created anew.

As co-host Roger Walsh points out, Hameed’s teachings come from direct experience, and Hameed describes his own mind-blowing experience of the moment-by-moment re-creation of himself and the world in Part 2 of this dialogue. Nothing persists, he discovers, movement is not continual. In Part 1, Hameed also explores the subjects of free will, action, and choice as addressed from a nondual perspective, and the fact that we and our actions emerge from the totality of reality. As always, Hameed transmits his joy and exuberance at the mysterious and marvelous ways true nature expresses itself, and it is exciting to realize our own nature is as dynamic, creative, flowing and changing, as the universe. Recorded September 11, 2025.

“All of reality is part of one unified fabric, so what does it mean when a bird flies from one place to another?”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing dialogue #15 in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, focusing on the chapter “Logos & Creative Dynamism” in * The Inner Journey Home* (01:11) * How do other spiritual traditions explain change? (03:05) * Opening to the fact that our true nature has dynamism and flow (05:51) * Where does the word the "logos" come from? (07:07) * Radical dynamism: the entire universe is re-created, instant by instant (09:58) * Replacement: reality is replaced each instant, just like in the movies when one screen replaces the last (13:13) * Not just the physical dimension, but all dimensions—mental, emotional & spiritual—are created anew (18:51) * Free will, action, choice addressed from a nondual perspective (21:15) * We need to acknowledge our choice-making capacity and the fact that we and our actions are emerging from the totality of reality (24:49) * Dynamism shows we don’t need the “doer”—the universe is what “does” (27:09) * The teaching of transitoriness (30:20) * Each soul is a ripple in the ocean, a part of what is being constantly recreated (30:49)

Resources & References – Part 1 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Advaita Vedanta * Dzogchen * Mahamudra * Kashmir Shaivism * The Sufi doctrine of “Renewing of Creation at each instant*,” Introduction to Sufi Doctrine*, chapter 10 (pdf) * Logos

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

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Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 207 (Part 2 of 2) | In this extraordinary, compelling conversation, visionary, activist, and long-time politician, former Governor of California Jerry Brown gets right to the heart of the things that matter most. From truth seeking on an individual level (the importance of inquiring into the depths of our reality), to the challenge of our democracy (getting a consensus in a population that has no coherence), to the problem of leadership (now it’s all about winning, which works on the football field but not for international relations), the fear and greed that drive the arms race (we’re not talking about the arms issue, and to not talk about it is to be complicit), and the existential danger of nuclear war (as important as it is underreported), Jerry nails the essence of our most pressing issues.

Jerry’s deep concern about the existential threats we face today, such as nuclear war and climate change, is matched by his enthusiasm for life and excitement over the fact that the future is unknowable. “We have to turn,” he says, “and everyone can contribute to amplifying the turn.” We discover some of the key formative events that shaped Jerry’s keenly discerning character, so evident throughout his career and still today in his eighties, and why co-host Roger Walsh describes him as a “force of nature.” This conversation is thoroughly enjoyable, inspirational, eye opening, and disturbing too. “We are on the brink, but no one wants to hear it,” Jerry says. “How do you speak the truth in a way it can be heard?” Recorded August 7, 2025.

“The future is unknown, so don’t conclude that all is dark – or that all is bright! It’s unknown, so as long as we’re breathing and functioning, we have a lot to do.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Waking up with enthusiasm, excitement, and inherent appreciation (01:06) * What is Jerry engaged in right now? (03:34) * Roger’s summary of the global issues facing us today (05:50) * The nuclear danger is as important as it is underreported, and the key to proliferation is fear (07:17) * The ICBM Caucus (11:38) * Not talking about the arms issue is to be complicit (13:52) * Sitting with the question, what can I do? (16:19) * Social and political recognition of danger is so very important (18:12) * We have to turn and everyone can contribute to amplifying the turn (19:01) * The future is unknowable, so we do what we can (20:05) * Living in inquiry, the quest for truth (22:44) * Why was Jerry drawn to work for the good of the environment? (23:47) * The Jesuit belief in eternal damnation (27:55) * What you can derive from Zen (30:45) * Becoming individuators on the developmental path (33:15) * What does Jerry wish he’d known sooner? (34:49) * There’s always more to be learned (37:29)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Jerry Brown, Chair of the* California-China Climate Institute at UC Berkeley * Ernest Samuels, Henry Adams * Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists * William Hartung & Ben Freeman, The Trillion Dollar War Machine * Inside the ICBM Lobby: Special Interests or the Public Interest (Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft) * Greta Thunberg*, Swedish climate and political activist* * Daniel Ellsberg*, political activist, economist, and U.S. military analyst* * Denis Hayes*, coordinator of the first* Earth Day * St. Ignatius’ Meditations**

Jerry Brown was born in San Francisco on April 7, 1938. He was elected Trustee for the LA Community College District in 1969, California Secretary of State in 1970, and Governor of California in 1974 and 1978. After his governorship, he lectured and traveled widely, practiced law, served as chair of the California Democratic Party and ran for president. Brown was elected Mayor of Oakland in 1998, California Attorney General in 2006, and Governor again in 2010 and 2014. Brown currently serves as chair of the California-China Climate Institute at UC Berkeley, executive chair of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, chair of the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation Advisory Board, on the board of the Council on Criminal Justice, and as chair of the Oakland Military Institute College Preparatory Academy, one of two public charter schools he founded in Oakland more than 20 years ago.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 206 (Part 1 of 2) | In this extraordinary, compelling conversation, visionary, activist, and long-time politician, former Governor of California Jerry Brown gets right to the heart of the things that matter most. From truth seeking on an individual level (the importance of inquiring into the depths of our reality), to the challenge of our democracy (getting a consensus in a population that has no coherence), to the problem of leadership (now it’s all about winning, which works on the football field but not for international relations), the fear and greed that drive the arms race (we’re not talking about the arms issue, and to not talk about it is to be complicit), and the existential danger of nuclear war (as important as it is underreported), Jerry nails the essence of our most pressing issues.

Jerry’s deep concern about the existential threats we face today, such as nuclear war and climate change, is matched by his enthusiasm for life and excitement over the fact that the future is unknowable. “We have to turn,” he says, “and everyone can contribute to amplifying the turn.” We discover some of the key formative events that shaped Jerry’s keenly discerning character, so evident throughout his career and still today in his eighties, and why co-host Roger Walsh describes him as a “force of nature.” This conversation is thoroughly enjoyable, inspirational, eye opening, and disturbing too. “We are on the brink, but no one wants to hear it,” Jerry says. “How do you speak the truth in a way it can be heard?” Recorded August 7, 2025.

“We should not sleep in the delusion that things are better than they are.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing former Governor of California, Jerry Brown (00:43) * Jerry’s Jesuit background and the transformative process (02:29) * What shaped Jerry’s orientation to life? Growing up in a more innocent, unambiguous time in San Francisco (04:10) * Today’s chaos and confusion is what led to the presidency of Donald Trump (10:20) * The challenge in a democracy is getting a consensus—right now the “We” in “We the People” doesn’t have coherence (14:44) * Today the democratic ideal is up for grabs; it’s zero-sum—all about winning, and the payoff for scapegoating is very high (15:52) * We need an enormous amount of resources to address our problems, but using tax dollars requires a public belief and commitment that is not there (17:41) * The doomsday clock is ticking, the dangers are growing: nuclear, bio, climate, AI, satellites & weaponry (21:42) * Planetary realism and the need to work together: shared vulnerability needs to give rise to shared interest (26:35) * What can we do as individuals? Where you can be helpful and human and responsive, do that (32:05) * We are in the power of forces that a) we don’t control and b) we can’t do anything about (35:50) * We are on the brink, but no one wants to hear it: how do you speak the truth in a way it can be heard? (36:57) * Sitting Zazen in the face of what’s happening (39:32) * Jesuit slogan: Do what you’re doing (age quod agis) (42:20)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Jerry Brown, Executive Chair of the the* Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists * Jerry Brown, Chair of the California-China Climate Institute at UC Berkeley * The Doomsday Clock * William (Bill) Perry, My Journey at the Nuclear Brink * Barry McGuire song “Eve of Destruction” (1965) * Jerry Brown, A Stark Nuclear Warning (2016 NY Times book review of William Parry’s book) * Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning * Lawrence Langer, Holocaust scholar who criticized Viktor Frankl’s book * Werner Erhard*, “Life is empty and meaningless, and it’s empty and meaningless that it’s empty and meaningless.”* * Age quod agis*, “Digging Deeper: Age Quod Agis*”

Jerry Brown was born in San Francisco on April 7, 1938. He was elected Trustee for the LA Community College District in 1969, California Secretary of State in 1970, and Governor of California in 1974 and 1978. After his governorship, he lectured and traveled widely, practiced law, served as chair of the California Democratic Party and ran for president. Brown was elected Mayor of Oakland in 1998, California Attorney General in 2006, and Governor again in 2010 and 2014. Brown currently serves as chair of the California-China Climate Institute at UC Berkeley, executive chair of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, chair of the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation Advisory Board, on the board of the Council on Criminal Justice, and as chair of the Oakland Military Institute College Preparatory Academy, one of two public charter schools he founded in Oakland more than 20 years ago.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 205 (Part 2 of 2) | In the fourteenth dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali explores the nonconceptual nature of the dimension of pure awareness, guiding us into the realm that lies beyond conceptual dichotomies such as being/nonbeing, being/doing, duality/nonduality, good/bad, and meaningful/meaningless. Beyond knowing, this dimension exposes and challenges conceptual polarities, and when we arrive at this level of realization we are able to trust letting go of knowingness and wake up to pure awareness. People fear annihilation at the prospect of going beyond concepts, Hameed explains, and it does lead to a death: the death of mind, the death of the doer. But even here beyond knowing, Hameed continues, the nonconceptual always operates from compassion and love.

How do we develop a continuity of nonconceptual awareness? Roger and John wonder. One way is when knowing is integrated into being, Hameed answers. Then everything just happens; the doing is funneled through the individual. And there is another way, through developing the “pearl beyond price,” the individual, Hameed adds, but this way is rare. As co-host Roger Walsh says, this is an especially nourishing, stimulating, and intriguing discussion, with Hameed doing a beautiful job of relating how our concepts form the basis of our existence and what it means to transcend them, let go of our mind, deconstruct our perception of ourselves as the “doer,” and wake up to pure awareness. Recorded August 14, 2025.

“Conceptual dichotomies are important for the functioning of the human being, they are our building blocks… We need to recognize their usefulness—and also be able to be without them.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 The conceptual dichotomy between good and bad (00:28) * The nonconceptual always operates from compassion (02:31) * Most spiritual teachings focus on the dichotomy of being/nonbeing (04:40) * Non-knowing is a deeper realization; if you become aware of it, you wake up to pure awareness (06:00) * Goodness is inherent; Ram Dass understood loving awareness (07:43) * The dichotomy of duality/nonduality (11:04) * Conceptual dichotomies are important, they are our building blocks; we need to recognize their usefulness and also be able to be without them (13:07) * The problem comes when we believe our concepts are fundamentally true and we become locked into our separate identities (18:27) * The dichotomy of meaningful/meaningless (19:13) * Purpose/purposelessness and the Buddhist idea that our purpose is enlightenment (23:05) * Time/timelessness (25:32) * Going beyond the concept of God: the universal heretic (26:33) * The master of knowledge: you can use the knowledge but you are not bound by it or attached to it (28:01) * The view of totality (32:22) * Love & compassion are inherent to all spiritual teachings (33:43) * Living in pure awareness: the 16th Karmapa (37:45) * Hameed, Roger & John discuss Deep Transformation guests Frank Ostaseski of Zen Hospice and former CA governor Jerry Brown (40:16)*

Resources & References – Part 2 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Ram Dass & Rameshwar Das, Be Love Now: The Path of the Heart * Dzogchen * A. H. Almaas, Runaway Realization: Living a Life of Ceaseless Discovery * Iain McGilchrist*, psychiatrist, philosopher, neuroscientist:* Channel McGilchrist * 16th Karmapa: Interview with a Buddha * Learning From Death and Dying: Lessons for All of Us From Zen Hospice with Frank Ostaseski (Deep Transformation podcast) * Jerry Brown (Deep Transformation podcast coming up October 30th; we’ll add the link here when it goes live.)**

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 204 (Part 1 of 2) | In the fourteenth dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali explores the nonconceptual nature of the dimension of pure awareness, guiding us into the realm that lies beyond conceptual dichotomies such as being/nonbeing, being/doing, duality/nonduality, good/bad, and meaningful/meaningless. Beyond knowing, this dimension exposes and challenges conceptual polarities, and when we arrive at this level of realization we are able to trust letting go of knowingness and wake up to pure awareness. People fear annihilation at the prospect of going beyond concepts, Hameed explains, and it does lead to a death: the death of mind, the death of the doer. But even here beyond knowing, Hameed continues, the nonconceptual always operates from compassion and love.

How do we develop a continuity of nonconceptual awareness? Roger and John wonder. One way is when knowing is integrated into being, Hameed answers. Then everything just happens; the doing is funneled through the individual. And there is another way, through developing the “pearl beyond price,” the individual, Hameed adds, but this way is rare. As co-host Roger Walsh says, this is an especially nourishing, stimulating, and intriguing discussion, with Hameed doing a beautiful job of relating how our concepts form the basis of our existence and what it means to transcend them, let go of our mind, deconstruct our perception of ourselves as the “doer,” and wake up to pure awareness. Recorded August 14, 2025.

“To be in the nonconceptual state, i.e. in sitting meditation, is half of it, but to actualize it is the other half.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing the 14th dialogue in the * A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series*, focusing on nonconceptual awareness & transcending conceptual dichotomies (00:51) * Nondual reality, at the heart of The Inner Journey Home, is differentiated into five dimensions, each of which reveals something important about the deconstruction process that happens with spiritual practice (03:41) * Nonconceptual means beyond the capacity of knowing (07:34) * The experience of pure awareness transcends the dichotomy of existence/nonexistence (10:02) * In Dzogchen, rigpa includes knowing—but pure awareness means no knowing, just perception (10:30) * The dichotomy of being/doing is often a “sticking place” in our practice (16:10) * How do we develop a continuity of nonconceptual awareness? (19:44) * People fear annihilation at the prospect of going beyond concepts, and it does lead to the death of mind, the death of the doer (23:03) * With this level of realization, we can trust letting go of our knowingness (27:10) * What are ways for actualization to occur? (29:20) * In true, deep sleep there is cessation, all awareness gone (34:38) * When God manifests through the individual, the two dimensions of being and knowing can happen at the same (37:16) * Many traditions think the individual is an illusion—it’s not an illusion, it’s an appearance (39:12) * Most human beings get arrested at the ego stage of development, the separate stage (43:14)

Resources & References – Part 1 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Gnosis * Reification*, the process of treating an abstract concept or idea as a concrete, real thing* * Advaita Vedanta**

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The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

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Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 203 (Part 2 of 2) | In this rich, delightful, and profound conversation, Integral Theory informed Father David McCallum, SJ, currently serving the Catholic Church as executive director of the Program for Discerning Leadership, leads us into a world filled with mission, purpose, and service, foundational to which is the practice of discernment. David describes discernment as the capacity to exercise good judgment, hold complexity, and wait for clarity. This is not only a practice for individuals, he explains, but also a communal one, providing a way for communities to discern and design together the future they want to create—through listening, dialoguing, participating. Discernment is a way of knowing and making sense of reality, David continues, and especially important now in this era of changes and choices to be made.

David enlightens us as to the beautiful and far-sighted reforms proposed by the late Pope Francis, who was all for changing the balance of authority and participation in the Church; for people to have direct experience of Presence and the capacity to practice discernment; who also advocated for taking swift action on behalf of our planet, even calling out the part in the Bible that says man has dominion over the Earth. From David’s description of “the journey worth making”—surrendering, opening, accepting divine grace and love—to using Otto Scharmer’s U Process to help find the courage to change and simplify our lives for the benefit of all, to the Church’s relationship with A.I., David provides us with an extraordinarily mind-broadening, motivating, and spiritually fulfilling perspective. Recorded July 10, 2025.

“Disasters and oppression today are by-products of a spiritual crisis… We don’t see the unity of all.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Turning inward for guidance: making discernment practices & skills available to all (01:07) * The hunger to get back to direct experience (04:04) * Practicing with the Ignatius exercises including contemplation: the path of silence (06:40) * Pope Francis’ call out for action on behalf of the Earth (09:39) * Using Otto Scharmer’s U Process to gain the courage to simplify our lives and make the commitment to change (12:11) * Pope Francis’ challenging the idea that men should have dominion over the earth (13:30) * Disasters and oppression today are by-products of a spiritual crisis; we don’t see the unity of all (15:13) * Liberation theology: awakening the poor to their plight, giving them tools to remediate systemic injustice (16:52) * Why Jesuits were killed in El Salvador (19:28) * In the current situation in the U.S., what shape will/should religiously motivated resistance take? (20:23) * The church, A.I., and the danger of losing our human competencies to machines (27:32)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Father David McCallum, SJ, The Program for Discerning Leadership* * The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola * Jesuit Roshi Bob Kennedy*;* award-winning documentary film about a 90-year-old Zen master who also happens to be a Jesuit priest (trailer) * Frederic Laloux, Reinventing Organizations * Connecting to Source: The U Process (The Systems Thinker website) * Otto Scharmer*, action researcher, author of* Theory U*, co-author of* Leading from the Emerging Future: From Ego-system to Eco-system Economies * Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si’ * Daniel Berrigan*, Jesuit anti-war activist* * Pope Leo XIV’s message concerning AI at the United Nations’ AI for Good Summit (Vatican News) * The Friar Who Became the Vatican’s Go-To Guy on A.I. (New York Times article) * Yuval Harari on AI and Human Evolution*, WSJ Leadership Institute (YouTube video)* * Mustafa Suleyman, The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century’s Greatest Dilemma * They Asked ChatGPT Questions. The Answers Sent Them Spiraling (New York Times article) * ChatGPT is Becoming a Religion with Taylor Lorenz (YouTube video) * Thomas Hubl, collective trauma expert, see also Deep Transformation podcast Healing Collective Trauma with Thomas Hubl*, and Discerning Leadership’s* Trauma Informed Leadership with Thomas Hubl (YouTube video)**

Fr. David McCallum, S.J., Ed.D, is a Jesuit priest from the USA who serves as the founding Executive Director of the Program for Discerning Leadership, a special initiative of the Society of Jesus headquartered in Rome. The Program provides leadership formation and organizational development support for senior Vatican officials and major superiors of religious orders headquartered in Rome and internationally. From 2021 through 2024, Fr. McCallum has worked with the Secretariat for the Synod of Bishops on the Commission on Methodology, as a member of the international group that developed the synthesis of the National and Regional Bishop’s Conferences reports at Frascati, and as a facilitator expert at the Synods in October 2023 and 2024.

Formerly, Fr. McCallum served as faculty member and then the Dean of the Madden School of Business and as the VP of Mission Integration and Development at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY. His doctoral research at Teachers College, Columbia University, focused on the implications of developmental diversity in meeting the leadership challenges of conflict, complexity, and ambiguity.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 202 (Part 1 of 2) | In this rich, delightful, and profound conversation, Integral Theory informed Father David McCallum, SJ, currently serving the Catholic Church as executive director of the Program for Discerning Leadership, leads us into a world filled with mission, purpose, and service, foundational to which is the practice of discernment. David describes discernment as the capacity to exercise good judgment, hold complexity, and wait for clarity. This is not only a practice for individuals, he explains, but also a communal one, providing a way for communities to discern and design together the future they want to create—through listening, dialoguing, participating. Discernment is a way of knowing and making sense of reality, David continues, and especially important now in this era of changes and choices to be made.

David enlightens us as to the beautiful and far-sighted reforms proposed by the late Pope Francis, who was all for changing the balance of authority and participation in the Church; for people to have direct experience of Presence and the capacity to practice discernment; who also advocated for taking swift action on behalf of our planet, even calling out the part in the Bible that says man has dominion over the Earth. From David’s description of “the journey worth making”—surrendering, opening, accepting divine grace and love—to using Otto Scharmer’s U Process to help find the courage to change and simplify our lives for the benefit of all, to the Church’s relationship with A.I., David provides us with an extraordinarily mind-broadening, motivating, and spiritually fulfilling perspective. Recorded July 10, 2025.

“No secular, material, and empirical path is going to satisfy the longing we have for a transcendent purpose, for meaning, for existential belonging, in the ways that a healthy spirituality can.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing Fr. David McCallum, integrally informed Jesuit priest currently serving the Catholic Church as the executive director of the Program for Discerning Leadership (00:48) * How did David come to devote his life to the Catholic Church? (01:48) * The journey worth making: surrendering, opening, accepting grace (09:42) * So many are disconnected from the deeper wellspring of spirituality (13:07) * Pope Francis was a reformer, focused on changing the balance of authority and participation (16:46) * Pope Francis also focused on the process of synodality, real dialogue, the importance of discernment & following where the spirit wants to lead us (19:31) * Pope Leo XIV, self-effacing, generous, hard working, introspective, bringing balance and discipline (22:27) * How does David’s understanding of developmental stages inform his work? (25:28) * Using metatheories as a map to make sense of the change in era we are living through now (28:09) * The rise of secularism; also burgeoning fundamentalism (31:26) * Without faith, how can we make sense of suffering? (33:25) * The temptation of ideology in these anxiety-producing times (36:07) * What is discernment? * Communal discernment: What is the future we want to create together? (40:39)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Father David McCallum, SJ, The Program for Discerning Leadership* * Graham Greene*, English writer and journalist, one of the leading novelists of the 20th century* * Integral Christianity: Answering the Call to Evolve with Paul Smith and Ken Wilber (2011) * Brother David Steindl-Rast*, Benedictine monk, author, and lecturer, committed to interfaith dialogue* * Ignatius of Loyola*, co-founder of the religious order of the Society of Jesus,* Ignatian spirituality * Pope Francis*, first Jesuit pope, serving 2013 – 2025* * Pope Leo XIV*, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, elected in 2025* * Robert Kegan*, leading developmental psychologist,* The Evolving Self*,* In Over Our Heads: The Mental Demands of Modern Life * Ken Wilber’s collected works * Pierre Teilhard de Chardin*, Jesuit paleontologist, philosopher, mystic, and teacher* * George Coyne*, director of the Vatican Observatory* * Quaker tradition of communal discernment**

Fr. David McCallum, S.J., Ed.D, is a Jesuit priest from the USA who serves as the founding Executive Director of the Program for Discerning Leadership, a special initiative of the Society of Jesus headquartered in Rome. The Program provides leadership formation and organizational development support for senior Vatican officials and major superiors of religious orders headquartered in Rome and internationally. From 2021 through 2024, Fr. McCallum has worked with the Secretariat for the Synod of Bishops on the Commission on Methodology, as a member of the international group that developed the synthesis of the National and Regional Bishop’s Conferences reports at Frascati, and as a facilitator expert at the Synods in October 2023 and 2024.

Formerly, Fr. McCallum served as faculty member and then the Dean of the Madden School of Business and as the VP of Mission Integration and Development at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY. His doctoral research at Teachers College, Columbia University, focused on the implications of developmental diversity in meeting the leadership challenges of conflict, complexity, and ambiguity.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 201 (Part 2 of 2) | In the thirteenth dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali delves into the subject of knowing, or basic knowledge, at the deepest level of awareness. Different from ordinary knowledge, basic knowledge is inherent and immediate, an important feature of reality. You can know Being by being Being, he says; know consciousness by being consciousness, know peace by being peace. Being and knowing are the same thing, he explains, two sides of a coin. Some of what Hameed shares here is unique to his Diamond Approach teaching, and not found in other spiritual teachings, such as what he imparts about the origin of mind and the distinction he makes between pure being and pure awareness.

Hameed explains that we need our conceptual mind (to do our taxes, he laughs), but that reification—treating concepts as if they were real things—creates obstacles and alienates us from our true nature. The aim of all spiritual practice is to go beyond reification to immediate experience, he says.When Hameed describes the difference between pure presence and pure awareness, John wonders, how does Hameed remember the state of pure awareness when there’s no knowing in that state? And what does it feel like to experience no ground of being? Hameed answers in his usual enlightening, gently humorous way, leaving listeners in a state of open-minded wonder. Vastly illuminating, this conversation goes directly to the heart of being and the heart of knowing at the very foundation of true nature. Recorded July 17, 2025.

“Mind is not an obstacle. Not an enemy. The obstacle is the reified representation of mind. If we take the knowledge of that mind to be reality, that is the obstacle.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 How does Hameed remember the state of pure awareness when there’s no knowing in that state? (00:32) * Most spiritual teachings have pure awareness and pure presence as inseparable, but in this teaching they can be distinguished (03:26) * The experience of pure awareness: transparency, translucence, freedom (04:02) * The world is not an illusion; it is the face of God (06:13) * The logos is what makes things manifest (09:48) * Connecting the dimensions of pure being and pure awareness: mind is not an obstacle (11:46) * Gurdjieff’s “stupid saints” (13:14) * Mind is not the enemy; it’s the reification of knowing that is the obstacle (14:07) * Pure awareness is more fundamental than pure being because there are no concepts; freedom is more palpable in pure awareness (17:14) * Hameed’s multiple kinds of freedom; freedom independent from the ground of being (22:10) * What does it feel like to realize there is no ground? (25:02) * Transcending conceptual dichotomies: in spiritual liberation dichotomies can be stumbling blocks, like being vs nonbeing (25:20) * Will science start to accept the ground of being? (29:38) * Is math, the Euclidean theorem, a property of reality? (32:42) * Consciousness and quantum theory (34:27) * Knowing is fundamental to the universe; it’s inherent to our true nature (38:41) * There’s no reason to have to choose between knowing and being, they’re two sides of the same thing (39:51)*

Resources & References – Part 2 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Dzogchen * Advaita Vedanta * Kashmir Shaivism * Sri Aurobindo * The Greek logos is what makes things manifest * U. G. Krishnamurti,*Thought is Your Enemy: Conversations with U.G. Krishnamurti* * G. I. Gurdjieff, Views from the Real World * Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan*, Indian philosopher who became Vice-President of India* * Nisargadatta Maharaj*,* I Am That * A. H. Almaas, Runaway Realization: Living a Life of Ceaseless Discovery * A. H. Almaas, The Alchemy of Freedom: The Philosophers’ Stone and the Secrets of Existence * Roger Penrose, The Emperor’s New Mind * Federico Faggin*,* Science is Ready for Consciousness * Quantum Consciousness Debate: Does the Wave Function Actually Exist? (YouTube video with Penrose, Faggin & Kastrup) * Ken Wilber, Quantum Questions: Mystical Writings of the World’s Greatest Physicists**

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 200 (Part 1 of 2) | In the thirteenth dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali delves into the subject of knowing, or basic knowledge, at the deepest level of awareness. Different from ordinary knowledge, basic knowledge is inherent and immediate, an important feature of reality. You can know Being by being Being, he says; know consciousness by being consciousness, know peace by being peace. Being and knowing are the same thing, he explains, two sides of a coin. Some of what Hameed shares here is unique to his Diamond Approach teaching, and not found in other spiritual teachings, such as what he imparts about the origin of mind and the distinction he makes between pure being and pure awareness.

Hameed explains that we need our conceptual mind (to do our taxes, he laughs), but that reification—treating concepts as if they were real things—creates obstacles and alienates us from our true nature. The aim of all spiritual practice is to go beyond reification to immediate experience, he says.When Hameed describes the difference between pure presence and pure awareness, John wonders, how does Hameed remember the state of pure awareness when there’s no knowing in that state? And what does it feel like to experience no ground of being? Hameed answers in his usual enlightening, gently humorous way, leaving listeners in a state of open-minded wonder. Vastly illuminating, this conversation goes directly to the heart of being and the heart of knowing at the very foundation of true nature. Recorded July 17, 2025.

“Being is the origin of mind.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing the 13th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, focusing on the basic knowing at the foundation of our awareness & the reified way we see reality (00:46) * The work is to recognize that reification is happening (02:55) * We need to understand there are two kinds of knowing: ordinary knowing and basic knowing (04:12) * There are degrees of how immediate our knowing is (07:55) * Where does mind come from? (09:52) * The recognition of Being and the knowing of Being are the same thing; this is a basic nondual understanding (11:45) * The ground of mind is knowing: without knowing there is no mind (15:20) * To know implies a concept: the concept of being (17:25) * Reification is a developmental achievement (23:14) * The story of Maharishi and the Senate committee (26:50) * The aim of all spiritual practice is to go beyond reification to immediate experience (27:43) * For the realized individual, basic knowing is primary (29:58) * Knowing always means concept (31:56) * We can get to an awareness that is free of knowing; what Hameed calls nonconceptual, pure awareness (35:41)*

Resources & References – Part 1 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Reification*, the act of treating something abstract, like an idea, concept, or relationship, as if it were a concrete object or thing* * Bishop George Berkeley*, Anglo-Irish philosopher and clergyman, regarded as the founder of immaterialism, later referred to as subjective idealism, for whom the university and town of Berkeley was named* * Gnosis * Rigpa*, a central concept in* Dzogchen * Advaita Vedanta * Plotinus*’ concept of* nous*, the origin of all things in the realm of* Platonic Forms**

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

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Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 199 (Part 3 of 3) | Polarity management pioneer and author Barry Johnson and adult development expert Beena Sharma are masterful teacherson the subject of polarities and what polarity thinking can bring to the world, benefitting our well-being at every level. Together they explain what polarities are, why they matter, how to apply and leverage them, and the essence of polarity wisdom: pursuing the upsides of opposite poles. Barry is careful to explain that although either/or thinking is the root of our troubles, both/and thinking by itself isn’t the answer either. Integrating either/or with both/and thinking and recognizing the interdependence of all things is the road to transformation and, Beena adds, the engine of human development, of human maturity.

Barry explains the profound spiritual understanding foundational to polarity wisdom and Beena details how polarities shift according to our developmental stage. Each of the polarities discussed—justice/mercy, claiming power/sharing power, being/doing, to name a few—illuminates its sphere, whether it relates to democracy, social justice, or spiritual practice. Barry and Beena are passionate about the promise of polarity thinking and their excitement is contagious in this fast-paced, delightfully lucid dialogue, jam-packed with information that is practical, inspiring, and potentially life changing. Recorded May 22, 2025.

“Universal interdependence is the most clear example of divine, unconditional love, and the polarity is the smallest element within universal interdependence—the interdependence of two.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 3 Back to stages: from self-interest to harmonizing, to independence, multiperspectivality, and oneness (00:35) * We are born unique and we become more unique; we are born connected and appreciate being connected more and more (08:23) * Applying polarity thinking to contemporary politics: immigration (09:29) * The language of compassionate action (12:08) * How polarity thinking can help us with the metacrisis (16:02) * Leveraging polarities in everyday life, socially & culturally (20:11) * How do we select what to do when faced by an overwhelming amount of choices? (25:42) * We have to consciously become more competent, more masterful (27:28) * Polarity tension is always there, and we need to forgive ourselves and others for not always doing a good job with leveraging key polarities, i.e. work & home, self-care & achievement (28:51)*

Resources & References – Part 3 Barry Johnson, And: Making a Difference by Leveraging Polarity, Paradox, or Dilemma * Barry Johnson, Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems * Beena Sharma, founder Vertical Development Academy (VeDA) * The 8 Stages of Vertical Development with Beena Sharma (Deep Transformation podcast) * Richard Rohr, Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer * Daniel Schmachtenberger, “Development in Progress*” (Consilience Project website)

Barry Johnson, Ph.D., is a founder of Polarity Partnerships LLC, whose mission is to “enhance our quality of life on the planet by supplementing Or Thinking with And Thinking.” Barry has been involved in movement politics since his first march on Washington in 1963; in 1970 he turned his attention to understanding how systems became dysfunctional and how to co-create systems that worked for everyone. In that pursuit, the first polarity map and set of principles were generated. Barry has worked with organizations large and small, including business, industry, governments, educational and healthcare systems, and movement organizations to discover how And Thinking can be useful in accomplishing their mission. Barry’s recent work has been focused on how a polarity lens can be useful in addressing the rise of authoritarianism in the United States and around the world.

Along the way, Barry published three books and coordinated the publishing of a fourth: Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems, Managing Polarities in Congregations: Eight Keys for Thriving Faith Communities, with Roy Oswald, And: Making a Difference by Leveraging Polarity, Paradox or Dilemma, Volume One, and And, Volume 2, Applications (written by 54 professionals who have applied And-thinking in their settings).

Beena Sharma currently stewards Vertical Development Academy (VeDA) as its founding president, with a vision to enhance the practice of human development in service of civilizational resilience. Beena’s focus is on facilitating human maturity through a deep appreciation of the theory and practice of adult learning that catalyzes the development of wiser, more integrated human beings who can respond to personal, interpersonal, community, and larger systems challenges in more adequate ways. One of Beena’s unique contributions lies in leveraging the wisdom of polarities in service of human maturity, and Beena is one of the world’s leading teachers of polarity thinking. Beena is currently working on launching services that seek to build polarity wisdom in leaders and organizations around the world.

Beena is a gifted master coach, consultant, teacher, and thought leader. She has been recognized nationally and internationally for her achievements in successfully conceptualizing, developing, and delivering systemic leadership development initiatives. She is a regular keynote faculty member for McKinsey’s Executive Leadership Program serving leaders in Australia and New Zealand, and has led efforts as an executive and consultant for various agencies of the US Government, leading private sector companies in healthcare and other industries in the US, UK, Europe, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, and India.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 198 (Part 2 of 3) | Polarity management pioneer and author Barry Johnson and adult development expert Beena Sharma are masterful teacherson the subject of polarities and what polarity thinking can bring to the world, benefitting our well-being at every level. Together they explain what polarities are, why they matter, how to apply and leverage them, and the essence of polarity wisdom: pursuing the upsides of opposite poles. Barry is careful to explain that although either/or thinking is the root of our troubles, both/and thinking by itself isn’t the answer either. Integrating either/or with both/and thinking and recognizing the interdependence of all things is the road to transformation and, Beena adds, the engine of human development, of human maturity.

Barry explains the profound spiritual understanding foundational to polarity wisdom and Beena details how polarities shift according to our developmental stage. Each of the polarities discussed—justice/mercy, claiming power/sharing power, being/doing, to name a few—illuminates its sphere, whether it relates to democracy, social justice, or spiritual practice. Barry and Beena are passionate about the promise of polarity thinking and their excitement is contagious in this fast-paced, delightfully lucid dialogue, jam-packed with information that is practical, inspiring, and potentially life changing. Recorded May 22, 2025.

“Love is a natural byproduct of seeing completely.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Looking at the pole preferences that show up at each stage of development (00:37) * The integrative stage of development doesn’t reject either/or thinking or both/and thinking (04:42) * Embracing polarities’ upsides elevates you; you come to a higher place (08:05) * Tyranny and democracy: how do you both provide direction and encourage participation? (08:54) * The spiritual polarity of doing and being and Martin Buber’s I and thou (14:08) * How polarities nest and stack: Beena leads a nesting and upleveling exercise (18:10) * Relating polarity thinking to quantum physics & the richness of the subject of universal interdependence (22:32) * How do we respond to opposition at different developmental stages? (24:33) * Jack Gibb’s trust theory: love is a natural byproduct of seeing completely (28:24) * Seeing life and death as two poles and the violence in nature (29:28) * Enhancing our capacity to love: individuals, enemies, countries; universal interdependence is a manifestation of divine love (32:44) * Taking radical responsibility for our own incapacity to see (36:42) * Love as a natural response to seeing fully and defenselessly (38:23) * Barry’s profound realization about heaven, hell, and universal love (40:14)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Barry Johnson, And: Making a Difference by Leveraging Polarity, Paradox, or Dilemma * Barry Johnson, Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems * Beena Sharma, founder Vertical Development Academy (VeDA) * The 8 Stages of Vertical Development with Beena Sharma (Deep Transformation podcast) * Martin Buber, I and Thou * California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS),* Sanjay Manchanda * Carlo Rovelli*,* Helgoland: Making Sense of the Quantum Revolution * Jack R. Gibb*,* Trust: A New View of Personal And Organizational Development * Richard Rohr*’s Center for Action and Contemplation’s* Daily Meditations**

Barry Johnson, Ph.D., is a founder of Polarity Partnerships LLC, whose mission is to “enhance our quality of life on the planet by supplementing Or Thinking with And Thinking.” Barry has been involved in movement politics since his first march on Washington in 1963; in 1970 he turned his attention to understanding how systems became dysfunctional and how to co-create systems that worked for everyone. In that pursuit, the first polarity map and set of principles were generated. Barry has worked with organizations large and small, including business, industry, governments, educational and healthcare systems, and movement organizations to discover how And Thinking can be useful in accomplishing their mission. Barry’s recent work has been focused on how a polarity lens can be useful in addressing the rise of authoritarianism in the United States and around the world.

Along the way, Barry published three books and coordinated the publishing of a fourth: Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems, Managing Polarities in Congregations: Eight Keys for Thriving Faith Communities, with Roy Oswald, And: Making a Difference by Leveraging Polarity, Paradox or Dilemma, Volume One, and And, Volume 2, Applications (written by 54 professionals who have applied And-thinking in their settings).

Beena Sharma currently stewards Vertical Development Academy (VeDA) as its founding president, with a vision to enhance the practice of human development in service of civilizational resilience. Beena’s focus is on facilitating human maturity through a deep appreciation of the theory and practice of adult learning that catalyzes the development of wiser, more integrated human beings who can respond to personal, interpersonal, community, and larger systems challenges in more adequate ways. One of Beena’s unique contributions lies in leveraging the wisdom of polarities in service of human maturity, and Beena is one of the world’s leading teachers of polarity thinking. Beena is currently working on launching services that seek to build polarity wisdom in leaders and organizations around the world.

Beena is a gifted master coach, consultant, teacher, and thought leader. She has been recognized nationally and internationally for her achievements in successfully conceptualizing, developing, and delivering systemic leadership development initiatives. She is a regular keynote faculty member for McKinsey’s Executive Leadership Program serving leaders in Australia and New Zealand, and has led efforts as an executive and consultant for various agencies of the US Government, leading private sector companies in healthcare and other industries in the US, UK, Europe, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, and India.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 197 (Part 1 of 3) | Polarity management pioneer and author Barry Johnson and adult development expert Beena Sharma are masterful teacherson the subject of polarities and what polarity thinking can bring to the world, benefitting our well-being at every level. Together they explain what polarities are, why they matter, how to apply and leverage them, and the essence of polarity wisdom: pursuing the upsides of opposite poles. Barry is careful to explain that although either/or thinking is the root of our troubles, both/and thinking by itself isn’t the answer either. Integrating either/or with both/and thinking and recognizing the interdependence of all things is the road to transformation and, Beena adds, the engine of human development, of human maturity.

Barry explains the profound spiritual understanding foundational to polarity wisdom and Beena details how polarities shift according to our developmental stage. Each of the polarities discussed—justice/mercy, claiming power/sharing power, being/doing, to name a few—illuminates its sphere, whether it relates to democracy, social justice, or spiritual practice. Barry and Beena are passionate about the promise of polarity thinking and their excitement is contagious in this fast-paced, delightfully lucid dialogue, jam-packed with information that is practical, inspiring, and potentially life changing. Recorded May 22, 2025.

“Either/or thinking without both/and thinking is the root cause of poverty, racism, sexism, and war.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing polarity management pioneer & author Barry Johnson and adult development expert Beena Sharma (00:48) * How did Barry discover polarities? (02:15) * The essential dimension of polarities—interdependent pairs—and the universal interdependence of all of life (03:08) * The capacity to integrate and recognize interdependence is the driving force of adult human development (03:47) * The difference between polarity management and polarity wisdom (05:37) * A key polarity in leadership and democracy: claiming power & sharing power (07:20) * Experiential exercise: the infinity loop (08:11) * What is true for all polarities: each pole brings something special that is essential to the relationship (11:15) * The integrating wisdom that includes and transcends both polarities encompasses all dualities, reflecting traditional East Indian wisdom (12:12) * As a leader, how can we be both clear & flexible, self-assured & humble, and as an organization, centralized & decentralized? (13:51) * The oscillation between activity and rest (14:55) * Leveraging polarities: maximizing upsides and minimizing downsides (16:22) * Either/or thinking is essential, but it needs to be supplemented with both/and thinking (16:34) * Privileging one pole as better, you enter into dysfunction (19:33) * Interpersonal relationships: we see the positive value of our preferred pole but the downside of the other’s opposite preferred pole (20:56) * The essence of polarity wisdom: embracing the wisdom of the opposite pole (21:41) * Polarity thinking is an antidote to rigidity; it heals polarization (22:25) * Either/or thinking without both/and thinking is the root cause of evil (23:09) * Pursuing justice to the neglect of mercy (its interdependent pole) (26:47) * Does both/and thinking require a certain level of maturity? (32:14)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Barry Johnson, And: Making a Difference by Leveraging Polarity, Paradox, or Dilemma * Barry Johnson, Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems * Beena Sharma, founder Vertical Development Academy (VeDA) * Desmond Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness * The 8 Stages of Vertical Development with Beena Sharma (Deep Transformation podcast)*

Barry Johnson, Ph.D., is a founder of Polarity Partnerships LLC, whose mission is to “enhance our quality of life on the planet by supplementing Or Thinking with And Thinking.” Barry has been involved in movement politics since his first march on Washington in 1963; in 1970 he turned his attention to understanding how systems became dysfunctional and how to co-create systems that worked for everyone. In that pursuit, the first polarity map and set of principles were generated. Barry has worked with organizations large and small, including business, industry, governments, educational and healthcare systems, and movement organizations to discover how And Thinking can be useful in accomplishing their mission. Barry’s recent work has been focused on how a polarity lens can be useful in addressing the rise of authoritarianism in the United States and around the world.

Along the way, Barry published three books and coordinated the publishing of a fourth: Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems, Managing Polarities in Congregations: Eight Keys for Thriving Faith Communities, with Roy Oswald, And: Making a Difference by Leveraging Polarity, Paradox or Dilemma, Volume One, and And, Volume 2, Applications (written by 54 professionals who have applied And-thinking in their settings).

Beena Sharma currently stewards Vertical Development Academy (VeDA) as its founding president, with a vision to enhance the practice of human development in service of civilizational resilience. Beena’s focus is on facilitating human maturity through a deep appreciation of the theory and practice of adult learning that catalyzes the development of wiser, more integrated human beings who can respond to personal, interpersonal, community, and larger systems challenges in more adequate ways. One of Beena’s unique contributions lies in leveraging the wisdom of polarities in service of human maturity, and Beena is one of the world’s leading teachers of polarity thinking. Beena is currently working on launching services that seek to build polarity wisdom in leaders and organizations around the world.

Beena is a gifted master coach, consultant, teacher, and thought leader. She has been recognized nationally and internationally for her achievements in successfully conceptualizing, developing, and delivering systemic leadership development initiatives. She is a regular keynote faculty member for McKinsey’s Executive Leadership Program serving leaders in Australia and New Zealand, and has led efforts as an executive and consultant for various agencies of the US Government, leading private sector companies in healthcare and other industries in the US, UK, Europe, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, and India.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 196 (Part 2 of 2) | n the twelfth dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali guides us into the profound experience of pure being, which lies at the core of all mystical teachings. There are two nondual ways of experiencing the fullness of being, he explains. We can recognize we are infinite and boundless—as if we were the sky, but still experiencing this through our being—or, we can experience the oneness of being from the perspective of all manifestation: the mountain, the rocks, the molecules and atoms... “Wherever you go, physically or mentally, is pure being.” Hameed calls the first recognition “unity,” and the latter “oneness.”

Hameed clarifies the paradox of nothingness: “being and nothing are two ways of knowing the same thing; you can feel it as a fullness or you can feel it as an emptiness.” And he explains that being being and knowing being are the same thing, when knowing is understood in its deeper sense as gnosis. “Awakening is knowing our being or our awareness for what it is,” he says. Why is Hameed so uniquely articulate in talking about the experience of pure being? John asks him. This talk is an amazing teaching—visual and sensory, scientific and mathematical, deeply mystical and spiritual—Hameed comes at the subject of pure being from all angles. Recorded June 26, 2025.

“Practice is clearing the way, but whether awakening emerges or not is not up to you.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Why Hameed is so uniquely articulate talking about these experiences, and why some teachers don’t talk about these things (00:27) * The nothingness side of pure presence (04:28) * The spaciousness here appears different; it is non-Euclidean (07:44) * Being and nothing are two ways of knowing the same thing; you can feel it as a fullness or you can feel it as an emptiness (09:22) * What other traditions teach about emptiness (11:34) * Awareness is pure beingness too (13:53) * Awareness is an ontological reality; it is an “is-ness” we can recognize and it includes knowing (18:14) * Being being is the same thing as knowing being; this is gnosis: knowing by being (20:23) * Awakening is knowing our being or our awareness for what it is (23:44) * Knowing and mind are fundamental, not just intellectual (25:52) * Awakened awareness: realizing that awareness is the nature of everything (27:10) * Awakening cannot be earned; it is a recognition, but there are obstacles in the way (29:37) * We’ll get into knowing and reification next time (32:45) * This teaching affirms you are a real being, and you are an expression of the being of God (33:55)*

Resources & References – Part 2 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Bernard Riemann*, German mathematician who developed Riemannian geometry, a type of non-Euclidean geometry* * Saccidānanda*, the subjective experience of the ultimate unchanging reality* * Mahmud Shabistari, 14th-century mystical Persian poet, The Secret Rose Garden * Rigpa is a central concept in Dzogchen * Mahamudra practice**, the highest form of Tibetan Buddhist meditation

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 195 (Part 1 of 2) | In the twelfth dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali guides us into the profound experience of pure being, which lies at the core of all mystical teachings. There are two nondual ways of experiencing the fullness of being, he explains. We can recognize we are infinite and boundless—as if we were the sky, but still experiencing this through our being—or, we can experience the oneness of being from the perspective of all manifestation: the mountain, the rocks, the molecules and atoms… “Wherever you go, physically or mentally, is pure being.” Hameed calls the first recognition “unity,” and the latter “oneness.”

Hameed clarifies the paradox of nothingness: “being and nothing are two ways of knowing the same thing; you can feel it as a fullness or you can feel it as an emptiness.” And he explains that being being and knowing being are the same thing, when knowing is understood in its deeper sense as gnosis. “Awakening is knowing our being or our awareness for what it is,” he says. Why is Hameed so uniquely articulate in talking about the experience of pure being? John asks him. This talk is an amazing teaching—visual and sensory, scientific and mathematical, deeply mystical and spiritual—Hameed comes at the subject of pure being from all angles. Recorded June 26, 2025.

“One way of experiencing pure being is from within itself; then there is experiencing it from the perspective of all manifestation. This is when we understand form is formlessness and formlessness is form.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing the 12th dialogue of the * A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series* focused on Hameed’s nondual teachings, and experiencing the fullness of being (00:33) * The difference between the localized experience of presence and the infinite, boundless experience of presence (01:50) * Divine love, pure presence is the precursor of all other qualities (03:15) * More fundamental than divine love is the simplicity of pure presence, pure being (06:09) * Our alienation from completeness causes a sense of lack in us all (11:19) * There are 2 major ways of experiencing the fullness of being, both nondual (15:27) * The second way is experiencing it from the perspective of all manifestation; this is when we understand form is formlessness and formlessness is form (22:14) * Nonduality is implicit in both experiences—subject and object are the same thing (26:09) * If you look a little deeper, you find that formlessness is behind everything (28:17) * All manifestations of true nature are an antidote to suffering (28:43) * Ordinary mind perceives everything as separate, singular (31:04) * Science deals with behavior only; quantum physics comes closest to acknowledging there is something besides the physical (32:59) * Can mathematics take us to a realization of pure being? (36:58) * It would be possible for scientists to study this if they practiced inquiry into the observer, into the experience (39:50)

Resources & References – Part 1 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Advaita Vedanta * Ibn Arabi*, a major figure in Islamic mysticism (Sufism) and one of the most influential thinkers associated with nonduality in the Islamic tradition* * Meister Eckhart*, German Catholic priest, theologian, philosopher & mystic* * Dzogchen * Sir Roger Penrose & Dr. Stuart Hameroff, Consciousness and the Physics of the Brain (YouTube video) * David Bohm, Wholeness and the Implicate Order * Niels Bohr*,* Martin Heidegger*,* Erwin Schrödinger**

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 194 (Part 2 of 2) | Frank Ostaseski, Zen hospice pioneer, founder of the Metta Institute, and author of The Five Invitations, speaks with us about the profound wisdom and potential for transformation that is unleashed in the process of dying. “Suppose we imagine death as an unprecedented opportunity for transformation, he says, adding, “so why wait until we are dying?” In attending over a thousand people in hospice, Frank has often seen them experience a real sense of discovery in the dying process; there is a time of acceptance, a time of letting go, and then a deeper state of surrendering to something larger. The walls that prop up the self start tumbling down, Frank explains, and a larger connection emerges that is always there.

Frank would like to see the process of dying brought out of the closet—shared about, learned from, and not reduced to a medical event. It’s important to meet death with don’t-know mind and trust the dying process to teach each of us what we need to know, he explains. And some of what we can do right now to open ourselves to the wisdom of death is pay attention to how we end things, and to how we love. This far reaching discussion delves gently into the divine mystery of death and dying, touching on radical acceptance, transcending self, don’t-know mind, everyday compassion and boundless compassion, grief as an expression of love, and creating rituals to mark this passage and all passages. We are left feeling unexpectedly comforted and liberated at the same time. Recorded December 5, 2024.

“Grief is a way we continue to love someone… a natural response to the experience of love.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 What qualities do people need to be with the dying? (00:27) * Boundless compassion needs everyday compassion (02:09) * Don’t wait to tell people that you love them (03:55) * Grief is a way we continue to love someone, a natural response to the experience of love (06:06) * There are subtler experiences after surrender: tracking consciousness as the brain stops (06:38) * Gratefulness and a deep sense of belonging to something larger (09:52) * Cultivating don’t know mind; meeting dying with don’t know mind (12:47) * Terminal lucidity (17:49) * Practices we can do now: how do we meet endings? (19:54) * Impermanence is not later; it’s in this very moment (22:35) * Cultural changes Frank would like to see (26:15) * Proximate karma (30:00) * Better drugs than sedation: psychedelics could help us meet the profundity of the experience (30:37) * Bathing the body after death: a wonderful tradition that can fundamentally shift our relation with death (33:45)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Frank Ostaseski’s website: https://frankostaseski.com/ * Frank Ostaseski, The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully * Metta Institute, founded by Frank Ostaseski, to provide innovative programs and trainings that foster mindful & compassionate end-of-life care* * Frank Ostaseski, founding director of the San Francisco Zen Hospice Project (now Zen Caregiving Project*)* * Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind * Elizabeth Kübler-Ross*,* On Death and Dying * Death Over Dinner.org*: Let’s have dinner and talk about death* * Ram Dass*, Frank Ostaseski, Joan Halifax,* Stages of the Journey (audiobook) * Bill Moyers PBS series, On Our Own Terms: Moyers on Dying**

Frank Ostaseski is an internationally respected Buddhist teacher, visionary co-founder of the Zen Hospice Project, and founder of the Metta Institute. He has lectured at Harvard Medical School, the Mayo Clinic, leading corporations like Google and Apple Inc., and teaches at major spiritual centers around the globe. Frank is the 2018 recipient of the prestigious Humanities Award from the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Frank has accompanied over 1,000 people through the dying process and trained thousands of healthcare clinicians and family caregivers around the world. His groundbreaking work has been featured on the Bill Moyers PBS series On Our Own Terms, highlighted on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and honored by H.H. the Dalai Lama. He is the author of The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 193 (Part 1 of 2) | Frank Ostaseski, Zen hospice pioneer, founder of the Metta Institute, and author of The Five Invitations, speaks with us about the profound wisdom and potential for transformation that is unleashed in the process of dying. “Suppose we imagine death as an unprecedented opportunity for transformation, he says, adding, “so why wait until we are dying?” In attending over a thousand people in hospice, Frank has often seen them experience a real sense of discovery in the dying process; there is a time of acceptance, a time of letting go, and then a deeper state of surrendering to something larger. The walls that prop up the self start tumbling down, Frank explains, and a larger connection emerges that is always there.

Frank would like to see the process of dying brought out of the closet—shared about, learned from, and not reduced to a medical event. It’s important to meet death with don’t-know mind and trust the dying process to teach each of us what we need to know, he explains. And some of what we can do right now to open ourselves to the wisdom of death is pay attention to how we end things, and to how we love. This far reaching discussion delves gently into the divine mystery of death and dying, touching on radical acceptance, transcending self, don’t-know mind, everyday compassion and boundless compassion, grief as an expression of love, and creating rituals to mark this passage and all passages. We are left feeling unexpectedly comforted and liberated at the same time. Recorded December 5, 2024.

“Dying is not predominantly a medical event, and we ought to stop treating it as if it were.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing Frank Ostaseski, co-founder of the Zen Hospice Project & author of The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully (00:35) * What drew Frank into working with the dying? (01:51) * John’s brush with death and how it affects him now (03:05) * Does a contemplative practice help in a near-death experience? (08:10) * Dying brings about certain conditions that help us transcend our small self (11:39) * Facing death is an unprecedented opportunity for transformation—why wait until we are dying? (12:38) * Acceptance is only the beginning, letting go has an important role, but there is a deeper dimension: surrender (14:23) * Who are we after we are stripped of our identities? (20:43) * Another way of understanding surrender: a deep relaxation rather than a giving up (22:19) * We need to not project our standard of what dying should look like on people who are dying (30:30) * Roger’s comments about how touched he was by Frank’s book, The Five Invitations (36:39) * How painfully inadequate medical training is for helping the dying (38:28) * How vulnerable doctors became during Covid, when they had to take on the role of family members (40:20) * Time-of-death rituals are growing in medical centers around the world (42:17) * Playing Brahms’ Lullaby throughout the hospital to mark a birth (46:18)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Frank Ostaseski’s website: https://frankostaseski.com/ * Frank Ostaseski, The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully * Metta Institute, founded by Frank Ostaseski, to provide innovative programs and trainings that foster mindful & compassionate end-of-life care* * Frank Ostaseski, founding director of the San Francisco Zen Hospice Project (now Zen Caregiving Project*)* * Elizabeth Kübler-Ross and the five stages of grief*,* On Death and Dying * Neptune Society * Rachel Naomi Remen, Kitchen Table Wisdom & My Grandfather’s Blessings * Johannes Brahms, Lullaby (YouTube video)**

Frank Ostaseski is an internationally respected Buddhist teacher, visionary co-founder of the Zen Hospice Project, and founder of the Metta Institute. He has lectured at Harvard Medical School, the Mayo Clinic, leading corporations like Google and Apple Inc., and teaches at major spiritual centers around the globe. Frank is the 2018 recipient of the prestigious Humanities Award from the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Frank has accompanied over 1,000 people through the dying process and trained thousands of healthcare clinicians and family caregivers around the world. His groundbreaking work has been featured on the Bill Moyers PBS series On Our Own Terms, highlighted on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and honored by H.H. the Dalai Lama. He is the author of The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 192 (Part 2 of 2) | Professor Mark Fischler, constitutional law expert and co-host of the Integral Justice Warrior podcast, helps us make sense of what’s happening to our democracy, providing context—historical, legal, ethical—for the plethora of disturbing and destructive acts occurring on a daily basis in our political arena. The rule of law is under direct attack at this time, he explains, and an assault on democracy is essentially an assault on our most fundamental values—the principles this country was founded on: inclusivity, equality, and dignity for all.

Mark clarifies President Trump’s political actions in the context of developmental stages, unpacks Project 2025, and discusses the assault on higher education and critical thinking and what it portends. The trajectory of where we are headed, Mark points out, is regressing into values we have already transcended. We need our democratic foundation to move to deeper, post-democratic levels that are reflective of greater levels of interconnection and inclusivity—not the opposite, he says. What will it take to change the regressive trajectory? Courage! And involvement. Thank you, Mark, for bringing a rare depth and much-needed clarity to the subject of the evolving democratic crisis occurring in our nation today and its implications for our future. Recorded June 12, 2025.

“The assault on democracy we are experiencing is also an assault on a spiritual understanding of the deeper nature of our existence.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 The assault on higher education and critical thinking, continued (01:07) * The idea of inherent capabilities of race is a slippery slope (02:33) * Authoritarianism, the “authoritarian slide,” and the current administration (11:16) * Do you cave if your livelihood is threatened or do you stand up for the values of your country? (14:12) * The assault on democracy is an assault on our foundational spiritual values (19:26) * The leftist postmodern approach to transgender issues & immigration created fodder for the movement towards authoritarianism (23:12) * The importance of creating an educated citizenry (28:03) * MLK’s four basic steps for nonviolent action (32:09) * Take direct action only after you’ve entered into a purified state such as Jesus had on the cross (34:05) * Prevent violence in protests, disable provocateurs (36:16)*

Resources & References – Part 2 The Integral Justice Warrior series, co-hosted by Mark Fischler and* Corey deVos (Integral Life website) * Greg Thomas, CEO of the Jazz Leadership Project on the Deep Transformation podcast, From Race to Culture to Cosmos: Using the Dance of Our Differences to Wise Up, Harmonize, and Actualize * Martin Luther King Jr.’s last speech, “*I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” (YouTube video) * Robb Smith, The Great Release: The Rise of Trump and the End of U.S. Hegemony (eBook available on Integral Life) * Ivan Illich, Deschooling Society * Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from the Birmingham Jail*

Mark Fischler is a professor of Ethics, Constitutional Law, and Criminal Procedure at Plymouth State University. Prior to joining the Plymouth State faculty, he practiced law, representing poor criminal defendants for the New Hampshire Public Defender’s Office. Mark left the law after being guided by the Universe to focus on his Spiritual Awareness for almost two years. Upon his return, he was called to become a teacher and accepted a job at Plymouth State in 2003.

Since then, Mark has worked extensively with alternative theoretical models in law, constitutional law, and higher education, and has published on integral applications to teaching, being a lawyer, and legal theory. In his time at the university, he’s been a chair, Dean, and Interim VP. His focus in the classroom is ethics and criminal procedure and constitutional law. He is well respected for a teaching philosophy that emphasizes recognizing the humanity and dignity of each student. Professor Fischler was awarded the outstanding teaching award at his university in 2014. He currently offers a weekly Spiritual Inquiry class for college students.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 191 (Part 1 of 2) | Professor Mark Fischler, constitutional law expert and co-host of the Integral Justice Warrior podcast, helps us make sense of what’s happening to our democracy, providing context—historical, legal, ethical—for the plethora of disturbing and destructive acts occurring on a daily basis in our political arena. The rule of law is under direct attack at this time, he explains, and an assault on democracy is essentially an assault on our most fundamental values—the principles this country was founded on: inclusivity, equality, and dignity for all.

Mark clarifies President Trump’s political actions in the context of developmental stages, unpacks Project 2025, and discusses the assault on higher education and critical thinking and what it portends. The trajectory of where we are headed, Mark points out, is regressing into values we have already transcended. We need our democratic foundation to move to deeper, post-democratic levels that are reflective of greater levels of interconnection and inclusivity—not the opposite, he says. What will it take to change the regressive trajectory? Courage! And involvement. Thank you, Mark, for bringing a rare depth and much-needed clarity to the subject of the evolving democratic crisis occurring in our nation today and its implications for our future. Recorded June 12, 2025.

“The rule of law is a hard-earned process… and it’s under direct attack at this time in our country.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing constitutional law expert, professor of Ethics, Constitutional Law, and Criminal Procedure, and co-host of the Integral Justice Warrior podcast, Mark Fischler (00:39) * Trump, tribalism, and the zero-sum game: there are winners & losers; the losers deserve to lose (01:31) * The rule of law is under direct attack in the U.S. at this time (11:34) * Dehumanization and Trump’s pre-conventional ethic of retribution (14:41) * Our nation is built on ethics of higher purpose; our founding fathers specifically banned gifts to the President in the Constitution (17:30) * Where is Congress in all of this? (21:13) * Treason and bribery are the two legal grounds for impeachment (21:55) * What is Project 2025, and the over-rulings of judicial rulings by the executive (25:33) * The Heritage Foundation, responsible for developing the central ideas of Project 2025 (29:41) * Project 2025’s pre-conventional position on abortion and family (32:49) * Why does democracy matter? (36:22) * What we are experiencing is a direct attack on the principles of inclusivity (37:53) * How does slashing Medicare and Medicaid square with Christian values? (40:21) * The trajectory of where we are headed: regressing into values we have already transcended (43:14) * The left has made it easy for the far right (43:48) * The assault on higher education and critical thinking (44:17)*

Resources & References – Part 1 The Integral Justice Warrior series, co-hosted by Mark Fischler and* Corey deVos (Integral Life website) * J. Michael Luttig, The End of Rule of Law in America (The Atlantic Magazine) * Don Beck & Christopher Cowan, Spiral Dynamics * Martin Buber*, best known for his philosophy of dialogue centered on the distinction between the I–Thou relationship and the I–It relationship* * Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from the Birmingham Jail * Lincoln’s Gettysburg address * Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address * Project 2025 Presidential Transition Project, developed by The Heritage Foundation * Winston Churchill, “*The worst form of government”*

Mark Fischler is a professor of Ethics, Constitutional Law, and Criminal Procedure at Plymouth State University. Prior to joining the Plymouth State faculty, he practiced law, representing poor criminal defendants for the New Hampshire Public Defender’s Office. Mark left the law after being guided by the Universe to focus on his Spiritual Awareness for almost two years. Upon his return, he was called to become a teacher and accepted a job at Plymouth State in 2003.

Since then, Mark has worked extensively with alternative theoretical models in law, constitutional law, and higher education, and has published on integral applications to teaching, being a lawyer, and legal theory. In his time at the university, he’s been a chair, Dean, and Interim VP. His focus in the classroom is ethics and criminal procedure and constitutional law. He is well respected for a teaching philosophy that emphasizes recognizing the humanity and dignity of each student. Professor Fischler was awarded the outstanding teaching award at his university in 2014. He currently offers a weekly Spiritual Inquiry class for college students.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 190 (Part 2 of 2) | The eleventh Wisdom Series dialogue with A. H. Almaas brings us to the second turning of his teaching, into the boundless dimension of divine love. Hameed explores this nondual dimension in detail: its qualities, what it’s like to experience firsthand, and what the effects of such an experience are likely to be. This boundless dimension of loving consciousness is the first of the five boundless dimensions, though love continues to develop throughout them all. Hameed gives a beautiful account of his initial experience with this dimension, when divine love and light permeated all of reality. “Why don’t more people experience this if love is always there? asks co-host John Dupuy, and Hameed explains that it’s always there in potential form though not always manifest; the experience is there for when we are ripe for it.

Having awakened to this dimension, one can’t help but want everyone to feel this way, Hameed says, and this is the main reason spiritual teachers teach. Hameed describes the obstacles that prevent us from experiencing the reality of divine love, how it challenges our perceived separateness, and tells us that after experiencing this unity, returning to separateness is not a choice. It turns out that experiencing boundless love is not a panacea for enlightenment, but creates an upwelling of obstacles and a state where our boundedness feels even more restrictive than before. Hameed also relates how hatred and greed can exist in this reality of pure goodness, and tells us that it is here, in the ocean of love and light, that they are transformed. A wonderfully numinous, illuminating conversation. Recorded May 1, 2025.

“The love is what makes us human—you can’t be really human without heart.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Two ways of functioning: from the perspective of the soul, or from the perspective of the ocean of love (00:35) * A third way of functioning is when the ocean manifests the functioning itself (03:58) * The ocean of love dissolves all fears (06:06) * Love takes forms; this dimension is an example of the formless taking form (07:06) * The sense of pure “goodness” in this dimension is unmistakable—you can’t help but want everyone to feel this (10:34) * Hatred is not a quality of being; it’s a distortion of a quality of being (14:37) * Hameed’s experience of the beast, an inherent part of the ego (17:40) * Experiencing Jabba the Hut, who represents greed; greed gets healed in this dimension (21:23) * Your curiosity—wanting to know and being willing to experience—is the only way to transform greed or hatred; you can’t push them away (29:02) * Five steps towards true nature (31:41) * The heart (love) keeps developing through all the dimensions (34:20) * You can’t be really human without heart (35:32) * How do we continue to develop and manifest this connection with love? (36:20)*

Resources & References – Part 2 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * A. H. Almaas, Luminous Night’s Journey: An Autobiographical Fragment * Plato’s “*the Good” * Jabba the Hut appears in the second sequel to Star Wars movie: Return of the Jedi (1983) * Tibetan Buddhism’s wrathful deities*

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 189 (Part 1 of 2) | The eleventh Wisdom Series dialogue with A. H. Almaas brings us to the second turning of his teaching, into the boundless dimension of divine love. Hameed explores this nondual dimension in detail: its qualities, what it’s like to experience firsthand, and what the effects of such an experience are likely to be. This boundless dimension of loving consciousness is the first of the five boundless dimensions, though love continues to develop throughout them all. Hameed gives a beautiful account of his initial experience with this dimension, when divine love and light permeated all of reality. “Why don’t more people experience this if love is always there? asks co-host John Dupuy, and Hameed explains that it’s always there in potential form though not always manifest; the experience is there for when we are ripe for it.

Having awakened to this dimension, one can’t help but want everyone to feel this way, Hameed says, and this is the main reason spiritual teachers teach. Hameed describes the obstacles that prevent us from experiencing the reality of divine love, how it challenges our perceived separateness, and tells us that after experiencing this unity, returning to separateness is not a choice. It turns out that experiencing boundless love is not a panacea for enlightenment, but creates an upwelling of obstacles and a state where our boundedness feels even more restrictive than before. Hameed also relates how hatred and greed can exist in this reality of pure goodness, and tells us that it is here, in the ocean of love and light, that they are transformed. A wonderfully numinous, illuminating conversation. Recorded May 1, 2025.

“Full nonduality: not just nonduality between subject and object…but where nothing is separate from anything else—one indivisible medium of loving consciousness.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing the 11th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, focusing on the first of the five boundless dimensions: the ocean of love and light (00:35) * Transitioning to the second turning of the teaching: the dimension of divine love (01:54) * Hameed’s first experience of boundless love (04:46) * This is what Rumi writes about—it’s not a unique experience but a potential for everyone (10:30) * Full nonduality: not just between subject and object, but where nothing is separate from anything else (12:00) * Why don’t more people experience this if love is always there? (14:08) * All five dimensions (and maybe more) are implicit in nondual consciousness (19:17) * Obstacles in the way of experiencing divine love (21:03) * We cannot make this experience of presence happen—it is an emergence, a revelation (22:33) * The movement back to separateness happens because it has been imprinted in the soul (24:48) * The experience of divine love creates an upwelling of obstacles (26:27) * Inquiry is the way to surrender your attachment to yourself as an individual (29:11) * Our functioning can continue to happen after our boundaries have dissolved (32:35) * Two main ego identifications: boundedness & our sense of identity (36:02) * This dimension teaches how we can function as an individual expression of boundless love while not being separate from it (37:59)*

Resources & References – Part 1 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * A. H. Almaas, Luminous Night’s Journey: An Autobiographical Fragment * George Fox*, founder of the Quakers, “I saw also… an infinite ocean of light and love…*” * Rigpa, a central concept in Dzogchen * Advaita Vedanta

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 188 (Part 2 of 2) | Dr. Sally Adnams Jones has pioneered the field of art therapy as an agent of transformation and healing, choosing to work particularly with people living with no economic infrastructure: refugees, and victims of natural disasters, genocide, war, pandemics, and more. What Sally has found is that creating art within a community works miracles for the dispossessed and traumatized, in that it provides an embodied, practical method of engendering feelings of pride, a sense of belonging, finding one’s voice, and perceiving the future as something one can affect and shape. In fact, this work is applicable to everyone everywhere—it is in accessing our creativity that we come to ask, “How do we start to build the world we need?” An Integral Taoist, Sally shares her perspective on the yin and yang of creativity, explaining that ultimately, creativity is emergence working through the human body.

At the heart of Integral Taoism is an understanding that the nature of emergence itself is to become aware of your polarity and integrate it. The more you do that, the more creative you become. The discussion transitions from the dance of polarity in creativity to how the polarities of yin and yang are playing out in politics today. Sally is a Canadian therapist and exceptionally well informed about politics—here we gain a perspective on current U.S. – Canadian relations and world politics that is revelatory. Recorded May 29, 2025.

“Every single Canadian is deeply traumatized right now.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 How the movement between parts and whole, yin and yang, plays out in politics (01:21) * The threat to Canada’s sovereignty, what Canada is doing in response, and Canada’s unifying, integral leader (03:12) * How did it feel when Trump started talking about annexing Canada? (06:44) * Under the Trump regime, the U.S. has become an arms dealer (10:21) * How Sally’s growing up in South Africa under constant threat of civil war informs her views of fascism and the reversal of the American ideal of democracy (13:12) * Advice for political resisters: establish a line that cannot be crossed (18:54) * Coordinated resistance to the U.S. from external sources (24:14) * Global politics, macroeconomics, and the rise of authoritarianism (27:36) * Misinformation and the radicalization of young white men through the fourth estate (30:22) * New challenges we face with fascism, and why American tech bros think Western Civilization is under threat (34:54) * The future: who has control of the skies? (39:49) * What is the most strategic thing one can do? (41:16) * How do you stay grounded and balanced? Learning self-regulation, connecting with nature (43:56)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Sally Adnams Jones, Art-Making with Refugees and Survivors: Creative and Transformative Responses to Trauma After Natural Disasters, War and Other Crises * Sally’s website: sallyadnamsjones.com * Sally’s podcast: Radical Emergence * Gandhi and Non-violence * Nelson Mandela: The Freedom Fighter (YouTube documentary) * Sinclair Lewis, It Can’t Happen Here * Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention, “It Can’t Happen Here” * Great Replacement conspiracy theory*

Dr. Sally Adnams Jones is an Expressive Arts Therapist, Psycho-Spiritual Educator, podcaster, writer, and artist. A South African-Canadian, Sally lives on Vancouver Island, amongst the old-growth forest, owls, elk, and wild lupines. Her interests are in human development; the phenomenology of creativity; the emergence of intelligent, natural systems; her grandchildren; and a healthy future for all.

Sally has developed a theory called Integral Taoism that explores polarity as a cosmic principle of emergence, including through human sexuality, power dynamics, and creative flow. You can find her at her website, sallyadnamsjones.com; her podcast, radicalemergence.org; on YouTube at Dr Sally Adnams Jones; or read her book, Art-Making with Refugees and Survivors: Creative and Transformative Responses to Trauma After Natural Disasters, War and Other Crises.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 187 (Part 1 of 2) | Dr. Sally Adnams Jones has pioneered the field of art therapy as an agent of transformation and healing, choosing to work particularly with people living with no economic infrastructure: refugees, and victims of natural disasters, genocide, war, pandemics, and more. What Sally has found is that creating art within a community works miracles for the dispossessed and traumatized, in that it provides an embodied, practical method of engendering feelings of pride, a sense of belonging, finding one’s voice, and perceiving the future as something one can affect and shape. In fact, this work is applicable to everyone everywhere—it is in accessing our creativity that we come to ask, “How do we start to build the world we need?” An Integral Taoist, Sally shares her perspective on the yin and yang of creativity, explaining that ultimately, creativity is emergence working through the human body.

At the heart of Integral Taoism is an understanding that the nature of emergence itself is to become aware of your polarity and integrate it. The more you do that, the more creative you become. The discussion transitions from the dance of polarity in creativity to how the polarities of yin and yang are playing out in politics today. Sally is a Canadian therapist and exceptionally well informed about politics—here we gain a perspective on current U.S. – Canadian relations and world politics that is revelatory. Recorded May 29, 2025.

“The basis of self-esteem is agency—and how you find agency is finding your hands, your heart, and your voice.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing Dr. Sally Adnams Jones, pioneer of transformation through creativity, psycho-spiritual educator, artist, author (00:56) * How did Sally come to this work? Every kind of trauma exists in South Africa (01:58) * Sally’s book, Art-Making with Refugees and Survivors, is about how to access our creativity when we’ve been dispossessed and dislocated, with no agency left (05:11) * Using your hands to access pre-verbal trauma: it starts with the thumb/hand/brain connection (07:07) * Building self-esteem, pride, community, and hope through creating art (09:02) * How does Sally build trust going into indigenous communities? (12:20) * What happened to our creativity? In the modern era, we started discounting the right hemisphere (18:05) * De-gendering creativity (20:43) * Integral Taoism: understanding that the nature of emergence is to become aware of your polarity and integrate it (22:44) * At the lower chakras, masculine and feminine come together as procreative; at the higher levels as creative (25:58) * The ultimate understanding is about the mystery, an embodied channel to the divine (28:53) * Creativity: emergence working through the human body (29:55) * How do we potentiate through our body? Through understanding polarity principles (32:08) * Sally’s initiation to Integral Taoism in a park in Beijing, China (36:49) * As an integrally informed Canadian therapist, what does Sally think about current U.S./Canada politics? (41:51) * Polarization, and how polarities and yin/yang play out in politics (44:12)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Sally Adnams Jones, Art-Making with Refugees and Survivors: Creative and Transformative Responses to Trauma After Natural Disasters, War and Other Crises * Sally’s website: sallyadnamsjones.com * Sally’s podcast: Radical Emergence * Dr. Carol Hofmeyr, founder of the Keiskamma Art Project,* ‘Reluctant medic’ highlights poverty (Rhodes University, 2024) * Iain McGilchrist*, psychiatrist, philosopher, neuroscientist* The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World * John Dupuy’s song, Ukraine! (YouTube video) * Arthur Koestler*,* The Act of Creation * Alfred North Whitehead*,* Process and Reality: An Essay in Cosmology**

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Dr. Sally Adnams Jones is an Expressive Arts Therapist, Psycho-Spiritual Educator, podcaster, writer, and artist. A South African-Canadian, Sally lives on Vancouver Island, amongst the old-growth forest, owls, elk, and wild lupines. Her interests are in human development; the phenomenology of creativity; the emergence of intelligent, natural systems; her grandchildren; and a healthy future for all.

Sally has developed a theory called Integral Taoism that explores polarity as a cosmic principle of emergence, including through human sexuality, power dynamics, and creative flow. You can find her at her website, sallyadnamsjones.com; her podcast, radicalemergence.org; on YouTube at Dr Sally Adnams Jones; or read her book, Art-Making with Refugees and Survivors: Creative and Transformative Responses to Trauma After Natural Disasters, War and Other Crises.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 186 (Part 2 of 2) | In this lively, mind and heart-opening conversation, Miranda Macpherson, contemporary spiritual teacher and author, shares the extraordinary wisdom she has gained from experience—both from the initial life-changing transmission of boundless love she received in Ramana Maharshi’s cave, and from the subsequent need for integration of the deeper truths that were revealed upon being called back “down the mountain,” back to the West to teach and serve. For her, the trick of navigating ordinary life without reconstructing an ego boiled down to three words: What’s needed now?

Miranda discusses how to show up in the world of today and not let resistance to right action win. “Wake up and love,” she offers. “Take inventory, ask, is there anything in the way of me being openhearted and awake in this moment?” She explains a practice she developed called ego relaxation, emphasizes the power of devotion—the source of strength, love, courage, and motivation—and shares several of the key questions she asks herself in her own practice to keep her receptive to existential grace. Miranda’s inspiring teachings are infused with her foundational sense of divine benevolence; “Grace is alive!” she tells us. And being human, we can embody grace; we can become “grace delivery devices.” Recorded November 1, 2024.

“Being human is a grace delivery device.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 After the ascent the descent; "coming down the mountain" (01:28) * The power of devotion (04:12) * A mantra carries with it the love, spiritual energy, and devotion of countless beings before us (06:28) * The power of pilgrimages (08:58) * Miranda’s practice now: Can I open my heart to all the suffering, let it be understood more completely, and be transformed? (12:22) * Wake up and love: ask "Is there anything in the way of me being openhearted and awake in the now?" (15:44) * Practicing with our blind spots (18:46) * Multitasking is a disaster for spiritual practice (20:22) * Ramana Maharshi’s transmission in the cave: Be nothing, do nothing, get nothing… be as you are. Rest in God. (22:24) * Ego relaxation as a practice (23:40) * Showing up and resting in God at the same time (26:50) * The divine dance—here we are, learning how to be the best human beings we can be (30:41) * The divine force always brings forth what is needed, but the gate is humility and surrender (34:24) * What helps us into a posture of humility? (35:39) * Appreciating Roger Walsh: do-er and be-er, curious and humble (38:15) * Being human is a “grace delivery device;” embodying grace—grace is alive! (40:35) * The importance of yes, of thank you (43:38)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Miranda’s website: MirandaMacpherson.com, The Living Grace Global Sangha * Miranda Macpherson, The Way of Grace: The Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation * A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach*, see also Deep Transformation podcast’s* A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series (also available on YouTube*)* * Rupert Sheldrake, Science and Spiritual Practices: Transformative Experiences and Their Effects on Our Bodies, Brains, and Health * Andrew Harvey*, author & founder of the Institute for Sacred Activism,* The Hope (free audiobook) * Ramana Maharshi*, Indian sage and liberated being, 1879-1950* * G. I. Gurdjieff, In Search of Being: The Fourth Way to Consciousness * A Course in Miracles*, Helen Schucman and the Foundation for Inner Peace* * Sri Aurobindo, The Life Divine * Roger’s article looking at A Course of Miracles through a Hindu lens: The Perennial Wisdom of A Course in Miracles * Roger Walsh & Frances Vaughan’s book of excerpts from A Course of Miracles, Accept this Gift**

Miranda Macpherson is a contemporary spiritual teacher who has been guiding others into direct experience of the sacred for over thirty years internationally. In her twenties she founded the OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation in London, where she trained and ordained over 600 ministers and counsellors. Today Miranda leads the Living Grace Global Sangha, leads retreats internationally, broadcasts extensively, and serves as core faculty at The Shift Network. Unapologetically feminine, joyful, and down to earth in her way of being, Miranda is dedicated to loving people all the way back into the freedom and wholeness of our true nature.

Miranda’s books include The Way of Grace: the Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation(Sounds True),Boundless Love (Rider) andMeditations on Boundless Love (Sounds True), and the Cultivating Grace Card Deck. Miranda is also a kirtan musician and singer with two mantra albums:Streams of Grace and The Heart of Being. Find out more atwww.mirandamacpherson.com.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 185 (Part 1 of 2) | In this lively, mind and heart-opening conversation, Miranda Macpherson, contemporary spiritual teacher and author, shares the extraordinary wisdom she has gained from experience—both from the initial life-changing transmission of boundless love she received in Ramana Maharshi’s cave, and from the subsequent need for integration of the deeper truths that were revealed upon being called back “down the mountain,” back to the West to teach and serve. For her, the trick of navigating ordinary life without reconstructing an ego boiled down to three words: What’s needed now?

Miranda discusses how to show up in the world of today and not let resistance to right action win. “Wake up and love,” she offers. “Take inventory, ask, is there anything in the way of me being openhearted and awake in this moment?” She explains a practice she developed called ego relaxation, emphasizes the power of devotion—the source of strength, love, courage, and motivation—and shares several of the key questions she asks herself in her own practice to keep her receptive to existential grace. Miranda’s inspiring teachings are infused with her foundational sense of divine benevolence; “Grace is alive!” she tells us. And being human, we can embody grace; we can become “grace delivery devices.” Recorded November 1, 2024.

“There’s always more evolution, openness, clarification, expansion, and possibility—because God is exponential.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 A prayer for all of us—for the human family and the highest possibilities (01:03) * Introducing interfaith minister, spiritual teacher, author, and leader of the Living Grace Global Sangha, Miranda Macpherson (02:53) * What brought Miranda to the spiritual path? (03:56) * Miranda’s early prayer of resistance (I’m done here!) and the subsequent explosion of boundless love (08:37) * Miranda’s opportunity at a young age to learn what a soul grapples with, hanging out with adults in a psych ward (12:14) * Were there mentors to help Miranda after her opening? (17:01) * How much harder it must be for teenagers to copy with existential crisis today (21:59) * The G word: what is the authentic language of our own soul? (24:17) * The fear we all have of remembering the ancient, forgotten song (25:14) * Ultimately it asks for full surrender; then there is only God (27:18) * It’s in the edgiest places that the biggest openings often happen (28:38) * For every realization you have to ask, what is its wisdom? How can it be expressed & embodied so its only impact is a blessing? (30:20) * Are there more people waking up now? (33:39) * Not knowing what anything is for: being receptive to existential grace (38:17) * Being absorbed into the depth of the nonconceptual: pure being in its thunderous, unshakable, silent depth (39:48) * The experience in the cave obliterated everything—all spiritual concepts were erased (42:46) * How to navigate ordinary life without reconstructing an ego (43:46)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Miranda’s website: MirandaMacpherson.com * The Living Grace Global Sangha * Miranda Macpherson, The Way of Grace: The Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation * Miranda Macpherson, Boundless Love: Transforming Your Life with Grace and Inspiration * Miranda Macpherson, Meditations on Boundless Love (Sounds True audiobook) * Miranda’s oracle card deck, Cultivating Grace: Access Inner Peace, Clarity, and Joy on Your Spiritual Path * Ramana Maharshi, Indian sage and liberated being, 1879-1950* * Gerald G. Jampolsky, Love is Letting Go of Fear * A Course in Miracles*, Helen Schucman and the Foundation for Inner Peace* * Ken Wilber, The Religion of Tomorrow (waking up, growing up, cleaning up, showing up)**

Miranda Macpherson is a contemporary spiritual teacher who has been guiding others into direct experience of the sacred for over thirty years internationally. In her twenties she founded the OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation in London, where she trained and ordained over 600 ministers and counsellors. Today Miranda leads the Living Grace Global Sangha, leads retreats internationally, broadcasts extensively, and serves as core faculty at The Shift Network. Unapologetically feminine, joyful, and down to earth in her way of being, Miranda is dedicated to loving people all the way back into the freedom and wholeness of our true nature.

Miranda’s books include The Way of Grace: the Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation(Sounds True),Boundless Love (Rider) andMeditations on Boundless Love (Sounds True), and the Cultivating Grace Card Deck. Miranda is also a kirtan musician and singer with two mantra albums:Streams of Grace and The Heart of Being. Find out more atwww.mirandamacpherson.com.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 184 (Part 2 of 2) | In the tenth dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali addresses what co-host Roger Walsh calls perhaps Inner Journey Home’s most profound chapter of all, the chapter on True Nature, as well as subjects he writes about in his autobiographical fragment, Luminous Night’s Journey. In the second turning of the Diamond Approach teaching, we transition from exploring individual true nature to boundless true nature—the absolute, ground of all manifestation. Following the mystery of truth, you come to absolute truth, Hameed tells us, and you find a mystery that not only liberates but makes everything happen. Hameed describes the absolute as the radiant blackness before the light, its luminosity awareness, and relates how, in the absolute, the feeling of intimacy is palpable. Here, the soul recognizes “I am home.”

Hameed relates how being and nonbeing are integrated, and about how time and space emerge out of true nature. Every moment is a new creation, he explains, not formed by the past or present, but new, instant to instant, from nonbeing to being. Hameed says true nature is the essence of freedom, and that in these troubled times the important thing is to recognize “I am free” and ultimately indestructible, and to be ourselves, grounded by the truth of our inner nature. Towards the end of the conversation, co-host John Dupuy asks Hameed, “What motivates you? Why aren’t you simply hanging out being true nature?” Hameed laughs and responds, “I am.” Recorded April 10, 2025.

“The idea is to be free. Inwardly.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Beingness is what Hameed calls presence; everything is both being and non-being (00:52) * Being in the world but not of this world (04:12) * The effects of studying Reichian therapy and breathwork on Hameed’s experience and way of teaching (06:32) * The body needs to be open and at ease to experience presence; this is why yoga is widely practiced in East Indian traditions (09:17) * Is having an ego a necessary stage for waking up? (13:01) * Space and time are created by true nature, even though it is timeless (14:43) * True nature is the essence of freedom; it is “radically unqualifiable” (19:38) * The depths of our experience set the limit on our intellectual understanding (22:53) * In these troubled times, the important thing is to recognize “I am free” and be ourselves, grounded by the truth of our inner nature (25:07) * Profound equanimity allows deeper compassion to emerge (28:29) * The values of true nature are fundamental and eternal; how do we manifest these all the time? (29:20) * After all the amazing, mind-shattering realizations, life becomes ordinary and simple (32:21) * What motivates Hameed now? (35:24)*

Resources & References – Part 2 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * A. H. Almaas, Luminous Night’s Journey: An Autobiographical Fragment * Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj*,* I Am That * Mahamudra * Wilhem Reich*,* Reichian therapy * Nāgārjuna*, central philosopher of Mahayana Buddhism* * Plato’s cardinal virtues * The Ten Ox Herding Pictures from the Zen tradition * Viktor Frankl*, “Everything can be taken away from one except…*”

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 183 (Part 1 of 2) | In the tenth dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali addresses what co-host Roger Walsh calls perhaps Inner Journey Home’s most profound chapter of all, the chapter on True Nature, as well as subjects he writes about in his autobiographical fragment, Luminous Night’s Journey. In the second turning of the Diamond Approach teaching, we transition from exploring individual true nature to boundless true nature—the absolute, ground of all manifestation. Following the mystery of truth, you come to absolute truth, Hameed tells us, and you find a mystery that not only liberates but makes everything happen. Hameed describes the absolute as the radiant blackness before the light, its luminosity awareness, and relates how, in the absolute, the feeling of intimacy is palpable. Here, the soul recognizes “I am home.”

Hameed relates how being and nonbeing are integrated, and about how time and space emerge out of true nature. Every moment is a new creation, he explains, not formed by the past or present, but new, instant to instant, from nonbeing to being. Hameed says true nature is the essence of freedom, and that in these troubled and times the important thing is to recognize “I am free” and ultimately indestructible, and to be ourselves, grounded by the truth of our inner nature. Towards the end of the conversation, co-host John Dupuy asks Hameed, “What motivates you? Why aren’t you simply hanging out being true nature?” Hameed laughs and responds, “I am.” Recorded April 10, 2025.

“In the absolute, everything dissolves; the absolute is the universal solvent.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing the 10th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, focusing on The Inner Journey Home‘s chapter, True Nature (00:55) * What is the phenomenological experience of presence? (02:07) * The soul can feel like presence—but more often it is structured by our history and appears as our ego self (05:14) * Presence is the true nature of everything: perfect, complete, totally blissful (06:24) * Love of truth naturally appears in the heart along the inner journey (09:04) * The concern with talking about true nature is if you describe it, people look for something that isn’t it (11:57) * Hameed wrote Luminous Night’s Journey to elucidate the experience of the soul, the absolute, and how soul and absolute are integrated (13:48) * In the second turning of the teaching, we transition from individual true nature to boundless true nature: the absolute, the ground of all manifestation (18:11) * The visible and invisible, manifest and unmanifest (19:58) * Everything happens not from present to future, but from nonbeing to being (21:04) * Everything dissolves in the absolute: it is the universal solvent (21:41) * The absolute is the luminous, radiant blackness before the light (24:57) * In the absolute, the soul recognizes “I am home” (26:47) * Looking into the absolute, there is nothing; looking away from it, you see the manifest (28:48) * The concept and experience of cessation (30:44) * Hameed’s distinction between consciousness and awareness (32:40) * Awareness = luminosity + emptiness (34:25) * Emptiness is not empty space, it’s being and nonbeing unified (36:39)*

Resources & References – Part 1 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * A. H. Almaas, Luminous Night’s Journey: An Autobiographical Fragment * Fourth Way teacher E.J. Gold*,* The American Book of the Dead * Saccidānanda*, a description of the subjective experience of ultimate unchanging reality: existence, consciousness, bliss* * St. John of the Cross*, “The Dark Night of the Soul” (poem)* * Dharmakāya * Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj*,* I Am That*, “Every moment is a new creation.”* * The cessation of perception as recognized by the Buddha (Wisdom Library website) * Fana*, the Sufi experience of cessation* * Nirodha refers to the cessation or renouncing of craving and desire; it is the third of the Four Noble Truths * Dzogchen**

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

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Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 182 (Part 2 of 2) | Robert Lawrence Kuhn, producer of the popular PBS series Closer to Truth, which explores consciousness, the mystery of existence, and related topics with an open-minded approach, recently authored a remarkable article: “A Landscape of Consciousness,” in which he surveyed over 200 theories about what consciousness is. Robert tells how he inhabited each theory for a few days while writing it up, and discovered that unlike with other fields of knowledge, a study of consciousness produces more theories the more we know, rather than narrowing the field down. He emphasizes we need to be expansive with our universe of understanding of what consciousness is, and realize that how we engage with the Big Questions of life depends upon our particular theory of consciousness.

Robert tells how the Big Questions, notably what is consciousness and why is there something rather than nothing, have called him all his life, leading him to create the Closer to Truth series, to explore these questions with the leading minds of our time. What Robert didn’t know to begin with, but marvels about now, is how the passion for delving into the most fundamental, existential questions we face as humans unifies people around the world, from every demographic, providing a unique and wonderful point of integration. This is a fascinating, warm, engaging conversation that draws us ever farther into an exploration of the mysteries of life, where we glimpse what lies at the core of humanity. Recorded April 17th, 2025.

“It’s not that we have too many theories of consciousness, it’s that we have one too few.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 The challenge of putting these theories into a digestible form (00:54) * Understanding our personal theories of consciousness as extensions of our worldview (03:14) * Our own theories often evolve from materialism to panpsychism to idealism (07:11) * How the title Closer to Truth for the PBS/YouTube series came about (11:59) * It’s easier to entertain materialist or atheist theories in environments constructed by humans—exposed to the natural universe, you encounter awe, wonder, connection (14:04) * The concept of awe and transcendence in art and how it reflects our nature of mind (16:16) * What has exploring these theories of consciousness done to Robert? (17:59) * The closer we look, the more we end up in bottomless mystery (23:36) * How exploring the Big Questions unifies people—cutting across religion, race, culture (25:28) * Acknowledging the limits of knowledge—epistemic humility—appreciating the mystery, and universality (29:54) * The deeper your understanding goes, the richer your appreciation and awe (31:16)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Robert Lawrence Kuhn, creator, producer, and host of the PBS series, Closer To Truth * Robert Lawrence Kuhn, “A Landscape of Consciousness,”article in Progress in Biophysics & Molecular Biology, August 2024 * Paul Davies, quantum physicist, director of BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science, “The universe is about something.”* * Steven Weinberg*, theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate in physics* * David Charmers*, philosopher, cognitive scientist* * Ken Wilber on Integral Epistemology (The Ken Show on Integral Life) * Mind, Art, Transcendence Series (Closer to Truth video) * Dora Serviarian Kuhn, Khachaturian Piano Concerto (YouTube video)**

Robert Lawrence Kuhn is a public intellectual; he is the creator, writer, host, and executive producer of Closer To Truth, the long-running PBS/public television series and leading global resource on Cosmos (cosmology/physics, philosophy of science), Life (philosophy of biology), Mind (consciousness, brain/mind, philosophy of mind), and Meaning (theism/atheism/agnosticism, global philosophy of religion, critical thinking). Kuhn’s comprehensive review article on theories of consciousness—“A Landscape of Consciousness: Toward a Taxonomy of Explanations and Implications”—is published in Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology (August 2024, pp. 28-169). In its review, IAI News says, “Kuhn has written perhaps the most comprehensive article on the landscape of theories of consciousness in recent memory.”

Dr. Kuhn has written or edited over 30 books, including The Mystery of Existence: Why is there Anything At All? (with John Leslie); Closer To Truth: Challenging Current Belief; Closer To Truth: Science, Meaning and the Future; The Library of Investment Banking; How China’s Leaders Think (featuring President Xi Jinping); The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin (China’s best-selling book in 2005 and in December 2022); and The Origin and Significance of Zero: An Interdisciplinary Perspective” (with Peter Gobets). He is chairman of The Kuhn Foundation, and has a BA in Human Biology (Johns Hopkins), a PhD in Anatomy/Brain Research (UCLA), and an SM (MBA) in Management (MIT).

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 181 (Part 1 of 2) | Robert Lawrence Kuhn, producer of the popular PBS series Closer to Truth, which explores consciousness, the mystery of existence, and related topics with an open-minded approach, recently authored a remarkable article: “A Landscape of Consciousness,” in which he surveyed over 200 theories about what consciousness is. Robert tells how he inhabited each theory for a few days while writing it up, and discovered that unlike with other fields of knowledge, a study of consciousness produces more theories the more we know, rather than narrowing the field down. He emphasizes we need to be expansive with our universe of understanding of what consciousness is, and realize that how we engage with the Big Questions of life depends upon our particular theory of consciousness.

Robert tells how the Big Questions, notably what is consciousness and why is there something rather than nothing, have called him all his life, leading him to create the Closer to Truth series, to explore these questions with the leading minds of our time. What Robert didn’t know to begin with, but marvels about now, is how the passion for delving into the most fundamental, existential questions we face as humans unifies people around the world, from every demographic, providing a unique and wonderful point of integration. This is a fascinating, warm, engaging conversation that draws us ever farther into an exploration of the mysteries of life, where we glimpse what lies at the core of humanity. Recorded April 17th, 2025.

“Consciousness is perhaps the single most unifying question that humanity can explore.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing Robert Lawrence Kuhn, author, public intellectual, producer of the PBS series Closer to Truth, which explores fundamental questions of existence (01:02) * How did it feel to be writing “A Landscape of Consciousness,” a 175k-word article that surveys over 200 theories about what consciousness is (02:50) * Now Robert is building a website with notated theories of consciousness that allows for theories to grow and change (11:33) * Consciousness theories, unlike other fields of knowledge, grow the more we know (14:59) * All the “big questions” are dependent on your theory of consciousness (18:57) * Why is there something rather than nothing? What is consciousness? Two fundamental questions that have been with Robert all along (23:17) * Nine levels of nothing and the deep nature of phenomenal consciousness (25:36) * Why Robert didn’t include his own theory in his survey, and then did—in 71 words (26:58) * What does the explosion of consciousness theories say about consciousness? (30:27) * The self-referential paradox of understanding consciousness (35:04) * How to structure and organize the amalgam of theories (37:08) * Roughly half the theories went into materialism categories (39:02) * Challenge theorists conclude we can never understand consciousness (41:03) * Robert’s theory categories: materialism, non reductive physicalism, quantum, integrated information, panpsychism, monism, dualism, idealism, illusory, anomalies and altered states (42:18) * What kind of knowledge do psychedelics and altered states offer? (49:20)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Robert Lawrence Kuhn, creator, producer, and host of the PBS series, Closer To Truth * Robert Lawrence Kuhn, “A Landscape of Consciousness,”article in Progress in Biophysics & Molecular Biology, August 2024 * Anil Seth & Tim Bayne, Theories of Consciousness (Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2022) * Computational + functionalism * Robert Lawrence Kuhn, “Levels of Nothing” * Progress in Biophysics & Molecular Biology (Journal) * Denis Noble, visionary, one of the pioneers of systems biology* * Raymond Tallis*, philosopher, poet, cultural critic, neuroscientist, coined the term neuromania* * Sir Roger Penrose & Dr. Stuart Hameroff, Consciousness and the Physics of the Brain (YouTube video) * John Torday, PhD*, physiologist at UCLA, investigator at the Lundquist Institute* * Non-reductive physicalism * Integrated information theory*, led by* Giulio Tononi*and* Christof Koch * Panpsychism * Colin McGinn*, British philosopher best known for his work in philosophy of mind* * Paul Davies**, quantum physicist, director of BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science

Robert Lawrence Kuhn is a public intellectual; he is the creator, writer, host, and executive producer of Closer To Truth, the long-running PBS/public television series and leading global resource on Cosmos (cosmology/physics, philosophy of science), Life (philosophy of biology), Mind (consciousness, brain/mind, philosophy of mind), and Meaning (theism/atheism/agnosticism, global philosophy of religion, critical thinking). Kuhn’s comprehensive review article on theories of consciousness—“A Landscape of Consciousness: Toward a Taxonomy of Explanations and Implications”—is published in Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology (August 2024, pp. 28-169). In its review, IAI News says, “Kuhn has written perhaps the most comprehensive article on the landscape of theories of consciousness in recent memory.”

Dr. Kuhn has written or edited over 30 books, including The Mystery of Existence: Why is there Anything At All? (with John Leslie); Closer To Truth: Challenging Current Belief; Closer To Truth: Science, Meaning and the Future; The Library of Investment Banking; How China’s Leaders Think (featuring President Xi Jinping); The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin (China’s best-selling book in 2005 and in December 2022); and The Origin and Significance of Zero: An Interdisciplinary Perspective” (with Peter Gobets). He is chairman of The Kuhn Foundation, and has a BA in Human Biology (Johns Hopkins), a PhD in Anatomy/Brain Research (UCLA), and an SM (MBA) in Management (MIT).

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 180 (Part 2 of 2) | In this podcast, John Prendergast, spiritual teacher, depth psychotherapist (retired), and prolific author, eloquently lays out the territory we encounter on the spiritual path as we move towards opening to our deepest ground. John defines deepest ground as “ungraspable and unfathomable, something we can know intimately as a quality of awareness, unbounded and open.” “When we touch into this,” he continues, “we move from a place of love, peace and groundedness.” In working with students and clients over four decades, John says the presence or absence of ground has been the most important theme.

John has a gift for communicating exactly what is most useful for a spiritual practitioner to hear: taking an integral and nondual approach different from traditional psychotherapy, he invites us to evoke presence—welcome the experience, welcome the fear of annihilation—let go of ordinary knowledge and allow a translucent, transformative space to emerge around ordinary mind. Blending archetypal wisdom and guidance with spacious emptiness, John explains that opening to unbounded awareness supports the process of individuation and actualization; he also weaves in an intriguing version of the hero’s journey, where the hero emerges from the underground, not as a figure of accomplishment and victory, but as a simple, humble being, void of ego. The rich wisdom and gentle guidance offered here is invaluable, worthy of listening to many a time. Recorded November 7, 2024.

“We are on the wave of life waking up to itself through humanity.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Gaining an experiential understanding of the archetypal teachings of Carl Jung to better understand multidimensional ground (01:19) * Jungian archetypes are subtle ground; Ramana Maharshi’s focus is no ground (05:09) * Trusting the wisdom of our own psyches (09:07) * Blending archetypal wisdom and guidance with spacious emptiness (12:07) * The collective unconscious: linking consciousness to our ancestors (14:29) * Multidimensional healing: healing ancestral lineages (15:20) * Eastern transcendence and Western focus on living life: opening to unbounded awareness supports the process of individuation and actualization (16:51) * The living question: What is life asking of you? (21:20) * The first encounter is with darkness, stillness, emptiness; then comes a sense of pure potentiality and an upwelling current of life (22:41) * What does engaged nonduality look like? Existential crisis and climate change (27:18) * Frequency holders and/or frequency actors (31:56) * Invitation to nondual communities: what is the natural response to this genuine existential threat? (33:02) * The hesitancy people feel about bringing out the light of awareness (34:37) * Opening the heart to collective suffering (35:30) * Our love of truth will bring us to our deepest ground: let that be our guide (37:18)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Carl Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections * Carl Jung, The Red Book: A Reader’s Edition * Advaita Vedanta * Kashmir Shaivism * Ramana Maharshi, Indian sage and liberated being, 1879-1950* * John Prendergast’s website: Listening from Silence * John Prendergast, Your Deepest Ground: A Guide to Embodied Spirituality * John Prendergast, The Deep Heart: Our Portal to Presence * John Prendergast,*In Touch: How to Tune In to the Inner Guidance of Your Body and Trust Yourself* * John Prendergast, The Sacred Mirror: Nondual Wisdom and Psychotherapy**

A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, John J. Prendergast, PhD. is a nondual teacher, author, retired psychotherapist, and retired Adjunct Professor of Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco where he taught masters level counseling students for twenty-three years. John studied for many years with the European sage Dr. Jean Klein, as well as with Adyashanti. He was invited to share the dharma by Dorothy Hunt in 2011 and received dharma transmission (authorization to teach) from Adyashanti in 2023. John has been offering residential retreats with his wife, Christiane, since 2015, in both the U.S. and, more recently, in Europe. He also has extensive experience teaching online.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 179 (Part 1 of 2) | In this podcast, John Prendergast, spiritual teacher, depth psychotherapist (retired), and prolific author, eloquently lays out the territory we encounter on the spiritual path as we move towards opening to our deepest ground. John defines deepest ground as “ungraspable and unfathomable, something we can know intimately as a quality of awareness, unbounded and open.” “When we touch into this,” he continues, “we move from a place of love, peace and groundedness.” In working with students and clients over four decades, John says the presence or absence of ground has been the most important theme.

John has a gift for communicating exactly what is most useful for a spiritual practitioner to hear: taking an integral and nondual approach different from traditional psychotherapy, he invites us to evoke presence—welcome the experience, welcome the fear of annihilation—let go of ordinary knowledge and allow a translucent, transformative space to emerge around ordinary mind. Blending archetypal wisdom and guidance with spacious emptiness, John explains that opening to unbounded awareness supports the process of individuation and actualization; he also weaves in an intriguing version of the hero’s journey, where the hero emerges from the underground, not as a figure of accomplishment and victory, but as a simple, humble being, void of ego. The rich wisdom and gentle guidance offered here is invaluable, worthy of listening to many a time. Recorded November 7, 2024.

“Transcendence is a beautiful first step… but there’s a very important process of embodying awareness more and more deeply, in the physical body, in the subtle body.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing John Prendergast, Ph.D., retired psychotherapist, spiritual teacher, and author, whose most recent book is Your Deepest Ground (00:57) * What is our deepest ground? (01:55) * What is the difference between presence and ground? (04:29) * The fear of losing control, of annihilation, that comes up in the process of healing and awakening (06:47) * Using the myth of the underground descent, but emerging not as a hero, but simple and humble—devoid of egoic will (09:29) * A translucency of the body/mind emerges: a core illumination (13:18) * Meditation, self-inquiry, and time with authentic teachers are what have brought John to luminosity (15:09) * The connection to one’s teacher: for John, this was Jean Klein and Adyashanti (16:25) * Back to returning to the world—not as a hero, but where there’s no sense of accomplishment and hierarchy disappears (17:55) * The tyranny of the enlightenment drive (20:42) * Willfulness gradually transforms into willingness (24:07) * Individual guidance can come as the small, still voice but also in kinesthetic form (25:25) * Are there specific practices that facilitate opening to our deepest ground? (27:24) * Evoking presence: John leads an invitation to welcome the experience, welcome the fear of annihilation (29:14) * The difference between John’s work and traditional psychotherapy (31:31) * Beyond welcoming, John teaches a self-inquiry practice that asks, “Do I really want to know what is true?” (36:15) * Working not just on personal limiting beliefs but existential limiting beliefs—e.g., “I am a separate self” (39:19) * Recognizing the limitation of rational thought, a transformative space emerges around ordinary mind (41:59) * What is the experience of transrational knowing? (43:01)*

Resources & References – Part 1 John Prendergast’s website: Listening from Silence * John Prendergast, Your Deepest Ground: A Guide to Embodied Spirituality * John Prendergast, The Deep Heart: Our Portal to Presence * John Prendergast,In Touch: How to Tune In to the Inner Guidance of Your Body and Trust Yourself* * John Prendergast, The Sacred Mirror: Nondual Wisdom and Psychotherapy * Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces * Arnold Toynbee*,* A Study of History (abridgment by D.C. Somervell) * Carl Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections * J.R.R Tolkien, The Hobbit * Dante Alighieri, Dante’s Inferno * Adyashanti*, spiritual teacher,* Open Gate Sangha * Jean Klein*, spiritual teacher,* The Ease of Being * The 10 Ox Herding Pictures * Paramahansa Yogananda*,* Autobiography of a Yogi * A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School*,* home of The Diamond Approach, see also Deep Transformation’s A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series * Stanislav Grof**

A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, John J. Prendergast, PhD. is a nondual teacher, author, retired psychotherapist, and retired Adjunct Professor of Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco where he taught masters level counseling students for twenty-three years. John studied for many years with the European sage Dr. Jean Klein, as well as with Adyashanti. He was invited to share the dharma by Dorothy Hunt in 2011 and received dharma transmission (authorization to teach) from Adyashanti in 2023. John has been offering residential retreats with his wife, Christiane, since 2015, in both the U.S. and, more recently, in Europe. He also has extensive experience teaching online.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 178 (Part 2 of 2) | In the ninth dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed gives a fascinating account of how four distinctly different wisdom teachings came to him in succession, directly from true nature, embodied in the form of diamonds. “In the beginning, I didn’t know…what the hell were these? Is it my imagination?” Hameed laughs. But then his colleagues and students experienced the diamondness too. Like angels of revelation, each diamond vehicle brings a different type of wisdom: the first diamond vehicle, Guidance, brings clarity and initiated the practice of inquiry; the second embodies the wisdom that pleasure is what we are, bringing an understanding of pleasure from a spiritual perspective; the third diamond vehicle holds the wisdom of how to conduct our lives from a place of truth, and the fourth the wisdom of true knowledge—knowing by being—the knowing that is needed for awakening.

Not only do we hear marvelous stories of how the diamond-shaped wisdom messengers appeared to Hameed, but he also imparts a wonderfully comprehensive yet succinct rendering of the teachings they brought, and the conversation flows from embodying wisdom to embodying pleasure, the inward turn, and why bliss must be combined with emptiness for enlightenment to occur. Also, how to live a life of truth with the inner compass provided by the third diamond teaching, the pitfalls of the ego’s tendency to accommodate others, how being is inseparable from knowing, and lots more. A very full, warm, rich conversation, filled also with humor, sparkle, and delight. Recorded January 30, 2025.

“The Diamond Dome brings in the wisdom of true knowledge—spiritual knowledge, knowing by being—the knowing that is needed for awakening.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Emptiness has a bliss to it (00:49) * The death tantra and sexual tantra paths to enlightenment (01:06) * Emptiness/fullness, being/non-being, unity/particularity: two sides of reality (03:18) * We lose track of the particularity when we focus on unity only (05:22) * There are many different levels of particularity: ego, body, soul… Each diamond vehicle is a particularity (09:39) * The Citadel, the third diamond vehicle, is the essential conscience, the wisdom of how to conduct your life from the perspective of true nature (10:05) * Accommodating is part of the behavior of the ego, but in accommodating, most of the time you are selling yourself, compromising (13:20) * Living a life of truth brings in the unity and the particularity (15:37) * You transition when you become willing to sacrifice comforts, relationships, the supports of the ego, to align only with truth (17:56) * On this path, the vehicle first appears then manifests each of its aspects—different shaped diamonds within a diamond (21:31) * For Hameed, first Diamond Guidance appeared, then Markabah, then the Citadel, then the Diamond Dome (24:24) * The Diamond Dome brings in the wisdom of true knowledge—spiritual knowledge, knowing by being—the knowing that is needed for awakening (25:41) * This vehicle brings the knowledge of each aspect; basic concepts are clearly delineated (29:27) * True nature informs the individual mind with basic concepts (34:38) * Each vehicle highlights certain parts of the ego as obstacles to realization; the dome highlights self-identity, the “I-ness” of the ego (36:26) * To embody the Diamond Dome the ego needs to experience cessation (37:43)*

Resources & References A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Vajrayana Buddhism’s Saṃbhogakāya * The three kayas of Mahayana Buddhism (Lion’s Roar website) * A. H. Almaas, Space Cruiser Inquiry: True Guidance for the Inner Journey * Advaita Vedanta * Dzogchen * Dogen*, founder of the Sōtō School of Zen, “A blade of grass is a blade of grass.”* * William Blake*, “Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,” from “Auguries of Innocence”* * A Course in Miracles*, Helen Schucman and the Foundation for Inner Peace* * Walt Whitman*, “Dismiss whatever insults your own soul,” from the preface of* Leaves of Grass * The cessation of perception as recognized by the Buddha (Wisdom Library website) * A. H. Almaas, Luminous Night’s Journey: An Autobiographical Fragment**

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 177 (Part 1 of 2) | In the ninth dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed gives a fascinating account of how four distinctly different wisdom teachings came to him in succession, directly from true nature, embodied in the form of diamonds. “In the beginning, I didn’t know…what the hell were these? Is it my imagination?” Hameed laughs. But then his colleagues and students experienced the diamondness too. Like angels of revelation, each diamond vehicle brings a different type of wisdom: the first diamond vehicle, Guidance, brings clarity and initiated the practice of inquiry; the second embodies the wisdom that pleasure is what we are, bringing an understanding of pleasure from a spiritual perspective; the third diamond vehicle holds the wisdom of how to conduct our lives from a place of truth, and the fourth the wisdom of true knowledge—knowing by being—the knowing that is needed for awakening.

Not only do we hear marvelous stories of how the diamond-shaped wisdom messengers appeared to Hameed, but he also imparts a wonderfully comprehensive yet succinct rendering of the teachings they brought, and the conversation flows from embodying wisdom to embodying pleasure, the inward turn, and why bliss must be combined with emptiness for enlightenment to occur. Also, how to live a life of truth with the inner compass provided by the third diamond teaching, the pitfalls of the ego’s tendency to accommodate others, how being is inseparable from knowing, and lots more. A very full, warm, rich conversation, filled also with humor, sparkle, and delight. Recorded January 30, 2025.

“For enlightenment to happen, emptiness has to be combined with bliss.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing the 9th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series: How did the Diamond Approach teaching come to Hameed? (00:53) * First came a pure, transparent presence like liquid diamond: clarity itself (04:46) * The diamond also came with a sense of precision, of sharp discrimination, of objectivity (08:07) * Hameed’s vision of the diamond vehicles: like a fleet of ships in black space (11:05) * The first diamond vehicle, guidance, brought about the practice of inquiry (12:06) * Hameed’s near-death experience: looking down upon his body it was a body of diamonds; two diamonds called him back: love and joy (13:23) * Recounting this experience to friends later, the diamond vehicle filled the room—the sacred manifest (17:08) * Manifest in this one body was the guidance for the teaching, like an angel of revelation but shaped like a spaceship made of diamonds (19:46) * Each diamond vehicle brings a different kind of wisdom (20:58) * Diamond wisdom can be used as guidance in the scientific field (22:36) * It’s not just a teaching, but a presence that embodies the teaching; embodying the presence is learning the teaching (25:11) * The second diamond vehicle is the vehicle of pleasure, understanding pleasure from the spiritual perspective: the teaching of the inward turn (27:04) * Pleasure turns out to be a whole realm, where all aspects appear in their pleasurable form (34:38) * Inner guidance is where the truth is from instant to instant, telling you to look here, not there (35:58) * Hameed differentiates pleasure from bliss, because pleasure is something ordinary human beings know (37:39) * Embodying the wisdom that pleasure is what we are (40:08) * All the vehicles are expressions of the essence of consciousness, messengers of wisdom (40:54) * For enlightenment to happen, emptiness has to be combined with bliss (42:10)*

Resources & References A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Vajrayana Buddhism’s Saṃbhogakāya * The three kayas of Mahayana Buddhism (Lion’s Roar website) * A. H. Almaas, Space Cruiser Inquiry: True Guidance for the Inner Journey * Advaita Vedanta * Dzogchen * Dogen*, founder of the Sōtō School of Zen, “A blade of grass is a blade of grass.”* * William Blake*, “Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,” from “Auguries of Innocence”* * A Course in Miracles*, Helen Schucman and the Foundation for Inner Peace* * Walt Whitman*, “Dismiss whatever insults your own soul,” from the preface of* Leaves of Grass * The cessation of perception as recognized by the Buddha (Wisdom Library website) * A. H. Almaas, Luminous Night’s Journey: An Autobiographical Fragment**

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 176 (Part 3 of 3) | Longtime spiritual practitioner, gifted teacher, Tibetan Buddhist lama, and developmental psychology specialist Kimberley Lafferty integrates contemporary psychology and wisdom tradition in this lively, luminous conversation about the process of awakening, the evolution of ethics, and the extraordinary capacities that come online as we mature into later stages of development. What do developmental perspectives have to add to our understanding of human nature and to spiritual practice? Our meaning-making shifts radically as we develop, Kimberley says, and because of that our reality itself shifts. This is why communicating with people with very different points of view can fail so miserably—one person’s reality is simply not the same as the next person’s reality. We need to discern, what is their meaning-making reality in this moment? What is ours?

Throughout, Kimberley grounds the discussion in practical, real-life scenarios; she also shares intriguing research on later stage development that has found that as we mature, our senses evolve: our hearing evolves to deep attunement; our seeing evolves to witnessing, our capacity of touch evolves to embody presence. It’s exciting and inspiring to see the road ahead, to acquire new insights and tools to improve communication across cultural (and age) divides, to have the concept of bodhicitta unpacked so deftly and common misperceptions about emptiness corrected—and to witness Kimberley’s wise and zesty approach to life: “What connects us all is our luminous, aware consciousness,” she says, “and if we can lean into the messiness, I think we can find our way through.” Recorded October 3, 2024.

“How can I reconstruct myself to be truth, goodness, and beauty?”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 3 What are some of the capacities that come online as people mature? (01:26) * At late stage development, people awaken to individual construction; this is meta-awareness or 5th person perspective (03:40) * It’s like waking up in a lucid dream and realizing you’re dreaming (06:00) * How can I reconstruct myself to be truth, goodness, and beauty? (07:24) * Development is a balloon, not a ladder (10:15) * How developmental theory illuminates broader perspective taking: the capacity of skillful means (13:12) * Siddhis (transpersonal powers) start to come on: precognitive capacities, the capacity of empathy (16:24) * What challenges come about as we develop? (17:40) * What connects us is our luminous, aware consciousness—if we can lean into the messiness, we can find our way through (22:43) * What are humans becoming? The possibility of becoming trans-human (25:28) * In later stages, our senses evolve: our hearing evolves to deep attunement; our seeing evolves to witnessing, to see through time and space, our capacity of touch evolves to embody presence (28:49) * Seeing polarities rather than opposites: polarities are the building blocks of how we construct reality (31:50) * Bodhicitta taps us into our ultimate nature (35:12) * Correcting misperceptions of the bodhisattva vow (40:34) * The tradition of debate in the Tibetan-Buddhist tradition (42:30) * You are not alone; there is spiritual support available (45:36)*

Resources & References Kimberley Lafferty’s website: The Confluence Experience (Education, Community, Experiences) * 12-month living immersion in the STAGES matrix with Terri O’Fallon & Kimberley Lafferty * The Association for Spiritual Integrity (ASI) * Vajrayana Buddhism * Huston Smith, The World’s Religions * His Holiness the Dalai Lama, The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living * Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory * Dan Brown, Buddhist meditation teacher and author* * Abraham Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being * Roger Walsh, Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind * Brian Daizen Victoria, Zen at War * The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series (Deep Transformation podcast series)**

Kimberley Theresa Lafferty is a seasoned teacher-practitioner specializing in constructive developmental psychology and Indo-Tibetan Vajrayana. She leads multi-year, private spiritual education cohorts with the Confluence Experience, and co-leads, with Terri O’Fallon, the penultimate Minds I year-long developmental course of Stages International. She is an active Board member for the Association for Spiritual Integrity. Kimberley is also a wife and mother to a young son, living in a remote valley of the North Cascades of North America which deeply impacts her worldview and practice.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 175 (Part 2 of 3) | Longtime spiritual practitioner, gifted teacher, Tibetan Buddhist lama, and developmental psychology specialist Kimberley Lafferty integrates contemporary psychology and wisdom tradition in this lively, luminous conversation about the process of awakening, the evolution of ethics, and the extraordinary capacities that come online as we mature into later stages of development. What do developmental perspectives have to add to our understanding of human nature and to spiritual practice? Our meaning-making shifts radically as we develop, Kimberley says, and because of that our reality itself shifts. This is why communicating with people with very different points of view can fail so miserably—one person’s reality is simply not the same as the next person’s reality. We need to discern, what is their meaning-making reality in this moment? What is ours?

Throughout, Kimberley grounds the discussion in practical, real-life scenarios; she also shares intriguing research on later stage development that has found that as we mature, our senses evolve: our hearing evolves to deep attunement; our seeing evolves to witnessing, our capacity of touch evolves to embody presence. It’s exciting and inspiring to see the road ahead, to acquire new insights and tools to improve communication across cultural (and age) divides, to have the concept of bodhicitta unpacked so deftly and common misperceptions about emptiness corrected—and to witness Kimberley’s wise and zesty approach to life: “What connects us all is our luminous, aware consciousness,” she says, “and if we can lean into the messiness, I think we can find our way through.” Recorded October 3, 2024.

“If we have no traditional spiritual boundaries to teach our children, we end up raising narcissists.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Ethics involve intention: looking into the mind at the moment of intention (00:53) * How to explain misuse and abuse of power in a spiritual organization? (04:18) * What is missing for many teachers and healers is ethical training (11:11) * How do warrior ethics make sense? Spirituality at an ethnocentric developmental stage (12:58) * Misunderstanding emptiness: the emptiness of ethics; there is no ethics (17:20) * A spiritual tradition can be complemented by modern understanding & practices—what do we need to update? (19:21) * The importance of a developmental understanding and spiritual education (20:46) * We need to teach our children that what they do matters (23:09) * The feeling of deep belonging that comes with a lineage, belonging to a mystical family, having them at your back (25:09) * What do developmental perspectives have to add to our understanding of human nature and to contemplative practices? (28:16) * The connection between spiritual experiences and later stages of development: meaning-making radically shifts throughout our life span—because of that our reality itself shifts (31:52) * What stage is presenting right now? In me. In you. In others? (33:58) * Leveraging the strengths of each perspective and stage (37:29)*

Resources & References Kimberley Lafferty’s website: The Confluence Experience (Education, Community, Experiences) * 12-month living immersion in the STAGES matrix with Terri O’Fallon & Kimberley Lafferty * The Association for Spiritual Integrity (ASI) * Vajrayana Buddhism * Huston Smith, The World’s Religions * His Holiness the Dalai Lama, The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living * Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory * Dan Brown, Buddhist meditation teacher and author* * Abraham Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being * Roger Walsh, Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind * Brian Daizen Victoria, Zen at War * The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series (Deep Transformation podcast series)**

Kimberley Theresa Lafferty is a seasoned teacher-practitioner specializing in constructive developmental psychology and Indo-Tibetan Vajrayana. She leads multi-year, private spiritual education cohorts with the Confluence Experience, and co-leads, with Terri O’Fallon, the penultimate Minds I year-long developmental course of Stages International. She is an active Board member for the Association for Spiritual Integrity. Kimberley is also a wife and mother to a young son, living in a remote valley of the North Cascades of North America which deeply impacts her worldview and practice.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 174 (Part 1 of 3) | Longtime spiritual practitioner, gifted teacher, Tibetan Buddhist lama, and developmental psychology specialist Kimberley Lafferty integrates contemporary psychology and wisdom tradition in this lively, luminous conversation about the process of awakening, the evolution of ethics, and the extraordinary capacities that come online as we mature into later stages of development. What do developmental perspectives have to add to our understanding of human nature and to spiritual practice? Our meaning-making shifts radically as we develop, Kimberley says, and because of that our reality itself shifts. This is why communicating with people with very different points of view can fail so miserably—one person’s reality is simply not the same as the next person’s reality. We need to discern, what is their meaning-making reality in this moment? What is ours?

Throughout, Kimberley grounds the discussion in practical, real-life scenarios; she also shares intriguing research on later stage development that has found that as we mature, our senses evolve: our hearing evolves to deep attunement; our seeing evolves to witnessing, our capacity of touch evolves to embody presence. It’s exciting and inspiring to see the road ahead, to acquire new insights and tools to improve communication across cultural (and age) divides, to have the concept of bodhicitta unpacked so deftly and common misperceptions about emptiness corrected—and to witness Kimberley’s wise and zesty approach to life: “What connects us all is our luminous, aware consciousness,” she says, “and if we can lean into the messiness, I think we can find our way through.” Recorded October 3, 2024.

“Applying a developmental understanding and developmental education is essential to any situation that we have.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing Kimberley Lafferty, teacher-practitioner specializing in developmental psychology and Indo-Tibetan Buddhism (01:02) * What drew Kimberley into Buddhism? Suffering! And an awakening experience (02:36) * The Dalai Lama’s path is what spoke to Kimberley’s feeling of losing her compass and Integral Theory kept her grounded in modernity (07:11) * The 3 interpenetrating principal paths of Tibetan Buddhism: ethics, bodhicitta (the path of the warrior heart), and wisdom itself (09:17) * Unpacking the concept of bodhicitta (13:54) * Metacognition: an ability we grow into in the later stages of ego development (16:52) * The richness of Tibetan Buddhism begins with the understanding that everything changes (21:37) * How do kindness and compassion follow from a realization of emptiness? (25:50) * There is emptiness and there is Clear Light, they are not the same (27:09) * If emptiness is the canvas and karma is the paint: how do I repaint for the future? (31:08) * Ethics and karma: everything we think, say, and do is the material cause for the next moment of our reality (32:54) * Ethical training starts with be kind, do no harm, because God (or Santa) is watching (35:00) * As we evolve, our ethics become more subtle and expand to include all people and the responsibility of becoming a light in the world (36:23) * Stepping into our divinity, our gifts and creativity (41:09) * Vajrajana ethics invite us to think about who is doing the giving, the recipient, and the gift (43:35)*

Resources & References Kimberley Lafferty’s website: The Confluence Experience (Education, Community, Experiences) * 12-month living immersion in the STAGES matrix with Terri O’Fallon & Kimberley Lafferty * The Association for Spiritual Integrity (ASI) * Vajrayana Buddhism * Huston Smith, The World’s Religions * His Holiness the Dalai Lama, The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living * Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory * Dan Brown, Buddhist meditation teacher and author* * Abraham Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being * Roger Walsh, Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind * Brian Daizen Victoria, Zen at War * The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series (Deep Transformation podcast series)**

Kimberley Theresa Lafferty is a seasoned teacher-practitioner specializing in constructive developmental psychology and Indo-Tibetan Vajrayana. She leads multi-year, private spiritual education cohorts with the Confluence Experience, and co-leads, with Terri O’Fallon, the penultimate Minds I year-long developmental course of Stages International. She is an active Board member for the Association for Spiritual Integrity. Kimberley is also a wife and mother to a young son, living in a remote valley of the North Cascades of North America which deeply impacts her worldview and practice.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 173 (Part 2 of 2) | In this 8th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali gives a clear, colorful description of the three stages we go through on the spiritual path: the journey to presence, the journey with presence, and the journey in presence. “There’s much more to the journey than just being free of suffering,” he says, “in the journey with presence, there’s a whole universe to discover—unexpectedly we find there is a whole realm of splendor, beauty, freedom, and liberation.” In the third journey, the journey in presence, the stage of actualization, we are swimming in the ocean of presence or we are the presence itself. Hameed relates how impeccability, strong and pure like stainless steel, is an important part of actualizing presence, embodying our essence in our daily lives. “The ‘I am’ can function in the world as a person,” he explains, “I can be the vastness, an infinite, black, luminous night, completely formless, but still walk in the street as a person.”

Hameed also talks about the “pearl beyond price”—the individuated self that brings a functional capacity to the isness, which is why it is of incomparable price—and the point of existence, point of light, or pure I-ness. He discusses the individuation of the soul and the realization that the nature of the soul is the nature of everything: this is the nondual experience. This dialogue is another treasure trove of spiritual transmission by Hameed—with humor, clarity, precision, and beautiful metaphor, his teachings, even as deeply profound and mysterious as they are, come as wonderful revelations for us to grasp onto, leading us forward on the inner journey home. Recorded January 3, 2025.

“Presence is the ground of all reality.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 What is the I in ‘I am that’? A point of light, presence, existence (00:53) * I-am-that are three different things (04:25) * At some point, the point of light and the pearl beyond price become unified (06:56) * The ego self is insecure: that’s why there is selfishness (09:04) * With the realization of I am that, the “that” changes (12:30) * The “I am” can function in the world as a person: I can be the vastness, formless & infinite, but still walk in the street as a person (14:01) * In the source dimension, all people are nothing but organs of perception for the absolute (15:05) * What brought Hameed back from the absolute? (17:46) * Each teaching has their ultimate, but there is more than one ultimate (19:24) * There’s much more to the journey than just being free of suffering (20:31) * Ignorance never ends (21:26) * Is there a best way to study spirituality? (22:57) * The essentialization of the soul: recognizing that presence is our true nature, essence is a living consciousness (25:21) * Realizing the ground of being: the nature of the soul is the nature of everything; this is the nondual experience (27:18) * The issues that come up on the journey: psychodynamic, structural, existential & epistemological (33:17)*

Resources & References A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Dzogchen*, a tradition of teachings in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and Bön aimed at discovering and continuing in the ultimate ground of existence* * Advaita Vedanta * A. H. Almaas, The Pearl Beyond Price: Integration of Personality into Being: An Object Relations Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Point of Existence: Transformations of Narcissism in Self-Realization * Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, I Am That * Isaac Newton, “I do not know what I may appear to the world…” * A. H. Almaas, Luminous Night’s Journey: An Autobiographical Fragment**

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

View Details

Ep. 172 (Part 1 of 2) | In this 8th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali gives a clear, colorful description of the three stages we go through on the spiritual path: the journey to presence, the journey with presence, and the journey in presence. “There’s much more to the journey than just being free of suffering,” he says, “in the journey with presence, there’s a whole universe to discover—unexpectedly we find there is a whole realm of splendor, beauty, freedom, and liberation.” In the third journey, the journey in presence, the stage of actualization, we are swimming in the ocean of presence or we are the presence itself. Hameed relates how impeccability, strong and pure like stainless steel, is an important part of actualizing presence, embodying our essence in our daily lives. “The ‘I am’ can function in the world as a person,” he explains, “I can be the vastness, an infinite, black, luminous night, completely formless, but still walk in the street as a person.”

Hameed also talks about the “pearl beyond price”—the individuated self that brings a functional capacity to the isness, which is why it is of incomparable price—and the point of existence, point of light, or pure I-ness. He discusses the individuation of the soul and the realization that the nature of the soul is the nature of everything: this is the nondual experience. This dialogue is another treasure trove of spiritual transmission by Hameed—with humor, clarity, precision, and beautiful metaphor, his teachings, even as deeply profound and mysterious as they are, come as wonderful revelations for us to grasp onto, leading us forward on the inner journey home. Recorded January 3, 2025.

“The experience of presence is the defining experience of this path.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing the 8th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, which focuses on the 15th chapter of The Inner Journey Home: “The Inner Journey” (00:56) * Hameed outlines 3 stages of the inner journey: the journey to presence, the journey with presence, the journey in presence (03:00) * First, the individual soul, structured through early life experience, begins (with practice) to recognize presence (09:50) * Second is the journey with presence: working with the theory of holes before opening to spaciousness (12:22) * The second stage is the fun part—when everything is completely new and somewhat miraculous (14:56) * Experiencing the true potential of a human being: unexpectedly we find there is a whole realm of splendor, beauty, freedom & liberation (17:59) * The third journey is actualization, when we are swimming in the ocean of presence or we are the presence itself: self-realization; the self is the presence (19:55) * Impeccability: living in a way that is faithful to our true nature (21:12) * Roger’s summary of Hameed’s points: presence is not static, learning about true nature is an ongoing, marvelous surprise, viewing spiritual maturation along a spectrum, and how realizing presence brings with it the deep desire that all beings experience it (23:34) * In other traditions, there isn’t much discussion beyond the realization itself (25:56) * The world is never “fixed” (28:55) * Part of the soul’s maturation is individuation; personal-ness turns out to be a quality of presence (30:10) * The pearl beyond price (the individuated self) is known also to the gnostics, the Sufis, the Taoists… it is protected by a fearsome monster (the ego) (33:28) * The point of light, the point of existence, is pure “I-ness” (38:42)*

Resources & References – Part 1 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Dzogchen*, a tradition of teachings in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and Bön aimed at discovering and continuing in the ultimate ground of existence* * Advaita Vedanta * A. H. Almaas, The Pearl Beyond Price: Integration of Personality into Being: An Object Relations Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Point of Existence: Transformations of Narcissism in Self-Realization * Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, I Am That * Isaac Newton, “I do not know what I may appear to the world…” * A. H. Almaas, Luminous Night’s Journey: An Autobiographical Fragment**

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 171 (Part 2 of 2) | An emotionally powerful and deeply inspiring conversation with renowned embodiment and trauma educator Mark Walsh from the U.K. and Ukrainian psychologist and trauma trainer Kristina Obluchynska, where we learn about effective ways of treating trauma in the middle of an ongoing war, what trauma therapists are left holding, and how beautiful is the human spirit when it embraces right action. When Russia commenced its full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago, Markwent to Ukraine, located willing psychology students, educated them in body-oriented trauma therapy and training, and with Kristina and several other trainees co-founded Sane Ukraine, with the urgent mission of preventing an epidemic of trauma disorders in Ukraine. Beginning with applying trauma first aid and teaching resilience skills in places like the local railroad station where people were coming in from the front lines, and in bomb shelters, Kristina and several other psychologists have now educated thousands of people about trauma—active duty soldiers, veterans, survivors, wives of combatants, and first-line responders such as doctors, teachers, and social workers—and trained hundreds of them to become trauma trainers themselves.

It is an honor to bear witness to Mark’s courageous actions and the humble heroism of Kristina and her team in the face of the devastation being leveled on Ukraine and Ukrainians. “We don’t grieve,” Kristina tells us, “because grief comes after safety. We don’t even use the word safe anymore,” she continues, “only relatively safe.” Mark points out that modern warfare is not just running around with guns—drones hunt civilians and if you move, they kill you. “Do we all have PTSD?” the soldiers ask. With Sane Ukraine, there is someone to answer their questions and teach them what they can do to help themselves and each other. Resilience comes from relationship—from connection to self, others, nature, and spirit. Does the concept of post traumatic growth even apply considering the intensity of this war? co-host Roger wonders. At the end of this extraordinary, heartfelt conversation, when asked what we could do to help, Kristina advises, “Help the army. We are talking here about healing, but what we really need is to survive.” Recorded January 9, 2025.

“It’s not reasonable for young women to be talking about mass rape and torture in dark bomb shelters . . . There’s a darkness that will be there perhaps forever.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Surviving Bucha (00:57) * The pros and cons of group work (03:23) * Does the concept of post traumatic growth apply in the intensity of this war? (05:40) * Singing traditional songs helps foster the belief that we will survive this (09:50) * How does Mark help trainers to find strength? Love people unconditionally and continually (12:31) * There are actually less mental health problems in Ukraine than in the UK or the US (16:35) * What has been most inspiring for Mark? The girls—and the purity of the work (17:24) * The hardest thing? The huge grief (18:53) * What are Kristina’s practices to keep sane? (20:05) * What is the hardest for Kristina? The guilt is the worst (23:38) * What is most inspiring for Kristina? The ability to do something for people who have been in the war (25:02) * What is the difference between pre-Ukraine Mark and post-Ukraine Mark? (26:33) * The pre-war Kristina and the post-war Kristina: everything is possible (28:12) * How can listeners help? Sane Ukraine could use funding & educational support; professionals could offer tension & trauma releasing (TRE) trainings (31:39) * Help the army: we are talking about healing, but what we really need is to survive (33:49)*

Resources & References – Part 2 The Masha Fund, helping Ukrainian women overcome the psychological consequences of war* * Stuart Heller, The Dance of Becoming: Living Life as a Martial Art* * Veteran Hub: providing peer-to peer veteran support, also serving those who are waiting for or who have lost loved ones in service * The Association of Families of Defenders of Azovstal, the defenders of Mariupol united to accelerate the processes related to the return of soldiers home * Mark Walsh, Kristina Obluchynska, co-founders, Sane Ukraine * Mark Walsh, founder and CEO of Embodiment Unlimited * Kristina Obluchynska can be contacted through Deep Transformation Podcast’s support email * Mark Walsh, The Body in Coaching and Training: An Introduction to Embodied Facilitation, Embodied Meditation: Mindfulness, the Body, and Daily Life** * Mark’s Embodiment Coaching Podcast**

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Ep. 170 (Part 1 of 2) | An emotionally powerful and deeply inspiring conversation with renowned embodiment and trauma educator Mark Walsh from the U.K. and Ukrainian psychologist and trauma trainer Kristina Obluchynska, where we learn about effective ways of treating trauma in the middle of an ongoing war, what trauma therapists are left holding, and how beautiful is the human spirit when it embraces right action. When Russia commenced its full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago, Markwent to Ukraine, located willing psychology students, educated them in body-oriented trauma therapy and training, and with Kristina and several other trainees co-founded Sane Ukraine, with the urgent mission of preventing an epidemic of trauma disorders in Ukraine. Beginning with applying trauma first aid and teaching resilience skills in places like the local railroad station where people were coming in from the front lines, and in bomb shelters, Kristina and several other psychologists have now educated thousands of people about trauma—active duty soldiers, veterans, survivors, wives of combatants, and first-line responders such as doctors, teachers, and social workers—and trained hundreds of them to become trauma trainers themselves.

It is an honor to bear witness to Mark’s courageous actions and the humble heroism of Kristina and her team in the face of the devastation being leveled on Ukraine and Ukrainians. “We don’t grieve,” Kristina tells us, “because grief comes after safety. We don’t even use the word safe anymore,” she continues, “only relatively safe.” Mark points out that modern warfare is not just running around with guns—drones hunt civilians and if you move, they kill you. “Do we all have PTSD?” the soldiers ask. With Sane Ukraine, there is someone to answer their questions and teach them what they can do to help themselves and each other. Resilience comes from relationship—from connection to self, others, nature, and spirit. Does the concept of post traumatic growth even apply considering the intensity of this war? co-host Roger wonders. At the end of this extraordinary, heartfelt conversation, when asked what we could do to help, Kristina advises, “Help the army. We are talking here about healing, but what we really need is to survive.” Recorded January 9, 2025.

“There is nothing that can prepare human psychology for modern warfare.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing Mark Walsh, trauma trainer, author, founder & CEO of Embodiment Unlimited, and Kristina Obluchynska, clinical psychologist & trauma therapist, who together co-founded Sane Ukraine to provide training in trauma therapy and resilience skills to professionals, soldiers, combatants’ families and more (01:03) * What compelled Mark to get involved in Ukraine and found Sane Ukraine? (02:33) * How did Kristina get involved with Mark’s trauma training? (06:29) * It requires 3 hours a day of body/mind practice to keep trainees in a state where they can learn something in between running to the bomb shelters (08:30) * Trauma training started happening in person all over the place: Lviv is now the world’s most trauma-informed city (11:11) * When Kristina and her team were invited to do combat resilience training, they were told, “We have 2,000 soldiers, please do something for them!” (13:11) * Training psychologists, social workers, veterans, and wives of combatants (14:01) * Elements of the 3-day training: tactic, tactic medicine, psychological resilience (15:42) * Combatants ask, “Do we all have PTSD?” (17:44) * What are the symptoms of trauma? (18:28) * Nothing can prepare human psychology for modern warfare (20:06) * Now it’s all about exhaustion, because the only way out is to be injured, or dead (22:55) * Meaning is a resilience factor: Man’s Search for Meaning is the most sold book in Ukraine, ever (25:10) * The importance of relationship: connection to self, to others, to the land, to spirit (28:08) * Healing mountain trips for veterans have a dramatically positive effect (29:27) * What are trauma therapists like Kristina and her team holding? (31:49) * We don’t use the word safe anymore—only “relatively safe” (34:24) * Using humor and selling trauma therapy (36:41) * Using Stephen Porges’ traffic light model (39:09)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Mark Walsh, Kristina Obluchynska, co-founders, Sane Ukraine * Mark Walsh, founder and CEO of Embodiment Unlimited * Kristina Obluchynska can be contacted through Deep Transformation Podcast’s support email * Mark Walsh, The Body in Coaching and Training: An Introduction to Embodied Facilitation, Embodied Meditation: Mindfulness, the Body, and Daily Life* * Mark’s Embodiment Coaching Podcast * Polyvagal theory * Stephen Porges*,* The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe * *EMDR Ukraine * Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning* * Colorado’s Huts for Vets, wilderness therapy for veterans and active-duty service members * The traffic light model, Dr. Stephen Porges: What is the Polyvagal Theory? (YouTube video)**

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

“Mr Embodiment” (Mark Walsh) is the author of The Body in Coaching and Training: An Introduction to Embodied Facilitation and Embodied Meditation. Mark hosts The Embodiment Coaching Podcast(3 million+ downloads), and led the world’s largest Zoom event, The Embodiment Conference. He founded the Embodied Facilitator Course, and has trained over 2,000 embodiment coaches in over 40 countries. Mark went to Ukraine twice during the recent conflict and set up saneukraine.org, a charity now run solely by Ukrainian professionals to provide trauma and embodiment training to trainers, therapists, and coaches. Mark has worked in war zones, and entertained over 50,000 children. He has headlined International Coach Federation events, taught at Moscow State University, and lived with the circus in Ethiopia. Mark is an aikido black belt, and has 25 years of experience in other martial arts, yoga, bodywork, improv comedy, conscious dance, and meditation. Embodiment is his obsession, life’s work, and frankly, at this point, he couldn’t get a job doing anything else.

Kristina Obluchynska is a clinical psychologist, in the process of training to be a psychotherapist with a medical background. In her practice, Kristina integrates gestalt and body-oriented psychotherapy with trauma therapy methods, and uses nature-based therapy as well. Kristina’s main work is done with combatants and veterans and their families, as well as with first-line responders in Ukraine, such as doctors and social workers. Together with her colleagues and with Mark Walsh’s help, she co-founded Sane Ukraine, a charity foundation with more than 60 trainers that provides knowledge about trauma and psychological first aid to combatants and civilians. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine caught Kristina and her colleagues when they were Master’s Degree students at Ukrainian Catholic University, and Kristina is now an assistant at the Department of Clinical Psychology, sharing knowledge about psychological trauma and how to work with it using various approaches. Kristina loves and believes in Ukraine—she participated in the Revolution of Dignity and actively supports the Ukrainian army via psychological trainings and volunteer work.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 169 (Part 2 of 2) | Integral psychologist Keith Witt can’t get enough of the magic and beauty that happens in relationships as people begin to develop what he calls “a post-issue consciousness.” He explains that when our executive self, our wise self or witness, kicks in and forges a caring connection with the places where we hold our hurt and our traumas, then integration and healing start to happen, eventually with almost no conscious energy expenditure. “My job is to help people develop the witness,” Keith says, so they can observe their defensive or destructive states and reach for compassionate understanding, for themselves, for their partner, and for others.

Keith tells us the three foundations of the modern marriage are friendship, a love affair, and an ability to resolve issues that come up, and says the shift to a post-issue relationship happens when all three facets become intentional. “Post-issue couples don’t let things get in the way of their love,”he says. Throughout the conversation, Keith shares a goldmine of therapeutic wisdom on the subject of relationships, including the client/therapist relationship, and in true Integral fashion, he includes perspectives from all sorts of interesting angles, such as our evolutionary development, neural development, and moral and spiritual development. This discussion is warm, friendly, cheerful, lively, and chock full of useful information and insights. Keith’s excitement about the evolutionary directionality of human relationships is contagious and inspiring. Recorded August 16, 2024.

“We have a responsibility to be our best self, our wise self, all the time… this is a good place to grow towards as an individual—and a necessary way to grow as a psychotherapist.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Having an agreed-on, go-to technique for when problems arise (01:27) * The defensive state wants to attack or flee, and the stories you tell yourself to justify attacking or fleeing (03:18) * Distinguishing between constructive guidance and destructive shadow (04:32) * Flexibility in couples therapy: going on instinct (07:52) * Discourse and dialectic is a 21st century metapsychology (10:19) * The developmental process of becoming more sensitive to when you’re “off” and also to when your relationship is “off” (12:36) * A flourishing relationship is a liberation (15:05) * Being a transpersonal therapist means you don’t take things personally (16:47) * Therapist/client relationship is a major determinant of outcome (18:56) * Growing toward being our best self all of the time is a good directionality (21:46) * The importance of telling the truth skillfully and compassionate understanding (23:29) * The 6 foundational moral states we are born with get corrupted by defensive states (26:39) * Radical acceptance: there is nothing I cannot share with my partner (29:44) * Is forceful intervention ever necessary? Recovery from addiction comes before working on a relationship (32:52) * Post-issue moments are our human birthright (42:31) * Looking for deeper truths about the human experience in conversations like this is enacting a 21st century metapsychology (43:04)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Dr. Keith Witt’s website: https://drkeithwitt.com/ * Keith Witt, From Trauma and Transcendence (free eBook) * Keith Witt, The Gift of Shame: Why We Need Shame and How To Use it To Love and Grow** * Keith Witt, Waking Up: Psychotherapy as Art, Spirituality, and Science (free eBook) * Helen Schucman, A Course of Miracles* (Foundation for Inner Peace) * Keith Witt, Shadow Light: Illuminations at the Edge of Darkness* * Keith Witt, Loving Completely: A Five Star Practice for Creating Great Relationships* * Miyamoto Musashi, Book of Five Rings* * Roger Walsh, The Perennial Wisdom of A Course in Miracles: The Course and the Four Yogas * Esther Perel: Your Guide to Relationship Intelligence * Carl Rogers*,* Client-Centered Therapy: Its Current Practice, Implications, and Theory* * Roberk Carkhuff, Seven Skills Summary (Primary Goals website) * Jonathan Haidt, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion*

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

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Dr. Keith Witt is a Licensed Psychologist, teacher, and author who has lived and worked in Santa Barbara since 1973. He has conducted over 75,000 therapy sessions and published ten books, including Loving Completely, Shadow Light, and Integral Mindfulness. His books Waking Up and Sessions were two of the first books on Integrally informed psychotherapy. In presentations and classes around the U.S. and internationally, Keith has explored love, therapy, interpersonal relationships, and development from multiple perspectives, weaving neuroscience, Integral theory, wisdom traditions, and numerous forms of psychotherapy into a coherent cosmology of love and healing.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 168 (Part 1 of 2) | Integral psychologist Keith Witt can’t get enough of the magic and beauty that happens in relationships as people begin to develop what he calls “a post-issue consciousness.” He explains that when our executive self, our wise self or witness, kicks in and forges a caring connection with the places where we hold our hurt and our traumas, then integration and healing start to happen, eventually with almost no conscious energy expenditure. “My job is to help people develop the witness,” Keith says, so they can observe their defensive or destructive states and reach for compassionate understanding, for themselves, for their partner, and for others.

Keith tells us the three foundations of the modern marriage are friendship, a love affair, and an ability to resolve issues that come up, and says the shift to a post-issue relationship happens when all three facets become intentional. “Post-issue couples don’t let things get in the way of their love,”he says. Throughout the conversation, Keith shares a goldmine of therapeutic wisdom on the subject of relationships, including the client/therapist relationship, and in true Integral fashion, he includes perspectives from all sorts of interesting angles, such as our evolutionary development, neural development, and moral and spiritual development. This discussion is warm, friendly, cheerful, lively, and chock full of useful information and insights. Keith’s excitement about the evolutionary directionality of human relationships is contagious and inspiring. Recorded August 16, 2024.

“Evolution in humans is characterized by deeper consciousness and more compassion . . . evolution has a directionality—and it’s toward unity.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing Integral psychologist and prolific author Dr. Keith Witt (01:00) * What is a post-issue relationship? (03:11) * What happens when couples develop emotional intelligence and are able to love each other more? (05:48) * Example of an argument in a post-issue relationship (07:35) * How complexity and therapeutic parts work figures into it (08:47) * How do people grow internally? How do we integrate? (10:01) * A healing cosmology came to Keith after he learned about Integral Theory and all the systems came together (11:59) * It helps if couples have a sense of evolutionary development (14:24) * Egalitarian relationships that came online in the last 50-70 years brought along new potentials for love and problem solving (18:33) * What happens when we go into defensive states? (19:21) * Evolution has a directionality toward deeper consciousness, compassion, unity (22:56) * Liberating ourselves by not cooperating with the argument (24:20) * How does the long time it takes to raise a human child affect our social learning? (25:38) * Humans are ultra social: 90% chimpanzee/10% bee (28:01) * Resilience and trauma programming are actually memory systems (30:57) * How do people move towards a post-issue relationship? (32:44) * The key is making it an intentional relationship (35:38) * Self awareness: we’re often crippled based on a history of trauma (38:42) * Leading couples therapist John Gottman teaches what works for happy couples to unhappy couples (39:58) * Physiological arousal—once people are escalated to a certain point, they can’t think (41:58) * What couples should not do: make negative comparisons (43:38) * Can Keith tell if a couple will stay together? There’s a certain magic to some couples (44:49)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Dr. Keith Witt’s website: https://drkeithwitt.com/ * The Dunbar number * Keith Witt, From Trauma and Transcendence (free eBook) * Keith Witt, The Gift of Shame: Why We Need Shame and How To Use it To Love and Grow** * Internal Family Systems (IFS) Institute * Von Economo neurons * Joseph Chilton Pearce*,* Model Imperative (Kindred Newsletter) * Bert Parlee, Ph.D*.* * Keith Witt, Waking Up: Psychotherapy as Art, Spirituality, and Science (free eBook) * Susan Johnson, The Practice of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy: Creating Connection* * John Gottman, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

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Dr. Keith Witt is a Licensed Psychologist, teacher, and author who has lived and worked in Santa Barbara since 1973. He has conducted over 75,000 therapy sessions and published ten books, including Loving Completely, Shadow Light, and Integral Mindfulness. His books Waking Up and Sessions were two of the first books on Integrally informed psychotherapy. In presentations and classes around the U.S. and internationally, Keith has explored love, therapy, interpersonal relationships, and development from multiple perspectives, weaving neuroscience, Integral theory, wisdom traditions, and numerous forms of psychotherapy into a coherent cosmology of love and healing.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 167 (Part 2 of 2) | In the 7th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali enlightens us as to the nature of presence. Our path begins with the recognition that spirit is presence, he explains, an insight which all spiritual traditions share; this is where most of their focus lies. But this is not the end of the story, Hameed tells us—discovering spirit is only half the work. The other half is actualizing presence by clarifying and purifying our souls. Presence works as an agent of transformation in this process; appearing in our souls as curiosity and a love of truth, it leads us home. The discussion turns to virtues, the fruition of realization, and how it is that realized teachers can behave in entirely unethical ways: “realization is no guarantee of ethical behavior.”

This conversation is packed with insights regarding many related topics: how ethics most importantly concern our relations with others, that kindness becomes spontaneous for the true master, the distinction between universal grace and specific grace, how inner spaciousness or emptiness is the other side of the coin from presence or fullness, and the question arises, “Why is it that some people are interested in going deeper and others not?” Hameed also speaks of his own experience of unilocal realization, where all time and space are found in the center of the heart and accessing information from the future is possible. It is not so much I am this or that, he says, it’s simply I am. This warm, illuminating discussion has a fascinating flow and sparks many instances of quiet laughter on all sides. Recorded December 12, 2024.

“True nature is a real magician; to know yourself as that magician is true realization.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Living ethically is conducive to realization (00:50) * True mastery means your kindness is spontaneous (02:15) * Ethics apply more at an ego level; spirit has its own principles (04:28) * Feeling the pain of being constricted is one way the spiritual impulse arises (05:59) * Why do some people want to go deeper than others? (06:40) * The love of truth leads us home: the dynamic of realization (09:14) * Unilocal realization: experiencing all time and space in the heart (11:10) * Hameed can learn from his future self and from people who have died (12:26) * Trusting ourselves, and the distinction between universal grace and specific grace (16:28) * Practice helps make us grace-prone; most people need a teacher or guide (19:24) * Presence is the fullness and inner spaciousness the emptiness side of things (21:50) * True nature is a real magician; to know yourself as that magician is true realization (26:52) * Space/time emanates from our true nature (29:02) * Ethics are relative to our time and culture; but essential ethics are timeless (31:24) * Selflessness and concern for the well-being of all has grown over time (33:35)*

Resources & References – Part 2 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality * Abraham Maslow’s term metamotivation*, the motivation of people who are self-actualized* * Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, 16th Karmapa * Sri Atmananda Krishna Menon * Dzogchen Rinpoche * Dōgen Zenji*, founder of the Sōtō school of Zen* * A. H. Almaas, The Void: Inner Spaciousness and Ego Structure * Dzogchen**, a tradition of teachings in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and Bön aimed at discovering and continuing in the ultimate ground of existence

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

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Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 166 (Part 1 of 2) | In the 7th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali enlightens us as to the nature of presence. Our path begins with the recognition that spirit is presence, he explains, an insight which all spiritual traditions share; this is where most of their focus lies. But this is not the end of the story, Hameed tells us—discovering spirit is only half the work. The other half is actualizing presence by clarifying and purifying our souls. Presence works as an agent of transformation in this process; appearing in our souls as curiosity and a love of truth, it leads us home. The discussion turns to virtues, the fruition of realization, and how it is that realized teachers can behave in entirely unethical ways: “realization is no guarantee of ethical behavior.”

This conversation is packed with insights regarding many related topics: how ethics most importantly concern our relations with others, that kindness becomes spontaneous for the true master, the distinction between universal grace and specific grace, how inner spaciousness or emptiness is the other side of the coin from presence or fullness, and the question arises, “Why is it that some people are interested in going deeper and others not?” Hameed also speaks of his own experience of unilocal realization, where all time and space are found in the center of the heart and accessing information from the future is possible. It is not so much I am this or that, he says, it’s simply I am. This warm, illuminating discussion has a fascinating flow and sparks many instances of quiet laughter on all sides. Recorded December 12, 2024.

“Presence is both the inner nature and the elixir of transformation.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing the 7th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series (01:01) * The basic spiritual insight common to all schools is the recognition of what spirit is: a palpable presence, a substrate of all reality (01:37) * The path begins with recognizing presence and then goes on (03:49) * Presence is being, the way we experience our true nature (05:55) * Exploring the essential qualities of the soul is an important tool to expose and dissolve components of the ego (07:55) * Recognizing true nature doesn’t mean we express it in our life (09:09) * Discovering spirit is only half the work, the other half is purifying the soul (10:50) * Great traditions don’t get into actualization; psychology is what allowed us to develop practices like inquiry that help to release ego structures (13:02) * How realized teachers can be angry, or sadistic (17:18) * Animal soul, human soul, angelic soul: most of us operate from the animal soul (19:40) * Working on character (21:43) * Realization and teaching skill are quite different (23:36) * There’s no guarantee a realized person will behave ethically (27:01) * Virtues are the impact of spiritual presence on the soul (28:17) * An important part of ethical behavior is in relationship (28:59) * “Objective conscience” supports us in living a life of truth (29:22) * Liberation is different from realization; with liberation there are no imprints of time left in you (32:38) * The inner child is an imprint of the past, the structure doesn’t last (33:45) * Getting beyond victimhood (34:44) * Guilt versus true sorrow (36:12)*

Resources & References – Part 1 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality* * Fritz Perls, founder of Gestalt Therapy, “Awareness in itself is healing.” * Frederick Perls, Ralph Hefferline, Paul Goodman, Gestalt Therapy* * A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Dialogue 4, “*Discovering the Souls Treasures,” is where Hameed talks about the specific qualities of the soul (YouTube video) * Dilgo Khyentse & Orgyen Tobgyal, The Life and Times of Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö*

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home* (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

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Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 165 (Part 2 of 2) | Tami Simon, founder of the highly regarded multimedia publishing company Sounds True, covers a lot of inspiring ground in this heartening, lively, candid conversation. She tells the extraordinary story of how she came to devote herself to disseminating spiritual wisdom; about finding the edges and growing into them on her own path of awakening; the spiritual teachers she has encountered whose teachings have affected her the most; the wholeness of spiritual vision and psychological health; and discovering that, like all of us, spiritual leaders can be both luminous and in need of healing at the same time. Tami is an ardent torchbearer for the conscious business movement, explaining that business can be the way we give our gifts—that the endeavors of an inspired entrepreneur can be expressions of love and provide an incredible way of connecting with other people.

What is so striking throughout is the depth of Tami’s clarity about what matters in life and her unwavering commitment to acting with integrity. Tami has a remarkable ability to translate her spiritual insights and principles into action—as co-host Roger Walsh points out, she is a beautiful example of a karma yogic life, where being of service is the fuel, the inspiration, and the content of her life, as she continuously works towards furthering both her own spiritual awakening and the awakening of all. Tami offers a lovely, poetic rendering of the effects of living a true and meaningful life: “The litmus test is always somebody’s wake, the ripples of their life, how they’ve impacted others . . . the beauty, love, and justice that live in the wake of a person.” A genuinely engaging, illuminating, memorable conversation. Recorded October 17, 2024.

“What I feel I owe people is the truth.”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 What are some of the people and ideas that really stand out to Tami? (01:14) * Every podcast guest has given a gift (02:01) * Learning somatic practices from Reggie Ray (03:30) * Meeting Adyashanti, the ‘goodest’ human Tami ever met (04:31) * A. H. Almaas’ Diamond Approach: the possibilities for expanding knowledge in the spiritual universe (06:10) * Coming into the notion of original voice with Clarissa Pinkola Estes; Caroline Myss’ illumination of shadow work (06:45) * Discovering that spiritual teachers can be luminous and also have parts that are harmful and need healing (09:52) * How spiritual vision & psychological health seamlessly come together in the Diamond Approach (13:38) * Psychotherapist Bruce Tift’s idea that we alternate between spiritual vision and the developmental work of psychology (16:00) * The litmus test is what lives in the wake of a person (17:13) * Tami’s practice: asking what is needed now, moment by moment (19:26) * Paying attention to what is being said to us by others and our environment (23:58) * The Integral movement: we benefit from having it in our consciousness (25:43) * The Internal Family Systems (IFS) movement: the notion of being self-led in any given moment: compassionate, courageous, curious, calm (27:14) * Conscious business: the movement for business to be a crucible for personal growth (29:05) * What were the darkest times for Sounds True? (33:40) * What does it mean to be true? That’s what matters (37:22)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Tami Simon, founder of multimedia publishing company* Sounds True * Tami’s podcast, Insights at the Edge * Tami Simon, Being True: What Matters Most in Work, Life & Love (audio program) * Reggie Ray*,* The Awakening Body: Somatic Meditation for Discovering Our Deepest Life*, The Practice of Pure Awareness: Somatic Meditation for Awakening the Sacred* * Adyashanti*, spiritual teacher,* Open Gate Sangha * A. H. Almaas*, founder of* The Diamond Approach*, see also Deep Transformation podcast’s* A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series * Clarissa Pinkola Estés, About Original and Wild Voice in Speaking and Writing * Caroline Myss, The Shadow Course, Part 2*, with Andrew Harvey and Tami Simon* * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home* * Bruce Tift, Buddhist psychotherapist, Already Free* * Sally Kempton, Meditation for the Love of It: Enjoying Your Own Deepest Experience* * What is the Integral Movement? (Integral Life YouTube video) * Richard Schwartz, The Founder of Internal Family Systems

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

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In 1985, at 22 years of age, Tami Simon founded Sounds True, a multi-media company dedicated to disseminating spiritual wisdom. She is also the founder of the Sounds True Foundation which creates equitable access to Sounds True’s programs and the Inner MBA, an immersion learning program that teaches the inner skills of conscious business. Tami hosts a popular weekly podcast called “Insights at the Edge,” where she interviews Sounds True authors, delving deeply into their discoveries and personal experiences. With Sounds True, she has released the audio program “Being True: What Matters Most in Work, Life, and Love.” Tami lives with her wife of twenty-three years, Julie M. Kramer, and their two spoodles, Raspberry and Bula, in British Columbia.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

View Details

Ep. 164 (Part 1 of 2) | Tami Simon, founder of the highly regarded multimedia publishing company Sounds True, covers a lot of inspiring ground in this heartening, lively, candid conversation. She tells the extraordinary story of how she came to devote herself to disseminating spiritual wisdom; about finding the edges and growing into them on her own path of awakening; the spiritual teachers she has encountered whose teachings have affected her the most; the wholeness of spiritual vision and psychological health; and discovering that, like all of us, spiritual leaders can be both luminous and in need of healing at the same time. Tami is an ardent torchbearer for the conscious business movement, explaining that business can be the way we give our gifts—that the endeavors of an inspired entrepreneur can be expressions of love and provide an incredible way of connecting with other people.

What is so striking throughout is the depth of Tami’s clarity about what matters in life and her unwavering commitment to acting with integrity. Tami has a remarkable ability to translate her spiritual insights and principles into action—as co-host Roger Walsh points out, she is a beautiful example of a karma yogic life, where being of service is the fuel, the inspiration, and the content of her life, as she continuously works towards furthering both her own spiritual awakening and the awakening of all. Tami offers a lovely, poetic rendering of the effects of living a true and meaningful life: “The litmus test is always somebody’s wake, the ripples of their life, how they’ve impacted others . . . the beauty, love, and justice that live in the wake of a person.” A genuinely engaging, illuminating, memorable conversation. Recorded October 17, 2024.

“If our spiritual vision doesn’t translate into treating ourselves and other people, and the environment and the world well, and building a just society, I’m not interested in it.”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing founder of the multimedia publishing company Sounds True, author, entrepreneur & popular podcast host, Tami Simon (00:53) * What is the spirit or ideal animating Tami’s venture? Broadcast awakening! (02:20) * Tami was given 3 words right at the start: disseminate spiritual wisdom (03:47) * The origin of Sounds True: synchronicities, altered state experience, and the concept of transformational economy (05:30) * How Vipassana retreats changed Tami (10:10) * Tami wanted to understand Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory in her body, in her bones (12:24) * Meditation felt like a homecoming, a sense of belonging as never before: this is how it feels to feel okay (15:03) * Sounds True has been Tami’s “ground of growth,” an incredible crucible—because it’s so stressful (18:12) * Heart opening experiences keep on going (20:20) * Entrepreneurial endeavors as an expression of love (23:05) * Service is inherent in the energy of the human heart (26:30) * Integrity is critical: a grace field rooted in the central part of the body (30:29) * Responding to the many problems of contemporary media and our media-ted lives (36:43) * What is the most strategic and economic way I can serve? (41:20) * Technological change and Tami’s willingness to adapt (42:33)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Tami Simon, founder of multimedia publishing company* Sounds True * Tami’s podcast, Insights at the Edge * Tami Simon, Being True: What Matters Most in Work, Life & Love (audio program) * Eugene Gendlin, Focusing* * Karen Johnson, The Jeweled Path: A Biography of the Diamond Approach to Inner Realization* * S.N. Goenka*,* Vipassana Meditation * Tami’s interviews with Ken Wilber: Kosmic Consciousness * Dr. Gunapala Dharmasiri*, one of Sri Lanka’s foremost Buddhist scholars,* Fundamentals of Buddhist Ethics* * Melissa Bernstein, Entrepreneur in Residence of Sounds True’s The Inner MBA certification program * Roger Walsh, Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind* * Wallace Black Elk, Native American shamanic teacher, Black Elk: The Sacred Ways of a Lakota* * The Social Dilemma (docudrama) * The A.I. Dilemma (Aspen Institute YouTube video)

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

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In 1985, at 22 years of age, Tami Simon founded Sounds True, a multi-media company dedicated to disseminating spiritual wisdom. She is also the founder of the Sounds True Foundation which creates equitable access to Sounds True’s programs and the Inner MBA, an immersion learning program that teaches the inner skills of conscious business. Tami hosts a popular weekly podcast called “Insights at the Edge,” where she interviews Sounds True authors, delving deeply into their discoveries and personal experiences. With Sounds True, she has released the audio program “Being True: What Matters Most in Work, Life, and Love.” Tami lives with her wife of twenty-three years, Julie M. Kramer, and their two spoodles, Raspberry and Bula, in British Columbia.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 163 (Part 2 of 2) | In the sixth dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali tells us that whereas pure consciousness is already perfect and does not change or grow, individual consciousness is an impressionable organism—alive, changing, moving, developing. Hameed explains that because the soul is impressionable, the impacts of experience are imprinted upon it, shaping our very consciousness. Ego structures form from repeated impressions, and although they are necessary for survival and to function in a relational world, these structures make it difficult to experience the living presence of our true nature. We experience the ego self instead, mistaking our self-image for what we truly are. When we loosen our conditioning, with help from practices like inquiry and bodywork, our soul becomes free of its imprint and our true potential arises naturally, along with greater compassion and other qualities of the soul.

Simply and clearly, Hameed brings us to a deeper understanding of our soul, elucidating what holds us to our limited self-identity and describing what we have to look forward to as the myriad imprints hammered into us by experience become diaphanous, and new impressions no longer make indelible imprints. Hameed also delves into the different ways various traditions talk about the soul, the difference between ordinary knowledge and “knowing,” or gnosis, and tells us that sudden enlightenment and gradual enlightenment are an artificial dichotomy, sharing a story of a sudden enlightenment experience of his own. Once again, Hameed transmits an extraordinary amount of wisdom in a relatively short time, and we emerge brighter, hopeful, and inspired as to our boundless spiritual potential. Recorded November 14, 2024.

“When the soul becomes free of its original imprint, it becomes open to its inner potential – and inner potential is mostly spiritual potential.”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Relaxing the tension in the soul and body is important: working with body armor (00:49) * Mature impressionability: when the soul is more free, impacts don’t leave lasting imprints (03:16) * When the soul becomes free of its original imprint, it opens to its inner potential (08:34) * The enlightenment drive and our spiritual potential (11:41) * Psychology and spirituality are not separate in our consciousness (13:51) * The different ways different traditions and psychology talk about the soul (15:43) * Unique particularity becomes very important in Zen: a flower is a flower (20:43) * Gnosis: I know myself without reflection, without memory; I know what I am (23:13) * Nonconceptual and transconceptual knowing (25:24) * Sudden enlightenment and gradual cultivation are an artificial dichotomy (28:21) * What does gradual enlightenment mean? (30:51) * Hameed relates an experience of “sudden enlightenment” (31:21) * How the evolution of the universe relates to awakened consciousness (33:40) * Roger’s acknowledgment of this conversation as uniquely impactful (36:48)*

Resources & References A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality* * Wilhelm Reich, Reichian therapy, Reich’s Segmental Armouring Theory (Energetics Institute) * Alexander Lowen, developer of Bioenergetic Analysis * Stan Grof & Christina Grof, Holotropic Breathwork: A New Approach to Self-Exploration and Therapy* * Abraham Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being* * Carl Rogers’ fully functioning person, On Becoming A Person: A Therapist’s View of Psychotherapy* * Bruno Bettelheim, Freud and Man’s Soul: An Important Re-Interpretation of Freudian Theory* * The Chittamatra or “Mind Only” School of Mahayana Buddhism * The 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje * Dogen, founder of the Sōtō School of Zen, “A blade of grass is a blade of grass.” * Gnosis * Philip Kapleau, The Three Pillars of Zen: Teaching, Practice, and Enlightenment*

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home* (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

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Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

View Details

Ep. 162 (Part 1 of 2) | In the sixth dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali tells us that whereas pure consciousness is already perfect and does not change or grow, individual consciousness is an impressionable organism—alive, changing, moving, developing. Hameed explains that because the soul is impressionable, the impacts of experience are imprinted upon it, shaping our very consciousness. Ego structures form from repeated impressions, and although they are necessary for survival and to function in a relational world, these structures make it difficult to experience the living presence of our true nature. We experience the ego self instead, mistaking our self-image for what we truly are. When we loosen our conditioning, with help from practices like inquiry and bodywork, our soul becomes free of its imprint and our true potential arises naturally, along with greater compassion and other qualities of the soul.

Simply and clearly, Hameed brings us to a deeper understanding of our soul, elucidating what holds us to our limited self-identity and describing what we have to look forward to as the myriad imprints hammered into us by experience become diaphanous, and new impressions no longer make indelible imprints. Hameed also delves into the different ways various traditions talk about the soul, the difference between ordinary knowledge and “knowing,” or gnosis, and tells us that sudden enlightenment and gradual enlightenment are an artificial dichotomy, sharing a story of a sudden enlightenment experience of his own. Once again, Hameed transmits an extraordinary amount of wisdom in a relatively short time, and we emerge brighter, hopeful, and inspired as to our boundless spiritual potential. Recorded November 14, 2024.

“Self-image is not just in the mind, it actually shapes our consciousness.”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing the 6th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, beginning with chapter 7 of The Inner Journey Home: the impressionability of the soul (00:51) * One of individual consciousness’ properties is impressionability; without it, there would be no learning (02:39) * It’s not easy to experience the soul as a living presence because of its impressionability (05:43) * The mind is just one of the faculties of the soul (08:10) * Like a child, the soul retains affect, feelings, impacts; these traces make it possible for individual consciousness to be structured (10:19) * Self-image, self-identity, come from more long lasting types of impressions (12:49) * Without impressionability, there wouldn’t be trauma (13:23) * Painful, pleasurable, or neutral, some impressions become patterns of behavior (13:47) * When we study the soul, we can find the ego structures: rigid, unchanging, the impressions have made an indelible imprint (14:29) * Self-image affects consciousness by limiting it: the medium of presence is hidden by the accumulation of impressions (17:35) * Self-image actually shapes our consciousness: the soul mistakes itself for the self (23:32) * The malleability of the soul is responsible for both conditioning and learning (25:31) * How open we are depends on our early experience; also, different souls come in with different capacities (nature/nurture) (26:05) * It is natural and necessary for the soul to develop into an ego (30:38) * We resist changing our self-image without knowing we are resisting (33:59) * The soul believes it is fighting for its life, when actually it is fighting for the life of the ego self (35:15) * Not everyone needs psychotherapy (37:50) * The shift from struggling to maintain our ego structures to a state of basic trust (40:21)*

Resources & References – Part 1 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality* * Dzogchen, a tradition of teachings in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and Bön aimed at discovering and continuing in the ultimate ground of existence * Wilhelm Reich, Reichian therapy, Reich’s Segmental Armouring Theory (Energetics Institute) * Alexander Lowen, developer of Bioenergetic Analysis * Stan Grof & Christina Grof, Holotropic Breathwork: A New Approach to Self-Exploration and Therapy* * Abraham Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being* * Carl Rogers’ fully functioning person, On Becoming A Person: A Therapist’s View of Psychotherapy* * Bruno Bettelheim, Freud and Man’s Soul: An Important Re-Interpretation of Freudian Theory* * The Chittamatra or “Mind Only” School of Mahayana Buddhism * The 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje * Dogen, founder of the Sōtō School of Zen, “A blade of grass is a blade of grass.” * Gnosis * Philip Kapleau, The Three Pillars of Zen: Teaching, Practice, and Enlightenment*

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home* (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

---

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

---

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

View Details

Ep. 161 (Part 2 of 2) | In this profoundly moving and inspiring conversation, GRIP Training Institute CEO, Kim Moore, and facilitator/trainer Fateen Jackson, Sr., also a GRIP graduate, educate us as to the power and magic of the GRIP prison movement, based on Jacques Verduin’s model: Leaving Prison Before You Get Out. This yearlong trauma healing and accountability program is unique in the degree of radical transformation it aims for—and delivers. It is about freeing minds, and as Kim points out, goes beyond the duality of teacher/student, inmate/not inmate, victim/offender to where everyone joins in a mutual journey of healing, transformation, and liberation.The program is so transformative that ripple effects from GRIP students can be felt throughout the prison, and GRIP graduates often struggle with how little emotional intelligence and trauma healing work the rest of us have done when they get out.

Kim and Fateen shine a bright light on the inestimable value of a caring, compassionate community, pointing out that deep personal transformation and taking responsibility doesn’t happen in isolation. They share illuminating stories of their own experiences, and the dedication and gladness they exude in this talk is itself impactful and inspiring. There is something in this conversation, maybe because it touches our deepest brokenness and then lifts it up and redeems it, that reaches right into one’s heart and infuses it with inspiration, hope, compassion, and love. Recorded November 21, 2024.

“Who have you left out of your heart? How can you expand your sphere of human concern?”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Roger acknowledges the power of GRIP’s processes (01:20) * What are the most impactful processes that participants go through? (02:18) * Transforming shame into remorse: you are not your crime (05:17) * The importance of self-care for facilitators: what practices do Kim & Fateen do? (06:39) * Reminding participants who they truly are: you can give love and you can receive love (10:36) * Moving beyond the duality of giver/receiver, victim/offender, teacher/student (12:31) * Transforming belief systems: You are not in prison because of what you did, but because you believed the thoughts that justified the actions you took (14:06) * A longing to hear a genuine apology (16:40) * Opening your heart to every offender, no matter what they’ve done (18:25) * The transformational power of this work: engendering hope, compassion, redemption, wisdom (21:22) * GRIP graduates struggle with how little emotional intelligence and trauma healing work the rest of us have done when they get out (24:25) * Can people accept that you are a changed, transformed individual? (25:03) * The diversity of this program: everyone is welcome, everyone learns from everyone else (26:29) * Meditation: stopping the violence with awareness (29:40) * The wisdom that is born in these groups goes way beyond prison (32:56) * If you would like to be part of the GRIP family (34:12) * What is the vision for GRIP’s future? GRIP’s scaling strategy; connecting with incoming lifers from day one (35:15)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Guiding Rage into Power program, the GRIP Training Institute (where you can watch a moving and impactful short video of a group in process) * Jacques Verduin, founder of GRIP,* Leaving Prison Before You Get Out: A Transformational Healing Journey for Incarcerated People to Learn How to Guide Their Rage Into Power (GRIP) * john a. powell*, director of* The Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, advancing groundbreaking approaches to transforming structural marginalization and inequality * MC Hammer, Pray (Just to Make it Today), YouTube music video**

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Kim Moore has spent more than two decades working to make the San Francisco Bay Area a more just and equitable community through her work as a community organizer on issues of affordable housing, healthcare, immigration, violence prevention, and criminal justice reform. She has dedicated the last eight years to The GRIP Training Institute, a restorative justice organization serving hundreds of incarcerated individuals across seven California prisons, where she serves as Executive Director, and the entirety of her career to advancing justice and building a Beloved Community. A strong believer in the principle, “The first revolution is internal,” Kim considers meditation and the Dharma the foundation of her work for justice in the community. Kim is also a Buddhist chaplain in the Theravada tradition, and holds degrees in anthropology from Stanford University and Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar.

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Fateen Jackson, Sr,is from Long Beach, California, and currently resides in Northern California. Fateen completed the GRIP program as a student while still in San Quentin, in 2013. After graduation, he went on to facilitate several groups while still inside. He performed a spoken word piece called the Apologetic Salute, at a TEDx event, which was held at San Quentin in 2016. The spoken word piece was dedicated to the people who have suffered violence at the hands of another person. Fateen regained his freedom in 2019 after former governor Jerry Brown commuted his sentence. He joined the GRIP staff the same year, and is now a Senior Facilitator as well as the Senior Facilitator Trainer/Coordinator for the GRIP organization. He goes inside several institutions to deliver the GRIP program and to train people in the work.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

View Details

Ep. 160 (Part 1 of 2) | In this profoundly moving and inspiring conversation, GRIP Training Institute CEO, Kim Moore, and facilitator/trainer Fateen Jackson, Sr., also a GRIP graduate, educate us as to the power and magic of the GRIP prison movement, based on Jacques Verduin’s model: Leaving Prison Before You Get Out. This yearlong trauma healing and accountability program is unique in the degree of radical transformation it aims for—and delivers. It is about freeing minds, and as Kim points out, goes beyond the duality of teacher/student, inmate/not inmate, victim/offender to where everyone joins in a mutual journey of healing, transformation, and liberation.The program is so transformative that ripple effects from GRIP students can be felt throughout the prison, and GRIP graduates often struggle with how little emotional intelligence and trauma healing work the rest of us have done when they get out.

Kim and Fateen shine a bright light on the inestimable value of a caring, compassionate community, pointing out that deep personal transformation and taking responsibility doesn’t happen in isolation. They share illuminating stories of their own experiences, and the dedication and gladness they exude in this talk is itself impactful and inspiring. There is something in this conversation, maybe because it touches our deepest brokenness and then lifts it up and redeems it, that reaches right into one’s heart and infuses it with inspiration, hope, compassion, and love. Recorded November 21, 2024.

“The wisdom that is born in these groups goes way beyond prison.”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing GRIP CEO Kim Moore, facilitator/trainer Fateen Jackson, and the remarkable program Guiding Rage into Power (01:15) * How did Kim come to have a life purpose of facilitating transformation? (04:06) * Moving out of privilege into direct relationship with the realities of criminal justice (06:25) * Fateen’s story and how GRIP allowed him to source the trauma that led to prison and transform it (09:19) * The morning Fateen was released and the ripple effects of GRIP (16:03) * 4 foundations of GRIP: cultivating mindfulness, developing emotional intelligence, doing no harm, understanding victim & survivor impact (19:39) * The importance of building a safe container and building trust (20:52) * GRIP assignments: the unfinished business letter, apology to the victims letter, and more (22:18) * The emotional/energetic arc the group goes through, ending with a deep sense of empathy for the survivors or victims (25:33) * What is the power and the magic of GRIP? 1) instruction, 2) practice/tools, 3) processing (28:36) * The incredible power of a healing community (30:07) * Leaving prison mentally, emotionally, spiritually can happen even while still in prison, without hope of release (30:55) * The healing itself is the reward—that’s where the freedom comes from (32:12) * How GRIP students affect the rest of the prison: flipping the culture of the yard (33:20) * Becoming peacemakers: taking responsibility for your own healing doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in community (34:39) * What happens when you get out of prison? (36:22) * Recidivism and Fateen’s story of looking for a job (37:46) * GRIP’s reentry support for prisoners who are released (42:50) * The extraordinarily low 1.7% recidivism rate of GRIP students (46:28)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Guiding Rage into Power program, the GRIP Training Institute (where you can watch a moving and impactful short video of a group in process) * Jacques Verduin, founder of GRIP,* Leaving Prison Before You Get Out: A Transformational Healing Journey for Incarcerated People to Learn How to Guide Their Rage Into Power (GRIP) * john a. powell*, director of* The Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, advancing groundbreaking approaches to transforming structural marginalization and inequality * MC Hammer, Pray (Just to Make it Today), YouTube music video**

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Kim Moore has spent more than two decades working to make the San Francisco Bay Area a more just and equitable community through her work as a community organizer on issues of affordable housing, healthcare, immigration, violence prevention, and criminal justice reform. She has dedicated the last eight years to The GRIP Training Institute, a restorative justice organization serving hundreds of incarcerated individuals across seven California prisons, where she serves as Executive Director, and the entirety of her career to advancing justice and building a Beloved Community. A strong believer in the principle, “The first revolution is internal,” Kim considers meditation and the Dharma the foundation of her work for justice in the community. Kim is also a Buddhist chaplain in the Theravada tradition, and holds degrees in anthropology from Stanford University and Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar.

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Fateen Jackson, Sr, is from Long Beach, California, and currently resides in Northern California. Fateen completed the GRIP program as a student while still in San Quentin, in 2013. After graduation, he went on to facilitate several groups while still inside. He performed a spoken word piece called the Apologetic Salute, at a TEDx event, which was held at San Quentin in 2016. The spoken word piece was dedicated to the people who have suffered violence at the hands of another person. Fateen regained his freedom in 2019 after former governor Jerry Brown commuted his sentence. He joined the GRIP staff the same year, and is now a Senior Facilitator as well as the Senior Facilitator Trainer/Coordinator for the GRIP organization. He goes inside several institutions to deliver the GRIP program and to train people in the work.

---

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 159 (Part 2 of 2) | In the 5th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, spiritual teacher and author Hameed Ali discusses the dynamic, ever changing, infinitely creative nature of the universe, and explains that our individual souls are in some sense a microcosm of this energy, with endless potentials and possibilities. We can experience creative dynamism, Hameed says, as “a sense of infinite energy, pulsing and throbbing, where we see the whole universe in continual emergence, every moment new.” Although the soul has boundless potential, we tend to take the limited approach that what we already know is the extent of things; the key to loosening the limits we place upon ourselves is to practice inquiry and remain open to all directions of possibilities. Each individual experiences the dynamism in a different way and expresses the potentiality of reality in a different way, says Hameed. When we are in touch with our true nature, we share in the creativity of the divine.

In this conversation, Hameed also talks about death: how we can be curious about it, how it is the ultimate in finality, one more possibility of reality, and that he doesn’t presume to know it, only that true nature is the source of time and does not die. Life can be experienced like a fountain rather than a flowing river, Hameed relates. And the more our ego structures are released, the more we can open to its beautiful array of endless possibilities. Another profoundly intriguing, subtly humorous, and absolutely enlightening conversation with Hameed Ali. Recorded October 10, 2024.

“We are thoughts in the mind of God, but God’s thoughts are not like human thoughts, they are creations.”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Ordinary knowledge is a subset of basic knowledge, which is implicit in the beingness of what is manifesting; spirituality has to do with basic knowledge (00:59) * What Hameed would like to add to the theory of evolution (04:47) * It is possible for the soul to know itself; nothing else we achieve in life will bring total fulfillment (07:44) * The logos is manifesting the potential of reality; part of this potential is for true nature to know itself through the organs of perception of the individual soul (10:06) * The human being is designed to fill its purpose, but when you get into true nature, purpose doesn’t apply (12:08) * Beyond Maslow’s motivation of self-transcendence: selfless service, transpersonal spontaneity, and the motivation to go beyond what we know (15:14) * What about death? Nothing else has the finality of death (21:39) * True nature doesn’t die; it is the source of time, pure timelessness (24:35) * Dogen drops causality: ash is ash, wood is wood; life is life, death is death (26:48) * Death is another possibility of reality (29:06) * Experiencing life as a fountain rather than a flowing river (31:51) * The more ego structures are released, the more we open to a beautiful array of possibilities & potentials (36:29) * The ego is not false, it’s just limited (40:12) * What the human being is free to actualize is to be open to all directions of possibilities (41:16)*

Resources & References – Part 2 Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution * Abraham Maslow called the two major kinds of motives deficiency-based and sufficiency-based * Roger Walsh & Lindsay Briner, The Farther Reaches of Motivation: Three Novel Motives from The World’s Contemplative Traditions * The Supreme Source: The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde: Kunjed Gyalpo, one of the original Dzogchen books, translated by Chogyal Namkai Norbu & Adriano Clemente, * Dogen, founder of the Sōtō School of Zen, “Ash is ash, wood is wood.” * The Tibetan Book of the Dead, edited by Graham Coleman & Thupten Jinpa, translated by Gyurme Dorje, with introductory commentary by the Dalai Lama * A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School, home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality**

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home* (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

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Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 158 (Part 1 of 2) | In the 5th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, spiritual teacher and author Hameed Ali discusses the dynamic, ever changing, infinitely creative nature of the universe, and explains that our individual souls are in some sense a microcosm of this energy, with endless potentials and possibilities. We can experience creative dynamism, Hameed says, as “a sense of infinite energy, pulsing and throbbing, where we see the whole universe in continual emergence, every moment new.” Although the soul has boundless potential, we tend to take the limited approach that what we already know is the extent of things; the key to loosening the limits we place upon ourselves is to practice inquiry and remain open to all directions of possibilities. Each individual experiences the dynamism in a different way and expresses the potentiality of reality in a different way, says Hameed. When we are in touch with our true nature, we share in the creativity of the divine.

In this conversation, Hameed also talks about death: how we can be curious about it, how it is the ultimate in finality, one more possibility of reality, and that he doesn’t presume to know it, only that true nature is the source of time and does not die. Life can be experienced like a fountain rather than a flowing river, Hameed relates. And the more our ego structures are released, the more we can open to its beautiful array of endless possibilities. Another profoundly intriguing, subtly humorous, and absolutely enlightening conversation with Hameed Ali. Recorded October 10, 2024.

“The soul is a living expression of the fundamental nature of reality. There’s no end to the potentiality.”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing the fifth A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series with Hameed Ali, focusing on the soul’s infinite potential and the creative dynamism of reality(01:07) * The soul has boundless potential, but we tend to take the limited approach that what we know already is the extent of things (04:07) * We don’t have to look for the boundless possibilities—we just need to be open (08:16) * The main tool for fostering this openness is inquiry: what is presenting itself? (10:01) * We all share the potential; we are all fundamentally connected (12:16) * Reality, true nature, is in constant creative dynamism (13:34) * The logos of the integration of spirituality and rational knowing can be applied to every field of knowledge (14:33) * Imagine a community of scientists who are all realized spiritually, their inquiry powerfully infused by spiritual understanding (15:50) * We are just at the beginning of understanding the physical world (18:22) * Just because something is true doesn’t mean it’s complete (21:55) * Einstein’s theory of relativity and the Riemannian manifold (26:03) * The nondual is never separate from the dual (28:25) * Distinguishing between the fundamental nature of pure awareness and the nature of the soul (30:27) * The close connection between individual potential and creativity and universal dynamism and creativity (32:24) * We can experience creative dynamism: a sense of infinite energy, where we see the universe in continual emergence, every moment new (34:14) * Each one of us is a miniature logos (35:40) * Each individual experiences the dynamism in a different way and expresses the potentiality of reality in a different way (36:51) * God’s thoughts are not like human thoughts—they are creations (39:17)*

Resources & References – Part 1 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality* * Dzogchen, a tradition of teachings in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and Bön aimed at discovering and continuing in the ultimate ground of existence * Alfred North Whitehead, “Every moment is a creative advance into novelty.” * Gödel’s incompleteness theorems * Einstein’s theory of relativity * Riemannian manifold * Kashmir Shaivism * Heraclitis, pre-Socratic Greek philosopher who had great influence on both ancient and modern Western philosophy

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home* (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

---

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

---

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 157 (Part 3 of 3) | Integral polymath Sean Esbjörn-Hargens is the first comparative scholar to undertake differentiating the myriad varieties of nonduality. A longtime spiritual practitioner within several nondual traditions, Sean wanted to find out how we can understand the relationship between reality, consciousness, and practice. He decided to delve into a comprehensive study of nonduality and was surprised and excited by what he found: 40 distinct nondual traditions, ancient and new, from East and West, fascinating in their differences, their similarities, their uniqueness, and their depth. Sean’s hope is that his comparative analysis of nondual traditions will open the door to a global, cross-tradition dialogue that will supersede centuries of misunderstanding and conflict among people arguing that their realization is the best and/or only correct interpretation of reality and allow nondual traditions to enrich and empower one another.

Enthusiasm and excitement flow throughout the conversation as Sean reveals provocative patterns he has uncovered in nonduality's history and the distinctions he has mapped so far. It becomes clear that nondual realizations evolve in a way similar to developmental models in terms of subject/object relationship, psychology of self, and taking new perspectives, and that they will continue to evolve. As Sean puts it, “the ontological floor keeps dropping out as the endpoint of spiritual realization.” “What will our nondual traditions look like in a thousand years? In two thousand years!” Sean wonders. Hang on to your hats for a thoroughly enjoyable and eye opening ride through a goldmine of information about the many faces and potentials of our nondual traditions. Recorded September 12, 2024.

“I want to come back to how we can operationalize this in our own lives…and how it can inform ourselves as practitioners in our journey of realization.”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 3 Is there a process for stabilization of these realizations? (01:25) * 4 primary polarities across traditions: the goal, path, context, and practices (04:16) * 2 types of practice: apophatic and cataphatic (07:06) * Service is another profound approach to “not two” nonduality (09:49) * Enlightened action: no self, being in the flow; reality serves itself through awakened beings (11:46) * What is going on psychologically as people move into nondual experiences? (17:18) * Like in developmental models, the subject/object relationship, psychology of self, and taking new perspectives all evolve in nondual awareness (20:42) * Invitation to explore the richness of different nondual traditions and the potential for a deeper cross-tradition dialogue (25:47) * Sean’s 10-week online course Varieties of Nonduality beginning in January 2025 (26:51)*

Resources & References – Part 3 Advaita Vedanta * Kashmir Shaivism * Roger Walsh, Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind** * David Loy, Nonduality: A Study in Comparative Philosophy*, Nonduality in Buddhism and Beyond, see also Deep Transformation podcast* Growing from Bodhisattva to Ecosattva with David Loy * Alan Watts, The Supreme Identity* * Understanding the Subject-Object Relationship with Ken Wilber (short YouTube video) * The 10 Ox Herding Pictures * Sean Esbjörn-Hargens, Dean of Integral Education & Integral Noetic Sciences Program Director, California Institute of Human Sciences (CIHS), founder of MetaIntegral, a global transdisciplinary social impact organization * Sean’s course coming up in January 2025: Varieties of Nonduality: A 10-Week Course in a Metaintegral Analysis of 10 Contemplative Traditions

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

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Varieties of Nonduality*by Sean Esbjörn-Hargens**

A 10-Week Course in a Metaintegral Analysis of 10 Contemplative Traditions

Beginning January 2025

• Sean Hargens has kindly offered a $100 discount to Deep Transformation podcast listeners who sign up for his course! To take advantage of Sean’s offer, simply email him at sean@metaintegral.net, with the following coupon code in the subject line: NONDUALITY2024DT, and request one hundred dollars off the January to March Varieties of Nonduality course. Sean will then send you a PayPal invoice with the reduced rate of $395.

---

Sean Esbjörn-Hargens, Ph.D. has spent his life developing “metaintegral” approaches to the fields of ecology, mixed-methods research, psychology and consciousness studies, philosophy of science, holistic education, and post-capital models of measuring social impact. He has been a long time serious meditator and practitioner within several nondual traditions: Tibetan Buddhism, The Russian Orthodox Church (Christianity), A. H. Almaas’ The Diamond Approach, The Ceile De Celtic tradition, and the Hermetic tradition. He is the Founder and Program Director of the MA/PhD program Integral Noetic Sciences at the California Institute for Human Sciences in Encinitas, CA.

---

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 156 (Part 2 of 3) | Integral polymath Sean Esbjörn-Hargens is the first comparative scholar to undertake differentiating the myriad varieties of nonduality. A longtime spiritual practitioner within several nondual traditions, Sean wanted to find out how we can understand the relationship between reality, consciousness, and practice. He decided to delve into a comprehensive study of nonduality and was surprised and excited by what he found: 40 distinct nondual traditions, ancient and new, from East and West, fascinating in their differences, their similarities, their uniqueness, and their depth. Sean’s hope is that his comparative analysis of nondual traditions will open the door to a global, cross-tradition dialogue that will supersede centuries of misunderstanding and conflict among people arguing that their realization is the best and/or only correct interpretation of reality and allow nondual traditions to enrich and empower one another.

Enthusiasm and excitement flow throughout the conversation as Sean reveals provocative patterns he has uncovered in nonduality's history and the distinctions he has mapped so far. It becomes clear that nondual realizations evolve in a way similar to developmental models in terms of subject/object relationship, psychology of self, and taking new perspectives, and that they will continue to evolve. As Sean puts it, “the ontological floor keeps dropping out as the endpoint of spiritual realization.” “What will our nondual traditions look like in a thousand years? In two thousand years!” Sean wonders. Hang on to your hats for a thoroughly enjoyable and eye opening ride through a goldmine of information about the many faces and potentials of our nondual traditions. Recorded September 12, 2024.

“Our nondual traditions are one of the best things people have created – ever!”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 Science and the new relationship between subject and object (00:50) * 6 subject-object strategies that nondual traditions embrace (02:51) * Roger’s acknowledgment of the enormous contribution Sean is making as the first comparative scholar to differentiate the varieties of nonduality (04:59) * Provocative patterns in the history of nonduality and the mysterious flourishing of nondual traditions from around the 11th to the 14th century (09:28) * Nondual texts that only emerged in the last 100 years have expanded our nondual horizons—and there’s a lot more to discover (13:08) * The ontological floor keeps dropping out as the endpoint of spiritual realization (16:04) * What are our nondual traditions going to look like in 1,000 years? (17:32) * The concept of endless realizations and awakenings liberates us from needing to find the ultimate nondual realization (18:29) * Dr. Jeffery Martin’s research: 32 fundamental positions on nonduality (20:29) * Sequential realizations and why you might go back to a previous realization (21:43) * What makes a global, comparative nondual analysis so worthwhile (26:04) * You have to become someone before you become no one; and now you can become everyone (27:48) * Merging consciousness with another’s unique realization: all one, empty, while also distinct and unique (30:02)*

Resources & References – Part 2 The Axial Age * Elaine Pagels, Beyond Belief: The Secret of Gospel of Thomas** * Meister Eckhart*, Catholic priest, theologian, philosopher & mystic* * Julian of Norwich*, author of* Revelations of Divine Love*, a medieval book of Christian mystical devotions* * Marshall Davis, Experiencing God Directly: The Way of Christian Nonduality* * Advaita Vedanta * Adi Shankara, Vedic scholar * Swami Gambhirananda, Eight Upanishads, with the Commentary of Sankaracarya, Vol. I* * A. H. Almaas, Runaway Realization: Living a Life of Ceaseless Discovery* * A. H. Almaas’ Diamond Approach, see also Deep Transformation podcast’s A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series (also available on YouTube) * Dr. Jeffery Martin, The Finders* * Center for Consciousness Studies’ Science of Consciousness Conference * Carl Rogers’ fully functioning person, On Becoming A Person: A Therapist’s View of Psychotherapy* * A. H. Almaas with Tami Simon, Endless Enlightenment: The View of Totality in the Diamond Approach * Marc Gafni, Your Unique Self: The Radical Path to Personal Enlightenment* * Roger Walsh, Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind* * Sean Esbjörn-Hargens, Dean of Integral Education & Integral Noetic Sciences Program Director, California Institute of Human Sciences (CIHS), founder of MetaIntegral, a global transdisciplinary social impact organization * Sean’s course coming up in January 2025: Varieties of Nonduality: A 10-Week Course in a Metaintegral Analysis of 10 Contemplative Traditions

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

---

Varieties of Nonduality*by Sean Esbjörn-Hargens**

A 10-Week Course in a Metaintegral Analysis of 10 Contemplative Traditions

Beginning January 2025

• Sean Hargens has kindly offered a $100 discount to Deep Transformation podcast listeners who sign up for his course! To take advantage of Sean’s offer, simply email him at sean@metaintegral.net, with the following coupon code in the subject line: NONDUALITY2024DT, and request one hundred dollars off the January to March Varieties of Nonduality course. Sean will then send you a PayPal invoice with the reduced rate of $395.

---

Sean Esbjörn-Hargens, Ph.D. has spent his life developing “metaintegral” approaches to the fields of ecology, mixed-methods research, psychology and consciousness studies, philosophy of science, holistic education, and post-capital models of measuring social impact. He has been a long time serious meditator and practitioner within several nondual traditions: Tibetan Buddhism, The Russian Orthodox Church (Christianity), A. H. Almaas’ The Diamond Approach, The Ceile De Celtic tradition, and the Hermetic tradition. He is the Founder and Program Director of the MA/PhD program Integral Noetic Sciences at the California Institute for Human Sciences in Encinitas, CA.

---

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

View Details

Ep. 155 (Part 1 of 3) | Integral polymath Sean Esbjörn-Hargens is the first comparative scholar to undertake differentiating the myriad varieties of nonduality. A longtime spiritual practitioner within several nondual traditions, Sean wanted to find out how we can understand the relationship between reality, consciousness, and practice. He decided to delve into a comprehensive study of nonduality and was surprised and excited by what he found: 40 distinct nondual traditions, ancient and new, from East and West, fascinating in their differences, their similarities, their uniqueness, and their depth. Sean’s hope is that his comparative analysis of nondual traditions will open the door to a global, cross-tradition dialogue that will supersede centuries of misunderstanding and conflict among people arguing that their realization is the best and/or only correct interpretation of reality and allow nondual traditions to enrich and empower one another.

Enthusiasm and excitement flow throughout the conversation as Sean reveals provocative patterns he has uncovered in nonduality's history and the distinctions he has mapped so far. It becomes clear that nondual realizations evolve in a way similar to developmental models in terms of subject/object relationship, psychology of self, and taking new perspectives, and that they will continue to evolve. As Sean puts it, “the ontological floor keeps dropping out as the endpoint of spiritual realization.” “What will our nondual traditions look like in a thousand years? In two thousand years!” Sean wonders. Hang on to your hats for a thoroughly enjoyable and eye opening ride through a goldmine of information about the many faces and potentials of our nondual traditions. Recorded September 12, 2024.

“How do we understand the relationship between consciousness, reality, and practice?”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing Sean Esbjörn-Hargens, author, Dean of Integral Education & Integral Noetic Sciences Program Director at CIHS, founder of MetaIntegral (00:59) * How was Sean drawn to exploring the topic of nonduality? (05:03) * There are over 40 distinct nondual traditions on the planet (07:31) * When you say nonduality, what do you mean? (11:02) * Advaita Vedanta’s “not two”; there’s only Self, only divine awareness (11:43) * 3 major nondual ultimacies: nondual oneness, nondual tantra, nondual union (12:49) * In nondual traditions, does divinizing the self lead to the same experience as annihilating the self? (17:43) * The I-sphere of nonduality, the we-sphere of nonduality, and the it-sphere of nonduality (19:51) * Ken Wilber’s notion of emptiness + view: emptiness doesn’t change but view does, so nonduality evolves (22:00) * Varieties of nonduality emphasize different qualities: emptiness + omnipresence, emptiness + bliss, emptiness + luminosity, emptiness + embodiment (23:33) * Nonduality is developmental in terms of states: each realization is a deeper, wider experience of nonduality (25:45) * Realization is just going to keep going; there is a way in which all views are equal and a way in which some views are better than others (29:41)*

Resources & References – Part 1 Sean Esbjörn-Hargens, Dean of Integral Education & Integral Noetic Sciences Program Director, California Institute of Human Sciences (CIHS)*, founder of MetaIntegral*, a global transdisciplinary social impact organization* * Sean’s course coming up in January 2025: Varieties of Nonduality: A 10-Week Course in a Metaintegral Analysis of 10 Contemplative Traditions * Sean Esbjörn-Hargens & Michael Zimmerman, Integral Ecology: Uniting Multiple Perspectives on the Natural World* * Roy Bhaskar, Sean Esbjörn-Hargens, Nicholas Hedlund, Mervyn Hartwig, Metatheory for the Twenty-First Century: Critical Realism and Integral Theory in Dialogue* * A. H. Almaas’ Diamond Approach*, see also Deep Transformation podcast’s* A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series (also available on YouTube*)* * David Loy, Nonduality: A Study in Comparative Philosophy*, Nonduality in Buddhism and Beyond, see also Deep Transformation podcast* Growing from Bodhisattva to Ecosattva with David Loy * Advaita Vedanta * Kashmir Shaivism * Meister Eckhart*, German Catholic priest, theologian, philosopher & mystic* * Ken Wilber, No Boundary: Eastern and Western Approaches to Personal Growth* * Shingon Buddhism * Tiantai Buddhism * A. H. Almaas, Runaway Realization: Living a Life of Ceaseless Discovery*

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

---

Varieties of Nonduality*by Sean Esbjörn-Hargens**

A 10-Week Course in a Metaintegral Analysis of 10 Contemplative Traditions

Beginning January 2025

• Sean Hargens has kindly offered a $100 discount to Deep Transformation podcast listeners who sign up for his course! To take advantage of Sean’s offer, simply email him at sean@metaintegral.net, with the following coupon code in the subject line: NONDUALITY2024DT, and request one hundred dollars off the January to March Varieties of Nonduality course. Sean will then send you a PayPal invoice with the reduced rate of $395.

---

Sean Esbjörn-Hargens, Ph.D. has spent his life developing “metaintegral” approaches to the fields of ecology, mixed-methods research, psychology and consciousness studies, philosophy of science, holistic education, and post-capital models of measuring social impact. He has been a long time serious meditator and practitioner within several nondual traditions: Tibetan Buddhism, The Russian Orthodox Church (Christianity), A. H. Almaas’ The Diamond Approach, The Ceile De Celtic tradition, and the Hermetic tradition. He is the Founder and Program Director of the MA/PhD program Integral Noetic Sciences at the California Institute for Human Sciences in Encinitas, CA.

---

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

View Details

Ep. 154 (Part 2 of 2) | In this 4th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, spiritual teacher Hameed Ali explains that much of the beginning of the spiritual path is spent clarifying our individual consciousness from the conditioning of the past in order to wake up and discover our true nature. In the Diamond Approach, this is accomplished using the practice of inquiry, and as we inquire deeply within, qualities intrinsic to consciousness emerge in our awareness. These qualities—like truth, courage, steadfastness, curiosity, and love—each have their own particular sensory expression: a certain color, texture, warmth or coolness, varying degrees of sweetness. The more these qualities emerge, Hameed says, the more powerful our practice and the more authentic our life. He calls these qualities treasures of the soul.

This beautiful conversation ranges from profoundly moving, as Hameed evokes specific qualities of presence, to humorous, when he tells a funny story about Maharishi Yogi, to intensely illuminating as Hameed talks about the teaching of the first turning, the miracle of ordinary life, what it means to be spiritually mature, the nature of true sorrow, the fact that we are the universe being conscious, and how fundamental nature lies deeper than consciousness, deeper than awareness. It is a multifaceted gem, not to be missed. Recorded September 19, 2024.

“The soul is the organ of knowledge of the universe.”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2 We have to take the dualistic world into account (00:59) * Mature spirituality: just live your life; you have to start with ordinary life (02:31) * The second (nondual), third & fourth turnings recognize there are other ways that reality appears (05:43) * You can be pure consciousness living in a world of matter: in some sense, this is more miraculous than that everything is consciousness (07:01) * Courage’s presence is like red lava, fiery and ruby red (09:39) * Truth is also a quality: when I experience myself as truth, I feel myself as made out of pure gold, the gold of consciousness (10:24) * Roger is deeply touched when Hameed evokes the sensory characteristics of the essential qualities; Hameed agrees it is very moving (13:43) * To what extent are these sensory experiences specific to Hameed? Or are they universal? (15:02) * Sincerity is a quality of presence (17:55) * What do all these inherent qualities tell us about the nature of reality? (19:09) * Fundamental nature is deeper than consciousness, deeper than awareness: I am is completely indeterminate (20:43) * The nature of rational thought, discriminating awareness (24:22) * Can we integrate ordinary knowledge with true knowing? (27:15) * It’s important for people to know that consciousness can appear as a particular quality (29:13) * These qualities are the treasures of the soul and the journey of learning about them is a beautiful adventure of discovery (31:41) * The word brings out the quality and the quality brings out the word (35:21)*

Resources & References – Part 2 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality* * Kashmir Shaivism * The Platonic Forms of the Socratic Dialogues * Ramana Maharshi, Who Am I? The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi* * Parmenides*, the first philosopher to inquire into the nature of existence itself* * Sufi mystic Ibn Arabi*, “God needs a soul just as much as a soul needs God”* * Maharishi Yogi*, creator of Transcendental Meditation* * Tibetan Buddhist masters Chögyam Trungpa & Dilgo Khyentse**

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home* (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

---

Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

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Ep. 153 (Part 1 of 2) | In this 4th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, spiritual teacher Hameed Ali explains that much of the beginning of the spiritual path is spent clarifying our individual consciousness from the conditioning of the past in order to wake up and discover our true nature. In the Diamond Approach, this is accomplished using the practice of inquiry, and as we inquire deeply within, qualities intrinsic to consciousness emerge in our awareness. These qualities—like truth, courage, steadfastness, curiosity, and love—each have their own particular sensory expression: a certain color, texture, warmth or coolness, varying degrees of sweetness. The more these qualities emerge, Hameed says, the more powerful our practice and the more authentic our life. He calls these qualities treasures of the soul.

This beautiful conversation ranges from profoundly moving, as Hameed evokes specific qualities of presence, to humorous, when he tells a funny story about Maharishi Yogi, to intensely illuminating as Hameed talks about the teaching of the first turning, the miracle of ordinary life, what it means to be spiritually mature, the nature of true sorrow, the fact that we are the universe being conscious, and how fundamental nature lies deeper than consciousness, deeper than awareness. It is a multifaceted gem, not to be missed. Recorded September 19, 2024.

“Courage, steadfastness, curiosity, and love are all expressions of our pure consciousness appearing as specific qualities.”

(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1 Introducing the 4th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, focusing on the soul as “organism of consciousness” (00:59) * The distinction between universal consciousness and individual consciousness (03:04) * Much of the beginning of the path is spent clarifying individual consciousness from the conditioning of the past (05:50) * The practice of inquiry is for the individual consciousness to wake up and discover what it is fundamentally (07:25) * Courage, steadfastness, curiosity, and love are all expressions of pure consciousness appearing as specific qualities (11:04) * Why we need these essential qualities: the more these qualities emerge, the more powerful the practice (13:21) * How can you live your life authentically, without the qualities of integrity, courage, intelligence, clarity, inner peacefulness, and true sorrow? (16:02) * True sorrow is a quality of presence—sorrow for the suffering, for what’s happening in the world (16:57) * These qualities are the closest thing to the Platonic forms, necessary for the spiritual path and necessary for living (19:47) * The incomparable or precious pearl at our center and the difference between personal essence and the individual soul (20:58) * Psychological individuation is a forerunner for true individuation (23:33) * Free of conditioning, we wake up to what we really are (24:59) * The essential qualities are implicit in pure consciousness but they become differentiated in the soul (27:24) * The teaching of the first turning is that the ordinary world is one way reality manifests—it’s not the product of our ignorance; it has its own spirituality (28:37) * Ordinary life is miraculous! (34:36) * As Parmenides said, order is the basis of reason (36:36) * The universe becomes conscious through the beings who awaken: we are the universe being conscious (37:48) * The inner world has more in it than the outer universe (41:52) * The story of Maharishi Yogi and the bank accounts (43:46)*

Resources & References – Part 1 A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School,* home of The Diamond Approach * A. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul’s Realization of the Unity of Reality* * Kashmir Shaivism * The Platonic Forms of the Socratic Dialogues * Ramana Maharshi, Who Am I? The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi* * Parmenides*, the first philosopher to inquire into the nature of existence itself* * Sufi mystic Ibn Arabi*, “God needs a soul just as much as a soul needs God”* * Maharishi Yogi**, creator of Transcendental Meditation

The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series will generally follow the sequence of Hameed’s magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home* (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

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Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.

Hameed’s process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell