Deep Transformation

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 2The 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 2A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of a...

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 1Introducing 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 1A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School, home of The Diamond ApproachA. H. Almaas, a...

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 2Waking 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 2Jerry Brown, Chair of the California-China Climate Institute at UC BerkeleyErnest Samuels, Henry Adamsa...

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 1Introducing 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 1Jerry Brown, Executive Chair of the the a...

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 2The 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 2A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan Schoola...

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 1Introducing 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 1A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan...

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 2Turning 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 2Father David McCallum, SJ, The Program for Discerning LeadershipThe Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of LoyolaJesuit Roshi Bob Kennedy; 

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 1Introducing 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 1Father David McCallum, SJ, The Program for Discerning Leadership

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 2How 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 2A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of a...

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 1Introducing 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 1A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School, home of The Diamond...

Ep. 199 (Part 3 of 3) | Polarity management pioneer and author Barry Johnson and adult development expert Beena Sharma are masterful teachers on 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 3Back 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 3Barry Johnson, And: Making a Difference by Leveraging Polarity, Paradox, or DilemmaBarry Johnson, Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable ProblemsBeena Sharma, founder Vertical Development Academy (VeDA)The 8 Stages of Vertical Development with Beena Sharma (Deep Transformation...

Ep. 198 (Part 2 of 3) | Polarity management pioneer and author Barry Johnson and adult development expert Beena Sharma are masterful teachers on 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 2Looking 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 2Barry Johnson, And: Making a Difference by Leveraging Polarity, Paradox, or DilemmaBarry Johnson, Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable ProblemsBeena Sharma, founder 

Ep. 197 (Part 1 of 3) | Polarity management pioneer and author Barry Johnson and adult development expert Beena Sharma are masterful teachers on 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 1Introducing 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...

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 2Why 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 2A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School, home of The Diamond ApproachA. H. Almaas, 

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 1Introducing 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 1A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School

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 2What 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 2Frank Ostaseski’s website: https://frankostaseski.com/Frank Ostaseski, The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living FullyMetta Institute, founded by Frank Ostaseski, to provide innovative programs and trainings that foster mindful & compassionate end-of-life careFrank Ostaseski, founding director of the San Francisco Zen Hospice...

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 1Introducing 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 1Frank Ostaseski’s website: https://frankostaseski.com/Frank Ostaseski, The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death...

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 2The 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 2The 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 ActualizeMartin Luther King Jr.’s last speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” (YouTube...

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 1Introducing 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 1The Integral Justice Warrior series, co-hosted by Mark Fischler and Corey deVos (Integral Life website)J. Michael Luttig, a...

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 2Two 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 2A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School, home of a...