Deep Transformation

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 ApproachA. H....

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...

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

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 2How 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 2Sally Adnams Jones, Art-Making with Refugees and Survivors: Creative and Transformative Responses to Trauma After Natural Disasters, War and Other CrisesSally’s website: sallyadnamsjones.com Sally’s podcast: Radical Emergence

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 1Introducing 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 1Sally Adnams Jones, Art-Making with Refugees and Survivors: Creative and Transformative Responses to Trauma After...

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 2After 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 2Miranda’s website: MirandaMacpherson.com, The Living Grace Global SanghaMiranda Macpherson, The Way of Grace: The Transforming Power of Ego RelaxationA. H....

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 1A 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 1Miranda’s website: MirandaMacpherson.comThe Living Grace Global SanghaMiranda Macpherson, a...

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

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 1Introducing 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

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 2The 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 2Robert Lawrence Kuhn, creator, producer, and host of the PBS series, Closer To TruthRobert Lawrence Kuhn, “A Landscape of Consciousness,”article in Progress in Biophysics & Molecular Biology, August 2024Paul Davies, quantum physicist, director of BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science, “The universe is about something.” a...

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 1Introducing 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 1Robert Lawrence Kuhn, creator, producer, and host of the PBS series, Closer To TruthRobert Lawrence Kuhn,...