Podcasts about diamond approach

Ep. 235 | In the 18th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali delves into the fascinating subject of how the physical world is related to the absolute. From a nondual perspective, reality includes the physical world, he explains; the world cannot be reduced to an illusion. Material reality is every bit as compelling as the spiritual perspective, he continues. How we perceive it depends on where we find our stance, what we are immersed in—in the formless or the world of form. Hameed recognizes and honors physical reality, while describing material objects as expressions, or glimmerings, of the ground of being—the physical and the ground of being inseparable, whether pure presence or pure emptiness.And how does the relationship between creator and creation relate to the individual? Hameed presents his mystical theology: a triadic reality formed by God, the individual, and the physical world, where each maintains its own truth. Because the absolute is inherently not self-aware, it needs an individual to become aware of itself, he explains. We are its “knowing instruments.” Hameed's mystical theology, establishing the relationship between the human being, the world, and God, or true nature, is both elevating and grounding, enlightening and somehow comforting. The essential puzzle pieces of reality fitted together, creating unity. From atoms and quarks to what happens after death and how all dimensions can possibly exist in exquisite harmony when there is so much disharmony in the world, this conversation is far ranging, stimulating, and punctuated with laughter, as Hameed, Roger, and John continue to explore The Inner Journey Home. Recorded May 14, 2026.“When we experience the absolute, we see it as the truth of everything, the nature of everything—all are glimmerings of the absolute.”Topics & Time StampsIntroducing dialogue #18 in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, an exploration of the chapter titled “Reality” in Hameed's magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (00:49)Hameed explains how the Path of Love Series relates to the The Inner Journey Home/Wisdom Series (04:51)Seeing the physical world from the perspective of the absolute (06:10)Why do we experience the world as so very solid? (09:28)From the absolute perspective, material objects are glimmerings of the ground of being (11:49)From the scientific perspective, the physical world is “rock-level real” (14:45)The physical world should not be reduced to an illusion; it has properties that cannot be denied (18:13)In the physical world, death means no longer alive; spiritually, death is a transformation (21:50)Does the individual soul continue after death? (25:04)Why isn't everyone awakened if we're all part of the absolute? (26:40)Standing in the absolute, all dimensions are inseparable, existing in exquisite harmony, but this does not negate people's experience of disharmony (30:38)The absolute is inherently not self-aware, that's why it needs an individual to become aware of itself (32:56)The divine coma is the entry to the absolute (35:38)The relationship between the human being, the world, and God (38:59)Is there a personal God? (41:47)You can be an individual without being separate (47:33)God fulfillment & soul fulfillment are one and the same (50:36)The concept of service has many stages (52:57)Hameed's mystical theology: a triadic reality, each with its own truth (57:06)The dimension of energy (01:04:26)Reality appears differently from different perspectives; this teaching is from the nondual perspective (01:06:10)Dzogchen & Hameed both give an inherent meaning to life; traditions espousing illusion do not (01:09:19)Individual creativity gives voice to the creativity of the universe (01:12:24)Resources & ReferencesA. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan School, home of The Diamond ApproachA. H. Almaas, The Inner Journey Home: Soul's Realization of the Unity of RealityAdvaita VedantaSri Nisargadatta Maharaj, I Am That Beginning of a famous Hadith Qudsi: “I was a hidden treasure and wanted to be known…”Sufi master Ibn Arabi, “God needs a soul just as much as a soul needs God.”A. H. Almaas, The Pearl Beyond Price: Integration of Personality into Being: An Object Relations ApproachThe Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas, Deep Transformation podcast seriesMeister Eckhart, German Catholic priest, theologian, philosopher & mysticRamana Maharshi, Hindu sage and liberated beingLongchenpa, Dzogchen poet---The A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series generally follows the sequence of Hameed's magnum opus, The Inner Journey Home (which John describes as psychoactive and spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually transformative), so listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this exhilarating path of awakening.---Special Diamond Approach Course Discount for Deep Transformation ListenersIf you are interested in taking a course offered by Diamond Approach Online, Hameed's team at the Ridhwan School have offered a special 20% discount for Deep Transformation listeners. You can access the Course Catalog here: https://online.diamondapproach.org/catalog/. And enter the code DTP20 to receive your discount when you sign up.---Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.Hameed's process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding...

In this episode of the International Enneagram Association podcast, A.H. Almaas, a spiritual leader and founder of the Ridwan School and the Diamond Approach to Self-Realization, discusses the interconnection between psychology and spirituality within the Enneagram. Rather than treating these as separate parallel processes, Almas explains how the Enneagram reveals them as two inseparable facets of the same consciousness. He explores the Enneagram's nine holy ideas, emphasizing that understanding the holy ideas represents a shift in perspective that transforms how we perceive ourselves, others, and reality itself.Connect with us:Web: internationalenneagram.orgJoin the email list: administration@internationalenneagram.orgA.H. Almaas:Web: diamondapproach.orgIG: @diamondapproachPod: Deep TransformationBooks: shambhala.com/authors/a-f/a-h-almaas.htmlSeth "Creek" Creekmore: IG: @_creekmorePod: Fathoms | An Enneagram PodcastPod: Awareness to Action Enneagram PodcastPod: Delusional Optimism with Dr. BLindsey Marks:IG: @lindseyfaithdmPod: Fathoms | An Enneagram PodcastLee Fields:Web: enneagrammatic.comIG: @enneagrammaticSeth Abram:IG: @integratedenneagramPod: Fathoms | An Enneagram PodcastFlemming Christensen:Web: flemmingchristensen.comTrainings: flemmingchristensen.com/trainingThe Enneagram Life Theme: flemmingchristensen.com/enneagram-life-theme.htmlBook: “The Enneagram and why your blind type matters”IG: @flemmingchristensencomFB: Flemming ChristensenLinkedIn: Flemming Christensen

Ep. 233 | In the last episode of the Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas, Hameed explores the themes he introduced in the later chapters of his new book, The Inner Beloved. Hameed clarifies the role of mind on the path of heart (the mind is bedazzled and awed; the heart open), and details what happens when we reach the beloved, like “falling in love with everything” and experiencing the absolute as a “coming home” (even though there's no one there!). We learn that, on the path of love, no matter what we do or don't do, a heart-driven force beyond the mind is pulling us onward. Once we arrive, we realize the beloved has always been there—which is why our heart has been longing for the beloved all along.Hameed explains that on the path of love, nonduality becomes intimacy—reality itself is pure intimacy, he says—and in fact, the nonbeingness of the beloved is the ultimate truth of reality. In a state of mystical poverty, we discover that all we are and have ever been has been borrowed from the beloved. The culmination of this Path of Love Series ends very beautifully, the love and intimacy of the beloved pervading Hameed's words and the images he conjures for us. “The world is simply the luminosity of the beloved,” Hameed says. In listening to him, we share in some of the wonderful sense of coming home he experienced, a little of the radiant luminosity, too, and his own ongoing excitement over the ever unfolding mystery of the divine. Recorded April 9, 2026.“We can be in the lap of the beloved and still enjoy life—loving everything from that place.”Topics & Time StampsIntroducing the 4th dialogue in the Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas, focusing on the role of mind and the culmination of the path (00:49)On the path of love you are heart-driven by forces that mind cannot fathom (01:39)Hameed's experience of falling in love with everything and experiencing the absolute as if “coming home” (03:00)The mind is bedazzled by the Mystery and recognizes its limitation in relation to the heart (08:20)When you get there, you realize the beloved has always been there (11:46)Emptiness beyond normal emptiness: Hameed calls this “absence” (13:05)The great liberation: where there's nothing more to dissolve (17:18)As we are pulled, the love deepens & intensifies; we drown in the passion (22:06)Mystical poverty: the soul recognizes all of its qualities are borrowed from the beloved (25:05)What is right relationship between the realized heart and a healthy mind? (25:51)Krishnamurti would talk about no mind—but he was always using mind (28:40)Cutting through illusion & Hameed's transmission from Manjushri (30:29)True mind: knowing in the moment (38:43)Dissolving dichotomies into wholeness: the world is simply the luminosity of the beloved (43:31)The ultimate truth of reality: the nonbeingness of the beloved (50:21)When tantra is enhanced by real love, then you can dissolve into the vastness (53:30)Stabilizing the realization is the second stage, actualizing the realization and not going back to the “doer” is the third stage (58:51)The dissolution of self doesn't necessarily last: humility is an important step towards making the realization more constant (01:00:46) Nonbeing is the essence of intimacy: being completely one with the inner beloved (01:03:43)On the path of love, nonduality becomes intimacy; reality itself is pure intimacy (01:06:22)For fans of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, the Wisdom Series, based on Hameed's book The Inner Journey Home, will be continued in June 2026.Resources & ReferencesA. H. Almaas, The Inner Beloved: The Heart's Journey to Divine UnityPrevious Deep Transformation Path of Love dialogues: Entering the Path of Heart, Emptying the Heart of All that Obscures the Inner Beloved & Dissolving into Bliss: The Ecstasy of Ego DeathKabir, Indian mystic and poet, Songs of KabirRumi, The Book of Love: Poems of Ecstasy and LongingFakhr al-Din Iraqi, Persian Sufi poet, Divine FlashesSt. John of the Cross, The Dark Night of the SoulKrishnamurti, Indian spiritual figure, speaker, and writerManjushri, bodhisattva of discriminating wisdom, wielding the sword of discriminationAvalokiteśvara, principle bodhisattva in Buddhism, associated with Great CompassionVajrapāṇi, principal bodhisattva in Mahayana & Vajrayana Buddhism, embodying the condensed power, energy, and strength of all the BuddhasJigme Lingpa, a central figure in the Nyingma School of Tibetan BuddhismProclus, Neoplatonic philosopher who hierarchically structures all levels of reality, including the complex subdivisions of the intellectHuston Smith, “The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder,” from Beyond the Post-Modern Mind---Deep Transformation's Path of Love Series with A. H. AlmaasDeep Transformation's Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas begins with an overview of Hameed Ali's Love Trilogy — Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, and The Inner Beloved — to orient us on the spiritual path of love unique to Hameed Ali and the Diamond Approach, then delves into the profound and deeply touching topics Hameed addresses in his most recent book, The Inner Beloved, published in February 2026. Listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this extraordinary path of awakening. Also, if you are interested in taking a course on The Inner Beloved in the fall of 2026, you can register your interest here: https://da.pages.ontraport.net/inner-beloved-interest.---Special Diamond Approach Course Discount...

Ep. 231 (Part 2 of 2) | In Part 2 of Deep Transformation's third dialogue in the Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas, Hameed Ali relates what happens on the path of return, after we have experienced dissolving into the radiance of the absolute. In following the path of heart (as opposed to the path of mind), we discover that in addition to pure emptiness, the absolute has (in its beingness aspect) a quality of consciousness that is pure intimacy. “The beloved is intimate with all things in the universe: intimate with people, with the rocks, with the stars… because its nature pervades everything.” Upon returning to the world, we find the universe has become the radiance of the beloved and ordinary life becomes full of love. That said, we may experience a great fear of losing our awakened realization, Hameed adds, which can further stir up old woundings which still need to be faced.Back in the world, as the embodied beloved, do you feel compassion for other people's suffering? co-host John Dupuy wonders. The extent of the compassion is almost unimaginable, Hameed answers. There is vast empathy for all the suffering in the world, and especially for the deep suffering underlying it all that is caused by people not knowing their inner truth. It is by giving the beloved the opportunity to appear and know itself as we live our lives that we love and serve the inner beloved, Hameed continues. He explains that awareness is the beloved witnessing its creation, and that the emptiness aspect of the beloved, emphasized in Buddhism and on the path of mind, brings a searing clarity to our experience. A beautiful conversation, in which co-host Roger Walsh remarks that the presence of the inner beloved seems to be increasingly reflected in these dialogues as they unfold. Perhaps you will feel it too. Recorded January 29, 2026. “Regardless of what we think and feel, at our essence we are love.”​Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2The path of return: the fear of losing the beloved (00:34)Old wounds come up bringing more fear; you have to welcome all the wounding (01:24)Upon return, ordinary life becomes full of love—can this be translated into a scientific or mathematical theory? (02:26)Service is giving the inner beloved the opportunity to appear & know itself (04:47)The depth of compassion felt for the suffering of the world is almost unimaginable (06:50)If you don't work things out, you can't live in this world as the deity (10:47)The beloved is intimate with all things in the universe because its nature pervades everything (11:49)The primal cavity: the deep wish to go into dark, black emptiness (15:39)What is the relation between love and compassion? (19:36)The heart is just there for the beloved—the throne of the beloved (22:15)The more hatred and aggression, the more the disconnection (25:05)Witnessing: awareness is the beloved witnessing its creation (26:48)Realizing the emptiness: the radiance of the darkness is the essence of awareness (28:07)The feeling tone of these dialogues increasingly reflects the presence of the inner beloved (29:50)There is a lot more in the book The Inner Beloved, including conversations with Hameed's students & exercises, that hasn't been discussed (31:07)At our essence we are love: moving towards heart is the inherent potential of humanity (32:23)Resources & References – Part 2A. H. Almaas, The Inner Beloved: The Heart's Journey to Divine UnityPrevious Deep Transformation Path of Love dialogues: Entering the Path of Heart, Emptying the Heart of All that Obscures the Inner Beloved & Dissolving into BlissRamakrishna, Hindu mystic“I was a hidden treasure and wanted to be known” is the beginning of probably the most famous hadith qudsi or extra-Qur'anic Word of GodLongchenpa: A Guide For Readers (Shambhala)Deep Transformation's Path of Love Series with A. H. AlmaasDeep Transformation's Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas begins with an overview of Hameed Ali's Love Trilogy — Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, and The Inner Beloved — to orient us on the spiritual path of love unique to Hameed Ali and the Diamond Approach, then delves into the profound and deeply touching topics Hameed addresses in his most recent book, The Inner Beloved, published in February 2026. Listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this extraordinary path of awakening. Also, if you are interested in taking a course on The Inner Beloved in the fall of 2026, you can register your interest here: https://da.pages.ontraport.net/inner-beloved-interest.Special Diamond Approach Course Discount for Deep Transformation ListenersIf you are interested in taking a course offered by Diamond Approach Online, Hameed's team at the Ridhwan School have offered a special 20% discount for Deep Transformation listeners. You can access the Course Catalog here: https://online.diamondapproach.org/catalog/. And enter the code DTP20 to receive your discount when you sign up.---Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the essential nature of human experience and reality in general.Hameed's process of exploration led to the creation of the Ridhwan School and, with his colleague Karen Johnson, resulted in the founding and unfoldment of the Diamond Approach. He is the author of 20 books, including Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, and more.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Ep. 230 (Part 1 of 2) | The third dialogue in the Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas opens with co-host Roger Walsh commenting that in reading Hameed's most recent book, The Inner Beloved, he is struck by how different the Diamond Approach's path of love is from those in other traditions. Hameed explains that, indeed, his path is different in that it addresses the sequence of events on the path of love systematically, using contemporary psychological language to describe the difficulties and barriers that arise, and further, that he includes not only obstacles that come up in the mind (concepts and beliefs), but emotional pain and woundings, abandonments and betrayals, which is something other traditions don't often talk about. Why are our hearts not open? Because opening to such painful emotions is scary; our fear blocks us from opening to the vastness of divine love. The secret to moving forward on the path of love, Hameed says, is to love more intensely, more deeply. Love itself is the fuel that gets us through the obstacles to union with the inner beloved.Hameed speaks of the “death wish” that happens along the path, referring to our desire to dissolve completely into the beloved. “The deep heart loves the prospect of melting away and being nothing, being annihilated, completely absorbed into the beloved,” he explains. The death wish is a common reference in other paths of love, too—the Buddha calls this annihilation of self “emptiness”—and interestingly, Freud recognized it as a universal human characteristic, calling it the nirvana principle. “A deep intuition resides in every human heart,” Hameed continues, “a need for unification with what we love.” This can be small things—chocolate ice cream, our cell phone—which are legitimate objects of love, but in the end, only the inner beloved calls. Once again, Hameed gifts us with an illuminating teaching about the path of love, our desire for nonbeing, the hidden essence of love, and the integration of all we have let go of that happens after we awaken—all coming directly from his own lived experience. Recorded January 29, 2026.“It is inherent to the human being… the movement to dissolve into bliss, into the beloved.”Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing the 3rd dialogue in the Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas, where we continue to explore Hameed's latest book, The Inner Beloved (00:41)How Hameed's path of love differs from other traditions (02:03)One difference is Hameed addresses the sequence of events on the path of love systematically, using psychological language to describe the difficulties & barriers that arise (05:27)On this path, obstacles are not just in the mind but include woundings that occur in relationships (08:09)After union with the beloved comes integration; here is where the nondual connection between the beloved and the world comes in (09:52)The state of desirelessness (10:36)The death wish: the yearning to be completely absorbed into the beloved (11:58)Freud called this deep, universal death wish in humans the nirvana principle (13:53)Buddha called this annihilation of self “emptiness” (18:28)The secret to moving the process along is to intensify our love (20:26)A deep intuition resides in every human heart: a need for unification with what you love (22:46)There is a kind of love where the yearning and wanting is just as ecstatic as loving itself—this is the hidden essence of love (26:45)Why are some called to the path of love yet others keep grasping for more substitute gratification? (28:50)There are 4 paths of yoga but the end is the same; the 4 suits of the tarot tell the stages of each yoga path (30:27)Coming out of the divine “coma,” the whole world is ablaze with love (33:02)The descent is not a loss of the realization, it is a further integration of what we have let go of (35:10)Resources & References – Part 1A. H. Almaas, The Inner Beloved: The Heart's Journey to Divine UnityPrevious Deep Transformation Path of Love dialogues: Entering the Path of Heart & Emptying the Heart of All that Obscures the Inner BelovedPlato's SymposiumFreud's nirvana principle was introduced in Beyond the Pleasure PrincipleHis Holiness the Dalai Lama & Thubten Chodron speak about the absence of inherent existence in Searching for the SelfKen Wilber's core text on substitute gratification is in The Atman Project: A Transpersonal View of Human DevelopmentThe 4 paths of yoga: Karma, Bhakti, Raja and Jnana (Yoga Easy)Mystical Origins of the Tarot by Paul HusonSt. John of the Cross writes about ascent in Ascent of Mount Carmel and descent in The Dark Night of the Soul---Deep Transformation's Path of Love Series with A. H. AlmaasDeep Transformation's Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas begins with an overview of Hameed Ali's Love Trilogy — Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, and The Inner Beloved — to orient us on the spiritual path of love unique to Hameed Ali and the Diamond Approach, then delves into the profound and deeply touching topics Hameed addresses in his most recent book, The Inner Beloved, published in February 2026. Listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this extraordinary path of awakening. Also, if you are interested in taking a course on The Inner Beloved in the fall of 2026, you can register your interest here: https://da.pages.ontraport.net/inner-beloved-interest.---Special Diamond Approach Course Discount for Deep Transformation ListenersIf you are interested in taking a course offered by Diamond Approach Online, Hameed's team at the Ridhwan School have offered a special 20% discount for Deep Transformation listeners. You can access the Course Catalog here: https://online.diamondapproach.org/catalog/. And enter the code DTP20 to receive your discount when you sign...

Ep. 227 (Part 2 of 2) | In Part 2 of Deep Transformation's second Path of Love Series dialogue, A. H. Almaas explains that the inner beloved is at work in our hearts, pulling us irresistibly nearer as we venture forward on the path of love. The force comes and pulls us, he says, melts us and overwhelms us—sometimes with wounding and sometimes with ecstasy. Our great love for the inner beloved ultimately dissolves our attachments to other, smaller beloveds, which can be big things—family, friends, teachers—or little things: ice cream, cake, our favorite movie star. But our heart isn't going to be happy until it meets the beloved face to face, Hameed assures us. Then, after emptying our heart, when we finally behold the inner beloved, love becomes the nature of the whole universe. Now our relationships are expressions of the inner beloved, and we find we love everything.What makes the Diamond Approach's path of love unique is that it uses love and inquiry combined to penetrate the obstacles that arise along the path. Thus, obstacles are not only burnt away through sheer devotion but also understood and recognized for what they are. Hameed also explains the difference between spiritual poverty of the soul and mystical poverty of the heart, between realization of the absolute via the path of mind versus the path of love, that nonduality is an outer expression of the inner beloved, and describes his own astonishing experience of “thunder and lightning in the heart” on this path. Towards the end of the conversation, Hameed reminds us that when we feel love, that is the beginning. Take the love itself rather than the object of the love, he says, and let it get bigger, let it get deeper, see where it takes you. Recorded January 8, 2026.“The beloved is the source of love and what loves everything.”Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2The path of love also has many joys and rewards (00:30) The experience of the absolute on this path is distinctly about love (02:41)The Diamond Approach's inquiry practice allows us to understand the obstacles that arise (05:11)Relationship can be a path on its own, but it's not the same as the path of love, where outer relationships are disengaged from (09:30)Mystical poverty: when the heart has nothing left in it, only the inner beloved (12:53)The inner beloved is a jealous lover (13:44)When we finally behold the inner beloved, we find we love everything (14:18)Hameed's experience of thunder & lightning in the heart (15:23)The inner beloved is the source of love, the source of the universe (17:10)Nonduality is an outer expression of the inner beloved (17:40)Love has a magnetic component to it; the inner beloved wants to be one with us (21:19)Mystical poverty is a relinquishment of all competing loves; love is what melts the attachments (23:46)Mystical poverty of the soul is not the same as mystical poverty of the heart (25:40)We need to remember the mystery of the inner beloved (28:05)The soul is an experiential lens for perceiving inner truth (28:52)When we feel love, that's the beginning; let it get bigger, let it get deeper, see where it takes you (30:22)Love is the most powerful force in the spiritual universe (30:44)For fans of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, the Wisdom Series, based on Hameed's book The Inner Journey Home, will be continued later this spring.Resources & References – Part 2A. H. Almaas, The Inner Beloved: The Heart's Journey to Divine UnityPoet Longchenpa only rarely talks about love and beauty, Finding Rest in the Nature of the MindRamakrishna, Hindu mystic devoted to KaliAdvaita VedantaA Course in Miracles, a path which focuses on relationshipsSt. John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night of the Soul---Deep Transformation's Path of Love Series with A. H. AlmaasDeep Transformation's Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas begins with an overview of Hameed Ali's Love Trilogy — Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, and The Inner Beloved — to orient us on the spiritual path of love unique to Hameed Ali and the Diamond Approach, then delves into the profound and deeply touching topics Hameed addresses in his most recent book, The Inner Beloved, published in February 2026. Listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this extraordinary path of awakening. Also, if you are interested in taking a course on The Inner Beloved in the fall of 2026, you can register your interest here: https://da.pages.ontraport.net/inner-beloved-interest.---Special Diamond Approach Course Discount for Deep Transformation ListenersIf you are interested in taking a course offered by Diamond Approach Online, Hameed's team at the Ridhwan School have offered a special 20% discount for Deep Transformation listeners. You can access the Course Catalog here: https://online.diamondapproach.org/catalog/. And enter the code DTP20 to receive your discount when you sign up.---Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) was born in Kuwait in 1944. At the age of eighteen, he moved to the U.S. to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him to inquire into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature rather than the physical nature of the universe. He left the academic world to pursue an in-depth journey of inner discovery, applying his scientific precision and discipline to personal, experiential research. This included study with different teachers in different modalities, extensive reading, and continuous study of his own consciousness in an effort to understand the...

Ep. 226 (Part 1 of 2) | In Part 1 of Deep Transformation's second Path of Love Series dialogue with A. H. Almaas, we learn what a spiritual journey on the path of love entails: particularly, emptying our heart so it can discover the deepest inner truth, the inner beloved. “Most of the path of love has to do with emptying the heart with love and yearning combined to burn through all the idols which stand for the inner beloved,” Hameed says. “The heart knows it loves something deeper than itself… and it pains it that it is separate from it.” There are other paths of awakening, for example, the Buddhist way is largely the path of mind, but for Hameed it was the path of heart that took center stage and revealed its secrets. The path of love is not methodical or intentional—it just happens, Hameed continues. The beloved works on the heart, works on the soul, and throws itself nearer—and it's in this nearness that you encounter all the obstacles that keep you from uniting with the beloved. Longtime practitioner, co-host Roger Walsh mentions that the exercises included in Hameed's latest book, The Inner Beloved, intended to help us remove our blocks to perceiving the inner beloved, have worked a treat for him, opening him up in a new way to where his practice feels more flowing and easeful than before. “Love is sorely needed these days on earth,” Hameed concludes, “as our hearts are full of garbage—wounding, hatred, envy. But there is an organ in the soul—the heart—which has its own dynamic: yearning, love, intensity, and passion that penetrate the barriers and dissolve them.” Another deeply moving and illuminating conversation with co-founder of the Diamond Approach, Hameed Ali. Recorded January 8, 2026.“Love is a much bigger force for a human being than any other thing.”Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing the 2nd dialogue in the Path of Love Series, focusing on A. H. Almaas' latest book: The Inner Beloved (00:40)Most of this path towards discovering our inner nature has to do with emptying the heart (02:48)There are other paths of awakening, but for Hameed the path of love took center stage (06:53)Getting a taste of the inner beloved early on can become the seed of our inner longing (08:41)Can we have a second person relationship with the inner beloved? (09:55)The path of love has to do with yearning and with feeling “nearer”—some traditions even have words for different degrees of nearness (11:16)Even after realizing absolute truth, the heart continues to need emptying; we haven't yet recognized the inner beloved (14:47)The path of love isn't for everybody; for Buddhists, it's the path of the mind (18:04)In Hameed's book, there are powerful exercises to remove blocks to perceiving the inner beloved—these worked a treat for Roger (19:07)The heart is a subtle organ of the soul with its own dynamic: yearning, love, intensity & passion that penetrate the barriers and dissolve them (22:34)The suffering people go through is inevitable without pursuing the spiritual path to its final stages (25:21)Great fears come up: of losing our love for our loved ones & our love for the world (29:26) We encounter our deep woundings on the path of love; it's not an easy path (33:00)The path of love is not methodical or intentional—it just happens (33:46)The beloved throws itself nearer, and in that nearness you encounter all your obstacles (34:41)Our hearts are full of garbage… love is sorely needed these days on earth (35:10)For fans of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, the Wisdom Series, based on Hameed's book The Inner Journey Home, will be continued later in the spring.Resources & References – Part 1A. H. Almaas, The Inner Beloved: The Heart's Journey to Divine UnityA. H. Almaas, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened HeartA. H. Almaas, Nondual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of RealityRumi, The Book of Love: Poems of Ecstasy and LongingAbraham Maslow wrote about meta-motives and meta-pathologies in Toward a Psychology of Being and The Farther Reaches of Human NaturePoet Longchenpa only rarely talks about love and beauty, Finding Rest in the Nature of the MindRamakrishna, Hindu mystic devoted to Kali---Deep Transformation's Path of Love Series with A. H. AlmaasDeep Transformation's Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas begins with an overview of Hameed Ali's Love Trilogy — Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, and The Inner Beloved — to orient us on the spiritual path of love unique to Hameed Ali and the Diamond Approach, then delves into the profound and deeply touching topics Hameed addresses in his most recent book, The Inner Beloved, published in February 2026. Listeners may want to get a copy of this book, to study and follow along on this extraordinary path of awakening. Also, if you are interested in taking a course on The Inner Beloved in the fall of 2026, you can register your interest here: https://da.pages.ontraport.net/inner-beloved-interest.---Special Diamond Approach Course Discount for Deep Transformation ListenersIf you are interested in taking a course offered by Diamond Approach Online, Hameed's team at the Ridhwan School have offered a special 20% discount for Deep Transformation listeners. You can access the Course Catalog here: https://online.diamondapproach.org/catalog/. And enter the code DTP20 to receive your discount when you sign up.

Ep. 222 (Part 2 of 2) | A. H. Almaas' teachings on spiritual love and the inner beloved are based on his own experience, he explains in Part 2 of the first dialogue in the Path of Love Series. “In this path, experience is almost everything,” he says. Spiritual experience created the Diamond Approach—it isn't a philosophy. What makes Hameed's path of love unique and different from other paths of love, like the Sufi and the bhakti paths? First off, it is the methodology: the practice of inquiry. Inquiry combines both mind and heart, Hameed explains. It adds a means of discernment that helps to keep the force of love from going astray on its own; it brings understanding to our experience, and shows us our obstacles. “[This path] has in it the sensibilities of modern mind and modern life and how to live it from the perspective of the heart.” Another unique feature of A. H. Almaas' path of love is how we experience drawing closer and closer to the inner beloved. Hameed describes the experience of approaching the inner beloved as a heartrending mixture of “sweetness, passion, ecstasy, drunkenness… many stages of melting, surrender, effulgence, fullness, radiance… all intertwined with yearning and pain and the feeling of being separate” from one's heart's true desire. With his customary concise eloquence, Hameed also answers several of the co-hosts' questions: How does Hameed see contemporary society in the light of this vision of love? Does he think humanity will wake up? What is a fulfilled life? Hameed concludes by telling us that the question this path of love is designed to answer is, how do you live your life while also engaging in the way of the heart? Recorded December 11, 2025.“The mind asks the questions, the heart finds the answers. The mind gets clear, the heart melts.“Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2The difference between Hameed's approach and other paths of love is the methodology: inquiry (00:32)Truth is a quality of the heart, not the mind; the heart knows truth, the mind doesn't (05:43)Spiritual experience created Hameed's teaching—it isn't a philosophy (09:08)The union between inquiry and the force of love (11:19)The heart is patterned by our history, especially our history of love (15:39)Two common misunderstandings: attributing love to an external source, and believing there is only one manifestation of spirit (17:51)Nearing the inner beloved, there are many stages of melting, surrender, passion, ecstasy, all intertwined with yearning and pain, the feeling of separation (18:49)How does Hameed see contemporary society and its many discontents in the light of this vision of love? (20:53)Is humanity going to wake up? (23:03)What is a fulfilled life? (27:29)On the path, the ego self becomes not just secondary—it's gone (31:11)

Ep. 221 (Part 1 of 2) | Deep Transformation is excited to release the first episode in our new Path of Love Series with A. H. Almaas, in honor and celebration of Hameed Ali's latest book, The Inner Beloved. The series begins with Hameed sharing his motivation for writing all three of the books in his Love Trilogy (Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, The Inner Beloved), namely, when he realized his prior books had omitted to teach specifically about the role of love on the spiritual path. Love is the energy, the driving force toward union with our inner nature, Hameed explains, and it is love that dissolves the obstacles that remain towards the end of the path. It is the path of heart that gets you all the way. Hameed orients us with an overview of the Diamond Approach's experiential path of love, gifting us with some tremendous teachings on love as a prelude to delving deeply into his newest book, The Inner Beloved. When asked, What is the inner beloved? he responds, The beloved is not just love. Love serves the beloved, love is the way to the beloved. The inner beloved is what our deepest heart longs for. The path of the heart is painful at times, he continues, because we feel separate from what we yearn to become one with. At the end of the dialogue, Hameed shares that with his path of love teachings, he wants us to know there is a way to address our longing, our yearning. There is a way for it to complete itself, he assures us. Recorded December 11, 2025.“The beloved is the deepest nondual truth you can experience.”Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing A. H. Almaas and his trilogy of books on love: Love Unveiled, Nondual Love, and The Inner Beloved (00:48)Hameed's motivation to write about love came when he realized his prior books had omitted teaching about the role of love on the spiritual path (04:27)The first book in the trilogy, Love Unveiled, talks about 3 kinds of love important in human life and in spiritual practice (07:01)The second book, Nondual Love, talks about the boundless dimension of universal love (09:05)The third book, The Inner Beloved, is about the path of love—the movement toward our fundamental nature through the heart (10:59)Roger points out that Hameed's teachings on love go far beyond other spiritual teachings (12:20)The beloved is not just love: love serves the beloved, love is the way to the beloved (13:35)We all have 3 centers of operation: head, heart & belly—each one is a spiritual brain of its own (16:24)Love is the most explicit motivator for the spiritual journey (18:08)The Diamond Approach is not about being liberated or free from suffering, it's about loving to know the truth (20:40)The path of the heart is painful because we feel separate from what we yearn to become one with...

Ep. 217 (Part 1 of 2) | In the 17th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali explores the classic spiritual theme: the journey of descent. What happens after we awaken, having had a realization of the deepest kind? The path of descent, where we retain the awareness of what came with our experience of the absolute, and bring it into our life, expressing it with every aspect of our being. Many teachings talk about the ascent (the journey of awakening) and the descent, Hameed explains, but when they talk about the descent, they interpret it as an individual coming down the mountain with their great realization. Hameed thought this was how it happened too, he laughs. But then it became clear to him following his own descent that it is not an enlightened individual who descends back into the world—it's the absolute. In Christian terms, it's the father who comes, appearing as the son.What was it like for Hameed as he descended, living in the absolute dimension at the same time as living in the everyday world? co-host John Dupuy asks. Something transcendent lives through the body with the individual as the organ of perception, Hameed responds. “The entire universe becomes subtle shimmerings…like the waves in quantum theory; the blackness so extreme that it shines—and that sheen is the world.” Different from the classic Eastern spiritual path, where what is significant is living the transcendent rather than living regular life, in the Diamond Approach (Hameed's path), actualization is the goal, coming back to the everyday world and living life as an expression of the Absolute. Recorded November 13, 2025.“It is inherent to true nature for it to be lived in the world.”Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing the 17th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, focusing on the journey of descent: actualizing the realization of the absolute (00:39)The path begins with the journey of ascent, then comes realization, then the path of descent: actualization, living your realization (04:46)Being in the world and not of it is an important principle of the Diamond Approach (06:44)What was it like for Hameed as he descended, living in the absolute dimension and the everyday world simultaneously? (08:17)It's not the individual who descends but the Absolute (14:45)Differentiating from the Eastern spiritual path, where what's important is living the transcendent rather than living life (19:33)Are there obstacles to the descent? (20:44)In descent, the entire universe becomes subtle shimmerings… like the waves in quantum theory (25:04)Something transcendent lives through the body; the individual is the organ of perception (27:06)Hameed was already a spiritual teacher, sharing about the journey of ascent, before he experienced the journey of descent (29:49)Can a person...

Hello, my friend! I'm very excited to share today's episode because it's with my Diamond Approach Florida Teacher Ilene. As some of you already know, I've been a student of the Diamond Approach since 2020 and I consider it to be the single greatest thing I've ever done. Inside today's episode, I get the opportunity to introduce you to my teacher, do a live inquiry session, and share information on exactly what the Diamond Approach is and what we do inside the Florida group. Give it a listen and if you feel inspired to try out this work for yourself: You can send me an email and/or visit www.diamondapproachflorida.com  Cheers and happy listening! 

In this special episode, Tami Simon brings together two visionary teachers for a rare conversation exploring awakening's multiple dimensions. Join Tami and her guests A.H. Almaas—founder of the Diamond Approach—and Zen teacher Henry Shukman for an extraordinary exploration of awakening's multiple dimensions. Discover why spiritual realization isn't one destination but an ongoing revelation of reality's many faces, from blazing emptiness to infinite love.This conversation offers genuine transmission—not just concepts about awakening, but the palpable presence of realized teachers exploring the growing edge of spiritual understanding together. Originally aired on Sounds True One. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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

Cath was joined by art psychotherapist Gerardine Boyle in this episode. Cath and Gerardine talked about how generational trauma impacts families, the legacy of emotional neglect, what is unspoken, shame and the complexity of unwinding functional freeze in the system. Gerardine generously shared her own stories of generational trauma and what she believes has impacted her on her journey. We talked briefly about primitive reflexes and how the retention of these can be extremely impactful for nervous system and mental health. Gerardine Boyle is an Art Psychotherapist who has worked for over twenty years in Adult Psychiatry in the HSE (health service in Ireland) and in private practice. She is also trained in the Diamond Approach, the Hearing Voices Approach and she was part of a specialised HSE team delivering Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) for seven years, supporting individuals with high levels of emotional dysregulation. Gerardine trained as a Transforming Touch Practitioner with Dr Stephen Terrell world expert in working with developmental trauma at the first training workshop in Ireland (in Cork in 2019) and this training has been life-changing for her and her clients. She continues to marvel at how supporting the nervous system powerfully lends itself to healing on all levels. Supporting the nervous system means the client, over time gets to know and trust their own nervous system better and shame is addressed on a somatic level. Gerardine's website is https://morninglighttherapy.ie/She works in person and offers intensives, which is multiple therapy sessions over a number of days (with client staying locally in east Cork, Ireland). She also delivers the therapy on line via zoom as well.The link to the training in Dublin with Dr Stephen Terrell is, https://www.austinattach.com/transforming-the-experience-based-brain/dublin-ireland/ and this training welcomes parents, therapists and individuals on their own healing journey.If you're enjoying this podcast. Please leave a review and rate the podcast, this really helps others to find it.To sign up for the journal prompts and Nurture.Heal.Grow (on Substack) please head to www.cathcounihan.com or @cathcounihan on Instagram. Follow Cath on social media here:Instagram: @cathcounihanSubstack: Nurture.Heal.GrowFacebook: Cath Counihan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to truly awaken—and how do we live with full awareness in every moment, even in the face of impermanence? Eugene Cash's warm, playful, and deeply sincere style invites us into a rich exploration of mindfulness, death, and the immediacy of life. Drawing from the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Eugene emphasizes the experiential nature of awareness, encouraging us to feel our bodies, notice our breath, and recognize the fleeting nature of each moment. He shares personal stories, including a near-death experience and the dissolution of San Francisco Insight to illustrate how impermanence can be a gateway to freedom.Eugene's teaching is grounded in both classical Buddhist texts and lived experience. He references the Satipatthana Sutta (MN 10), Zen master Dogen, Longchenpa of the Dzogchen tradition, and Shantideva, offering poetic and powerful quotes that illuminate the path to awakening, focusing on:Mindfulness of posture, breath, and bodily elements (earth, air, fire, water)Awareness in all activities—“no one at Safeway has to know you're meditating”The normality of death and the intoxications of youth, health, and lifeAwakening as “springing into being” and “the freshness of reality”The insight that freedom arises when we stop clinging to anythingHe offers us a gentle nudge to wake up to the miracle of being here, now.______________Eugene Cash is the founding teacher of the San Francisco Insight Meditation Community of San Francisco which ended in October 2025 after more than 30 years. He now teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and leads intensive meditation retreats internationally. His teaching is influenced by both Burmese and Thai streams of the Theravada tradition as well as Zen and Tibetan Buddhist practice. He is also a teacher of the Diamond Approach, a school of spiritual investigation and self-realization developed by A. H. Almaas. Learn more at https://www.insightdharmacenter.org/ ______________ To support our efforts to share these talks with LGBTQIA audiences worldwide, please visit https://gaybuddhist.org/There you can: Donate Learn how to participate live Find our schedule of upcoming speakers Join our mailing list or discussion forum Enjoy many hundreds of these recorded talks dating back to 1996 CREDITSAudio Engineer: George HubbardProducer: Tom BrueinMusic/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter

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

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....

What if the missing piece in your spiritual journey isn't more meditation apps, rituals, or retreats—but something as practical as spiritual intelligence? In this enlightening and surprisingly fun episode, Will & Karen sit down with Dr. Yosi Amram, licensed clinical psychologist, CEO leadership coach, best-selling author, and pioneering researcher in the field of spiritual intelligence. With roots in mystical Judaism, Buddhism, Kundalini Yoga, and the Diamond Approach, Yosi bridges ancient wisdom and modern science to show how spirituality can actually be lived...right here, right now. From gratitude practices that shift your heart in seconds, to reframing life's red lights as blessings in disguise, to uncovering your evolving sense of purpose, Yosi provides listeners with both timeless insight and practical tools they can start using today. Along the way, expect plenty of laughs, like what happens when Will compares spiritual bypassing to Monty Python's “it's just a flesh wound” moment, or when Karen presses Yosi on who really has the higher spiritual intelligence. Spoiler: the answer might surprise you. By the end of this episode, you'll discover that cultivating spiritual intelligence doesn't require quitting your job, moving to a monastery, or renouncing Netflix binges. It's about small, conscious choices that deepen self-awareness, expand compassion, and connect you to a sense of purpose, while making daily life a whole lot more peaceful (and even joyful). What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhat spiritual intelligence really is, and how it differs from emotional intelligence or mindfulnessThe 22 timeless spiritual qualities that traditions across the world all agree on (like gratitude, humility, and service)Practical, bite-sized ways to grow your spiritual muscles daily, without adding “3 hours of meditation” to your calendarHow suffering, trust, and purpose weave together in the journey of spiritual growthWhy our personal awakenings ripple outward into healthier relationships, workplaces, and even societiesThe inconvenient truth about spiritual growth that nobody wants to hear, but absolutely needs toResources & Links MentionedTake the Free Spiritual Intelligence Assessment: AwakeningSI.orgYosi's Award-Winning Book: Spiritually Intelligent Leadership (available on Amazon & major booksellers)Learn More About Dr. Yosi Amram: YosiAmram.netReady to Raise Your Spiritual IQ? This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating a spiritual awakening and wondering how to practically integrate it into everyday life. Whether you're brand new to the path or years in, Dr. Yosi Amram's insights will help you align with purpose, deepen compassion, and discover why inner peace is more possible than you think.Subscribe, Rate & Review! If you found this episode enlightening, mind-expanding, or even just thought-provoking (see what we did there?), please take a moment to rate and review us. Your feedback helps us bring more transformative guests and topics your way! Subscribe to The Skeptic Metaphysicians on your favorite podcast platform and YouTube for more deep dives into consciousness, spirituality, metaphysical science, and mind-body evolution.Connect with Us: 

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 explains how being and nonbeing are integrated, and about how time and space emerge out of true nature. Every moment is a new creation, he says, not formed by the past or present, but new, instant to instant, from nonbeing to being. Hameed says the essence of freedom lies in the absolute, 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

Miranda Macpherson is a widely respected contemporary spiritual teacher who has been guiding others into the direct experience of the sacred for more than 30 years. Born and raised in Australia, she founded the OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation in London, where she trained and ordained more than 600 ministers and spiritual counselors over the course of ten years. Now based in the San Francisco Bay area, she leads the Living Grace Global Sangha and offers retreats internationally and online. Among her spiritual influences are Sri Ramana Maharshi, A Course in Miracles, and The Diamond Approach, in addition to her extensive study of the world's wisdom traditions. Her books include The Way of Grace: The Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation; Boundless Love; and Meditations on Boundless Love. She is also a kirtan musician whose albums of mantra chanting include Streams of Grace and The Heart of Being. We spoke about her remarkable spiritual history (from which there is much to learn), how to recognize and abide in Grace; turning suffering into transformation; the proper understanding of nonduality; and appropriate spiritual responses to challenging world conditions. The episode ends with Miranda leading us in a guided meditation. Click here to learn more about Miranda and her work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 177 (Part 1 of 2) | In the ninth dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed gives a fascinating account of how four distinctly different wisdom teachings came to him in succession, directly from true nature, embodied in the form of diamonds. “In the beginning, I didn't know…what the hell were these? Is it my imagination?” Hameed laughs. But then his colleagues and students experienced the diamondness too. Like angels of revelation, each diamond vehicle brings a different type of wisdom: the first diamond vehicle, Guidance, brings clarity and initiated the practice of inquiry; the second embodies the wisdom that pleasure is what we are, bringing an understanding of pleasure from a spiritual perspective; the third diamond vehicle holds the wisdom of how to conduct our lives from a place of truth, and the fourth the wisdom of true knowledge—knowing by being—the knowing that is needed for awakening.Not only do we hear marvelous stories of how the diamond-shaped wisdom messengers appeared to Hameed, but he also imparts a wonderfully comprehensive yet succinct rendering of the teachings they brought, and the conversation flows from embodying wisdom to embodying pleasure, the inward turn, and why bliss must be combined with emptiness for enlightenment to occur. Also, how to live a life of truth with the inner compass provided by the third diamond teaching, the pitfalls of the ego's tendency to accommodate others, how being is inseparable from knowing, and lots more. A very full, warm, rich conversation, filled also with humor, sparkle, and delight. Recorded January 30, 2025.“For enlightenment to happen, emptiness has to be combined with bliss.”Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing the 9th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series: How did the Diamond Approach teaching come to Hameed? (00:53)First came a pure, transparent presence like liquid diamond: clarity itself (04:46)The diamond also came with a sense of precision, of sharp discrimination, of objectivity (08:07)Hameed's vision of the diamond vehicles: like a fleet of ships in black space (11:05)The first diamond vehicle, guidance, brought about the practice of inquiry (12:06)Hameed's near-death experience: looking down upon his body it was a body of diamonds; two diamonds called him back: love and joy (13:23)Recounting this experience to friends later, the diamond vehicle filled the room—the sacred manifest (17:08)Manifest in this one body was the guidance for the teaching, like an angel of revelation but shaped like a spaceship made of diamonds (19:46)Each diamond vehicle brings a different kind of wisdom (20:58)Diamond wisdom can be used as guidance in the scientific field (22:36)It's not just a teaching, but a presence that embodies the teaching; embodying the presence is learning the teaching (25:11)The second diamond vehicle is the vehicle of pleasure, understanding pleasure from the spiritual perspective: the teaching of the inward turn (27:04)Pleasure turns out to be a whole realm, where all aspects appear in their pleasurable form (34:38)Inner guidance is where the truth is from instant to instant, telling you to look here, not there (35:58)Hameed differentiates pleasure from bliss, because pleasure is something ordinary human beings know (37:39)Embodying the wisdom that pleasure is what we are (40:08)All the vehicles are expressions of the essence of consciousness,...

 Dr. Neil Schuitevoerder, a clinical and organizational psychologist, has been doing spiritual practices for 50 years. He's no longer interested in his ego's story, so here's the story of his soul's evolution: He had early instruction in how to use a pendulum, which led to the opening of his intuitive knowing, which has continued to expand into higher stages. His intense meditation practices in his 20s led to illness, and he was guided to return to a householder life as husband and father. He continued practices in mystical Judaism, then turned to Vedanta, kundalini, and other Hindu practices. With a kundalini master, and with the Diamond Approach technique of Inquiry, he opened the higher chakras and began to experience states of unity and nonduality, first with a near object, such as a tree, then with a far object, such as the galaxy. Slowly, the dualities of self/other, near/far, past/future, dissolved, and his knowing expanded to include the distant past, his past lives, his rebirth in this lifetime, and his ability to travel in subtle bodies to the subtle planes, including conversing with the deceased. His mind emptied out, then his body became empty, containing the whole galaxy, a nondual body. Then his astral body emptied out, and he no longer "traveled" but was united with the subtle mental and causal planes, all within him. The state of bliss is always accessible. The local identity of Neil remains when he functions in the world, as he lives in dual and nondual levels of awareness simultaneously. Neil's has a podcast with his wife, Connie Zweig, about his ongoing awakening and what it's like to live in the world in advanced levels of consciousness -- Dr. Neil's Spiritual Awakening to Nonduality. It posts on Apple, Spotify, and all platforms. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Interview recorded March 15, 2025

 Dr. Neil Schuitevoerder, a clinical and organizational psychologist, has been doing spiritual practices for 50 years. He's no longer interested in his ego's story, so here's the story of his soul's evolution: He had early instruction in how to use a pendulum, which led to the opening of his intuitive knowing, which has continued to expand into higher stages. His intense meditation practices in his 20s led to illness, and he was guided to return to a householder life as husband and father. He continued practices in mystical Judaism, then turned to Vedanta, kundalini, and other Hindu practices. With a kundalini master, and with the Diamond Approach technique of Inquiry, he opened the higher chakras and began to experience states of unity and nonduality, first with a near object, such as a tree, then with a far object, such as the galaxy. Slowly, the dualities of self/other, near/far, past/future, dissolved, and his knowing expanded to include the distant past, his past lives, his rebirth in this lifetime, and his ability to travel in subtle bodies to the subtle planes, including conversing with the deceased. His mind emptied out, then his body became empty, containing the whole galaxy, a nondual body. Then his astral body emptied out, and he no longer "traveled" but was united with the subtle mental and causal planes, all within him. The state of bliss is always accessible. The local identity of Neil remains when he functions in the world, as he lives in dual and nondual levels of awareness simultaneously. Neil's has a podcast with his wife, Connie Zweig, about his ongoing awakening and what it's like to live in the world in advanced levels of consciousness -- Dr. Neil's Spiritual Awakening to Nonduality. It posts on Apple, Spotify, and all platforms. Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded March 15, 2025

NEW! 2025 MARCH SPEAKER SERIES!WITH WORLD-RENOWNED ASTROLOGERS!SIGN UP BEFORE FEB 28TH TO CHOOSE YOUR TUITION RATE!LEARN MORE AND SIGN UP NOW AT ⁠https://www.synchronicityuniversity.com⁠Schedule1. Attila Nagy (Zan's Astrology) - Ascending to the Quantum Age: Exploring the Mysteries of Dwarf Planets2. Scott Hogan - The Cards of Truth: An Introduction3. Medium CynthiaRose - Utilizing Your Personal Planets4. Yuriria Robles - Chart Interpretation: A Multiple Level Approach5. Kapil AB Sinh  - Destiny Decoded: Your Identity Revealed Through NumerologyScott Hogan - The Cards of Truth: An IntroductionDelve into the captivating world of the Cards of Truth, a remarkable system that blends Eastern and Western astrology with the symbolic power of playing cards. Discover the hidden depths of this Nature-based oracle, where each card represents a stage in the lifecycle of a tree, unveiling the tapestry of our existence. Uncover the truth about the playing card deck's origins as an ancient calendar, and how it can unlock the secrets of your own unique Birth Card and the 13 additional cards that form the "hand the universe deals you" to live your life to the fullest. Prepare to be captivated, enlightened, and empowered as you delve into the extraordinary world of the Cards of Truth with the guidance of Scott Hogan. Scott Hogan has over 2 decades of experience as a student of the Diamond Approach, Family Constellation Work, and Focusing. He brings Vedic/Western astrology and card reading practice as unique and practical ways of discovering new pathways on one's journey. After taking Ernst Wilhelm's astrology and Cards of Truth courses Scott was able to synthesize much of what he had been learning in other mind/body/spirit modalities. Through classes and one-on-one sessions Scott offers assistance via guided explorations into any aspect of one's life with a focus on empowering your own intuitive felt-sense and with him and the Cards serving only as a tool for greater clarity for your specific interests and aims. @shatataraka_consultations #astrology #astrologytalkonline  #astrologyclass #astrologytalk #astrologyclassonline @synchronicityuniversity Thank You for watching! ♥️♥️♥️

Ep. 165 (Part 2 of 2) | Tami Simon, founder of the highly regarded multimedia publishing company Sounds True, covers a lot of inspiring ground in this heartening, lively, candid conversation. She tells the extraordinary story of how she came to devote herself to disseminating spiritual wisdom; about finding the edges and growing into them on her own path of awakening; the spiritual teachers she has encountered whose teachings have affected her the most; the wholeness of spiritual vision and psychological health; and discovering that, like all of us, spiritual leaders can be both luminous and in need of healing at the same time. Tami is an ardent torchbearer for the conscious business movement, explaining that business can be the way we give our gifts—that the endeavors of an inspired entrepreneur can be expressions of love and provide an incredible way of connecting with other people.What is so striking throughout is the depth of Tami's clarity about what matters in life and her unwavering commitment to acting with integrity. Tami has a remarkable ability to translate her spiritual insights and principles into action—as co-host Roger Walsh points out, she is a beautiful example of a karma yogic life, where being of service is the fuel, the inspiration, and the content of her life, as she continuously works towards furthering both her own spiritual awakening and the awakening of all. Tami offers a lovely, poetic rendering of the effects of living a true and meaningful life: “The litmus test is always somebody's wake, the ripples of their life, how they've impacted others . . . the beauty, love, and justice that live in the wake of a person.” A genuinely engaging, illuminating, memorable conversation. Recorded October 17, 2024.“What I feel I owe people is the truth.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2What are some of the people and ideas that really stand out to Tami? (01:14)Every podcast guest has given a gift (02:01)Learning somatic practices from Reggie Ray (03:30)Meeting Adyashanti, the ‘goodest' human Tami ever met (04:31)A. H. Almaas' Diamond Approach: the possibilities for expanding knowledge in the spiritual universe (06:10)Coming into the notion of original voice with Clarissa Pinkola Estes; Caroline Myss' illumination of shadow work (06:45)Discovering that spiritual teachers can be luminous and also have parts that are harmful and need healing (09:52)How spiritual vision & psychological health seamlessly come together in the Diamond Approach (13:38)Psychotherapist Bruce Tift's idea that we alternate between spiritual vision and the developmental work of psychology (16:00)The litmus test is what lives in the wake of a person (17:13)Tami's practice: asking what is needed now, moment by moment (19:26)Paying attention to what is being said to us by others and our environment (23:58)The Integral movement: we benefit from having it in our consciousness (25:43)The Internal Family Systems (IFS) movement: the notion of being self-led in any given moment: compassionate, courageous, curious, calm (27:14)Conscious business: the movement for business to be a crucible for personal growth...

Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo host this captivating conversation into divine and personal love with two modern-day mystics, held dear by SAND from a SAND Community Gaterhing from July 2023. Love, a powerful catalyst for transformation on the spiritual path, resonates at the core of our being. Through this dialogue, we will transcend the limitations of a narrow, individualized perception of love, immersing ourselves in the boundless realm of our true nature—a universal expression of pure love. Episcopal priest, writer, and internationally known retreat leader, Cynthia Bourgeault divides her time between solitude at her coastal home in Maine and a demanding schedule traveling globally to teach and spread the recovery of the Christian contemplative path. She is the founding Director of both The Contemplative Society and the Aspen Wisdom School. Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas), Founder of the Diamond Approach, was born in the Middle East, but at age 18 he moved to the USA to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics, where he was studying Einstein's theory of general relativity and nuclear physics, when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him more and more into inquiring into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature. Hameed is the founder of the Diamond Approach®—a spiritual teaching that utilizes a unique kind of inquiry into realization. Topics: 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 01:03 Introducing Cynthia Bourgeault 02:17 Introducing Hamid Ali and Non-Dual Love 03:07 Exploring Non-Dual Love 03:50 Cynthia's Perspective on Non-Dual Love 06:06 Hamid's Perspective on Non-Dual Love 08:44 The Nature of Divine Love 12:46 The Role of Love in Human Experience 18:14 The Transformative Power of Love 28:09 Understanding True Love 47:33 Healing Through Love and Gratitude 01:02:05 Closing Remarks and Reflections Support the mission of SAND and the production of this podcast by becoming a SAND Member

Ep. 154 (Part 2 of 2) | In this 4th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, spiritual teacher Hameed Ali explains that much of the beginning of the spiritual path is spent clarifying our individual consciousness from the conditioning of the past in order to wake up and discover our true nature. In the Diamond Approach, this is accomplished using the practice of inquiry, and as we inquire deeply within, qualities intrinsic to consciousness emerge in our awareness. These qualities—like truth, courage, steadfastness, curiosity, and love—each have their own particular sensory expression: a certain color, texture, warmth or coolness, varying degrees of sweetness. The more these qualities emerge, Hameed says, the more powerful our practice and the more authentic our life. He calls these qualities treasures of the soul. This beautiful conversation ranges from profoundly moving, as Hameed evokes specific qualities of presence, to humorous, when he tells a funny story about Maharishi Yogi, to intensely illuminating as Hameed talks about the teaching of the first turning, the miracle of ordinary life, what it means to be spiritually mature, the nature of true sorrow, the fact that we are the universe being conscious, and how fundamental nature lies deeper than consciousness, deeper than awareness. It is a multifaceted gem, not to be missed. Recorded September 19, 2024.“The soul is the organ of knowledge of the universe.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2We have to take the dualistic world into account (00:59)Mature spirituality: just live your life; you have to start with ordinary life (02:31)The second (nondual), third & fourth turnings recognize there are other ways that reality appears (05:43)You can be pure consciousness living in a world of matter: in some sense, this is more miraculous than that everything is consciousness (07:01)Courage's presence is like red lava, fiery and ruby red (09:39)Truth is also a quality: when I experience myself as truth, I feel myself as made out of pure gold, the gold of consciousness (10:24)Roger is deeply touched when Hameed evokes the sensory characteristics of the essential qualities; Hameed agrees it is very moving (13:43)To what extent are these sensory experiences specific to Hameed? Or are they universal? (15:02)Sincerity is a quality of presence (17:55)What do all these inherent qualities tell us about the nature of reality? (19:09)Fundamental nature is deeper than consciousness, deeper than awareness: I am is completely indeterminate (20:43)The nature of rational thought, discriminating awareness (24:22)Can we integrate ordinary knowledge with true knowing? (27:15)It's important for people to know that consciousness can appear as a particular quality (29:13)These qualities are the treasures of the soul and the journey of learning about them is a beautiful adventure of discovery (31:41)The word brings out the quality and the quality brings out the word (35:21)Resources & References – Part 2A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder...

Ep. 153 (Part 1 of 2) | In this 4th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, spiritual teacher Hameed Ali explains that much of the beginning of the spiritual path is spent clarifying our individual consciousness from the conditioning of the past in order to wake up and discover our true nature. In the Diamond Approach, this is accomplished using the practice of inquiry, and as we inquire deeply within, qualities intrinsic to consciousness emerge in our awareness. These qualities—like truth, courage, steadfastness, curiosity, and love—each have their own particular sensory expression: a certain color, texture, warmth or coolness, varying degrees of sweetness. The more these qualities emerge, Hameed says, the more powerful our practice and the more authentic our life. He calls these qualities treasures of the soul. This beautiful conversation ranges from profoundly moving, as Hameed evokes specific qualities of presence, to humorous, when he tells a funny story about Maharishi Yogi, to intensely illuminating as Hameed talks about the teaching of the first turning, the miracle of ordinary life, what it means to be spiritually mature, the nature of true sorrow, the fact that we are the universe being conscious, and how fundamental nature lies deeper than consciousness, deeper than awareness. It is a multifaceted gem, not to be missed. Recorded September 19, 2024.“Courage, steadfastness, curiosity, and love are all expressions of our pure consciousness appearing as specific qualities.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing the 4th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, focusing on the soul as “organism of consciousness” (00:59)The distinction between universal consciousness and individual consciousness (03:04)Much of the beginning of the path is spent clarifying individual consciousness from the conditioning of the past (05:50)The practice of inquiry is for the individual consciousness to wake up and discover what it is fundamentally (07:25)Courage, steadfastness, curiosity, and love are all expressions of pure consciousness appearing as specific qualities (11:04)Why we need these essential qualities: the more these qualities emerge, the more powerful the practice (13:21)How can you live your life authentically, without the qualities of integrity, courage, intelligence, clarity, inner peacefulness, and true sorrow? (16:02)True sorrow is a quality of presence—sorrow for the suffering, for what's happening in the world (16:57)These qualities are the closest thing to the Platonic forms, necessary for the spiritual path and necessary for living (19:47)The incomparable or precious pearl at our center and the difference between personal essence and the individual soul (20:58)Psychological individuation is a forerunner for true individuation (23:33)Free of conditioning, we wake up to what we really are (24:59)The essential qualities are implicit in pure consciousness but they become differentiated in the soul (27:24)The teaching of the first turning is that the ordinary world is one way reality manifests—it's not the product of our ignorance; it has its own spirituality (28:37)Ordinary life is miraculous! (34:36)As Parmenides...

On this episode of Transforming Trauma, CTTC Director and NARM® Senior Trainer Brad Kammer welcomes Jessica Britt, Training Director of The Diamond Approach, to share wisdom from her decades-long journey of personal healing and professional development. Jessica says that creating more depth in the field requires therapists to do the hard internal work of self-healing. She invites us to feel our way through layers of pain and recognize the alchemic potential of being with our deepest emotions. Only then can we hold that same space for our clients.  About Jessica Britt: Jessica Britt has been a student of Hamid Ali since 1977 and a teacher since 1985. As training director for the Diamond Approach, she leads ongoing groups in Europe, Canada, and the US. In the 1980s, Jessica was on the Gestalt staff of Esalen Institute, creating an integration of Reichian and Gestalt work. While at Esalen, she was a student within the Native American traditions leading wilderness journeys. Additionally, she studied continuum movement with Emily Conrad. A nurse in the seventies, Jessica specialized in the field of childhood sexual and physical abuse. She continues to practice from a view that includes the whole of the miracle of conscious life.  Learn More: The Diamond Approach Email To read the full show notes and discover more resources, visit https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com/transformingtrauma SPACE: SPACE is an Inner Development Program of Support and Self-Discovery for Therapists on the Personal, Interpersonal, and Transpersonal Levels offered by the Complex Trauma Training Center. This experiential learning program offers an immersive group experience designed to cultivate space for self-care, community support, and deepening vitality in our professional role as therapists. Learn more about how to join. *** The Complex Trauma Training Center: https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com View upcoming trainings: https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com/schedule/ The Complex Trauma Training Center (CTTC) is a professional organization providing clinical training, education, consultation, and mentorship for psychotherapists and mental health professionals working with individuals and communities impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Complex Trauma (C-PTSD). CTTC provides NARM® Therapist and NARM® Master Therapist Training programs, as well as ongoing monthly groups in support of those learning NARM. CTTC offers a depth-oriented professional community for those seeking a supportive network of therapists focused on three levels of shared human experience: personal, interpersonal & transpersonal.  The Transforming Trauma podcast embodies the spirit of CTTC – best described by its three keywords: depth, connection, and heart - and offers guidance to those interested in effective, transformational trauma-informed care. We want to connect with you! Facebook @complextraumatrainingcenter YouTube Instagram @complextraumatrainingcenter  

Is dysregulation causing conflict in your marriage, or is your marriage causing you to feel dysregulated?  Or does it feel like both are true?When we get married, we don't just marry a person.  The truth is that we also marry their history, their habits, their traumas, and their nervous system.  And this can cause a lot of conflict.My guest today is Dr. Wyatt Fisher, a licensed psychologist specializing in couples therapy who's been married for over 20 years and raised 4 children. We touch on how we can resolve resentments despite the chaos of motherhood and how leaning on our spouse for shared decision making can help create intimacy.3 things you'll learn in this episode:Why conflict is normal and important in relationshipsDr. Fisher's brilliant Diamond Approach to address conflictWhat a “love bucket” is and how you can fill your partnersConnect with Dr. Fisher:Connect with Dr. Fisher on InstagramDr. Fisher's WebsiteListen to Michelle on The Dr. Wyatt Show Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!GRAB YOUR PLAN-A-PALOOZA TICKETTAKE THE PERSONALITY PATTERN QUIZ!APPLY FOR 1:1 COACHING WITH MICHELLEFB COMMUNITY: The Calm Mom CollectiveJOIN ME ON INSTAGRAM:@itsmichellegrosser“I love The Calm Mom Podcast!” ← if that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing our show!  This helps us support more women, just like you, on their motherhood journey.  Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.”  Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Today on the You Can Heal Your Life podcast, we're excited to feature an excerpt from Change Your Questions, Change Your Future, the latest audiobook by Elliott Connie and Adam Froerer, the creators of the Diamond Approach to Solution Focused Brief Therapy. In this enlightening chapter, discover how the power of hope can transform your life, the importance of being outcome-driven, and how aligning your goals with your deeper purpose can foster a cycle of positive, hope-filled interactions and personal growth. Don't miss out on the opportunity to listen to the full audiobook for FREE with a trial of Empower You Unlimited Audio. Start your journey today by visiting hayhouse.com/empoweryou.

Ep. 144 (Part 2 of 2) | In the second A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series conversation, Hameed Ali describes how the practice of inquiry can aid us on our spiritual journey, illuminating our understanding of our personal experience and our soul. He uses the example of inquiring into a sense of worthlessness to illustrate what happens as we begin to investigate the terrain of our consciousness. There comes a point when the inquiry leads beyond where a psychologist would normally end—when it slips from psychological into spiritual inquiry. “If you stay with the wounding, something will emerge: a sense of inherent value. You recognize ‘I am presence' and this presence has value—all the way to nondual presence and beyond.” In introducing us to the Diamond Approach's inquiry technique, Hameed covers a rich array of topics: the dynamism of consciousness; the importance of scientific objectivity in our exploration of inner experience; modern psychology's revelation of how our sense of self develops; the essential qualities of curiosity and love of truth; and how understanding the ways in which the past influences the present disentangles it. Hameed is a masterful teacher—with just a few words he can illuminate vast territories of spiritual landscape for the purpose of helping his students learn to live their lives from a deeper, liberated condition. Rather than aiming to transcend our experience, Hameed assures us there is a way through, an unraveling we can do, as we discover never-ending realizations about individual consciousness and the nature of reality. Recorded July 4, 2024.“The soul is a living embodiment of the life force.” (For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2Basic trust: fundamentally we are an indestructible nature, but our basic trust can get whittled away (00:50)Feeling the love inherent to reality (05:27)Marrying ancient knowledge of the soul with advancements in modern psychology (06:09) Psychology provides us with answers about how our sense of self develops but not about what gets structured—the soul (09:35)Individual consciousness is impressionable, otherwise learning would not be possible (12:31)The self is nothing but the soul structured through the ego stages of development (14:28)Psychodynamics and the self-liberating quality of the soul (15:29)We need our sense of self in order to survive—and in order to become become illuminated, we need a body (17:21)To stay with the ego self is arrested development, but we can develop further to become conscious of consciousness itself (19:53)We can understand the terrain of experience rather than simply transcend it—we can go through it, unravel it, and open up different dimensions of reality as we go (21:40)As we inquire we go deeper, bringing liberation into ordinary life (24:58)The emphasis in the East is on liberation—the emphasis in the West is on how to fulfill life (26:06)What many nondual teachings don't understand is the individual soul (27:14)The enlightenment drive: motivation beyond ego (30:38)Beyond the enlightenment drive: pure being coming through individual consciousness (34:45)Resources & References – Part 2

Ep. 143 (Part 1 of 2) | In the second A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series conversation, Hameed Ali describes how the practice of inquiry can aid us on our spiritual journey, illuminating our understanding of our personal experience and our soul. He uses the example of inquiring into a sense of worthlessness to illustrate what happens as we begin to investigate the terrain of our consciousness. There comes a point when the inquiry leads beyond where a psychologist would normally end—when it slips from psychological into spiritual inquiry. “If you stay with the wounding, something will emerge: a sense of inherent value. You recognize ‘I am presence' and this presence has value—all the way to nondual presence and beyond.” In introducing us to the Diamond Approach's inquiry technique, Hameed covers a rich array of topics: the dynamism of consciousness; the importance of scientific objectivity in our exploration of inner experience; modern psychology's revelation of how our sense of self develops; the essential qualities of curiosity and love of truth; and how understanding the ways in which the past influences the present disentangles it. Hameed is a masterful teacher—with just a few words he can illuminate vast territories of spiritual landscape for the purpose of helping his students learn to live their lives from a deeper, liberated condition. Rather than aiming to transcend our experience, Hameed assures us there is a way through, an unraveling we can do, as we discover never-ending realizations about individual consciousness and the nature of reality. Recorded July 4, 2024.“What does it mean that ‘I am spiritual in nature' and what psychological constellation prevents us from knowing this?”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas), founder of the Diamond Approach, the Ridhwan School, and author of The Inner Journey Home and many more (00:59)Why inquiry is essential for transformation, beginning with an investigation of our own subjective, personal experience (04:13)Consciousness is a whole terrain of sensations, emotions, thoughts, reactions, images (09:47) First we need to become aware of what is obstructing our awareness, then inquire into why that block is there (10:54)Exploring the content of the self: start from the premise we don't know everything that is going on and be open to finding out (12:57)Two essential ingredients for inquiry: curiosity and a love of the truth for its own sake (14:26)As you get better at inquiry, you learn not to interfere with the experience, to have no end in mind (18:05)Although practiced in the present, inquiry does not deny the impact of the past—it's open to all time and space (21:35)Inquiring into the wound of worthlessness can bring up fear, then hurt—so we inquire into the fear (24:17)Everything is a question—nothing is left as ultimate truth (25:51)Deficient emptiness can turn into spaciousness (27:48)Roger's synopsis of the elements of inquiry that Hameed has discussed so far (30:18)If you stay with the wounding, something will emerge: a sense of inherent value (35:46)What does it mean that I am spiritual nature and what psychological constellation prevents us from knowing...

Ep. 138 (Dialogue 1, Part 2 of 2) | In this rich and engaging conversation, the first episode of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali gives us a beautiful overview of the Diamond Approach, which is a brilliant integration of teachings and a path of awakening born out of his own direct experience and informed by his deep understanding of the world's great spiritual traditions and modern psychology. Here, Hameed details the many facets of the Diamond Approach that make it unique among spiritual paths, which leads down several intriguing avenues of exploration: What is the Diamond Approach's understanding of the soul? How does spiritual guidance work? What are the four turnings that give context and structure to students on this spiritual path? Hameed delves, too, into the importance of inquiry on our road to discovering our true nature, love's role in allowing us to trust reality, and the importance of realizing that the ultimate lives within each individual.Hameed also shares personal aspects of his journey: how he was guided from the precise field of physics to the field of psychology, how he came to the revelation of the human soul, and what he attributes to why he has been so receptive to spiritual openings and realizations throughout his life. The Diamond Approach is not only about discovering the nature of absolute reality—it is also about realizing ultimate consciousness in ordinary life, to experience the beauty and richness of a life lived in simple freedom and enjoyment. As Hameed says, “Know, by engaging the path, it is possible to be free.” Recorded June 13, 2024.“To get into the spiritual universe and find the richness, the beauty, and the freedom, you need to go deep – you need to go vertical not horizontal.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2What has allowed Hameed to be so unusually receptive to spiritual realizations and teachings? (00:51)How Hameed was guided from physics to psychology (03:13)How psychology got integrated into the Diamond Approach (07:36)Unique to the Diamond Approach is Hameed doesn't throw away any of what he has experienced, even as things continue to change (08:47)The four turnings are a way of organizing the teaching for students, giving context and framework (10:38)Applying knowledge of the spiritual deep to physics (11:45)Inquiry: the process of dissolving obstacles and discovering reality (15:16)The first of the four turnings: experiencing realizations as a free and timeless individual—ordinary spirituality (18:25)The second turning is nondual: one is the vastness, the ocean of awareness (20:09)The third turning: the realization of nonlocality, the whole universe is in a grain of sand and I am the grain of sand (21:26)The fourth turning includes many realizations—one of which is the realization of “nobody here” (22:30)The fifth turning begins with indeterminacy (24:01)The turnings came to Hameed as a sequence, but there is no limit to potential awakenings (25:18)This path is not for everybody and the importance of validating each spiritual path (27:18)Inquiry is a skill of consciousness (29:35)For true realization you need to...

Ep. 137 (Dialogue 1, Part 1 of 2) | In this rich and engaging conversation, the first episode of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali gives us a beautiful overview of the Diamond Approach, which is a brilliant integration of teachings and a path of awakening born out of his own direct experience and informed by his deep understanding of the world's great spiritual traditions and modern psychology. Here, Hameed details the many facets of the Diamond Approach that make it unique among spiritual paths, which leads down several intriguing avenues of exploration: What is the Diamond Approach's understanding of the soul? How does spiritual guidance work? What are the four turnings that give context and structure to students on this spiritual path? Hameed delves, too, into the importance of inquiry on our road to discovering our true nature, love's role in allowing us to trust reality, and the importance of realizing that the ultimate lives within each individual.Hameed also shares personal aspects of his journey: how he was guided from the precise field of physics to the field of psychology, how he came to the revelation of the human soul, and what he attributes to why he has been so receptive to spiritual openings and realizations throughout his life. The Diamond Approach is not only about discovering the nature of absolute reality—it is also about realizing ultimate consciousness in ordinary life, to experience the beauty and richness of a life lived in simple freedom and enjoyment. As Hameed says, “Know, by engaging the path, it is possible to be free.” Recorded June 13, 2024.“Regardless of how transcendent or vast, nondual or whatever, is the ultimate nature, the important thing is how it lives as an individual human being living an ordinary human life and enjoying this life the way it can be enjoyed—to the fullest of its possibilities.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1Introducing the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, exploring the complete path of awakening developed by Hameed Ali—the Diamond Approach (01:06)John speaks to how this podcast series is based on Hameed's life's work, summarized in his transformative book The Inner Journey Home (04:46)The Inner Journey Home: a brilliant integration of teachings as well as a first person account of divine grace (07:34)What is the Diamond Approach and why is it unique? (09:34)The inner body is the lens that, as it turns, sees reality in a different way and reveals different teachings (12:13)The Diamond Approach recognizes the validity of many different spiritual traditions and that there are multiple possible realizations (15:00)After a Nyingma empowerment workshop, Hameed realized a different universe than the Dzogchen universe (16:28)How does spiritual guidance work? It guides the consciousness in how to be open to the next revelation (17:25)A universal commonality the Diamond Approach has with all spiritual teachings is that there is a true spiritual nature to all being, all life (18:44)The Diamond Approach emphasizes that this life has its own value (21:37)The individual is not an illusion—the human soul is an expression of fundamental reality manifesting as individual consciousness...

This episode is a conversation with Hameed Ali, who publishes under the name of A.H. Almaas. Hameed is founder of The Diamond Approach to Self-Realization, a contemporary teaching that developed within the context of both ancient spiritual teachings and modern depth psychology theories. He has authored 18 books about spirituality and realization, including the Diamond Heart series, The Pearl Beyond Price, and his new book NonDual Love. Almaas discusses his journey from physics to psychology, his discovery of his unique approach to spirituality, and the evolution of his teachings. The conversation also explores his Theory of Holes, which posits that our feelings of emptiness, where we feel there's something missing in our lives, can lead to profound spiritual revelations and become a portal to an aspect of essence nature.Discover a treasure trove of guided meditations, teachings, and courses at tantrailluminated.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Interview begins @ 5:58 Annie Lamott and Neal Allen invite us into the heart of their relationship, where creativity, curiosity, and vulnerability intertwine. Annie introduces Neal's latest book, "Better Days: Tame Your Inner Critic," while Neal shares insights into Annie's newest work, "Somehow: Thoughts on Love." As we delve into their dynamic, we're reminded of Annie's infamous KFKD radio – a familiar concept for anyone acquainted with her writings – and how Neal's exploration of the inner critic seamlessly complements Annie's work. Reflecting on the early days of their relationship, Annie and Neal recount moments of openness and vulnerability, testing the waters of acceptance and understanding. Their willingness to confront their deepest wounds and expose them to the world underscores their authenticity and likability. Neal challenges the corrosive nature of identity politics, emphasizing the importance of transcending rigid notions of identity to foster genuine connection. In a candid discussion, Annie shares her experience with cancel culture and the anxiety it breeds in our social landscape. Together, we explore the implications of cancel culture on personal relationships and societal discourse, pondering the importance of genuine communication and compassion. As we journey deeper into their relationship, Annie and Neal offer a masterclass in marriage, highlighting the value of acceptance, curiosity, and patience. They demonstrate how years of spiritual and psychological work pave the way for navigating conflicts with grace and understanding. Midway through the interview, Annie steps away, allowing Neal and John to explore the realm of the inner critic. Through an active Gestault exercise, Neal provides a firsthand example of confronting the superego and shedding the layers of defensiveness that obscure our true selves. Together, we explore the perception that shame and the superego serve as sufficient motivators for progress, while also examining the divisive nature of identity politics and its impact on our culture. Neal offers insights into the role of defensiveness in protecting against vulnerability, urging us to embrace authenticity over superficiality. Bio: Anne Lamott is the author of twenty books, including the New York Timesbestsellers Help, Thanks, Wow; Dusk, Night, Dawn; Traveling Mercies; and Bird by Bird, as well as seven novels. A recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and an inductee to the California Hall of Fame and Neal Allen is a spiritual coach, workshop leader, and author who began his transformative journey about ten years ago. Bob Birnbaum, introduced him to the teachings of notable figures like Fritz Perls, Carl Rogers, and Adyashanti, as well as spiritual practices such as Eckhart Tolle's neo-Buddhism and Hameed Ali's Diamond Approach. His exploration deepened into self-realization, guiding him through phases of shedding personal narratives and societal beliefs, embracing the absurd, and confronting the concept of death, which included volunteering at hospice and dealing with personal loss. These experiences have profoundly shaped his practice and writings, including his books "Shapes of Truth: Discover God Inside You" and "Better Days: Tame Your Inner Critic." www.shapesoftruth.com Website for The Sacred Speaks: http://www.thesacredspeaks.com WATCH: YouTube for The Sacred Speaks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/ @thesacredspeaks Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/ Brought to you by: https://www.thecenterforhas.com Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

The role of spiritual intelligence in effective leadership.Bio:Yosi Amram, PhD, is a distinguished psychologist, an executive coach catering to CEOs, entrepreneurs, and other influential leaders, and a pioneering researcher in the field of spiritual intelligence. Holding an MBA from Harvard University and a PhD from Sofia University in Clinical Transpersonal Psychology, Dr. Amram is committed to enabling individuals to unlock their potential through spiritual intelligence. This profound connection to the core of one's existence – their spirit, where inspiration and deepest interconnectedness reside – enriches their overall functioning, improves their effectiveness, and enhances their well-being. He is the author of Spiritually Intelligent Leadership: How to Inspire by Being Inspired.Links:Website: https://yosiamram.net/Quotes:“I think great leaders can also drop back and lead from behind, which is more of a facilitative role of leadership. You can think about it perhaps in terms of the yin and yang of leadership.”Episode Highlights:In this interview, Yosi Amram tells us how a leave of absence from his company was a blessing in disguise. The board of Yosi's company gave him a break because they felt he needed it. Initially, Yosi felt shame for being let go from his company, but later, it provided him an opportunity to find his identity and passion in psychology. Childhood Incidents:When Yosi was four years old, he learned from older boys that flicking someone's legs while they're running or walking could make them trip and fall. One day, he experimented on a boy in front of him. The boy tripped, scraped his knees, and started bleeding and crying. The teacher started yelling, asking who did it, but Yosi never came forward. This experience taught him the importance of not causing pain, suffering, harm, or violence to others. At age nine, Yosi went to a movie theatre without his parents and was molested by a stranger. This incident made him feel like there was something wrong with him, like he was damaged goods. He repressed his feelings about this experience and only addressed them in therapy when he was 40. Influential Groups:Yosi comes from Middle Eastern, Iraqi, and Jewish backgrounds. Middle Eastern Iraqi culture is emotionally expressive, warm, and highly hospitable. In contrast, Jewish culture emphasizes Socratic methods of debate for truth's sake and taking responsibility seriously.Cultural Influences:As Yosi grew older, his interest in spirituality deepened. He joined various spiritual communities, including Jewish Renewal, Buddhist communities, and a particular path called the Diamond Approach, which emphasizes inquiry and a love for truth. All these communities highlighted the importance of service.Cultural Epiphanies:When Yosi moved to the US, he experienced culture shock; people valued personal space and privacy, which was not the case in Tel Aviv or the Middle East in general. He grew up in a one-bedroom house with his grandparents and parents.What Brings Out the Best in Yosi? Yosi believes in directness and honesty. He values relationships where people are honest, open, and direct, built on a foundation of kindness and positive regard. He also appreciates regular mutual feedback to keep relationships clear and clean.Soapbox Moment:Yosi encourages everyone interested in becoming more empowered and inspired leaders to check out his book, Spiritually Intelligent Leadership: How to Inspire by Being Inspired.Support the show

Embarking on a voyage through the realms of consciousness, host Jennifer K. Hill invites us to explore the profound practice of inquiry alongside the insightful Miranda Macpherson, esteemed host of the Wealthy Wellthy podcast. Together, they unravel the threads of spiritual resilience and the transformative power of introspection amidst the cacophony of modern life.In this interview with Miranda, you'll discover:-We're being called together as leaders and spiritual teachers to teach others spiritual resilience...03:05-Inquiry ties into emotional resilience, emotional flexibility, as well as the spiritual resilience...07:00-How can we be in the state of inquiry without allowing all of the other outward noise to fill up?...11:53-Relinquish dependence on technology, and discover the practice of Inquiry...19:40-Where we put our attention is where our energy goes, for better or worse...23:59-Use those sweet moments in life to become moments of meditation and inquiry...27:30-And much more...Miranda's wisdom illuminates the path of inquiry, beckoning us to release the shackles of technological distractions and embrace the tranquility found in moments of profound introspection. Let us forge ahead, cultivating resilience and awakening to the limitless possibilities that await.Resources mentioned:Miranda's websiteMiranda's YouTube channelAbout the guest:Miranda Macpherson is a spiritual teacher and interfaith minister who shares a feminine approach to surrender and nondual realization based on the practice she calls Ego Relaxation. Her wisdom and palpable transmission invites others to become more graceful human beings through inquiry, meditation, devotion and psychological integration. Grounded in extensive study of the worlds' wisdom traditions, and inspired by Sri Ramana Maharshi, A Course in Miracles and the Diamond Approach, Miranda has been guiding others into direct experience of the sacred for over thirty years. In her twenties she founded the OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation in London, where she trained and ordained over 600 ministers and counselors. Today Miranda leads the Living Grace Global sangha, offers retreats internationally, serves as core faculty at The Shift Network, and advisor to the Association for Spiritual Integrity. Her books include The Way of Grace: the Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation, Meditations on Boundless Love, the Cultivating Grace card deck and more. Miranda is also a kirtan musician with two mantra albums The Heart of Being, and Streams of Grace: mantra medicine for yoga and inner peace. Unapologetically feminine, joyful and down to earth in her way of being, Miranda is dedicated to loving people all the way back into the freedom and wholeness of our true nature. OptiMatchAre you ready to stop struggling with high churn rates, decreased satisfaction, and financial losses due to poor matches in your business? See how the power of our SaaS algorithm delivers proven increases in satisfaction, higher retention rates, and increased revenue for businesses and marketplaces.OptiMatch is designed to be integrated into your existing recruitment process and used alongside your other tools.Our cutting-edge algorithms facilitate successful matches between employees and employers or customers and practitioners, resulting in proven increased satisfaction, effective sessions, higher retention rates, and increased revenue.Say goodbye to the friction,...

Ep. 123 (Part 3 of 3) | Joseph Goldstein, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, brilliant spiritual teacher, and prolific author, whose books have been foundational to many people's understanding of Buddhism, mindfulness, and insight meditation, shares rich nuggets of wisdom stemming from a lifetime of ever-deepening practice. The focus of this conversation remains very much in the present, as Joseph describes how the leading edge of his practice never stops moving forward and how his understanding of the most basic ideas becomes ever more refined and liberating. In sharing his insights, he sheds light on and smooths the path for the rest of us: about the mysterious arising of compassion, made easier the more open we are and the less self-referential, about reframing our experience in a way that frees us, about spontaneous responsiveness, and about awakening being a gradual process—until it's sudden.Joseph's new favorite definition of enlightenment is “lightening up” for the way it conveys a sense of making progress along a journey. And with his humor, humility, and easy, lighthearted manner, Joseph exemplifies and transmits a lighter way of being in the world. He makes it ever so clear that spiritual practice and meditation, examining and investigating our experience moment to moment, naturally leads us to compassionate responsiveness and out of the shackles of what binds us to a self that is ultimately just a construct. Recorded November 2, 2023.“Nirvana is like the peace that comes when the refrigerator stops humming.”(For Apple Podcast users, click here to view the complete show notes on the episode page.)Topics & Time Stamps – Part 3An ever-deepening understanding of refuge: for Joseph, refuge feels like being held (00:56)In mindfulness, unwholesome states of mind no longer act as distorting filters—they are wholly accepted (04:12)The effects of recognizing aversion and resistance to your experience (07:03)Liberation is impossible as long as there is attachment to the pleasant, aversion to the unpleasant (08:02)Nirvana is like the peace that comes when the refrigerator stops humming; it also describes the mind free of defilements (10:09)What is unique about the experience of nirvana? What gives it the transformative power to uproot defilements? (15:17)Does the path ever end? Who knows! (19:29)It's the quality of your interest that is key to staying on the spiritual path: “If you want to understand your mind, sit down and observe it” (22:55)Joseph: “The fact that liberation is inevitable gives me a lot of joy.” (25:18)Reflections on how Buddhist teachings apply to the crises of today: the balance of equanimity and compassion make effective response possible (27:39)Resources & References – Part 3Dogen, founder of the Sōtō school of Zen in Japan in the 13th centuryA.H. Almaas, founder of The Diamond Approach, see also Deep Transformation episode #43,

Dr. Don St John, PhD is a psychotherapist, teacher, and author of the award winning Healing the Wounds of Childhood and Culture. He has been immersed in the psychological, somatic, relational, and spiritual worlds for more than fifty years. Dr. St John has a unique perspective on healing and human potential, having constructed a view that includes four essential and interrelated components: the Somatic (Body), the Psycho-Emotional, the Relational, and the Spiritual. Don and I explore the worlds of trauma, plant medicines, and what it means to be truly free in the body. Please enjoy this episode with Dr. Don St John and may it be a gift, invitation, and medicine to soften the shell and express what lives underneath. To discover more about Don's offerings, visit: ⁠www.PathsOfConnection.com⁠ You may also purchase his book, “Healing the Wounds of Childhood and Culture: An Adventure of a Lifetime” here: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Wounds-Childhood-Culture-Adventure/dp/1665727128⁠ FOOTNOTES -Wilhelm Reich: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Reich⁠ -Rolfing: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolfing⁠ -Hellerwork Structural Integration: ⁠https://hellerwork.com⁠ -Emilie Conrad and Continuum Movement: ⁠https://continuummovement.com⁠ -A.H. Alma's and The Diamond Approach: ⁠https://www.diamondapproach.org⁠ -Uniao Do Vegetal (Union of the Plants) - Christian Spiritualist religion and Ayahuasca Church: ⁠https://udvusa.org⁠ -UDV Supreme Court Case for religious use of Ayahuasca: ⁠https://udvusa.org/supreme-court-case⁠ -Cynthia Bourgeault - Christian Mystic: ⁠https://www.cynthiabourgeault.org⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dr-daniel-atkins/support

Author and spiritual teacher, Hameed Ali, joins Raghu to discuss seeking truth and the boundlessness of our inner consciousness. Raghu and Hameed discuss:How an accident and out of body experience inspired Hameed's Diamond ApproachHameed's move from science to spiritualityBasic trust being the fundamental platform for people to go inside of themselvesWorking with others on trustThe boundless dimensions of our inner consciousnessSoul as the one who experiencesThe meaning of non-dual divine loveRaghu's non-dual experience with Neem Karoli BabaA Jabba the Hutt metaphor to describe greed and disconnectionGeneral versus specific grace and tapping into the miracle of our existenceFocusing on our good nature to improve the state of the world“I wanted the truth, but I wasn't going to get it through studying matter. I was going to get it by going inward.” – Hameed AliAbout Hameed Ali:Hameed Ali is a writer who operates under the pen name A.H. Almaas. Hameed is the founder of the Diamond Approach to Self-Realization, a contemporary teaching that developed within the context of both ancient spiritual teachings and modern depth psychology theories. He has authored eighteen books about spiritual realization, including the Diamond Heart series, The Pearl Beyond Price, The Void, The Alchemy of Freedom, and Non-Dual Love: Awakening to the Loving Nature of Reality. Hameed is also the founder of the Ridhwan School for Spiritual Development, an inner work school devoted to the realization of True Nature. The orientation of the school is directed toward guiding students to realize their true nature to the fullest realization and further still to endless enlightenment.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Host Michael Taft speaks with teacher, author, and founder of the Diamond Approach to Self-Realization A. H. Almaas on the topic of Nondual Love, the qualities of awareness itself, the five dimensions of our fundamental nature, the differences between individual love and nondual love, the importance of being human, and how to know yourself as a “boundless ocean of nectar.” A. Hameed Ali, whose pen name is A. H. Almaas, is founder of the Diamond Approach to Self-Realization, a contemporary teaching that developed within the context of both ancient spiritual teachings and modern depth psychology theories. Almaas has authored eighteen books about spiritual realization, including the Diamond Heart series, The Pearl Beyond Price, The Void, and The Alchemy of Freedom.The Diamond ApproachYou can support the creation of future episodes of this podcast by contributing through Patreon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo host this captivating conversation into divine and personal love with two modern-day mystics, held dear by SAND. Love, a powerful catalyst for transformation on the spiritual path, resonates at the core of our being. Through this dialogue, we will transcend the limitations of a narrow, individualized perception of love, immersing ourselves in the boundless realm of our true nature—a universal expression of pure love. Episcopal priest, writer, and internationally known retreat leader, Cynthia Bourgeault divides her time between solitude at her coastal home in Maine and a demanding schedule traveling globally to teach and spread the recovery of the Christian contemplative path. She is the founding Director of both The Contemplative Society and the Aspen Wisdom School. Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas), Founder of the Diamond Approach, was born in the Middle East, but at age 18 he moved to the USA to study at the University of California in Berkeley. Hameed was working on his Ph.D. in physics, where he was studying Einstein's theory of general relativity and nuclear physics, when he reached a turning point in his life and destiny that led him more and more into inquiring into the psychological and spiritual aspects of human nature. Hameed is the founder of the Diamond Approach®—a spiritual teaching that utilizes a unique kind of inquiry into realization.

We come into this world with a basic trust in the goodness of life. And our trials, tribulations, and traumas cover up that trust, or shatter it completely. In this discussion of his new book, Nondual Love, Tami Simon speaks with author and teacher A.H. Almaas about spiritual self-inquiry and the path toward reclaiming our sense of the boundless benevolence of the universe.  Take a deep, relaxing breath in a quiet, comfortable place and dive in to this inspiring, expansive conversation exploring: the Diamond Approach to spiritual realization; inner work as the quest to understand the content of consciousness; how truth is a continuum; the nature of experience and knowing; satchitananda; the Buddhist concept of selflessness; universal love and Sufism's "ocean with no shores"; permanent realization; the ego and the inner Jabba the Hutt; "living daylight" and the overcoming of fear; how full embodiment frees us from our "diamond issues"; relaxation as the first step in experiencing nondual reality; asking yourself, "what's in the way?"; and more. To learn more about the Diamond Approach, visit https://www.diamondapproach.org/ Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

We come into this world with a basic trust in the goodness of life. And our trials, tribulations, and traumas cover up that trust, or shatter it completely. In this discussion of his new book, Nondual Love, Tami Simon speaks with author and teacher A.H. Almaas about spiritual self-inquiry and the path toward reclaiming our sense of the boundless benevolence of the universe.  Take a deep, relaxing breath in a quiet, comfortable place and dive in to this inspiring, expansive conversation exploring: the Diamond Approach to spiritual realization; inner work as the quest to understand the content of consciousness; how truth is a continuum; the nature of experience and knowing; satchitananda; the Buddhist concept of selflessness; universal love and Sufism's "ocean with no shores"; permanent realization; the ego and the inner Jabba the Hutt; "living daylight" and the overcoming of fear; how full embodiment frees us from our "diamond issues"; relaxation as the first step in experiencing nondual reality; asking yourself, "what's in the way?"; and more. To learn more about the Diamond Approach, visit https://www.diamondapproach.org/ Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We come into this world with a basic trust in the goodness of life. And our trials, tribulations, and traumas cover up that trust, or shatter it completely. In this discussion of his new book, Nondual Love, Tami Simon speaks with author and teacher A.H. Almaas about spiritual self-inquiry and the path toward reclaiming our sense of the boundless benevolence of the universe.  Take a deep, relaxing breath in a quiet, comfortable place and dive in to this inspiring, expansive conversation exploring: the Diamond Approach to spiritual realization; inner work as the quest to understand the content of consciousness; how truth is a continuum; the nature of experience and knowing; satchitananda; the Buddhist concept of selflessness; universal love and Sufism's "ocean with no shores"; permanent realization; the ego and the inner Jabba the Hutt; "living daylight" and the overcoming of fear; how full embodiment frees us from our "diamond issues"; relaxation as the first step in experiencing nondual reality; asking yourself, "what's in the way?"; and more. Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

Today on the You Can Heal Your Life Podcast, join Elliott Connie, co-founder of The Solution Focused Universe and one of the most respected and innovative experts in his field for a discussion with Hay House Executive Editor Melody Guy. Elliott introduces his brand-new audiobook The Solution Focused Brief Therapy Diamond co-authored with Dr. Adam Froerer and explains their therapeutic approach to solution focused brief therapy. Their unique approach focuses on the client's desired outcome instead of ongoing problems and how clients can use resources available to them to achieve realistic goals. You can listen to the full audiobook FREE with a trial of the Empower You Unlimited Audio App.  To download the app today, visit hayhouse.com/empoweryou.

Realizing True Nature: A conversation with Hameed Ali and Tara Brach - Hameed Ali is an author, spiritual teacher and founder of the Diamond Approach to Self-Realization. In this interview we explore ways of approaching awakening to who we are, and look at the importance of befriending the experience of separate self, and actively investigating the blocks - our contracted sense of identity - that obscure the goodness and love of our true nature. Our time weaves in the inspiration of Hameed's most recent book, Nondual Love, (his pen name A.H. Almaas is listed as author.)