Contemplating Death: Insights from Philosophy and Spirituality

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

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

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

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

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2

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

Resources & References – Part 2

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

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

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

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

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

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell