Navigating Duality and Non-Duality

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

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

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

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

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1

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

Resources & References – Part 1

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

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

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

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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