The Cutting Edge, Your Cutting Practice Is One of Inquiry

Ep. 43 (Part 1 of 2) | A.H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), renowned author and co-creator of the Diamond Approach, a complete spiritual path that flows out of his direct personal experience and realization, informed by the great wisdom traditions and practices, describes here his own process of inquiry and some of what he has come to discover in his lifelong pursuit to understand the nature of reality and know the truth. 

Hameed tells us answers come in the form of experiences rather than words and that there is no end to what we can realize about our true nature and reality itself. He talks about experiencing the authentic presence of being; the dynamics of realization; the paradox of practice; the importance of curiosity; and the joy of discovery. What makes time possible and what makes timelessness possible? What happens when we die? Throughout the conversation, Hameed transmits a quiet exuberance, humor, profound wisdom, and deep peace. This is a remarkable, inspiring, sometimes astonishing dialogue that will illuminate and exhilarate your understanding of the nature of reality and our potential as human beings. Recorded August 10, 2022.

“Reality really has much more up its sleeve than any human being can imagine.”

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

Topics & Time Stamps - Part 1

• Roger introduces Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) and the Diamond Approach (01:09)
• The practice of direct inquiry into the fundamental nature of reality: the answers come in experiences rather than words (05:10)
• Trusting reality to take us to what is good for us; reality is self revealing (08:14)
• The “paradox of practice”: recognizing our inherent helplessness and hopelessness (10:19) 
• Hameed’s initial opening: recognizing the authentic presence of being (13:06)
• Each awakening has a particular view: nonduality and beyond (15:09)
• Holding on to a view becomes a delusion, regardless of the realization (18:51)
• The “view of totality”: a metaperspective allowing for endless realizations and openings and appreciation of the boundless creativity of the universe (21:37)
• Many teachings are working towards liberation and freedom from suffering, but Hameed “wanted to understand reality and to know the truth” (25:22)
• Enlightenment itself evolves, it keeps moving (28:33)
• The dichotomy between spiritual and material is a construct (35:10)
• Discovery is part of life, part of realization (37:18)
• The completion of realization is going out in the world, learning how to live it (39:04)

Resources & References - Part 1

• Hameed Ali (A.H. Almaas), creator of The Ridhwan School and The Diamond Approach
• A. H. Almaas, Runaway Realization: Living a Life of Ceaseless Discovery*
• A. H. Almaas,The Alchemy of Freedom: The Philosophers’ Stone and the Secrets of Existence*
• A. H. Almaas, Keys to the Enneagram: How to Unlock the Highest Potential of Every Personality Type*
• A. H. Almaas, Love Unveiled: Discovering the Essence of the Awakened Heart*
• A. H. Almaas, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence*
• A. H. Almaas books page on Amazon*
• Diamond Approach YouTube videos with A. H. Almaas
• Ken Wilber, philosopher, author, creator of Integral Theory, The Integral Vision*
• Sri Aurobindo, Indian philosopher, poet, yoga guru
• Dzogchen, a tradition of teachings in Tibetan Buddhism
• Vedanta, one of six schools of Hindu philosophy
• Huayan Buddhism, a school of Buddhism that includes the Round Teaching, an understanding of the other-dependent nature of ultimate reality, a unilocal view
• Dogen, founder of the Sōtō School of Zen

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

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A. 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.

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Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell