Sounds True: Insights at the Edge A.H. Almaas and Henry Shukman: “The Many Faces of Awakening”
Dec 16, 2025
Join A.H. Almaas, the founder of the Diamond Approach, and Henry Shukman, a Zen teacher, as they dive into the multifaceted nature of awakening. They discuss how awakening is a continuous journey rather than a final destination. Almaas and Shukman explore themes like the significance of listening with an open heart, tackling fear with compassion, and the relationship between emptiness and personal transformation. Their conversation reveals awakening as an experience of infinite love, emphasizing community and teacher support in the journey.
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Awakening As Discovery Of Non-Separation
- Awakening overturns the ordinary self and reveals a register of experience where separation dissolves.
- Henry Shukman and A. H. Almaas describe it as discovering a more real, inseparable reality beyond personal identity.
Many Faces, One Range
- Different traditions emphasize different faces of the same awakened reality rather than one identical experience.
- Henry Shukman calls true nature a jewel with many faces and says awakening is an ongoing, evolving process.
Do The Work, Stay Open
- If you're seeking awakening, commit to genuine practices and don't be rigid about one teaching.
- A. H. Almaas recommends doing the practices, staying open, and letting a valid path reveal freedom.
