The Alchemy of Transformation: Exploring the Essence of Presence with A. H. Almaas (Part 2)

Ep. 167 (Part 2 of 2) | In the 7th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali enlightens us as to the nature of presence. Our path begins with the recognition that spirit is presence, he explains, an insight which all spiritual traditions share; this is where most of their focus lies. But this is not the end of the story, Hameed tells us—discovering spirit is only half the work. The other half is actualizing presence by clarifying and purifying our souls. Presence works as an agent of transformation in this process; appearing in our souls as curiosity and a love of truth, it leads us home. The discussion turns to virtues, the fruition of realization, and how it is that realized teachers can behave in entirely unethical ways: “realization is no guarantee of ethical behavior.”

This conversation is packed with insights regarding many related topics: how ethics most importantly concern our relations with others, that kindness becomes spontaneous for the true master, the distinction between universal grace and specific grace, how inner spaciousness or emptiness is the other side of the coin from presence or fullness, and the question arises, “Why is it that some people are interested in going deeper and others not?” Hameed also speaks of his own experience of unilocal realization, where all time and space are found in the center of the heart and accessing information from the future is possible. It is not so much I am this or that, he says, it’s simply I am. This warm, illuminating discussion has a fascinating flow and sparks many instances of quiet laughter on all sides. Recorded December 12, 2024.

“True nature is a real magician; to know yourself as that magician is true realization.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2

• Living ethically is conducive to realization (00:50)
• True mastery means your kindness is spontaneous (02:15)
• Ethics apply more at an ego level; spirit has its own principles (04:28)
• Feeling the pain of being constricted is one way the spiritual impulse arises (05:59)
• Why do some people want to go deeper than others? (06:40)
• The love of truth leads us home: the dynamic of realization (09:14)
• Unilocal realization: experiencing all time and space in the heart (11:10)
• Hameed can learn from his future self and from people who have died (12:26)
• Trusting ourselves, and the distinction between universal grace and specific grace (16:28)
• Practice helps make us grace-prone; most people need a teacher or guide (19:24)
• Presence is the fullness and inner spaciousness the emptiness side of things (21:50)
• True nature is a real magician; to know yourself as that magician is true realization (26:52) 
• Space/time emanates from our true nature (29:02)
• Ethics are relative to our time and culture; but essential ethics are timeless (31:24)
• Selflessness and concern for the well-being of all has grown over time (33:35)

Resources & References – Part 2

• 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
• Abraham Maslow’s term metamotivation, the motivation of people who are self-actualized
• Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, 16th Karmapa
• Sri Atmananda Krishna Menon
• Dzogchen Rinpoche
• Dōgen Zenji, founder of the Sōtō school of Zen
• A. H. Almaas, The Void: Inner Spaciousness and Ego Structure
• Dzogchen, a tradition of teachings in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and Bön aimed at discovering and continuing in the ultimate ground of existence

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.

---

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