Ep. 219 (Part 1 of 2) | Constitutional Law expert and Ethics professor Mark Fischler joins Deep Transformation again, to help us make sense of the slide towards authoritarianism happening in the United States today. Mark’s vast knowledge of the law, the Constitution, and the Supreme Court, his deep comprehension of ethics and morality, his Integral understanding, and his profound contemplative awareness all make for an extraordinary exploration of what is going on in this country at levels we don’t often consider. Beginning with examples of events in 2025 that are representative of various facets of authoritarianism, Mark goes on to discuss how the very crassness of the current Administration is undermining democracy: “We need to demand civil, fact-based discussion from our leaders, but we’re all accepting it’s okay to act like toddlers and dehumanize each other.”

Mark cites some stunning figures illustrating the widespread ignorance of democratic processes and institutions among the populace in this country, and describes why a lack of civic understanding makes us susceptible to authoritarians coming in and taking over. He also acknowledges that progressives are at fault for marginalizing conservatives, and calls on us to recognize the honor and dignity of all people, regardless of their politics—this is part of the solution, he explains. Mark’s passionate caring, wanting the best for all people and all beings, is a current that flows throughout, grounding the discussion in a beautiful way, while also making for a heartbreaking contrast relative to the chilling events happening in the political arena now. Recorded December 4, 2025.

“An ignorant people can never remain a free people.” – Thomas Jefferson

1. Introducing a frequent guest on Deep Transformation: Ethics, Law & Criminal Justice professor Mark Fischler, to help us make sense of our deteriorating democracy (00:43)
2. The trajectory of Trump’s presidency: the devolution of democracy towards authoritarian government (01:51)
3. John presents defining characteristics of fascism according to A. I. (04:01)
4. How does Mark define authoritarianism? (07:24)
5. Mark offers examples of 12 hallmarks of authoritarian government that happened in 2025, beginning with the stifling of dissent and speech (08:12)
6. Statistics on how U.S. citizens feel our democracy is performing (16:51)
7. What surprises Mark the most? The crassness & crudeness of the Trump Administration (18:15)
8. The deterioration in the greater culture at large: who and what is responsible? (21:19)
9. Deflecting our attention using whataboutism breeds cynicism & corrodes our democracy (24:45)
10. We need to demand civil, fact-based discussion from our leaders, but we’re all accepting it’s okay to act like toddlers and dehumanize each other (30:00)

Ep. 218 (Part 2 of 2) | In Part 2 of the 17th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali explores the great freedom we experience when we allow being itself to unfold through us—when we let reality take its course without our egoic selves getting in the way. When we are out of the way, Hameed explains, all the virtues come through us: responsibility, ethics, morality, compassion, caring, sensitivity, and more. These ideals are not human-made, he says, they are expressions of our true nature. In fact, Hameed adds, this is what a true human is; expressing the absolute is the fulfillment of life.

Just knowing the absolute does not eliminate all obstacles, Hameed continues. Even as we go very deep, there are “ego islands” that pose ongoing difficulties. But the practice is to be with our experience and let it inform us—allow our life experiences to become the arena for the expression of spirit. All we need to do is abide in the knowing that the absolute is expressing itself through us, Hameed says. And laughs telling a story about the “do nothing” instructions of lamas and Zen teachers, as they attempt to show their students that there is nothing to be done but get out of the way. All manifestation, our lives, even our problems and challenges and getting lost in the illusion is all a play of the absolute, Roger reflects. Another very rich, deeply nourishing conversation with A. H. Almaas. Recorded November 13, 2025.

“If we become mature enough to cease and desist, to let reality take its course… when we’re out of the way, true nature will come through—that’s what a true human is.”

1. Is there such a thing as a false descent? (00:33)
2. Most of the time, a realization of the absolute is incomplete—there are still some issues that haven’t been worked out (01:43)
3. Hameed’s teachings expanded as his experience expanded (04:22)
4. Even a spiritual teacher with an incomplete realization can be helpful; what causes trouble is when teachers don’t acknowledge their knowing is limited (07:26)
5. All we need to do is abide in the knowing that the absolute is expressing itself through us (12:25)
6. The practice is to be with our experience; the ego gets in the way by trying to take over (15:00)
7. The great freedom of allowing reality to take its course: the do nothing meditation (18:02)
8. Our life is fulfilled when we’re acting at the behest of the absolute (23:10)
9. Even as we know the absolute, there is always more to be free from (24:17)
10. The central issue of descent is letting go of all identification—of our ego, even of the absolute (28:41)
11. Reality is such an interesting thing—even ignorance is an interesting thing (31:57)
12. True nature is indestructible, incorruptible—at bottom it is...

Ep. 217 (Part 1 of 2) | In the 17th dialogue of the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali explores the classic spiritual theme: the journey of descent. What happens after we awaken, having had a realization of the deepest kind? The path of descent, where we retain the awareness of what came with our experience of the absolute, and bring it into our life, expressing it with every aspect of our being. Many teachings talk about the ascent (the journey of awakening) and the descent, Hameed explains, but when they talk about the descent, they interpret it as an individual coming down the mountain with their great realization. Hameed thought this was how it happened too, he laughs. But then it became clear to him following his own descent that it is not an enlightened individual who descends back into the world—it’s the absolute. In Christian terms, it’s the father who comes, appearing as the son.

What was it like for Hameed as he descended, living in the absolute dimension at the same time as living in the everyday world? co-host John Dupuy asks. Something transcendent lives through the body with the individual as the organ of perception, Hameed responds. “The entire universe becomes subtle shimmerings…like the waves in quantum theory; the blackness so extreme that it shines—and that sheen is the world.” Different from the classic Eastern spiritual path, where what is significant is living the transcendent rather than living regular life, in the Diamond Approach (Hameed’s path), actualization is the goal, coming back to the everyday world and living life as an expression of the Absolute. Recorded November 13, 2025.

“It is inherent to true nature for it to be lived in the world.”

1. Introducing the 17th dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, focusing on the journey of descent: actualizing the realization of the absolute (00:39)
2. The path begins with the journey of ascent, then comes realization, then the path of descent: actualization, living your realization (04:46)
3. Being in the world and not of it is an important principle of the Diamond Approach (06:44)
4. What was it like for Hameed as he descended, living in the absolute dimension and the everyday world simultaneously? (08:17)
5. It’s not the individual who descends but the Absolute (14:45)
6. Differentiating from the Eastern spiritual path, where what’s important is living the transcendent rather than living life (19:33)
7. Are there obstacles to the descent? (20:44)
8. In descent, the entire universe becomes subtle shimmerings… like the waves in quantum theory (25:04)
9. Something transcendent lives through the body; the individual is the organ of perception (27:06)
10. Hameed was already a spiritual teacher, sharing about the journey of ascent, before he experienced the journey of descent (29:49)
11. Can a person...