A growing number of people are beginning to see things in a radically different way. In other words, more and more of us are starting to “wake up” spiritually—to discover an entirely new identity beyond the usual sense of who we think we are.
 
But what is spiritual awakening, really? How does it happen—and what are the consequences? Is it possible to attune to this dimension of experience at any moment?
 
In Waking Up, Volume 1, Sounds True publisher and founder Tami Simon speaks with seven teachers about their personal understanding of spiritual awakening—how it takes place, what changes (and what doesn’t), and how their experiences can inspire and inform our own realization.
 
Volume 1 Guests and Topics:
 
“A Radical Shift in Identity” with Adyashanti
 
Tami and Adya discuss the profound shift in identity that marks the beginning of awakening, “freebie” awakenings versus realizations brought about through conscious practice, important events along Adya’s personal path, and more.
 
“Loving Ourselves into Freedom” with Tara Brach
 
The illusion that something is wrong—with me, with you, with the world—might be our primary obstacle to awakening. Tami and Tara discuss the role of radical acceptance on the path, and how awakening “dawns and deepens” with practice, openness, and love.
 
“A Freedom That Leaves Nothing Out” with Reginald A. Ray
 
Dr. Ray offers the perspective of Vajrayana Buddhism on the question of spiritual awakening, speaking with Tami about “waking down”—the somatic experience of the depths of who and what we are—and the freedom of life itself that awaits our discovery.
 
“Awake, Yes, But Keep Practicing” with Sally Kempton
 
Tami and Sally explore spiritual awakening from the perspective of the kundalini yoga tradition, discussing awakening to awareness compared to awakening to love, the nondual understanding of kundalini energy, and more.
 
“Small Glimpses, Many Times” with Loch Kelly
 
Loch Kelly joins Tami for a discussion of awakening as the next natural stage of human development, meditative and inquiry techniques for “unhooking” local awareness and exploring varying levels of consciousness, and more.
 
“The Death of the Little Me” with Eckhart Tolle
 
In his bestseller The Power of Now, Eckhart wrote only three paragraphs to describe his awakening experience. In this excerpt from an interview conducted for EckhartTolleTV.com, Tami and Eckhart discuss in detail the profound transformation he experienced and how it continued to unfold in his life.
 
“The Mandala of Awakening” with Jack Kornfield
 
Jack and Tami discuss the mystery of our human incarnation, the many dimensions of awakening, and the spiritual path not as a self-improvement project but as the work of “perfecting our love.”
 
A radical shift in identity. The direct experience of unity with all things. Unexplainable joy and a blissful ease of being. These are just some of the ways in which people have described the experience of spiritual awakening. But is it the same for everyone? What if we’ve only had glimpses of “waking up?” How does the process unfold—and does it end? Join us in Waking Up for an exciting investigation of these profound questions and more.