Two Pioneers of Science and Spirit Expand the Frontiers of Understanding
For centuries, science and philosophy have drawn clear borders: scientists focused on the physical world, and philosophers studied the spiritual. Today that wall is coming down, thanks to innovative teachers like A. H. Almaas and Dr. Daniel Siegel, and the free flow of ideas and information has created a new renaissance of wisdom. On October 19, 2013, these two modern luminaries engaged in a conversation created to spark new ideas and insights about the nature of the mind and soul, the relationship between consciousness and the brain, and the mystery of personal transformation.
Now you can experience this extraordinary meeting between A. H. Almaas, the creator of the breakthrough spiritual practice The Diamond Approach, and interpersonal neurobiologist Dr. Daniel Siegel, author of The Mindful Brain. In this daylong conversation, Siegel and Almaas investigate both the convergence and contrasts of spiritual and scientific ways of knowing ourselves. Focusing on the nature of personal transformation and the unfolding of identity, their wide-ranging discussion covers three major themes:
Part One: The Mind and the Soul
• The soul and the mind—how they are understood by both spiritual traditions and the latest neuroscience
• The relationship between Being, Essence, the brain, and consciousness
• How the mind relates to the brain, and the far-reaching implications of neuroplasticity—the ability of the mind to change our neural tissue
• Why the soul is no longer off-limits to scientific inquiry
Part Two: Self, Relationships, and Well-Being
• What is the self and how does it develop?
• How a sense of self emerges in life, in our relationships, and throughout development
• How relational and psychological trauma impair the development of well-being and the unfolding of inner knowing across one's lifespan
• The role of interpersonal and close, intimate relationships in the development of our identity
•The therapeutic-patient and student-teacher relationships—how these two models for wisdom transmission overlap and inform each other
Part Three: The Mystery of Transformation
• What science and traditions say about the need for and nature of spiritual growth
• The nature of meditation and how spiritual practices and scientific studies perceive the process of inner reflection
• How fixed personality traits like narcissism or greed influence personal well-being and spiritual growth
• What are the fundamental shared and contrasted views from science and spirituality on the nature of transformation?
• Are there goals for transformation? If so, what are they?
• How can we live a life of compassion, kindness, and discovery in the face of everyday stress and global change?