Adventures in Awareness

By Amir Giles

Conversations and meditations on self, the nature of reality, & consciousness.

With meditators, philosophers, mystics and scientists we examine non-duality, exploration of mind and the phenomena ... more

4.9

1111 ratings

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about Adventures in Awareness:

How many episodes does Adventures in Awareness have?

The podcast currently has 23 episodes available.

Adventures in Awareness episodes:

November 17, 2020 #3 Psychedelics, Meditation & Enlightenment - Dr James Cooke
In collaboration with The Psychedelic Society, Amir Giles is hosting a series of conversations on Psychedelics, Meditation & Enlightenment. For upcoming events find us at https://psychedelicsociety.org.uk/events https://www.adventuresinawareness.com

Listening is free, but your support is appreciated!
If you would like to contribute this initiative, donations are gratefully accepted. You can support via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/adventuresinawareness
or make one off PayPal donations here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/adventuresin

Podcast #3: Dr James Cooke

Oxford trained Neuro-scientist, James Cooke shares his early life awakening experiences, his healing and embodiment journey through psychedelics, and his recently published theory on how consciousness and life are two co-emergent properties of the universe and what that means for living an enlightened life.
00:52 - Necker Cube
3:00 - Religious crisis to awakening to the present moment
8:20 - Tibetan Dzogchen
10:00 - Unintegrated enlightenment, and choosing academia over the monastery
14:00 - Experimental psychology at Oxford and choosing science over philosophy
17:00 - Science, nonduality and democratisation of psychedelics
19:00 - The collapse of all thought into the present moment
20:00 - Psychedelic experiences as genuine mystical experience
22:00 - James Cook’s understanding of Enlightenment
Consciousness as a co-emergent property with life - and to exist is to strive
29:00 - Different from idealism
30:00 - Enlightenment as being close to death, enlightenment not the goal
35.30 - Balancing enlightenment with life
41:40 - Many centres of experience
49:23 - Nondual states including being and striving
56:55 - The value of science as a gateway and grounding to the mystical
1:07:40 - Views on metaphysical idealism
1:16:30 - Islands don’t exist
1:21:00 - Distinction with pan-psychism
1:23:00 - Organisms made out of many organisms 1:30:00 - All life is conscious
1:34:00 - Psychedelics, mysticism, embodiment and healing
1:40:00 - The power of redemptive love and psychedelics as party of healthy human culture
1:49:50 - The distraction of visuals in psychedelics, and the healing power of different substances
...more
2h 8min
October 20, 2020 #2 Psychedelics, Meditation & Enlightenment - Stephen Reid
In collaboration with The Psychedelic Society, Amir Giles is hosting a series of conversations on Psychedelics, Meditation & Enlightenment. For upcoming events find us here.
Listening is free, but your support is appreciated! If you would like to contribute this initiative, donations are gratefully accepted. You can support via Patreon or make one off PayPal donations here.
Podcast #2: Stephen Reid

Stephen Reid discusses his personal journey and mystical insights through the intersection between quantum field theory, complexity science, meditation and psychedelics.   Stephen is a cultural change maker, co-operative technologist and founder of the Psychedelic Society. He completed a Masters in Complexity Science at the University of Bristol as well as a Masters in Physics specialising quantum field theory at the University Oxford University.

He was also the youngest ever board member of Greenpeace UK, and selected as the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Totnes. As well as quantum field theory and Complexity Science, Stephen has training in software development, meditation, plant medicine, and political activism.

Discussion points include:
0:40 Mystical Experiences and Quantum Field Theory at Oxford University
4:00 David Bohm - Physics may be infinite
7.30 Physics, metaphysics and mystical experience - the limits of understanding
9:30 Complexity sciences - self organisation & emergence as a bridge to psychedelics
8:30 Science as a platform and context for useful psychedelic experiences
14:00 From Bohm to Krishnamurti - from physics to meditation
15:30 Tao Te Ching as a resonance with complexity sciences
16:20 Zig Zag zen and vipassana
20:00 The value of skepticism around psychedelic trips
22:30 Meditation on Tao te Ching, Seeing that Frees, Reger Rey
24:30 The value of meditation as a support for psychedelic trips, a buffer against bad trips
26:50 The motivations to meditate and to take psychedelics: there is only enlightened action
            Balancing insight & compassion
https://stephenreid.net
...more
1h 15min
October 15, 2020 Psychedelics, Meditation & Enlightenment - Dr Daniel Ingram
In collaboration with The Psychedelic Society, Amir Giles is hosting a series of conversations on Psychedelics, Meditation & Enlightenment. For upcoming events with Psychedelic Society click here.

Listening is free, but your support is appreciated! https://www.patreon.com/adventuresinawareness
Podcast #1: Dr Daniel Ingram
Daniel Ingram discusses to what extent psychedelics can either help or hinder in persistent shifts in consciousness and spiritual type awakenings, and is it possible to access the kind of perceptual shifts common on psychedelics in other contexts, and in day to day life?
Daniel is an emergency room physician, author of ‘Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha,’ founder of Dharma Overground and holds an M.D., M.S.P.H. in Epidemiology, and B.A. in English Literature all from UNC Chapel Hill.
TOPICS

1:13    Background to Daniel Ingram’s experience
4:31   On the lack of formal research on psychedelics and spiritual awakening
7:13    Formal approaches and maps leading to awakening
8:38 What do psychedelics do; gateways, mystical experiences, damaging and very occasionally permanent transformative awakenings.
13:33 Distinction between spiritual experience and permanent awakening. DMT, psilocyn, salvia, ketamine.
14:50 Psychedelic experiences don’t last long enough for new brain structures to form

MAPS AND STAGES OF AWAKENING

17.03 Maps and stages of awakening; Arising and passing away, Dark night, Equanimity, Formal awakening
21:45 The unitive experiences of equanimity
21:30 Psychedelics vs meditation retreats
22:20 Research comparing psychedelics and meditation
22:46 Formal awakening and stream entry vrs temporary experiences
PSYCHEDELICS AS PART OF THE PATH
27:30 Psychedelics as part of the path; the parameters of the debate
   As a gateway and a motivator
   Difficult to integrate & sometimes damaging
    As a clarifier
33:30 Micro-dosing; potential for habituation
35:13 Opportunity costs and risks of meditation
39:26 Awakening in indigenous, shamanic and magical traditions
44:30 To trip or not? You have to do your research, know your options.
47:13 Fire Kasina & non substance psychedelic experiences
50:43 The risk, speed and cleanliness; meditation vrs psychedelics
53:30 Handling the weird - psychedelics as the meditation retreat audition
54:43 Is the hero's journey required for the end of suffering?
FUTURE RESEARCH AND DIRECTIONS
59:00 Other voices to follow
1:01:13 Taking your wider life into consideration; responsible spirituality
1:05:03 Prospects for future research: Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium - categorizing the experiences that people have, clearer diagnostics and practise recommendations.
Daniel Ingram’s website
Erowid
Manual of Psychedelic Support

...more
1h 17min

FAQs about Adventures in Awareness:

How many episodes does Adventures in Awareness have?

The podcast currently has 23 episodes available.

More shows like Adventures in Awareness

The Tim Ferriss Show by Tim Ferriss: Bestselling Author, Human Guinea Pig

The Tim Ferriss Show

16,160 Listeners

Tricycle Talks by Tricycle: The Buddhist Review

Tricycle Talks

378 Listeners

Making Sense with Sam Harris by Sam Harris

Making Sense with Sam Harris

26,371 Listeners

Sounds True: Insights at the Edge by Tami Simon

Sounds True: Insights at the Edge

1,878 Listeners

Buddha at the Gas Pump by Rick Archer

Buddha at the Gas Pump

651 Listeners

Entitled Opinions (about Life and Literature) by Robert Harrison

Entitled Opinions (about Life and Literature)

513 Listeners

Weird Studies by SpectreVision Radio

Weird Studies

598 Listeners

This Jungian Life Podcast by Joseph Lee, Deborah Stewart, Lisa Marchiano

This Jungian Life Podcast

1,676 Listeners

Within Reason by Alex J O'Connor

Within Reason

1,663 Listeners

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss by Lawrence M. Krauss

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss

507 Listeners

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal by Theories of Everything

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

20 Listeners

The Way Out Is In by Plum Village

The Way Out Is In

1,365 Listeners

The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens by Nate Hagens

The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens

432 Listeners

The Telepathy Tapes by Ky Dickens

The Telepathy Tapes

8,899 Listeners

The Last Invention by Longview

The Last Invention

1,160 Listeners