Daniel Schmidt, the documentarian behind the fantastic Samadhi film series, shares the best practices he's found for spiritual awakening. This includes the ones used in the Samadhi Center's 7-Day I AM Retreat.

We touch on meditation, psychedelics, and even relating practices (like Charles Berner's two-person method of self-inquiry). But most of all, we investigate how any spiritual tool for awakening might be used on the Pathless Path.

Schmidt's wide-ranging interests and masterful way of communicating esoteric spiritual wisdom makes for a deeply rewarding conversation. And it's wonderful getting to hear the voice behind so many great films responding to questions!

You can find his work at:

• Awaken the World (https://awakentheworld.com/)
• Awaken the World YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmzsYSXn3zdCsLS063oCt8w)
• 7-Day IAM Retreat (https://awakentheworld.com/onlineretreats/)

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Stemless is a radical new entry to the world of the relational arts, mindfulness, and social meditation. It takes us out into uncharted waters, where we use skillful projection to wake us up and make vital contact with how we create our reality.

We brought the entire founding team on to talk about what Stemless is, how it came from and builds off of Circling, and what you can expect when you jam with this new practice.

(BTW, welcome back James to the pod. We recently had him one for Episode 79 with Month of Potential.)

Check them out here:

• Their website (https://stemless.org/)
• Their MUST READ Substack (https://stemless.substack.com/)
• Their WhatsApp for updates on online and in-person events (https://chat.whatsapp.com/CMrtH2sjSNB2DPH1Q4crFY?mode=ac_t)

Here is a blurb from the Stemless team to learn more:

‘Stemless’ is a relational presence practice where we connect via direct transmission of our rich inner experience without explanation. We aim to glimpse and own not just our arising feelings but our overall perceptions.

As a group or in pairs, we share what’s happening between us in the here and now, free of violence (meaning: deeply owned). To start off, we practice using overt sentence stems, being careful to use language that doesn’t crowd anyone else’s experience (eg. “This is just my story, but I think you might be angry?”).

Then comes ‘stemless’, where we open toward the more mysterious space where all projections can be recognized as inherently toothless. Without overt management, even an expression like “You’re the devil!” can be, paradoxically, conflict-free. It becomes just another beautiful opportunity to meet in connection.

Past participants have said the practice is psychedelic, pointless, deeply connecting and alive, endlessly frustrating, what do I do with all this freedom!? and “the most important relating practice that I know of, in the world.”

We find intimacy in truth by foregrounding the often-unsayable stories we’re constantly inventing about ourselves and each other. Our notion of connection is not in achieving a shared understanding of who or what we are. Rather, we attempt to lucid dream in our waking lives: to catch ourselves in the act of inventing the characters we see (and imagine ourselves to be).

Feelings of connection might come, but they are not the goal, and this might feel awkward or weird at times. Participants will likely feel dropped or unacknowledged, at times or often. You will hopefully also experience a kaleidoscopic tilting of your world’s dream logic; laughter; insight; and a taste of our passion for this practice. A meditative practice of surrendering to reality expressing itself through each of us in every moment.

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Keep it namaste 🙏

The brilliant Andrew Venezia comes on the podcast to talk about the many layers of Circling. He takes us from the basics of an interbeing practice to deep insights into the nature of reality itself. It's a mind-bending episode, but it's always grounded in Andrew's warmth and openness to the questions themselves.

• You can work with Andrew by visiting his website here: https://www.andrewlouisvenezia.life/
• You can also go right ahead and book a conversation with him here: https://www.andrewlouisvenezia.life/schedule-a-psychoactive-conversation

Also, you'll notice we have a new theme song! That comes from The Purples!

Support Our Work
📈 Like, subscribe, rate, and review
🙌 Become a patron on Patreon
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Connect and Learn More About the Relational Arts
🖥️ Our website (www.thecontainerpod.com)
📺 Our YouTube (www.youtube.com/@TheContainerPod)
👥 Our Facebook group

Keep it namaste 🙏