Ep. 204 (Part 1 of 2) | In the fourteenth dialogue in the A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, Hameed Ali explores the nonconceptual nature of the dimension of pure awareness, guiding us into the realm that lies beyond conceptual dichotomies such as being/nonbeing, being/doing, duality/nonduality, good/bad, and meaningful/meaningless. Beyond knowing, this dimension exposes and challenges conceptual polarities, and when we arrive at this level of realization we are able to trust letting go of knowingness and wake up to pure awareness. People fear annihilation at the prospect of going beyond concepts, Hameed explains, and it does lead to a death: the death of mind, the death of the doer. But even here beyond knowing, Hameed continues, the nonconceptual always operates from compassion and love.

How do we develop a continuity of nonconceptual awareness? Roger and John wonder. One way is when knowing is integrated into being, Hameed answers. Then everything just happens; the doing is funneled through the individual. And there is another way, through developing the “pearl beyond price,” the individual, Hameed adds, but this way is rare. As co-host Roger Walsh says, this is an especially nourishing, stimulating, and intriguing discussion, with Hameed doing a beautiful job of relating how our concepts form the basis of our existence and what it means to transcend them, let go of our mind, deconstruct our perception of ourselves as the “doer,” and wake up to pure awareness. Recorded August 14, 2025.

“To be in the nonconceptual state, i.e. in sitting meditation, is half of it, but to actualize it is the other half.”

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1

Introducing the 14th dialogue in the
A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series, focusing on nonconceptual awareness & transcending conceptual dichotomies (00:51)
Nondual reality, at the heart of The Inner Journey Home, is differentiated into five dimensions, each of which reveals something important about the deconstruction process that happens with spiritual practice (03:41)
Nonconceptual means beyond the capacity of knowing (07:34)
The experience of pure awareness transcends the dichotomy of existence/nonexistence (10:02)
In Dzogchen, rigpa includes knowing—but pure awareness means no knowing, just perception (10:30)
The dichotomy of being/doing is often a “sticking place” in our practice (16:10)
How do we develop a continuity of nonconceptual awareness? (19:44)
People fear annihilation at the prospect of going beyond concepts, and it does lead to the death of mind, the death of the doer (23:03)
With this level of realization, we can trust letting go of our knowingness (27:10)
What are ways for actualization to occur? (29:20)
In true, deep sleep there is cessation, all awareness gone (34:38)
When God manifests through the individual, the two dimensions of being and knowing can happen at the same (37:16)
Many traditions think the individual is an illusion—it’s not an illusion, it’s an appearance (39:12)
Most human beings get arrested at the ego stage of development, the separate stage (43:14)

Resources & References – Part 1

A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali), founder of The Ridhwan...

A. H. Almaas Wisdom Series (Dialogue 14, Part 1) – Waking Up to Pure Awareness: Transcending Your Mind

Deep Transformation