We’ve all heard that meditation is good for us — studies show that it reduces stress, improves concentration and makes us more resilient to life’s challenges. B...
Direct Awakening: Four Meditations to Illuminate the Way
“Awakened consciousness is always deeply at ease. It's very open and fluid and flexible. And that's something we can sit down and practice. We don’t have to focus on our breath or repeat a word, or try to be mindful of every little sensation. Instead, we can use our meditation as a dynamic, active experiment in consciousnesses where we are making space for spiritual awakening to happen, to reveal itself.”—Craig HamiltonWe’ve all had moments of deep clarity and peace—only to watch them slip away. We’re often told these glimpses are fleeting, or that lasting awakening takes years—maybe even a lifetime—of dedicated practice. But what if that’s not the whole story?In Direct Awakening: Four Meditations to Illuminate the Way, Craig invites you to explore a different way of approaching awakening. Instead of waiting for it to happen, what if we could practice being awake right now? This question led Craig to develop The Practice of Direct Awakening—a method that transforms meditation from a passive exercise into an active engagement with awakened consciousness.Rather than following traditional meditation techniques that focus on quieting the mind or observing thoughts, Craig shares four direct awakening practices—subtle yet powerful shifts that open the door to deeper awareness. These inner postures invite us to move beyond the idea that awakening is something distant and instead experience it as something we can cultivate moment by moment.This episode features a 25-minute guided meditation designed to take you beyond theory and into direct experience. If possible, find a quiet, comfortable space where you can fully immerse yourself in the meditation. If you’re interested in exploring more of Craig’s approach to meditation, you’re invited to tune in to a 90-minute online workshop Craig will be hosting called Meditation 2.0 – The Miracle of Direct Awakening. Register for free at: FreeMeditationWorkshop.comDiscover More about Craig’s Awakened Life MeDirect Awakening: Four Meditations to Illuminate the Way
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The Paradox of Practice: When Effort Becomes the Obstacle
“From one point of view, spiritual practice is always a postponement of awakening, because awakening is about embracing our true nature exactly as we are right now. Yet, from another point of view, if we don’t practice with intensity, if we don’t undertake a conscious effort to embrace the truth of our inherent freedom, then awakening is probably only going to ever show up in fleeting glimpses because the habit of denying our true nature is so strong.” —Craig HamiltonFor so many of us on the spiritual path, practice is everything. We meditate, we cultivate mindfulness, we refine our character—trusting that these efforts will lead us to awakening. And yet, in rare moments of profound clarity, we may glimpse a surprising truth: the very idea that we need to ‘get somewhere’ might be the only thing keeping us from seeing what’s already here.This episode examines the delicate balance between effort and surrender, discipline and grace, and how to engage in practice without turning awakening into a future goal. Craig shares how we can approach this paradox in a way that makes space for awakening to happen naturally.He also leads a guided meditation on surrender—an invitation to let go of striving, release resistance, and recognize the profound simplicity of being. Working with this practice offers a deeper understanding of how to embrace meditation while staying rooted in the truth that awakening is always, already here.To access the full transcript of this episode and more resources, visit the episode page on MeditationChangesEverything.com. If you’re interested in exploring more of Craig’s approach to meditation, you’re invited to tune in to a 90-minute online workshop Craig will be hosting called Meditation 2.0 – The Miracle of Direct Awakening. Register for free at: FreeMeditationWorkshop.comDiscover More about Craig’s Awakened Life Membership Programhttps://craighamiltonglobal.com/awakened-life/
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The Undivided Heart: Releasing Our Resistance to Awakening
“The reason spiritual awakening is so incredibly rare on this planet isn't that nobody wants to awaken. It's that those of us who want to awaken also want something else that's in conflict with awakening. We want security. We want to stay in control. We want to keep our self-image intact. As long as this division is in operation within us, we will not be a space within which awakening can truly occur and take root. This is why it’s so important to resolve this inner conflict and unlock the transformative power of an undivided heart.” —Craig HamiltonIn “The Undivided Heart: Releasing Our Resistance to Awakening,” Craig explores one of the more complex obstacles on the spiritual path—our unconscious resistance to waking up.There’s a part of us that longs to awaken, and another part that’s afraid of what it might require. While spiritual awakening offers a life of freedom, joy, and clarity, it also calls for a radical openness. This level of vulnerability can feel overwhelming, even unsafe, causing us to resist the very transformation we deeply desire.This inner conflict is what keeps us stuck. In this episode, Craig explores why this happens and how we can resolve this struggle and unlock the miraculous power of an undivided heart.If you’re interested in exploring more of Craig’s approach to meditation, you’re invited to tune in to a 90-minute online workshop Craig will be hosting called Meditation 2.0 – The Miracle of Direct Awakening. Register for free at: FreeMeditationWorkshop.comDiscover More about Craig’s Awakened Life Membership Programhttps://craighamiltonglobal.com/awakened-life/
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The Power of Not Knowing: Awakening Beyond Certainty
“If we want to live our lives immersed in the mystery of awakened consciousness, we need to give up the idea that we could ever know this mystery with our mind. This means we have to give up trying to know it with the mind, trying to get a handle on it in any way. If we want that extraordinary dimension to become the source of our life, we must learn to live in the innocence of a beginner’s mind.”—Craig HamiltonWe’ve all heard it said that spiritual awakening requires us to leap into the unknown—to go beyond the mind and discover who we are beyond our familiar reference points. But what does this really mean?In “The Power of Not Knowing” Craig explores one of the most subtle but persistent traps we face on the spiritual path: our deep need for certainty.We often experience life as insecure and unpredictable, and the need to "figure things out" becomes a way of navigating an uncertain world. However, on the spiritual path, this compulsive drive for certainty leads us in the opposite direction of where we’re trying to go. Craig unpacks this paradox, illuminating what it means to embrace the unknown in your meditation practice and the transformative freedom that comes with the courage to step into it.This episode includes a 12-minute guided meditation, so we encourage you to listen when you can avoid distractions and give yourself the space to be fully present.If you’re interested in exploring more of Craig’s approach to meditation, you’re invited to tune in to a 90-minute online workshop Craig will be hosting called Meditation 2.0 – The Miracle of Direct Awakening. Register for free at: FreeMeditationWorkshop.comDiscover More about Craig’s Awakened Life Membership Programhttps://craighamiltonglobal.com/awakened-life/
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The Audacity to Be Free: Two Meditation Mindsets to Fuel Your Practice
“The practice of Direct Awakening is always only about this moment. It's always only about awakening in this moment of practice. So we need to come to our practice with the full optimism and audacity that this moment is the moment that I awaken. There's nothing that could get in my way.” —Craig HamiltonIn this episode, Craig sheds light on an often-overlooked aspect of meditation—the mindset we bring to the practice.While technique gives us the structure, it’s the mindset that brings energy and direction to our meditation. Most of us focus on getting the technique right, asking questions like, "Am I doing this correctly?" But the attitudes and mental dispositions we bring to each session are equally essential.Craig explores two powerful meditation mindsets: audacious optimism and intentionality. These aren’t just subtle refinements—they’re transformative forces that can unlock greater depth, clarity, and alignment in your practice. By embracing these mindsets, you can infuse your meditation with a dynamic energy that accelerates your spiritual growth.If you’re interested in exploring more of Craig’s approach to meditation, you’re invited to tune in to a 90-minute online workshop Craig will be hosting called Meditation 2.0 – The Miracle of Direct Awakening. Register for free at: FreeMeditationWorkshop.comDiscover More about Craig’s Awakened Life Membership Programhttps://craighamiltonglobal.com/awakened-life/
We’ve all heard that meditation is good for us — studies show that it reduces stress, improves concentration and makes us more resilient to life’s challenges. But what if these benefits are just the tip of the iceberg? What if meditation could actually change everything? Pioneering meditation teacher Craig Hamilton has been practicing meditation for 40 years and teaching it over the past two decades to students in more than 90 countries. In this podcast, Craig reveals how this powerful, ancient practice can transform every aspect of human life. He shares key insights from his personal practice as well as on-the-ground research at the leading edge of spiritual practice and inquiry. As a listener, you’ll discover a mix of in-depth talks from Craig on key aspects of meditation, his responses to common questions from students and guided meditations, so you can experience a variety of meditation practices for yourself. If you appreciate what you hear in the podcast, Craig invites you to download his free ebook, Unlocking the Power of Meditation, to learn about the five common mistakes most of us make in meditation and how you can avoid them. Download your free ebook at 5meditationmistakes.com.
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