Walking the Diamond Path

Diamond Heart Online Group 1 (DHO1)

Invitation to a New Kind of Diamond Approach Group
from Hameed, Karen, Zarina & Christof

This venture is the first of its kind for the Diamond Approach teaching. Moreover, we are not aware of this kind of offering being attempted in other spiritual traditions up till now. This is an invitation to participate in an experiment to see whether it is possible to delve into the substantive knowledge of our path using the current medium of the internet.

We have taught this spiritual body of knowledge for the past 45 years through ongoing groups that gather regularly in person for weekends and retreats. These groups gather committed individuals who become steeped in the teachings and are supported by integrative practices. The teachings build upon one another in depth and breadth. Many of our students have been on this journey for years and some for decades.

The Diamond Approach spiritual teaching has its unique view and methodology. It is a path of liberation and realization. Our orientation is to be fully in the world with all our human capacities and attributes, backed by the felt known that is beyond and permeates the physical layer of our ordinary world.

Our recent experience with providing interested individuals a taste of our teachings online has given us insight into the modality and its potential for disseminating this spiritual teaching. When we began a few years ago to offer courses as initial small steps into our spiritual path and practices, we did not realize that eventually this would be useful information. Because of COVID-19 we were forced to move all our current in-person groups online for the sake of safety.

We have been inspired by the depth of experience that emerged from such a small sampling of our work online, and we feel the real possibility of offering an ongoing group for the seekers who want this work. This also bodes well for those who want to engage with this path but are unable to participate in our traditional in-person format. We still hold the view that the best way to engage with our teaching is through our in-person groups and private teaching sessions. Joining any of the newly forming, in-person groups will offer that opportunity when meetings can safely resume.

Since our positive online teaching experience the last few years has surprisingly shown us that this new model is a possibility, we feel it is worthwhile to pursue online teaching to discern how much and in what ways it will be effective in conveying the depth of knowledge and practices of our path. We have the sense that more might be possible than we have done so far, and that there is a good chance that with the right individuals the online group will function to support the practices and realization of students who engage with this group.

Our intention is to develop an ongoing group of committed students that can go on for some years. Students usually stay as long as they like, but what we offer deepens over time and there is no end to the spiritual illumination and maturation. That is a feature of our path: there is no endpoint. It continues to be a journey for the spirited, adventuring nomad who is not satisfied with knowing only one state of consciousness but is interested in traveling unhindered into the magical display of the inner universe.

We created the Lightness of Being series to help you find out about this work by getting an experiential sense of it. You can then better know if you feel an inner resonance with this path and explore your interest in joining such a group.

In our group meetings, we speak to a continuum of experience from the individual perspective to the nondual and beyond. There is a wide range of individuals with varied experience on the spiritual spectrum in this group. We are also inviting individuals from across the globe, thereby bringing in many cultures and views.

Timing for the meetings is limited to mornings, 10:00 am Pacific, since it is necessary to utilize the time zones that will most easily accommodate live teaching. Meetings occur on Saturdays and Sundays one weekend per month. Each meeting is three and a half hours long and contains meditation practice, delivery of a particular teaching through a talk, interpersonal exercises for the participants, and a period of questions and answers that end the meeting. You can investigate what this would mean for your time zone and if it works for you to be involved.

The group formally began in September of 2021. Until December 31, 2023 there will be an ongoing application process and the opportunity to make up missed meetings. We will be admitting only those who we recognize as a good fit for the journey. We want to make sure as much as possible that this teaching will be right for you, that it will benefit you and move you along the inner journey home. To truly engage with a path requires that you feel it is something that is the necessary next step for you. We require all students to take the Lightness of Being series as a way for you to gauge whether the teaching lights you up to its potential.

Upon joining the group, members will begin to have sessions with a private teacher, who will help you to practice inquiry and to learn how to move with the material in the process of understanding and integrating what is coming up for you. Private teaching is a way for you to get a sense of the process of how the teaching will unfold for you personally, and it will also give us a chance to see if the work is right for you.

Welcome to the Diamond Heart Online Group (DHO1)

Welcome to our first-ever fully online exploration of the Diamond Approach to Inner Realization, a contemporary, continuously unfolding spiritual path that helps us bridge our perceived division between human life and the sacred.

The Diamond Approach path is an original teaching drawing on modern psychology and ancient spiritual wisdom. Rather than bypassing the messiness of the human experience, this path helps us not only to embrace all of it, but to see everything that arises as a doorway to transformation.

The central practice of inquiry supports us in touching into our true spiritual nature—its strength, compassion, love, clarity, freedom, and many other qualities—and helps us bring those qualities into every part of our lives. This inner exploration liberates us from the confines of our rigid beliefs and structures, allowing us to embody the radical transformation of experiencing ourselves as spiritual beings who are one with, rather than separate from, spirit.

There is no ideology, no belief system to follow, no special diets to adopt. Instead, this path simply helps us see our personal truth in the present moment, understand our beliefs and the impacts of our past, and find freedom from limitations so we can better respond to all of life’s demands.

The central orientation of the Diamond Approach is “to be in the world but not of it,” meaning we still wake up and handle our day-to-day responsibilities, contributing to society through our work—as scientists, gardeners, teachers, parents, or any number of roles—all the while remembering that we are ultimately reflections of something deeper.

For some 45 years, the Ridhwan Foundation has offered this vital teaching through ongoing, in-person groups that gather regularly in a physical space for retreats and other meetings. Meeting in person remains our preferred format, however, having been compelled by the pandemic to move all our teaching online, we have been encouraged by the depth of learning that has been possible through the online medium.

It is our hope that DHO1 can provide an alternative format for those who are, for whatever circumstance, unable to travel, and those who live in remote locations that make such groups inaccessible. It will be an international gathering of many cultures and backgrounds.

About the Diamond Approach

The Diamond Approach is a path of wisdom, an approach to the investigation of reality, and a method of working on oneself that leads to increased understanding and liberation. It connects us with our spiritual nature, bringing it into our life. The Diamond Approach represents a new paradigm in human/spiritual knowledge and understanding. It encompasses existing spiritual knowledge as well as presents new dimensions of our deepest nature. At the same time, it helps us understand the relationship of the entire human psyche—ego, personality, and soul—with its fundamental nature and shows us how these dimensions are inseparable.

The Diamond Approach is the core teaching of the Ridhwan School, a spiritual path that approaches our ordinary experiences, emotions, and sensations in a friendly way of understanding.

In the Diamond Approach, everything we experience is utilized as a doorway to our spiritual nature. Rather than negating or seeking to transcend parts of our humanness that are considered barriers to realization, we learn to approach each aspect of our physical, emotional, and mental experience with acceptance and open curiosity to discover its truth. We meditate and do other exercises, but the main method is inquiry: non-judgment of and interest in what we’re experiencing, which brings crisp clarity into one’s own truth.

About the Ridhwan School

The Ridhwan School is the home of the Diamond Approach teaching. It was founded in 1976 by Hameed Ali, who writes under the name A.H. Almaas. It is an inner work school devoted to the realization of true nature. The Ridhwan School makes teachings available to the public through various programs, trains teachers, and supports the publication of teaching material through books and webinars. “Ridhwan” is a Sufi word. It means “satisfied and satisfying.” Our school is home to more than 4,000 students across the globe. Students learn to ground, sensitize, recognize, and trust the inherent guidance of Being. More information about the Ridhwan School and the Diamond Approach can be found on the Diamond Approach website. as well as in the books by A.H. Almaas, notably the Diamond Heart series and Inner Journey Home.

Who is This Group For?

Lovers of the truth longing to unite with their deepest nature and express that in their daily lives.

Inner explorers searching for community, guidance, and a detailed, layered map that meets you at successive stages of spiritual and psychological development.

People seeking a precise, rigorous consciousness laboratory to plunge into full participation in the world while also being backed by the embodiment of what is beyond it.

Spirited, adventuring nomads who are not satisfied with knowing only one state of consciousness, but are interested in traveling unhindered into the magical display of the inner universe.

Journeyers who have had nondual or oneness experiences (meditation, entheogens, being in nature, etc.) and recognize a need for context and integration without religion or dogma.

People who have had psychotherapy or engaged other psychological disciplines and are drawn to deeper explorations.

Individuals interested in committing to this path as part of an international community in a highly accessible online format.

Diamond Approach Group Format

Teaching Weekends

During Teaching Weekends meetings, the whole group gathers to hear and explore the core Diamond Approach teachings. These live, interactive lectures are led by a Diamond Approach teacher and take place from 10:00am – 1pm Pacific on a Saturday and Sunday morning, beginning September 25-26 2021. Each meeting includes a period of meditation, followed by the teaching, interactive, small group exercises, and time for questions and comments with the teacher(s).

During each session, you’ll receive instruction in various Diamond Approach practices including meditation, vocalization, visualization, sensing, movement, and our unique practice of inquiry. Because this path recognizes and respects the uniqueness of each person’s experience and expression, these practices are designed to help you experientially explore and test the truth of the teaching for yourself.

Because the teaching builds on itself, it is expected that students will participate in all weekends. All sessions are recorded so that students may make up any sessions they miss and students who join after the group has begun can catch up. Each teaching weekend is offered on a sliding scale of either $60, $90, or $120 per weekend. There will be eleven teaching weekends per year.

Small Groups

These are subgroups of the whole group, each bringing together 15-20 consistent students and usually meeting once a month. This more intimate setting provides students with an opportunity to inquire into their experience with the help of a teacher, and also to be impacted by work the teacher does with their peers. Within this shared field, students get to experience and know each other in more true and meaningful ways. It is also another layer of support that can take us more deeply into the immediacy of our individual experience without the structure of a specific teaching. It is simply about where you are now, in this moment.

Once eligibility requirements have been met, DHO1 students are required to attend at least ten small group meetings per year. Each small group meeting is $30.

Private Sessions

A unique feature of the Diamond Approach is one-on-one private sessions with a DA teacher. DA teachers have been rigorously trained in various spiritual modalities and psychological knowledge over many years. The steady, mature support they offer through private sessions is considered “the heart” of our inner work and essential for helping students reconnect with their authentic nature. Sessions are specifically tailored to a student’s particular needs and level of development and designed to help students navigate their individual experience to reveal the underlying meaning and depth of that experience. In this way, they are critical to deepening students’ spiritual development and integrating the teachings into their daily lives.

Ten private sessions are required during the first year of group membership. After the first year, a minimum of ten sessions are required annually.

Participating in DHO1

Step 1:

Take Introductory Courses

This course will explore the lataif (plural of latifa), those subtle qualities of our being that invite us to experience the pure, unshakable truth of what we are, helping dispel the belief that we are individuals who are somehow separate from our spirit. Each latifa takes us beyond our ordinary cognitive world into the realm of lived, embodied experience of these subtle qualities, allowing us to touch into our inner seeing, inner hearing, inner tasting. This in turn makes our experiences richer and fuller, allowing the human spirit to thrive and expand.

This course is required for all members of DHO1.

Step 2:

Watch the Diamond Path Orientation Meeting

Orientation meetings are an opportunity to learn more about DHO1. You can register to listen to the recording of the Diamond Path Orientation Meeting here.

In this meeting you will hear from DHO1 teacher, Zarina Maiwandi, who will talk about what this path is, our practices and methodology for inner exploration, and the new online group. The founding DHO1 group administrator, Ash, will talk about the practical aspects of joining the new online group. Diamond Approach students who will share about their experiences being on the path and part of the worldwide Ridhwan School community.

Step 3:

Complete an Application & Information Statement

We will be accepting new members to this group through December 31, 2023. At this point, the group will close to new members.

Everyone interested in joining the group will complete an information statement (describing the nature of the work that we do in the Diamond Approach and a legal document required by the Ridhwan Foundation) and an application which will be reviewed by the teachers of the group.

Applications for Walking the Diamond Path (DHO1) are now closed.

Step 4:

Submit Ridhwan Foundation Dues

If accepted into Walking the Diamond Path (DHO1), you will become a member of the Ridhwan Foundation. The Foundation is the governing and administrative organization that is home to the Diamond Approach.

All members of the Ridhwan Foundation are required to pay annual dues to the Ridhwan Foundation. This is part of our legal obligation. These dues help to support the administrative, communications, and legal processes necessary to run the organization. Dues for the new online group will average $125 per year with options to pay more or less based on circumstances.

Step 5:

Make Up Missed Teachings

Walking the Diamond Path (DHO1) members joining after September 2021 will be required to make up all missed teaching weekends and the introductory course, Lightness of Being. New members are required to make up the first 8 teaching weekends of the group before joining live teaching weekends. After a new group member has made up the first 8 missed teaching weekends, they can make up the remainder of their missed teaching weekends while joining the monthly, live big group events.

Access to purchase missed teaching weekends will be provided upon admission to the group. You can begin the Lightness of Being introductory course anytime by registering here.

Meet Your Teachers

A. H. Almaas (Hameed Ali)

A.H. Almaas (pen name for Hameed Ali) is the founder of the Diamond Approach, a contemporary teaching that developed within the context of both ancient spiritual teachings and modern depth psychology theories. He has authored eighteen books about spiritual realization, including the Diamond Heart series, The Pearl Beyond Price, The Void, and The Alchemy of Freedom. He is the founder of the Ridhwan School for Spiritual Development, an inner work school devoted to the realization of True Nature. The orientation of the school is directed toward guiding students to realize their true nature to the fullest realization and further still, to endless enlightenment.

Karen Johnson

Karen Johnson is the co-developer of the Diamond Approach as it is taught in the Ridhwan School today, having worked alongside Hameed Ali (A. H. Almaas) for the last 40 years. Karen was trained in art and dance and began the journey into the spiritual universe at 14 years old with the guidance of her parents.

First, she was introduced to yoga and meditation and then learned about other forms of spiritual practice, which allowed her to develop her innate paranormal capacities. After attending California College of Arts and Crafts, she befriended Hameed Ali, and with him began a new trajectory into the secrets of the universe of Being, which became the Diamond Approach. Karen also received an MA in psychology at JFK University in 1990 and is the author of two books, The Jeweled Path: The Biography of the Diamond Approach to Inner Realization and The Power of Divine Eros: The Illuminating Force of Love in Everyday Life. She continues to venture into new explorations of the endless realms of our miraculous Nature.

Christof Bosch

Christof Bosch grew up in Germany, but his father was connected to Ananda Mayee Ma, a spiritual teacher in Northern India. Christof met her in his teens and found himself on an inner journey that led him to the Diamond Approach 20 years later. In between, Christof’s search brought him to ecology and philosophy. After studying forestry, he worked as a consultant for soil ecology and for many years he run an organic farm in Bavaria, where he still lives. He has been a teacher of the Diamond Approach since 2006.

Zarina Maiwandi

Zarina Maiwandi has been a student of the Diamond Approach since 1999 and a teacher since 2015, working with groups in the United States, Asia, and Europe. Trained as an academic studying Western philosophy and literature, she edits books, including several written by A. H. Almaas.

Teaching Weekend Details

Meeting Time

All Teaching Weekends are held on a Saturday and Sunday and run for 3 hours each day. Each meeting begins at 10:00am and end at 1pm Pacific. Teaching weekends typically occur once per month with occasional exceptions.

Venue

All sessions are held online via Zoom. An online group space for communication outside of teaching weekends will be provided. Past teaching weekends are available via recordings.

Teaching Weekend Dates

2021
September 25-26, 2021
October 30-31, 2021
December 11-12, 2021

2022
January 15-16, 2022
February 19-20, 2022
March 19-20, 2022
April 16-17, 2022
May 14-15, 2022
June 18-19, 2022
July 16-17, 2022
August 13-14, 2022
September 17-18, 2022
October 22-23, 2022
December 10-11, 2022

2023
January 14-15, 2023
February 18-19, 2023
March 18-19, 2023
April 15-16, 2023
May 13-14, 2023
June 17-18, 2023
July 15-16, 2023
August 19-20, 2023
September 23-24, 2023
October 21-22, 2023
December 2-3, 2023

2024
January 13-14, 2024
February 10-11, 2024
March 9-10, 2024
April 20-21, 2024
May 11-12, 2024
June 15-16, 2024
July 13-14, 2024
August 17-18, 2024
September 14-15, 2024
October 19-20, 2024
December 14-15, 2024

Tuition

The anticipated monthly cost, including Teaching Weekends, small group meetings, and private sessions will range between approximately $180-$260 depending on the number of private sessions and small group meetings pursued. Annually, the cost ranges from $1,700-$3,000.
Members joining after September 2021 are required to purchase the first 8 teaching weekends of the group missed before joining the group live. Following this, new students may attend live teaching weekends while they continue to make up their missed teaching weekends via recording. The total tuition for making up missed teaching weekends will depend on when you join the group.
Members of DHO1 will become Ridhwan Foundation members and submit annual member dues. Member dues for the new online group will average $130 per year with options to pay more or less based on circumstances.

Scholarship and financial assistance options can be pursued upon being approved to the group.

FAQ

How do I apply to join the new online group(DHO1)?

You’re invited to apply to Walking the Diamond Path (DHO1) here. Applications will be carefully reviewed by the teachers of the new online group. Applications may take three to four weeks to be processed. You will receive an email notification after your application has been reviewed by the teachers. You can apply to join the new online group until December 31, 2023.

Are the sessions live or pre-recorded?

Teaching weekends are live events. You will receive access to a recording of teaching weekends if you are unable to attend live.

How much does the new online group cost?

The anticipated monthly cost for the DHO1 group, including Teaching Weekends, small group meetings, and private sessions will range between approximately $180-$260 depending on the number of private sessions and small group meetings pursued. The details of these components and their costs are provided below.

Members of DHO1 will become Ridhwan Foundation members and will therefore also submit annual member dues. Member dues for the new online group will average $130 per year with options to pay more or less based on circumstances.

Teaching Weekends are offered on a sliding scale of $60-$90-$120 per weekend. Each weekend includes 5 hours of teaching, exercises, and questions and comments. There are eleven Teaching Weekends per year. Group members joining after September 2021 will be required to purchase and view any missed teaching weekends. This will incur an additional expense dependent upon when you join the group. Financial support options for making up teaching weekends may be available upon request for approved group members.

Small group meetings are $30 per two-hour session with 15-20 other DHO1 members and a Diamond Approach teacher. Group members are required to attend minimally ten small group meetings per year.

Private sessions with a Diamond Approach teacher often cost an average $100 per one-hour session. A minimum of ten private sessions are required during the first year of group membership. Some group members may be required to pursue more than ten sessions in the first year. After the first year, six sessions are required annually, though more are recommended. One session per month is a common frequency to meet with your private teacher. After the initial required ten sessions, you are invited to explore your ideal frequency of private sessions with your private session teacher. The amount of sessions pursued is the most flexible variable in determining your cost of participation in the group.

Are scholarships available?

We are committed to including anyone who is sincerely interested in engaging the Diamond Approach teaching. We welcome the richness of humanity in all its forms and see the diversity of community as a blessing to all. With the recognition that there are many situations in which finances may be a deterrent to taking one of the most important steps an individual can take in their lifetime, we offer tiered tuition options. Scholarships and work trade opportunities are also available for anyone needing further financial assistance. For the latter, we review your application and once accepted, you can explore these options with the group administrator

How do I work with a private teacher?

Working with a private teacher is an integral part of participating in the new online group. If you are accepted into the new online group, a teacher will be recommended to you.

If you would like to work with a private teacher before joining the group, you can schedule a session here.

Will you be mailing anything to me or is everything digital?

Once payment is received for the teaching weekend you will receive an email with your login details. You will receive everything in your email inbox, including instructions on how to access the Zoom details for the live teaching weekend and the recording. Please check your spam folder to locate the email that starts with ‘[DHO1].’

Can I join DHO1 if I have participated in another Diamond Approach group?

Yes, DHO1 is open to people who have previously participated in a Diamond Approach group as well as individuals seeking a secondary group. Admission to Walking the Diamond Path (DHO1) as a secondary group will be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. For people wishing to join DHO1 as a secondary group, written recommendations from your private session teacher and home group teacher is required. Individuals in an existing group may not participate in both DHO1 and DIVe.

Please note that you may not leave your current group to join Walking the Diamond Path (DHO1). Participation in the new online group as a secondary, additional group can be explored with the teacher of your current group.

What if I have questions?

We’re here to support you on your journey and help with any questions you may have about joining the group. For support, please email the group administrator at ian@ridhwan.org. Be sure to add this address to your contact list so we don’t end up in your Junk/Spam/Promotions folder. But please check there just in case!