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 is a spiritual teaching, a method of connecting with our spiritual nature and bringing it into our life. The Diamond Approach represents a new paradigm in human/spiritual knowledge and understanding. It is not merely a synthesis of existing knowledge, but rather a new, more integrated understanding of the entire human psyche – ego, personality, and soul – and the psyche’s relationship with its fundamental nature.
A path of self realization and human maturity
As a contemporary spiritual teaching, the Diamond Approach considers the totality of the human being. It is a path of self-realization and human maturity based on an original synthesis of modern discoveries in the field of psychology and a new paradigm about spiritual nature. We learn that we can experience our spiritual and true nature as a transcendent eternal truth and also as various spiritual qualities of presence such as love, clarity, peace, truth and others.
These aspects of our essence are readily revealed through the heart-felt understanding of our normal everyday experience. In this way we can attain spiritual realization at the same time that we become liberated from our psychological patterns and limitations. Such an approach makes it possible to be a full human being in the world while grounded in the eternal spirit.
The Diamond Approach differs from most other paths in that it recognizes the uniqueness of each individual soul and adapts itself to each person’s needs at the time. It does not require that people adapt to some ideal, but welcomes people as they are and helps them to take the natural next step for their unique development.
The Diamond Approach emphasizes the personal aspects of spiritual reality. Development of the personal essence—the Pearl Beyond Price—is central to the Diamond Approach. This process honors, supports and develops the uniqueness of each individual to its fullest potential. Beingness in a personal form becomes a steppingstone from ordinary consciousness to the transcendent oneness of spiritual reality.
The Diamond Approach recognizes that Being or True Nature manifests the fullness of reality, whereas the material world is only one part of that reality. This view contrasts with the materialistic perspectives currently dominating our society. Following this path, we have the opportunity to discover, realize and actualize our true nature, our deepest spiritual dimension.
The Ridhwan School
The Ridhwan school, founded in 1976 by A. Hameed Ali (A.H. Almaas), is an inner Work school devoted to the realization of True Nature. The desire to return to one’s true nature is an innate impulse within the soul, which, in time, will manifest as the spiritual search.
The Diamond Approach teaching is taught in the Ridhwan School. The Ridhwan School makes teachings available to the public through various programs, trains teachers, and supports the publication of teaching material through books and audiovisuals.
The Work involves spiritual as well as psychological exploration that can be seen as understanding or metabolizing one’s unconscious mind, the ego, or the personality. Developing a personal sense of “presence” and freeing the capacity to know are central to working on one’s self in the Diamond Approach.
Students in the school participate in the Work in the following ways:
- Large Group Presentations – These groups provide a venue where the teachings of the Diamond Approach can be explained and experienced. They generally involve a detailed exploration of a particular aspect of one’s essential nature or a dimension of being.
- Small Group Meetings – Small groups involve a teacher and (usually) about 10-15 students. The format provides a venue for students to work in front of others and learn more about the process of inquiry. Additionally, the small group can provide a greater collective field of presence to help support an individual’s work.
- Individual Teaching Sessions – The private teaching session involves the student and a teacher in a one-to-one relationship that provides a supportive environment for the student to explore their issues, conditioning, beliefs, assumptions and general world view in a manner that nurtures the student’s intimate understanding of her/his self.
Each of these formats assists students toward developing their personal capacity for inquiry and presence. The orientation of the School is toward helping students to become aware of and embody their “essence” or True Nature. Although students may experience a sense of “healing” of various emotional and psychological issues, this is seen as a by-product of expanding one’s awareness, understanding and presence.
More information
More information about the Ridhwan school and the teaching and method of the Diamond Approach can be found on the Diamond Approach website.