Freedom is a big word. It suggests escape from all the messiness of being human. But in the final installment of Awake Where You Are, Martin Aylward shows us that real freedom not only includes the vagaries of daily life—it emerges through them. bit.ly/44SNVVc
ALT Inspirational quote by Martin Aylward on a dark gradient background. The quote reads: "Can you tell where the air of outer becomes the breath of inner—where the world ends and the self begins?
In the second installment of The Open Path, Elias Amidon shows us that, more than anything else, our paths open when we open ourselves: by caring for others, by taking action in the face of worry, by welcoming new experiences without preconception. bit.ly/4o3Oenq
ALT Graphic with a quote by Elias Amidon: "To give is not to be virtuous or to sacrifice your need in favor of another’s. It is to step from the loneliness of separation into the seamlessness of being."
What if the difference between resentment and gratitude was one mental move? In this clip, Sam shares how shifting your perspective, even just for a moment, can dissolve frustration and reveal gratitude.
Find more Stoic philosophy in the Waking Up app. bit.ly/45ixiBl
Understand how mindfulness can enhance your creative process with Drawn from Wonder, the @Blackwing x Waking Up playlist. Slow down with 11 curated tracks focusing on creativity, attention, and seeing differently. bit.ly/46i5sas
In Knowing Presence, Ayya Ānandabodhī invites us to see our personal experiences—difficult thoughts, pleasant sensations—not as solitary perceptions but as evidence of our connection to others, to nature, to the world. bit.ly/4eSnH8v
Series artwork by Ceci Erlich
ALT Colorful, symmetrical abstract pattern featuring bold shapes and intricate designs, with a star-like center.
ALT Inspirational quote on an orange gradient background, attributed to Ayya Ānandabodhī, reads: "At the end of a breath, everything stops. At the end of a thought, there's a moment of silence. At the end of a feeling, there's a moment of peace." The image is titled "WAKING UP."
Heading out of town for the holiday weekend? With our On the Road playlist, you can get lost with Tom Lutz, rediscover your city with Rob Walker, explore Burma with Joseph Goldstein and go on an adventure with Pico Iyer. bit.ly/45Tp84c
Artwork by Morgan Powell
ALT Graphic illustration featuring an abstract staircase with cloud patterns and a gradient of rainbow colors, set against a textured beige background.
Sunday Moment: If you think you can stay angry without continually manufacturing this emotion, you are mistaken.
Artwork by Machado Leão.
bit.ly/4lzDnzQ
Many teachers say meditation is about effortlessness—about ease, not striving, letting things be. But in three new sessions of Sitting in Stillness, Adyashanti goes further, inviting us to drop the subtlest sense of even being a meditator. bit.ly/3GbDZMY
ALT Image featuring a quote by Adyashanti on a blue gradient background, reading: 'Even when every definition and identity has disappeared from the mind, you still exist - not as thought, but as stillness.' Below the quote is the text 'WAKING UP'.
In Better Things & Better People, Sam speaks with historian @rutgerbregman. They discuss why it seems like we are at the hinge of human history, how altruism should be rewarded, why empathy is overrated, moral entrepreneurship, existential risk, and more. bit.ly/4lfL11U
Body. Injury. Relationship. Sex. Breath. Care. Intimacy. You. In a new installment of Consolations II, David Whyte explores words that point to our greatest vulnerabilities. Instead of protecting these tender spaces, he honors them as sources of beauty. bit.ly/3SYMrly
Consciousness. Meditation. Psychedelics. A documentary that asks deeper questions without forcing answers.
Excited to see this collaboration with @JakeOrthwein come to life at the @PsychedelicSci.
Extremely excited to announce that I'll be premiering my new film, produced in collaboration with the @wakingup app, at the @PsychedelicSci Conference in Denver this week!
It's called "Unraveling the Dream: Psychedelics, Meditation, and the Brain"
In The Open Path, Elias Amidon shares Sufism-inspired reflections and insights from Zen and Dzogchen. This series helps us let go of what we think we need for spiritual fulfillment—and create space for it to appear all on its own. bit.ly/404qTHQ
Artwork by Jonathan Conda
In the latest installment of Beyond Concepts, John Astin doesn’t offer techniques, instructions, or guidance along a path. Instead, across six poetic reflections, he simply describes how ordinary experience is already vast, alive, and complete. bit.ly/43T1ulP
What if the reason you feel stuck isn’t that you’re doing life wrong, but trying too hard to do it right? In a new installment of You Are Here, Oliver Burkeman helps us get out of our own way and just move forward—imperfectly, uncomfortably, but freely. bit.ly/43PRzhP
In Philosophy for Life, Sam speaks to author and psychotherapist @DonJRobertson. They discuss the relationship between wisdom and virtue, ancient versions of psychotherapy, parallels between Stoicism and Buddhism, the life of Marcus Aurelius, and more. bit.ly/3Fb39e2