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20. What If Everything You’re Seeking Is Already You? (The Conference of the Birds)
01:07:32||Season 2, Ep. 20I’ve always been drawn to stories that mirror the inner journey in unexpected ways, and The Conference of the Birds is one of those special works that does exactly that.In this episode of The Higher Self Dialogues, I sit down with Omid Asgari and Ghonche Alavi from the MTO Zendeh Delan Ensemble, whose contemporary Sufi presentation of this 12th-century poem brings its message powerfully into the present moment. We explore how a group of birds searching for their king becomes a profound allegory for the spiritual journey itself, and why this story still resonates in a world full of noise, uncertainty, and longing for meaning.Both the presentation in London, which premiered in December 2025, and this conversation stayed with me long after we recorded. It invites you to reflect on where you are in your own journey.What We ExploreThe Journey of the Birds as a Mirror of the SelfHow Attar’s story of the birds searching for the Simurgh reflects the deeper truth that what we seek outwardly may already exist within us. The Seven Valleys of TransformationFrom longing and love to unity, wonderment and annihilation, we explore these stages as lived inner experiences rather than abstract ideas. Why Uncertainty and Loss Are Part of the PathThe Valley of Wonderment, in particular, reveals how confusion, grief, and disorientation can be essential to deeper transformation. Sacred Music and Movement as Spiritual PracticeHow the ensemble uses music, poetry, and sama (whirling movement) not as performance, but as a lived expression of the spiritual journey. The Higher Self as Clarity, Not DistanceA grounded and accessible view of the higher self as who you already are, beyond limitations, distractions, and conditioning. Zendeh Delan’s work is a reminder that the spiritual path isn’t something abstract or removed from life — it’s something lived, felt, and expressed. Whether through music, silence, or moments of uncertainty, the journey continues to unfold.If you’ve ever felt like you’re searching for something more, this episode offers a powerful reflection: perhaps the journey is not about finding something new, but recognising what has always been there.For more information about the MTO Zendeh Delan Ensemble and their work, check out the following links:https://www.zendedelan.org/(You can also find their latest performances, tour dates, and local events via their website and social channels.)Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zendehdelan/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZendehDelanX: https://twitter.com/zendehdelanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zendeh-delan®-sufi-music-zekr-&-sama/about/Episode Resources:Learn more at: https://higherselfdialogues.comIf you'd like to be a guest on the show, reach out via socials or visit: www.antonjarrod.com
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19. The Seasonality of the Higher Self Journey (Plus, a Special Announcement)
11:52||Season 2, Ep. 19The seasons are turning — though you may not yet see it.In early February, the land sits in a quiet threshold. The light is returning, but winter has not fully released its hold. In ancient traditions, this liminal period was marked as Imbolc — the quickening beneath the surface, the first subtle stirring of new life.In this episode, I reflect on how the higher self journey mirrors these natural rhythms. Spiritual development is not linear. It moves in cycles of withdrawal, reorientation, expression, and integration — just as the earth does.What if silence is not absence?What if dormancy is not failure?What if the turning happens long before the evidence?Drawing on seasonal archetypes, equinoctal shifts, and the intelligence of liminal time, this episode explores why growth cannot be rushed — and why depth has its own timing.It was through contemplating these natural cycles that I recognised something important about this podcast as well. If the higher self journey is seasonal, then the container for this dialogue must honour that rhythm too.What You’ll Discover· The Higher Self Has Seasons: How silence, confusion, and withdrawal are integral phases of spiritual maturity.· The Quickening Beneath the Surface: Why transformation often begins before we can see or articulate it.· Honouring Natural Rhythms: Why spiritual dialogue — including this podcast — must move in cycles rather than constant output.This episode is an invitation to notice the season you are in, to soften your expectations of constant growth, and to trust that something may already be turning — even if it has not yet bloomed.Episode ResourcesPlease share the Higher Self Dialogues on your Socialswww.higherselfdialogues.com18. What 85 seconds to midnight REALLY means from a higher self perspective
16:10||Season 2, Ep. 18The Doomsday Clock has moved closer to midnight again.At the end of last year, I spent some time reflecting on what the upcoming announcement might reveal about the state of the world –– not as a prediction, but as a mirror. Now that the announcement has been made, this episode returns to that question, and sits with what it may really be showing us.Today I explore what it means to live in a time of escalating risk without collapsing into fear or despair, and how a higher self perspective invites a more mature, grounded response to power, responsibility, and uncertainty.Rather than focusing on catastrophe, this is a reflection on consciousness — personal and collective — and the quieter choices that shape our shared future.What You’ll Discover· The Doomsday Clock as Mirror: Why the clock reflects our inner state as much as external threats, and what it reveals about how we live with power.· Beyond Fear and Polarisation: How reactivity and “us versus them” thinking quietly accelerate the very dangers we’re worried about.· Growing Up as a Species: What this moment asks of us individually — not heroics, but maturity, restraint, and inner alignment.This episode is an invitation to slow down, look more deeply, and consider how the smallest ways we meet uncertainty may matter more than we think.Episode ResourcesJoin the Conversation on Discord → Join our communityFollow Higher Self Dialogues on Socials → Facebook Page (more channels coming soon)Learn more at higherselfdialogues.com17. When the World Order Shifts: A Higher Self Perspective on Peace
12:49||Season 2, Ep. 17The world's been feeling more chaotic than ever lately - rapid changes, unsettling headlines and I've found myself searching for that thread of hope beneath it all.In this episode of The Higher Self Dialogues, I reflect on these shifting times and the quiet peace I sense emerging.We explore how old structures are crumbling to make way for humanity's deeper yearning for connection, equity, and shared prosperity and why tuning into your higher self can guide you through with clarity and courage.What You'll Discover- The Chaos as Catalyst: How today's upheavals aren't just endings - they're clearing space for a new chapter rooted in peace and collective well-being. - Hope in the Headlines: Why the fear we feel is real, but so is the underlying push for a world that honours our shared humanity. - Higher Self as Anchor: Simple ways to listen inward for compassion and strength when the ground feels shaky.This episode reminded me that peace isn't passive - it's the force reshaping everything, if we let it. If you're feeling the weight of the world, give it a listen; that faint hope might just grow louder.Episode Resources: Join the Conversation on Discord → Join our communityFollow Higher Self Dialogues on Socials → Facebook Page (more channels coming soon). Learn more at higherselfdialogues.com16. The Quiet Joy of Being Unremarkable
12:27||Season 2, Ep. 16I’ve been feeling the winter chill here in London – dark days, icy snaps across Europe and it got me thinking about the small, warm lights we find on the spiritual path. In this episode of The Higher Self Dialogues, I explore one of those underrated gifts: the soft release that comes from embracing unremarkableness. In a world pushing us to "be someone" and shine on social media, what if just existing – without the pressure to stand out – is closer to our true self than we realise? I share why this quiet joy feels like a gentle invitation to let go, and how it’s always been there, waiting beneath the noise. What You'll Discover - The Pressure to "Be Someone": How social media and modern life make us chase visibility, and why stepping back from that can feel like coming home. - Unremarkable as Freedom: The soft joy of public ordinariness – being a "nobody" in the world's eyes and finding it's more than enough. - Letting Life Be Enough: A simple invitation to pause and feel the release of not striving, just for a moment. This episode is my gentle nudge: the higher self isn't always about becoming more – sometimes it's about remembering you're already whole.Episode Resources: Join the Conversation on Discord → Join our communityFollow Higher Self Dialogues on Socials → Facebook Page (more channels coming soon). Learn more at higherselfdialogues.com15. Martyn Williams: Polar Expeditions to Higher Self Discoveries
51:32||Season 2, Ep. 15I’ve always been fascinated by people who push their limits in extreme places, and Martyn Williams is one of those rare souls who’s done it all – then turned those experiences inward. In this episode of The Higher Self Dialogues, I sit down with Martyn, an explorer and expedition leader with stories that’ll take your breath away. We talk about how facing the frozen unknown in polar regions mirrors the inner journey to your higher self, the clarity that comes from those make-or-break moments, and why embracing uncertainty is the real secret to living with more wholeness, strength, joy and bliss. It’s a conversation that got me thinking about my own path, and I hope it does the same for you. What We Explore - Extreme Adventures as Spiritual Teachers: Martyn shares how polar expeditions force you to confront your limits, revealing insights that echo the higher self journey. - Clarity in the Chaos: The moments of presence and awakening in life-or-death situations, and how they help cut through everyday noise to connect with your inner strength. - Embracing the Unknown: Why uncertainty isn’t something to fear but a doorway to greater wholeness, authenticity, and meaning in tough times. Martyn’s wisdom is a reminder that the biggest discoveries often happen when you step into the wild – whether that’s a frozen tundra or your own mind. If you’ve ever wondered how adventure shapes the soul, this one’s for you. For more information about Martyn and his work, check out the following links: https://martynwilliams.ca/ A 15-minute documentary on Martyn's expedition work, by Tavi films, can be viewed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdejd72MJ1gCoaching: www.Enlighteningadventures.comMartyn’s book that details some of the stories captured in the interview: https://www.enlighteningadventures.com/sure-let-s-goA video of the Pole to Pole expedition that Martyn speaks about: https://youtu.be/eEeSfgWzGVAA video of one of Martyn’s Mantra chanting projects: https://youtube.com/shorts/_lmg80VCJuU?feature=share--- Episode Resources: Join the Conversation on Discord → Join our communityFollow Higher Self Dialogues on Socials → Facebook Page (more channels coming soon). Learn more at higherselfdialogues.com14. A Journey… but of What?
08:25||Season 2, Ep. 14What if the moments that feel like confusion, chaos or wandering are not detours at all but the path itself? In this episode, I reflect on the early years of my own inner unfolding - a time that, back then, didn’t feel like a journey of any kind. There was no sense of spiritual seeking, no clear intention, no language for growth or awakening. It felt like stumbling from one event to the next, reacting, surviving, and trying to make sense of life as it happened. And yet, looking back now, I can see something very different. What felt directionless was quietly structured. What felt like chaos was actually movement. Something was unfolding beneath the surface long before I had the awareness to recognise it. What I Explore The Illusion of Directionlessness: I reflect on how early stages of growth often feel empty, messy or unremarkable and why that doesn’t mean nothing meaningful is happening. Unconscious Spiritual Development: I explore the idea that many of us are on a spiritual journey long before we ever choose one consciously. Curiosity as the First Breadcrumb: I share how questions, anomalies and moments that didn’t “fit” my worldview quietly pulled me forward - not through certainty, but through not knowing. Growth Without a Map: Why spiritual development rarely comes with clear milestones, frameworks or shared language and how that makes it easy to mistake growth for disorder. The Hidden Scaffolding: Using the metaphor of a seed germinating underground, I explore how change can be real and alive even when it’s completely invisible to us. Confusion as a Guide: Rather than something to escape, confusion often becomes the very thing that keeps us moving, asking, and opening. Looking back at this period now, I feel a deep tenderness for that version of myself - walking blindfolded along a road I didn’t even know existed. And I suspect many of us have our own version of this: years that only make sense in hindsight, moments we later recognise as thresholds we didn’t know how to name at the time. If you’re in a phase that feels unstructured, disconnected or strangely quiet, this episode is a reminder: the journey doesn’t always announce itself. Sometimes, we only realise we were on the path once we’ve travelled far enough to look back and see it. Episode Resources: Join the Conversation on Discord → Join our communityFollow Higher Self Dialogues on Socials → Facebook Page (more channels coming soon). Learn more at higherselfdialogues.com