“There’s nothing like sitting with what is to prepare you to be with what is.”
In this potent and profound conversation, Zen teachers, Integral Facilitators, and conflict mediators, Diane Musho Hamilton and her student and co-author Gabriel Wilson, eloquently reveal the practical benefits of a life founded on contemplative practice. What they bring home so effectively — both in this conversation and in their new book, Waking Up and Growing Up — is how much we have to gain from an interface of traditional Zen and contemporary knowledge. “Buddhist practice is the most genius way to work with human suffering,” Diane says, and grounded in awareness of the fundamental oneness is where we want to be when engaging in social or political activism, or when facing any kind of conflict. “It’s the evolution of consciousness and the attendant set of skills to support that,” she continues. We can awaken to an awareness of our true nature, and then take up the gauntlet of growing up—“straight up maturation, straight-up ego development.”
In fact, what Gabe calls Diane’s “experiment” is nothing less than evolving the 2,500-year-old tradition of Zen, preserving and innovating, holding on to the wisdom, power, and grace of the tradition while bringing in the contributions of the West: psychology, shadow work, neuroscience, emotional development, and stage-appropriate interpersonal skills. Also, how to make sense of power dynamics, work with authority, and allow being pushed out of our comfort zone. A testament to Diane and Gabe’s own inner work, this groundbreaking conversation is inspiring and impactful, punctuated with deep, personal, experiential wisdom from both guests that speaks directly to how we can best wake up, grow up, and show up in this challenging world of ours.
Recorded July 24, 2025.
Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Heidi Mitchell
Topics & Time Stamps – Part 1
- Introducing Zen teachers, authors, and Integral Facilitators, Diane Musho Hamilton & Gabriel Wilson (00:44)
- What drew Gabe to Zen, and what lack did he feel Waking Up and Growing Up would fill? (01:35)
- Evolving the Zen tradition: what do we need, particularly in western Buddhism, that we’re not finding? (05:26)
- Using Ken Wilber’s framework of waking up and growing up (08:50)
- What does “waking up” really mean? (10:02)
- Practice IS enlightenment: the awakened mind is only found in the here and now (12:23)
- There’s nothing like sitting with what is to prepare you to be with what will come (17:30)
- The realization that there’s no big opening to be had (23:05)
- What does “growing up” mean? (24:07)
- Providing students with interpersonal skills to accommodate their evolving levels of development (27:00)
- Writing for the younger generations: how to make sense of power dynamics, work with authority & allow being pushed out of your comfort zone (31:15)
- The wisdom of learning from those who have gone before us (34:49)
- Growing the capacity to deal with intensity in the moment (38:59)
- The example of John Lewis: being inclusive of the ego but not limited by it (44:29)
- How do we respond to what’s happening without imagining it shouldn’t be happening? (49:15)
- Holding the vision that we are fundamentally one when we engage in social activism (51:18)
- Be wary of using aggression in the name of love (54:11)
- Within the container of conventional religious traditions, developmental tasks are different for each stage (59:40)
- The teacher/student relationship cuts both ways (01:07:21)
- Preserving and evolving the Zen tradition for today’s world (01:08:55)
- Buddhist practice is the most genius way to work with human suffering (01:13:40)
- Looking to the future: are we innovating too much? (01:16:24)
- A lot of technology is racing us to the bottom of our brainstem; where we put our attention is important (01:20:32)
About the Deep Transformation series
We are clearly in a new era, facing world-threatening challenges and graced with barely conceivable opportunities. In this mind-boggling new world, we all face two crucial questions:
- First, the ever-present conundrum of how to best live fully, deeply, wisely, and well.
Second, the new question unique to our times, how to best understand and heal our endangered world. - Wouldn’t it be wonderful to hear responses to these questions from some of the great consciousness pioneers—the outstanding thinkers, sages, scientists, and activists—of our time? These are the people and conversations that Deep Transformation offers.
Deep Transformation: Self-Society-Spirit draws on diverse ideas from around the world. It goes beyond traditional positions and polarities—beyond left and right, material and spiritual—to seek syntheses of deep wisdom and practical know-how that integrate the best of all positions.
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About Diane Hamilton
Diane is a uniquely gifted, playful, and awake group facilitator, consultant and teacher of Integral Spirituality and Zen. She is a lineage holder in the Soto Zen tradition, and has collaborated with the Integral Institute and Ken Wilber since 2004, developing the Integral Life Practice seminars and the Integral Spiritual Experience global events.
About Gabe Wilson
Gabe, founder of Developmental Design, is a leadership coach and organizational consultant, with a specialty in diversity and inclusion efforts. He is the co-author of Compassionate Conversations: How to Speak and Listen from the Heart. His work takes us to the intersection of social justice and purpose driven enterprises, design thinking, human psychology and group dynamics.
About John Dupuy
John Dupuy is co-founder and CEO of iAwake Technologies, a company that creates cutting-edge, high-tech brainwave entrainment soundtracks that support the healing of emotional/shadow issues, deepen meditation, mental focus, creativity, and flow states, and enhance a daily integral transformative practice. John has been working personally and professionally with brainwave entrainment technology since 2004, and travels internationally to teach and inspire on the subjects of Integral Transformative Practice and Integral Recovery®. John is also the author of Integral Recovery: A Revolutionary Approach to the Treatment of Alcoholism and Addiction (SUNY Press, 2013), winner of the 2013 USA Best Book Award, and co-host of the popular Journey of Integral Recovery podcast. John also hosts the online series Spiritual Tech Talks 2.0, in which he converses with leaders, pioneers, and inventors on the current wave of emerging spiritual technologies.
About Roger Walsh
Roger Walsh, M.D., Ph.D., has spent nearly a quarter century researching and practicing in the world's great spiritual traditions. His critically acclaimed book, Essential Spirituality, is a summary of that wisdom, outlining the seven spiritual practices common to the world's major religions.