What do you really want? 

If you've arrived at this page, you already know that the unpredictable vicissitudes and circumstances of life—the perpetual cycle of excitement and disappointment, gain and loss, success and failure—can't bring you the deeper contentment and fulfillment you seek.

But the awakening power of awareness has the potential to provide you with lasting peace of mind and heart, and a happiness that can't be shaken by the ups and downs of life. Whether you’re new to the spiritual search or a seasoned seeker, this website offers a wealth of opportunities and resources to guide you on your journey. 

If you’re motivated to explore the emotional and psychological issues that cause you suffering, obscure your true nature, and close your heart, I offer heart-centered, awareness-based counseling that draws on my many years of experience as a psychotherapist and on the nondual spiritual principles and insights I teach.

If you’d like a taste of the teachings and practices I offer, you can begin by watching some of the free satsangs, podcasts, and interviews on my video page, then follow up by reading one of my books or engaging in one of my recorded retreats.

If you feel ready to dive even deeper and seek your own answers to the perennial questions of life and death—What is the nature of reality? Who am I really?—I offer individual spiritual mentoring, classes, groups, retreats, and the annual School for Awakening, all designed to guide you in exploring these questions directly for yourself and finding answers that resolve your doubts and confusion once and for all. 

Despite what some traditions may say, you can wake up right now to your timeless, boundariless spiritual nature, the source of all abiding peace, happiness, and love. May the resources I offer here be of benefit. Many blessings on your journey!

Who are you really?

 
 

Awaken right now to your essential spiritual nature

Happiness is your natural state, your birthright as a human being, and you can reclaim it right now without elaborate practices or disciplines. In my books, classes, webinars, and the School for Awakening, I offer wise guidance in waking up from separation and suffering and discovering your essential spiritual nature, the source of all lasting happiness, peace, and love.

 

Receive compassionate guidance on your journey

In the process of living from your truth in the world of relationships and work, the support of a seasoned teacher and counselor can be an invaluable resource. As a licensed psychotherapist for many years and a teacher of spiritual awakening, I offer individual counseling and mentoring sessions that guide you in welcoming your thoughts and feelings, releasing the core stories and reactive patterns that cause you suffering, and connecting with your deepest inner wisdom.

 

Books, videos, and other resources

From the comprehensive guidebook Meditation for Dummies (first published in 1999) to Wake Up Now, a roadmap for the journey of awakening, through Beyond Mindfulness, a critique of progressive approaches to spiritual practice—my books all point toward a more intimate and direct approach to realizing your essential spiritual nature while taking compassionate care of this tender human form. The video page includes free interviews and satsangs as well as an intro course in spiritual awakening.

Praise for Stephan and his work

“ Wake Up Now is one of the most concise guides to spiritual awakening I have read. Both profound and practical, it guides the reader through the intricacies of awakening as only someone who has walked the walk themselves can do. The clarity and compassion this book offers the sincere spiritual seeker is both rare and welcome. ”
— Adyashanti, author of The End of Your World and Falling into Grace
“ With his deep training in contemplative practice combined with a down-to-earth understanding of everyday life, Stephan Bodian helps us open to and rest in a natural presence and wakefulness that is our true home. His writing is so clear, warm, accessible, and helpful. A gem of a book! ”
— Rick Hanson, Ph.D., New York Times bestselling author of Buddha’s Brain and Hardwiring Happiness
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“ Beyond Mindfulness is a beautifully written guide for both beginner and experienced meditators. Stephan Bodian takes us beyond stress relief and shows us how mindfulness can be a stepping stone to a more direct approach to awakening. This is a unique and important book for understanding and experiencing awakened awareness as a new potential foundation for living. ”
— Loch Kelly, author of Shift into Freedom
“ Beyond Mindfulness is a provocative and profound book that shines a light on how practicing meditation can reify the doer—the self who is being mindful. With great lucidity and care,author Stephan Bodian introduces approaches drawn from non-dual wisdom traditions that allow us to relax back and realize the indivisible radiant awareness that is already and always here. ”
— Tara Brach, Ph.D., author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge
“ Beyond Mindfulness is an important addition to the literature on consciousness and spiritual practice. It skillfully extols the direct experience of non-dual reality, as distinct from mindfulness. I found it clear, poetic, and inspiring. Every page rings with authenticity. ”
— Robert K. Hall, M.D., one of the founding teachers of Spirit Rock Meditation Center and cofounder of the Lomi School of Somatic Studies
“ In Beyond Mindfulness, Stephan Bodian expertly reveals the direct approach that frees us from the psychological traps and spiritual limitations of technical forms of meditation. Everyone who senses that their meditation is conditioning them should engage with Stephan's profound exposition of the wisdom beyond all effort. ”
— Peter Fenner, Ph.D., founder of Timeless Wisdom, author of Radiant Mind and Natural Awakening
“ Stephan speaks from long experience to share the path that ends suffering and frees the heart for flight. ”
— Stephen Levine, author of Healing into Life and Death and A Year to Live
“ Many books talk about spiritual awakening, but Wake Up Now breaks new ground by providing a detailed roadmap to the complete process. Profound yet accessible, precise yet jargon-free, this wise book leads you step by step on the direct path home to your radiant natural state, your innermost true self. ”
— Lama Surya Das, author of Awakening the Buddha Within and Awakening to the Sacred

“ Stephan is a shining light in the fields of yoga, meditation, and consciousness. ”
— Joan Borysenko, author of A Woman's Book of Life and Inner Peace for Busy people