Expanding Consciousness

Michael Wally and Nikolas Haag

How to connect to your higher self & escape the matrix. Two software engineers deconstruct together what they learned about spirituality, non-duality and the human experience. We explore to sharpen our awareness, make life more enjoyable, be little kinder, become more authentic, less reactive, more present & ultimately expand our consciousness. For Feedback & Inquiries: expanding.consciousness.podcast@gmail.com

  1. Jun 17

    Spirituality vs. Psychology: Are They at Odds or Two Halves of the Same Path? | Ep. 84

    Coming from opposite directions — Nikolas from a hard-science skepticism of anything "woo," Michael from a spiritual high horse that looked down on psychology — the two meet in the middle to ask a deceptively simple question: are spirituality and psychology compatible, complementary, or fundamentally at odds? The conversation moves from spiritual bypassing and hitting plateaus on the meditation cushion, to how psychology's "third wave" (mindfulness, DBT, ACT) quietly absorbed Eastern practice, to the existential terrain — death, meaning, and the fear of the void — where they argue psychology alone may run out of road. From there they get into the harder questions: the risks of untrained spiritual and psychedelic facilitation, safety and trauma-informed containers, the clinicalization of plant medicine, and a genuinely contested back-and-forth on cultural appropriation, decolonization, and what (if anything) gets lost when an indigenous practice becomes a Western framework. A wide-ranging, exploratory dialogue for anyone interested in the meeting point of inner work, psychedelics, mental health, and the existential questions that neither science nor spirituality answers cleanly on its own. Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:41 Are spirituality and psychology compatible? 01:40 Two opposite starting points & plant medicine opening the lid 02:57 From engineering to spirituality and back to psychology 04:10 Carl Rogers, unconditional positive regard & Ram Dass 05:08 The third wave: CBT, mindfulness, DBT & Eastern roots 07:05 12-step programs, surrender & shedding the ego 08:25 Where psychology hits its limits: existential questions 09:49 Death through a Western lens vs. a spiritual lens 13:21 Is death just the end? Consciousness, matter & the void 14:45 "Die before you die" & the West's troubled relationship with death 16:57 Plant medicine, joy, and the patterns it revealed 18:50 What psychology brings: precision, containment & safety 21:42 Safety in spiritual ceremony & the trauma-informed gap 24:47 Liberty vs. risk: psychosis, cannabis & applying caution 27:11 Clinicalization of plant medicine — losing the sacred? 28:41 Appropriation, decolonization & "letting it change you" 31:19 Strains, spirits, the entourage effect & synthesized compounds 33:47 Does context make it the same experience? Set, setting & safety 36:22 Clinical rooms vs. cozy containers & the MAPS tension 40:46 Mindfulness, John Kabat-Zinn & where appropriation begins 42:54 You can't monopolize spirituality 44:29 Suffering as the doorway to both paths 45:48 Michael Singer's "Wisdom Untethered" & closing thoughts

    1h 37m

  2. Jun 14

    The Felt Sense: How Your Body Heals Itself — Eugene Gendlin's Focusing Explained | Ep. 83

    In this episode, Nikolas and Michael unpack Focusing, the therapeutic method developed by philosopher and psychologist Eugene Gendlin out of his research with Carl Rogers' client-centered therapy. What began as an attempt to isolate why some therapy sessions succeed and others fail became a powerful practice that has sold half a million copies and helped bridge the gap between the talk-therapy era and today's somatic approaches. At the heart of the conversation is the "felt sense" — that nebulous, hard-to-pin-down space between sensation and emotion where we actually make meaning. The two explore how to get in touch with it, why we resist uncomfortable experiences and store them in the body, and how meaning follows experience rather than leading it. Along the way they walk through the six steps of Focusing, compare it to EMDR and Somatic Experiencing, and dig into a bigger question: what does it actually mean to be wounded, and what does it mean to heal? A thoughtful, exploratory conversation for anyone interested in somatic psychology, trauma processing, and the body's natural capacity to unwind itself — no re-traumatization required. Peter Levine clip mentioned in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdUnCj05RMs Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:41 What is Focusing & its origins with Carl Rogers 03:05 The felt sense explained — between sensation and emotion 06:35 Walking through an example of the felt sense 08:23 The felt shift & why you don't compartmentalize the experience 10:58 Meaning follows experience (not the other way around) 13:12 Body awareness, somatic unfolding & the body's wisdom 15:53 How experiences get stored: overwhelm, dissociation & programming 17:49 Why we reject experiences & store them in the body 20:20 Overload, childhood & falling back to primitive responses 21:48 Re-experiencing the "residue" without reliving the story 23:38 Why resistance exists: aversion to discomfort & habit 25:29 The six steps of Focusing (creating space, felt sense, handle, resonate, ask) 30:48 Comparing Focusing to EMDR & Peter Levine's Somatic Experiencing 34:43 Is trauma processing the same across modalities? 36:16 What does it mean to be wounded and to heal? 40:37 Updating a 1970s framework for modern somatic psychology 42:44 Habits as identity & the disorientation of change 45:02 Attitude, intrinsic motivation & creating your own suffering 47:31 Closing thoughts

    48 min

  3. May 23

    Annihilating the Ego: A Sufi Path to Inner Peace with Salima Adelstein | Ep. 82

    The 5 C's: https://instituteofspiritualhealing.com/5c/ Sufism Foundations Course: https://instituteofspiritualhealing.com/foundations-sh/ Salima Adelstein is a Sufi spiritual guide and emotional healer with 35 years of experience accessing the deeper layers of the heart. After 25 years on a different spiritual path that included meditation and time in India, an unexpected encounter with a Sufi master in New Mexico shifted everything for her. In this conversation she walks us through the core of Sufism: the heart-mind connection, the three inner voices (the ego/nafs, the negative outside voice, and the voice of the divine), the practice of remembrance (dhikr), forgiveness and mercy, ego annihilation, and surrender. We talk about how Sufism strips away the hidden "pictures in the heart" we carry from childhood and ancestry, why peace has to start in your own heart before it can radiate outward, and what a daily practice actually looks like. A grounded conversation for anyone curious about how a heart-centered tradition meets ordinary life. 0:00 Intro 0:41 Introduction to Sufism and Salima's Journey 8:12 The Heart-Mind Connection in Sufism 13:43 Navigating Inner Voices and Discernment 18:55 The Role of Forgiveness and Mercy 26:24 Annihilation of the Ego and Surrender 34:22 Living from an Open Heart 37:29 Practical Steps in Sufism

    42 min

  4. Mar 27

    Rewiring the Subconscious: How Hypnotherapy Heals Trauma at the Root w/ Peter McLaughlin | Ep. 81

    What if your biggest struggles weren’t random—but rooted deep in your subconscious… or even beyond this lifetime? In this episode, we sit down with hypnotherapist Peter McLaughlin, who shares his powerful journey from firefighter and EMT to helping people resolve anxiety, emotional blocks, and deeply ingrained patterns through hypnosis. We explore what hypnosis really is (hint: you already experience it daily), how trauma gets stored in the subconscious, and how accessing these states can lead to rapid transformation—sometimes in just minutes. Peter explains how emotional patterns, beliefs, and even guilt or shame can shape our lives without us realizing it—and how they can be rewritten. We also dive into more unconventional territory, including past life regression, spiritual perspectives on healing, and why confronting inner pain (rather than avoiding it) can be the key to lasting change. This episode is a deep and thought-provoking exploration of the mind, healing, and what it really means to transform from the inside out. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction & Peter’s background 01:10 From firefighter to life-threatening diagnosis 02:26 Discovering hypnosis & subconscious healing 04:58 What is hypnosis really? 08:56 How hypnotherapy rewires patterns 09:49 How to enter a hypnotic state 14:44 Processing trauma in hypnosis 15:19 Creating safety in therapy 18:35 Confronting pain vs avoiding it 19:14 Making the unconscious conscious 23:05 Past life vs current life trauma 28:22 Why guilt & shame are so powerful 31:46 Why we carry trauma across lifetimes 36:18 How long does transformation take? 37:55 Are we ever “done” with the work? 41:55 Skepticism: is it just imagination? 45:44 Spiritual implications of healing 50:11 Do clients know what they’re getting into? 53:44 Who is drawn to this work? 54:24 Stanislav Grof 55:44 Birth trauma vs past life regression 58:01 Psyched**ics vs hypnosis 01:00:43 Spiritual attachments explained 01:02:51 How entity attachment healing works

    1h 11m

  5. Mar 12

    Messages From Beyond: Barbara Banner on Spirits & the Afterlife | Ep. 80

    In this episode, we talk with evidential medium Barbara Banner, who shares her personal journey into mediumship and how she began delivering detailed, verifiable messages from people in spirit. We explore what mediumship actually feels like from the inside, how messages come through, and whether this ability is something only a few people have — or something anyone can learn to access. Barbara explains how grief affects the connection to the other side, why signs from loved ones often appear in everyday life, and what spirits supposedly experience after death. The conversation also dives into deeper questions about reincarnation, life reviews, spirit guides, and whether those on the other side can influence what happens here on Earth. Toward the end, Barbara even attempts a live reading during the podcast, showing how unexpected and symbolic these messages can be. Topics include: How Barbara discovered her abilities What happens during a medium reading Signs from loved ones after death Life after death & reincarnation Spirit guides and intuition Can anyone learn mediumship? A live reading during the episode Timestamps 0:00 Intro 1:22 Barbara’s story – how mediumship started 2:46 Crisis work, grief support, and early experiences 5:02 Paranormal events that changed everything 6:41 First readings and learning mediumship 8:35 Mediumship and grief – why timing matters 11:08 What messages from spirits are usually about 14:02 Validations, signs, and surprising details 18:33 How spirits communicate with a medium 20:52 Can anyone learn intuition and connection? 24:30 Teaching clients to connect themselves 26:35 When messages don’t make sense at first 27:59 Who shows up in a reading? 30:52 Burnout and self-care as a medium 32:44 Negative spirits, protection, and safety 35:00 Life after death and the life review 38:57 Reincarnation and why souls come back 42:06 Can spirits influence life on Earth? 45:06 Live reading during the podcast 52:55 When messages make sense later 54:46 Where to find Barbara Banner online 55:38 Outro

    56 min

  6. Feb 19

    From MIT Engineer to Miracle Healer: Rewriting the “Source Code” of Reality w/ Brent Michael Phillips | Ep. 79

    Our Guest's Website: https://awakening-dynamics.com/ What if miracles aren’t magic… but misunderstood technology? In this episode, we sit down with Brent Michael Phillips, a former MIT-trained engineer and video game entrepreneur who went through a devastating physical and emotional collapse — only to experience what he describes as an instantaneous miracle healing that changed the trajectory of his life. After being told he would be in pain forever and would never work again, Brent hit rock bottom. Chronic pain, betrayal, financial ruin, and depression forced him into what he calls a true “dark night of the soul.” But everything shifted after a session with an unconventional healer that restored movement to his paralyzed arm in seconds. Instead of dismissing the experience, Brent did what any engineer would do: he reverse-engineered it. Today, he teaches what he calls Awakening Dynamics — a system for decoding and “debugging” the subconscious mind. Using powerful analogies from software engineering, Brent explains: Why your body works like hardware and your subconscious like software How “miracles” may simply be rewritten code Why lottery winners and NFL players often lose their wealth What it really takes to reprogram deep subconscious patterns The difference between information and true embodiment This conversation bridges science, spirituality, somatics, and psychology — especially for those who think in systems. If you’ve ever wondered whether healing and manifestation can be approached like engineering problems, this episode will challenge how you see reality. Timestamps 00:40– Introduction 01:38 – From nerdy MIT engineer to internet startup founder 03:46 – The 100-hour work weeks and physical collapse 06:28 – “You’ll never work again”: The devastating diagnosis 09:36 – Betrayal, loss, and the dark night of the soul 13:01 – The failed search for healing (5 years of alternative medicine) 15:02 – Rock bottom: Surgery, paralysis, and despair 16:38 – Meeting the “crazy healer lady” 18:23 – The instant healing of his paralyzed arm 20:18 – Why the miracle didn’t fix everything overnight 21:49 – Reverse engineering the masters 24:35 – The hardware vs. software analogy 27:42 – Why lottery winners and NFL players go broke 29:41 – The body as a constantly re-rendered reality 32:29 – Debugging the subconscious like code 34:50 – Somatics, embodiment & reintegrating the nervous system 37:46 – Miracles vs. long-term transformation 40:24 – “How long will it take?” Debugging complexity explained 43:29 – Why doctors ignore spontaneous healing 44:29 – How Brent rewrites subconscious blocks in milliseconds 46:45 – Different tools for different people (passenger car vs. race car) 48:42 – Integrating the shadow & facing the mud 50:29 – How to work with Brent & his training communities 55:41 – Final reflections & where to find him

    59 min

  7. Feb 3

    Dianetics Explained: Understanding the Reactive Mind and Emotional Trauma w/ Alyssa Burke | Ep. 78

    In this episode, we explore Dianetics—a mental health framework closely associated with Scientology, yet far less understood, especially in Europe. Together with guest Alyssa Burke, Nikolas and Michael dive into the core ideas behind Dianetics, including the distinction between the analytical and reactive mind, how unresolved trauma influences behavior, emotions, and even physical health, and how these hidden mental recordings shape our lives without us realizing it. Alyssa shares her personal journey with Dianetics, explains the auditing process in detail, and uses clear analogies—from computer viruses to everyday experiences—to make complex ideas accessible. The conversation draws thoughtful parallels to modern psychology, trauma work, meditation, and somatic approaches, while also addressing questions around safety, effectiveness, and how Dianetics differs from traditional therapy. Whether you’re curious, skeptical, or simply interested in understanding how past experiences continue to affect present-day reactions, this episode offers a deep, nuanced, and respectful exploration of Dianetics and its place in the wider landscape of mental health frameworks. Timestamps 00:41 – Introduction: Why explore Dianetics? 01:38 – Alyssa’s personal journey into Dianetics 04:10 – What Dianetics is: analytical vs. reactive mind 06:46 – Psychosomatic illness and the mind–body connection 10:49 – Is Dianetics therapy? How auditing works 13:55 – The “eggs” example: how the reactive mind forms triggers 19:32 – Processing reactive content with the analytical mind 22:55 – How many sessions are needed? Results and relief 27:51 – What makes Dianetics different from other approaches 30:19 – The computer virus analogy explained 33:07 – Awareness, meditation, and distance from reactivity 37:52 – Identifying hidden trauma with an auditor 43:18 – Safety, severe trauma, and emotional capacity 46:51 – The role of the auditor (and why they don’t analyze) 50:22 – Self-responsibility vs. being “fixed” 52:43 – How to get started: books, centers, DIY approach 54:27 – Closing thoughts and final reflections

    55 min

  8. Jan 18

    How Attachment Styles Shape Your Relationships | Bryan Power | Ep. 77

    Bryan Power's Website: https://www.myrelationshipfail.com/ In this episode, we dive deep into Attachment Theory and explore how our early childhood experiences shape the way we love, communicate, and connect in adult relationships. Our guest Bryan Power shares a powerful personal story of how his marriage reached a breaking point — and how that crisis became the turning point that led him into deep healing work through attachment styles and integrated attachment theory. Together, we break down the four attachment styles (secure, anxious-preoccupied, dismissive-avoidant, and fearful-avoidant), explain why opposites often attract, and uncover the patterns that keep couples stuck in repeating conflicts. Bryan also introduces the six pillars of Integrated Attachment Theory, giving practical tools for emotional regulation, needs, boundaries, communication, and lasting relationship change. If you’ve ever found yourself caught in the same fights, feeling misunderstood, or “listening to defend,” this episode will give you clarity — and a roadmap forward.

    1h 3m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

How to connect to your higher self & escape the matrix. Two software engineers deconstruct together what they learned about spirituality, non-duality and the human experience. We explore to sharpen our awareness, make life more enjoyable, be little kinder, become more authentic, less reactive, more present & ultimately expand our consciousness. For Feedback & Inquiries: expanding.consciousness.podcast@gmail.com

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Wally and Nikolas Haag
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    83
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Michael Wally and Nikolas Haag
  • Show Website
    Expanding Consciousness

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