INTRONAUT CONVERSATION

“Awaken Now”

Date: April 15, 2024

Svetlana Kraiger

Location: with Ivan joining from a tranquil Intronaut Widerness retreat in British Columbia

S.K.: Let’s dive into the heart of the book: your non-dualistic approach to wholeness, what you call the Middle Point. Why “Middle Point”? What makes it central to your vision?

Ivan: The Middle Point is where everything comes together—where the mind’s divisions dissolve, and you see you’re already whole. It’s not about choosing between meditation or love, stillness or action, but living where they merge. The Middle Point says: stop chasing. You’re already there. It’s non-dual because there’s no “you” separate from the whole—no path to walk, just awareness to be. I call it the Middle Point because it’s the now, the center of existence, where opposites embrace.

S.K.: It feels like you’re inviting us to stop striving and simply be. Your talks drew on yoga tantra, Zen, and other traditions. How did these influence your non-dual approach to wholeness?

Ivan: Each tradition offered a gem. Yoga tantra taught me the body is a temple of awareness—energy flowing without barriers. Zen showed me the power of direct seeing, like a lightning bolt of clarity. Advaita pointed to the One-Self, beyond all forms. I didn’t borrow rules but distilled their essence: wholeness isn’t found by adding more, but by dropping the illusion of separation. The Middle Point is that essence—alive, universal, free.

S.K.: You describe this as a “methodless method” in the book. Can you explain how that guides people toward the Middle Point in those sessions?

Ivan: (chuckles) The methodless method is a trick to fool the mind! People in those sessions wanted steps—do this, achieve that. But steps keep you in the future, not the now. So, I’d guide them to witness—watch thoughts, feel the heart, breathe consciously, like in our “spaceless breathing” practice. In L.A., we’d laugh at our busy minds; in Toronto, we’d sit in silence, feeling gratitude; in Vancouver, we’d sense the forest’s pulse. No technique, just being aware. That’s the Middle Point: you don’t do it, you are it. The methodless method is trusting that awareness is enough.

S.K.: You also talk about joy and laughter as paths to wholeness, which feels so different from traditional spiritual intensity. Why emphasize joy in your non-dual approach?

Ivan: The mind loves to be serious—it thinks truth is heavy! But wholeness is light, playful. In Zen, masters laugh to wake you up; tantra celebrates life’s dance. During a session in Vancouver, someone asked, “How do I find peace?” I said, “Laugh at your search!” We all laughed, and the room shifted—tension melted. Joy cracks the ego’s shell. In L.A., we’d giggle at our dramas; in Toronto, gratitude brought smiles. Laughter and joy aren’t goals—they’re the Middle Point expressing itself, reminding you you’re already free.

S.K.: Your book also connects personal awakening to healing the planet, which resonated in those urban settings. How does the Middle Point address our collective challenges?

Ivan: Cities like L.A., Toronto, Vancouver—they pulse with human longing, but also disconnection, environmental strain. The Middle Point isn’t just for you—it’s for all. When you awaken to wholeness, you see no separation between you and the earth, you and others. The Middle Point heals because it’s love, intelligence, acting now, not tomorrow.

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“ Drop the search, laugh at the mind, be grateful for this breath. The Middle Point isn’t out there—it’s you, whole, alive. Live it, share it, and watch the world bloom.”

— Ivan Rados - The Middle Point