Rod Taylor is an international teacher of conscious embodied non-dual awakening, known for his pioneering work in the field of spiritual evolution. With over 50 years of experience, he is the originator of the Whole-Being Evolution Teachings and creator of the Whole-Being Evolution Map. Rod is also the author of the book “New Principles of Awakened Relationship.” His teachings integrate various spiritual traditions and practices, offering a comprehensive approach to personal and collective evolution. Rod is deeply committed to his role as a teacher and guide, providing workshops and coaching services to individuals and groups. He is a member of the Trillium Awakening Teachers Circle and the Trillium Awakening Core Teachings Committee, and he holds certifications in various spiritual modalities. Rod’s passion for teaching and coaching is evident in his dedication to helping others awaken to their true nature. MysticMag finds out more.
Rod, what inspired you to develop the concept of Whole Being Evolution, and how does it differ from other approaches to spiritual growth and evolution?
The evolution of my being has been a lifelong journey rooted in a quest for spiritual realization. This path led me to begin daily meditation in 1970 and become a teacher of Transcendental Meditation in 1973. These greatly contributed to my evolution and well-being for over 25 years. Despite their value, I came to recognize a sense of incompleteness within my personal self and sought additional means to enhance my emotional depth and overall wellbeing.
My exploration of a broad range of spiritual practices led me to discover the path of Trillium Awakening, a path I now teach. The Trillium Awakening approach supports and activates participants in integrating their conscious nature with an embodied, interconnected realization of the self, inclusive of all beings and all things. This ‘Whole Being Realization’ marked a profound shift in my journey, ending my spiritual seeking and moving me towards a deeper sense of wholeness and interconnectedness within the fabric of creation.
Becoming a teacher of Trillium Awakening in 2007 allowed me to fully express my whole being nature supporting others on their journey of spiritual evolution. However, as my own realization continued to evolve, I began to explore beyond the initial understandings offered by this path. Drawing on my background in adult education, I felt compelled to create diagrams to clarify the archetypal stages of evolution emerging within me for the benefit of my students. This led to a dynamic seven-year process of mapping what has become the ‘12 Stages of Whole-Being Evolution from Source to Source’.
What sets this approach apart is its focus on realizing consciousness within embodied form, in interconnectedness with all that is. Unlike paths that seek to transcend the self or any form, this approach emphasizes a profound infinity within form, recognizing oneself as an emergence of creation. The key difference lies in the realized field of mutuality, where interconnectedness with others is not just a skill to be learned but a realized way to meet others as they are and resonate with them within ourselves.
This path is not a philosophy but a practicality, inviting us to meet ourselves and others authentically, beyond the need for improvement or separation. It reflects an evolutionary impulse emerging in humanity at this time guiding us towards a deeper realization of our interconnected nature within creation.
How do you envision Whole Being Evolution contributing to collective consciousness and the evolution of humanity as a whole?
This path of realization goes beyond simply believing in our interconnectedness; it becomes a lived experience within the fabric of creation, where our relatedness to everyone is palpable even in moments of discomfort. It is not just a recognition of oneness but a deep knowing of our interconnectedness within creation, where even in our crankiest moments, we are aware of this connection because it is part of our lived reality.
This understanding is key to what I see as a newly emerging Whole Being Paradigm of spiritual evolution for humanity. It is not a creative initiative of mine or of Trillium Awakening but a realization arising from the essence of creation itself, impacting all beings. This mutual dimension, often overlooked in other paths where the focus is on self-improvement or exclusive realization of consciousness, is now illuminating evolution of one’s whole being self and its contribution to humanity as a whole. It is clarifying for us that we are part of a collective whole, emphasizing the importance of being individual ‘whole beings’ evolving as ourselves and cocreating in evolution with all of humanity.
What role does the concept of Source play in Whole Being Evolution, and how does this understanding impact one’s spiritual journey?
I would define “Source” as the infinite mystery that underlies and expresses itself as all that exists. The concept of Source in Whole Being Evolution is the recognition of Source as the origin and content of creation and the means of our spiritual evolution.
The key insight here is that in our evolution, we are actually coming to realize Source expressing itself as ourselves. This has always been true, but in past paradigms of human spiritual evolution, we were not ready to understand Source in form; we needed to perceive it only beyond form. Now, however, we can discover it within form through a practical approach of engaging in mutuality with the essence of our own being—not the idealized version of ourselves we think we should be, but the authentic selves that we truly are within our current stage of evolution.
As this realization unfolds, there is a relaxation around our own nature. We no longer view ourselves as incomplete or in need of improvement, but rather as part of an evolutionary flow with which we can cooperate. This shift allows us to increasingly recognize our individuality not as something to be protected or asserted, but as a flow within the greater expression of Source. This understanding fundamentally changes our perspective, leading us to see Source as both the origin and the expression of creation.
In the context of whole being evolution, Source is discovered as emerging as oneself and as all of creation. We come to know Source in its expression as our eternal soul nature within our current individualized form. This recognition brings about a sense of wholeness that transcends boundaries, while still honoring the individual elements of creation. In this way, we live source in its fullness, manifesting in, through and as love.
How do you see Whole Being Evolution evolving and expanding in the future, both in terms of teachings and practical applications for individuals and communities?
The Whole Being Evolution framework offers a discriminative approach that highlights elements of the emergent Whole Being Paradigm of Human Spiritual Evolution. While this shift in understanding is not a rejection of past teachings, it represents a significant change in underlying spiritual principles.
This Whole Being Paradigm is characterized by living simultaneous realization of Consciousness, Embodiment, and Mutuality in the midst of one’s ongoing life. Spiritual teachings of Awakening to Consciousness exclusive of Form and Relationship, and spiritual teachings of Devotional Deference to a Separate Creator, have shifted in this emergent paradigm to Awakening in Non-Dual Wholeness inclusive of Consciousness, Existence, and Relatedness.
The Whole Being Evolution framework offers a valuable tool for those who sense an evolutionary movement within themselves, for engaging whole being support for their continuing unfoldment. Those focused primarily on historical spiritual knowledge and disciplined spiritual practices may consider adding approaches of mutuality that provide support and activation for Whole Being Realization and continuing whole being unfoldment.
I believe this framework will continue to evolve, with new teachings and materials emerging to express its principles in infinite ways. This evolution will naturally support the growth and development of all individuals and humanity as a whole. Ultimately, it encourages us to increasingly embrace who we are, face challenges as they arise, and make discoveries with a sense of gratitude and inspiration.
What inspired the creation of the ‘Awakenings Beyond Initial Whole Being Realization’ course, and what unique contributions does it offer to individuals on their spiritual journey compared to other courses or teachings?
This online self-study course, “Awakenings Beyond Initial Whole Being Realization,” has emerged as a natural culmination in my journey of unfolding the Whole Being Evolution Map and teachings. It is a fulfilling outcome reflecting the Grace of my evolution over 50 years of spiritual life in the fields of consciousness, conscious embodiment, and mutual relatedness.
I’ve found meaningful clarity in identifying key awakening shifts, which I hope will resonate with others on their own evolutionary paths. The self-study course includes 23 sessions from a course that was offered live from September 2023 to May 2024. Each recorded session includes presentations, graphic charts, questions, and discussions (1.5 to 2+ hours).
This course delves into the nature of Whole Being Evolution, particularly focusing on the dimension of mutuality that helps us connect deeply with ourselves and others. It supports individuals to resonate and cooperate with their own evolutionary movement, even if it seems in contrast to their past paths.
What makes this course particularly beautiful is that five of my colleagues, who are teachers and mentors in the Trillium Awakening work, joined me in offering it. They share their own unique realizations, experiences and resonances arising through their personal processes of whole being realization and continuing evolution. We all wanted to provide the course as a service to anyone wishing to enliven and clarify their spiritual unfoldment, so the course is free and can be studied online. It is open to anyone, regardless of their spiritual path, and can be explored with a sense of confidentiality. Participants can test it out and see if it resonates with their own evolution.
This course will be available to the public beginning August 27th and then always available. Also on that day, we will host a free Zoom call at 4:00 PM Pacific Time for those who want to meet the teachers, hear an overview, and ask questions. Everyone is welcome to join the call, however individuals can also enroll in the course directly and let it serve them in their own unique way.
If you would like to find out more about Rod Taylor and Whole Being Evolution, please visit https://wholebeingevolution.com/ or contact Rod at: [email protected]
