Living the Transcendent in Everyday Life: Karen Johnson Talks with Buddha at the Gas Pump

In this illuminating conversation from Buddha at the Gas Pump, Karen Johnson, co-founder of the Diamond Approach, joins host Rick Archer to explore how ordinary life becomes the very ground for spiritual realization. Drawing on decades of teaching and personal experience, Karen explains how the Diamond Approach impacts the unique particulars of each person's journey – work, relationships, emotions – becoming the fuel for awakening and inner work. The interview offers both a deep introduction to the spiritual path and insight into its evolution over the past 15 years, revealing a living, responsive teaching for contemporary seekers. Scroll down to view the video and a summary of highlights.

Summary 

From her early partnership with A. H. Almaas to the Diamond Approach’s current global reach, Karen reflects on how the teaching continues to evolve in both depth and accessibility. 

A central theme of their dialogue is “inclusive transcendence”, the idea that self-realization doesn’t require leaving the world behind but is instead embodied through it. Karen emphasizes that our everyday experiences – joys, conflicts, love, illness, aging, and even death – can become portals to objective truth. Rather than bypassing life’s messiness, the Diamond Approach invites us to meet it fully, with presence and inquiry. 

Karen also discusses the spiritual potential of the body and emotions, the role of curiosity in unfolding our Being, and how psychological work is inseparable from spiritual development and maturation. She shares how practices like sensing, meditation, and Diamond InquiryTM create a grounded path to experiencing truth directly. 

The interview is not only a rich introduction for newcomers but also a meaningful reflection for long-time practitioners. With warmth and wisdom, Karen opens a window into a path that meets people where they are, honoring the mystery of Being while walking with both feet in the world.