The Awaken the World Initiative was founded in 2012 to create films and materials which are made available for free in over 30 languages for the awakening of humanity.
Daniel Schmidt
Daniel Schmidt is the creator of the award-winning films “Inner Worlds Outer Worlds,” and the ongoing “Samadhi” film series airing on Gaia and YouTube with over 20 million views. He founded the Awaken the World initiative in 2012 that produces films and materials which are made available for free in over 30 languages for the awakening of humanity. Recently he teamed up with Bill Free and Leif Heimbold to create the award-winning three part “Awakening Mind” series which is a documentary style format which includes interviews from the worlds leading teachers of awakening and liberation.
The Samadhi Center in Ontario Canada and the Awaken the World Initiative were created by Daniel as an outer reflection of his inner world. His approach to retreats combines self-inquiry with traditional forms of meditation so participants can have the opportunity to simultaneously realize their transcendent nature and to purify themselves of conditioned patterns so that the human vessel becomes permeable to their true nature.
In 2023 Daniel launched the online 7 day “I AM” retreat, an ongoing perpetual sadhana format which begins with techniques and guides participants towards the practiceless practice of true sadhana, which is a direct recognition of our true nature. His approach blends self-inquiry, time-honored meditation practices, and whatever dissolves illusion… be it ancient, modern, or spontaneously improvised.
Interviews with Dan
Path to Awakening with Daniel Schmidt
Daniel Schmidt Interview - Meditation, Self Inquiry, The Pathless Path of Awakening
Daniel Schmidt - The Pathless Path of Direct Experience!
Awaken the World! -- Meet Daniel Schmidt... he's doing amazing things!
Daniel Schmidt - Buddha at the Gas Pump Interview
Lilla Balint
Lilla: Online Operations Coordinator, Cosmic Nobody Division
Once identified as “Iboga Provider,” “Seeker of Truth,” and occasional “Overthinker Extraordinaire,” Lilla has since undergone a complete ego liquidation. She now identifies as… nothing in particular, which makes her unusually qualified to assist in literally everything… and simultaneously nothing at all. Her official job description includes:
- Whispering with the Self disguised as tech support
- Occasionally uploading videos that upload her in return
- Answering emails from seekers while secretly dissolving their identities
- Laughing at nothing, weeping at everything, and calling it “Tuesday”
Her unofficial role? Holding the energetic clipboard at the intersection of Presence and Pixels,
coordinating multidimensional admin tasks while remembering that none of it is real.
Favorite mantra:
“You don’t have to know.”
Current project:
Being a flute for the Infinite to play weirdly beautiful love songs through.
Future aspirations:
N/A. The future doesn’t exist.
Fun Fact:
She once fasted for 24 hours and met God disguised as a spoon
Alex Litardo
Inspired by Herman Hesse’s novel Siddhartha, Alex embarked on his spiritual quest at the age of 15. During those years, the teachings of Jung, Krishnamurti and Huxley, as well as his experimentation with entheogens and chemicals, brought about powerful periods of communion with the whole, leaving a lasting impression on his life.
However, after immigrating to the United States at the age of 20, his spiritual path was veiled for years by studies, jobs, family obligations and a career in digital imaging.
At the turn of the century, he made a conscious decision to simplify his life, become independent in his work and refocus his exploration on the nature of reality and being. A revelation about the coherence between quantum physics and spiritual teachings fostered a resurgence of his inner quest and he gained a deep understanding and insight through Dan’s consistent, interdisciplinary and powerful presentations and guidance.
This energy quickly gained momentum and a series of synchronicities led him to focus entirely on promoting the mission of Dan’s initiative.
Today, Alex is profoundly grateful to be part of this community, where he manages the development of online resources, communications and translation projects.
ATW Daily Meditations Hosts
The Awaken the World online Meditation Community was formed as a supportive, inclusive virtual space which provides an incentive to begin and maintain or deepen a regular practice. All are welcome to join us for these free, drop-in gatherings. Here are some of the original hosts who’ve held this space for many years.
Sibasis Sahoo
After hundreds of experiences in 2017 that science could not explain, I was forced to turn inward and realized the inward is a mess as well.
Turning inward and facing myself, started a transformation that still continues. This was surrender.
If we can begin to understand what we are without trying to change it then what we are begins to undergo a radical transformation.🙏
Akram Mahani
It has been a true blessing and a privilege to host some of the daily silent meditations. These have helped me deepen my own practice.
Plus, I feel I’m part of a community of seekers who come together everyday for a common purpose. I greatly appreciate the opportunity!
Silvina Alterman
I am a psychologist living in Argentina. Over thirty years ago, I incorporated the transpersonal and spiritual dimension into my personal and clinical work. Based on experiences with non-ordinary states of consciousness with plants and breathing, I began to practice meditation and self-inquiry consistently and steadily.
Here, I feel at home, honored and grateful to participate in this loving community space whose purpose is to awaken global consciousness.
Martin Beynon
After studying Robotics & Intelligent Machines at university, and a 15 year deep investigation into science and the nature of existence, a sudden shift in awareness brought about the birth of a seeker and a shift from the material to spiritual. Initially starting on a traditional, progressive path of Yoga, later turning to the pathless path. Between 2025 and 2026 a number of unfoldings and openings took place, resulting in the death of the seeker and a call to service – to give and share myself. It is a wonderful blessing and a privilage to host and hold space in the Daily Silent Meditations, and to be part of this community.
Traudel Deffner
After 2 years of regular participation in the daily silent meditations, it now came about that I am allowed to help as a host to keep the meditations going. The biggest challenge for me is the handling of the digital tools – while staying in silence has proven more and more to be bliss and a blessing as well as a deepening of clarity and love. I appreciate this group very much, many thanks to all who participate!
Tracy Coleman
She’s been called a beautiful rebel, the spiritual gangster from Chi- town.
This special woman beats to her own drum and sings her call “to thine own self be true”
Awakening from the despair of addiction into recovery 34 years ago, marked the beginning of her journey as she became fully open,
devoted to an inner focused awareness that is the guiding force behind everything and everyone.
Tracy is dedicated to this awareness itself, to living an untethered life for herself and serving others in their lives.”
https://www.meditativehealer.com/
Dianne Maltais
Resting in the silence and sweetness of simply being. Sharing this space, this moment, and a quiet understanding. These daily meditation, and being one together, have become an anchor to reality for me — a place to untangle, to observe, to deepen. In stillness, something essential is remembered.
I warmly invite all who seek peace, clarity, or simply a place to be — to just sit with us.
“In silence there is eloquence. Stop weaving and see how the pattern improves.”
— Rumi
