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Essays on identity, insight and embodiment, and why change doesn't always stick.

Why Growth Must Disturb The Familiar change identity john el-mokadem personal growth self awareness transformation Sep 18, 2026

By John El-Mokadem

What an accidental Substack email reminded me about growth, loss and becoming someone new.

Hello everyone - yes, it’s John! 😂

I say this because today you may have received an email from an alternate timeline with a Substack written by Julien, who works behind the scenes with u...

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Is Desire Always the Root of All Suffering? consciousness healing john el-mokadem neuroscience presence transformation Aug 21, 2026

By John El-Mokadem

Perhaps surrender was never the opposite of intention?

How do we reconcile some of the ancient traditions which point to attachment to outcomes being the source of suffering, and manifestation principles which suggest actually shaping the outcomes of our lives?

It’s a great que...

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When The Body Holds On embodiment grief identity john el-mokadem nervous system transformation Aug 04, 2026

By John El-Mokadem

What if the body doesn't just remember the past, but rehearses who we believe ourselves to be?

For regular readers of this Substack, you may have noticed that I’ve been quiet the last 8 weeks.

The reason for this is that it has seemed like life threw a proverbial grenade into o...

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The Work Hidden Inside Surrender consciousness identity john el-mokadem nervous system surrender transformation Jun 02, 2026

By John El-Mokadem

The deeper intelligence may already be within us. The question is how we can become available to it.

I know. I know. This title sounds like an oxymoron.

But hear me out.

Something I've been sitting with a lot lately is what I used to teach about creation during my Three Princi...

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Why Your Old Life Keeps Pulling You Back consciousness healing identity john el-mokadem nervous system transformation May 17, 2026

By John El-Mokadem

Sometimes the environment has to change before the identity can stabilise.

It’s a question I’ve wrestled with many times. How can someone have a peak experience where they really see and feel the potential of a new way of being, but actually integrate that into their life in a s...

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