Online and In-person
Online and In-person
TIAMAT-X
TIAMAT-X
The challenge
The challenge
The challenge
We face a crisis of meaning: Millions live disconnected and without a sense of home. Anxiety within (alienation without) and a sense of absurdity with the world. We feel disconnected from ourselves, each other, and a viable future. Many people are talking about it, but only few of us know where to turn to develop the transformative wisdom necessary to cultivate a meaningful life. TIAMAT-X was built to address this…
We face a crisis of meaning: Millions live disconnected and without a sense of home. Anxiety within (alienation without) and a sense of absurdity with the world. We feel disconnected from ourselves, each other, and a viable future. Many people are talking about it, but only few of us know where to turn to develop the transformative wisdom necessary to cultivate a meaningful life. TIAMAT-X was built to address this…
We face a crisis of meaning: Millions live disconnected and without a sense of home. Anxiety within (alienation without) and a sense of absurdity with the world. We feel disconnected from ourselves, each other, and a viable future. Many people are talking about it, but only few of us know where to turn to develop the transformative wisdom necessary to cultivate a meaningful life. TIAMAT-X was built to address this…
Ethan Hsieh, John Vervaeke and Taylor Barratt
Ethan Hsieh, John Vervaeke and Taylor Barratt
Ethan Hsieh, John Vervaeke and Taylor Barratt
The Journey
The Journey
The Journey
You’ve probably taken courses, read the books, even sat through intensive retreats.
In the moment, you feel clear, open, inspired.
Then life happens:
• A conflict with your partner.
• A hard conversation at work.
Under pressure, the familiar spiral of self-doubt and anxiety appears.
This happens because lots of programs hand you techniques, but not a way to integrate them or move skills between contexts.
TIAMAT-X is built as an ecology of practices so skills transfer between exercises (and into your real life) until transformation lives in you…
What You’ll Learn
TIAMAT-X provides a training ground for deep personal change that sticks. The curriculum is rooted in the ecology of practices developed by Ethan Hsieh and John Vervaeke over the past decade.
Participants move through:
Introduction to DIME
Dip your toes into four domains of practices, in a ritual context of serious play, and learn how they operate together to profound effect.
Socratic Imaginal Self-Reflection, Dialectic-into-Dialogos and Socratic Search Space
Be guided through the John Vervaeke flagship practices specifically designed to develop rationality and cultivate virtue in fellowship with others.
TIAMAT Tier 1: Awaken to Structures
Most people can't see the patterns running them.
They react without noticing. Choose without awareness. Justify without reflection.
Tier 1 explores the foundations of attention, identity, and meaning-making. Empower your metacognition through mindful dialogue, embodied presence, imaginal mindfulness, and self-reflective practices that reveal your deeper patterns.
TIAMAT Tier 2: Anagoge Through Dynamics
Projections. Judgments. Unmet expectations.
They hijack your nervous system before your rational mind catches up.
Tier 2 teaches you to safely encounter the parts of yourself you avoid, project, or distort. Through precise inner work and relational practice, learn to integrate shadow material into character and agency, developing existential resilience by expanding your capacity for choice and connection.
Throughout both tiers, you will:
• Train awareness that’s stable, flexible, and focused (even when you’re stressed or under pressure)
• Develop embodied self-regulation in real time (not just in hindsight)
• Cultivate deeper emotional honesty (and relational skill) so you can stay present with others when it matters.
• Transform insight into sustained, integrated action (instead of short-lived “retreat highs”)
If you would like to know more about how TIAMAT works in practice, 5ToMidnight is holding a series of events, Q&As and workshops over the coming months. Sign up for their newsletter here.
Structure & Delivery
This is a rare opportunity to work with John, Ethan, and Taylor in an intimate cohort and meet them in person during the retreats.
TIAMAT-X is designed as a hybrid training cohort with:
Fortnightly online practice sessions led by Ethan Hsieh, John Vervaeke and Taylor Barratt
Two in-person retreats to deepen connection and consolidate learning:
Tier 1 Retreat (Non-Residential) in May 2026 at The Universel Murad Hassil, Netherlands
The Universel Murad Hassil is a unique spiritual center rooted in the Sufi tradition of Hazrat Inayat Khan, who envisioned it as a place where the world’s wisdom paths meet. Nestled in the serene Dutch dunes of Katwijk and just a short walk from the beach, it has long served as a sanctuary for interfaith connection, contemplation, and shared celebration. Its peaceful natural surroundings and rich Sufi history make it a rare and inspiring space where people of all backgrounds can come together in harmony.
Tier 2 Retreat (Residential) in August 2026 at Svitávka Cottage in Czechia
A traditional 19th century Czech cabin, our own sauna, and a sandy bottomed river. The house was originally the residence of a local merchant who ran a shop and a small pub. We'll have the whole complex to ourselves and be surrounded by meadows and forest.
To ensure intimate cohort sizes we will be dividing the cohort into two groups per in-person container. This ensures that facilitation can stay nuanced and personal and that facilitators can be allocated to smaller groups in designated exercises. You can submit your preference of date upon registration, places will be allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Tier 1: Universel Murad Hassil, Netherlands
13th-15th May: Group 1
18th-20th May: Group 2
Tier 2: Svitávka Cottage, Czechia
14th-18th Aug: Group 1
21st-25th Aug: Group 2
Structure & Delivery
This is a rare opportunity to work with John, Ethan, and Taylor in an intimate cohort and meet them in person during the retreats.
TIAMAT-X is designed as a hybrid training cohort with:
Fortnightly online practice sessions led by Ethan Hsieh, John Vervaeke and Taylor Barratt
Two in-person retreats to deepen connection and consolidate learning:
Tier 1 Retreat (Non-Residential) in May 2026 at The Universel Murad Hassil, Netherlands
The Universel Murad Hassil is a unique spiritual center rooted in the Sufi tradition of Hazrat Inayat Khan, who envisioned it as a place where the world’s wisdom paths meet. Nestled in the serene Dutch dunes of Katwijk and just a short walk from the beach, it has long served as a sanctuary for interfaith connection, contemplation, and shared celebration. Its peaceful natural surroundings and rich Sufi history make it a rare and inspiring space where people of all backgrounds can come together in harmony.
Tier 2 Retreat (Residential) in August 2026 at Svitávka Cottage in Czechia
A traditional 19th century Czech cabin, our own sauna, and a sandy bottomed river. The house was originally the residence of a local merchant who ran a shop and a small pub. We'll have the whole complex to ourselves and be surrounded by meadows and forest.
To ensure intimate cohort sizes we will be dividing the cohort into two groups per in-person container. This ensures that facilitation can stay nuanced and personal and that facilitators can be allocated to smaller groups in designated exercises. You can submit your preference of date upon registration, places will be allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Tier 1: Universel Murad Hassil, Netherlands
13th-15th May: Group 1
18th-20th May: Group 2
Tier 2: Svitávka Cottage, Czechia
14th-18th Aug: Group 1
21st-25th Aug: Group 2
Structure & Delivery
This is a rare opportunity to work with John, Ethan, and Taylor in an intimate cohort and meet them in person during the retreats.
TIAMAT-X is designed as a hybrid training cohort with:
Fortnightly online practice sessions led by Ethan Hsieh, John Vervaeke and Taylor Barratt
Two in-person retreats to deepen connection and consolidate learning:
Tier 1 Retreat (Non-Residential) in May 2026 at The Universel Murad Hassil, Netherlands
The Universel Murad Hassil is a unique spiritual center rooted in the Sufi tradition of Hazrat Inayat Khan, who envisioned it as a place where the world’s wisdom paths meet. Nestled in the serene Dutch dunes of Katwijk and just a short walk from the beach, it has long served as a sanctuary for interfaith connection, contemplation, and shared celebration. Its peaceful natural surroundings and rich Sufi history make it a rare and inspiring space where people of all backgrounds can come together in harmony.
Tier 2 Retreat (Residential) in August 2026 at Svitávka Cottage in Czechia
A traditional 19th century Czech cabin, our own sauna, and a sandy bottomed river. The house was originally the residence of a local merchant who ran a shop and a small pub. We'll have the whole complex to ourselves and be surrounded by meadows and forest.
To ensure intimate cohort sizes we will be dividing the cohort into two groups per in-person container. This ensures that facilitation can stay nuanced and personal and that facilitators can be allocated to smaller groups in designated exercises. You can submit your preference of date upon registration, places will be allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Tier 1: Universel Murad Hassil, Netherlands
13th-15th May: Group 1
18th-20th May: Group 2
Tier 2: Svitávka Cottage, Czechia
14th-18th Aug: Group 1
21st-25th Aug: Group 2
“What we’re offering is neither action nor passion—it’s participation.”
“What we’re offering is neither action nor passion—it’s participation.”
Ethan Hsieh, John Vervaeke and Taylor Barratt
Ethan Hsieh, John Vervaeke and Taylor Barratt
“What we’re offering is neither action nor passion—it’s participation.”
Ethan Hsieh, John Vervaeke and Taylor Barratt
Course Curriculum
31st Jan: Context and Intention-Setting
Set the frame for the course: why meaning, wisdom, and skillful action matter now. We’ll clarify your aims, introduce principles of 4E cognition (embodied, embedded, enactive, extended), and align expectations with TIAMAT’s practice loops. You’ll learn the history of TIAMAT and how the course is framed to better orient yourself over the coming months.
14th Feb to 25th Apr: Module 1 - Introduction to DIME
DIME weaves four complementary domains—Dialogical, Imaginal, Mindfulness and Embodiment—into one practice ecology. Over four practice sessions you’ll experience dialogue cultivates insight, embodiment anchors regulation, and imaginal work expands possibility without fantasy. These practice sessions lay the foundation for the in-person containers where we will focus on the interplay between domains more in-depth.
9th May: Framing Lecture - The Spiritual Ego
We unpack the “spiritual ego”—how to ego plays an important part in personal transformation —and learn to shift from self-as-thing to self-as-process. This will provide the conceptual framing for Tier 1 in-person.
13th May to 30th May: Module 2 - Self-as-Process
We'll meet in-person for Tier 1: Awakening to Structures! Across three days, you’ll learn structures that help articulate our experience as well as how to reorient them toward wisdom cultivation. Note: Tier 1 is non-residential.
13th Jun: Framing Lecture - Shadow, Aspiration and Virtue
This lecture reframes the common notion of “shadow work” and connects it to aspiration (north-star aims), and virtue (reliable character). This will be the conceptual framing for Tier 2 in-person and Dialectic-into-Dialogos (DID): a dialogical virtue cultivation practice.
27th Jun to 25th Aug: Module 3 - Dynamics of Being
We'll meet again in-person for Tier 2! We'll shift from structures to dynamics: projections, personal narratives, shared emotions, finite transcendence (going beyond within limits), and agency transformation. You’ll practice catching projections in flight, editing lived stories, co-regulating meaning with others, and harnessing constraints to grow capacity. We will be building skills, developing capacity and integrating across five days of ritual practice. Note: Tier 2 is residential, food and accommodation will be provided.
29th Aug to 10 Oct: Module 4 - Being-in-the-World
Philosophy helps when it links big ideas to lived problems. Tie everything together to take the practice into daily life. We’ll sense-make the entire trajectory up to this point and work in fellowship to cultivate ongoing transformation and relationship. Socratic Search Space (an evolution of Dialectic-into-Dialogos) holds that tension. Four participants gather around one person’s challenge, translate it into a dilemma, and share the load.
Post-Program: Program Close, Integration, Transfer and Next Steps
Upon completing the program, you'll receive a TIAMAT Tier 2 Practitioner Certification. Should there be mutual acknowledgement of capacity and interest, 5ToMidnight will invite you to participate in Tier 3 in the following months. After completing Tier 3, participants can enroll in the SPIRE program for facilitation training to eventually run TIAMAT programs.
Course Curriculum
31st Jan: Context and Intention-Setting
Set the frame for the course: why meaning, wisdom, and skillful action matter now. We’ll clarify your aims, introduce principles of 4E cognition (embodied, embedded, enactive, extended), and align expectations with TIAMAT’s practice loops. You’ll learn the history of TIAMAT and how the course is framed to better orient yourself over the coming months.
14th Feb to 25th Apr: Module 1 - Introduction to DIME
DIME weaves four complementary domains—Dialogical, Imaginal, Mindfulness and Embodiment—into one practice ecology. Over four practice sessions you’ll experience dialogue cultivates insight, embodiment anchors regulation, and imaginal work expands possibility without fantasy. These practice sessions lay the foundation for the in-person containers where we will focus on the interplay between domains more in-depth.
9th May: Framing Lecture - The Spiritual Ego
We unpack the “spiritual ego”—how to ego plays an important part in personal transformation —and learn to shift from self-as-thing to self-as-process. This will provide the conceptual framing for Tier 1 in-person.
13th May to 30th May: Module 2 - Self-as-Process
We'll meet in-person for Tier 1: Awakening to Structures! Across three days, you’ll learn structures that help articulate our experience as well as how to reorient them toward wisdom cultivation. Note: Tier 1 is non-residential.
13th Jun: Framing Lecture - Shadow, Aspiration and Virtue
This lecture reframes the common notion of “shadow work” and connects it to aspiration (north-star aims), and virtue (reliable character). This will be the conceptual framing for Tier 2 in-person and Dialectic-into-Dialogos (DID): a dialogical virtue cultivation practice.
27th Jun to 25th Aug: Module 3 - Dynamics of Being
We'll meet again in-person for Tier 2! We'll shift from structures to dynamics: projections, personal narratives, shared emotions, finite transcendence (going beyond within limits), and agency transformation. You’ll practice catching projections in flight, editing lived stories, co-regulating meaning with others, and harnessing constraints to grow capacity. We will be building skills, developing capacity and integrating across five days of ritual practice. Note: Tier 2 is residential, food and accommodation will be provided.
29th Aug to 10 Oct: Module 4 - Being-in-the-World
Philosophy helps when it links big ideas to lived problems. Tie everything together to take the practice into daily life. We’ll sense-make the entire trajectory up to this point and work in fellowship to cultivate ongoing transformation and relationship. Socratic Search Space (an evolution of Dialectic-into-Dialogos) holds that tension. Four participants gather around one person’s challenge, translate it into a dilemma, and share the load.
Post-Program: Program Close, Integration, Transfer and Next Steps
Upon completing the program, you'll receive a TIAMAT Tier 2 Practitioner Certification. Should there be mutual acknowledgement of capacity and interest, 5ToMidnight will invite you to participate in Tier 3 in the following months. After completing Tier 3, participants can enroll in the SPIRE program for facilitation training to eventually run TIAMAT programs.
Course Curriculum
31st Jan: Context and Intention-Setting
Set the frame for the course: why meaning, wisdom, and skillful action matter now. We’ll clarify your aims, introduce principles of 4E cognition (embodied, embedded, enactive, extended), and align expectations with TIAMAT’s practice loops. You’ll learn the history of TIAMAT and how the course is framed to better orient yourself over the coming months.
14th Feb to 25th Apr: Module 1 - Introduction to DIME
DIME weaves four complementary domains—Dialogical, Imaginal, Mindfulness and Embodiment—into one practice ecology. Over four practice sessions you’ll experience dialogue cultivates insight, embodiment anchors regulation, and imaginal work expands possibility without fantasy. These practice sessions lay the foundation for the in-person containers where we will focus on the interplay between domains more in-depth.
9th May: Framing Lecture - The Spiritual Ego
We unpack the “spiritual ego”—how to ego plays an important part in personal transformation —and learn to shift from self-as-thing to self-as-process. This will provide the conceptual framing for Tier 1 in-person.
13th May to 30th May: Module 2 - Self-as-Process
We'll meet in-person for Tier 1: Awakening to Structures! Across three days, you’ll learn structures that help articulate our experience as well as how to reorient them toward wisdom cultivation. Note: Tier 1 is non-residential.
13th Jun: Framing Lecture - Shadow, Aspiration and Virtue
This lecture reframes the common notion of “shadow work” and connects it to aspiration (north-star aims), and virtue (reliable character). This will be the conceptual framing for Tier 2 in-person and Dialectic-into-Dialogos (DID): a dialogical virtue cultivation practice.
27th Jun to 25th Aug: Module 3 - Dynamics of Being
We'll meet again in-person for Tier 2! We'll shift from structures to dynamics: projections, personal narratives, shared emotions, finite transcendence (going beyond within limits), and agency transformation. You’ll practice catching projections in flight, editing lived stories, co-regulating meaning with others, and harnessing constraints to grow capacity. We will be building skills, developing capacity and integrating across five days of ritual practice. Note: Tier 2 is residential, food and accommodation will be provided.
29th Aug to 10 Oct: Module 4 - Being-in-the-World
Philosophy helps when it links big ideas to lived problems. Tie everything together to take the practice into daily life. We’ll sense-make the entire trajectory up to this point and work in fellowship to cultivate ongoing transformation and relationship. Socratic Search Space (an evolution of Dialectic-into-Dialogos) holds that tension. Four participants gather around one person’s challenge, translate it into a dilemma, and share the load.
Post-Program: Program Close, Integration, Transfer and Next Steps
Upon completing the program, you'll receive a TIAMAT Tier 2 Practitioner Certification. Should there be mutual acknowledgement of capacity and interest, 5ToMidnight will invite you to participate in Tier 3 in the following months. After completing Tier 3, participants can enroll in the SPIRE program for facilitation training to eventually run TIAMAT programs.
Who It’s For
TIAMAT-X is for those who are:
Ready to do real inner work with structure and support
Tired of growth that stays in the head or feels performative without lasting impact
Desiring to practice the integration of science, philosophy and spirituality
Willing to train, reflect, and relate inside a meaningful cohort
Understanding this is participatory.
Whether you’re a seeker, a leader, or a seasoned practitioner, this program offers a rare chance to turn inner work into a way of being.
What Makes This Rare
Direct access to John Vervaeke as a facilitator in the flesh, not just an on-screen lecturer
Regular live online practice every 2 weeks across a progressive curriculum
In-person retreats in the Netherlands and Czechia. You'll meet John, Ethan, and Taylor to train alongside them
First cohort applying these practices in this format
Limited enrollment to maintain a high quality of the cohort
Fees
Tuition Fee: 3000 USD
Residential Fees: 1500 USD
Total: 4500 USD (payable in 9x500 USD installments)
Program starts: 31st Jan 2026
Online Sessions: Every other Saturday (2pm CET, 8am EST, 9pm GMT+8)
(except specific sessions with John Vervaeke and/or Taylor Barratt)
Totalling 200+ Teaching Hours
Your Investment Includes:
• Free access to 5ToMidnight's Crossroads & Connections containers for the duration of the program and 50% off participation fees thereafter [Estimated value: $30USD/session]
• Upon completion of the program, you'll receive Tier 2 Practitioner Certification which is required for invitation to Tier 3. Additionally you'll receive 50% off future flagship Tier 1 & Tier 2 containers in perpetuity. [Estimated value: $500USD & $1500USD respectively]
• Upon completion of Tier 3, interested parties can enroll in the SPIRE facilitation training program.
Who It’s For
TIAMAT-X is for those who are:
Ready to do real inner work with structure and support
Tired of growth that stays in the head or feels performative without lasting impact
Desiring to practice the integration of science, philosophy and spirituality
Willing to train, reflect, and relate inside a meaningful cohort
Understanding this is participatory.
Whether you’re a seeker, a leader, or a seasoned practitioner, this program offers a rare chance to turn inner work into a way of being.
What Makes This Rare
Direct access to John Vervaeke as a facilitator in the flesh, not just an on-screen lecturer
Regular live online practice every 2 weeks across a progressive curriculum
In-person retreats in the Netherlands and Czechia. You'll meet John, Ethan, and Taylor to train alongside them
First cohort applying these practices in this format
Limited enrollment to maintain a high quality of the cohort
Fees
Tuition Fee: 3000 USD
Residential Fees: 1500 USD
Total: 4500 USD (payable in 9x500 USD installments)
Program starts: 31st Jan 2026
Online Sessions: Every other Saturday (2pm CET, 8am EST, 9pm GMT+8)
(except specific sessions with John Vervaeke and/or Taylor Barratt)
Totalling 200+ Teaching Hours
Your Investment Includes:
• Free access to 5ToMidnight's Crossroads & Connections containers for the duration of the program and 50% off participation fees thereafter [Estimated value: $30USD/session]
• Upon completion of the program, you'll receive Tier 2 Practitioner Certification which is required for invitation to Tier 3. Additionally you'll receive 50% off future flagship Tier 1 & Tier 2 containers in perpetuity. [Estimated value: $500USD & $1500USD respectively]
• Upon completion of Tier 3, interested parties can enroll in the SPIRE facilitation training program.
Who It’s For
TIAMAT-X is for those who are:
Ready to do real inner work with structure and support
Tired of growth that stays in the head or feels performative without lasting impact
Desiring to practice the integration of science, philosophy and spirituality
Willing to train, reflect, and relate inside a meaningful cohort
Understanding this is participatory.
Whether you’re a seeker, a leader, or a seasoned practitioner, this program offers a rare chance to turn inner work into a way of being.
What Makes This Rare
Direct access to John Vervaeke as a facilitator in the flesh, not just an on-screen lecturer
Regular live online practice every 2 weeks across a progressive curriculum
In-person retreats in the Netherlands and Czechia. You'll meet John, Ethan, and Taylor to train alongside them
First cohort applying these practices in this format
Limited enrollment to maintain a high quality of the cohort
Fees
Tuition Fee: 3000 USD
Residential Fees: 1500 USD
Total: 4500 USD (payable in 9x500 USD installments)
Program starts: 31st Jan 2026
Online Sessions: Every other Saturday (2pm CET, 8am EST, 9pm GMT+8)
(except specific sessions with John Vervaeke and/or Taylor Barratt)
Totalling 200+ Teaching Hours
Your Investment Includes:
• Free access to 5ToMidnight's Crossroads & Connections containers for the duration of the program and 50% off participation fees thereafter [Estimated value: $30USD/session]
• Upon completion of the program, you'll receive Tier 2 Practitioner Certification which is required for invitation to Tier 3. Additionally you'll receive 50% off future flagship Tier 1 & Tier 2 containers in perpetuity. [Estimated value: $500USD & $1500USD respectively]
• Upon completion of Tier 3, interested parties can enroll in the SPIRE facilitation training program.
Installments
One-Time
TIAMAT-X Payment Plan
9-month Payment Plan or One-Time Purchase (TIAMAT-X is administered and delivered by 5ToMidnight International. Please direct all queries and concerns to frontdoor@5tomidnight.org)
/month
Fornightly Online Workshops
In-Person TIAMAT Tier 1 & Tier 2 taught directly by Ethan Hsieh, John Vervaeke and Taylor Barratt
Access to online practice sessions at 5ToMidnight
Sign up now!
Installments
One-Time
TIAMAT-X Payment Plan
9-month Payment Plan or One-Time Purchase (TIAMAT-X is administered and delivered by 5ToMidnight International. Please direct all queries and concerns to frontdoor@5tomidnight.org)
/month
Fornightly Online Workshops
In-Person TIAMAT Tier 1 & Tier 2 taught directly by Ethan Hsieh, John Vervaeke and Taylor Barratt
Access to online practice sessions at 5ToMidnight
Sign up now!
Installments
One-Time
TIAMAT-X Payment Plan
9-month Payment Plan or One-Time Purchase (TIAMAT-X is administered and delivered by 5ToMidnight International. Please direct all queries and concerns to frontdoor@5tomidnight.org)
/month
Fornightly Online Workshops
In-Person TIAMAT Tier 1 & Tier 2 taught directly by Ethan Hsieh, John Vervaeke and Taylor Barratt
Access to online practice sessions at 5ToMidnight
Sign up now!
Course Leadership
 Ethan HsiehPractice Researcher, Transformational Facilitator Ethan Hsieh is currently undertaking his PhD research integrating performance-training with 4E cognitive science. With an MA in Professional Practice: Theatre and Drama Facilitation, Ethan has designed and delivered transformational community-building programs, retreats and workshops in Asia and Europe through his organization 5ToMidnight. On top of serving as the Platform Manager for The Lectern, Ethan has also co-designed practices with John such as the Socratic Imaginal Self-Reflection and the Socratic Search Space. Ethan currently maintains a private coaching practice and designs bespoke programs for corporate entities, professional athletes and social organizations. |
 John VervaekeProfessor of Cognitive Science, Philosopher John Vervaeke is a cognitive scientist and award-winning educator at the University of Toronto, whose research and publications span relevance realization, general intelligence, mindfulness and wisdom. He is the principle designer of a range of philosophical practices, notably Dialectic-into-Dialogos and Socratic Search Space. Beyond the classroom, Vervaeke is widely known for the 50-episode public lecture series Awakening from the Meaning Crisis. He has also published multiple papers in interdisciplinary academic journals. |
 Taylor BarrattDirector at Awaken to Meaning, Integral Facilitator As Director of Practice and Education with Awaken to Meaning, Taylor brings over 13 years of experience in facilitation, design, and training. Along with John, he has been a robust voice of guidance in the design and pedagogical execution of TIAMAT. He’s a certified Integral Facilitator and has co-designed the Socratic Search Space, Socratic Imaginal Self-Reflection as well as the pedagogical structures for Dialectic-into Dialogos. |
 SPIRE Facilitators-in-Training (a.k.a. Aspirants)This course will be supported by facilitators-in-training from 5ToMidnight on the process of learning to offer TIAMAT to their own communities. Comprised of artists, scientists and coaches, their presence allows the participant to still be supported even when divided into smaller groups during practice. This ensures overall group health, coherence and intimacy. Most importantly, Aspirants ensure that there is an intermediary layer between the lead facilitation team and the overall cohort so that the pace of learning does not extend too far past the group's capacity. |
Course Leadership
Ethan HsiehPractice Researcher, Transformational Facilitator Ethan Hsieh is currently undertaking his PhD research integrating performance-training with 4E cognitive science. With an MA in Professional Practice: Theatre and Drama Facilitation, Ethan has designed and delivered transformational community-building programs, retreats and workshops in Asia and Europe through his organization 5ToMidnight. On top of serving as the Platform Manager for The Lectern, Ethan has also co-designed practices with John such as the Socratic Imaginal Self-Reflection and the Socratic Search Space. Ethan currently maintains a private coaching practice and designs bespoke programs for corporate entities, professional athletes and social organizations. |
John VervaekeProfessor of Cognitive Science, Philosopher John Vervaeke is a cognitive scientist and award-winning educator at the University of Toronto, whose research and publications span relevance realization, general intelligence, mindfulness and wisdom. He is the principle designer of a range of philosophical practices, notably Dialectic-into-Dialogos and Socratic Search Space. Beyond the classroom, Vervaeke is widely known for the 50-episode public lecture series Awakening from the Meaning Crisis. He has also published multiple papers in interdisciplinary academic journals. |
Taylor BarrattDirector at Awaken to Meaning, Integral Facilitator As Director of Practice and Education with Awaken to Meaning, Taylor brings over 13 years of experience in facilitation, design, and training. Along with John, he has been a robust voice of guidance in the design and pedagogical execution of TIAMAT. He’s a certified Integral Facilitator and has co-designed the Socratic Search Space, Socratic Imaginal Self-Reflection as well as the pedagogical structures for Dialectic-into Dialogos. |
SPIRE Facilitators-in-Training (a.k.a. Aspirants)This course will be supported by facilitators-in-training from 5ToMidnight on the process of learning to offer TIAMAT to their own communities. Comprised of artists, scientists and coaches, their presence allows the participant to still be supported even when divided into smaller groups during practice. This ensures overall group health, coherence and intimacy. Most importantly, Aspirants ensure that there is an intermediary layer between the lead facilitation team and the overall cohort so that the pace of learning does not extend too far past the group's capacity. |
Course Leadership
Ethan HsiehPractice Researcher, Transformational Facilitator Ethan Hsieh is currently undertaking his PhD research integrating performance-training with 4E cognitive science. With an MA in Professional Practice: Theatre and Drama Facilitation, Ethan has designed and delivered transformational community-building programs, retreats and workshops in Asia and Europe through his organization 5ToMidnight. On top of serving as the Platform Manager for The Lectern, Ethan has also co-designed practices with John such as the Socratic Imaginal Self-Reflection and the Socratic Search Space. Ethan currently maintains a private coaching practice and designs bespoke programs for corporate entities, professional athletes and social organizations. |
John VervaekeProfessor of Cognitive Science, Philosopher John Vervaeke is a cognitive scientist and award-winning educator at the University of Toronto, whose research and publications span relevance realization, general intelligence, mindfulness and wisdom. He is the principle designer of a range of philosophical practices, notably Dialectic-into-Dialogos and Socratic Search Space. Beyond the classroom, Vervaeke is widely known for the 50-episode public lecture series Awakening from the Meaning Crisis. He has also published multiple papers in interdisciplinary academic journals. |
Taylor BarrattDirector at Awaken to Meaning, Integral Facilitator As Director of Practice and Education with Awaken to Meaning, Taylor brings over 13 years of experience in facilitation, design, and training. Along with John, he has been a robust voice of guidance in the design and pedagogical execution of TIAMAT. He’s a certified Integral Facilitator and has co-designed the Socratic Search Space, Socratic Imaginal Self-Reflection as well as the pedagogical structures for Dialectic-into Dialogos. |
SPIRE Facilitators-in-Training (a.k.a. Aspirants)This course will be supported by facilitators-in-training from 5ToMidnight on the process of learning to offer TIAMAT to their own communities. Comprised of artists, scientists and coaches, their presence allows the participant to still be supported even when divided into smaller groups during practice. This ensures overall group health, coherence and intimacy. Most importantly, Aspirants ensure that there is an intermediary layer between the lead facilitation team and the overall cohort so that the pace of learning does not extend too far past the group's capacity. |
FAQ:
Is this like the other courses and retreats I've tried?
No. TIAMAT-X is a training cohort, not a content course. You're not consuming material, you're developing capacity through repeated practice with a stable group over 8 months. The ecology of practices is designed specifically for exaptation (skill transfer across contexts), which is why the work sticks.
Why is John Vervaeke involved, and how much will I interact with him?
This is John's first cohort-based training program. His work has evolved in recent years to focus considerably more on the non-propositional e.g., the imaginal in rationality, embodiment as inherent to dialogue, etc. Therefore it is necessary to supplement the online courses with an in-person course to prevent falling into a performative contradiction i.e., talking about the importance of embodiment from a screen. John will lead/co-lead specific online sessions alongside Ethan Hsieh and Taylor Barratt. You'll also work directly with John at both in-person retreats: the non-residential Tier 1 retreat in the Netherlands (May 2026) and the residential Tier 2 retreat in Czechia (August 2026).
Do I need prior experience with meditation or contemplative practices?
Familiarity helps but isn't required. The course is scaffolded to be progressive from beginner to advanced levels. What matters is your willingness to train, reflect, and engage dialogically with peers and teachers. If you've followed John's work and feel the call to practice rather than just study, you're ready.
Is this therapy?
No. TIAMAT-X is participatory group development. This is training (challenging by design) where safety comes from developing skill, not from creating a "safe space" free of challenge.
Ready to
fall in love with wisdom?
Ready to
fall in love with wisdom?
Ready to
fall in love with wisdom?
If this resonates, start your own arc. Lectern isn’t about quick fixes. It’s meaningful understanding that transfers into life, one clear concept and well-placed practice at a time.
If this resonates, start your own arc. Lectern isn’t about quick fixes. It’s meaningful understanding that transfers into life, one clear concept and well-placed practice at a time.
If this resonates, start your own arc. Lectern isn’t about quick fixes. It’s meaningful understanding that transfers into life, one clear concept and well-placed practice at a time.