Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 10 hours ago
What does enlightenment really mean to you?
For some, it can conjure up images of sitting in silence with monks in an ashram for days on end in prayer. For people like Paul and Russell Sturgess ( paulchek.com/blog/podcast-episodes/episode-226-russell-sturgess-the-cathar-code ), however, the path to enlightenment means something much deeper, more realistic and illuminating at a soul level.
Paul and Russell explore progressive enlightenment by way of the Major Arcana ( thetarotguide.com/major-arcana ) of the Tarot this week on Spirit Gym. (Download this PDF handout at drive.google.com/file/d/1-Jc17QAN0g0MciZ2SiMmvW8q_T23169W/view?usp=sharing and follow along with Paul and Russell as they review the Tarot!).
Explore Russell’s work at his website at https://www.russellsturgess.com.au/ where you can book a free 15-minute session to learn more about working with him and take courses on the Cathar Code ( http://www.russellsturgess.com.au/catharcode ) and join his Pathways to Mindfulness mentoring program ( https://www.russellsturgess.com.au/mindfulness-mentoring ). Check out his lectures on YouTube at youtube.com/@russellsturgess/videos .
Paul will also be hosting an exclusive Q&A session with Russell Sturgess for Spirit Gym listeners at a future date so sign up for your Spirit Gym podcast membership at paulchek.com/podcast-collections/all-episodes today.
0:00 Intro
3:08 Russell lives off-the-grid in a modern hesychasm (stillness).
9:59 “Enlightenment is about spiritual awareness.”
18:19 Do you want acquired happiness or innate happiness?
29:35 Grace: The fuel that opens doors and powers your abundance.
36:53 The Fool.
44:14 The most important symbol in the Tarot card deck.
52:28 Are you more awake when you’re sleeping?
57:05 The I am portal.
1:00:00 The Emperor and Empress.
1:08:07 The Magician (a spiritual billboard).
1:15:55 Programming.
1:24:37 Many of the world’s greatest inventions came by the way of dreams.
1:31:00 In a world based on unsustainable values, what you assume is permanent probably won’t be…
1:42:45 “If a picture is worth a thousand words, an archetype is worth millions of images.”
1:56:52 Are you fulfilled, happy or both?
2:01:11 A skill for learning how to be more aware by not using commas in sentences.
2:19:03 The Cathar and catharsis.
2:30:08 A journey of theosis.
2:48:31 Does it matter which Tarot card deck you use?
2:59:34 Mind and desire.
3:06:26 The Dark Night of the Soul and surrender.
3:18:40 “The more we use full stops, the more we can live our lives in peace and invite grace to become part of our reality.”
Listen to Paul's conversation with Russell Sturgess and check out the show notes page on our Spirit Gym website at paulchek.com/blog/podcast-episodes/episode-335-russell-sturgess-tarot-for-progressive-enlightenment
Thanks to our awesome sponsors!
• CHEK Academy https://chek.group/l4dacademy (sign up for the spring session of the CHEK Academy by March 31!)
• Wild Pastures wildpastures.com/paulchek (save 20% and free shipping for life plus $15 on your first order)
• BiOptimizers bioptimizers.com/living4d (save an extra 10% on your purchase by using the code PAUL10 at checkout)
• Organifi organifi.com/chek20 (save 20% on your purchase by using the code CHEK20 at checkout)
• Paleovalley paleovalley.com/chek15 (save 15% on your first purchase)
We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases using affiliate links.
Music Credit: Meet Your Heroes (444Hz) by Brave as Bears at braveasbears.bandcamp.com
All Rights Reserved MusicFit Records 2024 at musicfitrecords.com
What does enlightenment really mean to you?
For some, it can conjure up images of sitting in silence with monks in an ashram for days on end in prayer. For people like Paul and Russell Sturgess ( paulchek.com/blog/podcast-episodes/episode-226-russell-sturgess-the-cathar-code ), however, the path to enlightenment means something much deeper, more realistic and illuminating at a soul level.
Paul and Russell explore progressive enlightenment by way of the Major Arcana ( thetarotguide.com/major-arcana ) of the Tarot this week on Spirit Gym. (Download this PDF handout at drive.google.com/file/d/1-Jc17QAN0g0MciZ2SiMmvW8q_T23169W/view?usp=sharing and follow along with Paul and Russell as they review the Tarot!).
Explore Russell’s work at his website at https://www.russellsturgess.com.au/ where you can book a free 15-minute session to learn more about working with him and take courses on the Cathar Code ( http://www.russellsturgess.com.au/catharcode ) and join his Pathways to Mindfulness mentoring program ( https://www.russellsturgess.com.au/mindfulness-mentoring ). Check out his lectures on YouTube at youtube.com/@russellsturgess/videos .
Paul will also be hosting an exclusive Q&A session with Russell Sturgess for Spirit Gym listeners at a future date so sign up for your Spirit Gym podcast membership at paulchek.com/podcast-collections/all-episodes today.
0:00 Intro
3:08 Russell lives off-the-grid in a modern hesychasm (stillness).
9:59 “Enlightenment is about spiritual awareness.”
18:19 Do you want acquired happiness or innate happiness?
29:35 Grace: The fuel that opens doors and powers your abundance.
36:53 The Fool.
44:14 The most important symbol in the Tarot card deck.
52:28 Are you more awake when you’re sleeping?
57:05 The I am portal.
1:00:00 The Emperor and Empress.
1:08:07 The Magician (a spiritual billboard).
1:15:55 Programming.
1:24:37 Many of the world’s greatest inventions came by the way of dreams.
1:31:00 In a world based on unsustainable values, what you assume is permanent probably won’t be…
1:42:45 “If a picture is worth a thousand words, an archetype is worth millions of images.”
1:56:52 Are you fulfilled, happy or both?
2:01:11 A skill for learning how to be more aware by not using commas in sentences.
2:19:03 The Cathar and catharsis.
2:30:08 A journey of theosis.
2:48:31 Does it matter which Tarot card deck you use?
2:59:34 Mind and desire.
3:06:26 The Dark Night of the Soul and surrender.
3:18:40 “The more we use full stops, the more we can live our lives in peace and invite grace to become part of our reality.”
Listen to Paul's conversation with Russell Sturgess and check out the show notes page on our Spirit Gym website at paulchek.com/blog/podcast-episodes/episode-335-russell-sturgess-tarot-for-progressive-enlightenment
Thanks to our awesome sponsors!
• CHEK Academy https://chek.group/l4dacademy (sign up for the spring session of the CHEK Academy by March 31!)
• Wild Pastures wildpastures.com/paulchek (save 20% and free shipping for life plus $15 on your first order)
• BiOptimizers bioptimizers.com/living4d (save an extra 10% on your purchase by using the code PAUL10 at checkout)
• Organifi organifi.com/chek20 (save 20% on your purchase by using the code CHEK20 at checkout)
• Paleovalley paleovalley.com/chek15 (save 15% on your first purchase)
We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases using affiliate links.
Music Credit: Meet Your Heroes (444Hz) by Brave as Bears at braveasbears.bandcamp.com
All Rights Reserved MusicFit Records 2024 at musicfitrecords.com
