Faculty
Loyalty to Your Soul Workshop, Soul-Centered Living I Program, USM Grad Membership Program
Edward Adams, J.D., M.A., lived the first 35 years of his life believing he was an atheist. He had rejected organized religion at a young age, having grown frustrated with being told what God was supposed to be and how he should communicate with Him. The Divine seemed so much bigger than the stories he was hearing, and Ed longed to experience that bigness, and a closer relationship with Spirit … even as he wondered whether he ever would. Then, around the time of his thirty-fifth birthday, Ed had a Spiritual Awakening—an experience so profound that, in an instant, it changed his perception of life, his place in the world, and his relationship to God.
Since then, Ed has spent a great deal of his time reading, talking, writing, and teaching about what it means to be a spiritual being having a human experience. At the heart of his inquiry was the question of how we can better learn to fully awaken into that realization. It was this search that brought Ed to the University of Santa Monica and the seminal programs Co-Created by Drs. Ron and Mary Hulnick.
Ed is a natural-born teacher and storyteller, who has been praised for his ability to make difficult concepts easy to understand. He is frequently invited to guest lecture at major universities in Southern California on topics including animation, business, and law. However, he most enjoys coaching one-on-one or facilitating seminars (usually with his wife, Renée Adams) focused on shifting our perspective of who we are, our relationship with God, and how we function in the world. Ed is particularly proud of the groundbreaking seven-month Abundance and Grace Seminar he offers with Renée, which participants have described as “elevating” and “a game changer.” Although the course titles and subjects may vary, the foundational focus is always the same—we are spiritual, loving beings, living in a world designed to help us learn and awaken to the truth of the Glory of who we are. Ed is honored, humbled, and grateful for the opportunity to continue this work, while serving USM’s mission and students.
Ed holds two undergraduate degrees from the University of California, Berkeley—a B.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies (with distinction), and a B.A. in Political Science (with honors). Ed also earned his law degree (Juris Doctor) at Berkeley, where he graduated Order of the Coif, earning seven different Am. Jur. and Prosser awards, sitting on the Moot Court Board, and serving as Executive Editor of The California Law Review. In 2015, he earned his Master’s Degree in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica and was awarded Student of the Year. The following year, he continued on to earn his M.A. in Spiritual Psychology, with an emphasis in Consciousness, Health and Healing. Since 2006, he has participated in many of USM’s offerings, with his personal favorites being the Couples Workshop and the three-month Advanced Spiritual Psychology seminar.
Ed has worked in the entertainment industry for nearly thirty years. He currently serves as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. Over the course of his career, Ed has overseen the production of more than 5,000 episodes of television and more than a dozen feature films.
Ed is a poet, an artist, and an athlete. His personal journey and Spiritual Journey are both full of twists and turns, ups and downs, and really good stories (that he loves to share). He lives in the beautiful South Bay of Los Angeles, with his wife Renée (who is also a USM graduate) and their two cats, Buttercup and Bodhicitta.
“I have done a lot of incredible things in my life, including traveling the world, running one of the world’s most important animation studios, surfing big waves, and completing an Ironman. However, none of these has been as meaningful as participating in the programs at USM. They say “life doesn’t come with an instruction manual,” but I beg to differ. I believe the Principles and Practices of Spiritual Psychology are an instruction manual for life. In particular, they are an instruction manual for how to live life as a spiritual being navigating a human experience.
To me, there are no more profound or important questions than who we are, what is our relationship to Spirit, and how can we most effectively and joyfully function in the world, while experiencing the Grace that surrounds us. On these questions, the USM program has been transformational for me, as it has been for thousands of other students. Every aspect of my life is enlivened, given clearer context, and made better, because of the work I have done with and through USM. I am honored, humbled, and grateful to serve the University’s mission, and to help bring these transformational awarenesses to students. I admire and honor Drs. Ron and Mary Hulnick for having Co-Created this groundbreaking work, and I look forward to working alongside Cindy Lou, Emilio, and other gifted facilitators in sharing this curriculum with you.”
After working with Ed, my life has gained a new perspective. I learned to see not only the beauty in every ounce of my life, but I also gained the ability to live in the gratitude of every experience. It truly provided me the tools to release the “need” for attachment, which in turn allowed me to live in my divine worthiness and value. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to expand, as it taught me how to be bold in many areas of my life. The return on investment has been much more than I could have imagined as I now live in greater spiritual, financial, and creative abundance.
I see Ed as such a strong leader, yet wholly centered in loving and connection to Spirit. Witnessing his reverence and devotion, I was able to hear and integrate the teachings in such a deeper way. This course has changed my life and my experience with the world. I learned I am not alone and I don’t have to go through this life alone. I am not being punished by the universe for what I’ve done wrong or what I lack. Abundance is available to me to open up the channel and receive. Filling out the evaluation today and comparing it to day 1 – Wow! To witness how far I’ve come on every level – speechless.
Ed is a compassionate and effective facilitator. I learned so much about true leadership by witnessing him hold impeccable space for others. This has had a tremendous impact on me and the way I lead in my own work.”
