The Portals of 'Trans' States
Though we have some kind of a general agreement in humanity that we should function when we are sober, it appears that the number one thing that humanity, in general, is spending money on is actually getting into trans and checking out of this “sober” state of mind. In their excellent book “Stealing Fire,” authors Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal quote a study that shows that if you add together what humanity spends on all the things that help us get high, it turns out that this is the number one spending category in the world.
In this category, they include not only all the drug industry (legal and less than legal) but also all theatre and cinema, music, alcohol, porn, etc. Everything that humans do in order to shift their reality and get into some kind of a 'trans' state.
I love to look at the human being as one that was made with several portals installed in its psychophysical structure, portals that can allow it to go beyond itself, into trance states, and connect with the divine.
To count some of those portals we should mention:
Wisdom — we open up and light up when our minds are truly engaged in deep wisdom.
Music — rhythm, and melody take us to altered states in seconds.
Medicines — thousands of different substances can be consumed to grow our consciousness.
Eye gazing — as a form of meditation.
Focusing on the breath — as a form of meditation.
Running — and other physical activities that take us out of the mind.
Sex — a big portal and one of the strong ones. Sexuality and romance sweep us off our feet and give us a taste of unity that feels like the taste of life itself.
Dance — dancing is a form of meditation and of ritual that takes us away from the “normal” way we move.
Story-telling — including theatre, cinema, and TV, take us to an alternative reality.
In the ancient world priests and priestesses, shamans, and medicine people, learned how to utilize those portals that are embedded in the human being in order to bring about spiritual transformation.
All those arts are part of what we generally call: “the Temple Arts”.
In modern times, the sacred usage of those portals was forgotten. Those that are still used are often used for shallow reasons (that end up feeling tasteless and empty) while some other portals were taken out of the consensus and even criminalized. This especially includes sexuality and substances, which in some ways, might be considered as the two most powerful portals to the divine.
In my work as a Kabbalist Rabbi, I was using for many years the portals of wisdom, story-telling, singing, dance, and ritual. These are beautiful portals that are more in the consensus. In the last 18 years though I focus more and more on the portals that are less understood and more demonized: sacred sexuality and sacred medicines.
In ISTA we focus on the Sacred Shamanic Sexuality aspect alone. Though so many of us do partake in all kinds of medicine ceremonies in all kind of circles around the world.
This summer I am humbled to announce the opening of the gates of The Ashram of Love in Malta, in full cooperation with my brother Vee, who is a local Maltese Shaman and medicine man, and with the full support and cooperation of my life partner Dawn Cherie.
The Ashram of Love is a place to go deep with through all those portals, while living as a community of practicing people.
Our main offering is the Sha’Ara intensive (sha’ara in Hebrew means “Her Portal”) in July and August, over 7 weeks, opening the 7 portals of the Tree of Life.
I am honoured to invite to to have a look at out new website and see for yourself: www.ashramoflove.com
With love,
x Ohad Pele
