Expanded States

Techniques and practices for shifting consciousness...
Humans have developed ways to shift their state of consciousness by employing various techniques and practices, such as drumming, rattling, chanting together, making art, fasting, sweating / cleansing, meditating, twirling, sleep deprivation, vision quests out in nature, extended time in isolation, dancing, singing, yoga, breathwork, ritual, rite of passage initiations, prayer and many other spiritual practices for thousands of years. All that said, one can be spontaneously transported into an altered / expanded state by encountering something awe inspiring. That could be nature, a dance or musical performance, an infant cooing or smiling, or by something numinous.

We can find evidence of our exploration of consciousness and the realms of our inner worlds as far back as there have been life affirming depictions painted by early man. On the cave walls at Lascaux in southwestern France, we find evidence that shamanic rituals were being practiced 17,000 years ago.

For these rituals, people have also historically been guided to explore the ceremonial use of available plants (medicines) from their local environment: roots, seeds, bark, leaves, flowers, fermentation of fruits and grains, mushrooms, vines, cacti, etc.

These various techniques - with and without ingesting medicines -  physically alter brain activity. Some will induce the release of particular chemicals into the brain and body which will change the activity of the nervous system temporarily (while under the influence of the technique and for a period afterward). It is in these altered brain states that consciousness expands, awareness heightens, and healing can occur spontaneously or with the conscious prompting from an experienced guide or therapist.

Help in solving the problems of life...
In modern western life, people are becoming increasingly inspired to utilize expanded states to help them solve the problems of life, whether that means depression, addictions, grief, stress, tension, suffering, confusion, fear, anxiety, certain physical maladies, etc.  What is often discovered in the process of working with these states to heal or solve problems, is the visceral existence of one's soul and its longing to disentangle from the gravity of our conditioned modern life in order to reclaim a more natural way of living and being in the world. For some, it arises as a calling of sorts, to experience greater connection with their soul's true longings for them, and to have a stronger relationship with nature itself.

It is inevitable that we'll encounter suffering and disharmony in the course of living a human life. These experiences inherently make us stronger and give us opportunities to learn and grow, if we're paying attention and taking greater responsibility for ourselves as we go along.

Every problem in life appears to prompt us to seek a solution...
We know on some level that our challenges hold the potential for us to learn, grow and evolve through them. We are all seeking mental and emotional well-being on some level. By seeking to resolve the hurts and traumas we have faced in life, including the wounds of both the here and now and age old family relationships, dynamics and horrors, and also the mysterious unknown yet entrenched influences of all that we experienced in the womb and during birth, we not only uncover solutions to our sufferings, but reveal a deeper truth that our soul is guiding us on a parallel path.
Getting back to our human roots...
The modern day investigation of methods for achieving these now often prized expanded states of being is finally wholeheartedly underway. In doing so, we are bringing back age old ways of navigating human life that were lost to us, from our indigenous ancestors' civilizations through the introduction of agriculture 12,000 years ago, and the ultimate homogenization of colonialization. We are now slowly getting back to our human roots, dropping all sense of cultural rules and confinements in order to access our soul's naturally inclined knowledge that we are all ultimately one.

These various modalities alter consciousness and activate a healing process by essentially relieving the body from its usual homeostasis and allowing another perspective to emerge from within our own minds and bodies. Psychedelic and entheogenic plant medicines are often utilized as they are able to change the body and brain states quickly and quite effectively.

Magic Mushrooms and more - how they work...
Psychoactive mushrooms contain psilocybin, which converts to psilocin in the body and binds to serotonin receptors. This in turn increases dopamine levels. Ayahuasca contains DMT, which is molecularly similar to psilocin, and also attaches to serotonin and dopamine receptors in the brain. LSD, while not a plant medicine, is also sometimes used in certain therapies. This medicine interacts with serotonin receptors. Serotonin is a chemical messenger that helps brain cells communicate. Studies have shown that LSD lights up all parts of the brain at once, allowing for communication between areas that usually would not have the ability to do so.

The above mentioned substances are all psychedelic medicines. Of utmost importance in noting how they work is the fact that they facilitate communication between regions of the brain that do not normally communicate. In addition, they also greatly lower the activity in the default mode network region of the brain which is considered responsible for perpetuating a sense of a separate self.

When the default mode network is overly active (common in people with anxiety or depression at any level), it is associated with depression, dwelling on the negative aspects of life, and obsessive thinking. When activity in this brain network is lowered, people often report a reduced sense of feeling separate and an increased feeling of connection and oneness with the world around them. They receive insights and increased access to emotional states and memories without the normal tendency to analyze or get stuck in them. This allows for safe processing of usually difficult memories or emotional material.

Another fast acting and effective medicine used by some expanded states therapists and guides is MDMA, which is not at all a psychedelic /entheogenic, but is an "empathogenic" medicine. It increases the activity of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain. It also decreases the activity in the amygdala, which is the region of the brain connected with fear and the processing of traumatic memories. In a guided session, this medicine typically encourages a lot of emotional and verbal processing, again in a way that feels safe to the individual.

Journeying beyond medicines...
The interesting thing is that techniques which do not include psychotropic medicines work remarkably similarly when used intentionally. Meditation, breathwork, drumming, sounding, dance, etc. all change the brain's state to create similar chemical environments. These experiences naturally increase "happy hormones" in the brain: serotonin, oxytocin, endorphins and dopamine and decrease ones feeling of separateness. These techniques enable people to transcend the normal restrictions of the body and the habitual patterns of the ego in order to do deep psychological and spiritual work with a therapist or guide.
With or without ingesting mind altering medicines, it is possible to work with these expanded states of consciousness in order to "solve" our "problems" that first drew us to do the work of delving deeper into ourselves. Many people report expanding beyond their normal human conditioning, gaining fresh perspectives that open doorways between their everyday consciousness and unconscious dimensions of their psyches. They can heal childhood emotional and other relational traumas by engaging in these potent and effective methods. They can gain clarity of what their soul wanted for them in this life and begin to move with confidence in that direction. And so so much more. Unearthing your innate awareness and truth from deep within the subconscious is the path to liberation.

We are in a never ending dance of experience.

Creativity

The two paintings you see in the above section are from my vast body of artwork created as a result of expanded states work. While I have done extensive personal work with certain psychoactive medicines, these pieces were all channeled during either a seated meditation, sound meditation or dance meditation practice without medicine.

My art is an excellent example of how powerful any type of expanded states work can be.

be balanced in your life and in harmony with being, or pure consciousness

Email Gina to find out more about how she can support you create the positive change in your life that you're longing for

Love

We start wherever you are and bring loving acceptance into the personal shadows and painful parts that feel stuck, blocked and often unlovable.

Creativity

Change is inherently creative. By taking steps to change your life, you will be more creative than you ever knew you could be.

Wisdom

You are a wise one. You know there is a different experience of life available to you. You just haven't been able to get there on your own. It takes a relational therapeutic approach to heal relational challenges within.

Go deep. Cultivate more beauty in your life.

I have over 20 years of psychology and interpersonal communication education, training, certifications and in depth study, including a decade of experience guiding others through expanded states of awareness and the internal landscape of emotional pain into an ultimately self-resourced experience of cohesive, settled integration and awareness. Through NVC (Non-violent Communication / a.k.a.  Compassionate Communication), various gentle methods of building rapport with compartmentalized/shadow parts of the self (Hakomi, TrCM, parts work/internal family systems, spiritual / yogic philosophy, neuvo-shamanic ritual), and working directly with the subconscious, harmony can be attained.  Supporting your cultivation of inner and outer agency, harmony and balance is our ultimate goal with this work.
- Gina Devani

Reach out to connect with me and begin your journey back home to your true self

Based in Santa Fe, New Mexico (u.s.a.)
working locally + globally via Zoom

CHANGE

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LIFE
all images ©Gina Knepell 2021