Psychedelic Experiences versus Mystical Experiences

We are witnessing a renaissance of the idea of using psychedelics in connection with spiritual practice. The main theory put forward by psychedelic users in relation to spiritual practice is that those who take psychedelics are able to skip all preliminary work with spiritual practice. Are psychedelics a fast track to enlightenment? If so, why have we never heard of one single human being who has attained enlightenment through the use of psychedelic drugs? Why is that all wisdom traditions, which incorporate spiritual practices that lead to enlightenment, without exception warn against the use of drugs in combination with spiritual practice? What is the difference between genuine mystical experiences and psychedelic experiences? Read more.

Voice as Musical Instrument

It is likely that the first musical instrument was the human voice itself. The voice can be viewed as the ultimate musical instrument, since it is capable of instant expression with no instrument required to render thoughts and feelings into sound. With the human voice, thought nearly equals sound. The voice is capable of producing an incredibly wide range and depth of expressions. It can reproduce musical instruments and play melodies and harmonies just like about any other instrument. The voice is the most versatile, natural instrument capable of sound in existence. Musicians often replicate aspects of the human voice with their instruments because of its pure expression and feeling. The human voice is the social glue that binds us and the most important sound in our lives.

Harnessing the Power of the Drum Circle

Indigenous cultures have been practicing community percussion for thousands of years. Although most of us did not grow up in an indigenous rhythmic musical tradition, we can still tap into the healing power of the drum circle. The shamanic drum circle is the most powerful way I know to connect with the spirit and oneness of everything. Drum circles provide the opportunity for people of like mind to unite for the attainment of a shared objective. There is power in drumming alone, but that power recombines and multiplies on many simultaneous levels in a group of drummers. The drums draw individual energies together, unifying them into a consolidated force that can be channeled toward the circle’s intended objective.

Drum circle participants should play in unison so that the drumming creates a mesmerizing effect to induce trance. Avoid free form drumming, which produces a cacophony of competing beats. The goal is to produce a sound that is unifying and consciousness-shifting, so individuals should alternate the responsibility of setting the tempo and leading the drum circle. Like the indigenous shaman who conducts community healing rites, the drum circle leader or facilitator must hold sacred space and guide the pattern, flow, and energy of the drumming toward the ritual’s intended goal. Even in trance states, a skilled facilitator maintains a portion of conscious awareness in order to stay in tune with the pulse of the circle.

Shamanic drum circles are an effective way to restore the web of life. The drums shape available energy into a powerful vortex that spirals out into the resonating circle of life. The true power of a shamanic circle comes from the capacity of its members to work together for a common goal. When they are of one heart, of one mind and of one accord, a circle of shamanic practitioners can effectively heal individuals, communities and beyond. To learn more, read my Shamanic Drumming Circles Guide.

The Ethics of Shamanic Healing

In shamanic work, there is one essential ethical requirement; permission. According to Susan Mokelke, who leads the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, "Permission means the express, informed consent of the client for a specific individual or group to perform shamanic healing or divination—including the consent to disclose any information about the client." Healing without permission is not only unethical, but deviates into the realm of sorcery and black magic. It is unethical because it is every person's right and responsibility to decide what to do in matters relating to his or her own soul.

If the healee is in a coma, permission should be obtained from the person's closest living relative or guardian before doing shamanic work of any sort. Even then, you should still journey to ask that person's soul what healing, if any, they wish to have done. Before doing psychopomp work or other mediation involving the soul of a deceased person, you still need to get permission from his or her next of kin. When you journey to help a deceased person, you should ask their soul what assistance, if any they want. When in doubt, don't perform the work.

Even in cases of natural disasters and crises, it is essential to get permission from the spirits of the land or people involved before trying to help. When doing distance shamanic healing in drumming circles, it is important to do only the work that was requested and to work closely with your helping spirits.

Experience the Power of Chanting

Chanting is prayer. In ancient times, chant was the closest thing to dialogue with the spirit. There are chants to honor the dead, to pay homage to deities, or to invoke qualities such as wisdom, compassion and empathy. Given our contemporary hectic lifestyles, chanting is the most conducive path of spiritual practice for the times we live in. Chanting has no limitations of time and space and can be done anytime or anywhere. Chanting as a spiritual practice helps to foster maximum spiritual growth and overall well-being. It is a simple and effortless way to still the mind and bring deep relaxation to the body. It is an effective way to open the heart and connect with a higher power.
 

Many chants are mantras—single words or phrases repeated over and over. Mantras are indestructible positive energies, meaning they remain in the universe indefinitely for the greater good of all. One of the most simple and powerful mantras we can chant is the sound of OM, the primal sound from which the universe constantly emanates. Chanting the mantra OM attunes us to the eternal oneness of all that is, unifying body, mind and spirit. When pronouncing OM, it should sound like "home" without the "h" sound. When chanting OM, equal measure should be given to both the "O" and the "M" sounds (i.e., oooommmm). Take in a deep breath and voice the sound as you exhale through the mouth. When chanted with love, devotion and sincerity, the positive effects are greatly accentuated.

The Soul of Rhythm

Neuroscience research has demonstrated the therapeutic effects of rhythmic drumming. The reason drumming is such a powerful tool is that rhythm is rooted in innate functions of the brain, mind and consciousness. Our relationship with rhythm begins in the womb. At twenty-two days, a single (human embryo) cell jolts to life. This first beat awakens nearby cells and incredibly they all begin to beat in perfect unison. These beating cells divide and become our heart. This desire to beat in unison seemingly fuels our entire lives. Studies show that, regardless of musical training, we are innately able to perceive and recall elements of beat and rhythm.

We respond to rhythm whenever we sense it and seek it out when it is not present, for we are innately rhythmic. Every rhythm has its own quality and touches you in a unique way. These qualities, in fact, exist within each of us, longing to be activated. It is this process of internalization that allows us to access the inaudible yet perceptible soul, so to speak, of a rhythm. One of the paradoxes of rhythm is that the audible pattern is the inverse of the “inaudible matrix.” Every rhythm has both an inaudible and audible aspect—silence and sound.
 
Silence and sound are the two fundamental aspects of our vibrational world. Silence is the unmanifest essence of the unseen world. Audible sound is the manifest form. It is the inaudible intervals between audible beats that allow us to hear the grouping of beats in a coherent cycle or pattern. We sense the interval as the offbeat, or light element, and the audible beat as the heavy element. The drummer establishes the audible beat, whereas the silent pulse quality unfolds by itself in any rhythmic pattern.