Simple Tools of Consciousness

Sing, dance, and enter a trance with simple tools of consciousness! Learn how to navigate altered states of consciousness in this multi-part workshop series. Ten workshops will focus on a single, simple tool, culminating in a ceremony featuring every tool. The workshops and ceremony are sober events, you may still experience altered states while participating.

Time, Day, and Cost

Workshops are on Fridays at 7pm EST and last for one hour. The first workshop is on April 4.

The suggested love offering is $15 per workshop, pay what you can.

Topics

1. Breath Work – Focus on the breath. This is a core tenet of most, if not all spiritual practices. It is also a fundamental part of life. Therefore, breath work is the first stage of the workshop series.
2. Meditation – Quieting the mind is a necessary precursor to focus, and to accessing deeper aspects of consciousness. Therefore, meditation is the next topic.
3. Visualization – Visualization is the act of forming a picture in your mind. It is an art which, when cultivated, can facilitate profound shifts, insights and growth.
4. Scents and Smells – Incense has long been a staple in consciousness work. There are so many different scents, and so many ways to produce them, that it can be overwhelming! Here we will go over the importance of scent, and a few modalities for producing it, such as incense sticks, smudge sticks, resin, etc.
5. Visuals – Sight is foundational to the human experience. How our environment looks affects us – just try stepping into a garbage dump versus a pristine forest. What sort of environment best facilitates consciousness work? We will discuss anchors, iconography, color, crystals, and more!
6. Sound – Sound is an incredible facilitation tool, when harnessed correctly. We will discuss core elements of ceremonial music, how it differs from meditative music, and how to elicit different responses using different sounds. We will sit, we will dance, and we will feel, all through the vehicle of sound. Participants are encouraged to bring their own instruments.
7. Sensation – Texture, temperature, and spaciousness are all factors that come into play in consciousness work. We will cover the importance of preparing for the weather, and we will go outside and enjoy the grass, the wind, and the sensation of earth under our feet.
8. Nourishment – What we put into our bodies affects us. In consciousness work, it is common to engage in a type of cleansing fast or ‘dieta.’ We will discuss the nature of the dieta, and why it is important. We will also explore how the dieta does not have to be pure suffering with tasty but healthy snacks!
9. Preparation – When preparing to enter an altered state, there are key steps to take to facilitate a beneficial experience. We will delve into setting an intention, and will address questions regarding the ceremony. We will also discuss four key steps of preparation, namely: clear your task list, clean your room, watch what you consume, and engage in mindfulness practices (You can use your tools from the first workshops).
10. Integration – What now? This is a common question following a consciousness journey. Integration is the process of incorporating lessons and insights from a journey into one’s daily life. In this session, we will hold an integration circle, discussing people’s experiences in the ceremony, and how they will utilize what they have learned.