Cuyamungue, The Felicitas D. Goodman Institute is an independent, 501c3 not-for-profit educational organization committed to the study of “ASC” Altered States of Consciousness as a natural extension of the human experience.
The Cuyamungue Institute is the international headquarters for the practice of Ecstatic Postures, established by anthropologist Dr. Felicitas D. Goodman and has provided the home for the discovery and experiences of Ritual Body Postures for over five decades.
Ritual Body Postures, also known as Ecstatic Trance Postures, are specific physical positions used in various traditions to induce altered states of consciousness and facilitate spiritual experiences. These postures, often drawn from ancient practices worldwide, are found to connect individuals with spiritual realms, promote healing, and enhance self-awareness.
Our mission at the Cuyamungue Institute is to introduce, sustain, and support the practice and research of trance states we believe were once widely enjoyed by our early, indigenous ancestors worldwide. A tradition lost through the millennia on our march to our modern day, it was the daring and insightful work of anthropologist Felicitas D. Goodman who revived the practice. She looked to some of the oldest, most authentic records we have — the world’s collection of early and indigenous art — and decoded selected artifacts as “ritual instructions”.
For over fifty years, students of the Cuyamungue Institute have employed the simple “access codes” Goodman rediscovered for a natural, easy, drug-free physiological shift into ecstatic states. The term “ecstatic” is an appropriate description for both the experience of blissful oneness with the Universe at large, as well as the dramatic surge of beta-endorphins, the body’s internally manufactured biochemicals support states of well-being and joy, that we see in lab tests of this process. If you have ever had a daydream, you can easily slip into this trance state. “Waking dream” is also an apt term for this state, characterized in EEG tests by the highly unusual combination of Beta plus Theta Waves.
Unusual in that Theta Waves, the brain waves of that delicious mystical dream state, are not ordinarily simultaneously present with Beta Waves, the dominant brain waves of daily waking life. So we know something out of the ordinary is happening with this trance state — out of the ordinary, yes, but within the realm of normal and natural.
This is a unique, specific physiological shift, surprisingly easily achieved, and once known, enjoyed, valued and held sacred by early societies. While today the general consensus is that only mystics can achieve this mystical state, early societies held that everyone had equal access, and those who could not were the exception, not the norm..
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It is all about the experiences…
ECSTATIC TRANCE POSTURE EXPERIENCES:
It Works
The reports of thousands of participants have confirmed that ordinary people can have quite extraordinary visionary experiences. Mystical experiences are not for mystics only, but for all of us! The Cuyamungue Method of Ritula Body Postures is a technique with a 40,000 year track record, handed down through time from our earliest ancestors, who recorded ritual instructions in selected artworks the world over. We invite you to join us, and see for yourself!
We may ask, just how RBP works as readily and profoundly as it does? Do we bend our limbs to a specific configuration as we bend an antennae to amplify a specific frequency? Do we activate meridians, chakras, organs or neuronal pathways by placing our hands just so?
What and where is the “Alternate Reality” we enter — is it just between our ears, or are we for a brief spell crossing a magical threshold into a realm where the Universe may speak with us directly? Its dialects are many: direct knowing, visions, gestures, symbols, downloads of energy, emotional resolution, deep insights… all in a spirit journey writ large with meaning and wonder. Why does it feel like a territory we know? As though, having answered its call… we’ve been here before. Our soul knows this language, this place, the beings we meet. And they know us, better than we know ourselves.
Ultimately, while each of us must answer this for ourself, it’s certainly more fun to share our journeys with one another, to ponder it all together. We invite you to join the CI Circle!
Our focus is reflected in three main areas:
EXPERIENCE – EDUCATION – EXPLORATION
Experience: The Ritual Body Postures. The tradition of expanding consciousness via direct experience provided by the practice of postures. This is Embodied Spirituality. We are committed to transforming consciousness through the ancient wisdom of Ecstatic Trance Postures and are committed to the study of “ASC” Altered States of Consciousness as a natural extension of the human experience.
Education: Research. Current understanding of the fields of Trance, ASC and consciousness via Anthropology, Archeology, Wisdom traditions, Psychology, neuroscience, physiology and more. Empowering, engaging, informing, and inspiring people. Provide universal access and facilitate personal development, both through direct experience and sharing studies for learning, service, and leadership. Support research projects that assist in fulfilling our mission as an educational institution. Devoted to academic balance, distinguished by the creative interplay of direct experience, teaching and scholarship. The creative pursuit of science while advancing, conserving and restoring the deeper human connection to all life.
Exploration: As part of our mission is to promote the exploration via educational outreach. Advancing the general knowledge of kindred subjects. “C4E” Conversation4Exploration: the continued exploration into trance states, consciousness and human experience – broaden the scope of our work to the latest discoveries and theories. Pushing the envelope of Self Discovery – “Moving the Dial with Dialogue” — Laura Lee, CUYA INSTITUTE CUYAINSTITUTE.COM
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“Mystical experiences are achievable via a normal and natural physiological shift, easily accessible to everyone with a healthy nervous system. Such states are our birthright, independent of any belief system or dogma. Mystical states are not for mystics only — they are for all of us, and have been for the entirety of human existence. This our ancestors knew well, and handed us the keys.”
CUYA INSTITUTE CUYAINSTITUTE.COM Laura Lee
Practitioners enjoy many benefits
- Feelings of strength
- Reduced anxiety and stress
- The opening of inner portals for continued communication with the greater Universe
- Increase in positivity and synchronicities
- Sense of well-being lasting for hours
- Sense of oneness with all things, the Universe
- Sense of acceptance and belonging
- Awakened creativity
- Aid in memory and concentration
- Have positive immune system responses
- Enhance communication – better understanding and relationship with people in your life
- Support peace of mind
- feelings of comfort, and release of anxiety.
- feelings of expansion – greater intuitive insights into ones life.
Medical Disclaimer: The content on this website is intended for informational and educational purposes only, specifically related to the research and work of the Cuyamungue Institute. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or health objectives. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this site.
The authors, presenters, and members of the Board of Directors expressly disclaim any responsibility for adverse effects that may result from the use, practice, or application of any information provided on this website, including participation in our online experiential sessions conducted via Zoom or any other virtual platform.
