Healing and the Trance State: The Transformative Power of ASC 
Ritual Postures and the Intelligence of Altered States
by Paul Robear

As I’ve continued on this path of exploring altered states of consciousness(ASC), I’ve come to understand that healing is not something that happens to us—it’s something we participate in. Over the years, I’ve witnessed—and personally experienced—the quiet yet profound ways that altered states of consciousness can awaken deep transformation. And we find the practice of Ritual Postures as a powerful doorway, one that continues to open new realms of healing, insight, and connection.

These postures, drawn from ancient art and ritual traditions, are more than symbolic gestures. They guide the body into an altered state—one that feels both ancient and deeply familiar. What I’ve experienced, and what many others echo, is a shift from everyday awareness into something powerful, quieter yet energizing, and more intuitive. It is in this trance space that a different kind of knowing emerges—where healing isn’t approached through analysis but through embodied presence.

In these states, the boundaries between inner and outer begin to dissolve. The body softens, the thinking mind quiets, and a deeper rhythm begins to pulse through. At times, I’ve felt the presence of ancestral figures or archetypal energies—what some might call the spirit world. These are not fantasies or projections, but real encounters that leave a mark, offering guidance or comfort in ways words rarely can. They remind me that healing is not linear. It comes in waves, images, sensations, and moments of deep inner truth.

What’s so compelling about this practice is that it doesn’t require belief or complex theory. It asks only that we show up with intention and openness. The body remembers what the mind forgets—and through these postures, we tap into that ancestral memory. This isn’t passive healing. It’s participatory, alive, and deeply personal. I’ve seen it bring relief to old emotional wounds, inspire clarity during life transitions, and reconnect people with a sense of meaning they hadn’t felt in years.

These practices aren’t modern inventions—they’re echoes of something timeless. Across cultures, ritual postures were used to communicate with the divine, to seek guidance, and to restore harmony within. As we bring these postures into modern practice, it’s vital that we do so with respect, honoring the cultural lineages they came from, and guided by experience and care.

In all of this, I return again and again to the words of Felicitas Goodman, the founder of this work, whose insight continues to inspire: