Spirituality, Trance States, and the Path of Recovery
Unlocking the Healing Power for Recovery
by Paul Robear

In today’s evolving spiritual landscape, many people are seeking ways to connect more deeply—with themselves, with nature, and with something greater. Among the many paths explored, our work finds a re-emergence of trance states as powerful gateways to inner wisdom, healing, and personal insight.

Another approach that has gained significant attention in recent years is accessing these states through the tradition of plant-based journeys. For some, these ceremonies offer profound and life-changing experiences. However, for others—especially those in recovery from addiction—introducing outside agents, even in sacred or ceremonial contexts, can feel risky and potentially destabilizing.

During a recent gathering with our Advanced Posture Community, I shared a few presentation titles from the Anthropology of Consciousness conference that Laura and I recently attended—and where we also presented. Many of these reflected the rising popularity of plant medicine journeys. This sparked an insightful discussion. Several community members, drawing from their own recovery journeys, voiced concerns about using outside substances and expressed deep appreciation for the natural, body-centered approach of Ritual Body Postures.

For those walking the path of recovery, this distinction is essential. There is profound wisdom in avoiding external triggers or chemicals that could compromise hard-won sobriety. There is also empowerment in realizing that our own bodies can access profound states of consciousness—without risk, without dependency.

That’s why practices like Ritual Body Postures, as taught at the Cuyamungue Institute, hold such special value. When paired with rhythmic sound, these postures naturally activate non-ordinary states of awareness. The body becomes the instrument, and the chemistry is our own—generated from within.

This spiritual practice invites us to listen inward. It honors the intelligence of the body, the breath, and the heartbeat. It offers an accessible, sustainable, and substance-free path for long-term exploration—whether someone is in recovery, navigating life transitions, or simply seeking a grounded connection to the spiritual realm.

There is growing interest in the healing potential of naturally induced trance states and their role in recovery. Several community members have volunteered to help gather research on the impact of Ritual Postures in this field. This is just a first step, but we are hopeful it will lead to the development of a pilot program to integrate Ritual Body Postures as a spiritual tool for recovery.

There are many approaches meaningful spiritual experiences.  Yet embodied practices that use a natural induction method—like Ritual Body Postures—offer a grounded and empowering option, especially for those seeking to heal from within.

It reminds us: the medicine is already within us.