Ritual Postures for Ecstatic Trance

Step into an evening of embodied exploration, where sacred physical forms preserved in ancient art from cultures around the world are brought to life through intentional ritual and sound.

Guided by Paul and Laura Lee Robear, directors of the Cuyamungue Institute, this practice invites you to turn your attention inward. While holding a gentle seated posture, you will be accompanied by the steady, rapid pulse of a traditional skin drum—creating the conditions for awareness to shift into what is sometimes described as a “waking dream.”

In this unusual meeting place between waking consciousness and the dreaming mind, the outer world may begin to quiet as inner sensation, imagery, emotion and intuitive knowing become more vivid. Some participants encounter symbolic landscapes or meaningful images; others experience a sense of spaciousness, connection, emotional release or profound stillness. There is no prescribed outcome and no experience you are expected to have.

The practice is completely natural and substance-free. Rather than relying on plant medicines or external agents, it draws upon the body’s own capacity to enter expanded states of awareness through posture, rhythm and focused attention.

You remain awake, aware and in control throughout the experience. When the drumming ends, there will be time to record what arose and, if you choose, share highlights from your journey. Paul and Laura will then reveal the ancient artifact connected with the evening’s posture and guide a conversation exploring the images, patterns and themes that emerged within the group.

Accessible to beginners and practiced while comfortably seated in a chair, this experience requires no previous meditation practice, spiritual training or special physical ability—only curiosity, an open mind and a willingness to listen within.