Chapters 4-5 Flashcards
“The winds of grace are always blowing..”
“but you have to raise the sail”
What two things matter much more than the particular drug/dose and why?
- Set - emotional/psychological state and intention of journeyer
- Setting - the external conditions of the journey, including immediate environment, time, relationship to guide
Why? The drug is an “unspecific amplifier of consciousness” (Stan Grof) or a “chemical key.. [that] opens the mind and frees the nervous system of its ordinary patterns and structure” (Timothy Leary)
What is an intention (2 parts)?
- It’s a statement of one’s motivation or direction, like a prayer
- It is less about what we are doing and more about why we are doing it
How does the Holistic Model help elucidate an intention?
It helps the journeyer identify the facets of their life that are out of balance and which need attention.
What is the baby in the womb analogy?
A journeyer in a particular setting is like a baby in the womb – in the expanded state of consciousness, the journeyer is intimately connected with the setting and affected by every aspect of it both positive and negative.
The journeyer can be taken to very different places depending on the stimulus from the setting (sights, smells, sounds, etc.)
Three Ways the Holistic Model is Used in Preparing for a Journey
- Can be used to emphasize the holistic nature of the individual which includes the 5 dimensions of their life
- Provides places for the guide to acknowledge the strength derived from the resources as well as identify the places of challenge with honesty and compassion
- Can be used before the journey by the guide to determine small shifts or practices that can be addressed as part of preparation practices. The guide can track the impact of these shifts and use them to support the client’s sense of agency.
4 Guidelines for Day-Before Diet
- It is best that one eats lightly or even fasts
- Avoid animal products
- Avoid fried, spicy and other heavy/overly sweet foods
- Try sticking to soup, cooked vegetables and fruit
3 Reasons why is abstaining from sex/self-pleasure recommended for 5 days before a journey?
- It gives the journeyer’s body a few days to sort out what is theirs and what belongs to another. Going into an expanded state is an extraordinary opportunity to explore our internal world, with its unique energies and blocks. For this reason, maintaining clear boundaries helps us perceive what is ours.
- It also allows the body to return to a calm state.
- It helps maintain energy
3 Goals of Rest and Movement during the Preparation
- Move stagnant energy out
- Quiet the physical system
- Establish an open feeling in the body
Preparation Guidance for Clothing
If there is a special piece of clothing that gives a person of connection with any strong resource they have or with their intentions for the journey, they should wear it
4 activities to decrease before a journey
- News and social media
- Electronic device use
- Activity and responsibility in general
- Anything that throws a person off-center
3 reasons to do preparation
- When we tend to the places that need extra care, we are able to go deeper
- Helps approach the transformative experience with increased attention and greater respect
- It can cause the deeper levels of the psyche begin to open on their own, even before the journey. For example, the journeyer may feel stronger emotions, have memories surface, experience vivid dreams, or sense a more acute awareness than usual.
4 Guidelines for Drink/Substances as part of Preparation
- Avoid alcohol for one week before any journey
- Avoid psychoactive substances for one week before any journey
- Drink plenty of water and light herbal teas
- Avoid coffee or strong black tea
2 Sleep Preparation Guidelines
- Sleep 7-8 hours for 3 days before and after a journey
- Take naps if you feel tired3.
What is the compass analogy for the purpose of an intention?
“It is like having a compass aboard our sailboat. When we enter the vast ocean of expanded consciousness there can be waves and storms, placid waters, gentle breezes or intense wind. Having our sail raised high and our compass in hand gives us a point of reference to return to and a direction to pursue.” (Francoise Bourzat)
