[NO RECORDING]

Shamans are the religious specialists among indigenous societies who sustain themselves with hunting or horticulture. While their methods vary, they have in common an understanding that travel beyond the world of ordinary consciousness is both possible and beneficial. Anthropologist Felicitas Goodman discovered that the artwork of native people includes sacred poses that, when used in conjunction with rhythmic stimulation of the nervous system such as rattling or drumming, engage the body’s natural ability to alter consciousness. Research with these postures indicates that the brain’s activity is heightened and the body’s energy field is expanded to a state that is easily attained but lies dormant in most people. In this expanded state of consciousness, we have an ability to experience ourselves and our reality from a different perspective, loosening the hold of our personality fixations.

Psychologist Belinda Gore has been involved in researching and teaching these “ecstatic body postures” for over twenty years with many and varied groups of people worldwide. In this workshop you will learn about the discovery of the postures, how they impact the physical body, and will have an opportunity to experience a sacred posture during a 15 minute rattling session followed by discussion.

Belinda Gore, Ph.D. is the Co-Director of the Enneagram Institute of Central Ohio. She is an executive coach and leadership consultant, and trains psychotherapists to use the Enneagram in their work. Belinda is the author of Ecstatic Body Postures: An Alternate Reality Workbook and teaches workshops internationally.

Belinda Gore

2008

2008 IEA Global Conference

Atlanta, Georgia, USA