Approaching Ayahuasca & Soma with a Vajrayana View: Introduction

“True confidence comes from realizing the view.”

-Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche

On a path of awakening, we need a clear and coherent View to orient us in the right direction. Just as this is true with the practice of meditation, so it is also true for the practice of plant medicines such as Ayahuasca and Soma.

There are many time honored traditions that bring different approaches and beliefs to their entheogenic journeys, and this is not a challenge to any other culture, belief or system. Though I use the term “The View” in acknowledgment of its origins in Vajrayana Buddhism, what I’m offering is rather an expression of A View drawn from the nondual Tantric traditions of Vajrayana Buddhism, in particular a direct path of awakening associated within the Nyingma lineage of Tibet referred to as Dzogchen (Mahamudra, affiliated with the Karma Kagyu tradition, is the same in essence as Dzogchen).

These concepts are not meant to be clung to as objective truths, accepted as dogma, or held up as The One True Way, but rather the teachings on Sahaja Soma are offered as an invitation to approach plant medicine through a nondual contemplative lens, to inquire directly into the nature of your own mind and to discover the infinite source of freedom and connection that is always and already available. Sahaja Soma will draw on the wisdom of other nondual traditions and teachers, such as Adyashanti, the Zen tradition, and Shaiva Shakta Tantra. However, the primary focus in this initial series will come Vajrayana Buddhism, in particular the path of Dzogchen.

While some Vajrayana practitioners might object to offering these teachings in relationship to plant medicine, or even speaking about them openly, I believe that the time has come for articulating a clear connection between a Vajrayana path and the plant medicine path (this connection may well have existed among Vajrayana practitioners in the yogi traditions of the Himalayas, though I don’t take up that historical argument here. I find this issue to be interesting, though not ultimately relevant or decisive for modern practitioners who wish to connect these two paths of Vajrayana and entheogens).

If there is an opportunity to alleviate suffering and confusion then I believe it is important to push on the boundaries of tradition in thoughtful and discerning ways. The contemplative technologies and profound wisdom of the Dharma (Buddhism) has spread precisely because it has proved adaptable to meet the needs and customs of people in different cultures and times. As stated previously, one need not be a Buddhist, or accept many popular beliefs that many Buddhist teachers and practitioners hold, to benefit from what these teachings have to offer about the nature of mind and the prospects for deeper sources of happiness and freedom.

Sahaja Soma aims to serve as a bridge between the wisdom of Vajrayana Buddhism and plant medicines such as Ayahuasca and Soma.

The teachings and practices offered in this series come from Vajrayana, specifically from the lineage of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche as I received them through his sons, Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Mingyur Rinpoche. Any wisdom that is offered here comes from the lineage dating back to its origins with Garab Dorje, Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) and Yeshe Tsogyal. Any lack of clarity in transmitting the wisdom of the lineage is a reflection of myself and no one else. I always welcome feedback from my teachers and other experienced and open minded Vajrayana practitioners.

If you find yourself inspired these teachings, I would like to work with people who are interested in approaching these plant medicines through a nondual contemplative approach inspired by Dzogchen and adapted for people in a nonsectarian way. However, if you enjoy these teachings in any way I would strongly encourage you to seek out a qualified Dzogchen or Mahamudra teacher and to receive teachings from them directly. I can recommend my teachers Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Mingyur Rinpoche without any reservation. They have many offerings both in person and online. I can also recommend Lama Justin Von Bujdoss. Justin’s approach resonates with my own approach to meditation and plant medicine. Justin is also open to the synergies between Dharma and entheogens.

More than anything else, starting with this foundation of contemplative practice is the most important first step. However, I recognize that some people won’t go down a Vajrayana or any formal Buddhist path, and many people are already working with plant medicine who may well be experiencing both immense benefits but also great confusion without the benefit of a nondual view and contemplative practice to ground them. For this reason, I wish to offer a distilled and basic form of these teachings in a way that is hopefully accessible for secular, modern people.

With time, if you find that you are benefiting from these teachings, please consider contributing to the foundations of either Tsoknyi Rinpoche or Mingyur Rinpoche. Practicing generosity is a critical part of the transformative power of Dharma practice. Honoring the lineage where these teachings came from is both intellectually honest and an important act of practicing humility. These charitable efforts finance the education and wellbeing of young children training to be nuns and monks. Personally, I view contributing to these foundations not simply as giving to a Buddhist organization, but as planting seeds for the flowering of wisdom, compassion and well being that will ultimately benefit more people of all faiths and backgrounds.

Please receive the teachings in the posts that follow with the intention to wake up for the benefit of all beings. Contemplate the preciousness of this human life, the chance to awaken to your true nature and actualize your greatest potential and to help other people actualize theirs. Reflect on the sacredness of the opportunity, with each passing day, to nurture a kind and gentle heart. May you grow in love, compassion, joy and wisdom. Recognize the profound interdependence of all forms of life and with nature. The frequent misperception that we are separate is the source of so much of our suffering. As you learn to recognize your own innate radiance, may you inspire others to recognize the light that is always and already shining within them as well.