Understanding ‘Karmic Knots’ —The Role of Ayahuasca and Soma in Healing
DISCLAIMER: The plants and compounds mentioned in this post are illegal in many countries, and even possession can carry severe criminal penalties. None of this post constitutes medical advice or should be construed as a recommendation to use psychedelics. There are serious legal, psychological, and physical risks. Psychedelics are not for everyone—they can exacerbate certain emotional problems, and there have been, in very rare cases, fatalities.
Exploring the intricate workings of Ayahuasca and Soma through a non-dual tantric approach offers a helpful map for understanding how these medicines facilitate healing and awakening. Central to this view is an understanding of Karmic Knots. These knots are mental impressions (samskaras, Sanskrit) that form throughout our lives and that have significant impact on our physical, physiological and psychological well-being. This post delves deep into what Karmic Knots are, how they form, and how Ayahuasca and Soma allow for their release.
In recent YouTube video, we discussed how our consciousness is created. We also discussed how certain substances can assist us in releasing old emotional patterns. Let's dive into this fascinating topic.
What Are Karmic Knots?
Karmic Knots are mental impressions or imprints we accumulate throughout our lives. From childhood to adulthood, our experiences, whether minor or significant, leave a mark on us.
These impressions are stored in the subtle body, which is associated in part with the contemporary understanding of the nervous system. When a life event triggers or activates a karmic knot stored in the subtle body, the mind can get flooded with emotions and memories and in more intense cases trauma.
For instance, a car accident might cause both physical injury and a physiological contraction due to the trauma, forming a karmic knot. Such experiences, ranging from mild discomfort to severe trauma, imprint our subtle body, nervous system and influence our psychological state.
Formation of Karmic Knots
Karmic Knots form in two primary ways:
First Way — Physiological Level
At this level, the body's immediate response to an event, such as a physical contraction due to fear or discomfort, creates an impression. Traumatic events like car accidents or physical altercations can leave lasting physiological imprints, even when the immediate physical injuries heal. These imprints at the physiological level can also be subtle but accumulate over time. For example, they could be the experience of being discouraged or slighted repeatedly, or the feeling of being neglected. It is important to note that not all samskaras (mental impressions) are “negative.” There are positive as well as negative samkaras. However, when we talk about Karmic Knots we are referring to those obstructions that block the flow of energy in the channels. This could also be related to a lack of physical exercise, poor diet, etc.
Second Way — Psychological Level
Beyond the physiological impact, the mind starts forming stories around these experiences. The body might store a karmic knot due to trauma, which then gets triggered later, flooding us with past impressions or memories. These stored impressions can resurface as thoughts and feelings, forming psychological patterns. This can result in complex narratives that influence how we perceive and react to current situations, even if our rational adult brain understands the incidents differently.
Healing Karmic Knots with Ayahuasca and Soma
Ayahuasca and Soma, traditional plant medicines, offer unique mechanisms for releasing these deeply embedded Karmic Knots. The Ayahuasca vine, known as Banisteriopsis caapi, contains harmala alkaloids such as harmine and harmaline. These compounds open the energy channels in the body, facilitating the release of these knots.
The Role of Harmala Alkaloids
Harmala alkaloids work at the subtle energetic level, opening the energy pathways (nadis, Indian; meridian, Chinese) within the subtle body. This concept aligns more with traditional and non-dual tantric perspectives and subjective maps like those used in Chinese medicine, qigong, and yoga, rather than the Western scientific approach.
Western science, however, acknowledges the body's propensity to store emotions and traumas. Books like "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk highlight how trauma impacts both the mind and body, supporting the idea that our experiences are stored in our physiological and psychological systems.
The Synergy of Ayahuasca and DMT
The combination of Ayahuasca's harmala alkaloids and the psychoactive compound DMT (found in chacruna or some forms of acacia) creates a powerful healing synergy. Harmala alkaloids open the body's energy channels, while the sentient intelligence of the DMT cuts through the Karmic Knots, releasing the obstructions and allowing prana (energy) to flow more freely in the channels (nadis). This dual action results in profound emotional and spiritual healing processes.
Karmic Visions and What They Mean
The synergy of the harmala and DMT clear the obstructions from the channels (Karmic Knots) which results in karmic visions. As defined here, karmic visions are the contents of consciousness that get released not only during the Ayahuasca journey but in the days and even weeks following. This can take the form of actually visionary experience, but also thoughts, feelings, fantasies, fears that you form. The best practice is usually to lean into staying grounded and not acting on any big decisions for at least a month after your last journey. In general, lean more into grounding practices and pay particular attention to repeated patterns (ex: thoughts and stories that are running through the mind).
Traditional Practices and Modern Understanding
Traditional practices like Hatha yoga and Qigong have long incorporated physical postures and breathwork to prepare the body for deeper meditative states. Similarly, the use of Ayahuasca and Soma follows a process that moves from the gross physical body to more subtle layers of the mind, ultimately reaching the most refined layers of consciousness down to its essence, pure awareness (Rigpa, Tibetan).
This approach, grounded in a non-dual Tantric views, emphasizes the interconnectedness of all reality. It also allows us to understanding the ultimate nature of mind, while being to make room for relative truths (non duality contains duality within it). Healing involves addressing each layer, starting with the physical and moving towards the subtle and most refined consciousness.
Conclusion
Understanding Karmic Knots and their influence on our well-being unveils the profound healing potential of Ayahuasca and Soma. By addressing these deeply held emotional patterns through the unique synergy of these medicines, we can begin to untie these knots and feel greater levels of emotional and physical well being while deepening our journey on a spiritual path that resonates most with us.
For a more in-depth exploration of this topic, watch our YouTube video which delves deeper into the fascinating world of Ayahuasca, Soma, and karmic knots.
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