The Essence of Soma is Sahaja
“Meditation is about learning to recognize our basic goodness in the immediacy of the present moment, and then nurturing this recognition until it seeps into the very core of our being.”
- MINGYUR RINPOCHE
Nondual Tantric Approach to Ayahuasca & Soma
Sahaja Soma refers to the natural alignment between the teachings of Ayahuasca and Ayahuasca analogues such as Soma with the nondual Tantric traditions of Hinduism (Shaivism, Shaktism) and Vajrayana Buddhism, in particular the teachings of Dzogchen and Mahamudra.
We can make meaning of psychedelic medicines and experiences through different perspectives so here is just one of them:
What is the goal of working with Ayahuasca and Ayahuasca analogues like Soma?
From a Nondual Tantric perspective, we might say that the purpose of these sacred medicines is to help us to recognize and to rest in the natural state, the true nature of mind (sahaja). Other names within the tradition would include names such as rigpa, ordinary mind, Shiva Shakti. Different traditions, such as Chan and Zen Buddhism, point to the same essence with different names and metaphors.
In contemporary terms, we might translate this as: the goal of Ayahuasca and Soma is to have an insight into the nature of consciousness and to stabilize this recognition in such a way that will radically transform your sense of well being and the way you move through the world.
Like polishing a diamond that has been covered in dust to reveal its innately pristine nature, the sahaja teachings refer to a spontaneous unveiling of what is always and already there, rather than attaining some idealized state through effort and striving.
Sahaja
We might think of the term "Sahaja" as having two meanings, both of which I referenced above.
Sahaja refers to the natural state, our true nature, our innate divinity, a recognition of which arises spontaneously, usually after a prolonged period of contemplative practice, though such a recognition can occur through other means and to those individuals not necessarily engaged in spiritual practice or interested in spirituality at all.
The term Sahaja also refers to the set of teachings that allow us to recognize this natural state and to stabilize this recognition through practice. These nondual teachings speak to a common orientation at the center of both nondual Buddhist and Hindu Tantra. In Varjayana Buddhism, these direct path teachings exist in the Dzogchen and Mahamudra traditions.
Though there are meaningful distinctions and differences between Nondual Hindu and Buddhist Tantra, the essence of the Sahaja teachings, this core nondual insight about the nature of mind, lies at the core of both traditions. This same insight is the goal of other nondual contemplative paths such as Chan and Zen Buddhism, and, arguably, at the center of many other mystical traditions as well.
Ayahuasca & Soma as Tantric Practice
Situated within a larger nondual Tantric path, Ayahuasca and Soma can be very skillful means for enhancing and augmenting the contemplative technology that is Tantra, the purpose of which is to recognize this sahaja essence: our own inherent divinity, our interdependence of with all of life, to deepen into a recognition of The Great Connection (Dzogchen).
These traditions agree in emphasizing an important point: the goal is not merely to have a brief glimpse of this nature of mind, but rather to stabilize this recognition.
As an contemporary exceptional teacher of Mahamudra and Dzogchen, Mingyur Rinpoche, puts it:
“Meditation is about learning to recognize our basic goodness in the immediacy of the present moment, and then nurturing this recognition until it seeps into the very core of our being.”
To build upon Rinpoche’s point, I would say that from a nondual Tantric point of view, we could interchange the words “meditation” and “[plant] medicine” to restate the case:
“Ayahuasca and Soma is about learning to recognize our basic goodness in the immediacy of the present moment, and then nurturing this recognition until it seeps into the very core of our being.”
A basic outline of this path from a Dzogchen and Mahamudra point of view would be to:
Recognize the nature of mind
Deepen this recognition
Stabilize this recognition
The point of practice is to increasingly return to resting in this natural state, with a spirit of ease and simplicity. This “natural state” is not a state of mind that comes and goes, such as dullness vs vividness or happiness vs sadness. It is certainly not a peak experience that one has on psychedelics or on a long meditation retreat. In fact, it is not an experience at all, but rather the context in which all experiences arise and pass away.
As these nondual Tantric traditions recognized, for the spontaneous recognition of one’s true nature to arise, people usually need to go through a lengthy period of practice. Even though we’re recognizing what is always and already there, and it is important to approach the journey with relaxation and effortlessness, patience is also an important virtue, and there are obstructions (trauma, psychological patterns) that block this recognition.
Awakening is a Process of Refinement
Tantric practice and plant medicines are doing something very similar in that they are helping to churn and to release energetic blockages (trauma, psychological patterns) in the body-mind. In this sense, Tantric practice is an ongoing process of refinement. This process of churning and releasing and refinement is what will allow spontaneous recognition to dawn, to deepen and to stabilize with an effortless approach to practice. On going practice is integral in helping to gradually stabilize recognition over time, so that we remain increasingly centered in The View of our true nature, instead of getting trapped in feelings of unworthiness or separation.
If we include these potent medicines such as Ayahuasca and Soma within a larger, well structured path, we can increasingly ground, stabilize and integrate the wisdom that these plants can offer us into the reality of our daily lives. Crucially, this sense of path, purpose and community also provides us with a sense of grounding amidst the dynamic forces of change that these medicines can initiate.
What many modern people involved with psychedelics are missing is a sense of path, a clear and time tested set of teachings and practices that allow them to radically transform their perception of reality. I believe that people are also looking for ways to create a sense of the sacred and to nurture a spiritual dimension of their own lives without subscribing to religious dogma or taking on beliefs thad don’t align with some of their own values, such as commitments to reason and science.
In the case of Ayahuasca, what nearly all spaces are missing is an articulation of The View of the nature of mind and the medicine which are nondual (see “Tantric Maps for Working with Plant Medicine”). Many people in hyper individualized societies also lack community. All of these elements empower us to wisely prepare for, skillfully navigate and ultimately integrate the profound wisdom that these sacred plants have to offer us.
We can acknowledge and honor and acknowledge the role of indigenous traditions associated with particular medicines, such as Ayahuasca, in bringing this medicine forth to other cultures, while also respecting the needs of individuals to make sense of this experience in a way that aligns with their own values, cultural beliefs and symbols. Individual’s need to approach, revere and integrate the wisdom of these plants in a way that proves most efficacious, as well as inspiring and heart opening, for each of us.
As someone who has been drawn to contemplative paths originating in India and Nondual Tantric traditions in particular, I’m merely offering another perspective with which to approach working with plant medicines such as Ayahuasca and Ayahuasca analogues such as Soma (a combination of Peganum Harmala with a DMT source such as Chacruna).
From my perspective, nondual Tantric traditions from Hinduism and Buddhism offer us an incredibly clear and effective set of teachings and practices that align naturally with the teachings of Ayahuasca and Soma.
From a Nondual Tantric perspective, the purpose of Ayahuasca and Soma is that they allow us to unveil our true nature, to deepen into this recognition of our inherent divinity, that is always and already present.
The essence of Soma is Sahaja.
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