Martin W. Ball is one of the feature presenters at the 2015 Spirit Plant Medicine Conference, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Oct. 24 and 25. You can view his bio at the “Guides and Visionaries 2015” page on the conference website.
In his talk, Martin will present his revolutionary approach to using entheogens in the form of “nondual therapy” that seeks to free individuals from the energetic distortions and blocks that arise naturally as a result of the formation of the human ego, or sense of separate identity. Martin came to this approach as a result of his own radical process of self-discovery, energetic transformation, and release from the constructs of the ego, leading him to develop a perspective that he refers to as “radical nonduality,” which, while sharing many similarities to traditional nondual teachings (such as in Buddhism and certain strains of Hinduism), is ultimately more radical and uncompromising (for example; rejecting the belief in individual reincarnation as a projection of the ego/individual sense of self).
Here, the ego is seen as a natural outgrowth of human self-awareness that functions dualistically to create mental, emotional, and physical distinctions between that which is seen to be “self” and “other,” which is ultimately viewed as an artificial construct with no genuine, inherent identity or substance. The ego itself is seen as a collection of limiting energetic patterns that are embodied by individuals, maintaining their identity as a particular character through the process of editing and censoring their natural, freely expressive energy. However, these patterns of self-identity create blocks and distortions in individuals, leading people to hold onto illusory beliefs, projections, and attachments, leading to dissatisfaction, unhappiness, and self-deceit.
As a form of nondual therapy, entheogens can be used to disrupt these patterns, release blocks and withholdings within an individual’s system, and through mindful application of symmetrical body postures and movements, can effectively help individuals uncover their genuine nondual nature in which there is no longer the false divide between “self” and “other,” “subject” and “object.”
What is particularly radical and revolutionary about this approach is that the “problem” of the ego and its false sense of identity is not characterized as a “spiritual” or “religious” problem, but as an energetic issue. This brings the issues of mysticism and nondual realization, enlightenment, and ultimately, liberation, into the realm of energetics, as opposed to a spiritual or religious orientation, that is neutral, objective, and free from the attachments and projections that are largely inherent to spiritual and religious approaches to the use of entheogens (and thereby related to the ego and the dualistic mind/consciousness).
For his talk, Martin will share some basic universal techniques for how to approach entheogenic experiences with the potential of maximizing the nondual experience, what it means for the true nature of human identity and the content of entheogenic experiences, why such an approach is radical and controversial, and how aspects of his approach developed out of his own personal experiences and methods of working with individuals to experience full energetic openings and transformations. The potential is that Martin’s approach and perspective could radically alter how individuals see the questions of spirituality, awakening, transformation, and fundamental interpretations of what’s really going on in entheogenic experiences.
*Fractal Art By Martin W. Ball
