Transformative Journeys: Ego Death and Rebirth

Ep. 9 (Part 1 of 3) | Cosmological explorer Chris Bache tells what he discovered on his extraordinary journey, doing 73 high-dose LSD sessions over a period of twenty years. Motivated by a passion to find out more about the universe, Chris became intimate with the ocean of suffering in our collective psyche, the death/rebirth cycle, the preciousness of individuality, integrating consciousness at very high levels of energy, and the future of humanity. Chris explains a universal intelligence met him every step of the way. A modern-day Odysseus, who has explored realms far beyond our normal perceptions of reality, Chris’ presence is profoundly compassionate, grounded in a uniquely deep trust in the love and intelligence of the universe. Recorded on October 25, 2021.

Chris Bache, Ph.D. is professor emeritus in the department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Youngstown State University where he taught for 33 years. He is also adjunct faculty at the California Institute of Integral Studies, Emeritus Fellow at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, and on the Advisory Board of Grof Legacy Training. Chris’ passion has been the study of the philosophical implications of non ordinary states of consciousness, especially psychedelic states. An award-winning teacher and international speaker, Chris has written four books: Lifecycles, a study of reincarnation in light of contemporary consciousness research; Dark Night, Early Dawn, a pioneering work in psychedelic philosophy and collective consciousness; The Living Classroom, an exploration of collective fields of consciousness in teaching; and LSD and the Mind of the Universe, the story of his 20-year journey with LSD.

Topics & Time Stamps - Part 1

• How WEIRD cultures looked at reality through a monophasic lens clear up till the 1960s—only taking waking reality seriously—whereas other cultures have a polyphasic perception that includes induced altered states, from dreams, meditation, plant medicine, etc. (01:39)
• Psychedelics, a most potent way to induce altered states with profound spiritual applications, and introducing Chris Bache, cosmological explorer (04:42)
• What motivated Chris to begin his quest? The passion to understand our universe and not only the personal unconscious but the collective unconscious (11:19)
• 20-year journey following Stan Grof’s protocol, 73 high dose LSD sessions (13:21) 
• The model of individual awakening and accelerating personal development led to a much broader, collective field of healing and transformation (14:16)
• Intimate relationship with the divine said the book (LSD and the MInd of the Universe) needed to come forward now, even though it exposes so much (16:22)
• The value Chris found in the experience of personal and collective suffering: a cycle of suffering, breakthrough, purification, and ecstasy of insight (17:09)
• Consciousness was waiting every step of the way on this journey to bring ecstasy back into time/space consciousness (21:18)
• The ocean of suffering in our collective psyche (23:53)
• From transpersonal to being an instrument for the transformation of collective consciousness (28:37)
• Using psilocybin would be wiser, gentler—less explosive, less shattering (32:42)
• In Chris’ death/rebirth experiences: what actually dies? (34:36)
• Each different substance has a different range in opening us up (37:39)
• The shamanic persona (39:36)
• Every step deeper into the universe is a step into a higher level of energy: stabilizing consciousness at extremely high levels of energy (41:39)
• Death and rebirth is stage specific: at each gate there is a sacrifice asked (42:13)
• The concept of death yields to the concept of purification (42:54)
• What doesn’t die? (43:34)
• The birth of the diamond soul (45:54)

Resources & References - Part 1

• Chris Bache, Dark Night, Early Dawn*
• Chris Bache, The Living Classroom*
• Chris Bache, Lifecycles*
• Chris Bache, LSD and Mind of the Universe (Diamonds from Heaven)*
• Grof Legacy Training
• Erika Bourguignon, a founder of the field Anthropology of Consciousness, and a premier anthropological authority on trance, possession, and altered states of consciousness
• Stanislav Grof, Realms of the Human Unconscious*

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos

Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell