From the Greek words holos and trepein, “holotropic” literally means “moving toward wholeness.” In most cultures throughout history, people have used an array of methods to experience holotropic states of consciousness. Christian prayer, Buddhist meditation, the Native American sun-dance, African trance-dancing, Hindu yoga, Islamic Sufism, Shamanic drumming, Mesoamerican ritualistic plant usage—all these methods, used in sacred “set and setting,” were designed to honor the Creator and the surrounding world in which people lived. These ways of connecting with the Creator were considered essential to life and necessary for healing, right-minded decision-making, and creating community.

In her talk, Julie Lapham, PhD, will draw from anthropology, depth psychology, near-death experiences, new sciences, religious mystical traditions, and indigenous cultures to create a “map of consciousness” that presents ancient wisdoms in a modern format. Expanding upon Stanislav Grof's theories, she'll connect near-death, out-of-body, and dissociative experiences with the healing capacities available from ancient and modern rites of passage to present a cartography for holistic evolution and devolution. She will focus on the stages of birth and their relationship to human development, such as the relationship of forceps delivery to migraine headaches, or links between upper respiratory disease and umbilical cord wrap. She'll also discuss how “condensed experiences” of the four categories—mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical—combine in personal and unique ways.

Dr. Lapham is a Grof-trained and certified Holotropic Breathworker. She was born, raised, and educated near London, England until, at age 20, she moved to the United States to begin her career in polymer synthesis. A near-death experience following an industrial accident changed her life and her work. Her training has taken her from one master teacher to another, culminating with Stanislav Grof, MD, who is generally credited as being the father of transpersonal thinking and consciousness research. Her work has taken her to a variety of nooks and crannies, culminating in a doctoral program in consciousness studies.

Stanislav Grof, MD, founded the International Transpersonal Association and, with his wife, Christina, developed holotropic breathwork. Grof’s work supports the premise that the four categories relate to our birth process. He mapped a unique spectrum of consciousness, proposing that the process of birth is retained internally, imprinted in some way, as cellular memory. This finding provides a deeper link into understanding trapped energetic patterning that is unavailable to us through rational thought processes.

Learn more about Julie and her work at the Themis Institute website, www.ThemisOnline.org, or see below for additional details from the Themis Institute brochure.