5 Steps to Build a Spiritual Portal
Yup. I'm going there. Already. Biohacking the highway to God. Why? Because it happened to me without any psychedelics. And it was frickin' cool! Best part? You can do it too, with my 5 steps.
Wowee. I never thought this topic would be my very first biohacking Substack post. But if it bleeds, it leads (metaphorically speaking). Don’t worry, no blood was bled in this scenario, just the golden-goo of the cosmos making its way into my heart and filling me with awe. Swoon.
Before I tell you about this spectacular spiritual portal that opened up for me (last week, during yoga, and how you can do it too), I want to know if you’re with me when it comes to seeking a connection to Spirit (aka God, Creator, Source, all the names).
First, I assume we’re around the same phase in life and you’re reading this because the “menopausal bio-hacker” bit grabbed ya. Or we’re friends (thank you friends, what would I do without you), or your my mother (who reads everything I write and does all my cleanses).🩵
Second, you’re having a mid-life itch…
Where curiosity abounds. It can no longer wait. Having lived 4 - 5 decades on planet cuckoo means you know all-too-well that it’s not about your fancy little ego, or your pretty face, or who has the coolest job, or the biggest house. Nope! There’s much more to life and you’re doing the deep dive to figure out just what that is. I gotta say—
I get a dopamine rush just thinking about it.
My library of spiritual books has quadrupled in the last year. My meditation game is on par. I think about creating a deeper connection to God every single day. It’s nuts!
So, you with me?
Are you wanting all the feels including that deep connection to all that is? If so, here’s what I know—
When I tell people what I do as a Holistic Nutritionist, the emphasis is on holistic. That means supporting and teaching people all about healing body, mind and SPIRIT— the holy trinity. You literally cannot get well without all three.
Most people get the physical and mental bit, but they skip the spirit bit. Errrrch! Don’t do that.
You simply cannot heal at a root level—or experience true optimum health, especially in mid-life—without a working relationship with the unseen. That means getting to know God/Spirit and understanding how that relates to your vibration, electricity, magnetism and emotions (e-motion is literally ENERGY in motion)—your field!
Knowing how to connect is key.
So, let’s go there. How I cracked that spiritual portal wide open—
I was in Bikram yoga class. I go about twice a week, sometimes three. It’s super hot and muggy (because I live in Kauai) and often crowded. I was finishing up a month long cleanse, and alternating between water/liquid days, and light food days. Over all, I was feeling less heavy and a little more dreamy. I take 1500 mg of flushing niacin at the beginning of every yoga class (another post, coming soon) and that probably has something to do with it.
It was the end of the 90 minute class and I was sweating balls, my face and cheeks a rosy red. The instructor got us into savasana and left the room. Per usual, 90% of the yogis left after less than a minute of corpse pose (as a yoga instructor, I do not recommend skipping savasana, ever).
So, I’m lying there, feeling like a rock star…
The class was weirdly easy for me that day. I was in flow and feeling blessed, so blessed, and grateful (note: this is not my usual waking state). I’m very aware that “gratitude is the ultimate state of receivership” (thank you Joe Dispenza, and many other gurus) so I was leaning into that feeling of good fortune.
Over and over, I repeated to myself how lucky I was to have an able body, to have an amazing yoga studio 20 minutes from my house, to be in community with good humans (I’ve only been doing Bikram 2 years and love it because it’s so damn good for me), also to have a sweet little nuclear family, two hilarious dogs and so on. When suddenly…
I was overwhelmed with a feeling of surrender.
My heart cracked open and I felt a vortex form above my chest then shoot straight through the ceiling into the sky. The feeling was so powerful that I had to open my eyes to see for myself, fully expecting a golden light to be cascading from the heavens, boring a hole through the roof of the little yellow yoga house, with angels and trumpets and more.
Alas, nada, empty room, nothing to see. I thought, Ok God, clearly this experience is all about the feel. Fine. I’ll take it. And I closed my eyes.
Visuals, no visuals, I didn’t care, I only wanted to cry.
Given there was no one left in the room, I told myself to let it all out. But, as quickly as I thought it, the cry turned to a laugh, elation, and I bounced between the two for the next five minutes! I did not want it to end. I can hardly describe the intense feeling of connection, except to say…
It was profound. Magical. I felt invincible.
As though, all my dreams could drop from the sky with ease. There was no doubt in my mind, I could manifest whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, if I could just hold this space of love and gratitude.
I saw how thin the veil was and I knew I had managed to penetrate it. I knew I was in communion and I knew it was real.
God energy swirled through me.
Something inside me said, “This is here for you always, it’s never not here, you only have to get still enough and deep enough to experience it.”
Eventually and reluctantly, I got up to leave (Gretchen needed to mop the floor), and floated out on a cloud. Funny thing is, I didn’t want to tell ANYONE! It felt sacred, between me and God. It was my special portal. And though I figure everyone has one, not everyone gets to experience it (because we’re just so damn distracted). I knew talking about it would only make it disappear faster.
As I walked to my car, I felt it fading and the invincibility with it, but not the memory nor the smile it brought to my face knowing it was possible! The best part, I’ve felt its soft rays during every savasana since (though not as grand).
It’s like lighting a candle in a pitch black cave. The first one cuts the dark with wondrous illumination, the second adds more light, but since you’ve already conquered the dark, it’s less of a wow. And that, my friends, is the only downside (if you want to call it that). Without further ado…
The 5 things (I deem necessary) to create a portal to Spirit:
Fast. Cleanse. Detox. It’s very hard to vibe high enough to “feel” God with a multitude of toxins floating through your body, weighing you down. When I opened my portal, I was at the end of a month long group cleanse (that I guided). It involved cycling through fasting days (water days, liquid days and raw food). Almost all ancient religions had/have fasting rituals where they eat nothing, pray all day and meditate to get closer to God.
Do yoga. Yoga is a practice designed to connect you to prana, your spirit and God. It is a discipline. It’s not ‘who has the cutest matching LuLu get-up’, or the hottest bod, or the best back-bend. In my case, I was doing Bikram Yoga (Hot 26/2), a very challenging class on a regular basis. Cue —
Be physically challenged. This is a key part of making a connection because when the body is stressed (and things are hard), we yearn for mercy, kindness, love and compassion (i.e./ God). At the end of yoga, I am in a state of receivership because I’ve given it all I’ve got, left it all on my mat and am yearning to be filled afresh.
NOTE: The way you are in yoga is how you show up to life (sub yoga for whatever your thing—a hike in the woods, a long run, a tough day at the office...). The physical part is critical, because being fatigued pacifies the monkey mind. It’s natural for humans to be physical (there’s a whole conversation here about circadian rhythm). Basically, you’ve drained the body of cortisol/stress and your SNS (Sympathetic Nervous System) is no longer active. You’re ready to rest and receive. Which brings—
Stillness. Practice stillness so you can actually hear, listen and receive Spirit. Yoga requires savasana/corpse pose at the end of every session. It’s a lying down meditation. Why? Because Hindus knew that God arrives in stillness, with the monkey mind on pause. You will not find God/Spirit in a coffee shop with music blaring or at a dinner party guzzling champers. No matter your physical activity, be sure to sit in meditation after. Then prepare to receive…
Pray and you talk to God. Meditate and God talks to you.
Set your intention to Spirit. You gotta’ want it. For goodness sake, ASK for God. Ask for a portal. Ask for miracles. Then expect it. Only ask for what you believe is possible. Then look for signs. Coincidences will happen. You might find when you look at a clock it’s often 1:11 or 11:11 or 4:44. Or you’ll think about someone and they’ll call you. Cool stuff like that, like a portal where you connect to the Infinite (that’s all, no biggy).
That’s it! Sort of simple, isn’t it? Sort of. I mean, it only took me 50 years. Sure, I’ve made contact before. Once while driving home from Colorado to Calgary. I was 22 yo and the sun was blaring in my eyes as I raced through Wyoming on my way back from a summer interning at NBC Denver (and my Aunt and Uncle’s house). I’ll never forget that feeling of invincible. That feeling blasted me through my 20s. I thought I could do anything. And I kind of did!
I wish this for you. And I wish this often. I’ll keep you posted on my spiritual portal here on Substack. Please keep me posted on yours. Comment below, like it, share it, and let me know your experience!
Love and mermaid smooches,
Shannon 🧜♀️