The Endless Cycle of Transformation
The Alchemical Journey of Transformation: Bardo States, Schizoanalysis, and Psychedelic Awakening
Introduction: Many seekers of truth experience deep psychological and spiritual transformation, often feeling as though they have moved through a complete process of healing—only to find themselves facing the same existential loops again. This experience mirrors ancient mystical traditions, alchemical processes, and modern philosophical insights, revealing that transformation is not a linear path but a cyclical journey.
The alchemical stages—Nigredo, Albedo, and Rubedo—describe the death, purification, and rebirth of the self, much like the Bardo states in Tibetan Buddhism, where one navigates the liminal spaces of existence. Similarly, Gilles Deleuze’s schizoanalysis, Carl Jung’s individuation process, and psychedelic experiences, such as those induced by Ayahuasca, dismantle fixed identities and offer a path toward liberation. Yet, many of us feel trapped in these cycles, questioning why the process repeats. This article explores the intersections of these frameworks to shed light on the nature of transformation and integration.
1. The Alchemical Process & the Psychedelic Death-Rebirth Cycle
Alchemy, the ancient practice of spiritual and material transformation, describes the three primary stages of inner change:
Nigredo (Blackening): The dissolution of the ego, confronting shadows, chaos, and destruction. This mirrors ego death in Ayahuasca journeys, where one faces their deepest fears and illusions.
Albedo (Whitening): Purification, realization, and visionary insights. After the ego dissolves, one sees the karmic patterns and structures shaping their identity.
Rubedo (Reddening): Integration and rebirth. The individual reconstructs a more authentic self, embodying their transformation in daily life.
However, many people feel stuck in Nigredo, continually deconstructing without ever reaching true integration. This can be due to unprocessed trauma, resistance to change, or the overwhelming nature of deep inner work.
2. Tibetan Buddhism & The Bardo States: The Liminal Spaces of Being
In Tibetan Buddhism, the concept of Bardo (བར་དོ) refers to transitional states—not just the afterlife, but any period of profound transformation. The Six Bardos include:
Kyenay Bardo (Life) – Ordinary waking reality.
Milam Bardo (Dreaming) – Dream states, revealing subconscious truths.
Samten Bardo (Meditation) – Deep meditative experiences.
Chikhai Bardo (Dying) – The dissolution of identity at death.
Chönyid Bardo (Karmic Visions) – Confronting one’s subconscious projections and karmic imprints.
Sidpa Bardo (Rebirth) – The transition into a new life, based on attachments and karma.
Ayahuasca experiences closely resemble the Bardo states, where one undergoes an intense process of ego dissolution, encounters deities or archetypal visions (Chönyid Bardo), and either finds liberation or returns to unconscious patterns (Sidpa Bardo).
Those who feel stuck in cycles of awakening and suffering may be caught in the Sidpa Bardo, unable to fully detach from past conditioning, leading to repetitive existential crises.
3. Jungian Individuation & the Shadow Work Process
Carl Jung’s concept of individuation closely parallels the alchemical process, emphasizing the integration of the unconscious mind into conscious awareness. Key aspects include:
Shadow Work (Nigredo): Facing and integrating the darker aspects of the psyche.
Anima/Animus (Albedo): Balancing the inner masculine and feminine energies.
Self-Realization (Rubedo): Achieving wholeness through the synthesis of the conscious and unconscious self.
Jung’s work highlights the necessity of engaging with the shadow, much like shamanic initiations where one must confront and integrate personal and ancestral wounds before accessing higher states of wisdom.
4. The Shamanic Path: Initiation, Death, and Rebirth
Shamanic traditions across cultures emphasize death and rebirth as fundamental to spiritual transformation. This process mirrors the Bardo states, alchemical stages, and Jungian individuation. Shamanic initiation often involves:
Ego Dissolution (Nigredo/Bardo Chikhai) – Rituals that induce symbolic death, stripping away identity and societal conditioning.
Visionary Encounters (Albedo/Bardo Chönyid) – Communion with spirit guides, ancestors, and archetypal forces.
Integration & Return (Rubedo/Bardo Sidpa) – Bringing wisdom back to the community, embodying a new self.
Shamans, much like psychonauts in psychedelic experiences, navigate these realms intentionally, seeking to heal themselves and others through their profound encounters with the unseen.
5. Deleuze’s Schizoanalysis: Deconstructing Fixed Identity
Schizoanalysis, developed by Gilles Deleuze & Félix Guattari, aligns with these ancient teachings by challenging the fixed identity imposed by society. The core ideas include:
Deterritorialization (Nigredo): Breaking down rigid societal and personal structures.
The Body Without Organs (Albedo): A state of pure potential, free from imposed definitions.
Lines of Flight (Rubedo): Creative pathways for escaping limiting structures and integrating transformation into life.
Much like the Bardo process, alchemical journey, and Jungian individuation, schizoanalysis emphasizes that identity is fluid, and suffering often comes from clinging to rigid structures.
6. Integration: How to Break the Cycle of Endless Transformation
If one repeatedly undergoes ego dissolution without lasting change, it may be because the Rubedo (integration) stage is incomplete. Practical ways to fully integrate these experiences include:
Embodiment Practices – Instead of seeking further dissolution, focus on anchoring wisdom through action, routine, and discipline.
Meditation & Dream Yoga – Tibetan Dream Yoga and mindfulness help in recognizing illusory identities in both waking and dream states.
Creative Expression – Deleuze’s Lines of Flight suggest using creativity, art, and writing as ways to reassemble and move beyond dissolution.
Therapeutic & Somatic Work – Trauma can keep people stuck in Nigredo; body-based practices like breathwork, dance, or somatic therapy can help.
Re-engagement with the World – Many mystics and psychonauts retreat into isolation after deep experiences, but true transformation must be lived and shared.
Conclusion: Transformation is a Spiral, Not a Line
Life is not testing you—life is transforming you. The alchemical journey, Bardo process, Jungian individuation, shamanic path, and schizoanalysis all describe cycles of ego dissolution, purification, and rebirth. However, the key to evolution is not just experiencing these cycles but fully integrating them so that transformation becomes embodied wisdom rather than an endless loop of collapse and reconstruction.
For those who walk the path of deep self-inquiry, the challenge is not simply to dissolve the ego, but to rebuild the self as an ever-adaptive, ever-integrating force of creative transformation. The goal is not to escape the cycle, but to master it.