The Trap of the Expanded State

One of the most common traps of the spiritual seeker is the quest for expanded states — those moments when we feel the “Wow!” of life on some level, whether that’s bliss, cosmic consciousness, an epiphany, or getting jazzed on life. There is nothing wrong with these states, but they often exact a hidden cost, and can be a distraction from something deeper — true Freedom. How do we recognize those states, and how can we navigate them better?