Soma Clear Light Practice Manual
by Ronin Tsoma
Part 1: The Mirror of Awareness
Awareness
Awareness is the space within which all phenomena interdependently appear and disappear. Perfectly complete and uncreated, it is not fabricated or maintained. Infinitely free and unconditioned, it is not limited by belief systems or any other form of conceptualisation. Not found through searching, it is the ever-present, all-pervasive, and unchanging true nature of all.
Soma and the Non-dual View of Awareness
Soma facilitates a process that liberates the mind-body from tensions, revealing the non-dual nature of awareness.
Intellectual understanding of the non-dual view supports this process of revelation by providing a framework that aligns the mind-body into direct recognition of this truth.
"View is the comprehension of the naked awareness, within which everything is contained: sensory perception and phenomenal existence, samsara and nirvana.” - Dudjom Rinpoche
While an intellectual understanding of the non-dual view serves as a valuable map of guidance and orientation, it alone does not bring realisation. Direct recognition of the fundamentally non- dual nature of awareness is non-conceptual—transcending all analysis, description, and reference. The unique gift of Soma lies in its capacity to facilitate this direct recognition, beyond the limits of conceptualisation.
Openness (Essence)
Like an infinite mirror, awareness is boundless openness—a limitless, transparent space from which all phenomena arise. Completely at ease, this vast, receptive expanse embraces all appearances without attachment or resistance.
Clarity (Nature)
Like the reflectivity of a mirror, the clarity of awareness effortlessly illuminates openness with brilliant, non-conceptual knowing. This all-pervasive clarity directly knows all phenomena and recognises its own essence as transparent awareness—the infinite openness in which all manifestations spontaneously arise and dissolve.
“Clarity is the phase in which perception is vivid and present, but the mind has not yet entered into action.” - Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche
“When the conceptual mind is dropped, there is still a non-conceptual cognisance (clarity), which is without reliance or dependence upon conceptual signs and symbols and is aware of its own nature as emptiness (openness), or inner space.” - Tsoknyi Rinpoche
“Having established that all perceived phenomena arise within consciousness, recognise that emptiness (openness) itself appears as radiant displays of light...beyond all thought and expression, inconceivable and ineffable, naked primordial awareness is clear and bright... uncontrived, spontaneously manifesting, and radiant” - Yuthok Nyingthik
Indivisibility
Like a mirror’s seamless unity of openness and reflectivity, the openness and clarity of awareness are indivisible. Though the mind may conceptualise them as distinct aspects, they form a single radiant expanse, like the sun and its light. Just as space cannot exist without being perceived, perception cannot arise without the space in which to perceive.
“Emptiness (openness) and clarity are like the two wings of a bird, inseparable and essential for flight. The unchanging nature of mind soars effortlessly in the expanse of awareness." - Jigme Lingpa
Non-Duality
The conceptual mind interprets reflections as separate objects, yet they remain inseparable from the mirror in which they arise—forming a seamless whole. Similarly, all phenomena—mental, sensory, or otherwise—arise within awareness, and while the conceptual mind interprets them as distinct and divided, non-conceptual clarity reveals no real separation between these appearances and the awareness from which they emerge. Together, they form an indivisible continuum.
True Nature
As reflections do not alter the intrinsic nature of a mirror—appearing and disappearing without leaving a trace, phenomena cannot affect the inherent openness and clarity of awareness. Like a pristine mirror, the boundless space of awareness non-conceptually knows all manifestations without being influenced or changed.
Absolute truth is that which is ever-present, all-pervasive, and unchanging. Awareness is our true nature and ultimate refuge, as it is the only constant presence of absolute truth—remaining in perfect unconditioned evenness and equality amidst the endless flux of transient phenomena.
"No matter what circumstances or what worlds we find ourselves in, we are without any expectations or changes. We are just what we are, the Natural State which is like a mirror. It is clear and empty (open), and yet it reflects everything, all possible existences and all possible lifetimes. But it never changes and it does not depend on anything else.” - Bon Lopon Tenzin Namdak
“If thoughts (as well as, emotions, sensations and perceptions) arise, or if no thoughts arise, that which remains equally present in either condition, is the pure presence of Rigpa (awareness).” - Garab Dorje
Illusions
The illusion of duality arises when awareness is obscured by the veils of conceptual frameworks and belief systems. Through these constructs, the world is divided into distinct entities and opposing forces—self and other, subject and object. This mentally projected conceptual overlay distorts the seamless unity of awareness, creating the appearance of separation and multiplicity, where none truly exist. Ultimately, duality is rooted in the belief that phenomena exist independently of awareness and possess inherent, separate natures. When the mind is free from these conceptual overlays, it reveals the ever-present true nature of awareness, where all distinctions dissolve into the seamless unity of pure presence.
“Dualism is the real root of our suffering and of all our conflicts. All our concepts and beliefs, no matter how profound they may seem, are like nets which trap us in dualism. When we discover our limits we have to try to overcome them, untying ourselves from whatever type of religious, political or social conviction may condition us. We have to abandon such concepts as 'enlightenment', 'the nature of the mind', and so on, until we are no longer satisfied by a merely intellectual knowledge, and until we no longer neglect to integrate our knowledge with our actual existence.” - Namkai Norbu Rinpoche
Tensions
The mind-body is a temporary, dynamic expression within awareness, conditioned by the arising and passing of mental and sensory phenomena. Tension emerges through the mind-body's conceptual fabrication of separation and through attachment or resistance to phenomena appearing within the created illusion of duality.
When gazing into a mirror, the mind-body focuses on the reflected images, overlooking the inherent open reflectivity in which they arise as an undivided whole. Similarly, it fixates on the ever-changing manifestations of life, overlooking the unchanging luminous space of awareness in which all experience unfolds as a unified, seamless flow. This habitual fixation entangles the mind-body in tensions of clinging and aversion, preventing it from resting at ease. These tensions obscure the true nature of awareness and create the illusion of duality, ultimately giving rise to suffering, as if mistaking a dream for reality and becoming ensnared in its narrative.
"Truly, speaking, from the absolute point of view, there really does not exist any separation between the relative condition and its true nature, in the same way that a mirror and the reflections in it are in fact one indivisible whole. However, our situation is such that it is as if we have come out of the mirror and are now looking at the reflections that are appearing in it. Unaware of our own nature of clarity, purity, and limpidity (openness), we consider the reflections to be real, developing aversion and attachment. Thus instead of these reflections being the means for us to discover our own true nature, they become a factor that conditions us. And we live distracted by the relative condition, attaching great importance to everything.” - Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche
Spontaneous Liberation
Mind-body tensions are like dust on a mirror: they may temporarily veil its radiance, but never alter its inherent openness or reflectivity.
Through Soma practice, the mind-body enters a process of relaxation and illumination, allowing tensions—beliefs, concepts, fixations, identities, traumas, and other forms of attachment or resistance—to dissolve naturally, like dust carried away by wind or rain.
In this way, Soma practice becomes a gateway to spontaneous liberation. The mind-body recognises that tensions create suffering and that the antidote is relaxation. The cure for grasping and aversion is simply to rest openly.
When the mind-body relaxes in openness, phenomena—thoughts, emotions, and sensory perceptions—arise and dissolve naturally, without entanglement. They are recognised as impermanent, self-liberating expressions of awareness, like temporary reflections appearing and vanishing in a mirror, leaving no trace behind.
Imagine a crystal clear lake. The water represents awareness—transparent and all-encompassing. The tensions of the mind-body are like mud stirred into this water. While the mud may obscure the water, its pristine essence remains unchanged. Any attempt to forcibly remove the mud only stirs it further, clouding the water even more.
However, when the mind-body simply relaxes, allowing the water to rest in stillness without interference, the mud naturally begins to settle. Nothing needs to be done for this to occur. Obscurations effortlessly liberate, revealing the water’s intrinsic openness and clarity.
Compassion (Energy)
The clarity of awareness naturally radiates brilliant, dynamic expressions of compassionate energy—the spontaneous luminosity of non-conceptual wisdom, unconditional love, bliss, creativity, and skilful means arising effortlessly in indivisible unity with the boundless openness of awareness. As the tensions of the mind-body dissolve, this unconditioned energy becomes increasingly apparent, shining forth like sunlight pervading a vast, clear sky.
“Abiding in spacious consciousness, beyond desire and directed intent, ones condition widens to infinity.” - Garab Dorje
“When you reach the place beyond thoughts, the only thing you find is love and the only purpose of life becomes to ease the suffering of others. Abandon all effort—find the silence beyond thoughts, then simply remain. The rest happens naturally and the body will dissolve into light. That’s the way it is.” - Ani La
Lucid Living: The Dream-like Nature of Reality
When dreaming, an entire virtual world of endless potential manifests within awareness. Dreams can be so precise and convincing that they are mistaken to be real, until the mind-body suddenly awakens, the entire world instantly vanishes, and it is recognised that it was all a dream.
In a lucid dream, sensual interaction with dream objects feels hyper-real—more realistic and in higher definition than waking life, yet it remains a virtual simulation occurring within awareness.
"Once upon a time, I, Zhuangzi, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was Zhuangzi. Soon I awakened, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man.” - Chuang Tzu
Lucidity is realised when the mind-body awakens within the dream and notices the dreaming. It is the direct realisation of all phenomena as temporary illusions spontaneously arising within the field of awareness and thus ultimately empty of inherent existence.
“When you realise that all that appears and exists to be your mind, there is no path of enlightenment apart from that.” - Padmasambhava
In waking life, phenomena may initially appear to exist inherently, trapping the mind-body in a dramatic dream of dualistic illusion. Yet when the mind-body realises lucidity, all phenomena are recognised as self-liberating—naturally arising and dissolving as the interdependent play of awareness. This lucidity relaxes the mind-body into openness, freeing it from the tensions of dualistic entanglement.
“Within a lucid dream, I encountered a wise old man and asked him what the ultimate truth of life was? He responded, ‘Life is a dream. To become lucid in life is exactly the same as becoming lucid in a nights dream.’ ” - Old Dream Man
Omnipresnce
Contrary to the belief that the mind-body exists in an external world and that awareness arises within the mind, the non-conceptual view reveals that both the mind-body and the entire phenomenal world—people, places, thoughts, emotions, sensations, and perceptions—arise from and within awareness, like a vivid dream. Entirely dependent upon this space for their manifestation, these appearances are ultimately empty of inherent individuality or existence. Anything believed to exist outside of awareness is merely an assumption.
Though mind-bodies appear distinct, all are inseparably connected expressions of the same omnipresent awareness, like reflections in one vast mirror. Each develops unique conditioning and afflictions through interdependent relations, yet their shared true nature—awareness—is already enlightened. Separation and suffering arise only within the conditioned mind.
“Dharmakaya (the ultimate nature of awareness) is like space. You cannot say there is any limit to space in any direction. No matter how far you go, you never reach a point where space stops and that is the end of space. Space is infinite in all directions; so is Dharmakaya. Dharmakaya is all-pervasive and totally infinite, beyond any confines or limitations. This is so for the Dharmakaya of all buddhas. There is no individual Dharmakaya for each buddha, as there is no individual space for each country.” - Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
Part 2: Soma Clear Light Practice
Peganum Harmala: Relaxed Openness
The alkaloids—harmaline, harmine, and tetrahydroharmine—in Peganum harmala cultivate deep relaxation in the mind-body. This profound ease releases physical, cognitive, and emotional tensions, allowing the mind-body to rest in natural openness—creating a fertile ground for unconditioned luminous expression.
“When awareness is not focused on something, then it is naturally wide open, undirected…The five senses wide open, awareness undirected. Be like that. Rest in the equanimity of that.” - Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
DMT: Expressions of Luminosity
DMT activates dynamic expressions of luminosity—the spontaneous play of awareness. These radiant manifestations arise within the mind-body as vivid visions, soundscapes, emotions, sensations, realisations, and other creative phenomena.
Soma: Openness and Luminous Clarity
The synergistic union of Peganum harmala and DMT illuminates the inherent intelligence of awareness. Like a mirror of light, this radiant wisdom skilfully reflects and animates inner tensions, while the effortless relaxation deepened by harmala allows these obscurations to dissolve naturally—a process that unveils the boundless openness and clarity of non-dual awareness.
We are never separate from the intelligence illuminated by Soma—it is the spontaneous brilliance of our true nature.
Spontaneous Liberation: Rest as Awareness
Rest as the transparent space of awareness in which the luminous display of Soma arises. Be at ease—free from distraction, conceptual elaborations, fixations, or any form of attachment or resistance. Settle directly into whatever arises, remaining wide open and without reference points. Effortlessly allow all to unfold naturally—without attempting to correct or modify. Through profound relaxation and letting be, tensions spontaneously dissolve, revealing the unconditioned luminosity of non-dual awareness.
“When you recognise the true nature of mind, all habitual patterns are naturally liberated in the space of wisdom. That includes the ultimate habit known as samsara.” - Tsoknyi Rinpoche
“Rest as transparent awareness—the openness through which all is unified.” - Ronin Tsoma
Spontaneous Liberation: Leaving As It Is
Liberation is unfabricated and automatic. It naturally arises through the complete relinquishment of belief, concept, correction, control, manipulation, or any form of applied tension. This is known as ‘leaving as it is’. Through effortless letting be, the tensions and relative illusions of conceptual duality spontaneously dissolve into the absolute union of awareness.
Soma is an expansion into the boundless unity of being. In this process, the mind-body transforms from a constricted, low-conductivity resistor that habitually fabricates dualistic delusion into a wide-open superconductor of true nature—resistance is persistence, while acceptance initiates change.
Perfect Equanimity
Regardless of the extremes that may arise during Soma practice, the perfect evenness and equanimity of open clarity remain unchanged. In contrast to the endless dynamism of relative phenomena, this changeless, ever-present awareness reveals itself as our true nature—the ultimate refuge. Through this realisation, all phenomena are recognised as self-liberating, dream- like displays of awareness—incapable of staining or affecting the awareness in which they interdependently arise.
Grounding in Openness
Stability arises through relaxation. As Dru Gyelwa Yungdrung states in the practice manual Chaktri, “If the rigidity (tension) has not been cut, then the crest (dualistic illusion) will not be passed over.” Emphasising the Peganum harmala component in the formulation of Soma medicine and maintaining a sufficient beta-carboline dosage during practice sessions supports deep relaxation within the mind-body, grounding the practitioner in non-conceptual openness. Regular meditation with harmala—without any DMT admixture—and cultivating an ongoing relationship with this plant and its alkaloids, provide an effective method for developing a stable presence in the open essence of awareness.
“You won’t find awareness by searching for it. Awareness has always been empty (open) right from the very beginning. So simply settle into its empty (open) condition. There is no need to search. It is the very one that searches. Simply settle without distraction directly into the searcher. Without altering or manipulating the mind in any way, let it rest by itself and settle in the experience of whatever arises” - Patrul Rinpoche
Being completely at ease opens the unimpeded space in which the luminous expression of DMT radiates as unconditioned wisdom. When precisely calibrated, the ratio and dosage of harmala and DMT support a balanced union of openness and luminosity.
"Look at this window: it is nothing but a hole in the wall, but because of it the whole room is full of light. So when the faculties are empty, the heart is full of light." - Chuang Tzu
From Karmic Visions to Clear Light Visions
In the initial phases of Soma practice, the field of awareness reflects the tensions of the mind- body, giving rise to Karmic Visions—expressions filtered through the conceptual lens of subject- object duality and conditioned by the tensions of physical, mental, and emotional attachments and resistances. As spontaneous liberation unfolds and the veils of tension dissolve, these manifestations become less influenced by obscurations. Fully resting as the transparent space of awareness and completely letting be, the sense of self fades, subject-object divisions collapse, and the all-pervasive luminous clarity of awareness is revealed. From this luminosity emerge Clear Light Visions—brilliant, unconditioned displays of non-conceptual wisdom, compassion, and creativity, spontaneously radiating in indivisible unity with the boundless openness of awareness.
“Don’t divide appearances as being there and awareness as being here. Let appearance and awareness be indivisible” - Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
Mother Clear Light
In its ultimate expression, Soma has the capacity to simulate the total dissolution of the mind- body. Regardless of how many times this process has been undergone, it can be completely convincing that death is occurring. This ‘gates of death’ practice provides a rare opportunity to transcend the conditions of the relative mind-body and merge into the Mother Clear Light of absolute awareness.
“The key to smoothly negotiating the difficulties of death is familiarity. If you deal with some of the details now you can relax at the time of death, and relaxation is the best instruction for how to die. Relaxation is born from familiarity.” - Andrew Holecek
The Mother Clear Light, is boundless openness suffused with perfect clarity—completely free from appearances, conceptuality, duality, conditions, time, dimensions, or any other form of limitation. Like an infinite vacuum, it feels like a transparent void of emptiness, stripping the mind bare and vividly exposing all remaining tensions in the light of clarity. In this moment, the mind’s root attachment to a personal awareness must be relaxed and surrendered for all aspects of the relative conceptual mind to be liberated and reveal absolute true nature.
Recognition of the Mother Clear Light is usually missed due to the intensity and raw shock of obscurations that flare up during the simulated process of dying. If the mind-body resists liberation, it will remain tethered to awareness until the potency of the Soma wanes.
However, if the mind-body can fully relax into openness—being completely at ease with non- existence, beyond any trace of self-grasping or resistance to the unknown—then the ultimate veils of mental conditioning are liberated. The vessel of the relative mind-body is shed, and the seamless non-duality of the Mother Clear Light is revealed.
From this totality radiates the brilliant supernova display of superconductive luminosity—the unconditioned, spontaneously present, and spontaneously perfect enlightened expression of awareness.
The illusions of a body-self, mind-self, and personal awareness have completely dissolved, revealing the ever-present, unborn, undying, and omnipresent absolute nature of awareness—the indivisible unity of openness and luminous clarity that encompasses all of Samsara and Nirvana.
“Consider the fact that no matter how many planets and stars are reflected in a lake, these reflections are encompassed within the water itself; that no matter how many universes there are, they are encompassed within a single space; and that no matter how vast and how numerous the sensory appearances of Samsara and Nirvana may be, they are encompassed within the single nature of mind.” - Dudjom Lingpa
It is important to note that the simulation of the gates of death, or any other aspect of Soma, is an experience arising within awareness and interdependent with the distinct conditions of each- mind-body. As a result, experiences unfold uniquely for different practitioners. The intelligence illuminated through Soma uniquely curates all expressions to the specific needs of each mind- body, depending on the obscurations that require liberation.
Somayana: Wisdom Technology
The integration of Soma with the non-dual view creates a practice that dissolves the tensions of the mind-body and reveals the openness and clarity of awareness. When applied proficiently, these tools serve as a powerful vehicle for the realisation of true nature, offering an excellent opportunity to assist in the liberation of sentient beings.
“Take your stand on the ultimate practice of the heart essence — samsara and nirvana are the display of awareness. Without distraction, without meditation, in a state of natural relaxation, constantly remain in the pure, all-penetrating nakedness of ultimate reality.” - Dudjom Rinpoche