COCT MINISTRY
CHURCH OF COGNITIVE THERAPY
The Church Of Cognitive Therapy (COCT) aligns with global entheogenic spiritual communities that explore the sacred use of psychoactive substances beyond recreational contexts. The church emphasizes safety, ethical guidelines, and holistic mental and spiritual well-being while integrating traditional plant-based sacraments with therapeutic and spiritual objectives.
COCT Ministry is a modern entheogenic secular, religious, and spiritual movement that blends cognitive psychology, shamanic wisdom, and ceremonial plant medicine, offering a structured yet flexible path toward personal enlightenment, spiritual connection, and introduction to a global community of participation.
COCT Ministry is a pastoral trauma healing platform originally organized to heal veterans with PTSD, cancer, and addiction in 2003. Its origin was constructed using cognitive therapy, neuroplasticity, ancient ceremonial indigenous practices, and aligning with the animist belief in a Universal Divine Life Force that animates all things. These practices and beliefs were instrumental in curing a long period of depression and trauma for the organizer. The ministry's lineage is heavily rooted in veteran-to-veteran-led religious and spiritual practices.
The Eternal flame
Universal Divine Life Force
Eternal flames in mythology and religion often symbolize enduring life, spirituality, and the connection between the mortal and divine realms. They represent concepts such as remembrance, purification, and the continuity of cultural and belief systems.
Here's a breakdown of eternal flames in various contexts:
1. Religious and Cultural Significance:
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Ancient Rome:
The sacred fire of Vesta, tended by the Vestal Virgins, represented the life and soul of Rome, and its extinction was a dire omen.
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Prometheus's gift of fire to humanity is a pivotal myth, symbolizing knowledge and progress, and often associated with an eternal flame.
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Celtic tradition:
The flame of Saint Brigid, tended by priestesses, symbolized the cyclical nature of time and the enduring spirit.
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The "atar" (sacred fire) in ancient Iran was a symbol of divine sparks and was tended by priests, representing a continuous connection to the deity.
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Judaism:
The ner tamid (eternal light) in synagogues is a modern continuation of the ancient Tabernacle and Temple traditions, symbolizing God's eternal presence and often serving as a memorial for the Holocaust.
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Cherokee: The Cherokee Nation maintained a fire at the seat of government until ousted by the Indian Removal Act in 1830. At that time, embers from the last great council fire were carried west to the nation's new home in the Oklahoma Territory. The flame, maintained in Oklahoma, was carried back to the last seat of the Cherokee government at Red Clay State Park in south-eastern Tennessee, to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee, North Carolina, and to the Cherokee Nation Tribal Complex in Tahlequah, Oklahoma
2. Symbolism:
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Life and Renewal:
Eternal flames can symbolize the power of life, renewal, and the overcoming of darkness.
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Memory and Remembrance:
Flames are often used to honor the deceased, fallen soldiers, or victims of tragedy.
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Connection to the Divine:
They can represent the presence of a deity, the power of prayer, or the enduring nature of faith.
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Knowledge and Illumination:
The light of the flame can symbolize the dispelling of ignorance and the pursuit of knowledge.
3. Natural Phenomena:
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Eternal flames can occur naturally, fueled by gas or coal deposits, and have inspired myths and legends.
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These natural phenomena, sometimes burning for millennia, demonstrate the enduring power of natural processes.
4. Modern Commemoration:
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Eternal flames are used in many modern memorials to remember significant events, people, or movements.
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They serve as a powerful symbol of remembrance, hope, and resilience.
Cueva de las Manos, Río Pinturas
Cueva de las Manos, Río Pinturas
"The Cueva de las Manos, Río Pinturas, contains an exceptional assemblage of cave art, executed between 13,000 and 9,500 years ago. It takes its name (Cave of the Hands) from the stencilled outlines of human hands in the cave, but there are also many depictions of animals, such as guanacos (Lama guanicoe ), still commonly found in the region, as well as hunting scenes. The people responsible for the paintings may have been the ancestors of the historic hunter-gatherer communities of Patagonia found by European settlers in the 19th century.
Outstanding Universal Value
Brief synthesis
The Cueva de las Manos, Río Pinturas, contains an exceptional assemblage of cave art, with many painted rock shelters, including a cave, with magnificent pictographies surrounded by an outstanding landscape, with the river running through a deep canyon, which were executed between 9,300 and 1,300 years ago.
It takes its name (Cave of the Hands) from the stencilled outlines of human hands in the cave, but there are also many depictions of animals, such as guanacos (Lama guanicoe ), still commonly found in the region, as well as hunting scenes that depict animals and human figures interacting in a dynamic and naturalistic manner. The entrance to the Cueva is screened by a rock wall covered by many hand stencils. Within the rock shelter itself there are five concentrations of rock art, later figures and motifs often superimposed upon those from earlier periods. The paintings were executed with natural mineral pigments - iron oxides (red and purple), kaolin (white), and natrojarosite (yellow), manganese oxide (black) - ground and mixed with some form of binder (https://whc.unesco.org/)."
This was chosen as the background for the website due to its representation of hands traversing together over many millennia. It goes hand in hand with animism and shamanism, which are core Indigenous beliefs.
My Story
True Healing comes from mental, physical, and spiritual development
**R.I.P. my brother Larin — 11/11/89**
I have shared this story with only a few people, and now I share it with anyone who may find meaning in it. My brother Larin was an extraordinarily loving and positive soul whose influence touched hundreds of people. He was an Eagle Scout, a varsity athlete in several sports, and one of the world’s finest fishermen. His life was tragically cut short in a hunting accident when a bullet passed through a deer’s neck, ricocheted off a rock, and struck him in the head, killing him instantly. My father, Larry, was the other hunter that day. He carried that pain for the rest of his life until he passed away from a brain tumor on 12/09/01. With him, we lost another of the world’s great fishermen.
At the time of my brother’s death, I was serving a two‑year mission in Brazil. I didn’t get to say goodbye. But at the exact moment he died, I felt something tear inside me—like part of my heart was ripped out through my chest. I was laying hands on a new member, bestowing the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the entire congregation felt the spiritual shock. I didn’t know then whether it was a sign of something good or something terrible. Two days later, I learned the truth. I flew home immediately to be with my family and attend the funeral. The next time I saw my brother, he was lying lifeless on a metal table. That image stayed with me for years. I fell into deep depression and PTSD, and I know I wasn’t the only one suffering.
At the time, I was also serving in the Army National Guard. I was not activated with the rest of my unit because I was the last surviving son. In my grief, I wanted to go to war. In my mind, dying in combat felt like the fastest way to be reunited with my brother. In 1993, I suffered a life‑threatening illness that nearly cost me my right leg and ended my military service after almost nine years.
I did not seek traditional psychological help. Instead, I turned toward **cognitive development, spiritual development, and shamanic sacraments**—paths that helped me connect with the Divine and search for the healing I desperately needed. Through the spiritual use of **Ayahuasca, Cannabis, Peyote, and Psilocybin Mushrooms**, I began a journey of self‑discovery. Nearly nine years after my brother’s death, a traditional peyote ceremony helped realign me spiritually, accept his passing, and guided me toward overcoming my depression and learning to manage my PTSD instead of letting it manage me.
By 1997, I was still suffering deeply, but cognitive therapy and the spiritual use of cannabis helped me maintain some stability. Still lost, I threw my hands up to the heavens and surrendered myself to the Universe. I began hitchhiking on a journey of self‑discovery that led me to many places—including Taos, New Mexico. There, I was ordained a Reverend in the ULCC by fellow veteran and Ras Tafari Reverend Bustamante.
From there, I traveled to Quartzsite, Arizona, where I met a Vietnam veteran named John who taught me cognitive therapy. I took the enlightenment the Divine had given me and transformed it into a ministry and church—founded in 2003—to help others, especially combat veterans, overcome depression and learn to manage their traumatic experiences. This became **The Church of Cognitive Therapy (COCT Ministry).**
Here, you can find information that may help you on your own spiritual journey of self‑discovery, and perhaps discover non‑traditional therapies that may benefit you. If you are suffering from depression or PTSD and nothing has helped, you may be searching in the wrong places.
Traditional psychiatry often relies on synthetic psychotropic medications—man‑made chemicals designed to drip serotonin or dopamine into the brain to maintain a constant artificial “happiness.” These substances lack the natural, divine life force present in living, sacred plants. When discontinued abruptly, they can cause severe withdrawal, including deep depression. Synthetic psychotropics are not inherently evil, but they are not spiritually alive, and they can produce negative consequences if misused or stopped without guidance.
Pharmaceutical and psychiatric industries have encouraged dependence on these medications, knowing that quitting them suddenly can lead to drastic consequences. If you are currently taking such medications, **do not stop them on your own**. Always consult a qualified medical professional and a trained spiritual practitioner before making any changes.
If you need assistance, feel free to contact us. We will do our best to help guide you on your spiritual journey of self‑discovery. If you are tired of chaos and ready to break free, it may be time to seek a spiritual remedy. A spiritual path is not necessarily a religious one—it is open to both the religious and the non‑religious.
May God bless you on your journey and help you find your path to peace.
Church of Cognitive Therapy
Finding the path of self-discovery.
Introduction to Entheogenic Religions / Spirituality (Shamanism / Animism)
The use of sacred plants to connect with the Divine for the purpose of enlightenment—*not to be confused with the Age of Enlightenment or an ascended destination of Enlightenment*—is expressed in many entheogenic religions and spiritual traditions. Entheogens have been present in the world’s oldest forms of religion and spirituality for more than **12,000 years**. Their use spans the globe and appears in nearly every culture. Throughout history, many religions and spiritual paths have used plants to elevate consciousness and connect with the Divine for the purpose of enlightenment.
Multi‑Worship Entheogenic Community
The Church of Cognitive Therapy is a worldwide, multi‑worship community of entheogenic practitioners from diverse religious and spiritual paths.
We embrace the animistic belief that all things are animated by a universal Divine Life Force, a truth that unites global spiritual practitioners.
Our adherence to the religious and spiritual use of entheogens is no different from a Christian attending a multi‑denominational Christian church. We believe in the sacred unity of all human beings.
Purpose and Mission
The Church of Cognitive Therapy recognizes the religious and spiritual use of entheogenic sacraments as a means of connecting with the Divine for individual enlightenment and for mental, physical, and spiritual development.
Our primary influences come from global indigenous spiritual traditions, which use entheogens as doorways to the Divine.
Our mission is to pursue enlightenment through:
- Spiritual cognitive therapy
- Holistic healing
- Shamanism
- Entheogenic religious/spiritual sacrament
- Community and social practices
We are a spiritually oriented community. We do not seek to distort or commit blasphemy against any doctrine or dogma. Instead, we use all available documented resources to help establish a spiritual connection to the Divine, to ourselves, and to the universe. Establishing this connection is the first step toward enlightenment and the path of self‑discovery.
Entheogens as Spiritual Teachers
Entheogenic plants have served as spiritual teachers throughout human existence. Many religions and spiritual traditions—ancient and modern—are directly connected to the sacred use of these plants.
Definition of Entheogen
En = Within, Inner
Theo = Divine, God
Gen = Becoming, Creating
Entheogen:
“The term means literally ‘becoming divine within,’ and can be seen as the user realizing that the divine infuses all of creation, or specifically that the entheogenic plant is itself infused with the divine. It is not a theological term and makes no reference to any deity.”
Entheogens are spiritual comforters, teachers, and sources of existential intelligence. When used with positive intention, they yield positive spiritual results.
Who is
Ras Rev. Lion?
Reverend Levon F Cordingley
Levon is an Armenian male name meaning “lion,” derived from the Greek name Leon. In Armenian tradition (Լեւոն), the name symbolizes strength, courage, and majesty, qualities long associated with lions. It carries deep historical significance, having been borne by several kings of Cilician Armenia, including Levon I the Magnificent.
Pronunciation: leh-VAWN or leh-VAHN Common nicknames: Lev, Levi, Levy, Von Related names: Leo (Latin), Lyon (French), León (Spanish), Leon (English/Dutch), Lionel (English/French), Leonzio (Italian)
Early Life
Levon was born in Tompkinsville, Kentucky on January 9, 1969. In 1979, due to his father’s severe allergies, the family relocated to his father’s hometown of Preston, Idaho—a place later made famous by the quirky film Napoleon Dynamite.
Throughout high school, Levon was a dedicated athlete, participating in varsity soccer, football, wrestling, and track all four years. At age 17, he joined the Army National Guard, serving from 1986 to 1994.
He was also an accomplished young artist and pursued higher education at Utah State University (USU) from 1987–1994, studying political science, linguistics, and philosophy. A life‑threatening illness prevented him from completing his final semester, and he later joined his family in Boise, Idaho, eventually beginning a successful career in plumbing.
Religious Background and Personal Tragedy
Levon was raised in the LDS (Mormon) faith, participating in the priesthood offices of Deacon, Priest, Elder, and serving a two‑year mission in northeastern Brazil. He was also the first scout to earn their Eagle Scout Award in record time at 12 years old.
During his mission, tragedy struck. His only biological brother was killed in a hunting accident on November 11, 1989. Levon returned home to bury him, an event that marked the beginning of nearly a decade of profound depression and spiritual searching.
Spiritual Awakening and Healing (1997)
In the summer of 1997, still suffering deeply from the loss of his brother, Levon experienced a turning point.
At Red Rocks Amphitheater outside Denver, Colorado, he was introduced to the spiritual use of cannabis by members of Burning Spear and Buju Banton, who shared with him the Rastafari understanding of the plant as a sacred tool for enlightenment, healing ,and communion with the Divine.
That same summer, he also experienced the sacramental use of peyote through a Native American Church ceremony connected with Vietnam veterans who were exploring peyote and medical cannabis for PTSD treatment. Peyote became instrumental in healing the depression he had carried since his brother’s early passing in late 1989.
Ordination, Ministry, Public, and Speaking
During that same period, he felt a deep connection with the Divine. He felt he was Divinly called to administer this work. He felt called to meet up with other travelers (Jah Love Kitchen) whom he had previouly spent time with in Colorado. They were going to Taos, New Mexico. While there he was ordained as a Universal Life Church (ULC) Reverend/Minister, dedicating himself to preaching Rastafari’s message of ONE LOVE, the central message of Jesus.
Ras Rev. Lion is the abbreviated form of Reverend. Lion is a form of his first name Levon. Ras is an Ethiopian nobility title that many Rastafari take as a prefix. He felt a deep connection with the Lion Of Judah and recently it was reveal to him his DNA connection to a multitude of global nobility and the Tribe of Levi.
Levon later maintained a Rastafari ministry in Boise, Idaho, and in 2003 he organized the Church of Cognitive Therapy (COCT Ministry) and published his first website (coctministry.com) to support veterans facing PTSD, cancer, and addiction through entheogenic spiritual practice.
From 2005 onward, he began speaking publicly at the Seattle Hempfest on the spiritual use of cannabis. As his visibility grew, he moved the ministry to Portland, Oregon, where he continued his Rastafari and entheogenic work until 2011, when he relocated to San Jose, California to work in the medical cannabis industry where he was later introduced to the mother of his five children.
Religious Freedom Legal Battles
During visits to Boise in 2007 and 2008 with Portland‑based reggae artists, Levon was arrested and charged with cannabis possession. The 2007 case was dismissed, but the 2008 case became a legal battle centered on the spiritual use of cannabis as a Rastafari under Idaho’s RFRA. The state attempted to argue that the Church of Cognitive Therapy was not a religion, hoping to nullify his claim. Levon explained that COCT was not founded as a religion but as a spiritual, indigenous‑based practice using sacred plants to connect with the Divine for personal enlightenment. His religious use of cannabis came from his Rastafari faith, which allowed him to participate in COCT ceremonies just as Native Americans participate in peyote ceremonies.
Current Life and Sabatical
In 2013 he returned to college to persue a Liberal Arts Degree full-time and part-time between 2013-2022 where he has his capstone left, but home life and work have not alled him to finish yet again.
Since 2012 when his first daughter was born Levon has been on sabbatical from physically performing ministry ceremonies and duties, but he has maintained an online presence from 2003–2026 while raising his five children as a single parent and working full‑time as a plumber in his home state of Kentucky.
Currently he has requested an exemption from the current administration to restart hepling first responders and veterans with PTSD through entheogenic therapy. He will be pursuing an exemption from the DEA for the spiritual use of entheogens for theraputic applications. His future plans include a ferderal lawsuit for the right to worship using entheogens for mental, physical, and spiritual developement.
