I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately in the wake of the death of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny. I often say I’m not afraid to die. Yes, I do love living – but I’m also fine with dying when the time comes.
I’m scurrying around, getting ready for Ron’s and my trip back to the states. I took a break to give you an update along with a little quick pick-me-up breath (which I hope you will do along with me:)
So figured I’d check-in, tell you about my U.S. trip and ask if you want to do this delicious calming yet relaxing breath with me?
So many of us are watching with horror over the turmoil and suffering that’s happening around us – whether it’s in our backyard or other parts of the world. Violence and war and hunger, sickness, disease… among people, among animals.
It used to be an easy shorthand to describe somebody at the top of their game as the “guru” of fill in the blank… the tech guru, the marketing guru, the fitness guru, etc. In Western vernacular, “guru,” came to mean someone who possesses deep wisdom, experience, and insights, and is often sought after for guidance or advice.
I was on time but without a moment to spare, so I sneaked into the back of the crowded yoga session right before the teacher, who was new to me, locked the doors. I plopped down on a cushion, closed my eyes and began taking long deep breaths like the rest of the class. Long, deep belly breaths. But not for long.
Take a pill and feel better! As Westerners that’s what we’ve been conditioned to do. No muss, no fuss! Just take the pill and be done with it! Of course, as we know for these “mood managing”medications, the trade-off is side effects. The side effect reported to me most frequently is the narrowing of the whole emotional spectrum.
The current trendy phrase for folks not getting back to you is “ghosting.” As in, “We went out a few times, and then they ghosted me.” But let’s not limit it to just dating – it happens in all sorts of relationships, be it professional, family, or friends. You might even be guilty of a little ghosting yourself, yes?
Demons – or spirit entities are a very real thing in the beliefs of indigenous cultures. And one of the beliefs is that whenever a person is in a state of altered consciousness, a portal can open for these malicious entities to “possess” a person – and maybe hang around long after. Having said that, we know that when a person takes psychedelics they are entering an altered state of consciousness.
Hold your applause, but tomorrow, December 24th, is my birthday. I’m in good company with Santa and baby Jesus!
If someone asked me how old I feel I am, I’d say about 450 years. All the shit I’ve been through to get where I am today, I’ve moved mountains through centuries. You could say I’m a young 450-year-old. I stay in shape 😉
“Oh no, microdosing psilocybin won’t do a thing for me!” he exclaimed, in total disbelief during our initial discovery session. He went on to tell me he was wrestling with grief and depression from his partner dying a couple of years ago and trauma from an abusive childhood. “I need something stronger to knock all that out!” he declared.
In our take-a-pill-and-feel-better culture, people just want relief by taking that pill – or a whole bunch of them. Of course, if that was an approach that worked, we wouldn’t have an epidemic of anxiety, depression and despair in our Western world.