Hey Scott, just wondering whether you have anything to say about the energy of cannabis in relation to liminal periods of transformation?
I have been a fairly regular cannabis smoker for most of the past 8 years (about 1-2 times a week). It has always been a useful tool for increasing my self awareness. Especially after emotionally intense periods of life - it seems to relax me enough to have moments of clarity and insight, and basically see that “I’m ok”.
Since committing to the consciousness path and all the corresponding shifts, the effects of cannabis have evolved - much more body sensitivity and more pronounced insights. This was exciting for some time.
I am currently at a fairly fragile point in my journey (recently entered the 400s in MOC - don’t know if any elements of my experience are ubiquitous for that stage?) where the emotionality surrounding my fears have subsided enough that I now find it impossible to not take on certain challenges which previously seemed scary and impossible for me. I think my nervous system has not yet caught up with my intention so it’s going into overdrive regularly which sometimes leads to dorsal shutdown.
I noticed that I started using cannabis as a crutch when this phase started, which bothered me. I’m now trying to manage by setting more boundaries around when I use it - to force myself to “naturally” build the nervous system capacity i seem to require.
Would love to hear if any of this resonates with your experience.
Hey Natalia - great to hear from you. I’ll share that I really have never been a big cannabis user so have a limited perspective on it. I know my friend @Brooks Barron has a deeper relationship with it as medicine and might have resources on his substack.
As for the consciousness and nervous system not being fully aligned, that’s something I can definitely speak too. Let me first off say its quite normal to become more sensitive. When this happens, your body just won’t jibe with things like they once did. My experience with building nervous system capacity is that sometimes slowing down, is speeding up. I think you are smart for making sure you don’t go too much over your window of tolerance. As for how to mange this with the newfound courage, I’d treat the moments that you notice the nervous system going into overdrive as opportunities. For me, this often was a cue to investigate a pattern related to lack of safety. I could go into these and be with what was there, eventually loving it and coaxing it that it was safe. I’d try this if you haven’t already as a way to use these circumstances
Thanks SO much for sharing this. I can recognize a lot of my own experiences in your story. I've been on a spiritual journey since I was healed from epilepsy by a brain surgery. Because I had overcome this frightening disease, I felt like I was given a new life and had literally nothing to lose.
Since then, I started to really question the meaning of my life and what I should be doing on this planet. I started to experiment with meditation and psychedelics, and since then there was no way back. It felt like for the first time in my life I saw the truth. I felt unconditionally love. I really saw the universe and felt part of it.
It also made me much more sensitive. At first I thought there was something wrong with me. I would be overwhelmed all the time by sounds, people with "heavy energies", and the emotions that would bubble up in my chest randomly. It is exactly that feeling you describe of experiencing emotions that don't seem to be your own. I still have a hard time dealing with it and sometimes I wish that I could turn it off. On the other side, I would not want to trade it because it has given me the depth of experiencing life as it is.
Thanks Danique! It's a unique experience that it can be hard to find others on so I am glad this was helpful to you.
The sensitivity is definitely a double edged, but ultimately it becomes a tool for good. One thing that was helpful for me was learning to embrace the stuff previously seemed as negative (including entities). It forced me to be more unconditionally loving seeing all of it as emanations from a Divine source. At one point, it became less of a thing. I think something in my field shifted. Maybe worth giving this a try next time you experience something like that...love on it vs. see it as a inconvenience
Thanks! I find it very useful to imagine my heart staying "open" no matter the circumstances. it's such a powerful tool to deal with anything in life. In so many circumstances, we unconsciously "close" ourselves off, thereby resisting the present moment. Easier said than done of course, but it's a continuous process that gives a lot of meaning to my life.
Ah yes, the electronics! I remember all types of stuff with that like my computer just turning off constantly etc. The electronics going haywire eventually stabilizes. At least that was my experience!
Indeed! All of our paths are unique. I was having this conversation with my spiritual teacher yesterday. We were talking about the whether people have to do exercises for their awakening like meditation. The truth is some people do and some people don't! Look at eckhart tolle. He just woke up rather spontaneously. Then others spend their lifetime in a monastery following very specific practices. We come to see this with teachers too who mostly espouse what worked for them. We're all unique which means we can have reverence and respect for everyone's path : )
If I hadn't had my own experience with Kundalini energy, I would have dismissed this as so much new age foo foo.
But, I have; so I can't.
I only had one experience when I was doing Kundalini Yoga with a personal instructor and it felt like this energy in my ??lower belly/pelvic basin?? region just opened up. (It was in 2001, so i don't remember exactly where in my lower body.) Anyway, it scared the crap outta me and I stopped doing the pelvic motions right that second.
Now, 20 years later, maybe i'm ready to try again.
I used to think this was all bullshit. Then it happened to me. I'm reading about your experience and it reminded me of this youtube talk I was listening to where someone was presented with an opportunity to step into a wider experience and they closed the door. Perhaps by encountering this post you are being called to come back to it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg3pr3QN6tU
That's right. Brains, bodies, they all can evolve...in fact that is what they are meant to do! Ancient teaching have always known this, it's just cool that now we have the instruments and science to actually capture the changes : )
Hey Scott, just wondering whether you have anything to say about the energy of cannabis in relation to liminal periods of transformation?
I have been a fairly regular cannabis smoker for most of the past 8 years (about 1-2 times a week). It has always been a useful tool for increasing my self awareness. Especially after emotionally intense periods of life - it seems to relax me enough to have moments of clarity and insight, and basically see that “I’m ok”.
Since committing to the consciousness path and all the corresponding shifts, the effects of cannabis have evolved - much more body sensitivity and more pronounced insights. This was exciting for some time.
I am currently at a fairly fragile point in my journey (recently entered the 400s in MOC - don’t know if any elements of my experience are ubiquitous for that stage?) where the emotionality surrounding my fears have subsided enough that I now find it impossible to not take on certain challenges which previously seemed scary and impossible for me. I think my nervous system has not yet caught up with my intention so it’s going into overdrive regularly which sometimes leads to dorsal shutdown.
I noticed that I started using cannabis as a crutch when this phase started, which bothered me. I’m now trying to manage by setting more boundaries around when I use it - to force myself to “naturally” build the nervous system capacity i seem to require.
Would love to hear if any of this resonates with your experience.
Hey Natalia - great to hear from you. I’ll share that I really have never been a big cannabis user so have a limited perspective on it. I know my friend @Brooks Barron has a deeper relationship with it as medicine and might have resources on his substack.
As for the consciousness and nervous system not being fully aligned, that’s something I can definitely speak too. Let me first off say its quite normal to become more sensitive. When this happens, your body just won’t jibe with things like they once did. My experience with building nervous system capacity is that sometimes slowing down, is speeding up. I think you are smart for making sure you don’t go too much over your window of tolerance. As for how to mange this with the newfound courage, I’d treat the moments that you notice the nervous system going into overdrive as opportunities. For me, this often was a cue to investigate a pattern related to lack of safety. I could go into these and be with what was there, eventually loving it and coaxing it that it was safe. I’d try this if you haven’t already as a way to use these circumstances
Thanks SO much for sharing this. I can recognize a lot of my own experiences in your story. I've been on a spiritual journey since I was healed from epilepsy by a brain surgery. Because I had overcome this frightening disease, I felt like I was given a new life and had literally nothing to lose.
Since then, I started to really question the meaning of my life and what I should be doing on this planet. I started to experiment with meditation and psychedelics, and since then there was no way back. It felt like for the first time in my life I saw the truth. I felt unconditionally love. I really saw the universe and felt part of it.
It also made me much more sensitive. At first I thought there was something wrong with me. I would be overwhelmed all the time by sounds, people with "heavy energies", and the emotions that would bubble up in my chest randomly. It is exactly that feeling you describe of experiencing emotions that don't seem to be your own. I still have a hard time dealing with it and sometimes I wish that I could turn it off. On the other side, I would not want to trade it because it has given me the depth of experiencing life as it is.
I'm really looking forward to your other article!
Thanks Danique! It's a unique experience that it can be hard to find others on so I am glad this was helpful to you.
The sensitivity is definitely a double edged, but ultimately it becomes a tool for good. One thing that was helpful for me was learning to embrace the stuff previously seemed as negative (including entities). It forced me to be more unconditionally loving seeing all of it as emanations from a Divine source. At one point, it became less of a thing. I think something in my field shifted. Maybe worth giving this a try next time you experience something like that...love on it vs. see it as a inconvenience
Thanks! I find it very useful to imagine my heart staying "open" no matter the circumstances. it's such a powerful tool to deal with anything in life. In so many circumstances, we unconsciously "close" ourselves off, thereby resisting the present moment. Easier said than done of course, but it's a continuous process that gives a lot of meaning to my life.
Hi Scott,
I have been going through something similar...
I don’t have the physical pains like you do;
Mine is more like technology going hay-wire around me; like Bluetooth - setting off theft alarms in the mall... Car GPS not working.
I’m still learning to deal with it... but these days I keep calm and composed; because anger and frustration will just make it worse 🙄
Ah yes, the electronics! I remember all types of stuff with that like my computer just turning off constantly etc. The electronics going haywire eventually stabilizes. At least that was my experience!
I love love love reading your work! I can resonate so much with your experiences and just feel so proud of you from the inside of my heart and out.
It was a fantastic read, finally someone on my page, more on these please!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic post
Thanks man. Feels good to share : )
Scott, Your path is so different than mine. It is fascinating to see how you progress. D
Indeed! All of our paths are unique. I was having this conversation with my spiritual teacher yesterday. We were talking about the whether people have to do exercises for their awakening like meditation. The truth is some people do and some people don't! Look at eckhart tolle. He just woke up rather spontaneously. Then others spend their lifetime in a monastery following very specific practices. We come to see this with teachers too who mostly espouse what worked for them. We're all unique which means we can have reverence and respect for everyone's path : )
Scott! So well written. So much refinance with your awakening experience. Wowza. Love Jess @the.loving.guide
That was supposed to say resonance sorry about that
Thanks Jess! It has been a journey that is for sure!!
If I hadn't had my own experience with Kundalini energy, I would have dismissed this as so much new age foo foo.
But, I have; so I can't.
I only had one experience when I was doing Kundalini Yoga with a personal instructor and it felt like this energy in my ??lower belly/pelvic basin?? region just opened up. (It was in 2001, so i don't remember exactly where in my lower body.) Anyway, it scared the crap outta me and I stopped doing the pelvic motions right that second.
Now, 20 years later, maybe i'm ready to try again.
Thanks for sharing,
mark p.
I used to think this was all bullshit. Then it happened to me. I'm reading about your experience and it reminded me of this youtube talk I was listening to where someone was presented with an opportunity to step into a wider experience and they closed the door. Perhaps by encountering this post you are being called to come back to it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg3pr3QN6tU
YouTube account has been terminated 😕
Love this. Very relatable on the alcohol. And love the term “energetic puberty.”
Brains 🧠 change. And we can also change them.
That's right. Brains, bodies, they all can evolve...in fact that is what they are meant to do! Ancient teaching have always known this, it's just cool that now we have the instruments and science to actually capture the changes : )
❤️