When faced with the fact that we’ve come up short, It’s normal to think that if we just planned better, woke up earlier, and tried a little harder, then we would have succeeded.

But what happens when we realize that we’ve said that, and done that, and still ended up in this exact spot, more than once before?

Trying harder, and of all the mind’s controlled thinking, planning and judging, can actually be the cement that hardens a long-standing pattern into place.

So, for these people, which are most people, surrender is the way out.

But what exactly is surrender? Who is doing it? And what are we surrendering to?

Don’t worry, this isn’t about defeat - it’s actually about scoring a victory for the forces of innocence, love, spirit and the Heart.

Check out how we do this in the latest episode of The Sober Shaman Podcast

Takeaways

• Cycles of addiction and mental health struggles can lead to feelings of being stuck and repeating patterns.
• The interplay between surrender and discipline, and the longing of the heart for connection, are key elements in getting unstuck.

Chapters

• 00:00 Getting Unstuck in Recovery and Mental Health
• 09:26 The Pull of Surrender and Discipline
• 19:39 The Role of Identity and Purpose
• 26:41 The Power of Surrender and the Heart's Longing
• 32:28 Breaking Free from Limiting Core Beliefs

The conversation delves into the world of Okoye, a living school rooted in indigenous wisdom and community building. It explores the incorporation of indigenous elders, preservation of languages, and the impact of remote work on indigenous communities. The discussion also highlights the challenges and growth of community building, emphasizing the importance of relationship and the medicine of community. The conversation delves into the changing nature of communication and community, the role of AI in community building, the concept of home and community acceptance, creating safe spaces and deep work with medicine, the purpose of joining an online community, in-person immersion experiences and community expansion, the responsibility of community stewardship, empowering visionaries and building a sustainable community, and inviting individuals to join the community.

Takeaways

• Community Building
• Indigenous Wisdom Community Building
• Holistic Healing

Chapters

• 00:00 Challenges and Growth of Community Building
• 23:53 The Changing Nature of Communication and Community
• 30:30 Creating Safe Spaces and Deep Work with Medicine
• 35:56 The Responsibility of Community Stewardship
• 45:04 Inviting Individuals to Join the Community

https://www.skool.com/ocoyai-ancestral-school

When I'm asked, "What do you do?" the most accurate answer is…

"I help people Open the Eyes of their Heart.”

Of course, that response raises more questions than it answers but sometimes...isn't that the point?

Which is why in this episode of the podcast, I answer this question in detail and provide the what, how and why of this powerful approach and time-less medicine.

The podcast explores the limitations of understanding and the need for the four medicines to treat addiction and trauma. It emphasizes the importance of experience, connection, and practice in transforming old beliefs and behaviors.

Takeaways

• Understanding alone is not enough
• The four medicines (awareness, experience, connection, practice) are essential for transformation

Chapters

• 00:00 Understanding is Not Enough
• 07:02 The Medicine of Experience
• 14:36 The Path of Mastery

The conversation explores the interconnectedness of inspiration and mastery, emphasizing their role in personal transformation and empowerment. It delves into the power of inspiration in guiding individuals towards authenticity and value, highlighting the significance of breathing in the divine and the impact of inspiration on empowerment and transformation.

Takeaways

• Inspiration and mastery are interconnected
• The power of inspiration in transformation

Chapters

• 00:00 The Path of Mastery and Transformation
• 10:46 Breathing in the Divine
• 19:30 The Power of Inspiration
• 26:02 Empowerment and Transformation

Have you rejected the religion of your youth?

* What else might have been lost as a result?

* Should you consider reclaiming what was lost?

* How can this help with recovery?

In this episode of The Sober Shaman Podcast, we dive into these questions and explore the subject of my recent post:

Losing My Religion: What else is lost when you reject the religion of your youth?

Feel free to share your questions or comments below, or email me directly at: spirit@thesobershaman.com

And if you’re listening/watching on a different platform, I invite you to come on over and check out all of the material on my Substack for The Sober Shaman.

I appreciate the connection!

With Blessings,Randal

If someone’s engaged in active addiction, they’re also engaged in active lying.

This includes lies they’ve told others as well as ones they’re telling themselves—untangling the two can get complicated.

In today’s podcast episode, I discuss one method for freeing ourselves from The Web of Lies. Through the practice of shamanic journeying, it offers medicine in the form of awareness, experience, and practical spirituality.

Basics, examples, practice

If you’re new to shamanic journeying and want to learn the basics, find them here: The Shamanic Journey and Addiction Recovery - Part 1.

If you’d like to hear an example of what a journey might look like, give a listen to today’s podcast at the video link above.

And if you’re ready to undertake the Medicine Journey to The Web of Lies for yourself (without my voice guiding you), here’s an audio drumming file and some follow-up questions:

Questions

Write down the answers to these questions upon your return:

* Did you feel called to travel to the UpperWorld (UW) or LowerWorld (LW)?

* Describe the place of your entrance into the UW or LW?

* Was this a new place or known place?

* Who did you meet?

* Were they new or known?

* When you asked to be taken to The Web of Lies, how did you get there?

* What did The Web of Lies appear to you as?

* What were your first impressions?

* Did it feel familiar?

* What information did you get?

* Was there anything that you needed to do?

* If so, did you do it? How’d it go? Do you need to follow up in Ordinary Reality? Who can help? What do you need to do?

* What did you learn from this Medicine Journey to The Web of Lies?

Back to you.

If you participated in the Medicine Journey using the above audio, how’d it go? What did you receive?

If you’d like to share any insights, medicine, and power you received during your journey to The Web of Lies (or thoughts on today’s podcast), I’d love to hear. Please share in the comments.

As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to send them my way: spirit@randallyons.com

And if you found this helpful, please hit the little like button and consider becoming a subscriber (it’s free).

With Blessings,Randal

Why is it…

Why is it when people in recovery are told they’ll need to Surrender, they immediately default into thinking that they’re going to “lose?”

But then, when they do the work and actually Surrender..

…they come out the other side feeling like they’ve won?

How does this work?

What changes?

How can shamanism help make this happen?

The Dig

This is the audio and Podcast version of The Dig, which further explores a specific addiction related topic. In this edition, we’re going into Lesson #18: The Power of Surrender.

Thanks for listening!

Let me know what you think of this episode and send me any addiction-related questions you have: spirit@randallyons.com

Get access to this, as well as all of the 52 Lessons, with one subscription. Join us inside The Program here: