Magical Journey to Mt Shasta (PT4)

‘The End is but the beginning’

Welp here it is. The final installment. I’ve enjoyed documenting the journey. I hope you, whoever you are and will become, have enjoyed following along. And I hope you’re inspired by some or all of it. Truth be told, I’m also glad to wrap it up and give my full to focus the integration work. Funny enough, it was communicated to/through me just the other today, in the channeled end portion of a Multidimensional Divine Light Transmission session, that I have “no idea the magnitude of all that took place in Mt Shasta.” Not exactly sure how to feel about that! But I’ve gotten pretty used to the not knowing; to surrendering, allowing things to be revealed in Divine timing.

We could all do worse than that.

In the meantime, enjoy, and thanks for reading!

Day 4: solo destination: panther meadows

It was no question where I was headed this day. Planned on it, felt it, and my higher guidance (Heretofore: ‘HG’) confirmed it. The only thing I didn’t know was where exactly where I’d be taken once there, or what would occur. That’s the fun part.

As mentioned in prior installments, Panther Meadows is famous for being where Saint Germain was said to have appeared to Guy Ballard (sobriquet: Godfre Ray King) in August of 1930-something, reminding him of his prior embodiment soul contracted mission, and initiating a relationship that would become a series of dictations, books, and an entire esoteric ‘I AM’ movement. A movement that spawned many offshoots, and sure as for every ism there’s an eventual schism, each branch over time either quietly or not so quietly claimed to be the only true, official source of the teachings, yada, yada. I could care less about any of that. As many famous mystics, universalistic religious scholars, renegade theologians, talented channels, and NDE-ers have suggested, The Holy Ones find it humorous how we quibble over who has the market on The Truth. As if anyone with a body, or any one does to the exclusion of all others. That is, when they’re not weeping over the unnecessary bloodshed and loss of life that’s flowed out of such ego-based ignorance.

‘Truth is One, Sages know it by many names’ (Rig Veda).

But I digress!

significance

Panther Meadows, for the above described reason, is no doubt at least part of why I felt ‘the call’ to the mountain. Because Saint Germain—the said-to-be-immortal Master of Alchemy, Chohan of the Seventh Ray/Seven Sacred Flames, Purveyor of The Violet Transmuting Flame, and the man who Voltaire famously called ‘The man who never dies and knows everything”— showed up as my Gateway Guide, along with other Illumined Ones, in my rock bottom hour of Dark Night madness.

The identity and presence of Saint Germain was interpreted to me in a reading by seer/channel/author Dr. Norma Milanovich, whom I was synchonistically/Divinely led to for corporeal clarity in that aforementioned internal hell state, roughly five years ago. I was marginally aware of the name Saint Germain and the concept of Ascended Masters at large, specifically from a meditation group I participated in back in 2004 or so. I remember the leader kept telling me that [Ascended Master of the Fourth Ray] Serapis Bey, was ALL around me each week. But I knew little about Saint Germain’s legacy or the other Masters in this tradition.

The other two that Dr. Milanovich [channeling Ascended Master Kuthumi, said to be St Francis of Assissi in a prior embodiment] perceived to be working to help me, alongside Saint Germain, were Melchezidek and Yeshua/Christ. There was more about this involving prior lifetimes that I couldn’t take in at all and I’ve felt out forgotten what all was said about that. I only knew that at the time, the initial interpretation felt right. Perhaps if only because I felt so desperately lost, I was naturally more than open to the idea of receiving powerful assistance from the higher realms. I mean, I was asking for it, so, duh.

Not long after, when the ‘You are being given the Gift of Holy Discernment’ transmission came though clear as a bell, later realizing that this involuntary, ever-available head nod tool was the practical embodiment of this ‘gift’ (via The Holy Spirit), I began applying this to confirm/disconfirm what was interpreted to me, my hunches, and all that I was experiencing, hearing, receiving. (This is how it was determined the gift itself came via Holy Spirit). Wild as this was, and still is to me, it also makes sense. Because in that darkest hour where nothing was clear, where I literally began to feel like I could not trust my own senses outside of touch maybe, the main, really the only thing I was asking for was for clarity. Little did I imagine being bestowed with a built-in ability to discern what from what forevermore.

Fast forward a few years, with the onset of voice channeling, as I’ve now channeled Yeshua, Mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, Elohim, Seraphim, Goddesses Sophia and Isis (though not Saint Germain, yet, interestingly), it’s shifted me from wanting all this to be real/true, to believing it to be so, to knowing and trusting. A confirmed knowing. One that’s solidified my faith in The Divine, and trust in my own perception.

So, full circle, to be out at Panther Meadows, the very area where my Gateway Guide purportedly materialized to begin a communication about his role in the Divine Play, and his offering.

How Sweet!

Let’s GO!

fear-be-gone

Unlike the pedestrian fears I probably overemphasized in PT3 about heading out up the mountain alone, getting lost, hurt, abducted by Sascrotch (see: last pic at bottom of PT3 post) or worse, today I felt nothing but pure excitement and joy. Likely because my faith in my HG, in The Illumined Ones, was bolstered another notch by how all played out without a hitch the day before.

After parking, I take a while to bask in the most astounding, what seemed like 500 thousand foot view of the mountain valley, then find my way to the main trailhead entrance. This trail was far clearer than the faint, elusive trail leading me up and out to nowhere yesterday at Bunny Flats. And there were more humans present today, which put me at more ease.

I quickly reach what seemed like the beginning of the actual meadows. I saw a few folks standing, gazing, taking in the energy, so I knew I was in the right place. Unlike the rocky, rough, dusty terrain and dead silent, earthy grey-ish atmosphere of Bunny Flats, Panther Meadows, while having its share of rocky, rough trails, has a different appearance and vibe altogether. More lush in parts, and colorful, with gorgeous sounds of nature, running water, and sunflower covered fields in abundance.

And a distinctly etheric quality.

god compass

I wander through the main meadows area, where there’s Panther Spring with its reputed 100 year old water flowing through (I finish the day with a brief meditation there). I chat up an elderly lady who says she lives nearby. She hones right in on my intention for being out there with “You’re looking for the magic spots, aren’t you?”

I affirm, we laugh, And that was that.

Following a path out of the main meadows that takes me into a labyrinth of rocky trails, I have a sense that unlike the uphill climb yesterday, I’m to head down the mountain today, off one side of the meadows (no idea which direction). HG confirms this, and I follow a trail that takes me to another clearing, not as lush or yellow flower covered, but with trailhead markers, which again, is comforting.

Anyone need a drink?

nature calls, divine answers

I wasn’t going to include this, but by now you know I have a sense of humor. And near zero fucks left to give. I thought this was hilarious, so you might too.

HG points me down this path pictured above. About 10 minutes in, I’m further down the mountain and the trail I’m on is getting narrower, and less clear.

Suddenly, I sense a #2 is brewing. Damn. Thought I got it all over with before I left.

I try on for size whether it’s false alarm. Of course, it’s not. I’m otherwise fully invested in being where I am at this point, deep into Panther Meadows. Climbing back up, getting in the car and having to drive back to Bunny Flats where there’s a facility would really suck. (And I might not even make it, I remember thinking).

I try going on a little further, beginning to entertain utilizing my old Boy Scout training which involves particular kinds of leaves, if necessary. You get the picture.

I shit you not (not pun intended), I soon come upon a trail fork. I ask my HG which way to go. It indicates the right, which looks and feels like it’s taking me away from the direction it had been leading me. But I go with it.

30 seconds down this path, what do I find but a tiny, lone, very old looking one person port-o-potty! (Should have taken a picture for proof, but I had other urgent business).

Can’t fucking make this up!

I walk in there thinking “I’m so grateful…but, ugh, bet it’s gonna be gross and probably have no tp.” Wrong. As far as outhouses go, it was about as clean, pleasant, and stocked as you could ask for.

How good is God? You tell me.

Afterwards, I head back to the fork and ask again for direction. It takes me the way I thought it would have, underscoring that the detour was a Divine misdirection of sorts, for the obvious purposes :>

into the mystic

Relieved, in more ways than one, and knowing I’m on the right path to my mystery destination, I start heading into some tall, old ass tree-laden, deep canyon, super green lush territory. The sounds of babbling brooks gets louder. I can sense I’m close to where I’m being led. I’m starting to really feel the energy of this special place on the mountain.

And just like the day before, I round a slight corner, see this little, non-descript clearing and just know this is it. Ask HG: Confirmed.

can I just live here?

In stark contrast to the atmosphere way up on the Bunny Flats yesterday, with the eerie deafening silence and stark sense of solitude, while no humans were around this area either, this part of the mountain was teeming with beauty. Soothing sounds and vibrant colors. Yesterday had a distinctly more spacious, barren, galactic feel. Fitting in that it was a Venusian vortex, apparently.

This was very different.

I scout the immediate area, wade through the stream a bit, douse my amethyst in the water, and take in the energy for a while. Felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Actually, it didn’t feel like it. I knew it.

Laying out my ground cover, I open my little seat-o-matic, recite some ad lib prayers, do my invocations, and open up to what will be. Before I settle in, I get a last impulse to capture one more snippet of the beauty of the immediate area before I start.

The second one reveals a pleasant little time-stamp synchronicity/confirmation:

11:11!

Meditation #1

Right away it’s clear and I confirm my host/guide for this sit is Saint Germain. There’s a particular subtlety to how my head moves around in that infinity shape when he comes in. A whimsical dancy-ness. It’s his signature I suppose. So I knew it, and it was confirmed that, just as in my first sit yesterday, here he was again.

A minute or so in, my head movement slows, which is not unusual. Starts and stops occur frequently, especially as every guide that works with me seems to be exquisitely sensitive to the toll all the movement takes on my neck and associated muscles. So I get frequent ‘spirit stretches.’ I often feel a lot of tightness and tension up there, partially as a result of all this, the rest probably due to text neck, bad typing form, desk posture, etc). But the spirit stretches keep me out of pain. There’s never pain. Gratitude!

Then I realize, this isn’t a stretch break. My head goes still. I go with it, waiting to see what happens next.

And what does next blows my mind, followed by an onslaught of tears of joy.

A transmission/download came right in, clearer than anything. Not audibly, but a mental impression, a stamp, is the best I can say. And much as I’d like to share it here because it was so incredible, I’m keeping this transmission to myself. Something has to be held sacred, right? I knew right away, this isn’t to be broadcast. HG confirmed this.

Suffice to say, it was a blessing. Literally. Three succinct, descriptive sentences. And absolute confirmation, as if I needed more this point, that it was ordained for me to come out here.

The sit went on from there more or less as usual for another 20 or 30 minutes. And again, I thought if this was it, more than satisfied.

meditation #2

Quan Yin was my host for this sit. She worked with me at The Peace Garden on day two, and here she was again. For the third time this sit had to do again with clairaudience. This must be some kind of process to install or otherwise ready me for the clear hearing function, because its been the focus of many a sit for many weeks in a row now.

Otherwise, this was a beautiful, subtle, reasonably long meditation. No big bells and whistles. Just delightful communion with this Mother of Compassion once again.

Throughout this one I felt more enveloped in the atmosphere than ever. Like a real merging with the sounds, colors, and visceral feel of the atmosphere. I gotta meditate outside more often.

meditation #3

For this final sit, my host/guide was Portia. Portia is considered the Divine Counterpart of Saint Germain. Master Portia’s work is to assist transformation, magic, the dawning of new eons, development of psychic abilities, and manifestation. A powerful Goddess energy that brings guidance in our spiritual advancement, if we’re so inclined to look to these Masters along our journey.

Portia is alternately known as the ‘Goddess of Justice’ and ‘Goddess of Opportunity.’ Her energy focuses through the Violet Flame; bringing Divine Justice in places where there is no balance and harmony. She teaches us how to attain and maintain a balance and mental, emotional, physical and spiritual attributes using the elements of wind, earth, fire, and air. My kind of Lady! I’ve been blessed to have her come in many times over the last years.

Today, her work with me on the mountain was once again, about opening and/or preparing me for clairaudience. This sit, similar to the super wild one via Lady Master Nada yesterday, reached a fever pitch head movement-wise. There was again the extra neck stretching attention, testing out of ease of circular movement capacity, followed by intense, exponentially escalating clockwise and alternative counterclockwise head movements. I had the distinct feeling that this was some type of activation.

Two things I understand about the head movement phenomena during my communions: 1) It’s intelligently driven, sacred geometrical in action, and purposeful. 2) It’s not my own intelligence driving the bus. Other than that, your guess is as good as mine.

Anyhow, it went on for quite a while until that fever pitch of high velocity reached a zenith, then slowly unwound to the point of stillness. On the downturn I had the sense of being somewhat energy drained—a good tired feeling. I suspected that would be it for today. My head finally came to a stop. A pause, then started up again, but with a different shape and feeling.

Portia it seemed had ‘peaced-out,’ and this was someone else.

Checked with my HG. Mary Magdalene energy entered.

Mary of Magdala, a frequent host in recent Multidimensional Divine Light Transmission work with clients, and with whom I’ve had the pleasure of channeling multiple times now (as has one of my clients) popped in to signify the work was complete. Why her, I don’t know. But she gave the signal to head back up to Panther Meadows and the Spring to close out.

Before packing up, I asked about the significance of this space I was led to today. She confirmed it was a special, then also peaced-out (?). I checked with my HG. Ran through my list of best guesses and arrived at that it was basically a Great White Brotherhood Vortex.

The GWB is an esoteric conception of a larger organization, so to speak, like a council, of whom all Illumined/Holy Ones/Ascended Masters purportedly belong—spoken of in the Book of Revelation as the great multitude of saints ‘clothed with white robes’ who stand before the throne of God.

Once again, if I perceived this accurately, I’ll take it.

Panther Spring for the win

I hiked back up, marveling at the beauty of the mountain, the surroundings, and all the magic that took place today and every day out here. And at how fucking blessed and fortunate I AM.

Taking a seat at Panther Spring, there were a few folks sitting around, one lady throwing mudra shapes, closed eyes, in total silence. I happily joined the party.

As soon as I did, head starts wobbling. Apparently Mary stayed with me to take me out with one final brief mediation at the famed location. No more than 10 or 15 minutes, but a perfect cap to a beautiful day and a most wonderous experience.

Here’s one more snippet of Panther Meadows, then of the Spring:

A few weeks out, after several integration-oriented sits, I feel like I’m still there. Or I’ve taken it with me. Or both. And the integration will be going on for a while, especially since it was interpreted that I have little [conscious] idea of all that transpired. Where it’s all taking me I don’t know. The whole thing—from the onset of a Divine madness to the present day—is an unfolding beyond my control or awareness, as these types of things usually are.

I’m most excited about how this all will inform my work with others in tangible, perceivable ways. Because that’s what it’s about. Otherwise, it’s just self-serving. As it was confirmed just the other day that the potency of [my ability to serve as bridge/conduit for] the MDLT process increased by 40% as a result of all the activations and what not, I’m more curious than ever what’s in store, and how far this can go.

Moral of the story? If you get ‘the call’ to go visit a sacred space, GO!

THANK YOU anyone and everyone whose had the interest, patience (or just nothing else to do than :) to read this series.

THANK YOU Mt Shasta for the call, the magic, and changing my life.

THANK YOU Roxy Ghoraishy for the guiding and magical activations. You are Cosmic Stardust.

And THANKS to the awesome staff at Pipeline Craft Taps and Kitchen- Chris, Jeff, and the fellow weirdo Shasta locals I had the fortune of meeting, and for keeping me company each night over dinner!

‘May the heart of Christ be everywhere known’

-Tibetan Prayer

Om Namah Shivaya, Love, Ascension, Beloved I AM, and Divinely Materialized Port-O-Pottys,

Chris Hancock, LCSW, ACMHP

Franklin, TN

www.therapyoutsidethebox.com / @therapyoutsidethebox

chris@therapyoutsidethebox.com

615.430.2778

Magical Journey to Mt Shasta [PT3]

While PT1 and PT2 recounted my spiritual tour-guided shenanigans on day one and two, PT 3 here is about my first day out on the mountain alone. And because I have no capacity for brevity, and therefore must be witless, PT4, the final installment, will follow soon.

Keep your tin foil hat handy…

day 3: solo DESTINATION: Bunny Flats

Still reeling from the wonderous happenings of day one and two, AND joyous news that the post-mudslide closed main road up to the main areas I booked this trip to visit magically re-opened the afternoon prior, I head out bright and early.

This day I have my sites set on either Sand Flats or Bunny Flats. Bunny Flats, to my knowledge, has more woo woo-ey hot spots than Sands, but I drive up close to both and ask my Higher Guidance (Heretofore: ‘HG’) to choose and point me the way once there.

The vote from the subtle source(s) is clearly Bunny Flats. So off I go.

Missing 411: Last seen :>

off to nowhere known

I begin heading up the only trail from this main trailhead, and have keep in mind two things—I’m alone. And I have no idea where I’m going. Actually, one more: This is a HUGE fucking mountain! And I’ve seen all of two people around the parking area so far.

I mean, the road up the mountain—gorgeous, lush, and picturesque as anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, goes really high up there. I could barely look right into the expansive mountainous valley for much of it. A bit of a fear of heights has set in in my older years apparently.

Having prayed and called in every one of the Illumined Ones by name, I asked them again (and again) to be with, guide me, show me where they would have me go, and for the love of God, do not let me get lost or hurt. Safe and protected above all. My wife listens to way too much true crime, and we’ve both watched our share of Missing: 411. Shits real. But I told her if I have an opportunity to be whisked away into an Arcturian Plasma Ship, or taken down into inner earth with the Telosians, I might just take it whether eventual return is promised or not. She totally believes me if that tells you anything.

Anyway as I hike my way up, and up, and up, I’m following what I think is a main trail that I quickly realize has no real markers anywhere in sight. The trail also becomes increasingly more faint, and narrow. At many points it blends into rocky, bushy terrain that makes you constantly question if you’re still on the trail, or which way the trail is actually going, vs other kinda-sorta-what-looks-like-it-could-also-be the trail, but maybe not. But maybe. You get the idea.

Several points along the way fearful parts of me pop up. Each time I pause or full on stop, and literally have my HG direct me—left? ‘‘No.’ Straight up this way? ‘No.’ Bear right, follow up that way? ‘Yes.’ I do this countless times, all the while surrendering fear, asking my fearful parts to trust me, and most importantly, trust the higher guides.

no frills Shangri-La

I finally reach an elevation and a point at which I start to intuit that wherever I’m being led to feels close. Then I notice something I hadn’t fully noticed yet.

The silence. Dead silence.

The kind, out in the woods, let alone on a gigantic mountain with no one around, that you could easily totally creep you out to the point of panic. For brief seconds here and there, it nearly did.

Rinse and repeat earlier surrender- ask, believe, receive- formula.

No sooner than I began adjusting to the deafening silence did I come upon a small natural clearing that I just knew was it. This is where I was was supposed to park it. Checked HG: Correct.

3 flights, thousands of miles, and hour drive…to be led here? (Hint: Looks are deceiving!)

I check HG twice to make sure this is where I’m supposed to be. No question. Again and even more pronounced, as I begin to settle in is the deafening, pin drop silence. Not a bird did I see or hear near or far for probably the first twenty minutes. Maybe a bug or two crawled by. That’s it. Otherwise, nothing. Is that normal?

I remember thinking: I’ve never (not?) heard anything this still and silent my life.

Turns out, this was intentional. Or at least, it was being utilized. You’ll know what I mean shortly.

meditation 1

I set up my mat ground cover, unfold my tiny outdoor bleacher seat (strictly for the little back support it provides) and take a few breaths. Again, at this point I notice I’m almost frustratingly distracted by the absolutely deafening silence. Unreal.

Then my head starts its infinity symbol wobbling and were off and running. My host for this sit, I could sense, but checked and was confirmed: My Gateway Guide, Saint Germain. Just like I do at home, when I sit for my personal work (meditation/opening to channel spirit communions), I ask what the lesson/nature/purpose of the sit/the work is each time. I’ve gotten pretty good at bringing that through. Here I was striking out…until I surrendered to…whatever it is it is.

Then came to me that this sit was to be an exercise in…you may have guessed it, embracing and bathing in the silence. In the “Be Still and Know That I AM,’ to be specific.

Spirit, your guides, can and will either create or utilize anything and everything available. (Just like the Adversary/False Light will).

This sit went on an unusually long time it felt like, and was far deeper, more expansive, more quietly powerful than any in recent memory. My mind was nearly completely still, open and receptive throughout, which is definitely not always the case.

If this was it for today I would been satisfied. To commune with Saint Germain like this, up on Shasta, the origin point of his presence and initial offerings back in the 1930s, and especially after the Closer to Home transmission received from him yesterday @ McCloud Falls. But there was more to come. After this sit concluded, I wandered around a bit, marveled at the views up there, and took a few pics, then felt called to return to the chair.

meditation 2

For this sit my host was a ‘light being.’ Interdimensional in nature. That’s all I could gather. The nature/purpose was about coming online with clairaudience, or a clear hearing faculty.

This has been on the docket for a while as several different guides in my sits over the weeks leading up to the trip came in with the same task. What all they’re doing—installing spiritual hardware, tweaking my neurology, psychological prep, downloading an instruction manual, no idea. When it will fire up, when and how it will be available- just for channeling, other times, all the time, no clue. To date I remain, technically, a clairsentient/claircognizant. But since the voice channeling kicked in (officially, and unexpectedly on Mothers Days this past year), in a kind of conscious, intuitive, mental mediumship type way, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t requested, if it be the will, to be able to audibly hear the voice/vibrations/frequency of the guides transmit through me. Time will tell.

Otherwise this light being-guided sit was pleasant, but unremarkable. I take none of it for granted. Just no big bells and whistles in this one.

meditation 3

For this last sit on the mountain today, my guide was Lady Master Nada. Like the others, she’s come through many times for me over the last years of my unfolding initiation process. LMN is considered to be a beautiful Ascended Master, written about in the first two Saint Germain-related books (Unveiled Mysteries, The Magic Presence). Nada—meaning nothing—refers to her great humility. She’s said to be the twin flame (Divine Feminine counterpart) of Jesus/Yeshua, which also makes her essentially synonymous, soul wise, with Mary of Magdala.

The nature and purpose of this sit I get is, again, the clairaudience. This one started off in the normal way. Steady, relaxed infinity symbol shaped head movement. Before long I noticed when my head would angle left, it would stop, ear over shoulder for longer than normal. It seemed like my guide was working out the tight spots in my neck, which often occurs, presumably to help me stay loose and pain free due to all the head movement that for whatever reason is how this all psycho-energetically works through me.

Then, once there was an extra physical release in my neck, my head would began rotating around backwards in full rotation, clockwise, gently, seemingly until it was clear that this could occur without discomfort. This hasn’t happened in years, since the very beginning when this energy came upon me, and the head movement were sometimes wild, fast, and severe. Next thing I know, my head is rotating around in circles clockwise with increasingly intensity and intensity and velocity…then slowing down…then counterclockwise. Repeat. And the visceral energy begins ramping up until my entire body is buzzing—somewhat comparable to the first activation via the Lyran energy on day one @ Lake Siskiyou, which you may have read about in PT1. And like that, I believe this was am activation of some kind.

As this goes on, I suddenly feel compelled to raise my right hand. The hand holding my palm-sized, Violet Flame-charged amethyst crystal above me up to the sun. I just knew I must without knowing why. No sooner than I do this does my entire right arm begin rotating with increasing intensity—clockwise (in opposition to my head)—then counterclockwise, after my head starts rotating clockwise! What the…?! All I can tell you is I know I wasn’t voluntarily, consciously doing this. I’m that guy that can’t easily rub my belly while tapping my head, so no way!

And like in the Siskiyou Lake heart-blasting open energy infusion, I then became filled with an exuberant joy and start audibly laughing out loud at the zaniness. And I swear, once I started laughing I had the distinct sense that LMN was laughing right along with me. What crazy bliss! No Molly required :>

If someone had happened upon me (which two guys did after it calmed down), they might of thought I was having a seizure in the midst of a psychiatric crackup. Then again, this is Mt Shasta. Not the first non-ordinary event to take place out here, and won’t be the last.

As this wound down, as my propeller head and spinning right arm head came to a stop, I just sat taking it all in. I then thought about what the location had to do with the difference, the quality of these sits, as compared to at home. I asked LMN whose energy was clearly still present, about this location. Why this spot? Significance? A portal or vortex? The response was unequivocally: Yes.

I ask, wait, then perceive the word Venusian in my minds eye. I check for accuracy. It’s confirmed, this spot is some kind of Venusian Portal. I then inquire about about the light being that came in for the prior sit. Unsurprisingly, a Venusian Light Being that was.

Marveling at all this for a while during a bit of shavasana on my back, it became clear that this was it for today’s supernatural shenanigans on the mountain. I went back to *town to browse and regroup.

A Venusian Portal? That’s what I got.

And now I know why, despite my original vision for this trip, I was meant to go out alone to the Flats. That’s probably part of why it didn’t work out with my original guide. And perhaps why the mountain road didn’t re-open until my guided stuff on day one and two was complete.

Mysterious ways, always. (Something my last day out there only served to underscore).

Later, on the way back to my hotel, had the distinct feeling I was being nudged to sit again. So I did. My host was Saint Germain again. Believe it or not, these sits tend to energize, rather than deplete. So I was game. In this sit I was psychically immersed in brilliant violet colors in my mind right out of the gate. And the nature/purpose of this one was, apparently, to energetically upload me with Violet Transmuting Flame energy.

I’ll take it. What a day.

In an effort to keep these as bite size as possible, I’ll save the events of the next day, my last, for a PT4.

In the meantime,

Peace, Venusian Light, Deafening Silence and Stillness, and Supernatural Seizures…

I AM,

Chris Hancock, LCSW, ACMHP

Franklin, TN

www.therapyoutsidethebox.com / @therapyoutsidethebox

chris@therapyoutsidethebox.com

615.430.2778

*P.S….found this is in the local gift shop…

Taking bets on whether you think I bought these or not :)

Magical Journey to Mt Shasta (PT2)

Fresh off my first opportunity to begin integrating the downloads, activations, codes and energetic infusions I experienced at Mt Shasta (with the help of an interdimensional feminine and masculine Avatar, yesterday and today, respectively) this piece covers day two of my magical journey.

Enjoy!

8/25/23 - Destination # 1

I met up with Roxy, my intrepid guide this morning at the Gateway Peace Garden, a private residence turned outdoor shrine to symbolizing world peace and providing a gathering place for proponents.

The Peace Garden has a God Pole, a Peace Pole, a Mother Mary labyrinth, a Mary Garden, prayer flags all around, and Quan Yin circle. Quan Yin is the great Goddess and Mother of Compassion. A beautiful expression of the Divine Mother, associated with eastern/oriental spiritual traditions. Quan Yin, along with both Mary’s and others have been communing with me in my personal sits (and more recently in my work) for a few years now. So much of what takes place in my Spiritual Healing offering is led by Divine Feminine forces, so what a joy to visit this heavily Div Fem-loaded place and kick off day two here. I had it on my list anyway. And since the main mountain road was still closed as of that morning, perfect.

We walked the labyrinth, set intentions, prayed, and then settled in for another crystal alchemy singing bowl-assisted activation in the Quan Yin garden, which felt right to both of us.

If day one started off with an heightened energetic bang (See PT1 if you missed that), today was with an observant calm. A slow burn. Equally as wonderful.

Roxy got her bowls and invocations going. As I entered into a reverent state and setteled into a meditation, my head starts its infinity symbol movement and I right away get that, unsurprisingly, my/our host for this session is Quan Yin.

It was a lovely sit, if otherwise unremarkable. Save for at one point the energy, likely enhanced by the intensity and vibration of the crystal bowls and the power and significance of the spoken word activation, seemed to really ramp up. The velocity of my involuntary head movement (PT3 foreshadowing…) then got so intense that I actually lost upright balance and fell backwards. I was seated of course, so it was more humorous than anything. Oh the hazards of woo woo work :>

We wrapped up the Peace Garden visit with another walk through and I wrote a prayer on one of the cloths and hung it on the fence which people have been doing since the garden was built. What a beautiful place.

Check out these pics…

Peace Central

Quan Yin Circle

Mary Labyrinth

Closer Mary View

Peace Pole

Peace Banner

Destination # 2

We leave the Peace Garden and head out to McCloud Falls. This is one powerful, magnificent waterfall with a high cliff where a tour group of teens were jumping off into the basin below. Needless to say, at age 53, I declined the cortisol spike routine.

We crawled our way through the rocky, hilly, slippery wet terrain to get as close to the main wall of rushing water as possible. Roxy got in and swam around, which impressed (and mildly emasculated me, I’ll admit) cause that shit was fucking freezing. Instead I got to as near the center of the falls without being right under it to take in the power and energy.

McCloud Falls is, like so many places at Mt Shasta, a know energetic hotspot.

I get situated standing in a secure areas on a rock, say a few prayers, give thanks for this natural wonderland and express gratitude for being at this majestic mountain. I remember feeling a mild trance-like state come on while standing and staring at the rushing cascades and just hanging out in a state of being ‘open to receive.’ That calm but steady kind of hydra power is naturally trance inducing, I’ll say.

Next thing I know I perceive a download/transmission coming on. A mental impression of this exact sentence then arrives in my psyche:

“You are closer to home than you’ve ever been before.”

I check with my higher guidance for discernment and clarification in the quick and dirty way [the ‘Holy Discernment’ gift I was graced with years back that came in the form of an always available subtle head nod- up for yes/true, left/right for no/false, to any query or sustained thought]. This was my own thought?: ‘No.’ I imagined it?: ‘No.’ A transmission?: ‘Yes.’ From a higher source?: ‘Yes.’ Perceived/received correctly?: Then the quick run through the usual suspects- guides, masters, angel collectives etc and the affirmative on the source of delivery is my gateway guide, Saint Germain.

I stood there taking that in for a good while.

I’ve been and will continue to ponder what exactly this means to me, as it can obviously be interpreted in more ways than one. At the least, I take it as a confirmation that I was indeed called to the mountain. And that I’ll likely be coming back.

This is why guides out here like Roxy, herself called to/by the mountain, typically greet tour-ees with “Welcome home.”

McCloud Falls, cite of a download from Saint Germain

McCloud Falls view from above, with sun codes a plenty

Since we spent a considerable amount of time at the Peace Garden and McCloud Falls (plus the travel time to get to the Falls), this was it for my time with Roxy. We left there and she promised to text with ideas, other destinations and magic places to consider and over my next two days.

After heading back to the town of Mt Shasta to browse and buy a few books, crystals and stuff, I decided to head back to Castle Lake. I get there, find the path we took out to the spot we worked in, and while searching along the lakes edge, I stumble upon a totally un-phased, totally topless lone sunbather, in all her half-naked exhibitionistic glory, sprawled out on a big flat rock. Hey, it’s California. Apparently, still the 60s there :>

I eventually find the spot where the Ancient Egyptian energy infusion took place. I did a meditation, this one hosted by a Light Being of unknown origin. And wouldn’t you know—this time sans vibration and sound of singing bowls like the day before—a parade of ducks again came waddling right up to me as I silently sat there!

Woo-attracted ducks :>

And for The Divine finale of Day Two….

Just after leaving Castle Lake, as I get to the bottom of the long and winding road, Roxy texts: “The main road to the mountain just re-opened!”

My heart leapt with joy!

If you missed this in PT1, the day I arrived I found out the main road to the mountain—the one to the very spots I had staked out to go to for my last two days solo— got shut down due to mud slides. I prayed, politely requesting intervention if it was the will of the Divine that I get to access the places where Saint Germain was said to have appeared in August of 1930, and to be led to some of the notorious portals and vortexes in and around Bunny Flats and Panther Meadows.

I check my HG on this and it is confirmed. Divine orchestration indeed at play here.

No words.

*Can it get any better?

In PT3 I’ll be sharing about my solo expeditions at Bunny Flats on day three, and Panther Meadows on day four.

(*SPOILER ALERT: IT GOT BETTER).

Until then,

Peace Gardens, Divine Mothers of Compassion, Ducks, Topless Sunburns, and Divine Interventions,

Chris Hancock, LCSW, ACMHP

Franklin, TN

therapyoutsidethebox.com / @therapyoutsidethebox

chris@therapyoutsidethebox.com

615.430.2778

Magical Journey to Mt Shasta (PT 1)

I think this is going to be a 3, possibly 4 part series to keep it from being the world’s longest blog post hardly anyone will read :> PT 1 here is about what all led to the decision to go, and my experiences on day one which started off with quite a bang. The next installments will likely be more concise.

Quick caveat: If you’re not familiar with me, or the type of phenomena described herein, you’ll likely arrive one of two polarized conclusions. 1) Some combination of: I get it/I’m inspired/I gotta go to Mt Shasta/I might want to work with this guy. 2) This dude flipped his lid. Delusional. He has no business working as a mental health professional. Fair. No contest. Truth is, I probably flipped my lid a long time ago. Multiple times. Might have even come out my sweet mama’s womb flipped. Just probably not in the way you may have been programmed to believe or interpret such a concept. As for me, my only regret is how long it took me to break the shackles of consensus reality conditioning, dissolve associated fear, inhabit courage, and fully, proudly wave my freak flag. How I look at it now is that I’ve gone nearly completely sane. In any case, I’m good with whatever you take from this, and what you may determine about yours truly. Perception is reality. And we see things as we are. Through a glass darkly, until we shed the meat suit. And even then, who knows.

Mostly, I’m writing this for documentation of my Mt Shasta experience. And, to attempt to convey what can happen when, with a little curiosity, faith and wonder, one opens up to a possibilistic view of life. And to the endless generosity, availability (but for the asking), infinitely pure love, grace and mercy of the Godhead; of the spirit world at large, and all that lies beyond the boundaries of 3D constructs.

Enjoy!

CALL OF THE MOUntain

As with lot of other sacred spaces around the world, as they say, the Mountain calls you.

Knowing even the little bit I did about the root chakra of the earth, as Native Americans deemed Mt Shasta, when I first heard this phenomena of being (psychically) called to it, I was intrigued. Then about 4 months ago, things about it started popping up everywhere. Including looking up one day while driving to see a tow trailer in front of me with SHASTA in big bold letters on the interstate as I’m literally pondering and deliberating deliberating about taking the trip, and mildly stressing about the expense, leaving my family, etc. I mean, what?

Before that were minds-eye visions, a dream of being there, then finally more than one channeled conformational message at the conclusion of recent meditations/spirit communions.

It was at that point that I knew the Mountain does in fact call us to her. Some say she’s calling us home. I now actually have one concrete reason to believe this as well, which I’ll mention in PT 2.

There’s even a Gaia documentary entitled Call of the Mountain, largely based on the experience of one who calls himself Paul of Venus, a Mt Shasta spiritual tour guide.

When I answered the call, I booked a tour of the mountain’s notorious hotspots—to get a feel for the various legendary interdimensional inner earth (not flat earth, inner earth. See: Agartha, Telos, purported connection to Lemuria, Atlantis) and other portals and vortexes, with Paul. Somehow, come two days before departure it got entirely screwed up on his electronic scheduling side, so it never come to pass. But as I surrendered the entire trip and everything about it to The Divine and my guides/higher guidance (heretofore ‘HG’), I concluded it was not meant to be with him. Fortunately, I had a second guide lined up, so I doubled up with her, and all was well.

No doubt

Saint Germain connection

Given that my post-Dark Night of the Soul/awakening-initiation ‘gateway guide,’ or ‘Ascended Master of Ceremonies,’ as I comically think of it, is Saint Germain (not just him, but he’s the main), the immortal Master Alchemist, Avatar of Aquarius, and purveyor of the Violet Transmuting Flame, loosely associated with the Rosicrucianism and Theosophy (Read: ‘Divine Union’) whose entire esoteric legacy begins with his documented appearance on Mt Shasta back in the 1930s, from which followed a series of dictations, books, and an entire ‘I AM’ movement, it made sense that I would get the call.

Perhaps even more sense that it would come just shortly after voice channeling came online, coinciding with the roll out of my 100% spirit-guided offering: A Spiritual Healing approach which is essentially an extension of my personal spirit communion/opening-to-channel odyssey that I was recently nudged to begin incorporating into my work. I was also instructed to name it: Multidimensional Divine Light Transmission. A mouthful, I know.

Anyway I figured going to the mountain would only stand to enhance this process, my work, and personal initiation odyssey in general. So why not go? But I had subtle misgivings. And then came a Divinely-inspired idea (i.e. download) as to how to generate additional means one day (something I never would have considered) to make the decision easier budget wise. Needless to say, I followed through on it. And it delivered even more than anticipated. Upon returning home, a generous, unanticipated check was waiting. And wouldn’t you know, the sum total of this means-generating idea covered the entire expense of the trip, almost to the dollar.

Ask, Believe, Receive, once again.

prep

In anticipation of heading out, I did my best to let go all expectations and attachments outcomes; to surrender, as mentioned, the entire journey to The Divine and my guides. As you’ll see, I was not disappointed. And neither would you be if you’re so inspired to set up some complete surrender experiments. For me, that’s how this whole Outside the Box thing happened. That is, after nearly completely losing my mind and regaining a new and improved one following an insidious, near ten year DNOTS/burnout/midlife/existential crisis. I’m so beyond grateful for it now there aren’t even words. Because I’m now virtually totally free of fear and doubt (discernment yes, doubt, no)—especially with regard to being cared for and led but for the asking by a veritable army of higher sources, as well as about how I’m viewed by others/the outside world. My life, my work, and everything else has only gotten exponentially more beautiful, secure, connected, fulfilling, and magical since surrendering completely to a divinely guided life path. It can for you, too. This Universal law does not discriminate.

And as I wrote on my About page somewhere, if the Devil and his minions are pulling one over on me, they’re doing a helluva shitty job.

arrival

So I flew out on August 23rd, drove the hour from Redding to Shasta, and was completely awestruck by the first few glimpses of the mountain as I neared my destination. Got a good nights sleep, and bright and early the next morning meet up with my human guide, Roxy Ghoriashy.

To her great credit, and my infinite gratitude, this lady saved the day by rearranging her schedule to take me out on my first day there after my previously scheduled tour with Paul of Venus fell through. A sprightly woman of Persian decent with a notable lisp, Roxy arrived dressed like a cross between a Pixie, Barbara Eden in I Dream of Genie, and Vina, the dancing ‘Green Lady’ from that original Star Trek episode (minus the full body green paint). I’d expect no less from a modern mystic, starseed, galactic light language speaker, crystal alchemy singing bowler, author of a book of poetry titled I Am Cosmic Stardust, and Mt Shasta spiritual tour guide, herself was called the Mountain and never left.

My kind of people, apparently :>

8/24/23 - destination #1

I find out the road to the actual mountain was closed due to recent mudslides, which temporarily bummed me out until I remembered and recommitted to all according Divine plan. I said a prayer for the highest and best good to come to pass regarding this. We instead today head to some of the surrounding lakes and waterfalls, themselves notorious energetic hotspots. Roxy’s view, and that of many others, is that the entire mountain and the natural wonders surrounding it are all active containers of ancient and interdimensional energy, vortexes and portals, etc. All we need do is approach with intention to connect to and experience this energy, be open to receive/perceive, and assist with reverent prayers, rituals, activations, and engage a meditative state. I’m down.

We start at a spot along Lake Siskiyou. The view of the mountain from there is breathtaking. We get a little acquainted, get grounded, and prepare for a meditation. Roxy begins an invocation that organically morphs into light language. When you first hear light language spoken, it’s bizarre sounding. Indecipherable, and probably sounds like gibberish to most. After all, it’s said to be a native cosmic/galactic culture language transmission, so of course it’s not going to sound familiar. All I know is I’m intrigued when I hear it.

In this case, to my surprise, it seemed to initiate something entirely beyond mere intrigue.

Not 3 minutes after the light language portion commenced, I started feeling something distinct, mainly in my chest. It quickly escalated in waves into a palpable, powerful energetic heart expansion/opening as if something extremely powerful, pure and immensely loving was arising from deep within my heart cavity, yet clearing being initiated from without.

From there, waves and waves of an oscillating, full body energy immersion took place. How, what, why, caused by what exactly I did not know. I tried to stay out of my head and just experience it. And there was nothing in me that didn’t welcome it, and it literally felt other-worldy (a clue). Then an intensely beautiful escalating wave of pure joy and ecstasy took me to the brink, to the point that I remember telling my guide I thought I might burst into tears. She said she might cry if I did! We laughed and went with it.

It was at this point, perhaps partially to forestall erupting into tears, I thought to check with my HG on what/who is responsible for this sensation? I quickly run through my punch list of the higher guides, holy ones, masters, angels and various galactic collectives that have connected with me over the last years—as well as those fabled ancient cultures (Lemurians, Telosians, etc) and galactic /cosmic cultures long associated with Mt Shasta (Arcturians, Pleiadeans, etc). I get no immediate hits.

Not one to give up, I keep checking, and suddenly get a ‘yes’ on Lyran. Yes, this was Lyran collective cosmic energy, according to my HG. According to some Lyra, in the constellation of Vega (I think), is the origin point of multidimensional life in the Universe. Lyrans are considered cosmically to be a most ancient galactic culture, and super high frequency Star Beings. They’re also said to be Feline—lion beings—by some white lions and lioness Gods and Goddesses of pure love, peace, and light. There’s allegedly also a Lyran Avian culture, but my hit was on Lyran Feline energy infusing me here with pure heart blasting love and joy. I’ll take it.

I shared this with Roxy and then suddenly felt the need to get up, move my body, and disperse the energy. I half regret this now, wondering, how long might it have lasted if I hung in there and let it do its thing? Where else would it have gone? What else might have happened? Oh well. In any case, wow, what a way to kick it off.

Most unexpected.

Shasta over Lake Siskiyou

destination #2

We find a perfect spot right along the edge of Castle Lake. It being a weekday, presumably, just like at Siskiyou, hardly anyone in sight. Roxy set up her crystal alchemy bowls and we settle in for a singing-bowl vibration/tone assisted light code activation meditation. I didn’t ask specifics because it didn’t feel necessary. The setting was serene and alive, and the vibe thus far with my intrepid guide on point. And after what I had just viscerally experienced, why question?

Castle lake, the lore about it, is that it’s situated literally on top of an ancient Lemurian crystal castle. Meaning, there’s said to be active post-destruction Atlantean/Lemurian (See: Rudolph Steiner, Edgar Cayce) second and third root race defectors alive and well, living under Castle Lake. This is connected to the mythos of the earths far reaching, hidden inner world known as Agartha, said to be inhabited by an Agarthan culture, as well as more interdimensionally by Telos/Telosian culture, as well as it being connected to portals/gateways for other more conventionally galactic interdimensional positive polarity/benevolent “ET’s” such as Arcturians, Pleiadeans, and Venusians.

That out there enough for you?

Whether fact or fiction, mythic/woo woo legend or possible mystical non-consensus reality paradoxical truth along the lines of Neils Bohr’s famous statement about your theory is crazy but not crazy enough to be true, I don’t know. But I’m a possibilist, so I’ll leave it there. Reader decide.

Once the invocation, activation and crystal bowl tones got going, a parade of ducks come right up to us, presumably responding to the tone and vibrations of the bowls echoing across and throughout the lake. That was interesting. I don’t think I’ve seen ducks swim up toward humans outside of ponds where they’ve grown accustomed to being fed.

Then I soon start feeling some kind of energy. And energy that felt distinctly other, and good. Serious. Almost erudite, somehow. But safe, and good.

I suddenly feel moved to leave my on-land meditative perch and get into the lake. Once in the beautiful clean, pure water Mt Shasta is known for, I remember looking out, vibrating along with the singling bowl tones, turn away from my guide, gazing across the lake, and begin fixating upon a particular portion of the mountain. I fall into a peaceful,. reverent, mild trance-like state. No sooner I begin to perceive—more along the lines of mental/cognitive perception or download—Ancient Egyptian energy present with and within me. I mention it to Roxy. She says ‘wow!’ laughs, continues toning the bowls and repeating her ad-lib spoken word activation.

I checked my HG but couldn’t nail down who exactly was with me. Isis? No. Osiris? No. Horus? No. Ra? No. A collective? Yes. That’s the most I could get. Fair enough. I go with it.

I suppose sense can be made as to why I connected with Egyptian energy, and why here and now in this place, at least given the reputed galactic origin of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. And the connection between the Ascended Masters I’m in communion with and the ancient Egyptian Mystery Schools, and Temples of Initiation at Luxor where many a Master including Yeshua/Christ was said to be instructed and initiated during his apparent missing years (roughly 15-32).

Anyway, next thing I know I’m downloading that I-my soul-this soul-lived a (past) life in ancient Egypt. Which of course reminds me right away of my last psychedelic experience (5grms of Guadalajara mushrooms last October) where I spend a good deal of time in a trippy ancient Egyptian setting after being rebirthed into the womb of Gaia via a hedgehog (reminiscent of the Egyptian Hedgehog Goddess Abaset).

And that was it, just that. Transmission/download complete, followed by an incredible wave of pure bliss. Different from the blissful, joyful waves just experienced at Siskiyou, but amazing nonetheless. Comparable to a sense of relief at having just been handed a key, or key piece of the puzzle.

Once before in a healing session with someone who would bring through intuitive past life impressions, the same thing was interpreted to me. That I was the brother or son of a pharaoh in ancient Egypt, or something. It meant little at the time, and this person turned out to be problematic, so I had written it off. But this is harder to dismiss. I don’t generally put a lot of energy into the past life thing, but, coming the way it did here, and because this entire trip was destined, I’m inclined to give it a extra credence.

In any case, given the purported connection between Ancient Egypt the fabled Lemurian and Atlantean civilizations, galactic/cosmic cultures, and Mt Shasta, perhaps this is how I was meant to perceive it.

Pure Bliss in Castle Lake

Roxy preparing for crystal alchemy bowl light code activation @ Castle Lake

Destination #3

On quite a high from the experiences at both lakes, we head over to our last location for the day, Faery Falls. Faery Falls is well known in the woo woo circles to have a strong Arcturian energy connection, and to generally be a vortex-type spot in its own right.

Faery Falls is beautiful. Not huge, remote, but ethereal and definitely earthy-elemental in that fairy and gnomish kind of way. We didn’t do any kind of activation or ritual in this locale. We just got in there, frolicked around in the water, leaned up against the ‘Arcturian wall,’ invoked, prayed, and soaked up the energy.

I took a few pics a brief videos at the outset, and my guide took more while there. It was a peaceful, connected, joyful experience all its own.

I’ll finish this [PT 1] out with a few choice pics that paint an interesting picture of possible energetic/spiritual phenomenon photographically evident. No downloads, heart-openings or other wildly visceral experience like in the previous locations. Just a blissful time wading in the cascading water of the falls, and continuous curiosity about what can be seen in the images captured, posted below.

Violet Flame of Saint Germain + Plasma orb?

Violet Flame?

Roxy looks at this yellow band as light code. My HG identifies it as Sirian.

Yellow orb?

Giving thanks and signing off for the day…

We departed Faery Falls and bid each other adieux for the day, reconnecting the next for more. That will be the focus of PT 2, while PT 3 will be about my last two days solo out on the mountain with nature, deafening silence, and the presence of multiple higher sources who called me out there :>

In the meantime…

Peace, Feline Being Love, Plasma Orb Energy, and Ancient Egyptian Blessings,

Chris Hancock, LCSW, ACMHP

Franklin, TN

therapyoutsidethebox.com / @therapyoutsidethebox

615.430.2778

chris@therapyoutsidethebox.com

'Psychedelic-Assisted' Psychotherapy?

Repost and a little stream of consciousness commentary related to this article out of the American Journal of Psychiatry entitled “Must Psilocybin Always ‘Assist’ Psychotherapy”? I post it for a few reasons. One is that I’m more and more frequently asked if I offer “psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.” Turns out this means different things to different people. When it means can one can come in to receive therapy while tripping balls (anything other than microdosing), my answer is currently no, and will likely remain no. First, there’s the obvious: No psychedelic but ketamine is currently legal. I’m not set up to administer ketamine, and I’m not down for breaking laws, acting unethically, or losing my license. But more to the point is that I question the value and efficacy of the two modalities conducted concurrently, especially in an office/clinical setting.

As non-traditional as my home office is, and as laid back as I am, it’s still a clinical setting. I still abide by the ethics of my profession. There are also FAR more preferable settings conducive to a mind expanding, transcendent psychedelic medicine experience than ANY office setting, including mine, should someone make their own free will decision to consume psychedelics, legal or otherwise. Especially for the experiencing of organic compounds (psilocybin, for example), I personally would never chose or recommend initiating a macro journey with an organic psychedelic anywhere but out in (or very near) nature, preferably alone, with a carefully selected trip sitter/guide nearby. (See: prior blog post titled ‘Nothing to Fear, Nothing to Doubt’ about my own most recent ‘heroic dose’ experience).

I also don’t really do much traditional therapy anymore. And so what is it I’d be doing while my subject is tripping balls? Because I personally know what that means, I’ll tell you: Nothing! Or next to nothing. Nothing beyond trip sitting. Which means quietly, reverently respecting the process, and staying out of way out of the way as much as possible good sitters do. It means allowing the person to have their experience undisturbed in totality-- good, bad, ugly, confusing, confounding, bizarre, kaleidoscopic, difficult, enlightening, frightening, other-worldly, beautiful— with as minimal interference or suggestion as possible. Little more than occasional, gentle nudges of encouragement to allow, surrender, and maybe a comforting touch and a ‘this too shall pass’ during obviously super rough waters is ever necessary, unless it becomes a full on (and rare) psychiatric or medical emergency situation. Usually this indicates the person was not/did not prepare, over-consumed for their experience level, and/or was not a candidate due to prior psychiatric or medical reasons. Anyway, that’s holding space/ That’s trip sitting. Not therapy. And I’m a therapist, not a trip sitter :>

The point really is this: In my view, there’s no additional ‘therapy’ that need be inserted into a psychedelic medicine journey. Why disrupt and potentially complicate the experience, I ask?

In my view, the therapy is the experience itself—the third element—the idiosyncratic interactional space co-created between the wisdom of the medicine and the person experiencing it.

That’s what the article below seems to suggest as well, albeit in more clinical/research-y language.

As a proponent of mindful, responsible, open-eyed use of psychedelics as healing and consciousness expanding agents when, where and with whom it’s appropriate and freely chosen, as part of my Support for Extraordinary Experience (SEE) specialty, I enjoy helping folks on the front end. This means finding their ‘why,’ assessing for psychiatric rule-outs, exploring myths, realities, hopes and expectations, discerning, deciding, weighing risks, preparing, setting intentions, dose, understanding the necessity of trusting the medicine/surrendering to the experience, and properly setting the stage (set & stetting). I also work with folks in the preparation stage through my Transpersonal approach to Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) where we connect with and hear from any parts of Self with big fears or concerns about the journey, help them trust the Larger Self (and guides, angels, God, etc), then on the back end through follow up processing and integration work post-journey.

I have felt from the get go of the third wave that simultaneous use of psychedelics and therapy are strange bedfellows. Better experienced separately—outside the bookmarks of before-and-after preparation and post-journey support and integration phases.

My thinking may evolve, but this is where it’s at right now. This article fleshes it out a bit.

Feel free to let me know your thoughts: chris@therapyoutsidethebox.com

Must Psilocybin Always “Assist Psychotherapy”?

Guy M. Goodwin

, F.Med.Sci.,

Ekaterina Malievskaia

, M.D.,

Gregory A. Fonzo

, Ph.D.,

Charles B. Nemeroff

, M.D., Ph.D.

Published Online:12 Jul 2023https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.20221043

Drugs such as psilocybin and many other serotonergic agents can produce a powerful psychedelic experience. It is now commonplace to hear the expression “psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy” or “psychedelic-assisted therapy” when their use in treating mental health conditions is described. Are we clear on what we are trying to describe? Take the definition of psychedelic-assisted therapy offered by a new European organization for psychedelic access and research (1):

The fundamental therapeutic benefit of PAT [psychedelic-assisted therapy] comes from the combination of psychedelic medicine and therapy. The drug is a catalyst for treatment, not a treatment in itself.… In other words, psychedelics’ novel therapeutic value stems from their role as enhancements to a psychotherapeutic process, grounded in a relationship-centered approach, that views mental health through a biopsychosocial lens.

The statement that the drug is a catalyst for treatment, not a treatment in itself, is grounded in an odd dualism. The drug as a medication presumably works on the brain (as a “catalyst”), but there is a separate psychotherapy that it facilitates. That psychotherapy is “relationship centered,” which has usually meant nondirective counseling (Table 1). Ironically, there is no evidence that the conditions being targeted by psychedelics (severe depression, posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], and substance use disorders) are effectively treated by nondirective counseling. More importantly, the statement fails to recognize that the psychological support provided in recent studies of psilocybin is primarily directed to safety—specifically, the preparation and safeguarding of vulnerable people who are submitting to a potentially disorienting experience. They will also be participating in a clinical trial, which requires informed consent and a measure of equipoise. They do not typically receive evidence-based psychotherapy as it is usually understood. Staff with therapy backgrounds may be an excellent choice of personnel to provide the necessary and essential support, but it is an open question how far their efforts enhance efficacy rather than simply ensuring, as is intended, psychological and physical safety. Such safety creates optimal conditions for patients to be immersed in the psychedelic experience.

[TABLE 1. The major studies of psilocybin treatment in major depressive disorder (MDD), treatment-resistant depression (TRD), and alcohol use disorder (AUD), and of MDMA for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)]

It is important to get this right, because regulatory bodies are asked to approve drugs with a defined efficacy and safety, not psychotherapies. Indeed, the drug effect can only be established unambiguously if psychological support is available largely to ensure safety and is applied in a stereotyped way, whatever the drug dose. Any complex interaction with a therapist during the active drug experience clearly complicates interpretation of treatment outcomes; therapist expectations could create conditions ripe for mutual unblinding and the amplification of demand characteristics. Additionally, the harms that can result from the interactions between therapists and patients during a psychedelic experience may not be fully appreciated. Unregulated psychotherapy practice regularly leads to ethical violations (2). The risk that such practice could become the natural partner in “psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy” has been highlighted recently (3). There is therefore nothing to be gained by exaggerating the role of psychotherapy in deriving benefit from the psychedelic experience.

The confusion may lie in large part in the medical history of the drugs that produce psychedelic effects. In the 1950s, virtually all influential psychiatrists in the United States had undergone psychoanalysis and spoke the language of psychodynamic psychotherapy. When Sandoz Laboratories made lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) available to them, the package insert stated that it was to be “used in analytical psychotherapy to elicit release of repressed material and to provide mental relaxation.” The recommended dose was stated to vary greatly from patient to patient, to be built up in small steps (from 25 micrograms) at weekly visits and to anticipate 7–10 such visits in milder cases and 14–15 in more severe cases. What was described as “proper psychiatric supervision” was deemed essential because of the potential for adverse reactions. Thus, the recommendation was explicitly to use relatively low doses of LSD as an aid to psychotherapy, or as a psycholytic, to use the terminology of the time.

However, from early on in the medical use of LSD, there was a competing tradition that used much higher doses and produced states that were intrinsically less amenable to formal interaction with a therapist. The psychiatrist Humphry Osmond, with collaborator Abram Hoffer, had intended to simulate the negative impact of delirium tremens to deter patients’ harmful substance use. In fact, the subjective effects were both positive and therapeutic. Osmond coined the term psychedelic (meaning mind manifesting) for the effects produced by the range of drugs now known to act at the 5-HT2A and other serotonergic receptors (4).

The need for a supportive companion had a different emphasis from the psychotherapeutic interaction implied under the influence of drug in the psycholytic model. In practice, the emphasis came to be placed on preparation, as in development of the right (mind-)set, and an appropriate, safe setting. It is ironic that these innovations are usually attributed to the early influence of Al Hubbard and Timothy Leary. The involvement of these characters, as described in Michael Pollan’s influential 2018 book, How to Change Your Mind: The New Science of Psychedelics (5), marks the evolution of psychedelic interest away from medicine and into the counterculture of the 1960s. The consequence was a loss of credibility and the withdrawal of interest and funding for clinical research. It eventually led to the banning of the drugs for legal use and the end of quality research on their actual value in psychiatry. It drove underground the use of psychedelic experience as a treatment for mental health conditions. The role of psychological support in these circumstances has been interpreted in very different ways since then, from passive support to potentially exploitative participation in a shared experience (and everything in between). The strict distinction between psycholytic treatment and psychedelic treatment appears largely to have been lost, and the two approaches remain elided as “psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy or therapy” to the present day.

The Return of the Psychedelic Model

The reappearance of the psychedelic experience as a mainstream therapeutic asset for patient populations began with an open study of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) using modest doses of psilocybin (6). There followed controlled studies in patients with cancer diagnoses (7–9). Psilocybin at relatively high doses produced typical psychedelic effects, including increased connectedness, visual restructuration, and emotional reexperiencing of past events (10). The focus on cancer patients meant that there were particular claims for effects on the demoralization wrought by imminent death. However, the effects on mood and anxiety were also striking for their rapid onset and large size on standard scales.

While the choice of cancer patients made generalization difficult (11), a pilot study in treatment-resistant depression by the Imperial College London group (12) brought a more conventional focus to the application of psychedelic doses of psilocybin. It demonstrated that the administration of psilocybin (at 10 mg and 25 mg) to patients with moderate or severe depression appeared to be safe and well tolerated. Building on this experience, the COMPASS Pathfinder–sponsored phase 2 study (COMP 001) with investigational drug COMP360 (a proprietary synthetic psilocybin formulation) recruited 233 patients with treatment-resistant depression at 22 sites in 10 countries (13). Patients and sites were largely naive to psychedelics. Effects on mood were immediate and showed a dose-response relationship, with clear separation of the highest dose (25 mg) from the lowest (1 mg), with 10 mg being intermediate. Since expectation and psychological support were equal across doses, psilocybin behaved as an active drug would be expected to behave.

Psychological Support

Preparation is the key function of the sessions leading to drug administration. Why would you not prepare a naive patient for exposure to a drug that can produce an extreme emotional experience, both positive and negative? Moreover, as a patient, how could you not want the person sitting with you in these circumstances to be sympathetic and supportive? How much the timing, content, and intensity of this preparation matter remains open for systematic inquiry. As indicated in Table 1, for the most important studies of psilocybin in major depression, the time devoted to preparation could be as long as 8 hours and as short as 2 hours (9, 12).

On the day of administration, safeguarding requires that there be a responsible person present. It has proved possible to employ a single individual or even a group setting. This is analogous to the requirements for support of other medical procedures, such as cancer chemotherapy, but it is obviously made more complicated by the change in consciousness and the potential for abuse of the patient in an altered state (3). In the COMP 001 trial (13, 14), the therapist was required to remain present and available for support but explicitly to refrain from active guiding or prolonged discussions. If the participant became active or restless, the therapist was to encourage direction of their attention inward. The core principle was to help participants maintain attention on the experience of the present moment and be open to a maximally immersive drug experience.

The data on the impact of integration or debriefing after the psychedelic experience remain scant. Integration was relatively brief in the controlled studies in treatment-resistant depression (two sessions). Furthermore, the dose-related reduction in depressive symptoms was fully developed in responders on the day following treatment (13), and before any integration had taken place. Patients can also describe the emotional breakthroughs achieved by the treatment at this stage. A scale measuring emotional breakthrough (the Emotional Breakthrough Inventory) (15) predicts the reduction in depressive symptom severity several weeks later (16). Thus, there is little room for inference from existing studies of a major effect of integration, the element of the total treatment that most obviously entails patient/therapist interaction of the kind generic to psychotherapies. Usually 2–3 hours is allotted to integration, but sometimes the duration is not clearly specified. The methodology for integration is described as nondirective in most cases and usually is not specified in a manual.

The role of integration, and indeed of additional psychotherapy of other kinds, is, in our opinion, still an open and very interesting question. It may be important, again from a safety perspective, to assess patients for unusual persistent beliefs or the impulsive intention to make drastic changes in their lives (for example, in their wills or in other major financial decisions). In addition, the experience is so unusual that psychedelically naive patients just want to talk to someone who has seen others in this state before. It is the assumption of many therapists that integration is crucial to efficacy (17). The complexity they see in the process implies much more work than is possible in two integration sessions. But, alternatively, a more systematic use of behavioral activation or cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in the time immediately after the psychedelic experience might capitalize on the fertile state that hypothetically results from the increase in synaptic plasticity seen in animals and implied by EEG changes in humans (18–20). Indeed, studies that formally seek to determine whether psychedelic treatment augments the efficacy of evidence-based psychotherapy might include trauma-focused CBT or cognitive processing therapy for PTSD. The recent trials of psilocybin for alcohol and tobacco use disorders (21, 22) wove in CBT/motivational enhancement therapy approaches alongside the psychological support model (23). An automated training intervention was found to extend the efficacy of ketamine (24). These approaches add many additional hours of therapy time (see Table 1 for an example in alcohol use disorder). However, their incremental benefit is currently unclear because of a lack of necessary comparators. Supported by rigorous randomized clinical trials, they offer a glimpse into how psilocybin may fit into conventional evidence-based treatment programs once its efficacy and safety have been confirmed at scale for regulatory approval. They are not comparable with the approach employed so far to achieve regulatory approval.

How Does a Psychedelic Experience Work as Antidepressant Treatment?

Psychedelics facilitate powerful experiences that may drive compelling narratives through emotional breakthrough—this is what psychotherapists often aspire to achieve in a prolonged course of psychotherapy. However, this resemblance does not necessarily imply equivalence or a common mechanism. Even if the psychedelic experience results in a change of cognitive schemas and is the mechanism of recovery, is it sensible to describe this as psychotherapy if it is driven by a psychopharmacological intervention under supportive conditions?

The psychedelic experience is produced most consistently by serotonergic agonists. Its intensity correlates with 5-HT2A receptor occupancy, and it is associated with impressive changes in connectivity between brain areas, as seen with functional MRI both under drug and subsequently (25–27). Persisting effects on brain biochemistry and connectivity have also been described in animals (28). The dose-effect relationship seen in treatment-resistant depression with psilocybin lends itself well to a pharmacological explanation. The details are yet to translate into a definitive theory of drug action because the biological basis of depression remains poorly specified, but the comparative pharmacology of serotonergic agonists and other fast-acting drugs, such as ketamine, is already intriguing (29).

MDMA

The use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) for the treatment of PTSD appears intermediate between the psycholytic and psychedelic approaches and has commonly, and correctly, been described as assisting psychotherapy. It entails longer patient-therapist contact over multiple sessions with and without drug (Table 1). It clearly raises multiple concerns about whether the drug effect per se is distinguishable. However, MDMA’s effects—notably increased empathy and sociability—should be distinguished from the psychedelic experience (10). The manual used in the recent trials clearly implies significant active interaction between patient and therapist, albeit with an “inner-directed” approach that allows spontaneous material to emerge as a manifestation of drug effect (30). Such interaction between patient and therapist during the MDMA experience has inevitably raised ethical concerns because of the vulnerable state of the patient (2, 31). Undoubtedly it makes sense to speak of a psychotherapy being assisted by a drug if the psychotherapy is itself a stand-alone treatment and it is simply delivered under the influence of the drug.

Conclusions

High doses of serotonergic agonists produce characteristic changes in states of consciousness by actions on the serotonergic system of the brain. The experience is dose related and largely involuntary. The psychedelic experience requires preparation, informed consent, and support during drug administration for reasons of safety. While the experience appears to be therapeutic for depressed patients, it has not been shown to be a psychotherapy as normally understood. Hence it does not provide “psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.” Indeed, psychedelic states are largely incompatible with the interactions of conventional psychotherapy. To understand the actions of existing and future drugs with psychedelic properties, regulators are likely to prefer psychological support to be focused on safety, not efficacy. In no way does this difference in emphasis diminish the importance of such support for the development of the approach.

The effects of a psychedelic experience on depressive symptoms can be long-lasting (32), and long-lasting effects have been achieved in existing studies without much time being spent on integration of the experience. The role of integration has enjoyed a strong traditional emphasis without systematic study of how much it really matters. Moreover, the nondirective approach has historical resonance but may not be optimal. If the postpsychedelic state is one in which the brain is more plastic (20, 33), there may be scope for innovation in the use of a range of focused psychotherapies, additional conventional antidepressant drugs, or even neurostimulation for specific clinical indications. These additional treatments may eventually be described as psychedelic-preceded therapies.

Finally, drug doses matter. Lower doses of serotonergic agonists will be compatible with simultaneous conventional psychotherapy, but the doses may necessarily be sub-psychedelic. Will it then be logical to describe the approach as “psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy”? In our view, it will not, unless we choose to use the term “psychedelic drug” as a category. This would be an error of the kind of that led to the naming of drug classes by indication rather than mode of action (34).

In summary, “psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy” does not capture the true mechanism of change facilitated by psychedelic experience. The effects observed thus far in the best controlled studies of psychedelic treatment must be attributed to the drug itself and not to psychotherapy. In the case of psilocybin, for example, let us say simply “psilocybin treatment.” To continue to use the “PAT” phrase at this stage risks confusing and impeding the development of serotonergic agonists as medications at psychedelic doses. We can think more clearly without it.

COMPASS Pathways Plc, London (Goodwin, Malievskaia); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin (Fonzo, Nemeroff).

Send correspondence to Dr. Nemeroff (cnemeroff@austin.utexas.edu).

Dr. Goodwin is emeritus NIHR Senior Investigator and Chief Medical Officer at Compass Pathways; he holds shares and options in Compass Pathways; and he has served as a consultant for Beckley Psytech, Boehringer Ingelheim, Clerkenwell Health, Compass Pathways, EVApharm, Janssen Global Services, Lundbeck, Medscape,Novartis, Ocean Neurosciences, P1vital, Sage Therapeutics, Servier, Takeda, and WebMD. Dr. Malievskaia is co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Compass Pathways. Dr. Fonzo receives research support from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, NIH, and the One Mind–Baszucki Brain Research Fund; he has served as a consultant for SynapseBio AI; and he holds stock in Alto Neuroscience. Dr. Nemeroff has received research support from NIH; he has served as a consultant for AbbVie, ANeuroTech (division of Anima BV), BioXcel Therapeutics, Clexio, EMA Wellness, EmbarkNeuro, Engrail Therapeutics, Intra-Cellular Therapies, GoodCap Pharmaceuticals, Magstim, Ninnion Therapeutics, Pasithea Therapeutics, Sage, Senseye, Signant Health, Silo Pharma, SynapseBio, and Relmada Therapeutics; he has served on scientific advisory boards for ANeuroTech, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, Heading Health, the Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Pasithea Therapeutics, Sage, Signant Health, and Skyland Trail and on the boards of directors for ADAA, Gratitude America, and Lucy Scientific Discovery; he is a stockholder in Antares, Corcept Therapeutics, EMA Wellness, Naki Health, Relmada Therapeutics, and Seattle Genetics; and he is named on patents related to psychiatric treatment.

Multidimensional Divine Light Transmission

“I never said it was possible, I only said it was true”

-Sir William Crooks 1874

Words fail, especially when attempting to describe the ineffable. This most definitely applies to describing a more or less silent, entirely spirit-guided method, like this new Multidimensional Divine Light Transmission process I’m facilitating.

But if you know me at all, you know I got some words. English major. All verbal, no math. So I’ll give it a college try :)

While I work toward formally writing and uploading the web page for this on my site, the following is the summary description as place-holder:

‘Multidimensional Divine Light Transmission is an organic extension of my personal spiritual practice and process. Essentially this is a facilitated mystical experience (FME), whereby a sacred geometrical toroidal/torus field is generated, allowing for co-created immersive contact with one or more emissaries of the Father/Mother Source-God - ‘I AM Presence’ within Christ Consciousness (ex: Seraphim, Elohim, Mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, Melchizedek, Ascended Masters, Benevolent-Positive Polarity Galactic Guides, etc).

This is a 100% higher source/pure consciousness-guided offering. My role in it is simply a grounding force, conduit/bridge, and discernment gate keeper, if you will.

In other words, this is no conventional therapy. Probably not best thought of as a ‘therapy’ at all. Definitely ‘‘off label!’

Examples are what it can be used for are (but not limited to):

-Practice faith, trust and surrender to Divine Will by having/setting no intention save for whatever is in ‘the highest and best good’ to be the objective for the session

-Spiritual awareness and healing in general

-Trauma healing support

-Nervous system & energetic body balancing/attunement

-Higher self embodiment

-Dissolving fear down to the cellular level

-Ancestral/generational pattern releasing

-Emotional, energetic & creative block clearing

-Negative karma dissolution, ascension support

-Ascension support/crystaline light body activation

-Awakening intuition

-Aligning with the frequency of abundance/prosperity consciousness

-Compassionate detachment of foreign entities/energetic parasites (i.e. ‘unattached burdens’)

…Or whatever else you can conceive as long as it’s in your ‘highest and best good.’

Sky’s the limit in terms of application. Because, what can’t Spirit do?

No particular belief or buy-in is necessary as to the actual sources, i.e who/what is doing the work—sometimes referred to as ontological agnosticism. While the felt-sense of the experience varies by person, and can range from the clam-subtle to the visceral-profound, an open mind, state of receptivity, an attitude of awe, reverence, and absence of fear is all that’s required.

A Q&A opportunity often concludes the session, with yours truly doing his best as a new conscious voice channel to bring through clear answers to questions about what took place in the session.

SERVICE IS AVAILABLE NOW, including on a consultation, or ‘a la carte’ basis for those not already working with me and who do not wish to become a formal therapy client. Available in-person, remotely, including soon via virtual small group format.’

multidimensional wha? (ORIGIN OF THE NAME)

Quite a title, huh? A client of mine called it a ‘powerhouse’ of a name. To which I said, ‘What less would we expect from Spirit?!’ What I mean by that is that the name itself was transmitted, i.e. downloaded, in a few parts, after I followed prompts to offer clients the opportunity, at their choosing, of turning over sessions completely to The Divine and seeing what happens.

After a handful of these, and jazzed by what took place, I started feeling and envisioning this as a formal separate offering. I started to think of what to call it and my higher guidance (HG) said not yet. I waited, and within about two weeks, during one of my opening to channel/spiritual initiation meditations, I started to get the downloads. Originally I had it backwards. Then I somehow figured it out :>

‘concrescence’

This is a term I learned from listening to talks by the late psychonautical mad genius Terence McKenna. It essentially means the growing together (of particles, for example). It applies here because MDLT is exactly that—a merging, a coming together of my post-burnout/temporary madness-infused Dark Night of the Soul/Awakening experience cum spiritual initiation odyssey with my professional life/therapeutic modalities. Kinda like the way couples who’ve been together forever start to look alike. Or how dog owners start to look like their pooch, for better or worse :>

I had already been consciously merging my interests, such as with my intuitively-guided Subconscious Heal and Release energy-psychology-based approach, and my psycho-spiritual/transpersonal approach to Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS). But this alchemical ‘concrescence’ came together involuntarily, purely at the behest of spirit. I had no conscious intention to bring what’s been occurring in my personal spiritual journey into the clinical setting in such a direct, hands-off the wheel kind of way. But if I’ve learned anything from the last few years, it’s to trust the Divine/Spirit and my HG implicitly. It will not steer me wrong, and wherever it leads me is most certainly in and for the highest and best good.

guinea pigs

While the vast majority of Therapy Outside the Box clients are at the very least spiritually curious and open-minded. But a few intrepid, seasoned ones were my test pilots for MDLT. And it happened organically. Meaning, as I check in each morning on what’s in the highest and best good from the perspective of Spirit/HG for each, I started to get clear clairsentient/claircognizant nudges to surrender completely by offering entirely spirit-guided sessions that would closely resemble my own personal spiritual process. It was intuitive from there to simply open up the session with invitation/invocation of the highest and holiest (etc), a prayer of protection protocol, hold the violet flame-charged amethyst crystal I was guided to obtain (for grounding of energy), have my client verbalize a specific ask/request, and let higher forces come in and take it from there.

It’s really that simple. It’s basically: invite/invoke, surrender, ask, perceive, receive, let go/go inside, allow, perceive, give thanks.

infinity symbol bobble head

What happens on my end during MDLT is what happens during my personal work. Once whomever comes in as my/our spiritual host/active agent for the session (individual or collective energy, and sometimes more than one), I know we’ve begun by the involuntary action that begins in my body. Specifically, my head, as it begins to wobble back and forth, mostly left to right, in the figure eight-infinity symbol formation.

Back some years ago when I was surrendering like my sanity depended on it (it did) and meditating during the onset of the psychic state of madness I found myself in, asking only for clarity and to be shown a new way forward (in work, life, pretty much everything), how I knew something truly mystical, transpersonal (beyond the self) began to take place was by the onset of this unique (to me) biophysical phenomena. Meaning, while sitting, surrendering and praying for help, my head began involuntarily and intelligently wobbling in the aforementioned shape/formation and never stopped with each successive sit. This corresponded with the perceiving of a few mental downloads—messages that let me know I was being heard, supported, to trust, have faith, etc.

A few months later, I began to notice that my head would begin to involuntarily nod up or down, to signify ‘true/yes,’ or ‘false/no’ at other times, in response to literally anything I’d ask or even think with intention.

This followed from one particular transmission/download during an earlier meditation in which I received the unmistakably clear message:

‘You are being given the gift of Holy discernment.’

I wasn’t sure what that meant at the time, and am still not positive. But after the head nod—like a built-in auto muscle test phenomenon began—it occurred to me that this was likely that referenced gift-in-action. It is in effect a discernment tool. And it comes in pretty handy, I must say.

sacred geometrical toroidial/torus field

Mechanically speaking, Multidimensional Divine Light Transmission appears to work via initiation of a Toroidal Field. This is a physics-based concept, although like the Flower of Life Symbol, it’s been long-associated with metaphysics and sacred geometry. My crude understanding is that MDLT works energetically off the principle of the creation of a toroidal/torus flow field by emanating spiritual/energetic power from Source via whoever the host/guide/agent/collective answers the call. It ‘powers up’ through yours truly as grounding/conduit/bridge, through the recipient, and back up, and around and around it goes until complete.

How do I know this? Only because I intuited and began to see it in my minds eye during the very first few sessions of doing this with my spiritually intrepid guinea pigs. I went searching for what known concepts would help explain this imagery and I knew that many respected healers, energy workers, channelers and medical intuitives report a similar mechanism at play in their work with people. It’s a well worn road, in the metaphysical healing world anyway. And here we are.

flower of life Symbol

The Flower of Life, one of the most beautiful and sacred symbols in existence, and one of the foundational symbols of all sacred geometry, originates in one circle, with all other circles built up around that. It posits and illustrates how all life is part of, and an expression of, a divine, geometric plan. In short, all structures known to us are following this plan. Hence, it’s a symbol that represents and depicts the entire primordial cycle of creation. It encapsulates how all life and consciousness arises from one source (i.e. The Law of One)—the first/original circle.

The next six circles are identical with the cell division process. Therefore, it’s a model of God’s Creation.

You, the reader, are likely familiar with this already. I include this here simply as a reference point for which to consider the toroidal/torus energy phenomenon as flowing from sacred geometry, as all life primordially and conceptually flows from and out of it.

applications

As described above, Multidimenional Divine Light Transmission is 100% spirit/higher source-guided and directed. My role as I understand it is simply a grounding force, to allow the spiritual force and information to flow through me, and to ensure via my own discernment that who/what answers the invitation is of the highest and holiest love and light quality. It’s it’s these highest and holiest emissaries of the Divine, Supreme Beings, Angel Collectives, Ascended and other Masters, Mother Mary, Benevolent/Positive Polarity ETs and others that decide (on a dime apparently) who or what combination or collective is best suited to assist any time we initiate the process. Just as in my own personal initiation work.

Examples of what it can be invoked for are offered in the sample description up top. But even as of this writing, MDLT sessions conducted since that description continue to demonstrate that there is no limit to what Spirit can do (only to what we can perceive and believe). Yet, belief, in any particular thing—including who or what is doing the work—is not even necessary. ‘Ontological Agnosticism,’ and even healthy skepticism is fine.

What we must possess though is an attitude of willingness (free will/freely choose to participate), awe, respect, a little faith doesn’t hurt, surrendering of expectations and outcome, and perhaps most essential, absence of fear. Because as I understand it, no energy/spirit/guide etc aligned with Christ Consciousness/Source is going to override our own will, or proceed when we’re fearful, unhealthily skeptical, etc.

Paradoxically, my last client to experience MDLT asked for help in becoming free of fear! But he had no fear whatsoever about allowing Spirit to work for and through him. At the end I channeled (more below) a response to his questions about what occurred. It was confirmed that he indeed received a spiritual/energetic ‘washing’ (Elohim the active agent in this session)—a cleansing away of fear down to the cellular level. He was as blown away as I was.

Otherwise, what people personally experience ranges from the imperceptible/subtle—a sense of peace of calm at the very least—to the energetically and viscerally epic. The mean (average) is somewhere in between. Much of what is perceived thus far appears to depend at least to some degree upon the spiritual sensitivity, openness and readiness of the recipient. Whether subtle or profound, I wholeheartedly believe the benefits are exactly in accord with what the higher forces who attend deem to be in the highest and best good of the recipient. No less, no more.

channeling componant

My conscious voice channeling is new—newly come on line—although I’ve been in a spirit-guided preparation process for some time. Never did it occur to me that the onset of it would be in the context of my work life!

It technically began on Mothers Day morning of this year, when I initiated this process with my wife who agreed to submit to it in search of clarity/assistance with a massive 8 out of 10 migraine headache. This session, conducted by the Seraphim, brought it down to a manageable 3 in less than an hour, allowing her to continue on with the day’s festivities. At the end, my wife spontaneously asked out loud about the root cause of her migraines and I began to speak to it. No more than 15 seconds in, I found myself saying “wait a minute…I think I’m full-on channeling this response!?” Everything in me affirmed that indeed I was.

All but one MDLT session conducted with my own clients since then (at least 6) have included this Q&A style channeled response to what was experienced and/or what was provided in the session. According to my own HG, my accuracy is somewhere between 85-95% so far. I’ll take it. In the end, this isn’t the most important part. Just a little lagniappe, as they say down in N’Awlins. ‘A litle something extra.’

If YOU are curious about experiencing a 1:1 Multidimensional Divine Light Transmission session on a consultation / a la carte basis, or if you’re interested in joining the INTEREST LIST for the virtual/remote group transmission sessions I plan to launch soon, get in touch!

Likewise, if you’re seeking a therapist in Nashville TN, a therapist in Franklin TN or interested in seeing if were aligned to work together virtually anywhere in the world via the services I offer remotely as part of Therapy Outside the Box, you may email me at: chris@therapyoutsidethebox.com, call me directly @ 615.430-2778 or send a message via my Contact form.

Peace, Love, and MDLT :>

Chris Hancock, LCSW, ACMHP

Franklin, TN

www.therapyoutsidethebox.com

Near-Death-Related Experiences

Repost:

The following is a list-based description, courtesy of IANDS (International Association for Near-Death Studies), an organization in which I maintain membership, of some of the types of Trasnspersonal or potentially Spiritually Transformative Experiences (STEs) that can accompany and/or are related to NDE’s.

Anomalous human experiences are of great personal and professional interest to me as I work with folks who’ve undergone these things as part of my Support for Extraordinary Experience (S.E.E.) subspecialty, listed under Spiritual Support on my website.

Many find it helpful to have names of descriptions of the more unusual things we may encounter in this domain, to help contextualize and normalize that which are not everyday occurrences. Or are they? You might be surprised. I often am, still!

What Are “Related Experiences?”

IANDS’s articles of incorporation indicate that our organization’s focus is “near-death and similar experiences.” Throughout our website, we also refer to “near-death and related experiences.” Although IANDS’s primary focus has been and continues to be near-death experiences (NDEs), the questions arise: What are these similar and related experiences, under what circumstances do they occur, and how do they relate to the term “spiritually transformative experiences” (STEs)?

We begin with a list of three categories of “related and similar” experiences that is inclusive, though not exhaustive. One category is experiences that can occur during NDEs and also outside the context of a close brush with death. These include, but are not limited to:

• Out-of-body experience (OBE) – in which a person experiences their consciousness located and functioning outside their physical body (Tart, 2009),

• Telepathy – in which a person encounters and communicates “mind-to-mind” with another living or transmaterial being (Tart, 2009; Watt & Tierney, 2014),

• After-death communication (ADC) – in which a living person experiences the presence of a physically deceased person or animal (Holden, 2017),

• Past-life memory – in which a person recalls a previous lifetime as a different person or other entity (Mills & Tucker, 2014),

• Precognition – in which a person perceives a future event in the absence of any normal way of predicting it (Tart, 2009; Watt & Tierney, 2014),

• Remote viewing – in which a person visualizes physical events outside the normal range of perception in the absence of any normal way of perceiving them (Tart, 2009),

• Mystical experience – which “diverges in fundamental ways from ordinary conscious awareness and leaves a strong impression of having encountered a reality radically different from the sensory-based world of everyday experience . . . often stand[ing] out as joyous, defining moments in [experiencers’] lives” (Wulff, 2014, p. 370), and

• Anomalous healing of self – in which a person is healed in ways that transcend normal healing processes (Tart, 2009). A second category is experiences that can occur after NDEs—as well as in other circumstances apart from NDEs. These can include the above-listed experiences as well as:

• Anomalous healing of others – in which a person perceives the ability to promote healing in others through other-than-normal means (Krippner & Achterberg, 2014; Tart, 2009),

• Aura viewing – Perceiving white or colored light emanating from people and/or objects,

• Encounter with non-material entities – in which a person perceives the presence of and communication with one or more entities not of the material world, perhaps originally encountered during an NDE, such as light beings and orbs, 1 International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS) I 2741 Campus Walk Ave., Bldg. 500 l Durham, NC 27705 l iands.org

• Encounter with extraterrestrial beings – in which a person encounters beings from other worlds or dimensions (Appelle et al., 2014; Ring, 1993),

• Environmental sensitivity – in which a person is unusually sensitive to aspects of the environment such as chemicals and/or electrical fields (Blalock et al., 2015),

• Exceptional talent – in which a person becomes unusually interested and capable in a skill that previously was of little interest, such as playing and composing music,

• Kundalini awakening – in which a person experiences rushes of energy up the spine along with increased physical heat and perceptions of light, associated with spiritual development (Edwards, 2013),

• Lucid dreaming – in which one is conscious that one is dreaming while one is dreaming (LaBerge & Rheingold, 1991),

• Mediumship – in which a person serves as a medium of communication between a physically deceased person and a living person (Holden et al., 2014; Windbridge Research Center, 2021),

• Psychokinesis – in which a person moves an object or otherwise influences the environment, either intentionally or unintentionally, without the use of physical force (Tart, 2009); this category includes electromagnetic aftereffects whereby electronic devices in an NDEr’s vicinity malfunction (Blalock et al., 2015), and

• Shared-death experience – in which a living person shares in a dying person’s transition to the initial stages of an afterlife (Moody, 2010; Shared Crossing Research Initiative, 2021),

• Synesthesia – in which “an inducing stimulus produces, at the same time, two kinds of experience: a primary experience (sensory, perceptual, conceptual, affective) normally associate with that stimulus and an anomalous secondary experience in the same or another domain” (Marks, 2014, p. 81), such as having a particular sound also evoke an image of a particular color.

A third category is phenomena that do not typically occur either during or after NDEs but that, similar to NDEs, have implications for an understanding of consciousness, the mind-brain relationship, and a possible afterlife. These include:

• Nearing-death awareness – in which people with terminal illness have experiences such as impactful dreams and visions in the period just prior to their physical death (Callanan & Kelley, 1993; Kerr, 2020),

• Personality changes following heart transplant – in which heart transplant recipients manifest personality characteristics of their unknown donors (Leister, 2020), and

• Terminal lucidity – in which people with terminal illness who have organic brain impairment somehow have a period of lucid communication in the days prior to their physical death (Nahm, 2009). It is noteworthy that the above experiences can occur under a variety of circumstances. They can occur spontaneously in various contexts, including a close brush with death due to illness or to accidental or selfinflicted injury, but also during other extreme circumstances such as intense emotional arousal or extreme physical exertion – or for no apparent reason. They also can be facilitated by practices such as meditation, by the ingestion of entheogens such as psilocybin or ayahuasca, and by clinical psychotherapeutic procedures such as hypnosis, past life therapy, or Induced After-Death Communication (Foster & Holden, 2017). 2 International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS) I 2741 Campus Walk Ave., Bldg. 500 l Durham, NC 27705 l iands.org

How do these experiences relate to the term spiritually transformative experience (STE)?

The term was coined by psychiatrist Yvonne Kason (1994; 2008; 2019). Although she did not offer a definition of the term, she specified that STEs include mystical experiences, NDEs, psychic experiences, spontaneous inspired creativity, and spiritual energy/kundalini episodes. Thus, as regards the above list of experiences similar and related to NDEs, the term STE is problematic in at least three ways.

First, Kason’s list of STEs is incomplete, representing only some, but not all, experiences similar and related to NDEs. Second, even Kason acknowledged correctly that some people who have such experiences do not then transform spiritually—thus contradicting the term “spiritually transformative experience.” In addition, some people do not consider their experiences of these types to be “spiritual,” per se—and may react negatively to that term being imposed on their experience in contradiction to their own subjective view.

A more accurate, objective, and inclusive term might be helpful. One possibility is transpersonal experiences, because in NDEs and each of the related and similar experiences listed above, the experiencer in some way(s) transcends the usual personal limits of space, time, and/or identity. For example, in precognition and past life memories, the person has transcended the usual personal limits of time—knowing future or past events not usually known to them. In out-of-body experiences and remote viewing, the person has transcended the usual personal limits of space—perceiving the world from perspectives and locations not usually available to them.

Transpersonal experiencers are free to label their experiences “spiritual”—or not, as they wish. And such experiences may or may not result in transformation that might be considered spiritual, that is, movement in the direction of greater love, peace, and sense of connectedness to self, others, the world, and/or a domain and entities beyond the physical world.

References: Appelle, S., Lynn, S. J., Newman, L., & Malaktaris, A. (2014). Alien abduction experiences. In E. Cardeña, S. J. Lynn, & S. Krippner (Eds.), Varieties of anomalous experience: Examining the scientific evidence (2nd ed., pp. 213–240). American Psychological Association. Blalock, S., Holden, J. M., & Atwater, P. M. H. (2015). Electromagnetic and other environmental effects following near-death experiences: A primer. Journal of Near-Death Studies, 33(4), 181–211. https://doi.org/10.17514/JNDS-2015-33-4-p181-211. Callanan, M., & Kelley, P. (1992). Final gifts: Understanding the special awareness, needs, and communications of the dying. Simon & Schuster. Edwards, L. (2013). Awakening kundalini: The path to radical freedom. Sounds True. Foster, R. D., & Holden, J. M. (Eds). (2017). Connecting soul, spirit, mind, and body: A collection of spiritual and religious practices in counseling. Association for Spiritual Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling. Holden, J. M. (2017). After-death communication. In R. D. Foster & J. M. Holden (Eds.), Connecting soul, spirit, mind, and body: A collection of spiritual and religious practices in counseling (pp. 3–11). Association for Spiritual Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling. Holden, J. M., Foster, R. D., & Kinsey, L. (2014). Spontaneous mediumship experiences: A neglected aftereffect of near-death experiences. Journal of Near-Death Studies, 33(2), 69–85. https://doi.org/10.17514/JNDS2014-33-2-p67–85. Kason, Y. (1994). A farther shore: How near-death and other extraordinary experiences can change ordinary lives. HarperCollins. 3 International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS) I 2741 Campus Walk Ave., Bldg. 500 l Durham, NC 27705 l iands.org Kason, Y. (2008). Farther shores: Exploring how near-death, kundalini, and mystical experiences can transform ordinary lives. iUniverse. Kason, Y. (2019). Touched by the light: Exploring spiritually transformative experiences. Author. Kerr, C. (2020). Death is but a dream: Finding hope and meaning at life’s end. Avery. Krippner, S., & Achterberg, J. (2014). Anomalous healing experiences. In E. Cardeña, S. J. Lynn, & S. Krippner (Eds.), Varieties of anomalous experience: Examining the scientific evidence (2nd ed., pp. 273–302). American Psychological Association. LaBerge, S., & Rheingold, H. (1991). Exploring the world of lucid dreaming. Ballantine Books. Leister, M. (2020). Personality changes following heart transplantation: The role of cellular memory. Medical Hypotheses, 135, 10946. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2019.109468 Marks, L. E. (2014). Synesthesia: A teeming multiplicity. In E. Cardeña, S. J. Lynn, & S. Krippner (Eds.), Varieties of anomalous experience: Examining the scientific evidence (2nd ed., pp. 79–108). American Psychological Association. Mills, A., & Tucker, J. B. (2014). Past-life experiences. In E. Cardeña, S. J. Lynn, & S. Krippner (Eds.), Varieties of anomalous experience: Examining the scientific evidence (2nd ed., pp. 303–332). American Psychological Association. Moody, R. A., with Perry, P. (2010). Glimpses of eternity. Guideposts. Nahm, M. (2009). Terminal lucidity in people with mental illness and other mental disability: An overview and implications for possible explanatory models. Journal of Near-Death Studies, 28, 87–106. https://doi.org/10.17514/JNDS-2009-28-2-p87-106. Ring, K. (1993). The Omega project: Near-death experiences, UFO encounters, and mind at large. Quill. Shared Crossing Research Initiative. (2021). Shared death experiences: A little-known type of end-of-life phenomena reported by caregivers and loved ones. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909121100045 Tart, C. T. (2009). The end of materialism: How evidence of the paranormal is bringing science and spirit together. New Harbinger. Watt, C., & Tierney, I. Psi-related experiences. In E. Cardeña, S. J. Lynn, & S. Krippner (Eds.), Varieties of anomalous experience: Examining the scientific evidence (2nd ed., pp. 241–272). American Psychological Association. Windbridge Research Center. (2021). Scientific research. https://www.windbridge.org/research/ Wulff, D. M. (2014). Mystical experiences. In E. Cardeña, S. J. Lynn, & S. Krippner (Eds.), Varieties of anomalous experience: Examining the scientific evidence (2nd ed., pp. 369–408). American Psychological Association.

- Janice Miner Holden, EdD, LPC-S, ACMHP with the IANDS Academic & Research Committee and IANDS Board of Directors

School Shootings: The Boogeyman Hides in Plain Sight

Image above, and extra inspiration for this post courtesy of A Midwestern Doctor.

*DO NOT DISCONTINUE PSYCH MEDS WITHOUT MEDICAL SUPERVISION*

“Its no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society” -Krishnamurti

“You have very little chance of getting at the truth if you know in advance what the truth ought to be” -Robert B Parker

You can no doubt tell from the title and image above what this post is about. If you’re not up for it, you know what to do. It’s not exactly a free country anymore, if it ever truly was, but you’re under no obligation to consume anything here you might not feel prepared to confront. Own your sovereignty, here, there, and everywhere!

(That’s my version of a ‘trigger warning’).

If you’re still with me…

In the wake of the recent quite close to home Nashville Covenant School shooting— the 377th since Columbine in 1999—I felt compelled to highlight one of the apparent ever-present common denominators in nearly all school shootings, as well as many mass non school-based shootings in this country. The one that’s virtually no where to be found in the mainstream discussion. (There’s a good reason for that).

I’m aware that gun violence in America is not only a complex, complicated, multifactorial social ill (most of which is beyond the scope of this post), but a long standing one in which school shootings are just one form. And taken as a whole, school shootings are exceedingly rare in comparison to the entirely of gun violence—the #1 cause of death of children in the U.S. if this is accurate. Is it? I have no idea. Who knows what sources are trustworthy anymore. Uncorrupted truth, outside of that which we can glean through our own soul/a pure connection to Divine wisdom, is on life support post 2020.

But my purpose in this post—a forum for my own personal voice and opinion, nothing less or more—is to highlight, raise the one question, and perhaps get more of us willing to ask:

Why the deafening silence about the apparently ubiquitous presence of psychiatric medication in the lives of schools shooters from Columbine to the present?

Let me be clear that as of the time of this writing, to my knowledge, it has not been confirmed whether and/or what psychiatric drugs and/or other medical or chemical interventions the Covenant shooter was exposed to, either prior to or at the time of the shooting. But if the answer is none, this would be exception, apparently.

Take that in for a moment.

NOT ANTI ANYTHING

(Except the over-drugging, indoctrinating and brainwashing of America, especially youth, and a continuation of this collateral damage/madness).

Let me start with what I’m not. What I’m not saying/blaming/supporting, etc. This will give a sense of where there’s nuance to my view, where there isn’t, frame my main point, and illustrate why I believe the powers that be who benefit from the continuation of this phenomenon (make no mistake, there are beneficiaries) are more than happy to have us, the public, indefinitely point fingers over root cause, knowing it only further divides and distracts attention from the elephant in the room, assuring that nothing will change.

Not Anti Medication.

I’ve said here on my home page and in social media posts, there’s a time and place for medication. There’s a role for it. Although I strongly feel it should ne that’s far less utilized than it obviously is. And there are definitely better, safer, and more effective alternatives. The problem is many of them are overlooked, discounted, demonized/labeled quackery (too many to list), or still illegal. Like psychedelics (except ketamine). Though that’s changing. And I suspect changing mainly because Big Pharma has figured out how to appropriate, dilute, mass produce, patent, and make a killing on them: (See: ‘Pharmacuasca’). The other problem is that many alternatives to medication are not economically within reach for everyone. That’s no doubt part of the story that works in favor of the continuation of the mass drugging of humanity.

As most reasonably aware people can see and would probably agree, psychiatric drugs are grossly oversold, grossly overprescribed, and grossly over and unethically marketed (ask any former pharmaceutical drug rep beyond the time limit of their NDA. You’ll get some hard truth). And the fact that every other commercial on mainstream tv/media is a drug ad? C’mon. What do think is happening there? What’s the message? The agenda?

Bottom line: The Pharmaceutical Industrial Complex aka Big Pharma basically owns and controls the world at his point. Doctors, politicians, public health officials, media, hollywood. It’s out of control. Actually, completely in control. That’s the problem.

But still, I’m not patently anti-medication. I’m not a Christian Scientist or a Scientologist. I support the right to enlist psych meds—provided it’s truly needed (always subjective), and follows a complete psycho-social history, full consent, thorough and ongoing discussion of contraindications, risks/side effects, close monitoring, regular follow up, follow up labs, gene sight testing, metabolic, or neuropsych or other relevant testing where and when root cause/significant contributor questions remain, such as for nutritional deficiencies and underlying infections (underlying infections can wreak havoc on the brain and body, and science is now starting to corroborate the detrimental impact they have on mental health), and of course, concurrent counseling/therapy.

One problem is, especially since Big Pharma captured the primary care sector, resulting in family and generalist practitioners prescribing psych meds (something few if any of them are trained in), most of this rarely happens. Or rarely happens adequately and consistently.

How could it in the larger context of a broken, illness profit-based managed care-driven 15 minute pill mill model, such as is modern American medicine, especially psychiatry?

Not Anti Gun.

Responsible gun ownership, in America, makes some sense. Because it’s always been and always will be. I don’t care for it personally. I’ve never owned one and probably never will. But I grew up around it, learn how to respect and use a firearm, became something of a marksman in Boy Scouts, and accompanied my Father on hunting trips as a kid.

Am I in favor of tightening controls? Closing loopholes? Background checks and digitally universalizing purchase attempts the way we’ve done with controlled substances? Securing tighter restrictions at gun shows, and making rapid fire semi-automatic weapons of human destruction harder for the average citizen to come by? Yes. Virtually anything to at least make it more difficult, to buy more time between the moment someone shifts from homicidal murderous ideation and intent to practical action plan ad acquisition. Count me in.

But how? Is any of this even possible? Yes. Probable? Probably not. Because it probably would have happened by now. And in the the current post 2020 political and cultural climate, with a thoroughly corrupt *Uniparty (two broken wings of one broken bird) system run by largely invisible misguided Globalists who are batting a thousand in the well-planned, well-executed extreme polarization of America on almost every front/every major issue, it’s as unlikely now as ever.

* “Paradigms of Republican vs Democrat, and Conservative vs Progressive have been designed for obfuscation and entertainment.”

-Catherine Austin Fitts

Even with my boundless faith in God, in the Divine order, it’s hard to have much hope with respect to this phenomenon. (It’s not God’s problem, but ours). And my view is that we’re been stealthily indoctrinated—mind controlled—to ignore the boogeyman while innocents continue to be slaughtered. The fact that no perceivable change has been enacted and this goes on and on is one thing that in my book qualifies us as ‘a profoundly sick society.’

As far as the weapons element, historically, one or two countries have apparently implemented swift and sweeping action after mass shooting events and have seen no repeats. So something can surely be done be done. Just maybe nothing that robust in ‘Mericka, given how 2A is built into the fabric of our nation and the hearts and minds of the majority of the to the degree that any sensible controls have been so successfully but erroneously equated with all out unconstitutional violation/removal of the 2A. Nice job NRA, the gun lobby, and all politicians beholden to them.

But do I think guns or access to firearms are the root cause? I don’t.

For one thing, to my knowledge, firearms and relatively easy access to them have always existed in the great U.S. of A. Semi-automatic weapons included, though less so. Granted I’m sure the internet added much black market anonymous acquisition ease. But mass shootings, specifically school shootings—the trend that it’s become since Columbine—now as American as hot dogs and apple pie, has not.

Why all the sudden starting in 1999? What happened? What changed?

That’s the point I’m getting to.

Not Anti Trans (*)

As a child of the 70s and 80s though, still, whenever I hear it the term I think of Tim Curry in Rocky Horror. “I’m just a sweet Transvestite, from Transexual Transylvaniaaaaaaaaaaaaah…”. The whole point of that brilliant piece of arthouse art was ultimately acceptance. Celebration of differences. And non-judgment. Point taken.

Of course androgyny, gender bending and all forms of sexual variation has existed forever in virtually every culture. The famous 1970s Kinsey Report made it clear that sexual identity and preference exists on a spectrum, and most people are at least somewhat flexible and fluid when it comes to sexual identity, behavior, desire/preference. People are who they are. We’re complex. And I’m affirming of everyone’s sovereign right to discover this for themselves and express it in any way they see fit provided it’s safe, sane and consensual (The three tenants of sex positivity).

I have always had LQBTQ, and now some who identify as Non Binary clients. I don’t totally get NB, but if it harms none, fine. I actually cut my teeth in a field placement and subsequent first job in the mental health field in the heart of Greenwich Village in the 90s. The vast majority of my clients were lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, open/poly, leather, fetish, bdsm, sex workers, you get the idea. What an education! Yet as I recall, the least represented among this subset of the population was Transgender. I can remember all of two clients that actually identified as Trans over the course of two years in NYC. Neither to my recollection were post-op. I stood by them as I do now with anyone that genuinely feels, knows, themselves to be Transgender, or whatever else.

But the *movement (Trans activism) around it is a different animal. And I’m well aware there are massive culture wars going on with regard to this and many other things, including a ‘war on gender.’ To the degree that the most vehement allies often go right to ‘trans-phobic’ accusation at the mere raising of question or concern. I don’t get much involved in these battles beyond continuing to question who benefits from the stoking of polarization, what is it distracts from, and what goes on—what gets passed and implemented—while we’re all preoccupied with fighting, judging, condemning and hating each other. And while I get and support the underlying premise of being ‘woke,’ (inclusion), how the gender identity/war on gender theme has morphed into all out gender non-existence/denial of gender, I don’t. I mean, is it reasonable and rational by any measure to assert that it’s suddenly impossible biologically define what a woman (or a man) is?

To quote Jessica Rose, in the conclusion of an excellent substack article:

‘A woman is an adult female human being carrying two X chromosomes.’

I’d say that’s pretty accurate and unambiguous.

Most of all, do I think it’s safe, sane and consensual (and by consensual i.e. the consent part here, I’m meaning specifically age, developmental stage, and the psychological capacity to fully comprehend and agree) to encourage and lead children/teens with unformed brains, porous self-concepts, and little life experience down a path of hormonal blocking/ alteration, supplementation and medical-surgical reassignment as a result of increasingly socio-culturally supported gender dysphoria? I think it’s lunacy, actually. I know Jordan Peterson and at some long-ago transitioned, mature Transgendered adults agree. On this point, I’m with them.

I say cross dress, live as the opposite sex, no-sex at all, a tree self, etc, all day long. But seeing as most of us have no idea who we are until our 30s (Jung said 40 —‘…everything up till then is research’), I do not support the trend of irreversible medical physical-biological/surgical altering of youth. Nope.

And what should be the age of consent? Consent demonstrably free of agenda-laden influence? Can’t drink till 21 in most places. Can’t rent a car till you’re 25. But you can die on the battlefield at 18. So, what age?

I have no idea.

What I do have an idea about is this: I believe the mainstream medical establishment and Big Pharma (same thing really) backs this movement for no other reason than it’s good business. A cash cow. More lifelong customers = lifelong profits.

From the mental health perspective—and this the reason for including my thoughts about the Trans theme in regards to school shootings—the last handful of school shooters apparently all identified as either Trans or Non Binary. Hear me out when I say I don’t pretend to understand all the implications of this. I may not understand any of them, honestly. That’s not the focus of my work, nor this post, apart from how it may connect to the principle point I’m making. Although I think there’s something not exactly right, possibly deeply dark and corrupt even beyond the misguided motives of major medical/Big Pharma. Not about being genuinely Trans, but the exponential rise and trend of co-signing gender dysphoria to the point of gender denial/erasure and the medical-hormonal transitioning of children and teens, consequences seemingly be damned.

And I’m leaning into the theory that there are powerful forces and factions with nefarious motives behind both fetishizing (Hollywood) and exploiting (Medical-Pharma/WHO/UNESCO/WEF/Globalists/Elite…?) this population for reasons we might not ever want to have to confront.

And consider Dr. Robert Malone’s thoughts on what he calls ‘Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria,’ regarding the social contagion factor that are at least partially explanatory as to the recent exponential rise. (Malone is a problematic figure for multiple reasons, but this point is sound).

I’ll leave that there because it’s beyond the scope and central point. Time will tell.

For now I can only wonder, since I don’t have the facts on this, how many of the last crop of Trans or ND identified shooters, if any of them, were actively medically transitioning, i.e. receiving hormonal injections? Why is this potentially important? Because for one thing, as we know, artificially messing with hormones greatly effects mood and can spike aggression, especially testosterone. Imagine the implication of hormone disruptors on our youth in tandem with psych meds that induce an altered state of consciousness (all of them), that potentially disinhibit, numb, dull and/or outright exile the capacity for empathy (many of them—SSRIs and SNRIS included, depending on dose, length of time taken and other factors), and are known to either create or exacerbate suicidal or potential homicidal thoughts, feelings and impulses.

Is this one major factor in the smoke in this community of youth recently turning to fire?

it’s the drugs…that don’t work…or do they?

Cuttin’ to the chase…

Do psych meds ‘cure’ anything? No. Do they treat ‘chemical imbalances?’ That depends on whether you buy into this premise. One that’s all been disproven with the more recent advances of neuroscience, epigenetics, and the centrality of [the effects of] trauma that we understand now better than ever.

The chemical imbalance theory has also been all but debunked as a pharmaceutical industry invented fiction—sold as a rational for the massively profitable drugging and controlling of the population, to the tune of hundreds of billions a year and counting.

As mentioned above, what psych meds essentially do is create an altered state of consciousness that temporarily distracts from suffering. That’s it. Sometimes, yes, this can be beneficial—in the short term—such as to quell the severity of an escalating extreme state/psychosis, help bring the nervous system to the beginning of regulation in response to acute or boiling over complex PTSD symptoms, give a leg up out of a debilitating major depressive episode, or debilitating postpartum depression. So one can get out of bed, and have the energy to engage with methods of healing our pain.

Long term though, the gains are diminishing and the risk-reward ratio skews heavily to the former. This is fact. Psychotropics also wreak havoc on the gut and entire GI system—the so-called ‘second brain.’ In fact, approximately 15% of our gut lining is composed of enteric endocrine cells, which produce over 90% of the serotonin and over 50% of the dopamine our bodies use. Gut health is intricately linked to both immune system functioning and our mental health. This is why the number one most common side effect of psych meds is gastrointestinal upset. They tend to throw the whole delicate balance out of whack.

From my own clinical experience I’ve noticed that the more psych meds one is on, especially at higher does and longer duration, the more the capacity for interoception—the ability to subjectively sense and know our inner experience—becomes hijacked. Put to sleep. Or more specifically, in accordance with my multiplicity-informed understanding of the psyche, it obscures access to our intuition—our Larger Self, i.e. our essence; the infinite undamaged core—the seat of the soul, or consciousness. You get the idea.

This is why I recently decided that my most potent therapeutic offerings are simply not conducive to those who are taking two or more psych meds and/or those taking purposefully stimulating methamphetamine-based (Adderall) or tranquilizing effects (benzos, opiates).

Regardless of class/type, most meds have a poop out effect, leading chronic consumers on a treadmill of hoping on and off different meds, often to the point of neurological dependency with disastrously consequences where many are led to feel and believe that they can never come off. That is, resigned to a life of a perpetually dulled, chemically-altered state of consciousness. I saw this for years working in community mental health.

And for the last time, SSRIs and SNRIs in particular—the drugs the majority of school shooters were apparently prescribed, currently taking, or recently withdrawing from at the time of the shootings—have been shown time and again to either create or exacerbate (disinhibit and unleash) suicidal and/or homicidal thoughts, feelings and impulses. It’s in the medical fine print that no one reads and many doctors don’t have time or often much interest in openly discussing. And the longer (a child or teen with an largely still unformed brain especially) takes them, especially in higher doses, then add in massive psychosocial stressors not adequality recognized or addressed, the longer they remain in a state of chemically-altered/compromised state potentially detaching from external reality, slipping into derealization and losing both the capacity for empathy and judgement—I say the higher the likelihood of the continuation of this phenomenon that began in the years post initial wholesale roll out of antidepressants in the late 80s.

Here’s a brief summary in list form from an article (that I cannot get to paste or link for some reason) published in 2013 that illustrates the point:

•Eric Harris age 17 (first on Zoloft then Luvox) and Dylan Klebold aged 18 (Columbine school shooting in Littleton, Colorado), killed 12 students and one teacher and wounded 23 others, before killing themselves. Klebold’s medical records have never been made available to the public.

•Jeff Weise, age 16, had been prescribed 60 mg/day of Prozac (three times the average starting dose for adults!) when he shot his grandfather, his grandfather’s girlfriend and many fellow students at Red Lake, Minnesota. He then shot himself. Ten dead, 12 wounded.

•Cory Baadsgaard, age 16, Wahluke (Washington state) High School, was on Paxil (which caused him to have hallucinations) when he took a rifle to his high school and held 23 classmates hostage. He has no memory of the event.

•Christopher Pittman, age 12, murdered both his grandparents while taking Zoloft.

•Kip Kinkel, age 15, (on Prozac and Ritalin) shot his parents while they slept then went to school and opened fire, killing two classmates and injuring 22 shortly after beginning Prozac treatment.

•Luke Woodham, age 16 (Prozac) killed his mother and then killed two students, wounding six others.

•A boy in Pocatello, ID (Zoloft) in 1998 had a Zoloft-induced seizure that caused an armed standoff at his school.

•Michael Carneal (Ritalin), age 14, opened fire on students at a high school prayer meeting in West Paducah, Kentucky. Three teenagers were killed, five others were wounded.

•Andrew Golden, age 11, (Ritalin) and Mitchell Johnson, aged 14, (Ritalin) shot 15 people, killing four students, one teacher, and wounding ten others.

•TJ Solomon, age 15, (Ritalin) high school student in Conyers, Georgia opened fire on and wounded six of his classmates.

•James Wilson, age 19, (various psychiatric drugs) from Breenwood, South Carolina, took a .22 caliber revolver into an elementary school killing two young girls and wounding seven other children and two teachers.

•Elizabeth Bush, age 13, (Paxil) was responsible for a school shooting in Pennsylvania

•Jason Hoffman (Effexor and Celexa) – school shooting in El Cajon, California

•Neal Furrow (Prozac) in LA Jewish school shooting reported having been court-ordered to be on Prozac along with several other medications.

•Hammad Memon, age 15, shot and killed a fellow middle school student. He had been diagnosed with ADHD and depression and was taking Zoloft and “other drugs for his conditions.”

•Matti Saari, a 22-year-old culinary student, shot and killed nine students and a teacher, and wounded another student, before killing himself. Saari was taking an SSRI and a benzodiazapine.

•Steven Kazmierczak, age 27, shot and killed five people and wounded 21 others before killing himself in a Northern Illinois University auditorium. According to his girlfriend, he had recently been taking Prozac, Xanax, and Ambien. Toxicology results showed that he still had trace amounts of Xanax in his system.

•Finnish gunman Pekka-Eric Auvinen, age 18, had been taking antidepressants before he killed eight people and wounded a dozen more at Jokela High School – then he committed suicide.

•Asa Coon from Cleveland, age 14, shot and wounded four before taking his own life. Court records show Coon was on Trazodone.

•Jon Romano, age 16, on medication for depression, fired a shotgun at a teacher in his New York high school.

pharmageddon

So if there’s any truth in any of this, WHY do we not hear about it? Why is no one talking about it as at least a compelling correlation worth questioning and examining further? Why is it not on the network news, except maybe on FOX here and there in the wake of another shooting, or You Tube (until it gets swiftly pulled down).

To cut to the chase again, the answer is obvious to anyone who paid close attention with a questioning eye since 2020. As I said up top, the Biopharmaceutical Industrial Complex basically owns and runs the world at this point. Big Pharma apparently funds 45% of the FDAs budget. And it seems the CDC, the mainstream media, much medical school continuing education, and major political, public health officials and institutions have been captured and corrupted by this monolithic industry. All in their back pockets.

“Over the last two decades, the pharmaceutical industry has moved very far from its original high purpose of discovering and producing useful new drugs. Now primary a marketing machine to sell drugs of dubious benefit, this industry uses its wealth and power to co-opt every institution that might stand in its way…including the United States Congress, the FDA, academic medical centers, and the medical profession itself.”

-Marcia Angell, Physician, Author, first female editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, current Senior Lecturer in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School (nourishourchildren.org).

Much of this ties back to the two largest private investment companies that dominate almost every aspect of our lives and own everything we spend money on: Vanguard and Black Rock. Not to mention an estimated two-thirds to 80% of the content broadcast and published by mainstream corporate media comes from one of four pubic relations firms (Publics Groups, WPP, Omnicom Group, Interpublic Groups). The result? The vast majority of mainstream corporate content is outright propaganda.

Could I have it all wrong? Yes. If it turns out to be the case, I’ll be the first to say so.

For now, ask yourself: Would any Pharma-controlled media outlet be allowed to question or encourage discourse about the potential role of their products in this phenomenon, potentially implicating them in crimes against humanity, and threatening the windfall profits this monstrosity generates?

This is why the only place you might see, read, or hear anything much about the psych drug connection are on non-mainstream, non-captured, for now still uncensored platforms. Or in the offices, conventions and retreats run by holistic, wellness-oriented, functional/integrative or naturopathic medicine practitioners.

To drive it home, to date, the largest fraud (yes, fraud) settlement among corporations/larger institutions in the history of the U.S., like just about everything else in mainstream society, is “brought to you by Pfizer.” A 2.3 billion dollar criminal and civil fine for for illegally marketing off label use of four different drugs. And it’s not just Pfizer. Each and every major Pharma company has been sued and settled massive law suits time and again. The opioid crisis was knowingly at least co-created by Big Pharma. (See also: Purdue Pharma, Sackler Family). To these souless institutions, it’s just ‘the cost of business.’ When you’re too big to fail, lack conscience, life-affirming humanitarian values, and a moral code. Profit, power, and control over people.

On the profit point, consider this: In 2022, the total global pharmaceutical market was estimated at 1.48 trillion U.S. dollars.

Welcome to the post 2020 Post-Truth New Brave New Orwellian World. One where silence, (‘follow the silence’), corrupted peer review/captured science, censorship, cancel culture, propaganda, shadow banning and de-platforming, discrediting, virtue signaling, medical tyranny and totalitarian biosurveilance and biosecurity are the new free speech, the new democracy, the new health care. What the awake and outspoken Dr. Aaron Keriaty, M.D. calls (in his book of the same name): The New Abnormal: The Rise of the Biomedical Security State.

HOPE FLOATS

Despite this stark picture, truth always emerges. It already is. And in my worldview, light/absolute truth/good will always prevails over dark/maya/evil. As many masters have taught, the shadow/dark/evil/’wetiko’ aspects must come into full view before true renewal, emergence, and authentic collective awakening/ascension can commence. In the big picture that’s what I believe is happening. And while we must act on our own behalf and ultimately save ourselves, I’ll die on the hill that there is a spiritual solution to every problem, smallest to largest. But part of doing our part is opening our eyes wider, fearlessly speaking up, speaking out, speaking our truth. Naming the elephants, and taking our personal collective power back in wherever and however we can.

And while I have little hope in seeing the grand systemic changes necessary to end the multifactorial gun violence epidemic in our culture in my lifetime, my faith in the Divine order, the Divine play (‘Lila’ in Hinduism); my faith in the essentially goodness of humanity, and humanity as an expression of the Divine Spark has not and will not waiver.

Earth is a school. And we were never promised a rose garden in coming to this here school! In the words of Delores Cannon:

“The Earth School is the most difficult in the universe. Only the bravest souls sign up.”

From a Multiplicity of Minds-based, Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy-informed perspective, I also believe there are truly ‘no bad parts’ of people. Genetic and ancestral/generational loading that adds baggage, definitely. External entities and attachments that find openings in our porous system and can influence us toward malevolent ends, yes. Otherwise, just traumatized, wounded parts. Parts thrust into hyper protective, sometimes woefully misguided roles as a result of the various slings and arrows of life that can drive any one of us to horrific extremes given the right (or wrong) set of circumstances. That resonates as truth in my bones and soul, so I’ll die on that hill as well.

Hopefully I’ve shed some light on at least one major element of what I believe lights the fuse of these particular atrocities that’s become an American epidemic.

In the meantime, may God grant us the wisdom and strength to do better.

To end on a classically spiritual and uplifting note:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

—St. Francis of Assisi

LINKS

For more on the link between anti depressants and unfavorable outcomes of all kinds, check out:

https://ssristories.org/all-posts/

On the specific link between antidepressants and mass shootings (that I could not put better):

https://amidwesterndoctor.substack.com/p/the-decades-of-evidence-that-antidepressants

And for more on how the pharmaceutical industrial complex sausages are made, I recommend starting with:

-Anatomy of an Epidemic, by Robert Whittaker

-Pharma: Greed, Lies and the Poisoning of America, by Gerald Posner

-Deadly Psychiatry and Organized Denial, by Peter Gotzsche

-MadinAmerica.com (Organization and website)

-Medicatingnormal.com (Documentary film and website).

Thank you for reading.

Peace, love, and better living without chemistry for us all.

Chris Hancock, LCSW, ACMHP

www.therapyoutsidethebox.com

@therapyoutsidethebox

Franklin, TN

'Know Thyself as God'

I’ve been listening to intuitive channel Micheila Sheldan for some time now. I had a personal reading with her (something I rarely do) last year that was pretty mind blowing. I’m not moved by every channel out there. And not easily convinced of the veracity of much channeled information. A lot of it seems to be a mixture of absolute/highest truth and non-lower/false light astral source-based information, which all comes down to the discernment of both the channel and their audience. For this reason I’m as steadfast as possible in applying discernment in my own journey as an intuitive and emerging channel. For me, Micheila/the information she brings forth, passes the sniff test. One of the most compelling multidimensional channelers out there. But this information is not for everyone. Probably not most. For example, if the title of this talk strikes you as heretical or blasphemous, the this message is certainly not going to speak to you. But if you’re open, curious, intuitive, relatively fearless, reasonably awake, discerning, and a truth seeker above all—including with regard to our hidden cosmic history, multidimentionality, and about certain sacrosanct mainstream religious concepts, then you’ll enjoy this:

A Unique Grief: Ode to a Dog

Sylvie and me, a few weeks before having to put her down.

Yesterday, March 4th, 2023, was D-Day.

We knew this was coming for a long time, but that never makes it easier. I’m in a daze this morning as I write this. Fucking gutted. My wife is wrecked. If you’ve ever lost a cherished pet, you know exactly how it feels.

We adopted Sylvie, our first baby, my veritable shadow, 16 years ago. She was an Australian cattle dog/heeler/lab mix, or so we’ve always believed. Who knows. All we know was she was the sweetest, most attentive, protective, loyal, and crazy smart dog anyone could have. How smart you ask? Trained as a puppy to ring a doorbell with her nose to go outside in about one hour. Insane.

From the first moment I was clearly the alpha. Sylvie followed me everywhere around the house every day, all the time. If I had a dollar for every time she pushed her way through my wife and me, or poked her snout between my legs from behind and looked up at me as if to say “I’m here, daddy,” I’d be rich.

Today, one day out, it feels like I have phantom limb syndrome.

Sylvie saw my family through some of the hardest times—(not necessarily in this order)— a massive house flood, two moves, adopting a second dog, my mid-life/chiron return/burnout/dark night/breakdown, marital challenges, and a grueling child adoption process necessitating several long trips out of country which Sylvie did not do well with. We knew this would be the case because early on we tried to board her for a weekend. The vet had to heavily sedate her around the clock just to get her to relax and sleep. Possibly the most codependent dog that ever lived, but in the sweetest way possible. We never boarded her again. House sitters from there on out.

I was reminded yesterday that in the early years, when I would go off to work Sylvie would sleep in my dirty clothes pile in my closet all day until I came home. And that I threatened more than once to get a tattoo of her face on my arm. I never did, not a tattoo guy, but right now I kinda wish I had. Yet I can barely stand to see of picture of her yet, so maybe best I didn’t.

In the puppy years, like most puppies, Sylvie had way more energy than we could keep up with. Thankfully at that time we lived a bit outside the city and there was plenty of room to roam through the woods. She would whip through those trails and the little creeks like a spitfire on speed. And every time I called her, without fail, she would come running right back. That made me realize I had a little ptsd from the two childhood dogs I had that ran away, one turning up dead after getting into poison. Sylvie put me at ease about a repeat of this.

Always anxious/on alert/high strung, over the last few years Sylvie had become increasingly so. Cognitive decline began to set in, and increasing difficulty holding her bladder resulted in more and more frequent accidents—to the point where shampooing the carpets was maddeningly becoming a weekly chore. And it really started to smell like a barn up in here, which isn’t ideal when you have clients out all the time like I do. My local clients know we have dogs, although few got to meet Sylvie because she would generally sleep upstairs all day, and if she came down and we’d let her in the therapy space, she wouldn’t settle down, so it could be disruptive. Unlike Foxy, our other beloved pooch, who welcomes you at the door, smells, wags and licks, then is out for the count for the entire session. But only if you’re female. She nips men’s ankles soon as they’re not looking.

Never would have guessed Foxy, not Sylvie, would be my therapy dog. But that’s how it’s played out.

Over the last years, Sylvie also became increasingly hard of hearing and unable to relax at night. Now we think it was like a dementia-related sun downing phenomenon. Her panting and pacing increased, and thus began a pattern of her keeping me awake and rousing me out of bed around 4 am virtually every morning to go out, if not sometimes multiple times a night. We reluctantly tried drugging her with gabapentin as per the vets suggestion, but that would have minimal effect, and her already weakening rear legs and hip dysplasia would become rubber on that med, putting her at risk for falling down stairs. CBD did nothing. So we lived with it and dealt with it for a long as possible. But the chronic sleep interruptions really started to take a toll on me. At my age, and with my workload, in combination with my higher guidance confirming her quality of life was seriously diminishing, and finally that it was time, we made the grueling decision.

So yesterday we had the amazing Lap of Love pet euthanasia service out to the house. Dr. Stacey was so compassionate and kind. Sylvie was, of course, having a good day, energetic (for her) and hungry as hell, which only made it more confusing and harder. The parts of all of us that felt unsure, guilty, and intent on bargaining/buying more time really struggled yesterday. Dr. Stacey assured us this is common, and that all the signs and traits we have seeing and describing were clear indications that it is time, and the most humane thing to do. We knew this in our heart of hearts, but it did help to hear it.

My wife had started truly grieving about a week early. My younger daughter, still reeling from our having to put her cat down weeks earlier did as well. My older daughter seemed a bit unphased (until the deed yesterday). My tendency with such things is to be more or less okay until the time comes. I did a workout and even saw a client yesterday, which kept my mind and heart off the inevitable. Until my wife got the call that Lap of Love was on the way. From that moment on the emotion and my tears rose up and did not stop gushing until I sort of fell asleep last night. A good illustration right here of how everyone grieves differently; in their own way and on their own timeline.

The euthanasia process, as gentle, loving and humane as it possibly could have been, was also one of the most painful things I can recall experiencing to date. If you could see me right now, my face looks like I got in a bar fight (and lost), as does my wife’s. Outside of a few crying gags 10 years ago while in India picking them up after the completion of our three year adoption ordeal, have never seen me sob like this. I’m both glad and solemn about it. Glad because it’s real life. Sadness and grief is part of it. Men cry and kids should know and see this. Solemn because it was painful for them. But we were all there for each other, and that’s what its all about. I’m so fucking fortunate and I know it.

But I have to tell you, witnessing Sylvie receive the injections, and my family helping her body to the final rest position was so brutal I could barely watch, let alone participate. My wife and girls all helped her on to the stretcher. It was all I could do to get the front door open for them to walk her out to Dr. Stacey’s car. Out there we all lost it big time. Our neighbors probably thought a human, not someone’s dog, had died.

What a strange grief the loss of a cherished dog. How utterly uniquely this bond to a creature that’s entirely reliant on you, that you never heard a word from, and don’t ever really know for sure what exactly they feel, how, and why. I’m well aware we all anthropomorphize / representationally imbue our pets with all sort of human feelings, traits and qualities to some degree or other. And that dogs especially, with their Divine unconditionality, are perfect salves for the human love-based wounds small or large we all carry. But as I vacillate today between shock/denial and acute mourning, I care not. Sylvie was the bomb, she’s gone, and it sucks like hell. That’s all right now.

I’m remembering those poignant lines from The Little Prince:

“You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.”

“But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me you will be unique in all the world. To you I shall be unique in all the world.”

I realize only know, as I wait for Sylvie’s ashes to come home, just how unique. And that breaks my heart.

Sheepishly I’ll admit I’ve been quietly dismissive of the impact of the loss of pets with others at times over the years. Perhaps because all mine growing up either ran off (dogs) or died of natural causes (cats) and I never had to make the decision, witness and participate in putting one down. That, in combination with Sylvie being who she was, and literally like our first child shortly after marrying and purchasing our first home, and how she adopted our adopted girls and became their protectors as much as ours, to see that all disappear in the blink of an eye is next level.

I get it now.

As I write this I’m like a stoned zombie after a shit sleep and still got up at the usually 4-ish am due to Sylvie muscle memory. The quiet was deafening. There are more tears to come. They’re right there waiting, I can feel it. But I’m also enjoying putting some of this to written word form and sharing it here. Sublimation is part of the processing.

Otherwise, just adjusting to the first day without Sylvie’s presence while I think of her crossing the fabled Rainbow Bridge, and on to whatever and wherever doggie souls go on to, and go on to do. And reflecting more deeply about what our tamed besties are here for, what they bring to our lives, how they enrich it, and the opportunity they offer us to value, cherish and appreciate it to the fullest.

To complicate it, there were a few years, the hardest years of child adoption adjustment/middle school years that we look back and feel we neglected our fur babies. Less walks, less attention, less outward demonstration of love. And over the last 6 months or so I was frequently frustrated with Sylvie’s inability to settle down, the constant panting, pissing the floor, and getting me up throughout the night. Reconciling with that now is hard. It compounds the grief with guilt.

With human loss that often amounts to what we call a ‘complicated grief’ process. Here it just feels like human frailty and failure. And you’re left wondering how that impacted them. My wife had a good hard cry this morning about wishing to know if Sylvie forgives us for it.

Regarding grief, a long time client of mine who lost both a child, a partner, and recently his mother (who I don’t believe ever read The Little Prince) said to me recently:

“Grief is wild. It cannot be tamed.”

The conversation about the unwieldiness and unpredictability of grief in which that gem arose was largely about the sensitivity, open-heartedness, wisdom and appreciation that painful loss engenders. On the heels of this, and knowing at my age I have more impactful human and animal losses on the horizon, I’ll take whatever comes from the inevitable. I’ll do my best to give each loss its due, grieve as completely as possible, love who and what I have in my life, and allow the unavoidable, paradoxical, untamable beauty of grief to inform my outlook toward every moment on this pale blue dot of earth school.

What more can we do?

Goodbye, sweet Sylvie. Thank you for all the years of happiness and joy. Even your passing, gut wrenching as it is, is another heart-expanding gift you’ve given us, your human family.

You will be missed forever.

Happy V Day!

Have a great day and don’t be too distracted now :>

'Diagnosisgate'

“Not to know is bad. Not to wish to know is worse.”
—African proverb

I get asked sometimes about the basis of my criticism of psychiatric diagnosis, mainstream psychiatry, and the ‘ole pharmaceutical industrial complex. This article I came across from 2015 on the Mad in America blog is one supporting illustrations. As we can see clearly today in our major governmental, economic, big tech, media, medical and health-related institutions (with a little extra help from the court-ordered Pfizer trial data dump, the Twitter files, the intrepid work of Dr. Naomi Wolf, and undercover reporting of Project Veritas, for some examples), we now know the astounding collusion and corruption once relegated to the hall of conspiracy theory is entirely real. And as pervasive as it is corrosive. The erosion of trust in public health is at an all time high. It’s time for us all to wake up. Knowledge is power. But we must want to be informed, dig deep (deeper than Google), be willing to question everything, including our most cherished beliefs and alliances, politically and otherwise. And most important of all, refuse to blindly accept dominant culture, mainstream media narratives designed to misdirect, deceive, control, and keep us compliant, numb, unhealthy, and spaced out on latest tabloid drama. Facing the reality of the widespread collusion, unethical conflicts of interests, post-truth, anti-democratic silencing, unprecedented censorship, digital shadow banning and state-sponsored propaganda that have infiltrated so many areas of modern life is the first step to empowerment. Only then can we regain increasing sovereignty over our minds, bodies, health-related choices, and our future.

I’ll get off my outside the soapbox now :>

Diagnosisgate: A Major Media Blackout Mystery

By

Paula J. Caplan, PhD

-

October 30, 2015

Remember “Colonel Mustard in the kitchen with the candlestick”?  From the game called “Clue” in which you tried to solve a murder mystery?  There’s a current, all-too-true and serious mystery involving devastating consequences – even death – for uncounted but vast numbers of people, but in this one the culprits are known to a very few, while their motives remain mysterious.

Until their identities are widely exposed, and their motives are known, the full story of the harm will never be known. It is astonishing that despite six stories in the major media — including a recent, groundbreaking Huffington Post series — and the filing of numerous lawsuits, the names and conduct of the culprits have consistently been omitted.

The story that has been called “Diagnosisgate”[1] starts in 1995, when the man widely considered the world’s most important psychiatrist split a payoff of nearly one million dollars with two colleagues in exchange for doing two patently unethical and illegal things that created the groundwork for a major drug company to market falsely one of the most dangerous psychoactive drugs.

Part one: In return for almost half a million dollars, they ignored what was known about the drug in order to manufacture a practice guideline holding up that drug as the best drug among two whole classes of related drugs for treating people who were classified as “schizophrenic,” the other drugs being marketed by other drug companies. This created what is widely considered the “standard of care,” the treatment that therapists are supposed to follow and that they can use in the knowledge that they are well protected from lawsuits if they follow it and their patients are harmed. The very foundation of the guideline, that it was about “Schizophrenia,” is illegitimate, because – though this will surprise many people – that category has been shown to be unscientifically created and indeed has been called a wastebasket for a wide variety of feelings and behavior, many of which are caused by psychiatric drugs.[2]

Part two: After the triumvirate received a bonus of $65,000 for creating the guideline speedily, their top psychiatrist  wrote to the same drug company, announcing that the three had constituted themselves as an entity that was prepared, in return for about another half million dollars, to create a marketing plan for the drug. The details included finding “key opinion leaders” (KOLs), who were prominent professionals in powerful positions – such as heads of state mental health or prison systems – and having them teach the Continuing Education courses that professionals are required to take, the ultimate message of those courses being that that particular drug was the best one to prescribe. Another section of their marketing plan was to have a great many articles published in what are considered scientific or medical journals, all concluding that that drug was effective and should be prescribed.

It is not clear whether the three psychiatrists were directly involved in choosing the content of the journal articles, but the plan to produce such articles was carried out, leading to publication of pieces recommending use of the drug to treat not only Schizophrenia but also Childhood Onset Schizophrenia, Schizo-affective Disorder, Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adults, Mania, Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder other than Autism, Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Psychosis, Aggression Agitation, Dementia, below average IQ, and disruptive behavior. Thus, a staggering array of psychiatric categories – many of which are as scientifically sketchy as Schizophrenia – was used to promote the drug. This massive marketing campaign proceeded despite the many major negative effects of Risperdal, including drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, dry mouth, increased saliva production, increased appetite, weight gain, stomach pain, anxiety, agitation, restlessness, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, decreased sexual interest or ability, vision problems, muscle or joint pain, dry or discolored skin, difficulty urinating, muscle stiffness, confusion, fast or irregular pulse, sweating, unusual and uncontrollable movements of face or body, faintness, seizures, Parkinsonian symptoms such as slow movements or shuffling walk, rash, hives, itching, difficulty breathing or swallowing, gynecomastia in male children,  painful erection of penis lasting for hours…and death.

Who are the characters in this mystery? Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a division of Johnson & Johnson, is the drug company, and Risperdal is the drug in question. The marketing term for Risperdal and similar drugs is “anti-psychotic,” but the accurate term is “neuroleptic,” reflecting the mechanism of suppressing the brain’s activity as a powerful tranquilizer. Dr. David Rothman, who wrote the expert witness report for one of the lawsuits about the marketing of Risperdal, revealed after scrupulous examination of vast numbers of internal emails between Janssen staff and the representative of the three psychiatrists, is a specialist in medical ethics and the Bernard Schoenberg Professor of Social Medicine at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, the medical school of Columbia University. He is also director of the Center for the Study of Science and Medicine at Columbia and at the time of writing his expert witness report was president of the Institute on Medicine as a Profession.  Rothman stated in his report that the guidelines were constructed “in disregard of professional medical ethics and principles of conflict of interest,” and that they “subverted scientific integrity, appearing to be a purely scientific venture when it was at its core, a marketing venture for Risperdal.”

The psychiatrist who spearheaded these efforts is Dr. Allen Frances, who the year before teaming with Janssen oversaw the publication of the fourth volume of the “Bible” of hundreds of categories of mental illness, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, sales of which topped $100 million as a result of marketing by the lobby group called the American Psychiatric Association, which published it.  By virtue of this position, he has been called the world’s most important psychiatrist. At the time, he was also Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Duke University. The two psychiatrists who with Frances shared the nearly $1 million in payments from Janssen are Dr. John P. Docherty, who was then Professor and Vice Chairman of Psychiatry at Cornell University at the time, and Dr. David A. Kahn, who was Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University.

Now back to the mystery: Despite five individual stories in major media outlets in 2011, 2012, and 2014 about two huge Risperdal court cases filed by the state of Texas and joined by many other states, neither a single writer of any of these stories nor even the papers filed for the court cases named Frances, Docherty, or Kahn or described the fundamental roles played by their Practice Guideline and their marketing plan in the scandal. The mystery is deepened, because the authors of the media stories and the court documents did name and describe the roles of some of the KOLs, who assuredly were guilty of unethical conduct but whose participation was conceived of by Frances and his colleagues. And some of those who reaped huge financial profits from Risperdal’s false marketing – most notably Harvard University’s Dr. Joseph Biederman, who created an empire based on claims that “Bipolar Disorder in Children” had been woefully underdiagnosed and untreated – have been royally outed for the enormous sums they earned. But even respected investigative journalist Steve Brill, who recently completed a unique, 15-part story of the Risperdal scandal for Huffington Post, and who described in detail many of its players and some of the patients who suffered terrible harm from the drug and who elegantly described the way that Janssen covered up data about some of the harm, left out the essential roles the Frances triumvirate played.  Activist Vera Sharav of the Alliance for Human Research Protection published an online article about the Rothman Report and included the names of Frances and those two colleagues, her article was apparently picked up by only two or three bloggers and none of the major media reporters who read what she posts.

The Rothman Report has for some years been available online,[3] and information from many of the major media articles came from that report, so their blackout of information about Diagnosisgate is all the more puzzling. Indeed, it is difficult to read about the Risperdal scandal without coming across the Rothman Report, where Rothman’s scrupulous documentation of the Diagnosisgate portion appears on pages 14-17 of the 86-page document, so it is hard to miss.

It has not been possible as yet to determine the reason for the blackout, but it is alarming, given the powerful, influential positions held by Frances, Docherty, and Kahn, and in the interests of not only their own patients and trainees but also of anyone who hears the claims they make about treatments, as well as for anyone who enters the mental health system and is subject to being diagnosed as mentally ill. It is also alarming that the vast majority of therapists are far less likely to know about Diagnosisgate – and thus about the shocking extent to which conflicts of interest have driven diagnosis and drug marketing – than to have read the massive number of journal articles in which Risperdal is recommended for a wide array of “indications.”

Brill goes to great lengths – in 15 chapters published one per day – to document a vast amount of the Risperdal story, so it is perplexing to try to imagine whether he might have missed those crucial pages near the beginning of the Rothman Report or whether something else happened. And if it is the latter, what could it possibly be? Because I am a psychologist, people often believe that I can read their minds, but of course I cannot. I do not even wish to speculate about what maintains the blackout. What is clear is that the effect it has is to keep from the public some of the most crucial information about how those who promote and benefit from the widespread use of psychiatric labels have sometimes worked hand-in-glove with Pharma, riding roughshod over the truth – especially information that is harmful to patients, ignoring professional ethics and good scientific methodology, and after all that, not being held accountable, not to mention liable, for the harm they cause. No matter how or why the blackout has been created and has persisted, it is time for it to end.

* * * * *

References:

[1] Caplan, Paula J. (2015). Diagnosisgate: Conflict of interest at the top of the psychiatric apparatus. APORIA:The Nursing Journal 7(1), 30-41. http://www.oa.uottawa.ca/journals/aporia/articles/2015_01/commentary.pdf

[2] See Caplan, Paula J. (1995). They Say You’re Crazy: How the World’s Most Powerful Psychiatrists Decide Who’s Normal. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley, and Poland, Jeffrey, & Caplan, Paula J. (2004) The deep structure of bias in psychiatric diagnosis. In Paula J. Caplan & Lisa Cosgrove (Eds.), Bias in psychiatric diagnosis. Livingston, NJ: Jason Aronson.

[3] For instance, at http://psychrights.org/States/Texas/exrelJonesvJanssen/ David_Rothman_Expert_Report_300dpi.pdf

***

Mad in America hosts blogs by a diverse group of writers. These posts are designed to serve as a public forum for a discussion—broadly speaking—of psychiatry and its treatments. The opinions expressed are the writers’ own.

Living with Spike Proteins

This is a repost from the blog of my friend and colleague, Dr. Suman Chaudhuri, founder of The Karuna Center in Berry Hill (Nashville, TN). He is a holistic chiropractor, integrative health practitioner, naturopath, and mindfulness meditation warrior. For anyone who wishes to mitigate the unwanted spike protein effects of the mRNA tech in the V’s, and/or is suffering from long hauler/long C-19 symptoms, this information may prove helpful. You be the judge. As far as I’m concerned, whether one took the jab or not, with emerging reports of plans to introduce mRNA into flu shots and inoculate factory farmed animals with mRNA tech, protecting our health in this regard will soon be something no one can afford to avoid.

Dr. Chaudhuri and the staff of The Karuna Center can be found here: https://www.karunacenter.com/

Living with Spike Proteins

The Short & Simple Message about Spike Proteins

The unfortunate reality of living on this planet in the post-pandemic world comes down to understanding and managing the main effect of the C19-virus and the mRNA shot...the spike protein. For those who do not take the time and effort to learn about spike proteins, the expanding list of confusing and surprising health symptoms and conditions will keep growing for many along with feelings of frustration and helplessness. The good news is that there are definite solutions that are readily available, affordable, and effective!

The purpose of this article is to simply convey this message along with the most effective information people need now to be healthy. I will not be getting into the science nor the research but will provide links at the end for those interested.

What are Spike Proteins?

In a nutshell, the spike proteins are the protruding extensions on the virus that allows it to attach to cells in the lungs, heart, kidneys, and sex organs, for example. These spike proteins on the original C19 virus were most unique among all the other natural corona virus found in nature in that they were found to have an unusually strong affinity to certain cell receptors which is what made the original virus more contagious than usual. Moreover, the spike proteins were found to very easily "break off" from the virus body to exist independently and end up accumulating in organs and cells of the body.

To repeat, spike proteins can exist independent of the original virus! And this is the problem...they remain in the body to wreck havoc, especially once they cross into the brain! This is now called Long Hauler's Syndrome.

As far as the mRNA shot is concerned, once it is introduced into the body, immune cells are instructed to create their own spike proteins with the intended goal of producing effective antibodies to future C19 infections. Bear in mind this process only is meant to create antibodies to the version of spike proteins created by the immune cells and NOT the actual body of the original c19 virus! By the way, natural immunity gives you protection from the virus body AND spike protein. But to stay focused on the original issue...these created spike proteins can themselves easily "break off" from the cell and then end up elsewhere in the body.

If you have had any variant of the C19-virus, you have left over spike proteins in your body if you are still suffering from symptoms. If you have had any mRNA shot and it successfully fulfilled it's purpose, then your body had become a factory for spike proteins for an unknown period of time and may still be as the boosters keep taking effect. It's also very likely that exposure to spike protein shedding is now a constant daily occurrence for most everyone. The sobering reality is that there is no escaping spike proteins at this point unless you live alone on an island!

The take home message here is that living in fear or isolation is not a long term viable option. The sooner you embrace the reality of this situation and understand the potential effects on the body...the better you can navigate this new reality and mitigate potential negative effects that may come along in this new world full of spike proteins!

What symptoms seem to be connected to spike proteins?

The most common symptoms being experienced by people are general fatigue, anxiety often with chest tightness and breathing difficulties, heart related symptoms with possible clotting complications, joint and body pains, hair loss, and brain inflammation such as brain fog, memory, and focus issues. In addition, autoimmune issues are the unfortunate eventual end result for many.

A serious consideration for many is a hypersensitive immune system causing an increased incidence of cold and flu-like infections including C19 variants, as well as reactivation of latent and past viral infections such as Epstein-Barr, Bell's Palsy, and Shingles.

Usually this collection of symptoms seem to be unrelated to the usual culprits such as hormonal imbalance, stress syndromes, diet, and lifestyle issues. And so, the usual natural approaches and treatments along with stress management seem to not have lasting or noticeable effect.

So what can be done?

The good news is that from the onset of the pandemic, many researchers and clinicians actually discovered that a large list of readily available health promoting agents were very effective in mitigating the effects of the virus and spike proteins. Of course most all of these potential aids were not publicized and made known to the general public. Some, as we know, were actually strongly criticized.

Backed by research and from personal and clinical experience, a few select supplements are foundational keys to an effective, simple spike protein solution above and beyond general support like vitamin C, D, A, zinc, and omega 3's. Please keep in mind, this is a very simple, general approach suitable for anyone and a great starting place to try for self-care. I will just focus on two very effective and well researched supplements that should be the foundation for any program to address spike proteins. Above and beyond these two, there is a growing list of other potential supplements that may be very effective. Of course, the best approach is with the guidance of a healthcare professional especially if any symptoms are severe and long-term.

Bromelain derived from pineapple is a protease which means it is a protein digesting enzyme. It is a common digestive aid to promote better digestion if taken with food, but if taken on an empty stomach, Bromelain will get directly into the bloodstream and "digest" toxic proteins in the body, specifically spike proteins. [1] As a point of emphasis, it must be taken away from food, preferably before bed or on arising, otherwise, it will be used up digesting any protein from food in the stomach. This is the number one clean up crew agent against spike proteins. As an added bonus, Bromelain can be very effective at reducing congestion, phlegm, and even scar tissue at higher doses. (Recommended started dose is 1000mg or 4800 GDU daily).

N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) is a powerful compound derived from food that the body uses to create glutathione, the primary detoxifying agent of the liver. NAC, usually taken as a liver and detox support, specifically has been shown to affect spike proteins especially in combination with Bromelain. [2] NAC also directly deactivates graphene oxide, the other controversial ingredient in the mRNA shots that has been implicated in potential adverse and insidious affects. [3] Glutathione levels commonly plummet with C19 infection and the mRNA shot due to the burden on the liver, and so NAC can be a fantastic way to help the body replenish glutathione. (Recommended starting dose is 1000 mg daily).

These two supplements should provide good results for most in a short period of time if taken at their recommended dosages. Of course, increasing the daily dosage of one or more of the above will create a stronger and quicker effect, but this should be done under the guidance of a health care practitioner as typical detox symptoms are more likely at higher dosages.

In Summary

Spike proteins are now an insidious culprit behind many health challenges being experienced by so many regardless of whether you have received the mRNA shot or not. If you want to stay as healthy as possible and recover as much as possible from potential spike protein effects, then now is the time to get serious about an effective spike protein protection plan. Start simple with the two above safe and effective supplements. For many with chronic symptoms affecting specific organs or areas of the body, then a more aggressive and focused treatment plan is recommended. Please contact the office for further help and guidance.

1- Bromelain inhibits SARS‐CoV‐2 infection via targeting ACE‐2, TMPRSS2, and spike protein

2- The Combination of Bromelain and Acetylcysteine (BromAc) Synergistically Inactivates SARS-CoV-2

3- Biocompatible N-acetyl cysteine reduces graphene oxide and persists at the surface as a green radical scavenger

Ethical Principles of Public Health

As a citizen and a health professional (of sorts) concerned about the state of the new Brave New Orwellian world / the rising biomedical security state / the emerging digital dictatorship / the Great Reset, etc…I’m on the lookout for awakened voices, innovative ideals, developments, and proposals, especially where it concerns a return to sanity in this age of medical tyranny, mass censorship, propaganda, collusion, corruption, politicization, and pharma-cozation of science and health. The following I deem to be one such measure. This comes via Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, M.D., Senior Fellow, Zephyr Institute; Chief of Medical Ethics, The Unity Project; Fellow and Director, Bioethics and American Democracy Program, Ethics and Public Policy Center, and author of ‘The New Abnormal: The Rise of the Biomedical Security State.’

To combat the recent and widespread abuses of individual and academic freedom made in the name of science, Hillsdale College’s Academy for Science and Freedom educates the American people about the free exchange of scientific ideas and the proper relationship between freedom and science in the pursuit of truth. Led by national and international scholars, its work serves to educate policymakers and the general public about important discoveries and ideas that might otherwise be ignored by scientific journals and corporate media. Through strategic alliances among scientific scholars and organizations, the Academy for Science and Freedom is a platform for free, reasoned, civil discourse in scientific research and issues of public health and provides educational opportunities for citizens in general.

During the pandemic, fundamental principles of public health were ignored, and trust in public health has been damaged. As experts in public health, medical science, ethics, and health policy, we propose the following ten principles to guide public health officials and scientists, in order to ensure the credibility of public health recommendations and to help restore public trust. The list of principles below reflects orthodox concepts of post-World War Two public health and WHO’s original definition of health.

Consider sending this to physicians you know and asking if they would be willing to sign. If they are unwilling, consider asking them which of the principles they object to and why.

Ethical Principles of Public Health:

1.   All public health advice should consider the impact on overall health, rather than solely be concerned with a single disease. It should always consider both benefits and harms from public health measures and weigh short-term gains against long-term harms.

2.   Public health is about everyone. Any public health policy must first and foremost protect society's most vulnerable, including children, low-income families, persons with disabilities and the elderly. It should never shift the burden of disease from the affluent to the less affluent.

3.   Public health advice should be adapted to the needs of each population, within cultural, religious, geographic, and other contexts. 

4.   Public health is about comparative risk evaluations, risk reduction, and reducing uncertainties using the best available evidence, since risk usually cannot be entirely eliminated.

5.   Public health requires public trust. Public health recommendations should present facts as the basis for guidance, and never employ fear or shame to sway or manipulate the public.

6.   Medical interventions should not be forced or coerced upon a population, but rather should be voluntary and based on informed consent. Public health officials are advisors, not rule setters, and provide information and resources for individuals to make informed decisions. 

7.   Public health authorities must be honest and transparent, both with what is known and what is not known. Advice should be evidence-based and explained by data, and authorities must acknowledge errors or changes in evidence as soon as they are made aware of them.. 

8.   Public health scientists and practitioners should avoid conflicts-of-interest, and any unavoidable conflicts-of-interest must be clearly stated.

9.   In public health, open civilized debate is profoundly important. It is unacceptable for public health professionals to censor, silence or intimidate members of the public or other public health scientists or practitioners.

10. It is critical for public health scientists and practitioners always to listen to the public, who are living the public health consequences of public health decisions, and to adapt appropriately.

Co-Authors (in alphabetical order):

Ryan T. Anderson, Ph.D.

President, Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington, DC USA

Scott W. Atlas, M.D.

Robert Wesson Senior Fellow in Health Policy, Hoover Institution, Stanford University; Founding Fellow, Academy for Science and Freedom, Hillsdale College, USA; Co-Director, Global Liberty Institute, Switzerland

David Bell, MBBS, Ph.D.

Public health physician, Texas, USA

Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor, Health Policy, and Director, Center on the Demography and Economics of Health and Aging, Stanford University School of Medicine; Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR); Founding Fellow, Academy for Science and Freedom, Hillsdale College, USA

David Doat, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Philosophy, ETHICS Laboratory, Catholic University of Lille, France; Associate Researcher at the ESPHIN Institute, University of Namur, Belgium

Carl Heneghan, B.M., B.C.H, M.A., M.R.C.G.P., D.Phil.

Director, Centre for Evidence-based Medicine and Professor, University of Oxford, UK

Aaron Kheriaty, M.D.

Senior Fellow, Zephyr Institute; Chief of Medical Ethics, The Unity Project; Fellow and Director, Bioethics and American Democracy Program, Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington, DC, USA

Martin Kulldorff, Ph.D.

Professor of Medicine, Harvard University, USA (on leave); Senior Scholar, Brownstone Institute; Founding Fellow, Academy for Science and Freedom, Hillsdale College, USA

Robert W. Malone, M.D., M.Sc.

Molecular immunologist, Founder, The Malone Foundation, Virginia, USA

Peter A. McCullough, M.D., M.P.H.

Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Diseases; Chief Medical Advisor, Truth for Health Foundation, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Elisabeth Paul, Ph.D.

Independent consultant, Health Policies and Systems, Liège, Belgium

Roger Severino

Vice President, The Heritage Foundation; Senior Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington DC, USA

Ellen Townsend, PhD

Professor of Psychology; Self-Harm Research Group, School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, UK

Additionally, David Bell, Senior Scholar at Brownstone Institute, public health physician and biotech consultant in global health, former medical officer and scientist at the WHO, Program Head for malaria and febrile diseases at the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) in Geneva, Switzerland, and Director of Global Health Technologies at Intellectual Ventures Global Good Fund in Bellevue, WA has this to say:

Public health concerns the public, the general population, improving their health. Yet over the past two years this idea or movement has been widely attacked for promoting job loss, economic collapse, increased mortality and loss of freedoms. It is claimed responsible for rising malaria mortality among African children, millions of girls being forced into child marriage and nightly rape, and a quarter of a million South Asian children killed by lockdowns.

Blaming public health for these disasters is like blaming an aerosolized respiratory virus for the same outcomes. It completely misses the mark. Blaming greed, cowardice, callousness or indifference may be closer. This harm was done when certain people decided to impose harm on the lives of others, sometimes through stupidity but frequently for personal benefit. Atrocities are perpetrated by individuals and crowds, not by an art or science. 

Humans have caused mass harm to others throughout human history. We do this because we are driven to benefit ourselves and our group (which in turn benefits ourselves), and we frequently find that satisfying this drive requires restricting, enslaving or eliminating others. We have a history of demonizing ethnic or religious groups to take their money and jobs, and of stealing whole swathes of territory and subduing the inhabitants to extract wealth or take their land. We push commodities – talismans, medicines, unhealthy foods – onto others for our gain, knowing they would be better off investing their resources elsewhere. We mistake money or power for personal benefit, rather than valuing the relationships and aesthetic experiences that give life meaning. We easily fall into a very narrow, blinkered view of human existence.

Public health is intended to achieve the opposite. It is there to support human relationships and improve the aesthetic appeal of life.

The World Health Organization (WHO), for all its failings, was founded on this idea, declaring: 

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

The WHO definition of health implies that human existence is far deeper than a lump of organic material self-assembled according to the coding of DNA. It is responding to the horrors of corporate authoritarianism, division and oppression promoted by fascist and colonialist regimes. It is also built on thousands of years of human understanding that life has intrinsic worth that extends beyond the physical, and basic principles arising from this that span time and culture. The wording implies that human health is defined as a state in which humans can enjoy life (mental well-being) and freely congregate with and belong to the wider population of humanity. It supports autonomy and self-determination, determinants of physical, mental, and social health, but is not compatible with restrictions or injuries that reduce ‘wellness’ in any of these areas. It therefore fits poorly with fear, force or exclusion – these denote unhealth.

For principles to be translated into actions we require people, institutions and rules. Some of these people are involved because it pays well, some seek power, some genuinely seek to benefit others (which in turn may benefit their mental and social health). Implementation of these principles can therefore be pure or corrupt. The principles themselves remain unchanged. The differences between principles and their implementation often get confused. A religious belief based on fundamentals of love and free choice can be claimed as justification for military crusades, inquisitions, or public beheadings. This does not mean truths on which the religion is based support these acts, but rather that humans are using its name for personal gain at the expense of others.

The same applies in taking a political doctrine espousing equality and dissemination of power if its name is employed to concentrate wealth and centralize authority. In both cases the movements are corrupted, not implemented. Implementation of public health can therefore attract criticism on two fronts. Firstly, it can restrict some from gaining by harming others, whether through intent or neglect (it is doing its job). Alternatively, it can be co-opted to inflict harm on others (it is being corrupted). 

The truth can be determined by weighing actions made in its name against the principles that underpin it. These are well-established and should not evoke controversy. What matters is the honesty with which they are implemented, as it is always humans through which these principles must be filtered.

Implications of Applying Ethical Principles

If someone advocated that people be prevented from working, socializing or meeting as a family to prevent spread of a virus, they would be advocating to reduce aspects of the health of these people, at a minimum mental and social, in order to protect one aspect of physical health. “Not merely the absence of disease” in the WHO definition requires that public health support people and society in achieving human potential, not just in preventing a specific harm. 

A vaccination program would have to show that the money spent could not achieve greater gains elsewhere, and that it reflected what the recipients wanted. In all cases the public would have to drive the agenda, not be driven. The decision would be theirs, rather than belonging to those who gain money or power from implementing such programs.

These ten principles demonstrate that public health is a difficult discipline. It requires those working within the field to put aside their egos, desire for self-promotion, and their preferences regarding how others should act. They would have to respect the public. Achieving health in the broad WHO definition is incompatible with people being scolded, coerced, or herded. 

This is difficult, as public health professionals have generally spent more than an average time in formal education and earn higher than average salaries. Being flawed humans, this makes them prone to considering themselves more knowledgeable, important, and ‘right.’ People may point to recent examples among leaders and sponsors of the COVID-19 response, but it is an inherent risk at all levels.

Something to Hope For

There is a way out of this. It does not require articulation of a new approach, formation of new institutions, or new declarations and treaties. It simply requires those working in the field, and the institutions they represent, to apply the basic principles to which they previously claimed to adhere.

Insisting on ethical public health may result in the abandonment of certain programs, redirection of certain policies, and corresponding changes in leadership. Those financially profiting would have to be sidelined, as conflict of interest impedes focus on public good. Programs would have to reflect community and population priorities, not those of central bodies. 

This is not radical, it is what virtually all public health professionals have been taught. When ‘solutions’ are forced or coerced irrespective of local priorities, or fear and psychological manipulation are used, these should be defined accurately for what they are; commercial, political, or even colonialist enterprises. Those implementing such programs are political operatives, salespeople, or lackeys, but not health workers. 

Much of society’s future will be determined by the motivations and integrity of the public health institutions and their workforce. A lot of humility will be required, but this has always been the case. The world will have to watch and see whether those in the field have the courage and integrity to do their job.

Download the statement on ethical principles of public health here.

'Nothing to Fear, Nothing to Doubt'

Or, why these six words best encapsulate my recent fantastic fungi-assisted magical mystery tour.

“What we call reality is, in fact, nothing more than a culturally and linguistically sanctioned hallucination” —Terence McKenna

“My soul can find no staircase to heaven unless it be through earth’s loveliness” —Michelangelo

DISCLAIMER: Therapy Outside the Box does not endorse the use of any illegal substances. Nothing in this post should be interpreted as suggestion or recommendation to source, acquire, grow, purchase, ingest or distribute any substance listed as Schedule 1 in any U.S. state or territory. Nor as a recommendation to do so while taking prescription medications without first consulting your physician or other medical or health professional. Please do not ever discontinue any medications without consulting the prescribing physician/other medical or health professional involved in your care.

‘it’s time, you ready?’ -The Mushroom

Having felt ‘called’ to the psychedelic experience, after much planning, reflection, praying and surrendering, I recently embarked on a 5 dried gram psilocybin journey. A so-called ‘heroic dose’ of Guadalajaras, a medium-high potency strain.

There it is. Cat’s out of the bag. Or out of the box I should say :>

Since I hoped on the new psychedelic third wave paradigm train a few years ago as a theoretical psychonaut and proponent of the healing power and potential of psychedelics-as-medicine, it only makes sense to at some point I’d walk the talk.

Not that I hadn’t before.

After a harrowing DNOTS-foreshadowing ayahuasca ceremony experience in 2017, I said afterwards that I wasn’t ever going to seek it out again. I didn’t seek for that one, but the timing of the invite was terrible (or perfect, depending on how you look at it). She (Mother Ayahuasca) handed me my ass, as they say. It’s taken me years to understand what the medicine was showing me, and why so brutally. I’m eternally grateful for it now. But damn. Anyway, I decided if another journey was meant for me, I’ll leave it in the hands of spirit and get a sign. I’ll be called to it somehow.

Since then, until about 2 months ago, nothing, until out of nowhere it started calling. And it did so clearly and relentlessly. Mushroom dreams, people synchronistically bringing it up, internet images and prompts, constant thoughts and suggestions of it my meditations, references in books everywhere, even strangers on social media trying to sell me psychedelics (no thanks). Ultimately it was my higher guides/guidance (heretofore: HG/G) that confirmed beyond any shadow that I was in fact being called by it/to it. I mean, free will always, but…

“Everything medicine or poison, depending on dose and how its used.” -Siddha Veda

Once committed my plan for this journey came together quickly. The perfect place—a yurt-style hippie hut in the middle of nowhere Tennessee, my wife as sober sitter, and a pile of mushrooms grown by someone trustworthy a while back and kept in safe storage.

I consulted HG/G on each and every aspect—from verifying that it was for me (ayahuasca is evidentially is not for me, accordingly to HG/G), when, where, why (intentions), that I had the blessing of all the highest and holiest, that they would be with me before, during and after, and that I’d be safe throughout, right down to the exact dose for my ‘highest and best good.’ It was the guidance I received on the dose that surprised me most. Which is why I asked probably six different times in six different ways if I was in fact being prompted to the full 5 gram dose like I kept sensing and feeling. AND to do so Terence McKenna style, i.e. complete darkness/eye mask, in total silence, which also felt right. HG/G affirmed all of this.

Full disclosure (why stop now?), the ayahuasca experience in 2017 was also not my first rodeo. It was my first intentional, ceremonial, reverent and sacred experience with a plant medicine, that’s for sure. I will say the overnight, celebratory, loud, musical, constant singing and chanting Brazilian-style ceremony was definitely not my style, and I believe only exacerbated the profoundly difficult experience I seemed destined to have. But I knew this not going in.

Anyway, I consumed (partied with) my share of psychedelics in my late teens/early twenties, mostly during the during the “Dead Head” phase of my youth. I remember each type I tried. But no recall of dosage. Would 5 dried grams be the largest then? I can’t say. At age 53, this felt like a tall order. Yet, feeling more grounded, happy, alive, fulfilled, passionate and spiritualty-aligned than any other time in my life by far, I suppose if there ever was a time to go all in, now was it.

I also haven’t at all felt like I needed this for spiritual purposes. My own daily spirit communion-spiritual initiation/opening to channel process a few years in the making, and the fruits of this ever-unfolding labor is honestly compelling enough. Like Salvador Dali said: “I don’t need drugs. I am drugs.” But I’m a seeker to the core, and don’t tend to shy away from opportunities to test limits, especially when it comes to piercing the veil. When you go through a spiritual emergency/psychic dismemberment cum DNOTS, provided you recover and parlay it into an unfolding awaken-ing experience, you also tend not to fear much anymore. And I trust either my HG/G completely, or not at all. The answer is obvious.

the DOORS (OF PERCEPTION)

My youthful psychedelic forays were partially inspired by the things I was listening to (60’s psychedelia in spades) and reading at the time, (Kesey, Huxley, Weil, etc). So there was a core of authentic striving/seeking for a glimpse beyond; for a sliver of transcendence, of course. But lacking maturity and emotional intelligence, with no real sense of the sacred, the indigenous traditions, or the dangers involved when approached in an inchoate manner, in truth, I’m lucky no real harm ever came to me. And embarrassing as it is to admit, the main driver back then was clearly thrill-based escapism. Escape from the shame, pain, insecurity, powerlessness, fragile ego/diffuse identity, and the increasingly foreboding sense of responsibility I was stepping into that I did not feel prepared for. First world problems, I know.

But, the few glimpses of genuine ineffability I recall having on psychedelics as a younger me certainly had a profound and lasting effect.

The set up

Once at the destination, we saged the space, set up, prayed, invoked the highest and holiest, and took a few pictures of the more than appropriate décor in this little hippie hut. In these pictures were more than a few orbs, which was unsurprising and entirely fitting. I chewed down the mushrooms, took a little water, called in my HG/G and highest level spiritual protection, said a few prayers and decrees, and entered into spirit communion/meditation. My head began rotating in and out of the mainstay infinity symbol formation as it always does—my signal that a higher consciousness has touched down to connect, commune, and work with/for/through me in some way on the etheric body level. Within 10 minutes at most my body become highly activated, and I quickly realized I would not be able to remain focused for long. So I moved onto the mat we laid out in front of the little space heater (it was a cold, dark day outside, and cold in the hut) and off I went.

‘Roger, we have lift…’

I’m not gonna lie, the lift off was far more intense than I was prepared for. I mean, like a fucking tsunami with the baddest intentions. A turbo rocket through a massive hurricane. Jake LaMotta (Raging Bull) or a coked-up Mike Tyson in his prime at the sound of the bell in Rd 1. You get the idea. The visceral, physiological, energetic escalation into the psychedelic atmosphere was so powerful that more than once, even through my prayers and despite my complete trust that this was all purposeful, safe and guided, I had a few temporary freak outs. Two in particular.

The first I worked through on my own, asking the frightened, reactive protector (firefighter) part(s) of me to trust me (my larger Self), my guides, trust the process (as we say in therapy), step back and let me and spirit lead, and the plant consciousness to do its thing. I surrendered and settled back in. Subjective emergency thwarted.

And just in time, because the next wave of escalation and intensity soon followed, and this second burst of abject terror and subsequent freak out was a code red. A whole faction of my reactive protective parts banded together on a dime and screamed in unison “you took too much, you can’t handle this, there’s no way to stop it…tell your wife now, get to the hospital, go, go go!!”

No sooner than I could act on this, thankfully, a voice, clearly not from any of my own parts, either my Higher Self of a guide calmly jumped in: “don’t scare your wife, you’re fine…relax…surrender.” So I obeyed, surrendered again, and again, and again. It took longer to let go and sink back in after this one. But I made it.

Going, going, gone…

Much of what transpired from this point on will take me God only knows how long to better understand and integrate. I’ll start by trying to describe the indescribable, and this will be little more than tip o’ the iceberg summary.

Unlike my ayahuasca experience, where everything was as vision-less, black, and as full of despair and suffering as could be imagined for about eight straight hours (interrupted only by regular trips to the can to crap my living brains out again and again) this experience from lift-off on was as heavily visual, 3D layered, and technicolor as anything I could dream up. And when I say 3D, I mean fractalgasmic and kaleidoscopic to the ten thousandth power. Like moving through a million layer prism at warp speed.

This first major interlude, the longest, I think, was what can only be described as a deep shamanic under/lower world odyssey. Like an other-worldly Indiana Jones expedition, I was plummeted way down into the inner earth, seemingly knowing where to go, where to turn, how to proceed, thought not why or towards what end. I found myself crawling, floating, and burrowing through dark and unfathomably deep caverns, tunnels, and caves within the lower world. Much of it was curiously aquatic. Everything was wildly alive—pulsating, watching, lifting, guiding, prodding me on. There was a striking amount of animal, especially insectoid imagery throughout. Imagery that seemed to symbolically hint at both ancient Mayan/Hopi symbolism (Ant People) and/or insectoid alien races (Mantis/Mantids). I understand a lower world experience is actually common especially for first large dose psychedelic journeys, at least with particular strains perhaps more than others.

face down, ass up

I spent most of the meat of this part of the journey and somewhat into the next stages in the fetal position on my side on the floor, where I basically remained for three solid hours. There were moments/movements where I was literally not just down in, but intimately part of the earth. One with it, or increasingly becoming so. I recall feeling a little rudderless, getting lost in the silence and aloneness at one point, edging on losing my time and space orientation altogether. I somehow had presence of mind to ask my wife to kick on a lone shamanic drum recording we had cued if I needed an anchor. That helped a lot.

Strangely, outside of the first two freaks outs mentioned above, there was literally no fear at any other point. Confusion, bewilderment, difficulty taking it all in and keeping up, and awe in spades. But no fear. I guess I passed the test early as far as that goes. This shamanic underworld interlude ended with my being literally wholly rebirthed in the womb of Gaia; of Mother Earth herself. If both my ayahuasca and subsequent spiritual emergency/DNOTS were symbolic death experiences, this was the new beginning.

This rebirthing part of the journey had me face planted down into my pillow, ass up, for God knows how long. All I remember was that I was alternately in this pose, back on my side in fetal, then up crossed legged, then back down on my side, stretching out, the back to face down, ass up, all the while full-body twitching throughout. Seemingly out of instinct, almost an unspoken mandate, I remember mimicking or shadowing the movement of some kind of giant hedgehog looking animal (!?). And there I lay, for a quite a time, as if having buried myself alive down in the center of the earth, jungle way above, curiously at peace, trusting of whatever this was, and allowing the apparent animal-assisted rebirth to do its thing to the beat of a lonely drum.

(Far as I know, a hedgehog is neither my spirit nor power animal) :>

My wife later said I was gesticulating and gyrating in angular shapes and configurations she didn’t think my body was even capable of. It was as if my entire physical was being maneuvered by an alternate intelligence. Everything but spontaneously throwing ancient mudra poses, as is common in some spontaneous kundalini emergency situations triggered by intense spiritual practices.

‘Hell’ Realms

Here’s where it got real. Being taken to the hell realms is no joke. And its probably obvious to the reader, but for clarification I’m not talking about the static, exoteric, institutional Judeo-Christian/biblical eternal fire and brimstone hell. Rather, one of the lower density, low vibration realms/dimensions, of which there are apparently many, as is described in much esoteric ancient spiritual traditions, and supported by a treasure trove of Near-Death Experience (NDE) literature.

I had the sense of being carried, almost floating through these realms as an observer, held in some kind of invisible spiritual protective force field, but always just above the fray, so to speak. What I was witness to were legions upon legions of suffering souls. Souls tightly banded together, looking up, arms stretched upward, seemingly desperate for helping hands, with big, wide eyes, hairless, but no other facial features that I remember. During the experience, and more so as I’ve reflected and integrated with the help of HG/G to decipher exactly what all I was supposed to understand from this, I had a sense of why I was taken to these realms.

My takeaway was twofold: To be made aware/reminded that although there are indeed lower realms/dimensions full of profound suffering, the reality is that redemption and exit (moving out of these realms and towards the light-filled ‘upper rooms’) is always possible. What each one must do to make their way up and out is idiosyncratic to that soul, their karma, choices, harms, errors, what have you. But that no soul is condemned forever to a permanent hell/lower realm existence. No one is locked up and the key discarded. But each soul must figure out and commit to doing what needs to be done to change their station. And the love of The Divine is always available, always merciful, forgiving, unconditionally loving, all that good stuff. Full stop.

I was also clearly being shown, especially given the current state of my personal spiritual journey, the dire importance of pure and enduring compassion for the suffering. And of holding next level space. Specifically, this was a lesson in the importance of compassion flowing from the knowledge that karma, cause and effect, however you think of it, is a universal, natural law of the universe. And that because no one is excluded from the opportunity for redemption and the possibility of ascension, the call to compassionate holding space in the midst of suffering without judgement is essential. Because, judge not lest you be judged (Christ). And what you damn damn you back (The Guides via Paul Selig). Point taken.

The second part of what I mean by the fray was clear glimpses of s-e-r-i-o-u-s darkness. Silent, stationary, but super imposing dark figures did I lay eyes on. This was confirmation that true evil exists, and a reminder of the importance of staying in integrity, aligning with truth, and the highest and holiest light (The I Am Presence) without loosing sight of the existence and opportunistic nature of dark forces/elements. I felt this to be a personal warning for me to stay vigilant, not get lazy with my own protection protocols, never assuming that being on a spiritual path is a guarantee of permanent safety. That we’re always merely chelas (spiritual students on the path) as long as we are embodied on this plane. Any laziness, hubris, or taking for granted permanent impenetrable protection from dark forces is a major liability. Aspirant beware.

ancient egypt, India, and the cosmos

The next interludes blended together in wild and wonderful ways that I’m nowhere near complete in unravelling. So I’ll say the least here. But about hour 2 1/2 to 3 hrs or so in is where I was transported to other worlds, across time, cultures, and far beyond the galaxy.

The earthbound settings were a mixture of ancient Egypt and India. The main thing I can say in up to this point in my integration of the multiple of timeless ancient spiritual symbols and vital forms I was shown is that it was a true privilege and blessing. I feel I was offered glimpses into the secret coded language of the universe; real peaks beyond the veil, and assurances, of origin stories, mostly though symbolic imagery. I came out with a sense that for all my insatiable spiritual curiosity, study, seeking, periods in the proverbial wilderness, and ecstatic highs, and with respect to my initiation process unfolding, I was being granted in this psychedelic space a pinhole view into the reality of the lesser and even Greater Mysteries of the ages, as described in much gnostic, esoteric and mystery school traditions.

The appearance of Lord Shiva as Nataraja, and the twice appearance of Mahavatar Babaji, the Yogi-Christ of modern India, aka the “Deathless Saint” was an astounding treat. A affirmation of, something. Maybe many things. Not exactly sure. Beyond that, I have much more to reflect on and attempt to decode and integrate.

As for the comic adventure portion, it was intermixed and mingled within the Egypt and India scenes, and then separately the culmination of those interludes. One standout visuals, indelibly imprinted upon me now, was of a dome resembling a giant brain surrounding and enfolding the entire cosmos…that more than once momentarily shapeshifted into a massive alien/ET head and face. Indeed, there were interdimensional/extradimensional galactic/cosmic culture imagery all throughout. And if you don’t already think me insane in the membrane, this might be where you would have me committed. But my take on this particular brain cum alien was a symbolically supportive, I felt, of the material Delores Cannon brought forth in her numerous hypnotherapy sessions with contactees and abductees. Information derived direct from off- world beings themselves as to the true history of earth and the working of the higher order of the multiverse. More or less suggesting that the universe is not only teeming with intelligent life, but that the earth may have in fact been ‘seeded’ by other highly advanced life forms, similar to the Panpsychism view, but probably closer to Zoo Hypothesis. In other words, that we are indeed a baby starter planet; a lesser evolved way station in the grand scheme. The nursery school of the multiverse, you might say. According to Cannon’s other-worldy sources via the deep Subconscious (akasha/collective consciousness) this is the reason for the ubiquity of UFO sightings throughout time, for abductions, and constant monitoring and direct intrusion of our war mongering and constant edging on destroying ourselves and the planet (nuclear test site/weapon shut downs)— the one exception to the apparently accurate Star Trek-proposed non-interference imperative. Truth be told, I have long intuitively felt all of this to be highly likely as fart as origin story. And its been confirmed by my HG/G that I myself have Pleiadean, Arcturian, and Mantis soul family lineage. So, there’s that.

Anyway, the rest of this interlude involved me being transported throughout space, spacetime, to places and realms that are at once unclear, immense beyond all imagination, yet comfortable and familiar. And so much more than that, and equally as difficult to capture in language at this point.

intermission/wind down

When there finally came a point that I felt I was getting a reprieve from the multisensory, multidimensional onslaught, I noticed I was a little thirsty, a tad hungry, and definitely needed to pee. I lifted my eye mask and ventured out of the hut with my wife’s assistance. And I shit you not, on this cold, dark, cloudy day, wouldn’t you know, just as I was arousing out of the kaleidoscopic stratosphere, the sun burst out from the clouds. My wife was like “of course!” I worshipped and basked in the warm glow of the sunlight for a bit, hit the outhouse, and wandered and grounded down outside for a minute. By the time I ventured back in, the sun was already receding. Can’t make this stuff up.

shroomaganza

Heading back to the mat once inside, I masked up and lay back down. On my back this time felt right, and for the next hour or so the final chapter was literally scene after scene of mushrooms continuously growing, sprouting, popping up, merging back into nature, of fungal networks, and mushrooms, mushrooms, and more mushrooms in wild vibrant colors, and all shapes, sizes and varieties, flourishing and covering the expanse of the earth. The message seemed to be that all the earth is essentially, you guessed it, a mushroom. And this was the culmination of my full immersion and merging with the cult of mycelium consciousness. I’m in.

Headless Hare Krishna

Once the imagery finally began to fade out and it felt time for the playlist-assisted come down/phase 1 integration, I had my wife hit play. But she had taken a chance by slipping in George Harrison’s ‘My Sweet Lord’ to kick it off. An intuitive genius she is! A massive grin came over my face and by the third guitar strum I was up dancing around the hut, laughing, crying, and singing like a Hare Krishna. And to add another dose of strangeness, while my body was up dancing, and I was clearly singing, laughing and crying, I could swear my head felt like it was still on the mat. An Off-of Body experience ?!

By the track’s end I was back on the mat, head magically re-affixed to my body, taking in the next handful of beautiful tones.

The last track was Pyramid Song by Radiohead. When I heard the line: “There’s nothing to fear, nothing to doubt” I instantly wept at the truth, beauty, poignancy; the illustrative application to what I had just experienced. Part of why is the timing, of course, Upon further reflection, it was the way it echoed some of the sentiments from my personal spiritual initiation work, from my daily decrees. Specifically:

‘I AM forgiveness acting here, casting out all doubt and fear, setting men forever free with wings of cosmic victory. I AM calling in full power for forgiveness every hour, to all life in every place, I flood forth forgiving grace.’

‘…I AM free from fear and doubt, casting want and misery out, knowing now all good supply ever comes from realms on high…’

If I didn’t know it before, I know now beyond any hint of fear or shadow of doubt that there is indeed nothing to fear, and nothing to doubt.

****************************************************************************************

If YOU have been looking for a Therapist in Nashville, a Therapist in Franklin, and are seeking ‘outside the box’ thinking and approaches, get in touch to see if we’re aligned to work together and to join my waitlist.

Are you by your own free will considering or already safely and mindfully engaging psychedelics-as-medicine, as healing and consciousness expansion facilitator, and want to be sure ‘all parts’ of you are on board? Could use preparation, intention setting, processing and integration support and guidance? Feel free to reach out. Otherwise, if you’ve had or are currently dealing with any form of spiritual emergency, crisis, or awakening experience, I would love to hear from you. I offer a variety of services geared toward all manner of psycho-spiritual, non-ordinary happenings and integration for ‘experiencers.’

Read more about me and what I do at: www.therapyoutsidethebox.com or feel free to reach me directly: chris@therapyoutsidethebox.com (quickest response) or 615.430.2778.

Some services available via Secure Video/Telehealth the world over.

Peace, Love, and All The Good Things!

Chris Hancock, LCSW, ACMHP

Franklin, TN