Iβm a d-dayer too although I still struggle over my own inner mean girl when it comes to pharma. Medicine and alternative therapies have helped me. I had really hoped meditation would fix me. The people who do it are so smug so I thought it must be better. I do love it but itβs not better. Iβm not better. Itβs all just part of this human adventure.
Hello fellow d-dayer. I started meditating almost 2 years ago and for the 18 months I didn't get much benefit from it. But I trusted the process and kept doing it and then all of a sudden I started to feel the benefits of it. It was very strange and the only thing I can think of why I didn't get immediate results was I had to get through all of the "noise" to get to the good stuff. Now I feel euphoric, calm, and content when I meditate and when I don't meditate I can tell the difference. My meditation style is simple. I just sit quietly with myself, focus on my breath and try not to think of anything. Everyone is different, just thought I would share my experience with you maybe it will help?
This is refreshing to read, Mitch. I suffer from often-debilitating claustrophobia when seated in public transportation--airplanes, trains, other things I am stuck on. Though I wish meditating on the Major Arcana would do the trick, sometimes good-ol' Zanax gets the job done.
Thank you once again for eloquently addressing the avoidances/silences/ philosophical incompleteness of contemporary New Age versions of New Thought/ Positive Thinking when faced with the emotional reality of depression, trauma, suffering β while, crucially, not throwing the metaphysical empowerment baby out with the bathwater! I woke up feeling quite ragged this morning, your clear-eyed views cheered me up as always. I find it helpful to be on the alert for βtoxic positivityβ and βspiritual bypassingβ in metaphysical proselytizers of all stripes β both terms describe attitudes that either ignore dark and complex feelings, or dismiss them in very surface ways. On my journey, Iβve had to learn when I need to put down the grimoire and pick up well researched books that grapple with the deep psycho-social-developmental factors that give rise to depression, including neurophysiological underpinnings: I have found Gabe Mate and Bessel van der Kolk writings, for example, have helped me a great deal.
I appreciate your sensible position, Mitch. The world could certainly benefit from less extremism. Extreme views often grab attention and oneβs imagination, while a more sober approach tends to be discounted. I find that people favor simple interventions over ones that challenge our capacity for patience, discipline, and compassion for ourselves. As you mentioned, SSRIs may not be effective for everyone, but they do help some individuals. The same principle applies to personal growth figures like Tony Robbins. Weβre fortunate to have various choices available, even if navigating these choices can be challenging.
It's not uncommon for others to project their positive successes onto others. When someone discovers something that works exceptionally well, itβs only natural to share it. I've certainly been guilty of that behavior. Social media is filled with influencers who earn recognition for telling their stories, whether they celebrate or lament the difficulties associated with those successes. This creates an environment of competing narratives where certainty does not exist. Despite branding or marketing hype, there isnβt one singular truth or solution for alleviating pain and suffering. Social media feeds fear, uncertainty, and doubt and creates conditions where we can no longer trust our inner wisdom. If you don't believe in someone or something, who are you?
Many of us have become βtrue believersβ with a cult devotion to a podcaster (Andrew Huberman or Joe Rogan comes to mind, for example) or trauma experts (Bessel van der Kolk or Gabor Mate) or some social influencer offering a package. There's dozens of examples though that I could draw from our current zeitgeist. Our faith in influencers or experts comes with an associated cost when we lose our freedom of mind. Devotion to a guru might sometimes serve as a form of spiritual or psychological bypassing. Wouldn't it be easier if someone else could tell me what I need to know to βfixβ myself so I wouldn't feel like a screwed-up individual? You can take medication, pray, or adopt a new philosophy, new diet or exercise routine but at the end of the day, weβre all human.
Iβm not dismissing the very real suffering associated with anxiety, PTSD, or depression. Sometimes, people need guidance. They may find expert opinions beneficial in providing a knowledge base to catalyze growth. However, personal development and transformational experiences are often 'packaged' and ideally must be met with healthy skepticism. Weβre fortunate to have a variety of treatments for PTSD, for example, as there is a greater understanding of neuroscience and psychedelics. Many people have distanced themselves from psychiatry due to a loss of faith in traditional institutional systems. While youβve had positive encounters with SSRIs and psychiatry, my experience has been different, leading me to turn away from an institution that felt oppressive.
You do an excellent job of highlighting how individuals gravitate toward specific paths and how those choices can pave the way for a more spiritual journey, as they have for me. I believe one of the current issues within the psychedelic field is that licensed mental health professionals are beginning to assume roles that resemble those of gurus or saviors. The lines are becoming increasingly blurred. When people stop relying on traditional religious frameworks for answers, they often seek them elsewhere.
I've discovered that a psychedelic guide isnβt the answer to finding a more profound sense of meaning in the universe. The psychedelic experience can be especially confusing to navigate as a survivor. Are we not all searching for salvation from ourselves and for ourselves? Forgive me, father, for I have sinned? If you resonate with the trauma narrative, thereβs a temptation to seek answers in books or through expert seminars. However, weβve become a trauma-obsessed culture where oneβs identity can only be referenced about oneβs degree of suffering and subsequent overcoming. I believe this can become another trap as weβre never free to choose ourselves. To truly experience my freedom, I must disentangle myself from those I may have come to see as emancipators. Sometimes, our projections onto others can inadvertently create their sense of false imprisonment.
Iβm a d-dayer too although I still struggle over my own inner mean girl when it comes to pharma. Medicine and alternative therapies have helped me. I had really hoped meditation would fix me. The people who do it are so smug so I thought it must be better. I do love it but itβs not better. Iβm not better. Itβs all just part of this human adventure.
Hello fellow d-dayer. I started meditating almost 2 years ago and for the 18 months I didn't get much benefit from it. But I trusted the process and kept doing it and then all of a sudden I started to feel the benefits of it. It was very strange and the only thing I can think of why I didn't get immediate results was I had to get through all of the "noise" to get to the good stuff. Now I feel euphoric, calm, and content when I meditate and when I don't meditate I can tell the difference. My meditation style is simple. I just sit quietly with myself, focus on my breath and try not to think of anything. Everyone is different, just thought I would share my experience with you maybe it will help?
This is refreshing to read, Mitch. I suffer from often-debilitating claustrophobia when seated in public transportation--airplanes, trains, other things I am stuck on. Though I wish meditating on the Major Arcana would do the trick, sometimes good-ol' Zanax gets the job done.
Be very careful with the benzo's. I used to swear by them until I experienced withdrawal from them. I thought I was going to die.
Warning duly noted. I only take them when flying. I can see how that would happen, though.
π΅π΅π΅ Thank you so Mitch, I am still learning more and more every day!
Nice piece.
Thank you once again for eloquently addressing the avoidances/silences/ philosophical incompleteness of contemporary New Age versions of New Thought/ Positive Thinking when faced with the emotional reality of depression, trauma, suffering β while, crucially, not throwing the metaphysical empowerment baby out with the bathwater! I woke up feeling quite ragged this morning, your clear-eyed views cheered me up as always. I find it helpful to be on the alert for βtoxic positivityβ and βspiritual bypassingβ in metaphysical proselytizers of all stripes β both terms describe attitudes that either ignore dark and complex feelings, or dismiss them in very surface ways. On my journey, Iβve had to learn when I need to put down the grimoire and pick up well researched books that grapple with the deep psycho-social-developmental factors that give rise to depression, including neurophysiological underpinnings: I have found Gabe Mate and Bessel van der Kolk writings, for example, have helped me a great deal.
I appreciate your sensible position, Mitch. The world could certainly benefit from less extremism. Extreme views often grab attention and oneβs imagination, while a more sober approach tends to be discounted. I find that people favor simple interventions over ones that challenge our capacity for patience, discipline, and compassion for ourselves. As you mentioned, SSRIs may not be effective for everyone, but they do help some individuals. The same principle applies to personal growth figures like Tony Robbins. Weβre fortunate to have various choices available, even if navigating these choices can be challenging.
It's not uncommon for others to project their positive successes onto others. When someone discovers something that works exceptionally well, itβs only natural to share it. I've certainly been guilty of that behavior. Social media is filled with influencers who earn recognition for telling their stories, whether they celebrate or lament the difficulties associated with those successes. This creates an environment of competing narratives where certainty does not exist. Despite branding or marketing hype, there isnβt one singular truth or solution for alleviating pain and suffering. Social media feeds fear, uncertainty, and doubt and creates conditions where we can no longer trust our inner wisdom. If you don't believe in someone or something, who are you?
Many of us have become βtrue believersβ with a cult devotion to a podcaster (Andrew Huberman or Joe Rogan comes to mind, for example) or trauma experts (Bessel van der Kolk or Gabor Mate) or some social influencer offering a package. There's dozens of examples though that I could draw from our current zeitgeist. Our faith in influencers or experts comes with an associated cost when we lose our freedom of mind. Devotion to a guru might sometimes serve as a form of spiritual or psychological bypassing. Wouldn't it be easier if someone else could tell me what I need to know to βfixβ myself so I wouldn't feel like a screwed-up individual? You can take medication, pray, or adopt a new philosophy, new diet or exercise routine but at the end of the day, weβre all human.
Iβm not dismissing the very real suffering associated with anxiety, PTSD, or depression. Sometimes, people need guidance. They may find expert opinions beneficial in providing a knowledge base to catalyze growth. However, personal development and transformational experiences are often 'packaged' and ideally must be met with healthy skepticism. Weβre fortunate to have a variety of treatments for PTSD, for example, as there is a greater understanding of neuroscience and psychedelics. Many people have distanced themselves from psychiatry due to a loss of faith in traditional institutional systems. While youβve had positive encounters with SSRIs and psychiatry, my experience has been different, leading me to turn away from an institution that felt oppressive.
You do an excellent job of highlighting how individuals gravitate toward specific paths and how those choices can pave the way for a more spiritual journey, as they have for me. I believe one of the current issues within the psychedelic field is that licensed mental health professionals are beginning to assume roles that resemble those of gurus or saviors. The lines are becoming increasingly blurred. When people stop relying on traditional religious frameworks for answers, they often seek them elsewhere.
I've discovered that a psychedelic guide isnβt the answer to finding a more profound sense of meaning in the universe. The psychedelic experience can be especially confusing to navigate as a survivor. Are we not all searching for salvation from ourselves and for ourselves? Forgive me, father, for I have sinned? If you resonate with the trauma narrative, thereβs a temptation to seek answers in books or through expert seminars. However, weβve become a trauma-obsessed culture where oneβs identity can only be referenced about oneβs degree of suffering and subsequent overcoming. I believe this can become another trap as weβre never free to choose ourselves. To truly experience my freedom, I must disentangle myself from those I may have come to see as emancipators. Sometimes, our projections onto others can inadvertently create their sense of false imprisonment.