Let's talk confrontation and avoidance. Anyone brave enough to embark on a 'healing journey' or path of expansion, will have much of the following to confront (if your path includes Psychedelic Explorations these confrontations can be amplified in their intensity and presentation); 1. Emotions 2. Beliefs 3. Past Experiences/Memmories 4. Parts/Facets of Self 5. Wounds 6. Limitations 7. Vissions and dreams 8. Possibilities and potentials When we break down the word confrontation you have Con-Latin for 'With' and Front-'To Face'. We are being asked on our path to freedom and expansion to COME TO FACE WITH these aspects of self. What is the opposite of Confrontaion? Avoidance. What is avoidance (see image below)- the act or practice of withdrawing, keeping away from, preventing or refraining from something. Anyone playing the game of Life is constantly being confronted with themselves through the mirror that Life is holding up for us. Most people are running a frantic sympathetic-charged race to 'avoid' what is being reflected back to them. While that frantic race can still produce surfacel levels of successes (the job, the car, the house, the relationship, the bank account etc) this avoidance pattern never resolves what we are being asked to face (see the innumberable people with the material checklist crossed off who still are in states of deep constant suffering). If we accept the invitation this mirror offers us, and choose to go inward, into the wilderness within us, then encountering the list above is inevitable. Whether we choose to avoid what we find or confront it however, is a CONSCIOUS CHOICE. As it pertains to the Psychedelic Space, I know that I myself, along with a number of clients, friends and acquaintances have been confronted with aspects of themselves that they have chosen not to confront (or at least REALLY dive into). I've never seen a single case where this choice of avoidance leads to resolution. In fact I've often seen it lead to more chaos, turmoil and conflict. An example of this is when someone takes something thats presented to them, and instead of really peeling a part the various meanings and interpretations, they take it at 'face value' and simply leave a job, relationship or pursuit to chase something else, and feel that 'that's what they were asked to do'. Meanwhile the fallout from these decisions often lead to creating more of the very problem that was being asked to be resolved. But because the deeper meanings and interpretations were not expounded on, the avoidance pattern simply creates more of 'the thing'.

Have you ever observed shame in nature. Have you ever seen an animal shame another animal for being too big, too small, too light or too dark? In all honesty the closest thing I can think of to shame in the Natural World is a bird throwing out one of it's offspring if it doesn't have a high chance of survival or a flock of chickens pecking the smallest weakest chicken to death. Both of these scenarios include real survival mechanisms/strategies but those are the only two I can think of. Even when a male is courting a female, even if she says 'no' I don't believe they shame the male for his attempts and incompatability. So what is it about Humans and shame? Why do kids in grade school make fun of weaker kids? Why do parents shame kids when they don't perform well enough at _____? Why do friends gossip about other friends? Why do disgruntled romantic partners shit-talk their partner to their friends? The answer almost ALWAYS lies in the truth that the people PASSING shame are CARRYING shame. Well where did THEY get their shame from? It was probably passed onto them from early in childhood. But where did THAT shame come from? And what was it's purpose? It's a question I'm pondering at the moment and I don't quite have a solid answer. The important takeaway though is that only we as human utlize, leverage, hold/carry, and pass shame. Then the question becomes....what will it take to release that shame as collective species and culture? Let's start by exploring, confronting and accepting our own.

This is an image I save from nearly a decade ago. Exploration is not a choice, but rather an imperative. I believe it's an imperative that is as inate to us as breathing. You see it with children and puppies and their infinite curiosity (to where it borders self preservation). It is our nature to desire to see, know, feel and experience MORE!! In order to follow this innate curiosity it's important that we bring a level of intentionality and structrue to that exploration, to ensure that we not only find what we want to find, but experience the path on the way TO IT the way we ALSO want to. Let's explore. Let's explore intentionally. Let's explore collectively. Let's explore with purpose. For the good of all! STARTING WITH YOURSELF FIRST!

If you're 'struggling' on the path to self understanding and healing, chances are you probably aren't getting to where you want to go. At least not fast enough. Real, deep healing takes place in moments of peace and calm when your mind and body are open to reconfiguration. That's what healing is in many way, reconfiguring ourselves to support Truth rather than falshoods. Falsehoods like "I'm not enough" or "I'm unloveable". These falshoods cloud our lense of perception when we perceive ourselves and the world around us. These are the falsehoods that are asking us for dismantling and reconfiguration.