Fear, or perhaps terror, sets in as the day approaches. You’re about to enter a world where your Ego and Will dissolve into a collective world we haven’t been taught to prepare for. You may be greeted by a gentle tree of life or be confronted with demonic like creatures and other horrifying aberrations. You might vomit from a loss of equilibrium.
There is no way but through.
Fear dominates our lives. The fear of love because love requires loss. Loss of control over yourself or control over the world, as the world will always take away those we love, or will take away us from those who love us back.
Fear is with us even when we feel strong and angry, because anger Is fear manifested as aggression. Fear is with us when we are afraid to take a chance, even when the risk without any rational downsides. (Your feelings might be hurt if you make The Ask of someone in business or in life is a long ride away from a fear that offending the wrong person might lead to your death.)
The only way through fear is through fear.
To confront the psychological and emotional buzzsaw that rips your face off when you press forward when your mind is telling you to hide behind the wall.
Vision quests and rites of passages.
Some claim men are breaking down because there isn’t a “rite of passage.” I disagree, there are many such rites of passages today. The failure is in the lack of integration. What does the experience mean?
Even a vision question metaphor fails because in traditional societies you transitioned from one defined role to another stable role, which would last most of your lifetime. You go from boy to warrior or tribesman.
The average person will change careers four times. The number might be hire.
I myself have gone from lawyer, writer, to journalist and filmmaker, with stops as “gym bro” and “party boy” in between. I’ve worn the uniform and fought in a ring.
There is only you.
Journeys to the spirit world are led by shamans, who have seen others experience what you’re about to experience. They are with you.
As you go deeper into the universe within yourself, or the spirit world, or wherever the place that exists beyond our understanding of physical space and time, you realize the journey is yours only.
Preparing for this Journey.
There are some physical steps people recommend, for example you should go off caffeine a few days before the journey, because these travels take time, and a caffeine withdrawal headache can present some problems. You should also eat small amounts of food, and preferably easily digestible ones, as the plant medicine has to digest.
I do a sweat in a sauna and some extra hard cardio the week of the event, to ensure my respiratory system is up for it.
The power of breath.
It’s hard to feel afraid when you control your breathing.
Five or so years ago I began the Wim Hof breathing practice, with excellent results.
You can read about Wim Hof breathing here.
You’ll get what you FOCUS on.
You’ll learn and you’ll be taught.
What you learn is a product of your focus.
The week before, it’s helpful to go deep within yourself, to ask what you want to find.
Surrender to the process.
Some say we only have the illusion of free will. Illusory or not, we have a feeling that we are in control. When that feeling goes away, you’ll know true humility and powerlessness.
Until you pass through….
What happens then, is only for You to find….