Good morning Full Potential Beings! It’s a new day here in Costa Rica and a glorious new day is upon us.
A topic that keeps coming up that I’d like to touch on today is the use of substance and how it can alter consciousness. While some vow of the life changing effects of using a planet medicine to shift their consciousness, others see it as a short-cut that doesn’t allow one to fully arrive on their own two legs – on the strength of their discipline and focus.
Either way, it’s been an interesting journey for me to explore both states: a state of pure conscious awareness through soberness and fasting as well as exploring various planet medicines and seeing their effects on both my consciousness and my body.
Understanding Biochemistry
Every substance we ingest has the potential to alter our body’s biochemistry. These changes can shift our mental state, influence our mood, and even affect our long-term health.
This goes beyond just planet medicines. This includes the food and liquids we consume. If we are mindful and paying attention to the subtle changes that occur after we consume ANYTHING, we can start to really refine what we put into our body.
The Cost of Highs and Lows
The immediate allure of a ‘high’ or the numbing ‘low’ can be enticing, but it’s important to remember that these altered states come at a cost. Both the immediate and delayed effects can be detrimental to our physical and mental health.
Again by staying mindful about the effects, we can notice the longer term effects for a substance. And just how draining or taxing it can be on the system, no matter how high it gets you in the short term.
For example from the process of smoking weed, I learned that it usually takes me about 3 days to clear on a level where its not having a big influence on my system. And usually the first day or two is a big dip in my energy and emotional state. By recognizing this, I don’t get consumed by the lower state and I have been able to give myself strong reasons not to engage in it.
Embracing Discipline
Discipline plays a pivotal role in sobriety. It’s not just about eliminating substances from our lives, but also about setting boundaries and creating a structured environment that supports our goals. This includes not keeping substances within easy reach and using them sparingly, if at all.
Sometimes the easiest way to avoid use of a substance is just not be around it. That means not having it around at times when your craving for it feels strong and your will power feels low.
This may also include the kind of people you hang around, if they are constantly using any substance and reminding you that you can have it very easily. Being conscious about your environment and friends is a profound way to shape your own behaviors for the better.
Healthy Alternatives to Alter Consciousness
There are numerous healthier ways to shift our consciousness and explore new states of mind. Activities like movement, meditation, and music can offer a profound change in our conscious vibration.
I have found that after spending time on a screen (which even though is not a substance, definitely alters my state), or if I’ve over eaten, or eaten late, or took a substance that caused my energy to dip the next day – the fastest way to optimize and get back on the right track is through proper hydration, nutrition, movement, meditation and music.
The Power of Tracking
Keeping track of our progress is a powerful tool in our journey towards sobriety. By recording our experiences, we can gain a clearer understanding of our patterns, celebrate our victories, and make more informed decisions.
By noting experiences you have before, during or after an ingested substance you can become far more mindful of the effects it’s having on your system and refine your behavior accordingly.
Conclusion
The goal of health is to feel alive and strong. Substances might give you a short term boost but are the longer term benefits worth it? In same cases yes. Some people swear by the experiences they had on plant medicines like mushrooms, ayahuasca or Iboga.
In cases where the nervous system needs a massive reset on a subconscious level, these one time or ceremonial uses of substance MAY offer a breakthrough that can last a lifetime.
The risk is to keep going back to a substance rather than integrating the insights from a breakthrough. Defaulting on the medicine to the work rather than actually develop yourself and evolve.
Sobriety is more than an end goal – it’s a lifestyle that promotes balance, health, and self-awareness. It’s a journey that requires patience, perseverance, and above all, self-compassion.
And one last thing – when you choose to be more conscious about what you consume, choose also to have compassion for others on their journey. It can be easy to judge or assume that you’re in a superior, ‘more aware’ position than others. But a little humility can go a long way. And by simply being an example you can shift people’s behaviors.
In the depths of consciousness, we dive,
Seeking balance, feeling alive.
From the highs and lows, we learn,
In the fire of experience, we yearn.
Through the haze of substances, a light,
A choice for health, a will to fight.
No quick fixes, no easy cure,
Only discipline, steadfast and sure.
In silence, we find our strength,
In mindfulness, we go to length.
For it’s not the substance, but the soul,
That fills the void, that makes us whole.
Vision: To create a self-sustaining paradise on earth where individuals and communities thrive in interconnected eco-villages, transcending the ‘monkey mind’ and connecting deeply with their true selves and the environment. Through the power of optimization, we aim to elevate every facet of life, ensuring a prosperous, fulfilling, and harmonious existence for all.
