"Healing" Gone Bad. Special Topic Lecture (EDITED REPLAY)  

I appreciate this conversation. As an Indigenous person, I've grown up seeing these plant medicines as sacred and I think they're too often viewed in a similar vein as pharmaceuticals, like a "quick fix" mentality. Plant medicines are powerful and they deserve respect and ceremony in a safe setting with a highly experienced practitioner. On another note, I've luckily not had adverse side effects from intense spiritual experiences, but I understand in retrospect that my nervous system wasn't ready to hold onto the results - and it won't be a solid container until a few years from now at least. It was so disheartening to not be able to tap into those experiences again on my own, but now I understand why in the context of nervous system healing.

Psilocybin is what totally helped my daughter. It is what healed her addictions to other things (cocaine was one of them). It calmed her impulsivity, it brought back the empathetic side. She is now one of my favorite people. We connect so well. She had had OCD, Tourette's and ADHD growing up and it was so hard. Tons of therapy, even went to medication, out of desperation to help with her sometimes debilitating symptoms. Her teen years were when things got really bad. Resistant to therapy, acting out, and more than I can share here. Anyways, I would've been very judgmental and wary of psilocybin before... and my whole view has shifted. My daughter, is more herself, more aware, less conditioned, one of the deepest people I know...and I LIKE her again!!! I have always loved her, but for a while I really didn't like her. Her behavior was so painful, destructive, unkind (to herself and others). I truly believe psilocybin has saved her. I am grateful.

Meditation most definitely puts me into shutdown- I have so much terror that I often do it anyway but I'm hoping to build more capacity. I find Irene's work the most COMPREHENSIVE AND THOROUGH work on trauma that's out there today ♥️ I read alot too, because much of utube trauma "fixes" are not ground in solid evidence

OMG! I so agree with your statement about not loving the term "treatment resistant depression". I saw a documentary about this and all I could think was that somatic work was most likely not even tried. It's such a damning label to give to people. As if they are beyond hope.

I have to say that psychedelics at micro levels was life-changing. I found it supported me to not overreact to a current situation with past traumas, and put me in the present. I was able to not be overwhelmed, and meet my physical and emotional needs. I can totally understand how a large dose could be too much for someone, but for me, it was one of the only things other than working with the nervous system that helped. I meditated, I did breathwork, I did tapping, constant internal work and then tried mushrooms, and after a month I started responding differently to life.

I have to say that I experienced exactly what she is talking about after an ayahuasca ceremony in Peru. I went into a state of derealization for 2 years. It was hell on earth but it also triggered a kunalini awakening that opened me up to healing things that I never thought I could. At the same time I was too out of my body to really ground and integrate any of this stuff. I think that plant medicine is super helpful. I currently microdose mushrooms and it has helped me so much with grounding. I do think that there should be more caution around how quickly we jump into these things or at least more tools for people who may be very contracted. I do not regret my ceremony I 100% think that it was what I needed to break the shell of dissociation I was living with and see my trauma but it was extremely intense and I almost did not make it through the after effects. Things can be beneficial and also harmful without proper knowledge and guidance. The people of Peru have a different way of living that allows them to handle these types of medicines because they are not holding in trauma, they know how to express it and process it because it is part of their culture. The western world has no outlet or understanding of trauma and people like me can got down there looking for healing and we have no idea what we are really getting into. I contacted my retreat center about this and they said it happens to 1 in 10 people. It is fairly common and worth talking about. This kind of info can save people from being put in hospitals or on heavy meds. Remember things are not black and white the world is grey. No fear here but like traditional medicine its important to know what you are getting into. We don't want to cause more harm than good. Use your intuition and prepare your nervous system if you are going to do this. It is 100% worth it to be prepared. All our nervous systems are different.

I'm reading through the comments and it seems like there's a lot of polarization---like either "everything is bad, so what do I do now" or defending one's experience with a particular modality. I think both miss the nuance that Irene sounds like she is trying to get across, which is to always proceed with caution regardless of which avenue we choose. There is definitely truth that we might sometimes wish we could snap our fingers and have things heal or change, though it's equally true that there may be outcomes we hadn't considered in conjunction with that happening. There are so many examples that could be cited of why it is better to go a little more slowly, carefully, or mindfully than to jump ahead. We can always accelerate a process once we're in it if we see things are going well, but it can be very difficult to halt something that was rushed into that starts going wrong and that's how another layer of injury can happen. There's a fine line and the sweet spot needs to be found as to when to push ahead and when to be still. And just because something works for one person (OR for one person on one given occasion) doesn't make something absolute.

I just had to pause for a moment here @42:24. It amazes me that you have managed to so thoroughly, so eloquently, and yet also so concisely - within such a relatively short amount of time - summarize so much of what I have been learning about from here and there over the last 4-5 years. That what occurs is 'Somatic Bypassing', rather than 'Spiritual Bypassing', is - I think - spot on. Your insightfulness and your work are greatly needed and deeply appreciated. Thank you!

Glad a friend shared this video with me Laura. I taught a course in metaphysics for many years and was approached by several of my students begging to be initiated. How many times did I have to decline these requests because none of them were willing to prepare themselves by learning and practicing tools to use along their journey? How many people have I known who've crashed and burned due to their drive for instant relief and enlightment. Shamans worldwide know that a student needs to master the basics, then the intermediary, before trying their hand at working with plant medicine, etc. There are always plenty of people wanting to go the Shamamic route, but 90% are turned away by traditionally trained practitioners.

Omg this speaks to me!! Before I found your work, I have tried so many modalities to try to facilitate my healing…and I thought hard about psychedelics and my intuition told me noooo way, and the fear of what would come out because of the massive amounts of traumas I know and remember…let alone the stuff I don’t remember. Very very glad I found your work! And thanks for affirming what I already know…I definitely wasn’t ready for psychedelics…not even close. 🙏🏼 😊

i absolutely love your videos...and for "introducing" me to Carie! i'll be signing for one of your deeper seminars!!

Holy s*&t! You just helped me remember something that I did not realize was connected to when I suddenly started having cramps in my calf muscles. I was getting involved in yoga, chakras, tantric practice and breath work. I’m certain I triggered something as since that time I have had problems with my calf muscles suddenly spasming for no reason. I exercised regularly and was pretty healthy. The spasming problem has thankfully subsided but… I feel this energy that is still lingering and if I push too much I can trigger it again. So I’m always on the alert and I’ve had to give up jogging/running as my system just doesn’t want to work with that. Maybe now that I’m learning how to build capacity with my nervous system, I can work with that once I’m ready!

I educate therapists, doctors, coaches everywhere I go. I didn't used to because I was not connected but now it is so empowering! I get what I need and if I don't, I move on

Irene, This is so profound. The comment about smells. I realized I can still very distinctly remember the smell of my great grandfather, who I had sexual trauma with when I was 5. It does make me want to vomit when I think of it. And on another note, I had tried psilocybin as well as meditations and had very bad experiences. My mind went into very dark and scary places and fear was so strong my body would get so hot. The feeling of intense shame and guilt is what I deal with now in such a big way. Some of the things that I feel guilty about now, like maybe a little white lie, are So strong and big that it almost feels irrational. It was like the shame came out so big that I had lived with for so long that it feels too big to handle now. I am in your SBSM group right now for the first time. Finding some small droplets of relief from the practices but it does take immense energy to stay the course and just slow down and believe no matter how scary it all feels.

This is brilliant Irene, thank you for making this video. I had an experience with kundalini energy work similar to what you're describing and it feels very validating and comforting to have a physiological explanation of what I went through. Nervous system work really did save me. Thanks for all of your resources :)

Great video

You gave a note to facilitators somewhere in the middle about how asking large groups to do a meditation or mindfulness exercise together might put some in an unsafe space physiologically, and then offered the alternative of inviting people to engage with the person next to them (say hello). I just wanted to offer my perspective on that, because I know that it's not an uncommon one amongst autistic people (even though we're all different, just like non-autistic people are different from one another). I understand that small talk helps a majority of non-autistic people to feel connected (at least, that's how Hannah Gadsby explains it), but it's not so for many autistic people because we have a different processing system. Also, for me, speaking is a very taxing activity (both mentally and physically) and it even evolves to physically painful at times, although I can speak fluently, and fluently enough most of the time, in most circumstances, that people don't notice. As such, anticipating small talk often acts as a barrier for me, even if I've been able to overcome all other obstacles in the way of assembling the internal resources to participate in a public space.

Psychedelics surely brought me into the world of trauma healing. It showed me states that are possible within me and thus giving a glimpse of hope. From there my journey started. Sure it's not for everybody. But making them illegal is the argument of an ignorant, fearful and violently oppressive mind, as Peterson represents so fittingly in his role of upholding patriarchy and toxic masculinity. Regarding the overwhelm of opening up through psychedelics: They do, and it is hard. But they also complement it with a deep level of euphoria and happiness. For me it was perfect to be held lovingly while being showed what's really up inside me. I am not saying it is an instant healing. But i cannot stress enough, how valuable it can be. I think people should just be well informed before starting with it. There is a lot to read up about SET (how is your mindeset? do you want to control it, or are you ready to let go?) and SETTING (what is the environment like? where are you? are you safe there? who is with you?) aswell as exact dosage control. If you invest into it and prepare for it, it might help you a great deal on getting the journey started in a kind and wonderful way.

Thank you ❤

Thank you 🙏🏻 ❤

Learned a lot thanks❤️

Oof. This is hitting hard, and at only 13 minutes in. I'm gonna have to titrate to get through this one.

Microdosing with psylocibine was very helpfunctie for me. The envirement is opening up and orienting experience was easier and more detailed. I was really able to create a breaktrough and become a lot freer. The insights of 4 years sbsm were very valuable in this proces. 🙏❤️

So I had been doing body/ energy work and when asked what I may be feeling or seeing which I would reply that there is nothing ! Later I came to realize that I was knocked unconscious with a substance and I was raped by a boss who I was working for! It took a while to connect the dots! At one point I had become so fearful and did not feel safe! I sold all personal belongings and moved to Hawaii, just to feel safe! Only a year ago after doing a lot of personal work,I finally was able to explore of what he did to me! I became very angry because I was not able to fight back because of the state I was placed in! And to my therapist it made sense as to why, I never could connect why I was seeming to act out but never made sense why? But not being conscious is why it took so long to understand and made sense! I found that things I recorded in my journal ,the dots finally connected! But I was not able to proof things! But I feel doctors and energy workers need to be aware of that demonic behavior. It is happening but hard to proof! It is cowardly! I have to deal with a lot of emotions and lots of anger ! People need to e aware! It is happening a lot more than people realize! This guy is a chiropractor!

When I was big enough, I hurt my daddy. This just came up. I have more insight. Thank you very much! Have a swell day...

In meditation the mind always has thoughts,thats why they tell you let the thoughts come n let them go just dont attach dont look at them. BUT even when your mind gets empty and it gets empty if you focus to the heart to feeling,instead of the mind ..its still an empty black room so..

I have seizure responses to all kinds of stimuli, usually they happen as I become aware just of the edge of myself. My inner self. Working with an excellent psychotherapist has helped, but I have kinda stalled in my recovery.

I really appreciate your lectures! I wish you had a microphone as the sound quality is not the best. Just a friendly suggestion. Thank you so much, Irene.

I started the 21 days program and got to day 9 and got to a hard stop already 1 week since then thinking on getting into it again from the beginning and see what happens on day 9

Thank you 😊 How do I know if I am ready for a sound I love listening to angelic high frequency sounds and they makee feel detached from earth but I look down and I feel sad for people that I love who are down on earth and I can listen to it and tears will be rolling down my face I have listened to this particular time for 5 years and still tears roll down I feel cheated in this life, people I love so much, my babies, were taken away from me forcefully 7 years ago by their father his money and corrupted family court system . When I listen I grieve I feel detached from earthly things from my body it feels liberating and heavenly it feels like love warmth and gentleness but those tears are for my kids never stop. I already feel like I died in my body my soul is not here. Soul is me, soul is pure unconditional love and I am. I leave my body expand and envelope my babies in my love we have 900 miles between us. I know we are eternal energetic beings but we are here now and my heart hurts. Huge trauma on top of other traumas And I have anxiety dizzy spells that last for hours or days and I can't earn a living because my health my body is very unpredictable. I have good days and bad days. Lightheadedness is what limits my life so much. Thank you. ❤

"TY, helpful, shame around burping or passing gas in public might not be ready for, for example, ayahuaska and opening up to feelings and sensations in the body ", my relative who has passed over now (God bless) went to the movies with us children and the scene was supposed to be comedic loudly passing gas around a campfire, and my relative decided to leave the theatre

I searched but could not find if you have any videos on your channel that talks more about interception. Can you provide links to video(s) that provide more details? Thanks.

Introspective somatic awareness and intelligence. Yay... Btw forcing the breath is so invasive ..i tried Hoff once n was great ,.?(for once

Hi Irene and team, 2nd time SBSMer here. Before I started doing the work I would deliberately shut out my body's responses because they would lead to panic. Learning about orienting has reframed this. But I'm curious to know if you have extra resources to help me understand hypervigilance? Thanks.

So how is the way to establish the groundwork ? I get more anxiety and stuck feeling watching these videos bc no one says how to establish the solid ground. For someone with very little capacity how do you slowly open capacity?

Irene mentions how important it is to re-route the survival energies in the body so that we're not just caught up in a repetitive loop of sensation. Would you mind posting a link to a resource that helps us understand how to do this please?

Irene, I am curious if you have also found people to have similar nervous experiences within Transformational Growth programs (ie EST, Landmark, ,etc) as the ones involving psychidelics you spoke about in this video?

Not even necessarily "bad," but after many years studying and in some cases instructing yoga, meditation, and other mindfulness-type practices, I've heard many people say that they decided to try meditation, say, and they think there is something "wrong" or that it doesn't work because instead of getting all blissed out, they are instead getting all sorts of distraction and noise and random thoughts. It sounds to me like they are doing it right; it's about learning to be with what's there. Same with yoga. I understand (though don't agree) more now about why people feel the need to have music (the traditional within which I practiced the longest did not use any), pot, goats, etc. It was not created to be "fun." Increase the experience of joy? Yes, by default or as a side effect, because within the expansion of self you do experience more feeling states, but fun? No. That was not what it was created for. I'm of the opinion is that it's worth trying because there are different methods and almost anyone could find something that works for them at any given time, but I think a lot of the misconceptions about the whole process stem from something that was never supposed to be an industry becoming one, but that's a whole other conversation. As far as psychedelics and the like, within the traditional teachings, taking plant medicine is considered a "spiritual shortcut," which may be similar to bypassing. I think it's possible that it could work for someone somewhere, but it can quickly turn into a competitive situation as well about who is more "enlightened." Again, enlightment was not necessarily even enjoyable at at some points; it's accepting reality and learning to be present and okay within that more or less. Thank you for also pointing out the challenge of giving out a sort of standard prescription for everyone. While some experiences can be universal from just being human, for the most part all of our decks are stacked so differently, so many variables, it makes a lot of sense that it's more complex than one size fits all.

Dear Irene, ❤ I wonder if it's common to keep feeling internal vibration in the whole body during next day or two after somatic exercises like the voo sound or after staying a while with bent legs, or after shaking hands, arms, legs. I feel like I'm a walking vabrator. Literally. 😮 I assume is a way the body is processing something stored. But sometimes I feel like it's a crazy sensation. Has anyone else had such experience?😮

I started meditation after experiencing burnout and after school and a had desire to heal, but I didnt leave my home environment where my system was originally dysregulated and I found out recently that I was actually somatically and spiritually bypassing and I have retraumatized myself by not being in the proper environment. Is healing still possible? I think I began healing in the wrong place and wrong time, went into a year long freeze and returned to the same place back at home. Any hope for me? I feel like I can bring up what happened but I dont know if I can feel it fully. Thank you.

Irene, can a very vivid dream that is almost a revelation bring us out of the functional freeze and into the fight flight? Looking back on my life I feel like I was in functional freeze, numb, etc... I had a very revealing and vivid dream about 6 months ago that blew the top off of all my pushed down emotions and since then I have been dealing with immense, almost unbearable emotions, sensations, hypervigilence, fear. It all started with that dream. Like I came out of a state of numbness. Could a dream do that?

I have trouble deep breathing, meditation, mindfulness and cold therapy but nothing helps the chronic nervous system hypersensitisation, where does this leave me though as nothing works, the physical symptoms are terrible

Question. What can i do if i did a little too much work of nervous system regulation for months and my mind just want to dig and dig? Im exhausted... I hardly stop my mind. I know under that is alot of shame and that something is wrong with me. Pattern is strong. Ineed to stop this a bit. My capacity became good that it releases automaticaly.

Its not like,e that, I took Powerful LSD when I was 16, I did cry for whole day but the mind expansion was beyond anything I could imagine, the fear and bad stuff was worth it, you don't remember traumatic experience, but it isn't for wooses, I was addicted to it, until I had bad trips, life is a bad trip anyway!😅😅😅😅😅i don't know what Iawasca is like, but yes you have to be strong enough to handle these mind expanding substances because some people do become psychotic and truth is I was a mess, but I loved it at same time, it was best thing I ever experienced!

ty, helpful, I also have a relative that twitches with the eye 53:00

I tried TRE and ended up in the hospital. So it definitely was too much for me.

Hello. I just discovered you and your work. I am working on healing from depression/anxiety and so far no huge breakthroughs, though I can function, just not able to enjoy life. My goal is to avoid antidepressants due to a failed reinstatement that landed me in the psychiatric ward for twelve days. That was the second time I admitted myself. I soooo want healing and have tried so many things, spent so much time, energy, money and felt so much disappointment. I have GERD, bladder issues, and a crazy all day anxiety sensation in my sacral and solar plexus area - like butterfly whooshing. Anyway, I am thinking your work would be good for me, though it feels daunting. I have not heard so much of what you are saying in this video. I am quite impressed. I have already shared your content with my therapist and some friends. Thank you!

So what is the difference between this opening up and a kundalini awakening?

Hmm, a little bit of fear here about plant medicines. I have been involved with these plants for over 15 years and yes what is explained here can be true. In 15 years, though I have seen very little of the problems/situations that are mentioned here, in my experience. Yes, the wrong facilitator/"shaman" can be extremely problematic and should be avoided with knowledge and good research. It is a small percentage of folks that have issues, afterword and I am not dismissing the issues, but it is very rare. I completely understand what she is saying, but the facilitator needs to be high quality and people need to be vetted beforehand and integration needs to happen afterword. I would highly recommend doing Irenes work before entering plant medicine, though, for folks who have a lot of unresolved, unhealed trauma. I also, would not reference J.P. information in this case, he is not an expert on this issue and tends to have a patriarchal, arrogant viewpoint on many issues, just my opinion.

So basically if we dont feel comfortable after having had a treatment or two or even three with a health practitioner ex. Chiro we shouldnt go back ? But then you say that we need to face and feel the difficult emotions and situations which may awaken old wounds …im just trying to understand when to pursue and when to hold off ! Thank you!

Can you come back from the fracturing and re-integrate with what Irene does?

Yup, Had a psychotic episode on mushrooms in highschool. It's unwise to glorify plant medicine!

What if the basic practices you teach are too much for the system? Like if trying to connect to the body is too stimulating?

It's a hoberman.

Losing me at Jordan Peterson. My nervous system recoils at his work.

Psilocybing microdosing ? Doesnt need to be macrodose ,in fact is not indicated

I’m only in the first five minutes but it’s really hard to listen to this with that sound in the background. It sounds like a didgeridoo. It’s almost as loud as Irene. I’m hoping it goes away at some point in this recording as I love hearing her information.

I do this trauma work for aprox 3 years, body based approach but I think I feel that I also need some spiritual touch to it, for me meditations work. Actually that was something what was missing for me. But I have to admit that I am not able to meditate regularly only sometimes but when I am in state that I can, it helps me. 🤍