Hold the Ball: Qi for Pain, Cravings and the Heart

Hold the Ball: Qi for Pain, Cravings and the Heart

Recorded from the back porch along the banks of the Ping River here in northern Thailand, I'm joined by Tucker our Temple Cat and a cacophony of singing birds for this episode of the Sober Shaman Podcast. We get into Qi, and not by talking about it, but by having an experience of it. The focus is one simple, powerful Qigong exercise: holding the ball. In 13 years inside addiction treatment centers, this is the exercise that lit people up. I could see the light bulbs going off when someone felt the Qi between their palms for the first time. We'll explore Qi follows Yi. Energy flows where attention goes. Which means we can direct it, move it, use it. Starting with the basics, jaw, shoulders, belly, we work through three lines of relaxation, build the Qi ball between the palms, and then take that ball of love and light to wherever it's needed: a headache, a knee, gastric upset, anxiety, cravings, heartbreak. No place to put it? Bring it straight into the Heart. This is a practice that can deliver palpable relief, not a cure-all, but an absolute component of healing that puts you back in participation with your own recovery. Want to run through it step by step? Lesson 23 is waiting at thesobershaman.com. Links referenced in this episode: * thesobershaman.com [https://thesobershaman.com]

My Guardian Spirits: A Shamanic Journey in Sobriety

“Sobriety Is Boring” Really? I’ve noticed this sentiment has been showing up on social media lately, and I’ll admit, I get it. I bumped up against it in those first couple of years and I’ve had many people tell me they’ve experienced exactly the same. It’s common to hit some pretty quick plateaus of the, “Ok, I’ve stopped. Now what?” variety. But here’s what I keep coming back to: what’s boring, exactly? Life? Yup, there’s a lot to cover here. Because, as we know, stopping the active addiction is just the beginning. Links referenced in this episode: * continue reading on Substack here [https://open.substack.com/pub/randallyons/p/guardian-spirits-the-ones-who-protected?r=y3jy4&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web] * thesobershaman.com [https://www.thesobershaman.com/]

Am I a Shaman?

Am I a shaman? It’s right there in the name but the answer might surprise you. In this episode, I dig into what the word “shaman” actually means, why I deliberately use it, and why I’m equally deliberate about saying I’m not one. From lineage, ancestors and sacred language to power loss, soul loss and spiritual intrusion, I share the path I do walk and why I’d rather teach you to be your own shaman than do the work for you. Show Highlights * What a shaman actually is, Unpacking the real, traditional meaning of shamanism: lineage, sacred language, ritual, and the role of intermediary between people and spirit. * Why I use the word, but don’t claim the title. The intentional tension behind the name “The Sober Shaman” and why challenging preconceived notions is part of the work. * The three forms of shamanic disease. A breakdown of power loss, soul loss, and spiritual intrusion, and how they show up in addiction and trauma. * Teaching you to do it yourself. Why I believe the most powerful healing is the kind nobody can do for you, but it’s also the kind nobody can take away from you, either. And how I guide people to reclaim it. This one is close to my heart, so I hope it sparks something in you too. Listen in, and let me know your thoughts. Don’t forget to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and come find me on Substack and at www.thesobershaman.com. Links referenced in this episode: * thesobershaman.com [https://thesobershaman.com]

Addiction & Adderall: The Cost of Speeding

In this episode, I ask a few questions that always seem to hit a nerve, reveal definitive opinions and ignite interesting conversation. To begin, I start with, "What are the long term effects of Adderall?" There's a lot to look at there. Then, I visit a question that I'm often asked, which is: "If I'm diagnosed with ADHD, prescribed Adderall by a licensed psychiatrist, and taking it as I should be, is this still an addiction?" I take a look at these from a Chinese medicine perspective, which Adderall, and any amphetamine, is simply a form of Fire. Speed makes us go faster, and as is the nature of things that make us go faster, certain universal laws come into effect. And the last one, which is something I ask of every prescription, "Where's the off ramp?" Which is my way of exploring when is enough going to be enough, the "problem" finally fixed, and we can stop taking the medicine. These are the questions not enough people seem to be asking, which is why I'm kicking up the dirt here. It's a discussion that needs to keep being revisited. Links referenced in this episode: * thesobershaman.com [https://www.thesobershaman.com/]

A Shamanic View of Illness

“There is no chemical solution to a spiritual problem.” You’ve probably heard this one, as it’s one of the most quoted lines in recovery. Maybe you’ve even said it a few times yourself. But here’s the thing: What exactly is the spiritual problem? Because if we can’t name it and we can’t map it, then the saying is just a groovy bumper sticker. True, sure, but not particularly useful. In this episode, I’ll be nailing down exactly what the spiritual problem is through an introduction to the core shamanic model of illness. It provides answers and gives us a solid framework for understanding addiction, This isn’t one culture’s tradition or one religion’s perspective. It’s a structure that’s found on every continent of the world that points to the same three root causes for all disease. And when I applied these to addiction, something fit into place where nothing else had clicked before. The shamanic map finally made sense of the spiritual territory. The three reasons, in order: * Power Loss — We are all born with spiritual help. Whatever you call it. That connection gets severed when the TAHL hits — the Trauma, Abuse, Heartbreak, and Loss that overwhelms every defense we have. Power Loss isn’t weakness. It’s a severed connection. * Soul Loss — When the pain becomes too much to be present for, a piece of us leaves. Psychology calls this dissociation. Shamanism calls it Soul Loss. Basically the same thing, different language. That piece takes qualities with it, our innocence, trust & childlike-joy, and leaves a void where those blessings used to be. * Spiritual Intrusion — The void doesn’t stay empty. It never does. Something moves in. It’s pain-fear-based, hungry, and perfectly fed by your drug of choice. This is the spell of addiction. And the only reason it works is because we believe the lie it tells us about who we are. You don’t have to frame any of this in spiritual terms if that’s not your language. The concepts hold whether you call it a spirit, a belief, a pattern, or a spell. What matters is recognizing the sequence and understanding that recovery, at its core, is about reversing it. Stop feeding the intrusion. Court your soul back. Reclaim your power. That’s the treatment plan. And this episode is where it starts. With Blessings, Randal thesobershaman.com [https://www.thesobershaman.com/]