The Sober Shaman

Addiction Is a Spell

Definition: Spell a: a spoken word or form of words held to have magic power b: a state of enchantment I’ve been professionally helping others in recovery for almost as long as I’ve been clean and sober—no coincidence. From the start, I realized that for treatment to have any chance of success, I need to take what works from my esoteric Chinese medicine and core-shamanic approaches and explain addiction’s origins and mechanisms in a way people can understand. On the other end, I’ve had to translate what I do for treatment centers, insurance companies, and licensing and accreditation boards, as well as to my medical and mental health colleagues—speaking in the “medical-ese” that checks diagnosis codes and reimbursement boxes. Fun, right? Now, I aim to strip away language that complicates an already complex issue. With that in mind, I propose… Addiction is a SpellThis Spell is a LieThis Lie is a Belief Let me explain. Check out our exploration along this path to the core of an addiction. Hit the play button on the podcast audio at the top of the page, or check out the video embedded here: And as always, please hit the little like button and send along any comments or questions you may have. With blessings, Randal This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit randallyons.substack.com/subscribe [https://randallyons.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

On Being A Guest to The Spirits of This Place

This episode of The Sober Shaman podcast complements the recent written post [https://randallyons.substack.com/p/dear-the-spirits-of-this-place] entitled, “Dear the Spirits of This Place.” We delve into the Shamanic wRites prompt and explore three types of places where you can gain insight, connection, and healing power from being a good guest and responsible resident to the Spirits of Place. Here are some of the three ways we look at this: * The place of your birth: I spent years of my youth walking the streets of the island of Manhattan [https://randallyons.substack.com/p/shamanic-listening-begins-with-the-heart] driven by a deep longing for belonging but without a guide to clarify my intentions.. This wRites exercise may help you just that. * The place where you felt Home: I share a paragraph from the written post, which I later realized was part of my ongoing work in [https://randallyons.substack.com/p/soul-loss-and-soul-retrieval-part]Soul Courting [https://randallyons.substack.com/p/soul-loss-and-soul-retrieval-part]. Welcoming back a lost soul fragment—split off for survival due to TAHL (trauma, abuse, heartbreak, and loss)—is only the beginning. We must actively and continuously create a safe Home for this part. For me, that means providing a space where my 9- to 14-year-old self feels secure enough to stay. When I do, he returns with gifts only he can offer: innocence, wonder, passion, and heart-sourced curiosity, which infuses my present life with these powers and the deep recognition of their importance. * The place where you are a guest right now: Wherever you are right now, how do interact with the spirits of this place? What is your relationship to the spirits of: * Nature * Elements * Trees * Mountains * Bodies of water * Guardians * Thresholds * Ancestors—familial, tribal, national * Ghosts * Deities * Holy teachers * Taboos * Gateways to the Lowerworld and Upperworld Join me as we explore how important it is to bring a guest’s humility to, and the expression of gratefulness for, being taken care of by the inhabitants and the Spirits of This Place. You can read the full write-up in the written post here [https://randallyons.substack.com/p/dear-the-spirits-of-this-place]: As always, please hit the ♥️ and subscribe if you feel called, and send along any questions or shares in the comments below, or reach out directly via email: Spirit@RandalLyons.com With blessings,Randal This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit randallyons.substack.com/subscribe [https://randallyons.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

A Shamanic Journey to The Web of Life

This episode of The Sober Shaman podcast serves as a companion piece to the recent written post [https://randallyons.substack.com/p/addiction-separates-the-web-connects] entitled, “Addiction Separates / The Web Connects.” In this episode, we explore the year’s first Medicine Drum Journey and how our experience can provide insight, connection, and healing power for our concerns. Here are some of the ways we look at this: * Connection is the Medicine for addiction’s pathological power to separate. * Fear grows in the spaces where we are separated from loved ones, heartfelt activities and places of belonging. * An overview of the Cycle of Addiction and role of The Web of Life within it. * In the Earth Phase, we receive the Medicine of Connection through the power of support, home, nourishment & communion. * Dissolving the negative experience of feeling stuck in The Web * The transformative power of Earth & the Spleen: extracting wisdom & releasing waste * The weave of the 5 Elements Join me as we explore all of this in the podcast. You can read my full write-up and complete any preparation work before undertaking your own journey in the written post here [https://randallyons.substack.com/p/addiction-separates-the-web-connects]: I’m inviting anyone interested in collaborating to reach out. Ways to participate could include: * Sharing what you received from your journey * Proposing a writing prompt or offering a place in Non-Ordinary Reality to take a Medicine Drum Journey to that explores a recovery, mental health, and/or spiritual topic of concern * Discussing how these exercises have worked for you, or, if you're a medical or mental healthcare professional, how they’ve worked for your clients This could take the form of a written Q&A, a recorded Zoom session, or even through the new Substack live option. As always, feel free to message me here on Substack or reach out directly via email: Spirit@RandalLyons.com With blessings,Randal This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit randallyons.substack.com/subscribe [https://randallyons.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

If I Trusted the Truth...

This episode of The Sober Shaman podcast serves as a companion piece to the recent written post [https://randallyons.substack.com/p/trusting-the-truth-shamanic-writing] of the same name. In it, we explore the year’s first Shamanic wRites topic—trust—and how a shamanic perspective can provide insight, connection, and empowerment through my response to the prompt. Here are some bullets on how we can do this: * Going to where the truth resides * Merging with my spiritual bones * Writing from this place * Receiving the messages of truth as merged with the spirit of The Bones Join me as we explore all of this in the podcast. You can read my full response to the prompt, as well as any preparation work you’d like to do before undertaking your own wRites from the prompt, here in the written post [https://randallyons.substack.com/p/explore-shamanic-writes-healing-insight-writing]: I’m inviting anyone interested in collaborating to reach out. Ways to participate could include: * Sharing what you received from the writing or journey exercises * Proposing a writing prompt or offering a place in Non-Ordinary Reality to take a Medicine Drum Journey to that explores a recovery, mental health, and/or spiritual topic of concern * Discussing how these exercises have worked for you, or, if you're a medical or mental healthcare professional, how they’ve worked for your clients This could take the form of a written Q&A, a recorded Zoom session, or even through the new Substack live option. As always, feel free to message me here on Substack or reach out directly via email: Spirit@RandalLyons.com With blessings,Randal This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit randallyons.substack.com/subscribe [https://randallyons.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Shamanic wRites: A Quick Guide

This episode of The Sober Shaman podcast is the companion piece to the recent written post [https://randallyons.substack.com/p/explore-shamanic-writes-healing-insight-writing] of the same name. In it, we dive into the unique aspects of the Shamanic wRites exercise, specifically what sets it apart from a typical writing prompt. We also explore why approaching it as a spiritual endeavor, rather than a psychological exercise, will yield a different kind of result. Here are a few topics that are in addition to what’s covered in the written post [https://randallyons.substack.com/p/explore-shamanic-writes-healing-insight-writing]: * Modern society’s promotion of the inability to listen to and maintain a relationship with spirit * How our spiritual sensitivities are clouded and blocked by the shouting from our screens * What if we swapped the words “truth” and “spirit” in conversation? * Exploring how writing to, from, and merged with spirit is a different experience than engaging in regular writing prompts * An advantage of being an addict in recovery is that we know where the line is because we’ve crossed it so many times in active addiction * By crossing the line, we understand and remember the clear difference between being in control and being out of control In the new year of 2025, The Sober Shaman will focus on the two experiential spiritual exercises that set this work apart: * Shamanic wRites * Medicine Drum Journeys Since both the written posts and podcasts will explore these two exercises, I’m inviting anyone interested in collaborating to reach out. Ways to participate could include: * Sharing what you received from the writing or journey exercises * Proposing a writing prompt or offering a place in Non-Ordinary Reality to take a Medicine Drum Journey to that explores a recovery, mental health, and/or spiritual topic of concern * Discussing how these exercises have worked for you, or, if you’re a medical or mental healthcare professional, how they’ve worked for your clients. This could be in a written Q&A format, a recorded Zoom session, or even through the new Substack live option. As always, you can message me here through Substack or reach out directly via email: Spirit@RandalLyons.com With blessings,Randal This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit randallyons.substack.com/subscribe [https://randallyons.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]