The ZDoggMD Show
Psychedelics For Non-Dual Integration (w/Mira Funk, LCSW)
Episode guests
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Psychedelics like 5-MeO DMT and N,N-DMT facilitate profound self-discovery and emotional healing when guided by trained professionals.
- Preparation and integration sessions are essential to navigate the psychological effects of psychedelics and translate insights into actionable life changes.
- Safety is critical in psychedelic use, requiring awareness of potential drug interactions and the necessity of working with informed guides.
- Rectal administration of psychedelics is introduced as a method that may enhance the quality of the experience through deeper somatic connection.
- Non-duality is a central theme, revealing the interconnectedness of self and external world, promoting acceptance and presence without attachment.
- Exploring gender identity is highlighted as a nuanced journey, emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance and breaking free from societal limitations.
Deep dives
The Importance of Psychedelics
The episode emphasizes the transformative potential of psychedelics in enhancing personal growth and healing. It introduces viewers to the benefits of using guided psychedelic experiences for emotional and spiritual integration. Through anecdotes, the experiences of the host and the guest highlight how psychedelics, when used responsibly, can support profound self-discovery and connection. The conversation explores psychedelics as tools that can bring relief from trauma and improve overall well-being.
Preparation and Integration
Preparation and integration are crucial aspects of the psychedelic journey, according to the discussion. The episode underscores the significance of approaching psychedelics with a clear intention and the assistance of a trained guide. Preparatory sessions can help individuals not only understand what to expect but also manage any anxiety or fear that might arise. Integration sessions after the experience allow individuals to process and make sense of their journeys, effectively translating insights into actionable changes in their lives.
Navigating Safety
Safety considerations are paramount when engaging with psychedelics, as highlighted throughout the episode. It is critical to be aware of potential drug interactions, especially when dealing with substances like MAO inhibitors. In particular, mixing 5-MeO with MAO inhibitors can lead to dangerous or even fatal outcomes. The conversation encourages individuals to always work with informed professionals who prioritize safety and ensure that any psychedelic use is properly monitored.
Rectal Administration of Psychedelics
The episode introduces the concept of rectal administration of 5-MeO as a lesser-known method for experiencing psychedelics. This method involves preparing a solution for self-administration, which may enhance the quality of the experience by allowing for deeper somatic work. Unlike traditional methods, rectal administration can lead to a physically grounded journey that connects deeply with bodily sensations. The guest recounts personal experiences with this method, describing how it has helped unlock long-held traumas and emotional blockages.
The Role of Non-Duality
Non-duality is presented as a key theme woven through the psychedelic experience, illustrating how it can reveal the illusion of separation between self and the external world. The episode discusses how the realization of non-dual awareness can lead to a profound sense of connection with everything. This expanded awareness encourages individuals to embrace their experiences without attachment or judgment. Ultimately, the conversation suggests that the pursuit of happiness can often cloud the deeper understanding of presence, which is inherent in recognizing non-duality.
Navigating Gender Identity
The speaker discusses their journey with understanding and embracing their gender identity, illuminating the nuances of being non-binary. Experiences of detachment from traditional gender roles and societal expectations are shared, providing insight into the complex relationship between identity and self-acceptance. The conversation emphasizes how societal conditioning and past traumas can shape one's perception of their gender. The importance of allowing oneself to explore identity and expression free from stigma is strongly advocated throughout.
Cultural Expectations and Identity
The episode addresses the cultural pressure to fit into established gender roles and identities, highlighting the emotional labor often involved in navigating this landscape. The fear-driven curiosity often present in discussions about gender can lead to microaggressions, which individuals face daily. The conversation reinforces the significance of allowing for a diverse palette of gender expressions and identities. By breaking away from binary thinking, people can foster deeper connections with themselves and others, transcending societal limitations.
The Trauma of Expectations
The discussion touches upon how preconceived notions regarding gender can contribute to feelings of shame and discomfort in individuals. The speaker reflects on their experience of internalized messages from upbringing that dictated what was acceptable. They emphasize the need to create a safe space for self-exploration and to overcome societal conditioning that limits identity expression. The conversation encourages breaking free from such expectations, ensuring that individuals can embrace their true selves without fear or shame.
Humor and Vulnerability
Humor serves as a vehicle to discuss sensitive topics, such as identity and bodily experiences, throughout the podcast episode. Specific anecdotes centered around everyday experiences, including their own past, are shared in a manner that humanizes both the speaker and the audience. This use of humor highlights the shared vulnerability of discussing difficult subjects like pooping and fear, fostering a supportive environment. The speaker urges listeners to embrace the awkwardness and inherent absurdity present in humanity.
Reflections on Healing
Reflections on healing through psychedelics reveal the personal journey of transformation and growth shared by the speakers. Through their experiences with trauma and challenges, the narrative underscores the importance of connection and the unfolding nature of healing. They stress that healing is multifaceted and may require different approaches or timelines for each person. Ultimately, the dialogue illuminates the ongoing journey of growth, acceptance, and understanding of oneself and others.
Experiential Learning and Curiosity
The podcast emphasizes the value of experiential learning through personal stories and challenges faced by the speakers. Curiosity emerges as a driving force in their journeys of self-discovery and understanding of the complexities of identity, particularly in the context of gender. The conversation encourages listeners to approach their own lives with a similar openness to learning and exploration. This desire to learn invites a deeper understanding of both oneself and the world, promoting greater empathy and connection.
Powerful medicines like 5-MeO DMT, N,N-DMT, and salvia divinorum can be used not simply to bypass our current experience, but rather to help us un-journey right back here and now...to the non-dual realization of JUST this infinite moment. Psychotherapist and psychedelic guide Mira Funk shows us how. Video version here.
This video may be a bit intimidating, but luckily I decided to use these medicines myself under Mira's guidance so you might want to start with my post-journey integration session.
Here's the meditation Mira used with me to prepare for my 5-Meo/N,N-DMT/Salvia experience.
Mira Funk, LCSW, (she/her) is a queer, nonbinary psychotherapist, transformational coach, and psychedelic guide specialized in serving 5-MeO-DMT, N,N-DMT (including analog ayahuasca), and salvia divinorum. She studied comparative literature at Harvard, psychodynamic psychotherapy at Smith College School for Social Work, and psychedelic facilitation at InnerTrek. Based in Corvallis, Oregon, she is the founder of Unjourneying, a private therapy and coaching practice where she is passionately committed to optimizing her clients' psychedelic growth with a blend of somatic, mindfulness-based, and nondual integration approaches. Contact Mira to learn more about her approach on her Website, YouTube Channel, or Podcast, and follow her here.
READ THIS:
These medicines are NOT for everyone, and this video does not represent medical advice. Only use these medicines in locations where they are legal under the supervision of a professional guide.
Consult with a psychedelically informed healthcare practitioner like Dr. Ben Malcolm to ensure you are medically cleared for your psychedelic retreat and that you won't have any dangerous interactions with your medications or supplements.
Do not use psychedelics if you have heart problems, a seizure disorder, are pregnant or breastfeeding; or if you have a personal or family history of psychosis, or are experiencing suicidality or other acute mental health symptoms. Please seek the support of a mental health professional if you are facing a mental health crisis.
Clinical research is showing that psychedelics can have anti-inflammatory effects. But note that when it comes to some chronic neuroinflammatory disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis or Lyme Disease, there is anecdotal evidence that psychedelics can be helpful; and also that they can trigger flare-ups. Mira has been diagnosed with Lyme Disease & Babesiosis, has experienced both healing and also inflammatory effects from psychedelic use, so if you have a neuroinflammatory disorder and want to explore psychedelics, it's best to proceed with caution in consultation with your doctor and to start with small doses or microdoses to see how you respond.
Timecodes:
00:00 Intro/Disclaimer
02:10 Introduction, Mira’s awakening/seeking journey, time in a Korean monastery, learning to meditate, refining practice into letting go, the nature of thought, spiritual bypass
23:12 General discussion of psychedelic medicines, varying paths to awakening, Vipassana meditation, integrating non-duality, Zubin’s origin story
45:22 Mira’s Goenka retreat experience, synthesis of non-dual teachings AND medicines, associated risks, Mira’s approach as a guide, her protocol & best practices
1:08:11 Overview of different medicines: 5-MeO-DMT, N,N-DMT (in combination with Harmaline), Salvia divinorum, lion’s mane, what is UN-journeying?
2:10:44 Safety considerations, dosing summary, emotions reinforcing the importance of integration both before AND after, trauma-informed methods, using step-wise titration to safely customize experience
3:05:10 Difference between 5-MeO-DMT and N,N-DMT, more safety considerations
3:10:55 Routes of administration, specifically rectal administration of 5-Meo DMT
3:33:53 Gender identity and non-duality
4:10:47 Wrap up
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
