Yes! Thinking for yourself—truly thinking for yourself—is where real healing begins. When you stop molding yourself to fit what others expect or demand, you start to find clarity, strength, and freedom. Escaping the roles they handed you, the masks they preferred, that’s when the path to genuine health and wholeness finally opens. 💙
I've got the perfect meme which encapsulates this piece, just realized I can't share it on this thread! Haha
This piece also reminds me of Neil Kramer's concept of the "2nd matrix" and how easily seekers can get trapped in it, sans sincere inner/shadow work rooted in humility and radical self honesty.
Great timing for me! Will be doing a live stream on this on Tuesday, June 3 with a fellow survivor of the cult I was born and raised in. Jared was “in the work” (preached the gospel homeless) for 21 years in the same cult.
You know what I think it comes down to with the absolution mentality? It comes down to a selfish need to embark on a “I am God in my field” mentality which is part of the biggest problem. The concept of “I know better because I am a pioneer… etc”
Yes! What’s even more remarkable and I see it here on Substack a lot is the notion that holistic wellness is ground breaking or something new. Laughable.
Oh you are aware! And all my marketer friends who put the hate on me after they mention how awesome this person is, and then I launch into the history and philosophy of science to explain what an abomination...
Tough topic with a lot of nuances. We carry the programmed structure that we are supposed to go to an authority figure or organization, and they provide us with everything we need to resolve the problem. As a byproduct, we protect the structure as part of our identity because it's the only option. People are programmed to only move horizontally without ever questioning the system. They lily pad hop because their psychology only operates in duality between ones and twos. This might be their very first time moving to a new identity and worldview, making it the second lily pad to protect. They are also in a state of survivalism which requires protection of individual survival, socialization, and reproduction as primary needs. Modern education does not teach people to hold tension for emergent unknowns and structures of three or more positions, like the triangle. Three or more creates potential for vertical movement and worldview transformation. Instead of moving lily pads we can move to entirely new ponds. A sick pond is sick no matter how many lilies you jump around on.
I also think it has to do with how they can make money. Use their credentials plus this newfound “wisdom” to sell something new. Before there were guardrails; now they are not bound by the code of ethics or conduct or whatever and need to replace their income. Ironic that many leave the original system because of “capitalism”, only to turn around and engage in a form of snake oil capitalism where there is no professional accountability.
This is also true - money is a driver for these survival behaviours. Without the authority of a regulatory body breathing down their necks, they can do whatever they want while believing they're ethical.
What a find! Thank you for writing this. You've beautifully articulated with nuance and depth a phenomenon I've been trying to piece together for a while.
"When that interpersonal presence is combined with clinical knowledge and a genuine belief in the person’s capacity to recover, it becomes a powerful intervention in itself — what some might even call the placebo effect." Perhaps this is not a placebo effect at all, but an attunement, a seeing, that supports metabolization of that which is held with rigidity at a developmental stage or in the occurrence of systemic overwhelm which was experienced in isolation. And to the point that nature is not always benevolent, I would add, that it is not malevolent...it is instinctive. it is we humans, with our evolved capabiliity to polarize, divide and separate who can choose to hurt another. Not for survival, not to eat or to protect territory, but to deliberately harm.
Interesting process and insights you have shared here, Nathalie.
Thank you too for your thoughts Susan. I like your thoughts about placebo = attunement/seeing that facilitates movement through an arrested process. I also agree that nature is instinctive and is neither good nor bad according to our subjective criteria. As a spiritual master once said: Nature dissolves, humans destroy.
Another really insightful article. Good point re SSRIs also. Point No 5 is especially true for people who preach the “awake and aware” gospel versus “unaware and asleep” ones - whatever that may mean….
Yes! Thinking for yourself—truly thinking for yourself—is where real healing begins. When you stop molding yourself to fit what others expect or demand, you start to find clarity, strength, and freedom. Escaping the roles they handed you, the masks they preferred, that’s when the path to genuine health and wholeness finally opens. 💙
Exactly! Well said!
Another excellent article, much appreciated!!
I've got the perfect meme which encapsulates this piece, just realized I can't share it on this thread! Haha
This piece also reminds me of Neil Kramer's concept of the "2nd matrix" and how easily seekers can get trapped in it, sans sincere inner/shadow work rooted in humility and radical self honesty.
I wish I could see the meme!!
Found you on x, meme shared, check your x! 😀
Thank you!!
Great timing for me! Will be doing a live stream on this on Tuesday, June 3 with a fellow survivor of the cult I was born and raised in. Jared was “in the work” (preached the gospel homeless) for 21 years in the same cult.
Wow- this is great timing! I will be able to tune in live too!
Fantastic! I will watch for your comments!
Wowzwer. Excellent.
Thank you!
You know what I think it comes down to with the absolution mentality? It comes down to a selfish need to embark on a “I am God in my field” mentality which is part of the biggest problem. The concept of “I know better because I am a pioneer… etc”
I’m with you on the selfish self as god mentality.
These people are hardly pioneers. They’ve latched onto existing narratives and work of others and put their own spin on it.
Yes! What’s even more remarkable and I see it here on Substack a lot is the notion that holistic wellness is ground breaking or something new. Laughable.
This is really gooood! Again, Tony Bobbins anyone?
He’s the master grifter
Oh you are aware! And all my marketer friends who put the hate on me after they mention how awesome this person is, and then I launch into the history and philosophy of science to explain what an abomination...
Tough topic with a lot of nuances. We carry the programmed structure that we are supposed to go to an authority figure or organization, and they provide us with everything we need to resolve the problem. As a byproduct, we protect the structure as part of our identity because it's the only option. People are programmed to only move horizontally without ever questioning the system. They lily pad hop because their psychology only operates in duality between ones and twos. This might be their very first time moving to a new identity and worldview, making it the second lily pad to protect. They are also in a state of survivalism which requires protection of individual survival, socialization, and reproduction as primary needs. Modern education does not teach people to hold tension for emergent unknowns and structures of three or more positions, like the triangle. Three or more creates potential for vertical movement and worldview transformation. Instead of moving lily pads we can move to entirely new ponds. A sick pond is sick no matter how many lilies you jump around on.
Fabulous summary of human programming and barriers to individuation/differentiation!
I also think it has to do with how they can make money. Use their credentials plus this newfound “wisdom” to sell something new. Before there were guardrails; now they are not bound by the code of ethics or conduct or whatever and need to replace their income. Ironic that many leave the original system because of “capitalism”, only to turn around and engage in a form of snake oil capitalism where there is no professional accountability.
This is also true - money is a driver for these survival behaviours. Without the authority of a regulatory body breathing down their necks, they can do whatever they want while believing they're ethical.
What a find! Thank you for writing this. You've beautifully articulated with nuance and depth a phenomenon I've been trying to piece together for a while.
Thank you so much Abigayle! I'm glad you've found words that describe what you've known intuitively!
Awesome
Thank you!
"When that interpersonal presence is combined with clinical knowledge and a genuine belief in the person’s capacity to recover, it becomes a powerful intervention in itself — what some might even call the placebo effect." Perhaps this is not a placebo effect at all, but an attunement, a seeing, that supports metabolization of that which is held with rigidity at a developmental stage or in the occurrence of systemic overwhelm which was experienced in isolation. And to the point that nature is not always benevolent, I would add, that it is not malevolent...it is instinctive. it is we humans, with our evolved capabiliity to polarize, divide and separate who can choose to hurt another. Not for survival, not to eat or to protect territory, but to deliberately harm.
Interesting process and insights you have shared here, Nathalie.
Thank you too for your thoughts Susan. I like your thoughts about placebo = attunement/seeing that facilitates movement through an arrested process. I also agree that nature is instinctive and is neither good nor bad according to our subjective criteria. As a spiritual master once said: Nature dissolves, humans destroy.
Another really insightful article. Good point re SSRIs also. Point No 5 is especially true for people who preach the “awake and aware” gospel versus “unaware and asleep” ones - whatever that may mean….