Podcast Summary: UNRULY WITH SHELAH MARIE – Episode 10: "Psychedelics: The Answer to Radical Liberation" ft. Phoenix White
Release Date: December 10, 2024
Introduction
In Episode 10 of UNRULY WITH SHELAH MARIE, host Shelah Marie engages in a transformative conversation with Phoenix White, a renowned advocate for plant medicine and radical liberation. This deep dive explores Phoenix’s personal journey, her innovative Radical Fusion Method, and the profound role of psychedelics in achieving holistic wellness and self-liberation.
Phoenix White’s Journey and Background
Phoenix White shares her harrowing personal story, detailing her struggle with a life-threatening condition that required multiple brain surgeries. These experiences not only tested her resilience but also served as a catalyst for her deeper exploration into plant medicine.
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Brain Surgeries and Impact: Phoenix recounts undergoing two invasive brain surgeries due to an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), which severely impacted her cognitive functions. The surgeries left her grappling with the fear of losing her creative abilities, which are central to her identity.
"If I can't create ... that's like taking my life away. I don't really want to be here if I can't create anything." (09:06)
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Path to Plant Medicine: Following her surgeries, Phoenix faced homelessness and severe depression. A pivotal moment occurred in a motel room where, despite feeling hopeless, she made conscious choices to transform her environment. This shift from victimization to empowerment laid the groundwork for her eventual embrace of plant medicine.
"I had to shake myself out of it and get at least to neutral. I wasn't gonna get happy, but I could get to neutral." (16:21)
Radical Fusion Method
Phoenix introduces her innovative Radical Fusion Method, a structured approach designed to help individuals overcome anxiety, depression, and other emotional challenges to achieve radical liberation.
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Core Desired Feelings: The first step involves writing down core desired feelings such as love, support, freedom, and worthiness. This exercise helps individuals identify and prioritize their emotional goals.
"When you write down your core desired feelings ... you'll see why you're out of alignment." (22:52)
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Aligning Actions with Feelings: By analyzing daily activities against these desired feelings, individuals can identify misalignments and make necessary adjustments to their lives, fostering a harmonious existence.
"You have to be the person in the family that says, no, the buck stops here. This is where the change is made." (30:55)
Understanding Radical Liberation
Radical Liberation is a central theme of the conversation, defined as being unapologetic in the pursuit of one's true self.
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Definition and Importance: Phoenix emphasizes that radical liberation involves embracing authenticity without seeking external approval, allowing individuals to fully express who they are.
"Radical liberation is being unapologetic in the pursuit of being more of yourself." (25:14)
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Healing as a Path to Liberation: She articulates that true liberation follows healing, where individuals confront and overcome their internal wounds to reclaim their power.
"Healing is finding out the places where you're wounded and doing the work to liberate yourself from that." (28:28)
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Creating Boundaries: Phoenix discusses the necessity of establishing personal boundaries to protect one's energy and foster healthier relationships.
"You have to find where you fit. ... My intention is not to hurt you, but I have to honor my truth." (31:54)
The Role of Plant Medicine
Plant medicine, particularly psychedelics like ayahuasca and psilocybin mushrooms, plays a pivotal role in Phoenix’s methodology for achieving self-discovery and healing.
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Personal Definition: Phoenix views plant medicine as a bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds, serving as a guide and ally in one's healing journey.
"Plant medicine is the bridge between worlds ... it's there to be honored." (39:58)
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Personal Experiences: She shares vivid accounts of her own ayahuasca ceremonies, describing profound spiritual encounters and the integration of past life memories.
"I saw myself split into four ... samurai warriors ... galactic federation." (46:24)
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Addressing Stigma: Phoenix addresses the stigma surrounding plant medicine, especially within the Black community, advocating for its acceptance as an ancestral and holistic healing practice.
"A lot of people, in secret, actually really want to do it, but they just can't say it out loud." (54:50)
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Integrating Modern and Ancestral Practices: She melds ancient plant medicine rituals with contemporary practices, ensuring they resonate authentically with modern practitioners.
"In my ceremonies, I'm anointing them with oil ... mixing them with the ancient practices I learned." (55:03)
Practical Tools and Takeaways
Phoenix offers actionable insights and practical tools for listeners to integrate into their own healing journeys.
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Pause and Be Present: Emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and being present to fully appreciate the beauty around and within oneself.
"People really need to pause and be present ... just stop trying so hard." (57:25)
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Align Actions with Core Feelings: Encourages listeners to assess their daily activities against their desired emotional states to identify and rectify misalignments.
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Embrace Radical Liberation: Inspires women to pursue their true selves unapologetically, fostering an environment where authenticity leads to personal and communal healing.
Conclusion and Connecting with Phoenix White
The episode concludes with Phoenix White sharing how listeners can connect with her for further support and participation in her plant medicine ceremonies.
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Contact Information:
- Website: iamphoenixwhite.com
- Instagram: @phoenixwhite (Assumed handle based on context)
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Ceremonial Offerings: Phoenix conducts private ceremonies in Atlanta, tailored to small groups, emphasizing personalized healing experiences.
"It's a six-hour-long ceremony and then we do integration." (59:44)
Notable Quotes
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Phoenix White on Healing and Liberation:
"Healing is finding out the places where you're wounded and doing the work to liberate yourself from that." (28:28)
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Phoenix White on Radical Liberation:
"Radical liberation is being unapologetic in the pursuit of being more of yourself." (25:14)
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Shelah Marie on Honesty and Being Unruly:
"Unruly to me is being honest and being human. ... we're just being honest about it." (28:07)
Final Thoughts
This episode of UNRULY WITH SHELAH MARIE offers a compelling exploration of the intersection between personal trauma, healing, and the transformative power of plant medicine. Phoenix White’s candid sharing of her struggles and triumphs serves as an inspiring roadmap for listeners seeking radical liberation and holistic wellness.
Connect with Phoenix White:
- Website: iamphoenixwhite.com (Launching by episode release)
- Instagram: @phoenixwhite
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Disclaimer: This summary is based on a transcript provided and is intended for informational purposes only. For complete insights and context, listening to the full podcast episode is recommended.
