About this episode
Justin took his last drink on November 5, 2018. This is his story. Update on the Alcohol is Sh!t book! The book is out! Pick up your paperback copy on Amazon here ! You can get the Audible version here ! On January 1st, 2020 the 4th Café RE group will open. 2020' Recovery Elevator LIVE event, Dancing with the Mind, will take place June 11-14 in Denver, CO. You can find more information about our events here. On today's episode Paul talks about manifestation, how you basically create your future with your thoughts. We all do it, most often unconsciously. What is, and isn't, possible isn't your business, it's nature's business. Your business is to thrive towards what you want; sobriety, the why. To create what you want it must be clear in your mind, stay the course, make a commitment to this clear and coherent goal of quitting drinking. If you don't know what you truly want, seek love and connection in the mind with thoughts. Those two alone will blast through addiction. [14:25] Paul introduces Justin. Justin lives in Santa Cruz, CA. He is a musician and has been playing music for about 22 years. He is 31 years old. [17:27] Give us a background on your drinking. Justin says he got introduced to drugs and alcohol around the age of 16. He says he always wanted just a little bit more than everyone else, and then he started mixing up the drugs and alcohol at the same time. Shortly after graduating high school Justin's mother passed away and that sent him down a spiral. He started to really abuse drugs and alcohol, waking up sick every morning and hardly able to function. He realized that he needed to get help or he was going to die. [19:00] How old were you when you realized you needed to get help? Justin says it was around the age of 24 that he first really realized it, but that it wasn't until the age of 27 that he really that he had thoughts of really quitting. At 27 Justin realized he had to stop, and that he couldn't stop. [19:43] What happened then? One of Justin's friends told him about the plant medicine ayahuasca. Justin felt like he had to options, rehab or try the plant medicine. He signed up for an ayahuasca ceremony. Within a couple hours of drinking the plant medicine the first night Justin says he had a life changing experience. He was taken right to his mother's death and says she was there with him, holding him. After that experience that night Justin completely quit everything and was sober for 16 months. [23:20] What sneaky ideas did the thinking mind put in your head at 16 months? It was New Year's Eve and Justin had the thought that he would just drink a couple drinks that night, and go back to his sobriety the next day. What happened is he got black out drunk, doesn't remember the night, and woke up sick. [24:38] How long did you go back out for, and what brought you back? Justin said he went back out for 7 months, and then he did another ayahuasca ceremony, which brought him back. At the time he felt that he needed the plant medicine to bring him back, but now he's learning he can access that state of consciousness with yoga and meditation. [26:15] Get us up to speed to your sobriety date. There very last night Justin drank he told himself that he needed to stop. He started the night saying he would just drink one pint. The one pint led to at least 10 more drinks and Justin found himself getting kicked out of the bar. He got in his car, blacked out drunk, and sped away to the gym he goes to. He walked into the gym with a 12 pack of beer, went to the locker room and started chugging them, and puking in the lockers. Justin made a big scene and many other members were complaining about him. He was asked to leave the gym, or they were calling the cops. At the end of this night Justin woke up naked, covered in puke, in a bush in his yard, not remembering anything. [35:39] Talk to us about how you did it? Justin said he called a therapist the next morning, to talk about rehab. He was going to at least one AA meeting a day the first couple weeks. He still goes to a meeting about once a week, but doesn't feel that meetings help him as much as meditation and yoga. Justin says a recent meditation cruise was the best trip of his life. [42:25] Talk to us about meditation. Justin says he feels that his alcohol abuse was led by feeling there was a hole, or emptiness, that he wanted to fill, or that he wasn't enough. He wanted to cover up all those thoughts with alcohol. But now, he's learned, that instead of covering up the thoughts he doesn't want, to create the thoughts he does. [52:30] Rapid Fire Round What's a lightbulb moment you've had on this journey? To love myself. What is a memorable moment that a life without alcohol has given you? Meeting all these amazing people that are connected to the heart. What is your favorite alcohol-free drink? Probably water, honestly. What are some of your favorite resources on this journey? Plant medicine and YouTube. What is on your bucket list in an alcohol-free life? Creating more music to help people heal. And what parting piece of guidance can you give to listeners? I would say to spend more time connecting to your heart and spirit. You might need to ditch the booze if... You're waking up naked, outside your house, on two hits of acid. Upcoming Events and Retreats. Asia Adventure – January 20-31, 2020 Recovery Elevator LIVE: Dancing with the Mind - in Colorado – June 11-14th, 2020 Recovery Elevator in Costa Rica: From Jungle to the Beach - October 8 - 18th, 2020 You can find more information about our events here. Resources mentioned in this episode: Connect with Cafe RE - Use the promo code OPPORTUNITY for your first month free Sobriety Tracker iTunes Sobriety Tracker Android Sober Selfies! - Send your Sober Selfie and your Success Story to info@recoveryelevator.com "Recovery Elevator – It All Starts from the Inside Out. We can do this."