Observations from a Psychedelic Coach
Trickster Energy and Utter Boredom: Two Signs You May Be Ready to Let Go of a Pattern That’s No Longer Serving You
As a psychedelic coach, I often witness recurring themes in my clients' integration processes as well as my own. Lately, I’ve been noticing two signs that indicate a client may be nearing the end of an unhealthy pattern and ready to, at last, thank it, bow to it, and let it go.
These signs? Trickster energy and utter boredom. I explore both of these manifestations of readiness below.
But first, let’s step back and look at the broader process of recognizing and releasing patterns.
The Process of Recognizing and Letting Go of Patterns
The first step in letting go of a pattern is cultivating awareness of it. This involves curiosity and exploration of questions like these:
When did this pattern begin?
What circumstances, relationships, or life forces contributed to its formation?
What triggers this pattern? In other words, when does it show up? How do I react once I’m triggered?
Where in my body do I feel it when this pattern activates?
How might this pattern have changed over time?
This kind of self-inquiry can take years and may be aided by innumerable modalities such as therapy, breathwork, psychedelics, art, somatic practices, dance, and beyond.
Deep patterns have conscious and subconscious layers to them. Many of these patterns are rooted in childhood and often tied to significant pain. Because of this, they may be buried deep within the subconscious, making them difficult to access.
The importance of cultivating awareness of those patterns calls to mind Carl Jung’s beautiful quote:
"Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate."
Once we’ve identified a pattern, we can grow curious about it, develop compassion for it, and even learn to love it. After all, these unhealthy patterns initially emerged to protect us. When we deploy them now, they are often solutions to problems that no longer exist.
Considering patterns through an Internal Family Systems (IFS) lens, many are the work of “protector parts" that are working to shield from pain our exiles (i.e., the parts of us that have been pushed into the darkness because we’ve made to feel that they’re unlovable or shameful). The process of working with those parts may involve:
Developing a conscious relationship with them
Identifying the burdens that they may be carrying
Building trust with them
Inviting them to lay down their burdens
Exploring how they may be willing to shift their roles to trusted advisors whispering in your ear rather than puppet masters ruling your life from the darkness.
We now turn to two manifestations of our readiness to let go of particular patterns or the parts that comprise them.
Trickster Energy: Perceiving the Ridiculousness of Your Patterns
One somewhat counterintuitive sign that you may be ready to let go of a pattern is when you notice the the trickster archetype showing up and allowing you to see your pattern as not just funny but even adorably ridiculous.
For me, the trickster is a manifestation of the Universe’s sense of humor. During my own psychedelic journeys, as I’ve noticed myself wafting upwards into the higher echelons of consciousness, I’ve found myself noticing, “Gosh, the universe is just really fucking funny.”
The universe is a trickster. It laughs at itself and laughs at its creation. In a recent journey, I experienced the universe play a funny but powerful trick on me, and as soon as I understood what was happening, I started laughing uncontrollably. Sure enough, the universe laughed along with me. “Why so serious?” it cajoled me.
I’ve noticed that trickster archetype peek its head out during my clients’ and my own process of letting go of patterns, but always in the final throes of a pattern’s hold. When we see our own patterns clearly, we may begin to notice how adorable, sweet, or just utterly ridiculous they sometimes are. It can become hilarious to us that we continue to react in the same way, even when we know it doesn’t serve us. This laughter isn’t mocking—it’s loving and warm.
The ability to laugh at a pattern shows its weakened hold on us. This is a powerful moment of liberation.
Boredom and Exhaustion: The Energy of "I’m Over It"
Another signal that a pattern may be on its way out is boredom, even exhaustion.
In other words, as you see the pattern start to unfurl before you, you notice yourself realizing that you’re so utterly bored by it. You see the path presented to you, and you notice that walking down it holds no more allure. You know where it leads. You know where it’s twists and turns take you, and the impact they’ll inflict on you.
As Ricky Gervais said in The Office, “Been there, done that, bough the T-shirt, next!”
Like with trickster energy, this felt sense of utter boredom with a pattern can highlight our de-identification with it and can help engender a sense of freedom to go another way. The emotional valence is gone. The pattern is an empty, dull vessel.
Why This Matters: Recognizing Progress in Healing
Healing often hurts. It often requires revisiting traumatic moments, unearthing deep emotions, and confronting the past. But healing doesn’t always have to be serious. There can be moments of joy, lightheartedness, and humor.
Recognizing trickster energy and utter boredom in your own process (or in your clients' journeys) is a way to celebrate progress. These are signals that you are nearing the end of a pattern’s hold over you. Their appearance can be a cause for hope.
I’m curious, dear reader: Have you noticed these archetypes in your or your clients’ healing processes?
Whether you’re a therapist, coach, or someone on your own journey, I’d love to hear your experiences.
Thank you for reading!