“Anxiety is really a fucking superpower because you’re super sensitive to the energies moving through you.”- Eben Britton

Full Episode On YouTube

Intro

On this episode of The Auxoro Podcast, Zach talks with podcast host and former NFL offensive lineman Eben Britton about all things psychedelics, football, anxiety, and the Warrior Ethos. Eben previously co-hosted the Hotboxin’ podcast with Mike Tyson, and talks about his time with Hotboxin’, his respect for Mike, and why the energy wasn’t right with the team for him to stay. A big advocate for psychedelics of all kinds and the experiences gained from taking psychedelics, Eben discusses with Zach how to let go of the anxiety holding you back when you begin to experiment with psychedelics and why his accidental mushroom trip taught him so much about letting go of unnecessary bullshit. The episode finishes up with a brief look at Eben’s football career, and his advice on how to adopt the Warrior Ethos of living life authentically.

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Key Takeaways

Eben’s return to hot yoga.

Hot yoga has been one of the things Eben’s missed the most during quarantine.
Hot yoga was one of Zach’s intros to the different types of strength in athletics.
“It’ll totally humble you. It’ll completely humble you.” - Eben (5:57)
“I do a lot of breathwork. Breathwork has been my savior through the last year.” - Eben (6:15)
How fitness routines have evolved because of COVID-19.
“I got into the NFL probably in the best shape of my life—strongest, fastest, quickest. But by the end I was really broken down.” – Eben (7:45)

An accidental mushroom experience

“There’s nowhere to go until you surrender to where you’re at.” -Eben (10:05)
Eben’s experience with psychedelics, mushrooms specifically.
Every morning Eben intermittent fasts, which is key to why he went on a bigger trip than he planned.
The story of how the mushrooms affected Eben and started his descent into himself.
The two entities, masculine and feminine, that came into Eben during his trip.
“It transformed from this really uncomfortable-feeling trip into this fucking magical ride of being in the magnificence of myself.” – Eben (19:54)
How the experience helped Eben let go of the bullshit and unnecessary things he was stressed about, learn how to love others better, and surrender to where he’s at.
“I know I’m taking a wrong turn on the path any time I’m looking too far into the future or I’m getting distracted by this thing over here and I want to go do that, and I’m not paying attention to where I am, where my feet are, right in this moment.” – Eben (21:20)
The mushrooms brought Eben back to the source of himself and the source of all things.

Psychedelics and anxiety

“We spend a lot of time trying to hold on and control shit. – Eben (24:52)
How the anxiety we experience when tripping out is telling us that we’re not really in control anyway.
Cannabis is able to show us what a miracle our whole existence and body is.
The deep intelligence of plants like mushrooms and cannabis.
“What psychedelics do is take you out of your mind and put you back into your heart.” – Eben (28:47)
The faith it takes to overcome psychedelics-induced anxiety and get fully into the trip.
“The breath is your gateway. Stay in the breath, let it go.” – Eben (30:11)
Letting go and acknowledging that voice that is telling you to panic, and reminding yourself that you’re going to be okay.
How nasal breathing can shut off your fight or flight response.
“If the dark shit starts to come up, the worst thing that you can do it try to resist it and push it away.” – Eben (33:23)
Allow yourself to feel the feelings that you’re feeling, but don’t let it take you over.
Why we don’t allow ourselves to feel the big feelings.
Anxiety makes us disassociate from ourselves and our physical body.
“Anxiety is really a fucking superpower because you’re super sensitive to the energies moving through you.” – Eben (36:52)
How anxiety appeared in Eben’s life around the time he was 18.
The power and respect necessary to smoking weed.
Going into space and the psychology behind being an astronaut.

The Hotboxin’ podcast with Mike Tyson

How Eben navigated the relationships and conversations on the Hotboxin’ podcast.
Eben’s relationship with Mike, one of the most controversial athletes of all time.
“It was for me, a constant process of coming back to how do I best serve this environment?” – Eben (46:25)
How Eben made Mike feel comfortable and safe to be able to share on the podcast.
“At the end of the day, looking back on it, they never really understood me and my position and I think they were even to some extent a little bit afraid of my connection with Mike.” – Eben (48:00)
Why Eben decided to leave the podcast and do something different.
“For me, my life has always been about following where the universe takes me, and in my body, it didn’t feel right anymore.” – Eben (49:00)
The disconnect between the business corporation and the actual product or piece of art.
Why Eben believes people fell in love with Hotboxin’.
How Eben reeled Mike back to Earth on several instances.
Mike’s story having the ability to change and even save lives, and how Eben facilitated that conversation.

Eben picking up on energy as an empath

Eben’s story of growing up in an alcoholic household.
“One of my superpowers became becoming really sensitive to the energy in the room, to the energy of other people, to see where everybody’s at so that could either keep myself safe or be prepared to move and shift and be whatever I needed to be in that situation to bring peace to that environment.” – Eben (59:22)
How that superpower of being an empath has served Eben well.
The negative and positive effects of being an empath.
The story of how Eben got injured while playing in Jacksonville and got benched, and what it taught him about energy and how it changes over time.
The resistance and energy Eben experienced with the business branch of Hotboxin’ led to his departure.

Coaching.

Energy in coaching and sports and how coaches control the energy in a team.
Coaching as an ego-trip and why it’s difficult to put down the athlete identity.
“No matter what relationship you’re functioning in or through, all any of us want is honesty.” – Eben (1:10:56)
The disruption and distrust that can be created when honesty isn’t practiced.

The Warrior Ethos.

The through-line between Eben’s football career, podcasting, and psychedelics and ego.
What the Warrior Ethos is really about.
At one time, the Warrior Ethos was about being war-driven for Eben, specifically during his football career.
The second iteration of the Warrior Ethos for Eben was living in your truth, as difficult as that can be.
“To me, the Warrior Ethos is all about living from the truth of your soul. Living as authentic of a life as you possibly can.” – Eben (1:16:46)
Eben lives out his Warrior Ethos through podcasting. It’s masculine in the sense that it goes out into the world.
“One of the most powerful tools in the warrior armory, is the power of being willing to surrender.” – Eben (1:17:31)
Surrender as your sword in the battle for happiness.
The will’s main purpose as serving the divine of the universe.
How we all have a purpose to fulfill for the will of the universe.
Sitting down to do the work and let the muse work through you.

Writing books and creating.

Eben’s advice to his brother on writing and creating.
“If your words hit one person like they were supposed to, you did your work for the universe.” – Eben (1:24:10)
Why sometimes our work is simply meant to impact one person, but that one person could go on to change the world.
Being a channel to receive from the universe.

Resources Mentioned:

The Eben Flow Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-eben-flow/id1519113552

The Hotboxin’ Podcast:

https://www.hotboxinpodcast.com/

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield:
https://www.amazon.com/War-Art-Through-Creative-Battles/dp/1936891026/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+war+of+art&qid=1617059201&sr=8-1