The Terror (Bhairava)

The Bad Trip

The most common side effect of high-dose Cannabis is Paranoia.

The heart races. Thoughts loop. You feel observed. You feel you are dying or going insane.

In the West, we call this a "Panic Attack." We take a Xanax to kill it.

In the Shiva tradition, this face of the experience is called Bhairava (The Frightful One). Bhairava is the aspect of Shiva that destroys the ego.

The Insight: The ego screams when it senses its own dissolution. The paranoia is not a malfunction; it is the ego's immune response to the Infinite.

The Amygdala Hijack

Biologically, THC binds to receptors in the Amygdala (the fear center). It unmasks latent fears.

If you have repressed trauma, the plant excavates it.

The "Bad Trip" is usually just the surfacing of the Shadow Self.

• "Everyone is looking at me" = Deep social insecurity.
• "I am going to die" = Unresolved fear of death.

The Practice: Facing the Roar

When Bhairava appears (when the fear spikes):

1. Do Not Fight: Resistance creates a feedback loop. Using sedatives or fighting the feeling amplifies the panic.

2. Witness: Move from the Experiencer ("I am scared") to the Witness ("I see fear rising").

3. Surrender: Offer the fear into the fire. Say to the terrifying face, "You are also Shiva. Destroy me if you must."

When you cease to defend the ego, the Bhairava transforms. The terror collapses into Awe (Vismaya). You realize you are not the small self that can be destroyed; you are the vastness that watches the destruction.

"Fear is the gatekeeper of the inner sanctum. Only those who can look Bhairava in the eye are allowed to pass."