Eliezer Nerenberg
Eliezer Nerenberg is a businessman, plant medicine enthusiast, and co-founder of the Tikkun Healing Center. His past personal struggles are what led him to plant medicine after trying other healing modalities that didn’t bring about the lasting change he was looking for. His first journeys with Ayahuasca were incredibly transformative and gave him profound clarity about which direction to take in life. Eliezer believes that plant medicine is a gift from The Creator, and his mission is to help bring healing to others by doing his part in managing the business aspects of Tikkun.
If you are considering attending an Ayahuasca retreat, breathwork session, or working with other plant medicines at Tikkun and are curious about Eliezer’s perspective on this work, keep reading for more information in our Q&A. This interview is meant to be read as inspiration.
Eliezer’s vision is to offer a safe space for healing and self-reflection, a place where people can come to find their inner spark and better their lives. He believes that we are all in this together, and that focusing on our own healing is the best way to bring about positive change in the world. It is the work itself that keeps him inspired and focused on what matters. “Sometimes I get caught up and lost in the weeds – but then I see everyone that comes through Tikkun, and it reminds me how beautiful and important this work is.”
What does Tikkun mean to you?
Tikkun is the concept of correcting the world to bring it back to its original pure state. Before you can worry about the world, worry about yourself. Tikkun is about correcting yourself first. Once you can do that, you can slowly influence your surroundings for the better.
What is unique about Tikkun?
There are many places you can visit to work with plant medicine, but what makes us different are a couple of things. Firstly, the co-founders have come together organically with the same objective – to bring healing to others. At Tikkun, we offer healing without the bells and whistles – the focus is on your journey with the medicine.
Whether someone is struggling with an addiction, trauma, a lack of self love, or simply wants to better themselves, Tikkun is a safe space where they can come to do the work. Sometimes working with plant medicine means that you’re going to experience suffering, it might be difficult, but you’re going to get through it with us. We are not going to try to control your experience, and we are here to support you 1000%, without any judgment.
Secondly, we strongly believe in integration. The beauty of plant medicine is that it wakes you up to the areas of your life that need your attention – you can see it so clearly, like nothing else before – but you still have to do the work. If you don’t integrate your experience and the lessons you were given back into your life with real tools, this work won’t have the desired impact. At Tikkun, we firmly believe in post-ceremony integration and assist in this process in many different ways.
What message would you like to share with people?
The work we’re doing at Tikkun is very special. It’s almost a disservice to try to explain it by putting it in words. At the same time, plant medicine is a beautiful gift and what I would love more than anything is to pass this gift on to other people. Once you experience plant medicine you’ll be able to understand and share the gift with others.
How has plant medicine changed your life?
I’m calmer and I have more faith. Although I have always believed that we are all here for a greater purpose, I know it on a much deeper level now. I am a less judgemental and more forgiving person because of plant medicine, and I can see that ultimately The Creator is in control and that everyone has a part to play. When I walk into my house and see my beautiful children, I remember why I need to be the best version of myself, why I am committed to working on myself every day.
What advice would you give someone preparing to journey with plant medicine?
There are no magic switches in life. A lot of what you get out of a ceremony has to do with your preparation and intention. Yes, plant medicine can offer you a profound experience, but it won’t be as profound as it could be if you don’t do the Avodah – the work – to prepare. If you are preparing for a date with the medicine, you are preparing on a soul level, as well as physically and mentally.
Feeling fear or anxiety before a ceremony does happen, because this is serious work. The more seriously you take it, the more of an impact it can have. The medicine knows where to go in your subconscious, and it will give you what you need and what you can handle. Once you experience a plant medicine journey, you’ll see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, that there is nothing to be scared of, and the feelings you felt beforehand are a healthy part of the process.
Who is plant medicine for?
Plant medicine is potentially for everyone, provided that they are medically able to take it, and that they are taking it for the right reasons. Nobody is perfect, we all have something to work on. If you are perfect, call us and we’ll hire you, we only want perfect people! In all seriousness, no one can convince you to take plant medicine. If you feel drawn to it, and are taking it for the right reasons, then yes, it’s an amazing option. It shouldn’t be done begrudgingly to please your spouse or anyone else. There are many paths in life, and plant medicine is one of them. It’s a very profound path that can’t be understood until you experience it for yourself.
