This week I’m putting my regular content down to talk about something close to my heart, and close to this community. My heart is with those affected by the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary school last Thursday. I knew Griffin J. John II, the shooter, although only a little. My kid was in a special […]
Q: Facilitators always talk about “set and setting” like it’s gospel, but is there any actual science behind it? A: People who’ve held this work have always known it, and it was never unique to psychedelics — set (mindset) and setting (place and surroundings) matter in any threshold experience: ceremony, grief, birth, initiation. What’s new […]
Q: Eli Lilly just spent $3.8 billion buying into psychedelics. Is Big Pharma’s involvement actually good for the public, and who benefits most from it? A: A pharmaceutical company doesn’t put $3.8 billion behind something unless it believes it will be profitable. For-profit health care hardly ever benefits the public, but this question goes deeper […]
Q: I recently had a psilocybin ceremony that left me feeling deeply unsettled because of how my guide handled things. I’m not sure if what happened was a violation or if I’m the one out of line. How do I know if my experience with a guide was actually problematic? And if it is, what […]
Q: I’m a psychedelic practitioner, and I’ve been thinking about safety in ceremony. I’m wondering about your thoughts on background checks. It feels like it goes against my value of holding space for everyone seeking transformation. How do you navigate this? A: There’s a very frank conversation we need to have about background checks in psychedelic […]
Q: “It’s been weeks since my ceremony, and I’m experiencing depression, anxiety and disconnection that feels worse than before I started this work. Is this normal integration, or could the medicine have triggered something harmful?” A: I hear you. I’ve witnessed this territory before. The weeks following ceremony can sometimes feel like being suspended between worlds. […]
Q: I’m on antidepressants and want to explore psychedelic therapy. What do I need to know about tapering off [Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors] safely, and how long should I wait? A: This is one of the most common and important questions I receive, and I’m glad you’re thinking about safety first. Before I dive in, I […]
Q: I’ve enjoyed MDMA recreationally several times with friends – the euphoria and deep connection to music, environment, and community feels profound. However, I consistently experience blues and low energy in the days following. Can you help me understand why this happens and how to minimize it? I’m also curious about MDMA’s therapeutic potential – […]
Q: I used mushrooms, LSD, and ecstasy recreationally through my 20s and 30s for parties and deeper connections. After taking a break to focus on family, I’ve recently returned to mushrooms through guided journeys and microdosing; experiences that have been profoundly healing and nothing like my past use. I’m curious about reintroducing psychedelics into my […]
Q: I keep reading about psychedelics in terms of brain chemistry, serotonin receptors, neuroplasticity, default mode networks. While I appreciate the science, something feels missing when I try to understand my own experiences purely through this lens. During my journeys, I feel like I’m traveling somewhere real, encountering genuine intelligence, receiving teachings that seem to […]
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