I feel guilty. In my last two blog posts, I shared negative views of certain elements in the psychedelic community. And that’s all coming from someone who is working hard to use my discerning mind for astute observation, and NOT critical judgement. Whoops. Like all humans, I am a work-in-progress.
Note: If you’re interested in the technique I am working with to become less judgmental, it is in this short video: HOW TO BE LESS JUDGMENTAL .
So, in this post, I am going to be super positive, but with 100% authenticity guaranteed. I’m also going to share my first experience with shamanic snorting. But first…
My perception of the peeps I have personally met in the psychedelic community is that they are the most accepting, loving individuals. Ever.
- Perhaps this community inherently attracts empathic souls?
- Is it the focus on personal growth that opens up hearts so fully?
- Or, is it the medicine itself that changes us?
One thing, in particular, has fascinated me. After multiple meet-ups with someone in the plant medicine journey space when a warm bond has already been established, I often realize that I still don’t know “what they do.” (Forever curious, I then spy on LinkedIn.) This, of course, is quite different than in the professional world, where every introduction leads with “So, what do you do?” and invites a retort that includes industry, company and position.
The initial conversation in the psychedelic community tends to about what brought the person to this moment or place – whether it is a journey, an integration circle, or a conference. I have borrowed and integrated the focus on connecting with the person, rather than the profession, to all my initial interactions.
Instead of: So, what do you do?… I now lead with:
I’d love to get to know you better. What would you like me to know about you?
Because many people come to plant medicine for healing, the sharing of personal trauma is normalized. More than that, it is accepted. And people feel immediately safe and open with one another. This facilitates fast and tight bonding, and natural empathy.
But there’s something much bigger about this group of psychonauts. They indeed offer unconditional love unabashedly. They are unusually loving and caring.
We can debate if the chicken or egg came first, with little conclusion. What I do know with more certainty is that my own plant medicine journeys have often filled me with a feeling of love on steroids.
Which brings me to shamanic snorting – my Hape experience at a psychedelic conference recently.
Newbie Note: “Ha-peh” or “Rapay” is finely ground shamanic snuff, administered through the nose. It contains tobacco along with other medicinal plants. It’s used in spiritual practice by groups and tribes in Brazil and Peru. And, it’s totally legal, in case you were wondering.
The conference drew participants from many different places. In other words, this was not an intact, intimate group. In the Hape ceremony, we sat cross-legged in a circle, focused on our breathing, ready to receive our doses.
The woman next to me seemed visibly nervous. I, too, felt apprehensive. Do you want to hold hands? She immediately squeezed my hand and smiled with relief. We sat hand-in-hand – not as two strangers – but as two loving souls.
As the sensations of Hape washed me, I looked up at the ceiling of the room – and noticed that the word LOVE was chiseled into the ceiling. (I kid you not. Check it out at 241 W. 14th NYC!)
