For real? Demons, entities and psychedelic plant medicine

Demons – or spirit entities are a very real thing in the beliefs of indigenous cultures. And one of the beliefs is that whenever a person is in a state of altered consciousness, a portal can open for these malicious entities to “possess” a person – and maybe hang around long after. Having said that, we know that when a person takes psychedelics they are entering an altered state of consciousness.

Celebrating with my wise men

Hold your applause, but tomorrow, December 24th, is my birthday. I’m in good company with Santa and baby Jesus!

If someone asked me how old I feel I am, I’d say about 450 years. All the shit I’ve been through to get where I am today, I’ve moved mountains through centuries. You could say I’m a young 450-year-old. I stay in shape 😉

My pivot to cannabis & spirituality

“Oh no, microdosing psilocybin won’t do a thing for me!” he exclaimed, in total disbelief during our initial discovery session. He went on to tell me he was wrestling with grief and depression from his partner dying a couple of years ago and trauma from an abusive childhood. “I need something stronger to knock all that out!” he declared. 

In our take-a-pill-and-feel-better culture, people just want relief by taking that pill – or a whole bunch of them. Of course, if that was an approach that worked, we wouldn’t have an epidemic of anxiety, depression and despair in our Western world.

Rinse & Repeat: War on Drugs? 

Did you see? Last month the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and state police nabbed a 23-year old man. Well, I really want to call him a kid but of course I’m a woman of a certain age – so everybody seems pretty young these days to moi (that is eu in Portuguese, where I’m now living;) Anyway, the cops and DEA in Connecticut arrested 23-year-old Weston Soule for growing whopping amounts of magic mushrooms in his house.

Why psilocybin alone isn’t enough

“Oh no, microdosing psilocybin won’t do a thing for me!” he exclaimed, in total disbelief during our initial discovery session. He went on to tell me he was wrestling with grief and depression from his partner dying a couple of years ago and trauma from an abusive childhood. “I need something stronger to knock all that out!” he declared. 

In our take-a-pill-and-feel-better culture, people just want relief by taking that pill – or a whole bunch of them. Of course, if that was an approach that worked, we wouldn’t have an epidemic of anxiety, depression and despair in our Western world.

Psychedelics: Preparing for an intense experience

An important tool I use in my emotional release work is psilocybin microdosing. And, because of that, as a clinician, I’m tuned into the latest developments and research on psychedelics. In a world where psychedelics often get a cheerleading squad, I think it’s crucial to talk about why I adhere to tiny amounts of the substance in my work.

What’s your favorite form of deceit?

Many of us claim to cherish honesty, but the truth is, we engage in various forms of dishonesty regularly. Research indicates that, on average, we will tell lies (including white lies!) approximately every half-hour during conversations. 

These lies are often not deliberate as we’ve developed patterns of concealing or altering our genuine inner feelings – both to others and to ourselves and the lack of honesty can undermine our relationships.

How would YOU react? 

Imagine going on a week-long all-inclusive retreat, settling in, and then finding out that there’s no running water. What would you do?

This is what my retreaters were presented with when they showed up at our luxury villa in southern Portugal last week! 

In fact, the whole experience got so cozy and familiar that it became a running joke that Kevin, the plumber, was everybody’s new best friend…

Top 5 Ways to Prepare for a Mass Extinction 

I’ve been thinking about this a lot. Maybe you too? Whether it’s 5 years, 10 years, 20 years or more we’re hurdling toward wiping out life as we know it on this planet. That includes wiping out us.  I am so much fun, aren’t I?! But I believe we have to name it … the global … Read more

Do you prefer a tumor?

“I never get angry,” says a character in one of Woody Allen’s movies. “I grow a tumor instead.” This is a hilarious line but a poignant reminder how profoundly emotions can affect our human physiological functioning. Yet, as a culture, we generally place our physical well-being over our emotional well-being. We see it all the … Read more