Psychedelics

Far-right candidate André Ventura’s 2026 campaign billboards declaring “Gypsies must obey the law,” a slogan so blatantly racist it took a court to remind him that printing hate doesn’t count as “bold political messaging” as his party insisted.

I’ve been living in Portugal for a little more than three years now, and while I wouldn’t call myself an expert on the country, I’ve picked up more than the language, the rituals, and the way history lingers – in tiled walls, quiet bookstores, and the corners of cafés where no one’s in a hurry.

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”

This is a phrase that gets tossed around spiritual circles like it’s self-explanatory.

Spoiler: it’s not. Most people nod wisely and then immediately go back to suffering because nobody breaks it down.

But I believe it’s vitally important for all of us to know that there is an alternative to suffering. Because if we actually understand what this phrase means it can completely change the way we move through emotional pain.

“Pain is inevitable” means that emotional pain will happen, no matter what you do.

We talk a lot about saving the Earth … but let’s be honest: the Earth has been through worse. Humanity isn’t going to “destroy” the planet. If we continue to push the ecosystem beyond its tolerance, Earth won’t blink. It will simply buck us off, along with every other species that can’t adapt.

Two Deepak Chopra’s have emerged.

One sent Jeffrey Epstein an email: “Last night was a blast. Ended 1 AM.”

The other now lives as a digital oracle, answering existential questions 24/7 for 50 cents a session. This version, Deepak 2.0, is an AI trained on the entire corpus of Deepak Chopra’s teachings, ninety-five books, decades of talks, thousands of hours of content. No need for retreats or sessions. Just log in and ask your question.

About a decade ago, living in the cannabis wonderland of Denver – back when legalization there was still new and exciting (and yes, it’s still exciting), I saw a wave of “cannabis catering” take off. Full-course infused dinners. Creative, thoughtful chefs pushing the boundaries of what cannabis and cuisine could do together.
These days, it appears the concept has caught on. According to Bloomberg news cannabis is not only showing up at holiday gatherings, it’s replacing alcohol in some households.