Portugal has become a global hub for cannabis exports, yet most of its own citizens are shut out of safe access. While a handful of patients can get prescriptions, the rest are pushed into an underground market, tolerated only through possession limits. Becca reflects on the strange paradox of a country that grows cannabis legally but keeps its people in the shadows.
The other day I spotted a box of cannabis-scented Kleenex in my local supermarket in Portugal. It was such a quirky surprise that I tossed it in my cart – and started thinking about what it means when cannabis symbols appear in ordinary places. From the scent itself to the bigger cultural ripple, I found myself reflecting on how normalization can arrive in the most unexpected ways.
The Beatles’ psychedelic years revealed how quickly insights can fade without grounding. Today, the lesson is clearer: psychedelics paired with integration create lasting transformation. Microdosing, full journeys, or a blend of both can each be powerful when guided with intention and woven into daily life, turning fleeting moments of awareness into steady growth and meaningful change.
Is it healing, or just a really pretty way to avoid your feelings? From retreat mats to festival dance floors, psychedelics are often framed as tools for healing and transformation – but they’re just as often used as another way to mentally check out.
I recently had one of those days where nothing seemed to go smoothly – a string of mishaps that kept piling on. It stirred up the memory of a particularly hectic day that I wrote about back at the end of 2022 (funny how certain moments stay crystal clear over the years). As it came rushing back, I decided I should revisit what I took away from the experience.
Unprocessed emotions often find expression in the body. Skin issues, inflammation, chronic tension – these symptoms may be signs of unresolved feelings stored deep within. The link between mental and physical health runs deeper than most of us were taught. And healing begins by listening.
George I. Gurdjieff was what you’d call a modern day mystic – an unconventional spiritual teacher who was committed to “waking up” as many people as possible. His mission was to guide people living in the U.S. and Europe to higher consciousness, believing that humans exist in a state of “waking sleep” – essentially held captive by the unruly emotions that run them.
Don’t worry. Be happy!
Whether it’s a secular or spiritual environment, so much of what we’re taught about how to manage our thoughts boils down to one message: “Don’t think those bad thoughts! Think only good thoughts!” And it’s a prescription for mental disaster.
It can feel isolating to carry old wounds into a day built on picture-perfect memories that were never yours. If Mother’s Day feels more complicated than comforting, you’re not alone.
Psychedelic breakthroughs can feel like hitting reset – but without a clear path forward, it’s easy to slip back into old patterns. I explore the challenge of integration, emotional healing, and how to build new mental scaffolding that supports lasting change in a world that wants the old you back.