The psychiatrist who chose spirituality over psychedelics

The intersection of science and spirituality can be elusive – as a lot of answers offered by spirituality are often dismissed by science. So while science is busy doing the heavy lifting of proving how the brain responds to psychedelics, spirituality offers its own intriguing, otherworldly perspectives. In this video, I want to introduce you to the work of a psychiatrist whose journey through both science and spirituality led to some astonishing insights.

What lurks behind your stress?

“I am so stressed, I am stressed all the time!” Miguel lamented. 

“Can you tell me more about what that means?” I ask. “Would you say you’re anxious or fearful about something?” 

“I don’t know,” he says shaking his head, “I’m just really stressed!”

Miguel is typical in that he uses the word “stress” as a place holder for what he’s feeling – because he doesn’t have the language to apply to what he’s actually feeling.

When the world is falling apart

So many of us are watching with horror over the turmoil and suffering that’s happening around us – whether it’s in our backyard or other parts of the world. Violence and war and hunger, sickness, disease… among people, among animals.

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.

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.