Psychedelics aren't just substances; they're tools for awakening, spiritual healing, and remembering who we truly are. Over the years, as an experiential journalist and spiritual seeker, I've immersed myself in the heart of psychedelic culture, shamanic practices, and the frontiers of consciousness. What follows is a reflection on that journey, drawn from a conversation I had with SeekersWay, where I shared how these sacred medicines have reshaped my life and how they can help guide humanity back to the Earth, and to ourselves.
There's a growing hunger across the planet for meaning, for reconnection, and for experiences that move beyond the material. Psychedelics offer a profound response to that yearning, not by handing us easy answers, but by showing us that the absolute truth has always lived inside us. They help strip away the noise so we can listen again.
My Journey Begins
My journey into the world of psychedelics started long before I ever set foot in the jungle. As a young man fascinated by altered states and the mysteries of consciousness, I found myself drawn to the stories and energy of the 1960s counterculture. But it wasn't just about getting high; it was about exploring what it means to be human, to be alive, and to be connected to something greater than ourselves.
I've been involved in psychedelic culture for most of my adult life... trying to capture some of the essence of the culture, on the outside, as it evolves and also the interior spiritual journey.
From the outside, psychedelic culture might look chaotic or fringe, but for those on the inside, it's a deep well of spiritual inquiry. I saw that early on and felt a responsibility to document it, not from a detached journalistic lens, but from the inside out. I wanted to speak the language of direct experience.
For me, documenting this culture wasn't just a job; it was a calling. I wanted to bridge the gap between the personal and the collective, to tell stories that weren't just informative but transformative. That's what led me to Peru in 2006. I went down there with a journalist's curiosity, but I came back with a deep sense of purpose.
That turned into a book called Aya: A Shamanic Odyssey... and that's just been turned into a film... which is all about ayahuasca culture and what I call the global shamanic resurgence.
That trip was the spark, but the fire was already burning. The more I engaged with the medicine, the more I saw a wave of awakening moving across the globe. People weren't just seeking healing; they were remembering their spiritual roots. And the resurgence of shamanism wasn't about nostalgia; it was about reclaiming a way of being that honours both the Earth and the spirit.
Creating Aya: Awakenings allowed me to weave together words, images, and sound into something more than a narrative; it became a kind of energetic transmission. And every time we screened the film, especially in communal spaces, it became a form of modern ceremony.
There's something about going to the theater, which is like a ritual... you're in the dark of the womb of the cinema.
That space, the dark, shared stillness of the theater, held something sacred. It reminded me of the maloca in the jungle, the roundhouse where the medicine is drunk and the spirit moves through song and silence. In both places, people surrender to the experience together, and something ancient stirs.
That communal immersion, leaving behind the noise of the world and dropping into a shared visionary space, was and still is incredibly powerful. It mirrors the medicine circle in many ways: strangers becoming allies, sharing breath and feeling, going on the journey together.
Why Psychedelics Matter
In our world today, psychedelics are still often misunderstood. They're feared, criminalised, and lumped in with harmful substances. But that fear says more about our culture than it does about the medicines themselves. Psychedelics, when used with respect, intention, and care, are profound tools for spiritual exploration and healing.
Are we free human beings? This is a democracy. Is this a free planet...?
The freedom to explore one's own mind should be the most basic right we have. Yet, many governments treat it as a threat. What they fear is not chaos, but clarity. When people awaken to the truth of their own power, the systems of control begin to erode.
This question isn't just rhetorical; it's foundational. If we can't choose to explore our own consciousness, what kind of freedom do we really have? These substances have been vilified, not because they're dangerous in the way many claim, but because they challenge the status quo. They open doors that many would prefer remain shut.
Mother Earth is giving us these substances to help in our evolutionary journey.
This gift from nature isn't new; it's ancient. Indigenous peoples have worked with these plant teachers for thousands of years. What's new is the global crisis of disconnection and the return of these medicines to help us heal it.
Psychedelics are part of nature's blueprint. They're gifts, messengers, here to help guide us through times of disconnection. They remind us of our relationship with the Earth, with each other, and with the deeper currents of life itself.
We're specifically meant to be in partnership with the Earth... and it's like the planet has supplied these things specifically.
The idea that these substances are dangerous misses the more profound truth: they are intelligent. They are part of a larger design, one that recognises the Earth as a conscious being in relationship with us. And when we enter into that relationship with respect, profound healing can occur.
This isn't metaphorical, it's biological. Our brains have receptors for these substances. It's like we've been built to communicate with the plants, with the fungi, with the molecules of spirit embedded in the biosphere. That's not a coincidence. That's design.
Everything is Vibration
Throughout my work and experiences, one truth keeps resurfacing: everything is vibration. From the songs of the shamans to the hum of the jungle, the entire cosmos is pulsing with sound. In ceremony, this becomes obvious; the Icaros (sacred songs) aren't just beautiful; they're functional. They guide, cleanse, and activate the visionary state.
Everything is, is, morphing, undulating, sea of vibration. And so sound is the key... Sound and language are only the tip of the iceberg of the power of real sound.
These aren't just poetic metaphors; they're lived truths. In altered states, reality reveals itself as frequency. What we perceive as matter is just dense vibration. And when you really tune in, you can feel that the whole universe is singing.
When we tap into this sea of vibration, we start to understand how ancient traditions used sound as a portal. Whether it's a chant, a drumbeat, or a whispered prayer, these frequencies shape reality. Modern science is beginning to catch up with this truth, but indigenous wisdom has known it all along.
You navigate yourself, the brainwaves of God... by using sound. And, it's an ancient summoning technique that we're rediscovering.
Sound is more than healing; it's a compass. It helps us find our way through the visionary realms. Whether it's a shaman's song or the internal hum of being, vibration is the thread that weaves together spirit and form.
In my deepest journeys, especially with 5-MeO-DMT, I've experienced this directly. Sound becomes light, light becomes form, and then it all melts back into the One. It's an ancient truth echoing through modern times, waiting for us to remember.
Facing the Fear of Change
The resistance to psychedelics isn't just about laws or substances; it's about control. The modern world is structured to maintain order, predictability, and hierarchy. Psychedelics blow that wide open. They reveal the illusion of separation, the fragility of ego, and the possibility of radical transformation.
That pyramid structure... has basically thrown the world out of balance.
We live in a society that values productivity over presence, consumption over connection. The current structure isn't designed to nourish the soul; it's designed to extract. Psychedelics challenge that by reconnecting us to the sacred.
Our systems, political, economic, and cultural, are deeply invested in maintaining this imbalance. Psychedelics threaten those systems because they remind people of their power, their divinity, and their connection to something greater than consumerism and control.
They fear change... Holding on is stagnation of the soul. And that's what culture in Western culture has done lately.
The irony is that life itself is change. And yet, our dominant culture tries to cling to permanence. Psychedelics remind us that surrendering to the flow is not only necessary, it's beautiful.
But change is inevitable. Life flows like a river, and trying to dam it up only leads to stagnation. Psychedelics help us remember that we're meant to evolve, to grow, to feel, to reconnect. And that's precisely what the powers that be are afraid of.
A Word to the Future
To those just beginning their journey, and to the generations coming after us, I say this: these medicines are not the point. They're a pointer. They show us what's possible, but the real magic happens when we integrate those lessons into our lives.
These substances are tools... They don't do a lot of the things we think they do. We can do this.
The true awakening comes not from the trip itself, but from what we carry back. These experiences are like dreams from the spirit world. Their value lies in how we embody them in our waking lives, in our relationships, our work, our presence.
We've always had the capacity for connection, for healing, for insight. The medicines help us remember. And once we've remembered, we have the responsibility to embody it, to live as awakened beings.
Then we won't need the psychedelics or the entheogens because they will have taught us how to be what they do.
One day, these medicines will have done their job. We'll step fully into our role as stewards of the Earth and bridges to the cosmos. And when that happens, the need for tools will dissolve. We'll be the medicine.
When that happens, we'll reach a new stage of our evolution. Not reliant on the tools, but aligned with their teachings. Living in harmony with each other and the planet.
We are all one species. We are all one lifeform... and when we remember that... then we'll be the galactic citizens that they're waiting for us to be.
This is the great remembering, when the illusion of separation dissolves and we recognise ourselves in each other, in the stars, in the Earth. And that moment is closer than we think.
The Real Ceremony Begins
This journey, mine, yours, ours, isn't just about psychedelics. It's about remembering who we are and stepping into our place in the web of life with reverence, integrity, and love. These medicines have shown me what's possible. Now it's up to all of us to live it.
The real ceremony begins after the ceremony ends. It's in how we treat each other, how we care for the Earth, and how we honour the wisdom we've been given. May we walk this path together, with open hearts and open minds.