My life forever changed four years ago today...
That was the day I took plant medicines for the first time.
Johns Hopkins has a study that says 78% of people that try psychedelics said that the first time they did, it was the most profound moment of their life.
Over four years, I have had a lot of time to learn, grow, and even change my views on what these medicines are and are not.
I want to share those with you today...
A couple of weeks ago, one of my siblings made a negative comment on Twitter about plant medicines and those that use them...
This sparked a little fight between us, mostly because I am an outspoken advocate for them and it felt like an attack.
As we went back and forth, I shared my truth about using psychedelics and how they have helped me and hundreds of others I have seen first-hand. He countered back at me and said that while that is great that they have helped me, I have been reckless not to share the downsides or negative effects of them.
At first, I got very defensive... The truth is, I didn’t feel like he tried to understand me, so I felt judged instead of loved by his comments. To me, it is very easy to see how these plants have helped me to grow and learn to love myself... How they have helped me to connect with others... How they have helped close friends deal with trauma and things they had suppressed in their subconscious minds.
I’ve been a witness to miracles time and time again...
Suicidal friends learning to love themselves... Men and women with deep, dark secrets that, through psychedelics, decided to come back into integrity and get right with God.
I’ve even had an active bishop from the LDS church on my podcast share how it has helped him get closer to God than ever, how it strengthened his testimony and how he witnessed first-hand an atheist man turn to God after a powerful night of ayahuasca.
My frustration was in not feeling understood. This is hard to accept. Yet, as a few weeks have passed, I think what my brother said was correct.
The reality is these medicines can absolutely be dangerous and can destroy somebody’s life if they aren’t prepared to take them and they don’t have the proper support to integrate whatever comes up for them in their use.
I have also tried to take my own advice and understand my brother better. I am guessing he doesn’t feel like I understand him either.
I put myself in his shoes and if I’m being honest, I can’t blame him for feeling and reacting the way he has.
He has a beautiful family with little kids that are amazing. He has raised them to love Jesus and each other and has done an excellent job of it.
Here he has this total wild card of a brother that has decided to take his own path in life. It is a unique one and uncertain when compared to the comfortable life he has built over the past 15 years with his family.
Because of my conversation with him and being my four year anniversary of diving into this world, I decided to really look at my own use of psychedelics and plant medicines. To really feel into ways I can improve my own messaging around it. The fact is, I know their power and I will always be a strong advocate for them.
If done in the proper setting with the proper mindset, nothing will help you improve your life quicker...
I know nothing that brings people to God faster. I truly believe this.
That being said, there are a few things I need to be more careful about and that is what I wanted to share in this post. I owe it to him and to everyone that listens to anything that I say to share the downside of these powerful tools.
The first thing I will say is that if you aren’t absolutely being called to do plant medicines, do not do it. If it isn’t a “hell yes,” then it should still be a “no .”I have seen several people dive into this not fully ready, and they dig things up without the support system to help coach them through it.
This can result in leaving them in a horrible spot where they have to navigate past traumas without any of the tools to help them. I think this is probably the biggest problem that still exists in this space.
I am forever grateful for the facilitators that I was introduced to when I started plant medicines four years ago. We had full integration coaching for weeks after each session. We also had a powerful support and friend group that was working together at the same time to improve each other’s lives.
The second biggest problem I see in this space is those that use it too often. There is no doubt the experiences you have while using plant medicines are life-changing. On top of that, a deep connection is made while on the medicine in a very egoless, judge-free space. This is something everyone that experiences it wants much more of it.
I genuinely believe those who take medicine too often are longing for this connection and that is why they want to participate more often than they should. When I first started I would take a minimum of 2 months in between sessions and usually would go closer to 3-4 months before I would retake it. This allowed for me the time I needed to integrate what I learned and use it to help me level up in life.
Another issue with this space is that the same psychedelics that are used to do so much good, like anything out there, can be abused and used simply as a party drug. I am not judging anyone that uses them for this, but at that point, you really are just using drugs and not respecting the power that these tools possess. I am proud to say I’ve never used them and will never use them for this purpose.
Lastly, they are still illegal in the state of Utah. This is something we are working hard with the legislature to change and there is a ton of progress being made. The state of Colorado just decriminalized them and made them completely legal to use in their state. To honor the position I hold and the mission with the company that I am on, I have personally decided to only use them going forward in places where it is legal to do so. Trips to Mexico, Costa Rica, or Peru are obvious choices but it’s nice to have somewhere so close like Colorado as well.
At the end of the day, I believe that plant medicine is all about your intentions... If you are trying to use them to escape or get high, you can.
Although, with ayahuasca, I don’t see how that would ever be a good idea.
You will get what you need, not necessarily what you want from these...
Make sure you have a safe environment to take them.
Make sure you have a facilitator that is actually qualified to serve the medicines.
Make sure the products you take are from a source that has tested them and they are safe.
Make sure you have coaching or a support system that is in place to help you integrate.
Never take them if you aren’t 100% sure.
Do them in a legal setting if at all possible.
Know going in what can come up.
And be ready for one of the most amazing experiences of your life.