March 22, 2020
Looking back, I’d have to characterize my childhood as a mixed bag of emotions.
Born as an Army brat and near the end of the Baby Boomer period in 1959, under the shadow of the Cold War, I developed strong virtues and intense patriotism with a smidgen of cynicism for authority.
In my formative years, television and big screen movies were both entertainment and a means of escape from American suburbia. Programs like Leave It to Beaver and The Andy Griffith Show taught me about family values and gratitude for the simple things in life. The Outer Limits, Lost in Space and Star Trek peaked my curiosities and imagination, always gave me reasons to dream big. Of course, westerns like Bonanza, The Rifleman, and Branded instilled a sense of adventure, bravery, and courage in my heart. Movies like El Cid, The Dirty Dozen and Shenandoah gave me glimpses into the worlds of duty, honor, patriotism, and mission. Superman and Batman were always around fighting for the underdog.
In the real world, the war in Vietnam was in full swing. We heard daily casualty reports and saw protestors rioting in the streets. Carpet bombing, My Lai, and napalm all seemed wrong. The Sharon Tate murders and the things happening along Haight Ashbury in San Francisco made the hippies look crazy and out of control. Watergate, DDT, and Wounded Knee made one wary of politicians, big business, and the government. The Kennedy and Martin Luther King assassinations stung deeply. Apollo got us to the moon. Rock and Roll was in full swing.
Perhaps, the most indelible imagery many took with them into adulthood was the 30-second mass campaign commercial. In it, a man cracks a single egg into a heated iron skillet. As it starts to sizzle, showing it to the camera he asks, “This is your brain on drugs, any questions?”
That stark commercial instilled a deep fear and a deep belief that any non-traditional drug use could ruin a human brain forever.
More than four decades later, that deep belief would completely transform when I started using prescription-grade Cannabidiol (CBD) for a traumatic brain injury caused by a car accident and for symptoms of post-traumatic stress created by a latent childhood trauma. The usual methodology of prescribing anti-depressants had made things worse, I felt suicidal and reached out for the help. Under the direction of a medical doctor, CBD helped to save my life. My severe mood swings, emotionally depressed state, and insomnia radically changed with my treatments. The plant medicine compounds I was administered worked, they helped to heal my brain.
Because of the success with CBD, I began to investigate other plant medicines. More specifically, psilocybin, a psychoactive molecule found in certain mushrooms, and Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a naturally occurring tryptamine drug found in certain plants. DMT is found in ayahuasca tea, a brew made from the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub along with the stalk of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and other ingredients. This tea can be consumed as a psychedelic drug and has been historically prepared by various cultures for ritual purposes as an entheogen, a chemical substance that produces a non-ordinary state of consciousness. Many call these plant-use-induced states of consciousness spiritual…a connection to the source of all living things.
Without getting into more detail, I’ve discovered that different realities and states of consciousness do exist. They have helped me to appreciate and understand my life better. No doubt, these plant medicines have tremendous and effective holistic healing properties, especially if administered under authorized supervision and in proper micro-dosing amounts.
So again, looking back, all I can say is this — don’t believe everything you’re told and believe only half of what you see. There’s always another side to the story. In the case of psychedelic plant medicines, some serious imagination, intense research minus the cynicism about them, can go a very long way to helping people heal from their past traumas. Human brains are more than just eggs. Human brains deserve plant medicines. In fact, some members of humankind could use them for their own healing journeys.
IMPORTANT UPDATE taken from the article: (https://psilocybintechnology.com/investing-in-psychedelics-psilocybin-or-magic-mushrooms/):
“As of October 2019, there are considerably more companies focused on developing psychedelic (including psilocybin-based) technologies. They are emerging rapidly. LinkedIn lists 317 “psychedelic” companies. Notably these companies include everything from for-profit businesses (like Compass Pathways, the Imperial Center for Psychedelic Research, and CaaMTech) to psychedelic clubs, connecting people for nothing more than discussion…Similarly, LinkedIn now lists 19 “psilocybin” entities, again spanning the entire spectrum of purposes—from politic groups to for-profit entries…Virtually all available evidence indicates that psilocybin and other psychedelics have tremendous potential for treating some of the world’s most costly health problems. The scientific community and mainstream media appear united in the reasons supporting increased access to psychedelic treatments.”
*DISCLAIMER: IT MUST BE NOTED. I AM ADVOCATING AND SUPPORTING THE USE OF PLANT MEDICINES ONLY UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF QUALIFIED ADMINISTRATORS, MEDICAL DOCTORS, TRADITIONAL SPIRITUAL LEADERS, AND OTHERS WHO ARE DEEMED QUALIFIED, NOT FOR ANY RECREATIONAL USE OR OTHER KINDS OF MISUSE.