Book 4

Psychedelics are evolving and making headlines to the United States masses in the 2020s. Specific individuals, groups, and tribes have been using mind-altering medicines, while some folks are considering them as an alternative therapy outlet for mental healthcare. Consuming hallucinogens, mainly plant medicines, for mental and spiritual motives isn’t something new. Peyote (mescaline) has been around certain Native American tribes for 6,000 years. The Shipibo tribe in Peru discovered ayahuasca 12,000 years ago in their native Amazonian rainforest. The roots of magic mushrooms (psilocybin) go back to Mexico’s Aztec civilization from the fourteenth through sixteenth centuries. Archaeologists have discovered evidence from sculptures and paintings on particular ruins in Mexico, illustrating that the Aztecs ingested magic mushrooms during specific ceremonial settings. Now that we’ve scratched the surface that psychedelic plant medicines (peyote, magic mushrooms, and ayahuasca) have existed for thousands of years and aren’t the latest fad, let’s swing back to our general health. As adults, we want to heal mentally and emotionally from the wear and tear of everyday life. The older we get, the more we understand how the human experience can sometimes suck the life out of us. This can cause us to feel judgmental, resentful, worn out, and other destructive words we prefer not to say, even when reflecting alone behind closed doors. Reaching out for help is easier said than done because our ego and personality tend to get in the way. When seeking guidance, we aim to fix what’s broken and prevent spiraling downward to the underworld, where a toxic mind can go dark and mad. We want to create new meaningful routines, hoping they transform into persistent and healthy daily habits for the long haul. When a mental health condition surfaces and we’re diagnosed with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or an addiction disorder, traditional therapy of partnering up with a licensed therapist is the standard route if we seek treatment. No one wants to stay in a mental rut and/or feel spiritually defeated. Imagine we’ve been medically diagnosed with a mental health issue. We connect with a licensed therapist and are either eager or reluctant to get started with one-on-one therapy. Still, we take a chance because we’re tired of the mental illness. The first session wasn’t bad, and we want to continue. We comply with the protocol exercises and meet with the therapist once every week, bi-weekly, or monthly. After months, one year, or a few years of therapy, there’s still a missing link for our mental health. We continue mentally suffering quietly, feeling dispirited and hopeless, to some degree. It feels like there has been little to no improvement, or we think we're getting worse, even when we're doing all the right things. In some cases, our therapist can recommend taking antidepressant drugs, which isn’t always the optimal solution. Sometimes, traditional therapy to expand our mental and spiritual well-being isn’t enough. When we hit a plateau, it's time to test something new, otherwise, we’ll continue going in loops. This is where trying psychedelic therapy using one or more high-grade mind-altering psychedelics can take over, whether it's accepted and practiced by society for therapeutic reasons or classified as drugs and labeled as taboo. From my firsthand experience of being medically diagnosed with depression in 2021, dealing with on-and-off bouts of depression, I came to a breaking point two and a half years later, in June 2023. I decided that psychedelic therapy using hallucinogens was worth experimenting with as a short-term mental health treatment. When our curiosities grow about consuming psychoactive substances with the intention of mental healing and growth, we also want to elevate our spiritualism. The word can be explained and interpreted differently, but spirituality is a personal transformation that starts from within. It’s the building block of having a spiritual essence. Adding psychedelics into the mix helps spark more higher levels of consciousness, introspection, and spiritual awakenings. "Mind and Soul Medicines" highlights psychedelic therapy using six mind-altering medicines (sacred plants, anesthesia, and toad venom) based on my firsthand encounters. The psychedelic therapy is within an eight-month window (2023 through 2024) in Peru, Mexico, Arizona, and California. The psychedelic experiences we'll uncover include: 1. Mescaline (peyote) 2. Ketamine (infusions/anesthesia) 3. Psilocybin (magic mushrooms) 4. Mimosa Hostilis (DMT) 5. Ayahuasca (DMT) 6. Bufo Alvarius (5-MeO-DMT) Other than the profound psychedelic trips from each medicine, the book will disclose my aftereffects (the day and week after consuming a psychoactive substance) and final thoughts (suggestions and takeaways for each hallucinogen). Afterward, we’ll investigate my health scores from laboratory blood work and checkups (medical, dental, and vision) that happened thirty days after eight months of six psychedelic therapy approaches. Then, we’ll see if eight months of psychedelic therapy helped me deal with depression more effectively compared to two years of traditional therapy with three different therapists. Keep in mind that I’m not a medical doctor, licensed therapist, or subject matter expert and trained professional in the field of psychedelic therapy and hallucinogens. Rather than exploring mind-altering medicines backed by scientific research, this book will cover my authentic psychedelic therapy experiences. It’s the real deal with no made-up stuff. With that said, let’s put on our psychedelic therapy goggles and see where it takes us.