I was in the middle of my first day of training in psychedelic-assisted therapy, still processing my first-ever personal psychedelic therapy experience, when I learned about the newest episode of increased violence that is now a war in Israel and the Middle East. Writing continues to be one of the ways I process what is happening internally, around me, or with others…. and yet there has been some hesitation on my part to write about this for fear of not getting it right. I’m not Jewish. I am not Israeli. And yet…. I want to speak for those who maybe can’t. While this isn’t a battle/war that is targeting me and my people today, it is impacting my clients, it is impacting one of my marathon running partners who now lives in Israel and is raising 4 young children with her spouse, and it is impacting in profoundly personal and devastating ways countless people, countless HUMANS (and animals…. let’s not forget they are also being harmed) for reasons I will never accept.

One of my favorite quotes, which I used as a chapter lead in my book World Peace is an Inside Job , is: “Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity” George Carlin. I do not accept and will never accept the killing of other humans as any sort of sensible plan to facilitate peace. Fear? Anger? Resentment? Grief? Hopelessness? Yep! Mission accomplished, but peace? When does putting more of the problem, in this case, murder/terrorism, on a problem resolve the original problem?

• We do not offer people who are addicted to alcohol more alcohol to “cure” their disease.

• We do not offer people who are diagnosed with cancer, more cancer to cure their diagnosis.

• We do not offer people who are morbidly obese more and more unhealthy food to return to a healthy weight.

And yet, historically we have accepted the rhetoric that peace in a particular region of the world that is unsettled can be achieved by inflicting more harm, more sorrow, more devastation, and more death upon them.

Now…. despite being quite affectionately called the spiritual leader of the free world by a once-dear friend of mine, I in no way have any type of expertise or power or connection to do more than write my thoughts down and hope whoever needs to read my words, will find their way. I don’t know a resolution but I do know……more war and devastation is not it! I do know that much.

During the Psychedelic Science Conference in June, I learned of a group of soldiers from both the Israeli Army and the Palestinian Army choosing to take psychedelics together in a study with ayahuasca Research Study to study the impact of psychedelics in potentially shifting how we relate to others. Is this the answer? Certainly is different than bombing the shit out of our precious planet and even more precious people who inhabit it.

In my very small way, my quiet (or not so quiet) prayer is this: for more compassion, to listen more, and to seek to find commonality rather than divisiveness. To see the beauty in the diversity of our world rather than needing all to be the same as us in order to validate racist, homophobic, xenophobic, and misogynistic belief systems. The God, the Divine, the TRUE spiritual leader I connect with created all of us, even those I dislike or vehemently disagree with… HE (or She? I don’t know, I haven’t met God in this conscious-waking state…..so I’m covering all the bases) created all of us…and if HE created us all with purpose and with love, then even if I don’t understand all the time, there is still space for me to show kindness, grace, and compassion.

And I believe….. I have to believe…. kindness, grace, love, compassion, and peace…. are what will save our world and one day…. bring peace to us all…….

Sending all who read this…peace, love, and light….. to guide you even in your darkest of days….