What Can We Learn From Nature?

Following my initial nerdy-intellectual high after my first Psychedelic Science Conference in June with 12,000 of my closest friends, I have spent the past month+ ravishingly consuming any and all information about psychedelics in therapy. Research has shown psychedelics-assisted therapy to be effective in the treatment of trauma, treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, substance use disorders, eating disorders and so much more. My entire life on this planet, psychedelics (even those found growing in nature) have been illegal for consumption and sale, with the exception of those that are closely associated with indigenous cultures and their religious practices/customs.

*We destroyed, stole, pilfered, and killed so many in our “discovery” of this “new land,” how gracious of us to at least allow the native peoples of this land to maintain this part of their heritage.

I am left wondering how we, both Native Americans and those of us who came to this country a little later…. ever allowed this to happen.

In my exploration, I was encouraged to watch Fantastic Fungi by the psychotherapist who will soon be supporting me in my own journey. It has been repeatedly recommended to those interested in doing this work, to have the experience and thus…I am in the process. While I had, without any specific reason, envisioned the documentary to be all about the psychedelic nature of fungi, what I learned (and sincerely hope others will watch as well with curiosity) goes far beyond that one element.

Fungi have this massive, extensive, and some might say EVOLVED communication system that exists below the surface, quietly beneath the forest floors, not only alerting surrounding trees, flowers, and other fungi of danger in the area, they are also instrumental in the healing process of the forests. What? Who else is going to break down all of that organic matter laying on the floor of our forests? Not unlike the vast interconnected nature of the internet for our computer/phone systems, this very basic organism, more closely related to humans than plants (yes, you also read that correctly) has capabilities far beyond being a lovely accompaniment to your salad or steak dinner.

In the past few years, we have witnessed several multi-billionaires launch their rockets into space, oops I mean barely into space, leaving me (and I cannot be the only one to wonder) why? Why is this how they want to spend their money? Why aren’t they interested in spending that money to explore our oceans, explore our forests and jungles, find more cost-effective/sustainable sources of energy, or what the species actually living alongside us on this planet can offer us that we might not even know? Sure…it isn’t as exciting as launching your strangely phallic spaceship into somewhat of an orbital space, but why are we so obsessed with finding other planets to live on when we have an absolutely fascinating, beautiful, diverse, and amazing planet already? It might be the easier route vs actually trying to heal the planet we are living on today, but what if we aren’t actually meant to take the easy route? Rarely has that decision yielded positive outcomes for me.

Did you know?

Some species can glow in the dark? bioluminescent fungi

More like us than plants- in that they breathe in oxygen and out CO2, like humans!

The largest living thing on the earth is a fungi! BIG OLE FUNGI

Our feet contain more than 200 types of fungi (oooh…I didn’t need another reason to dislike feet)

They help trees talk to one another…yes, I already mentioned but this is fascinating enough for a repeat.

When I started to look more closely at the history of the War on Drugs, specifically the efforts to demonize marijuana and psychedelics eventually making them illegal, I was especially surprised by the vast numbers of the religious right being in support of this effort. As recently as last night, I watched a news segment that somehow link the oddly-timed Ohio Vote that would make the threshold to get a proposal on the ballot higher, the person being interviewed actually linked his opposition to the “right to choose” in the same breath as his, and fellow conservatives in Ohio, opposition to the use of marijuana. What? Do people understand these are actually plants found in nature, the same nature you reported believe GOD made, right? How are you opposed? How are these related?

I know…. just like the age-old question of “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop” Mr. Owl and the Tootsie Roll Pop, there are certain questions we may never find the answers to in this life. While I can accept that, what I can’t accept is the blind acceptance of policies, laws, and decisions made in our world without asking the tough questions:

Who benefits from this being passed?

Who is being hurt by this being passed?

Who is financially profiting from this being passed? Or not being passed?

And why do we so easily pop prescription pills in our country without even questioning how they work? In 2021/2022 there were over 83.4 million antidepressant prescriptions written in the US alone! And when prescribing doctors will tell you we still do not know how they work, which one will work for a patient, or if they will even work….do we even question them? And the average patient has absolutely no idea what is in the pill they are asked to take each day….and yet, 83.4 million prescriptions were written from 2021/2022 for these pills alone. So if I am understanding this correctly, taking a pill BECAUSE your doctor says it will help you, even though he/she has no idea for sure or why it will, seems way more logical than seeking healing through the same Nature space God, in all of God’s wisdom, created for us?

***and no I am not anti-psychiatric meds, I am asking questions as to why this is our first and often “only” solution…..

I am not expecting anyone to read this post to have a life-altering viewpoint on nature and psychedelics. However, I do hope we all will practice curiosity, challenge things and people in our life when we don’t understand or don’t agree, and forever spend time SEEKING….. new ideas, new experiences, and new understanding. Otherwise, why are we all here, why did our spiritual selves decide to have a human experience at this moment in time if not to leave this Earth, one day… a little more informed/evolved and a little better than when we first experienced it?

“Look deep into nature, and you will understand EVERYTHING better.” Albert Einstein

Here’s hoping….

Peace…..