Psychedelic Stories

Mariano Gru had his first experience with salvia at age 18. While he was with his friend he took a hit of salvia from a bong and reality began folding in on itself. Mariano’s salvia experience got him interested in psychedelics and he began staying up late at night listening to Terrence McKenna’s lectures.

In his 20’s, Mariano tried other psychedelics like psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, and MDMA but salvia remained his favorite. He discusses some of his experiences with this powerful plant medicine. Mariano describes the feeling he often gets of being in a void on salvia and seeing himself as a character.

Mariano talks about how salvia has helped him clear blockages in his body and release emotional pain. We also discussed his participation in a vipassana meditation retreat and his efforts to answer other people’s questions about salvia on Reddit. Mariano even built a chamber in his house that muffles sound and protects him from physical injury while he’s under the influence of salvia. We’ve included a link to his Reddit profile in the show notes where you can see pictures of his chamber.

The purpose of the podcast is for entertainment and harm reduction. Please consult a physician and your local laws before considering the use of psychedelic substances. Please also understand that you may not hold us liable or responsible for relying on any information contained on the podcast or our website.

Links:

Inner Portal
Mariano's podcast

enthdimension
Mariano's Reddit profile

After leaving Mormonism, I came across research indicating psychedelics may have been involved in early Mormon visionary experiences. This got me interested in the possibility of having a mystical experience of my own on psychedelics. I also learned about the potential mental health benefits of psychedelics and hoped they could be used to treat depression. In this episode, I describe some of my experiences using psilocybin, edible cannabis, and ayahuasca. While I did have what felt like mystical experiences, I also had some challenging memories from my past surface in vivid detail.

The purpose of the podcast is for entertainment and harm reduction. Please consult a physician and your local laws before trying anything mentioned in this podcast. Please also understand that you may not hold us liable or responsible for relying on any information contained on the podcast or our website.

Links:

How to Change Your Mind
A book by Michael Pollan

The Body Keeps the Score
A book by Bessel van der Kolk

‍MAPS
Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies

Sassi Flowers has been drawn to the mystical and magical aspects of life since she was a child. Through a series of synchronicities, Sassi attended two ayahuasca ceremonies while visiting family in Brazil. Most guests on the podcast use a pseudonym and Sassi chose Flowers for her last name because ayahuasca took her to a realm where she was surrounded by plants radiating with neon green and pink colors. Time dissolved and Sassi transformed into a beautiful flower herself, giving her a greater appreciation for nature. Sassi had a number of other profound experiences as well. She was transported to Egypt where she communicated with a man that had the appearance of an ancient Egyptian Pharoah who had an important message for her. She also rode on a dragon and danced with a divine goddess. After her ayahuasca experience, Sassi recognized this goddess as what many throughout history have depicted in artwork as Shakti, despite never having heard of Shakti before drinking ayahuasca. Sassi's experience renewed her spiritually and allowed her to view others with more grace and empathy. Her perspective on life has changed, and she now sees herself as a co-creator with the divine.

The purpose of the podcast is for entertainment and harm reduction. Please consult a physician and your local laws before considering the use of psychoactive substances or trying anything mentioned in this episode. Please also understand that you may not hold us liable or responsible for relying on any information contained on the podcast or our website. Let's get into the interview.

Robert Stark is an author and lifelong Alaskan. As a boy, his mother became friends with a group of psychics and healers. Robert and his brother attended psychic workshops with their mother, where his brother displayed natural psychic abilities, until one reading predicted a tragic event, upsetting his mother, and ending their relationship with the psychic community.

As a teenager, Robert moved to a small town where he struggled with addictions he developed. Immediately after high school, he joined the United States Army and parachuted into Iraq in March of 2003, during the U.S. invasion. Robert discusses the realities of war he documented in his book Warflower, including the recurring nightmares he had long after returning from Iraq. He shares how different psychedelic substances have affected him, whether it be in the form of addiction, tapping into creative abilities, or connecting with loved ones.

Robert and his wife Savanna live off-grid on a homestead in Happy Valley, Alaska, where they own a farm and are raising their family.

The purpose of the podcast is to entertain and educate. Please consult a physician and your local laws before trying anything mentioned in this episode. Please also understand that you may not hold us liable for relying on any information contained in the podcast or on our website.

Links:

Secret Garden Alaska
Secret Garden Alaska is Robert and his wife Savanna's website where you can purchase Robert's book Warflower, Savanna's handmade jewelry, products from their farm, and follow their blog.

The Stark family loves handwritten letters. You can send Robert a letter or contact him on one of his social media accounts listed below:

Robert Stark
PO BOX 986

Anchor Point, AK 99556

Robert's Facebook

Robert's Instagram

In this episode, Chris Davis describes how his experiences with psychedelics have affected his interpersonal relationships and his everyday life. Chris grew up in an abusive home. As a child, he struggled with depression and often considered ways to escape his abusive parents, including suicide. As an adult, Chris compartmentalized many of his childhood experiences but was still profoundly impacted by the abuse. He was fueled by hate and anger for more than two decades but eventually ran out of steam. At the age of 42, Chris found himself at the bottom of a stairwell writing a good-bye letter to his family with intentions to end his own life. Chris’s son found him moments before he planned to pull the trigger. Chris later began a process of trying to work through the damage caused by the years of childhood abuse. He began a meditation practice and improved his physical health through nutrition and exercise.

He eventually learned about the potential mental health benefits of psilocybin and began researching its use. Chris went on to have a number of profound and life-altering experiences with psilocybin. One experience included Chris traveling to another dimension where he met and comforted his nine year old self. In another experience, Chris discovered the reasons he experienced abuse, leading him to let go of his emotional baggage and finding a deep sense of empathy for his father. He likens his psilocybin experiences to decades in psychotherapy and describes them as ineffably healing. Chris also recounts his first LSD experience at the age of 45, during which he was separated from his wife and son, never to see them again. His LSD experience helped him feel greater appreciation for his family and he considers it the most profound experience of his life.

The purpose of the podcast is for entertainment and harm reduction. Please consult a physician and your local laws before considering the use of psychoactive substances or trying anything mentioned in this episode. Please also understand that you may not hold us liable for relying on any information contained on the podcast or our website.

Links:

Waking Up
Sam Harris's meditation app

Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion
A book by Sam Harris

Chris's Story on Reddit