Psychedelic Stories

Sam Hale returns to the podcast to discuss altered states of consciousness, the writer's journey, and mental health. In episode #002, Sam described some of his experiences with psychedelic substances and living with bipolar type II. After a difficult LSD experience, he decided it was best for him to stay away from psychedelic substances. I got to wondering what it's like for Sam to enter other realms as a writer in the story he's working on and asked him to share what that experience is like. Sam describes how when he's writing, it feels like he ceases to exist, and his fingers transcribe the thoughts, emotions, and lives of the characters in his book via his keyboard.

The purpose of the podcast is to entertain and educate. 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 for relying on any information contained in the podcast or on our website.

Links:

Twitter: @SamHaleYeah

Patreon: patreon.com/samhaleyeah (Receive updates on Sam's novel)

Link Tree: linktr.ee/samhaleyeah

Email: [email protected]

The War of Art by Stevem Pressfield

The Artist's Journey by Steven Pressfield

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamotte

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.

Danielle Heap has struggled with depression since she was young. About eight years ago she was misdiagnosed as bipolar. Six years ago, her diagnosis was changed to a borderline personality with treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Even with a combination of medications including anti-depressants, mood stabilizers, and anti-psychotics, Danielle's emotions were volatile and could change in a matter of hours. On top of that, Danielle experienced postpartum depression after the birth of her son.

Danielle sought out ketamine therapy to see if it could help with her depression. Initially, she used a nasal spray and then received ketamine infusions. On ketamine, Danielle stepped outside of linear time and viewed her life experiences from a different perspective. All rumination ceased and her suicidal ideations dissipated.

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.

Tanya Forest had never used psychedelics but her daughter urged her to try after she had a meaningful experience with a mushroom guide. Before long, Tanya found herself driving down a dirt road on a farm property in the forest to meet the same guide her daughter worked with. That evening, Tanya began her own life-changing psilocybin journey.

As the mushrooms took effect, Tanya found herself experiencing things she had never contemplated before. Her experience included aliens, Egyptian hieroglyphs, celestial beings, and connections with her indigenous ancestors. Tanya's experience has had a lasting impact in her life and she is pursuing a career as a psychedelic guide herself.

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.

Savanna Stark grew up in a devout Catholic home, where her family sat in the front row at church each week. However, her parents divorced when she was a teen, often using her and her sisters to get back at each other. When she turned 18, Savanna smoked weed, ate mushrooms, and drank alcohol all in one night. Savanna pushed the idea of God away and started drinking heavily. She eventually got sober, started doing yoga, and began studying spirituality and metaphysics.

One of the metaphysics schools Savanna was using for her studies was looking for volunteers in South America. She applied with them to be a yoga teacher and let them know she would get enough hours to become certified. They let her know she didn't even need to be certified because it was in a foreign country.

Before leaving for South America, Savanna learned about ayahuasca and watched a documentary about DMT. She wondered if she might meet someone she could have an ayahuasca experience with while on her trip. When she arrived at the retreat center, her journey took an unexpected twist. Savanna describes the numerous ayahuasca and San Pedro ceremonies she participated in during her time in South America, and the lessons she brought home with her.

Savanna and her husband Robert 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 Savanna and her husband Robert's website where you can purchase Savanna's handmade jewelry, products from their farm, and follow their blog.

The Stark family loves handwritten letters. You can send Savanna a letter at the address listed below:

Savanna Stark
PO BOX 986

Anchor Point, AK 99556