Beat of the Shaman: An Interview with Musician Byron Metcalf

Jump to Section

Jump to Section


In their book The Universe Story, mathematical cosmologist Brian Swimme and historian Thomas Berry discuss how our primal ancestors used the drumbeat to establish an integral connection with the psychic or spiritual dimensions of the universe: "Their aim was a life in resonant participation with the rhythms of reality."

Byron Metcalf is a musician in touch with this resonance and rhythm of mysteries in the unseen realms of the shamanic experience. As a drummer, percussionist, record producer, counselor, and educator, Byron Metcalf wears many hats. However, his vision remains unchanged: to use music as vehicle for transpersonal healing.

With an award-winning portfolio of albums under his wing, and performing in such venues as Carnegie Hall and The Tonight Show, Byron Metcalf has evolved from a pop/country music session drummer to shamanic practitioner. Using his years of experience recording and producing, along with his education in transpersonal psychology, Byron's mission is to "provide support to people in developing their capacity for soul-based and heart-centered living as they contribute to the spiritual healing and maturity of humanity."

With a couple of new releases in the works — the latest collaboration with ambient musician Steve Roach called Tales from the Ultra Tribe, as well as a follow-up to one of his most successful works, The Shaman's Heart II — I sat down to talk with Byron about his work and his processes, as well as his interest and influence by shamanic states of consciousness.

So let's talk a little bit about your background, get a sense of where you came from.

Well, my father wasn't a musician, but he was a record collector, so I grew up listening to all kinds of music. There was always music playing in the house. And it was a wide variety, so I was exposed to music from a very early age. I loved rhythm and so as an early teenager the drums just caught me. The Big Band stuff drew me, like The Gene Krupa Story, Benny Goodman and all that.

So I started playing in Phoenix, in bars . . . wherever, I didn't care what kind of music it was. I just wanted to play. A lot of it was country music because, you know, I lived in Phoenix, Arizona. But, it didn't matter to me; just to get paid for playing music, when all my buddies were sacking groceries or pumping gas . . . it was great. I did a little studying, but not much training. I'm pretty much self-taught. I left right out high school, went to L.A., played in bands, played in Vegas, worked on recording sessions. Even when I ended up going to Vietnam, I had a band there.

When I came back from ‘Nam, I went to Nashville. I was there for many years, playing on records. My experience there was great. I learned a lot about record production and engineering. I had a recording studio and started playing everywhere: European tours, played on some platinum records, played The Tonite Show, Carnegie Hall, all that.

After going through some alcohol and drug abuse — you know occupational hazard kind of stuff in the ‘70s — eventually, I just got bored. I wanted something more meaningful. I went back to school and started doing some volunteer counseling for alcohol and drug abusers, got my Masters in Counseling, and later my Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology. 

During this time, I got involved in the Holotropic Breathwork of Stanislav Grof. Stan introduced me to shamanism and I began to see the true value of medicine work, including psychedelic substances. It flew in the face of everything I was taught in substance abuse training. As soon as I started reading Stan's research I thought, ‘I've been getting lied to here.' So, I had to find out about this stuff myself. And once you do that with a clear intention, everything opens up after that. Being influenced by Robert Moore's work with the shamanic approach and Jungian archetypes, I really began to integrate drumming with shamanic healing work.

Can you elaborate further on how your music interacts with your interest in the shamanic arts?

I'm interested in studying the continuous tempos and frequencies prevalent in these shamanic states of consciousness, using modern technology with ancient primordial rhythms to shift consciousness in specific ways. I've been doing research at these ancient primordial caves and temples, investigating the frequency responses that are present there. These are frequencies you can actually tune in to. Of course, it's something that shows up as Theta brainwave states, which is the primary journey state.

I say that in terms of honoring the ritual, the ceremonial component of this work. I think without that, even to minimize it, minimizes what the spiritual journey is all about. The ceremonial setting is the most important. To me, the medicine, or psychedelic substance, is secondary. Not to minimize that either, but if I was to shift one or the other, if I was going to have to minimize something, I would minimize the actual plant medicine itself. I wouldn't minimize the ceremony or facilitation. That's where the magic in this stuff is.

I agree. We can take medicine and we can go really deep, but to what extent? You know, what do we bring back? How are we actually changing parts of ourselves so we can bring that back into the real world? How can I change myself for the better, and for the benefit of those around me? And that may mean I don't do medicine again for a very long time, or ever even.

Right, exactly. It's been a decade for me. I had an eight year period of very intense work, and there's a lot of material to deal with there. It's all about doing integrative work now. That doesn't mean I would never do it again, and if the opportunity presented itself and it felt right, then okay. If so, fine; if not, that's fine too. But, you have to follow and trust your guidance on that. 

I recall something Terence McKenna said in one of his talks, he said, ‘What are you going to do with the information?' That's the key. There are many methods to being able to open ourselves to all there is or all that will be; that is available. But, I think a lot of people's lives just get messier because they are not integrating it, or bringing it into the world in a sacred way. As Ralph Metzner says: "A change of consciousness does not necessarily translate into a change of life".

My favorite album you did with Mark Selig, Wachuma's Wave, happens to be an album that is associated with the shamanic sacrament San Pedro, also called Wachuma. What was the process for creating that work? Did it involve partakng of the medicine?

Mark is a psychologist, but also very involved in medicine work and shamanic rituals.  He had been going to India for 20 years or so, a follower of Osho, and would go to his ashram in India to meditate for months at a time. He has a very rigorous meditation practice. Mark and I knew each other from the Grof network and he had referenced some of my research in one of his papers. We had a common interest in medicine work as well. Mark was just getting into playing the Bansuri flute and we thought about making a CD together.  It was initially going to be some of his flute playing along with some drum grooves I had created.

One evening, Mark sent me this CD of some stuff that had some overtone singing and some wild drones — just amazing stuff — I couldn't believe it. What he told me was that he was in his ashram and had taken some San Pedro, just enough to put him in the zone. He had never done overtone singing before, the overtones just started coming to him as a result of the waves of the San Pedro moving through him.  It changed everything in terms of the direction we were going with the CD project, it became deeper and more shamanic.

I said, ‘Mark, Is there more of this? We need to make some more of this kind of stuff!' It was about six months before he could get to my studio in Arizona and we could start recording. I had already been working on some percussion grooves based on the demo tracks he had already sent me. But, we wanted to recreate it for recording in the studio. We decided, let's try to see if we can get back into that zone, so we did some San Pedro. We found out it wasn't enough so we did some more, until eventually we found the place where we could tap into that wave again. So, we began recording and that is what is on the album.

The essence of Wachuma itself is definitely there in that album, so that's why we called it Wachuma's Wave. I get a lot positive feedback on that album from those that work in those San Pedro realms, because the essence of the medicine is infused in the music.  

 

Have you had other experiences with San Pedro? What was your most significant one?

Yes, I have. The experience that stands out the most has to be when I was assisting and hosting a shamanic retreat in Arizona. The shamanic practitioner who was facilitating worked mostly with San Pedro. I was assisting the practitioner and I took what was called a ‘working dose.' It was one of the most powerful experiences I've ever had. I finally got to see how the shamans really work. I was able to see into the participants, see what was going on inside them, and the process of healing.

I've had lighter experiences of being able to see energy, see the vibrations around and within people, but not at this level. It was really stunning and opened the doors to my own vision so that I could do that more often, even in individual counseling sessions . . . seeing into the person from the shamanic perspective. It opens the doors more fully to the vibrations and the energy fields that are there in a visual and felt sense. It really bridged the gap between a theoretical and a personal experience.

You do a lot of collaborations with Steve Roach, who is on of the preeminent names in the ambient/trance music scene. How did you meet him and start working with him?

Yes, Steve is one of the three or four pioneers of the ambient music genre. His body of work is second to none; he's so prolific. Around the time when I was working with Grof, I got turned on to Steve from his album Structures From Silence. It was used in meditation and guided imagery a lot and that's how I first got turned on to his work. Then he came out with his first shamanic work, which is Dreamtime Return and it was phenomenal and ground breaking.

I began using his music in a lot of the breathwork I was involved in. When I completed my first shamanic CD, Helpers, Guides, and Allies, I just sent Steve an email on his website, introducing myself and my CD and asking him if he would be willing to review it. So, he did. We eventually met and talked . . . he was really into what I wanted to do with music and shamanic healing. Later he made a verbal agreement to co-produce my second CD, the follow up to Helpers, Guides, and Allies.

In the interim I was doing a component of my doctoral research which involved people doing breathwork in a shamanic circle. I asked Steve if he wanted to come and join me in providing the music together. It went so well, he said, ‘You know, we just need to do a full collaboration, rather just having me help produce your follow-up.' That eventually turned into the The Serpent's Lair. And it just went from there. We've been doing work together ever since.   

Can you explain a little about your latest project, Tales fron the Ultra Tribe?

Well, it evolved. The original idea behind it was to do a follow-up to The Serpent's Lair at the 10-year anniversary of Steve and myself collaborating together. We've always been sharing grooves and sounds back and forth via the internet and the mail which allows us to work in our own studios at our own pace. Steve and I have been working together for so long that our collaborative energies have matured and evolved to a different kind of thing.

So, it's really different than The Serpent's Lair. We felt like our collaborations weren't going in that direction necessarily, although it was deeply shamanic and tribal. Working with all of Steve's sequencer percussion grooves has inspired me to be very precise with my own percussion playing. The way he creates his grooves is very organic and it doesn't sound very sequenced at all, but it is: it's very quantized and locked in, with tempo and rhythmic precision. 

When I first started working with him, trying to play like that in a live setting was very challenging. So, originally he would just do stuff around my percussion grooves, but over time I've really learned to take his stuff and play with it in a very precise, yet totally live, organic way. So, that's the direction we wanted to go with it.

The title ‘Ultra Tribe' is really about who we are, where we've come as far as tribal/ambient music and the way we do it: the blend of Steve's electronica and my drums and percussion. So, what we've done for this album is unlike anything we have done before. For most of the tracks, Steve first put down his basic rhythm grooves and then I put my parts on top of them; which is just totally opposite of the way we have worked before.

The way these rhythms and grooves move in and out, when you hear it, sometimes you won't know what's electronic and what's live percussion. It's really exciting; a very new sound. I would almost call it 4th dimensional. We initially made enough material to create a box set, but throughout the process we thought we would just try the release in a single CD format and see where it goes from there.

 

After all these years of making shamanic music, what project do you consider your greatest achievement at this point?

The one that comes to mind the most is The Shaman's Heart. That was a conceptual thing I wanted to do regarding the heartbeat and incorporating the shamanic beats per minute when one is in the Theta Zone, or in a shamanic trance state. I used 220 beats per minute for this shamanic journey, so a subdivision would be 110 and then 55. It incorporates drums and rattles and other tones that initiate this state particular state of consciousness shamans typically utilize in their healing work.

The Shaman's Heart has been my most successful work and has only grown since its inception. I began to do workshops based on The Shaman's Heart theme, and created a self-learning audio series with core exercises for people to use at home. It eventually grew into The Shaman's Heart Program, which incorporates a 4-CD package for groups and workshops to use these sounds for healing purposes.

It really stands out as the synthesis, the theoretical path that encompasses almost all my work: my music and teachings and theoretical understanding of transpersonal and shamanic healing. This is what I teach and how I live my life. That original CD definitely stands out as my most significant work. Steve collaborated on the follow-up to that as well, The Shaman's Heart II, which really takes the original material to a whole new level for journeying to these shamanic states.

*      *      *      *

Tales from the Ultra Tribe, The Shaman's Heart II, and the rest of Byron Metcalf's work can be found on his website at: http://www.byronmetcalf.com

For more information about Byron's HoloShamanic Strategies program:  http://holoshamanicstrategies.org

Psychedelic Resources

A Foraging Trip: Where Do Magic Mushrooms Grow?
Eager to learn more about the origin of psilocybin species? Read this article to find out where magic mushrooms grow and more!

How to Make Shroom Tea: Best Recipe and Dosage
A step by step guide on how to brew shroom tea, and why entheogenic psilocybin tea is a preferred method for psychedelic connoisseurs.

R. Gordon Wasson: Author and Mushroom Expert
Learn about R. Gordon Wasson, the “legendary mushroom expert” and popular figure within the psychonaut community.

Shrooms vs Acid: Differences and Similarities Explained
Ever wondered what the differences are between shrooms vs acid, or if you can take both together? This guide explains what you need to know.

Quantum Mechanics, Reality, and Magic Mushrooms
Scientist and author Dr. Chris Becker takes an in-depth approach in understanding how we perceive reality through magic mushrooms and quantum mechanics.

Psilocybin Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to Psilocybin has everything you want to know about this psychedelic fungi from its uses to its legal status.

The Psilocybin Experience: What’s the Deal With Magic Mushrooms?
From microdoses to macrodoses, the psilocybin experience has been sought after both medicinally and recreationally for millennia.

Psilocybin and Magic Mushroom Resources
Curious to learn more about psilocybin? This guide is a comprehensive psilocybin resource containing books, therapeutic studies, and more.

Paul Stamets Profile: Mushroom Guru, Filmmaker, Nutritionist, Scientist
Learn about Paul Stamets, read his thoughts on psilocybin mircodosing, the future of psilocybin, and his recent film “Fantastic Fungi”.

Microdosing Psilocybin & Common Dosage Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivably, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing psilocybin.

Psilocybin Nasal Spray: Relief for Anxiety, PTSD, and Depression
Microdosing nasal spray with psilocybin, is that possible?! Oregan a start-up Silo Wellness believes so and has created this new option for PTSD treatment.

Mazatec Mushroom Usage: Notes on Approach, Setting and Species for Curious Psilonauts
A look at traditional Mazatec psilocybin mushroom usage, and a comparison to the cliniical therapeutic approach, with an examination of the Mazatec setting and species used in veladas.

María Sabina: The Mazatec Magic Mushroom Woman
Magic mushrooms are incredibly popular today. How they became introduced to into American culture isn’t usually a topic discussed while tripping on psilocybin fungi. We all may have María Sabina to thank for exposing the Western world to the healing properties of the psilocybin mushroom.

Guide to Magic Mushroom Strains
Are there different types of psilocybin? Read our guide to learn about the different magic mushroom strains and their individual effects.

Kilindi Iyi: Mycologist, Traveler, Teacher
Learn about traveler and mycologist Kilindi Iyi known in the psychedelic community for his research and exploration of psilocybin.

How to Store Shrooms: Best Practices
How do you store shrooms for optimal shelf life? Learn how and why the proper storage method is so important.

Shroom Chocolate Recipes: How to Make Magic Mushroom Chocolates
This recipe provides step by step directions on how you can make mushroom chocolates with the necessary ingredients. Read to learn more!

Why Do People Use Psilocybin? New Johns Hopkins Study
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicines has just published a new study on psychoactive effects of psilocybin. Read here to learn more.

How-To Lemon Tek: Ultimate Guide and Recipe
This master guide will teach you how to lemon tek, preventing the onset of negative effects after consuming psilocybin. Read to learn more!

How to Intensify a Mushroom Trip
Learn about techniques like Lemon tekking, or discover the right time to consume cannabis if you are looking to intensify a mushroom trip.

How to Grow Magic Mushrooms: Step-by-Step
This step-by-step guide will show you how to grow magic mushrooms at home. Read this guide before trying it on your own.

How to Dry Magic Mushrooms: Best Practices
Read to learn more about specifics for the best practices on how to dry magic mushrooms after harvesting season.

How to Buy Psilocybin Spores
Interested in psilocybin mushrooms? We’ll walk you through all you need to know to obtain mushroom spores. Nosh on this delish How To guide.

Hippie Flipping: When Shrooms and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Explore the mechanics of hippie flipping and how to safely experiment.

Having Sex on Shrooms: Good or Bad Idea?
Is having sex on shrooms a good idea or an accident waiting to happen? Find out in our guide to sex on magic mushrooms.

Gold Cap Shrooms Guide: Spores, Effects, Identification
Read this guide to learn more about the different characteristics of gold cap mushrooms, and how they differ from other psilocybin species.

Guide to Cooking with Magic Mushrooms
From cookies to smoothies and sandwiches, we cover various methods of cooking with magic mushrooms for the ultimate snack.

2020 Election: The Decriminalize Psilocybin Movement
Are you curious if mushrooms will follow in marijuana’s footsteps? Read to learn about how the U.S. is moving to decriminalize psilocybin.

Oregon’s Initiative to Legalize Mushrooms | Initiative Petition 34
Oregon continues to push ahead with their initiative to legalize Psilocybin in 2020. The measure received its official title and now needs signatures.

Canada Approves Psilocybin Treatment for Terminally-Ill Cancer Patients
Canada’s Minister of Health, Patty Hajdu approved the use of psilocybin to help ease anxiety and depression of four terminal cancer patients.

Mapping the DMT Experience
With only firsthand experiences to share, how can we fully map the DMT experience? Let’s explore what we know about this powerful psychedelic.

Guide to Machine Elves and Other DMT Entities
This guide discusses machine elves, clockwork elves, and other common DMT entities that people experience during a DMT trip.

Is the DMT Experience a Hallucination? 
What if the DMT realm was the real world, and our everyday lives were merely a game we had chosen to play?

How to Store DMT
Not sure how to store DMT? Read this piece to learn the best practices and elements of advice to keep your stuff fresh.

What Does 5-MeO-DMT Show Us About Consciousness?
How does our brain differentiate between what’s real and what’s not? Read to learn what can 5-MeO-DMT show us about consciousness.

How to Smoke DMT: Processes Explained
There are many ways to smoke DMT and we’ve outlined some of the best processes to consider before embarking on your journey.

How to Ground After DMT
Knowing what to expect from a DMT comedown can help you integrate the experience to gain as much value as possible from your journey.

How To Get DMT
What kind of plants contain DMT? Are there other ways to access this psychedelic? Read on to learn more about how to get DMT.

How DMT is Made: Everything You Need to Know
Ever wonder how to make DMT? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how DMT is made.

Having Sex on DMT: What You Need to Know
Have you ever wondered about sex on DMT? Learn how the God Molecule can influence your intimate experiences.

Does the Human Brain Make DMT? 
With scientific evidence showing us DMT in the brain, what can we conclude it is there for? Read on to learn more.

How to Use DMT Vape Pens
Read to learn all about DMT vape pens including: what to know when vaping, what to expect when purchasing a DMT cartridge, and vaping safely.

DMT Resources
This article is a comprehensive DMT resource providing extensive information from studies, books, documentaries, and more. Check it out!

Differentiating DMT and Near-Death Experiences
Some say there are similarities between a DMT trip and death. Read our guide on differentiating DMT and near-death experiences to find out.

DMT Research from 1956 to the Edge of Time
From a representative sample of a suitably psychedelic crowd, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who couldn’t tell you all about Albert Hofmann’s enchanted bicycle ride after swallowing what turned out to be a massive dose of LSD. Far fewer, however, could tell you much about the world’s first DMT trip.

The Ultimate Guide to DMT Pricing
Check out our ultimate guide on DMT pricing to learn what to expect when purchasing DMT for your first time.

DMT Milking | Reality Sandwich
Indigenous cultures have used 5-MeO-DMT for centuries. With the surge in demand for psychedelic toad milk, is DMT Milking harming the frogs?

Why Does DMT Pervade Nature?
With the presence of DMT in nature everywhere – including human brains – why does it continue to baffle science?

DMT Substance Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to DMT has everything you want to know about this powerful psychedelic referred to as “the spirit molecule”.

DMT for Depression: Paving the Way for New Medicine
We’ve been waiting for an effective depression treatment. Studies show DMT for depression works even for treatment resistant patients.

Beating Addiction with DMT
Psychedelics have been studied for their help overcoming addiction. Read how DMT is helping addicts beat their substance abuse issues.

DMT Extraction: Behind the Scientific Process
Take a look at DMT extraction and the scientific process involved. Learn all you need to know including procedures and safety.

Microdosing DMT & Common Dosages Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing DMT.

DMT Art: A Look Behind Visionary Creations
An entire genre of artwork is inspired by psychedelic trips with DMT. Read to learn about the entities and visions behind DMT art.

Changa vs. DMT: What You Need to Know
While similar (changa contains DMT), each drug has its own unique effect and feeling. Let’s compare and contrast changa vs DMT.

5-MeO-DMT Guide: Effects, Benefits, Safety, and Legality
5-Meo-DMT comes from the Sonora Desert toad. Here is everything you want to know about 5-Meo-DMT and how it compares to 4-AcO-DMT.

4-AcO-DMT Guide: Benefits, Effects, Safety, and Legality
This guide tells you everything about 4 AcO DMT & 5 MeO DMT, that belong to the tryptamine class, and are similar but slightly different to DMT.

How Much Does LSD Cost? When shopping around for that magical psychedelic substance, there can be many uncertainties when new to buying LSD. You may be wondering how much does LSD cost? In this article, we will discuss what to expect when purchasing LSD on the black market, what forms LSD is sold in, and the standard breakdown of buying LSD in quantity.   Navy Use of LSD on the Dark Web The dark web is increasingly popular for purchasing illegal substances. The US Navy has now noticed this trend with their staff. Read to learn more.   Having Sex on LSD: What You Need to Know Can you have sex on LSD? Read our guide to learn everything about sex on acid, from lowered inhibitions to LSD users quotes on sex while tripping.   A Drug That Switches off an LSD Trip A pharmaceutical company is developing an “off-switch” drug for an LSD trip, in the case that a bad trip can happen. Some would say there is no such thing.   Queen of Hearts: An Interview with Liz Elliot on Tim Leary and LSD The history of psychedelia, particularly the British experience, has been almost totally written by men. Of the women involved, especially those who were in the thick of it, little has been written either by or about them. A notable exception is Liz Elliot.   LSD Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety LSD, Lysergic acid diethylamide, or just acid is one of the most important psychedelics ever discovered. What did history teach us?   Microdosing LSD & Common Dosage Explained Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing LSD.   LSD Resources Curious to learn more about LSD? This guide includes comprehensive LSD resources containing books, studies and more.   LSD as a Spiritual Aid There is common consent that the evolution of mankind is paralleled by the increase and expansion of consciousness. From the described process of how consciousness originates and develops, it becomes evident that its growth depends on its faculty of perception. Therefore every means of improving this faculty should be used.   Legendary LSD Blotter Art: A Hidden Craftsmanship Have you ever heard of LSD blotter art? Explore the trippy world of LSD art and some of the top artists of LSD blotter art.   LSD and Exercise: Does it Work? LSD and exercise? Learn why high-performing athletes are taking hits of LSD to improve their overall potential.   Jan Bastiaans Treated Holocaust Survivors with LSD Dutch psychiatrist, Jan Bastiaans administered LSD-assisted therapy to survivors of the Holocaust. A true war hero and pioneer of psychedelic-therapy.   LSD and Spiritual Awakening I give thanks for LSD, which provided the opening that led me to India in 1971 and brought me to Neem Karoli Baba, known as Maharajji. Maharajji is described by the Indians as a “knower of hearts.”   How LSD is Made: Everything You Need to Know Ever wonder how to make LSD? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how LSD is made.   How to Store LSD: Best Practices Learn the best way to store LSD, including the proper temperature and conditions to maximize how long LSD lasts when stored.   Bicycle Day: The Discovery of LSD Every year on April 19th, psychonauts join forces to celebrate Bicycle Day. Learn about the famous day when Albert Hoffman first discovered the effects of LSD.   Cary Grant: A Hollywood Legend On LSD Cary Grant was a famous actor during the 1930’s-60’s But did you know Grant experimented with LSD? Read our guide to learn more.   Albert Hofmann: LSD — My Problem Child Learn about Albert Hofmann and his discovery of LSD, along with the story of Bicycle Day and why it marks a historic milestone.   Babies are High: What Does LSD Do To Your Brain What do LSD and babies have in common? Researchers at the Imperial College in London discover that an adult’s brain on LSD looks like a baby’s brain.   1P LSD: Effects, Benefits, Safety Explained 1P LSD is an analogue of LSD and homologue of ALD-25. Here is everything you want to know about 1P LSD and how it compares to LSD.   Francis Crick, DNA & LSD Type ‘Francis Crick LSD’ into Google, and the result will be 30,000 links. Many sites claim that Crick (one of the two men responsible for discovering the structure of DNA), was either under the influence of LSD at the time of his revelation or used the drug to help with his thought processes during his research. Is this true?   What Happens If You Overdose on LSD? A recent article presented three individuals who overdosed on LSD. Though the experience was unpleasant, the outcomes were remarkably positive.

The Ayahuasca Experience
Ayahuasca is both a medicine and a visionary aid. You can employ ayahuasca for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual repair, and you can engage with the power of ayahuasca for deeper insight and realization. If you consider attainment of knowledge in the broadest perspective, you can say that at all times, ayahuasca heals.

 

Trippy Talk: Meet Ayahuasca with Sitaramaya Sita and PlantTeachers
Sitaramaya Sita is a spiritual herbalist, pusangera, and plant wisdom practitioner formally trained in the Shipibo ayahuasca tradition.

 

The Therapeutic Value of Ayahuasca
My best description of the impact of ayahuasca is that it’s a rocket boost to psychospiritual growth and unfolding, my professional specialty during my thirty-five years of private practice.

 

Microdosing Ayahuasca: Common Dosage Explained
What is ayahuasca made of and what is considered a microdose? Explore insights with an experienced Peruvian brewmaster and learn more about this practice.

 

Ayahuasca Makes Neuron Babies in Your Brain
Researchers from Beckley/Sant Pau Research Program have shared the latest findings in their study on the effects of ayahuasca on neurogenesis.

 

The Fatimiya Sufi Order and Ayahuasca
In this interview, the founder of the Fatimiya Sufi Order,  N. Wahid Azal, discusses the history and uses of plant medicines in Islamic and pre-Islamic mystery schools.

 

Consideration Ayahuasca for Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Research indicates that ayahuasca mimics mechanisms of currently accepted treatments for PTSD. In order to understand the implications of ayahuasca treatment, we need to understand how PTSD develops.

 

Brainwaves on Ayahuasca: A Waking Dream State
In a study researchers shared discoveries showing ingredients found in Ayahuasca impact the brainwaves causing a “waking dream” state.

 

Cannabis and Ayahuasca: Mixing Entheogenic Plants
Cannabis and Ayahuasca: most people believe they shouldn’t be mixed. Read this personal experience peppered with thoughts from a pro cannabis Peruvian Shaman.

 

Ayahuasca Retreat 101: Everything You Need to Know to Brave the Brew
Ayahuasca has been known to be a powerful medicinal substance for millennia. However, until recently, it was only found in the jungle. Word of its deeply healing and cleansing properties has begun to spread across the world as many modern, Western individuals are seeking spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical well-being. More ayahuasca retreat centers are emerging in the Amazon and worldwide to meet the demand.

 

Ayahuasca Helps with Grief
A new study published in psychopharmacology found that ayahuasca helped those suffering from the loss of a loved one up to a year after treatment.

 

Ayahuasca Benefits: Clinical Improvements for Six Months
Ayahuasca benefits can last six months according to studies. Read here to learn about the clinical improvements from drinking the brew.

 

Ayahuasca Culture: Indigenous, Western, And The Future
Ayahuasca has been use for generations in the Amazon. With the rise of retreats and the brew leaving the rainforest how is ayahuasca culture changing?

 

Ayahuasca Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
The Amazonian brew, Ayahuasca has a long history and wide use. Read our guide to learn all about the tea from its beginnings up to modern-day interest.

 

Ayahuasca and the Godhead: An Interview with Wahid Azal of the Fatimiya Sufi Order
Wahid Azal, a Sufi mystic of The Fatimiya Sufi Order and an Islamic scholar, talks about entheogens, Sufism, mythology, and metaphysics.

 

Ayahuasca and the Feminine: Women’s Roles, Healing, Retreats, and More
Ayahuasca is lovingly called “grandmother” or “mother” by many. Just how feminine is the brew? Read to learn all about women and ayahuasca.

What Is the Standard of Care for Ketamine Treatments?
Ketamine therapy is on the rise in light of its powerful results for treatment-resistant depression. But, what is the current standard of care for ketamine? Read to find out.

What Is Dissociation and How Does Ketamine Create It?
Dissociation can take on multiple forms. So, what is dissociation like and how does ketamine create it? Read to find out.

Having Sex on Ketamine: Getting Physical on a Dissociative
Curious about what it could feel like to have sex on a dissociate? Find out all the answers in our guide to sex on ketamine.

Special K: The Party Drug
Special K refers to Ketamine when used recreationally. Learn the trends as well as safety information around this substance.

Kitty Flipping: When Ketamine and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Read to explore the mechanics of kitty flipping.

Ketamine vs. Esketamine: 3 Important Differences Explained
Ketamine and esketamine are used to treat depression. But what’s the difference between them? Read to learn which one is right for you: ketamine vs. esketamine.

Guide to Ketamine Treatments: Understanding the New Approach
Ketamine is becoming more popular as more people are seeing its benefits. Is ketamine a fit? Read our guide for all you need to know about ketamine treatments.

Ketamine Treatment for Eating Disorders
Ketamine is becoming a promising treatment for various mental health conditions. Read to learn how individuals can use ketamine treatment for eating disorders.

Ketamine Resources, Studies, and Trusted Information
Curious to learn more about ketamine? This guide includes comprehensive ketamine resources containing books, studies and more.

Ketamine Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to ketamine has everything you need to know about this “dissociative anesthetic” and how it is being studied for depression treatment.

Ketamine for Depression: A Mental Health Breakthrough
While antidepressants work for some, many others find no relief. Read to learn about the therapeutic uses of ketamine for depression.

Ketamine for Addiction: Treatments Offering Hope
New treatments are offering hope to individuals suffering from addiction diseases. Read to learn how ketamine for addiction is providing breakthrough results.

Microdosing Ketamine & Common Dosages Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing ketamine.

How to Ease a Ketamine Comedown
Knowing what to expect when you come down from ketamine can help integrate the experience to gain as much value as possible.

How to Store Ketamine: Best Practices
Learn the best ways how to store ketamine, including the proper temperature and conditions to maximize how long ketamine lasts when stored.

How To Buy Ketamine: Is There Legal Ketamine Online?
Learn exactly where it’s legal to buy ketamine, and if it’s possible to purchase legal ketamine on the internet.

How Long Does Ketamine Stay in Your System?
How long does ketamine stay in your system? Are there lasting effects on your body? Read to discover the answers!

How Ketamine is Made: Everything You Need to Know
Ever wonder how to make Ketamine? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how Ketamine is made.

Colorado on Ketamine: First Responders Waiver Programs
Fallout continues after Elijah McClain. Despite opposing recommendations from some city council, Colorado State Health panel recommends the continued use of ketamine by medics for those demonstrating “excited delirium” or “extreme agitation”.

Types of Ketamine: Learn the Differences & Uses for Each
Learn about the different types of ketamine and what they are used for—and what type might be right for you. Read now to find out!

Kitty Flipping: When Ketamine and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Read to explore the mechanics of kitty flipping.

MDMA & Ecstasy Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to MDMA has everything you want to know about Ecstasy from how it was developed in 1912 to why it’s being studied today.

How To Get the Most out of Taking MDMA as a Couple
Taking MDMA as a couple can lead to exciting experiences. Read here to learn how to get the most of of this love drug in your relationship.

Common MDMA Dosage & Microdosing Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing MDMA.

Having Sex on MDMA: What You Need to Know
MDMA is known as the love drug… Read our guide to learn all about sex on MDMA and why it is beginning to makes its way into couple’s therapy.

How MDMA is Made: Common Procedures Explained
Ever wonder how to make MDMA? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how MDMA is made.

Hippie Flipping: When Shrooms and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Explore the mechanics of hippie flipping and how to safely experiment.

How Cocaine is Made: Common Procedures Explained
Ever wonder how to make cocaine? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how cocaine is made.

A Christmas Sweater with Santa and Cocaine
This week, Walmart came under fire for a “Let it Snow” Christmas sweater depicting Santa with lines of cocaine. Columbia is not merry about it.

Ultimate Cocaine Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
This guide covers what you need to know about Cocaine, including common effects and uses, legality, safety precautions and top trends today.

NEWS: An FDA-Approved Cocaine Nasal Spray
The FDA approved a cocaine nasal spray called Numbrino, which has raised suspicions that the pharmaceutical company, Lannett Company Inc., paid off the FDA..

The Ultimate Guide to Cannabis Bioavailability
What is bioavailability and how can it affect the overall efficacy of a psychedelic substance? Read to learn more.

Cannabis Research Explains Sociability Behaviors
New research by Dr. Giovanni Marsicano shows social behavioral changes occur as a result of less energy available to the neurons. Read here to learn more.

The Cannabis Shaman
If recreational and medical use of marijuana is becoming accepted, can the spiritual use as well? Experiential journalist Rak Razam interviews Hamilton Souther, founder of the 420 Cannabis Shamanism movement…

Cannabis Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to Cannabis has everything you want to know about this popular substances that has psychedelic properties.

Cannabis and Ayahuasca: Mixing Entheogenic Plants
Cannabis and Ayahuasca: most people believe they shouldn’t be mixed. Read this personal experience peppered with thoughts from a procannabis Peruvian Shaman.

CBD-Rich Cannabis Versus Single-Molecule CBD
A ground-breaking study has documented the superior therapeutic properties of whole plant Cannabis extract as compared to synthetic cannabidiol (CBD), challenging the medical-industrial complex’s notion that “crude” botanical preparations are less effective than single-molecule compounds.

Cannabis Has Always Been a Medicine
Modern science has already confirmed the efficacy of cannabis for most uses described in the ancient medical texts, but prohibitionists still claim that medical cannabis is “just a ruse.”

Related Posts

Ready to explore the frontiers of consciousness?

Sign up for the Reality Bites newsletter and embark on a journey into the world of psychedelics, mindfulness, and transformation. It’s where the curious minds gather.

Become a conscious agent with us.

Featured Partner
Cosmic Melts
Cosmic Melts are the latest mushroom gummies we’ve been munching on. Choose from five fruity flavors, each gummy containing 350mg of Amanita muscaria.
 
Amanita muscaria offers a unique (and totally legal!) mushroom experience, and Cosmic Melts is an ideal entry point for the curious consumer.
Featured Partner
EarthStar Festival
Join us for Earthstar Festival, happening October 25-27, 2024, in the magical setting of Joshua Tree, California. This three-day experience offers music, community, and transformative activities under the stars. Get ready to immerse yourself in a weekend of unforgettable moments.
 
Reality Sandwich is giving away a full VIP Camping Ticket Package for the festival. Winner announced on Monday October 7th.
Featured Partner
Organa Fuel
If you’re a human being living in the world today – you’re in the rat race. It doesn’t matter where you live, or what you do for work or play – your nervous system needs support.

Check out Organa Fuel – this liquid nutrient works at a cellular level with super potent antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory levels. All the ‘antis’ you’re after, it’s got ’em.

Our Partners

We’re now streaming consciousness and medicine music all day, every day. Turn on, tune in, drop out.

Hear from the RS community in our new video series, spotlighting shared experiences and stories with plant medicines, psychedelics, consciousness, dreams, meditation, etc.

Welcome to Reality Sandwich. Please verify that you are over 18 years of age below.

Reality Sandwich uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By entering Reality Sandwich, you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.