Meditation is hard sometimes, but it's good for integration

There is a way to meditate for everyone. It might be different for everyone, but there is a way in. You too, can dive into yourself, past the chatter, past the pain, and sink into the truth and love that is your essential nature. ​

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not promising that you'll get all that immediately. People who promise instant results are generally full of it. I've been dragging my neurodivergent mind to the cushion for years now, and I'm still a wild, disorganized mess of humanity. I don't know what your process will be like. It will probably also be weird and messy.

But that's half the fun. If it were a straight path, it would be boring. We like the scenic route. We want to find practices and teachings that seem like we knew them all along. Teachings that make you say, 'huh, that makes sense'.

Just like so much of our psychedelic experiences are about uncovering beliefs and habits that simply don't work for us, the same is true for meditation. Many of us have picked up habits that make us feel inadequate or otherwise unsuited to the potential beauty that is available when we do spiritual practice.

If the meditation practices you've tried in the past haven't worked for you, it's not your fault. (say it with me!)

​Despite what a zealous teacher may have told you, there's not just one way. There are a million ways to kneel and kiss the ground.

​Finding the right meditation practice can feel like coming home after being out in the cold. It's comforting, safe, enjoyable, while also creating favorable conditions for getting some good work done. Even when it's grueling, it's the right kind of grueling. We almost feel grateful to be able to face our pain. We feel supported. Our awareness and focus grow naturally, in harmony.

​This is important for trippers. We're often iconoclastic and anti-authoritarian by nature. We're interested in direct spiritual contact instead of having someone intercede on our behalf. We're often navigating traditions and teachings that we didn't grow up, blending the best of what we find, curating a personal spirituality the best way that we know how. On top of it all, we then go and throw ourselves into the abyss from time to time. Who knows what we'll find? It's probably going to be wild, and it's probably going to challenge us. If you've spent some time cultivating your attention, focus, and heart, you're going to be happy you did. Even with the best shaman or guide there to sing to us or hold our hand, it's still ultimately between our gods and us. As the Anonymous Samurai says, 'I have no friends, I make my mind my friend'. It's a little severe, but he has a point.​

Dilgo Khyetse Rinpoche says something similar:

The whole thrust of the Buddha’s teaching is to master the mind. If you master the mind, you will have mastery over body and speech, and your own and others’ suffering can only come to an end. But if you leave the mind full of negative emotions, then however perfect the actions of your body and the words you speak might seem, you are far from the path.

​​Meditation for the Journey is a program I put together based on my 20 years as a meditation teacher. And as a meditation teacher who came to meditation to help me integrate my wild, strange recreational cum spiritually emergent psychedelic experience way back in the day. It's been a powerful tool ever since.

It was originally designed as a self-care program for people who wanted to strengthen their practice in order to have more facility in psychedelic spaces and more ability to integrate healthfully afterward. From what I've gathered from my students, it does just that.

But as time went on and the landscape changed, we've gotten many more people working in the space as guides, sitters, coaches, and therapists. Participants in the class began asking more questions about working with others.

Intelligent, skilled people who already had good methodologies for client work showed up, serious about cultivating their presence and wisdom. Folks want to show up fully for each other and stay centered and grounded in loving awareness. And so, the program continues to evolve. My practice is evolving, the space is evolving. We learn in our meditation practice that all things are impermanent, and that's a good thing!

​So come and study with me. Train to be a better space holder. Train to guide meditations for your clients more comfortably. Train to witness your thoughts and emotions and to regualte your system. ​

​This is your invitation to Meditation for the Journey. It's going to be six Tuesdays, starting July 7th, 4pm Pacific time, 7pm Eastern Time. It's $450 until the 30th, and then it goes up to $600. Compared to a lot of the other things out there, it's quite a deal. If you're in dire financial straits, email me, and we can talk.

So, let's do it, lets sit together. Let's go deep and fall in love with the world. -> Register Now​​

Recommendation from one of my clients

"On Friday nights, my wife and I sit on the back porch, smoke pot, stare out at the mountains, and listen to music, as the Allman Brothers, or the Monolink 2025 Burning Man set." - Now that's a relationship!

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Training Info Session

If you’ve been feeling the pull to support others in psychedelic work, but want to do it in a way that’s grounded, thoughtful, and actually responsible, this is a good place to start.

I’m hosting a live info session for the Psychedelic Integration Coach Training. I’ll discuss how we approach integration as a real discipline rooted in mindfulness, somatics, and spiritual practice, not just intuition or good intentions.

We’ll talk about what makes someone effective in this role, how the training is structured, who it’s for, and what people actually do with it in their lives and work.

There will be time for questions. It’s not a pitch-heavy call. Just a chance to get a clear feel for the training and see if it’s aligned for you.

If this is something you’ve been circling, it's worth a conversation.

Thursday June 18th at 4pm Eastern time: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mt-tam-psychedelic-integration-coaching-training-info-call-tickets-1990915616202?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true​

The Golden Road - Mentorship, Peer Support, Supervision, and Skill Building for Serious Psychonauts and Healing Professionals

The Golden Road has evolved into a wonderful group of practitioners.

We meet every Thursday at noon eastern, and there are monthly masterclasses as well.

There is also a large archive (over 200 hours) of psychedelic education and past talks.

The wonderful people who show up share not only their journeys, but the journeys of those they steward. It's become a place of learning, support, accountability, and peer review. Folks are learning some things from me, but they are also learning from each other. We all face unique challenges as we work in this space, and it's great to have a place where we can bring them for non-judgmental feedback and reflection. You're invited. Click here to join​

The Tam Integration Coaching Training Program - Fall Cohort

This cohort is full, and we're now interviewing for the fall session. If you're interested, fill out this form, and we'll reach out soon: https://forms.gle/oB9Xk6RrkDE6xtsV9​

Learn More Here: https://tamintegration.com/psychedelic-coach-training/​

Info Session, Thursday, June 18th at 4pm Eastern time: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mt-tam-psychedelic-integration-coaching-training-info-call-tickets-1990915616202?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true​

Disclaimer

Nothing in this email should be considered medical or legal advice. We're not suggesting that you break any laws or do anything dangerous. This email is offered as education and entertainment in the spirit of harm reduction. Consult medical and legal professionals if you have questions.

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