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Remember, You're Going to Die

We all have beliefs and worldviews. They shape how we see the world. They color our perspectives.

We're not always conscious of them. We swim through our ideas like a fish in water. We breathe them like air, drink them like water, and don't notice them until they are challenged.

Many of the ideas wiggled their way into our minds while we weren't paying attention. Culture is not your friend.

This is half the fun of psychedelics. They reveal to us how the mind's programming is getting in our way and how it's responsible, in large part, for our suffering.

We're afraid to die, for example. We're afraid to be exposed as vulnerable, which could lead to our death.

We get tense, uptight. Our energy gets blocked. Our action is stifled, and we lose our spontaneity.

I remember struggling with existential fear at a very young age. I remember wrestling with terror at the thought of my own mortality. I didn't know how to talk about it back then, and I don't think I knew anyone who would have been able to hear it.

I wish, when I was young, I had been taught about death in a different sort of way.

I wouldn't have minded a carpe diem style pep talk, "Yes, you're going to die, so make the most of your life."

I wouldn't have minded being told that I had a spiritual home, or at least a spiritual path, that extended beyond this human birth.

It wasn't until later that I found these Ideas, and I've been trying to hammer them into my hard head and stubborn mind ever since. They are good ideas, and I want them to stick.

They are ideas I want in my head when I'm face to face with the spirit of the mushroom.

Here are four ideas that I'm particularly fond of. They're a big part of Vajrayana Buddhism. They're known as the four reminders:

• The rarity and preciousness of human life
• The absolute inevitability of death
• The awesome and indelible power of our actions
• The inescapability of suffering

Properly contemplated, they turn our minds towards compassion, beneficence, and positive motivation.

I consider them in my daily life, and I regularly refer to them in my coaching practice. I might not mention them by name, but they inform how I respond to my client's issues.

You're lucky, make the most of it. Time is short; what is most important? Your actions matter. It's not going to be easy.

Coaching isn't easy, but It's easier for me with values like these in place. It can be the difference between knowing how to show up and just sitting in confusion. We don't need to kill the ego; let's just train it towards wisdom and compassion. Let's help the default mode network harmonize with reality.

We're going to discuss the four reminders and so much more in our upcoming class, Meditation for the Journey. It starts tonight.

We're going to talk about how we can start to observe and contemplate these in our own lives. We'll consider how we can use these ideas to support our clients on their journeys and in their integration.

We're going to work towards a happy mind, together.

If this sort of thing interests you, there is still time to join.

Join me tonight and the next 5 Tuesdays for six weeks of meditation training. Freedom orientation. Liberation Intention.

If you get free, really free, imagine how much that will benefit everyone you know. Friends, family, clients.

We'll discuss how the environment affects the mind from a yogic perspective, and also how to train the mind to meet the moment with equanimity, bravery, and compassion.

Meditation for the Journey is a 6 week class that will give you the tools needed to offer individualized meditation practices to your clients. It includes a virtual cannabis Yoga Nidra ceremony, and it starts tonight! Here's the link.

Some Music!

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A podcast where I'm interviewed about live music and psychedelic integration

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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​

Golden Road is a group of coaches and guides that are growing their practices and coming together in the spirit of personal and professional peer support. You also get some teaching and Q&A with yours truly. The main group meeting is Thursdays at noon Eastern. Here's the link to that.

Breathwork and Emotional Clearing for Psychedelic Integration Training Weekend

November 6-8, I'll be co-leading a weekend in San Francisco with one of my dear friends, Alyce Bacine. We became friends at the local yoga studio in 2001, and have both been doing our things ever since. We'll be training practioners how to show up for and support the clearing of big emotions in preparation, journey, and integration. Learn practice to keep you grounded when things get weird. There will be a virtual aspect, and 3 days of in person training. This will be awesome. Stay tuned, more details to come.

The Tam Integration Coaching Training Program - Winter 2027 Cohort

Coaching Training - Starts February - I'm pushing the training back a couple of months so I have a little more room to breathe and work on other projects. You can fill out the interest form below. 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/​

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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