One of my main goals with the My Back 40 podcast is to explore my curiosities and cover topics that pique my interest.

This podcast with Vince Hempsall, Managing Editor of Kootenay Mountain Culture Magazine, is about a journey, not through the vast forests of British Columbia or across the deserts of Morocco, but a journey inward, deep into consciousness.

After reading the story, Ayahuasca – Should You Do It? I was compelled to reach out to Vince to hear his story first hand and to hear what the Plant Teacher had shown him. For those of you not familiar, Ayahuasca is a beverage brewed from a combination of plants, one of which is rich with DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) a powerful psychedelic. The other plant is responsible for priming our biology to be more receptive to the psychedelic compound. Without this plant, the DMT would have no effect. Vince’s trip dredged up his deepest fears but also rewarded him with the insight that all things are connected and has changed the lens through which he looks at the world. I appreciated Vince’s vulnerability here as he unpacked his experience.

If you have a moment, I would encourage you to read the article linked above. This will provide some context and perhaps more background about the compounds we discuss. This is my first departure from endurance athletics and though his account may terrify you, psychedelics have helped thousands of people face their demons and improve mental health.

I became interested in the use of psychedelic compounds for mental health a couple of years ago. John Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research who has been researching this area since 2000 and the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies are places to visit to gather more information about this research.

I hope you enjoy this conversation. So let’s dive down the rabbit hole of reality and see what comes out the other side.