We are in the midst of a psychedelic revolution. It’s here. Now the question is whether or not we can approach the conversation with nuance—not something we Americans are not generally celebrated for. Psychedelics force another uncomfortable conversation for many: The power of thought. The suggestibility of your brain while under the influence of psychedelics turns mindfulness into a high-stakes game. We are still in the liminal stages of talking about the mind and mental states with anything like fluency. But our ability to explore this conversation, and put words to feelings, is one of the most freeing forms of language we can practice. For us dudes, this can be especially tough—which is why I’m so glad that a guy like Jesse Gould exists.

Gould is founder and president of the Heroic Hearts Project, a nonprofit pioneering psychedelic therapies for military veterans. After being deployed as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan three times, he founded the Heroic Hearts Project in 2017 to spearhead the acceptance and use of ayahuasca therapy as a means of addressing the current mental health crisis among veterans.

The Heroic Hearts Project has raised over $350,000 in scholarships from donors, including Dr. Bronner’s, and partnered with the world’s leading ayahuasca treatment centers. Jesse has spoken globally about psychedelics and mental health—something that’s also personal for him, having battled with PTSD and found relief through ayahuasca therapy.

During our conversation, we covered marathons, breathwork, and psychedelic therapy for veterans.

Enjoy,

Kyle

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