[smart_track_player url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/nionradio/185_-_Nion_Radio_-_The_Healing_Power_of_Psychedelics.mp3″ title=”The Healing Power of Psychedelics” artist=”Nick Onken” image=”https://nionlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/185_NickOnken_HealingPowerOfPsychedelics_CVR.jpg” color=”#de4b9b” ]
“Different plant medicines will help you dive deeper into your psyche.”
This week on ONKEN RADIO, we’re going far out, guys. As you all probably know, I recorded a podcast episode at the end of last year about the 21 things I learned in 2019. This year, I’ve dedicated one entire episode to each item on that list, and this week, we’re on number three: the healing power of psychedelics.
A few years ago, I went through a dark time. I no longer had the desire to be creative, and I barely had the drive to do even mundane tasks. I began searching for meaning in my life, and that’s when I first started my foray into the mystical world of psychedelics and plant medicines.
You may remember that I talked about all things mushrooms and creativity with Tero Isokauppila, the founder of Four Sigmatic — a food and beverage company that specializes in mushroom-based drinks. I also had an interview with Gerry Powell, the founder of Rhythmia, discussing how plant medicine can change your life. To follow up, I had Dr. Jeff McNairy on the podcast to explain how plant medicine works in your brain.
Today, you’ll get my take on the power of psychedelics and plant medicine — what I’ve tried, what my experience was, and how it’s helped me heal from a difficult time. I’ll also provide some information from different scientific resources, which show that some psychedelic drugs and natural medicines may help heal depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
My Experience Trying DMT Psychedelics for the First Time
A couple of years ago, I was going through my very own “dark night of the soul.” I had lost purpose in my life, and I no longer had the creative drive I used to. I was in a lost space, and so I decided to try something new — psychedelics.
The first one I tried was 5-MeO DMT, which is crystalized toad venom. I smoked it, and it took me on this crazy journey outside my body and through my consciousness. Everyone has a different experience, but for me, it was like I left my body and ventured into the universe. I saw all these colored fractals and found myself amongst the stars. It was a beautiful experience during a dark time in my life.
At that point, I really didn’t know what to expect. And more importantly, I didn’t know how to interpret my psychedelic experience afterward. As beautiful as it was, I came back from that experience sort of shell-shocked. I had experienced this beautiful 5D reality, and then all of a sudden, I was back in the 3D physical world. That contrast was so abrupt for me, and afterward, I experienced somewhat of an existential crisis.
Looking back, I know that experience served its purpose. It showed me that I didn’t know how to integrate my psychedelic experience into reality. I didn’t even know I needed to integrate that experience into my life.
When you do psychedelics or plant medicine, it takes you to a different place. You experience and see things that are not in the 3D realm. It’s important to integrate that experience back into 3D reality so that you’re not using it as an “escape” but as a way to understand the world and yourself on a deeper level.
After my first experience, I realized that I had a lot to learn about psychedelics — I didn’t know how to harness their power. That’s when I came across an invaluable resource: a book titled How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan.
Psychedelics 101: How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
This book completely revolutionized my point of view on psychedelics. You all know that I’m really interested in the concrete science behind things when I’m trying any new modality to improve my life, whether it be religion, healing, or spirituality. This book by Michael Pollan provided all that for me. It gave me the grounding to really understand how psychedelics work, their history, and their benefits — especially for people who suffer from PTSD, depression, and even addiction.
In this book, Michael shared that he interviewed 15 to 20 different facilitators for each different type of plant medicine — including DMT, psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, peyote, LSD, and a few others. After the interview process, he asked a couple of the facilitators to walk him through the process of taking their drug. In the book, he shared his personal experience and how he experienced healing and a spiritual reality he never thought existed.
Next, Michael explained all the new neuroscience behind how psychedelics affect your brain and how people have been healing PTSD and depression using psychedelics in a therapeutic context. But probably the BIGGEST distinction I took from the book was the difference between drugs and plant medicines. I grew up believing that all drugs are bad, and this book really created a difference for me.
To sum it all up, there are drugs like meth, heroin, cocaine, and others that will absolutely destroy your life. They cause life-threatening addictions and are toxic for your body. Then there are plant medicines such as psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, and LSD that actually have healing powers when used in a controlled environment. They can actually help treat those suffering from a meth, heroin, alcohol, or cocaine addiction in the right context.
When using these plant medicines, getting the correct dosage is extremely important. In his book, Michael Pollan really stresses the necessity of safety — i.e., being in a controlled environment and taking the correct dosage.
You may hear of people saying they experienced a “bad trip,” and usually you’ll hear that from people who are at musical festivals with people they don’t know. When you’re not in a controlled environment, you can encounter all sorts of weirdness and different energies that can really destroy an experience. And when you’re not educated about the medicine you’re taking, you can easily overdose.
But when used correctly and in the right context, psychedelics actually have lots of healing properties! In the latter part of the book, Micahel Collan discussed the studies that have been done using plant medicines, and the results are incredible.
The Healing Properties of Plant Medicines
When someone is struggling with PTSD, their brain is stuck in a negative loop — the trauma is replayed over and over in their minds, like a faulty record player. And the more this happens, the stronger those neural networks become. The same sort of thing happens with depression. Your brain starts repeating a story about yourself — “I’m not worthy, and no one loves me” — and those thoughts integrate themselves into your neural networking, making it extremely difficult to think otherwise.
Scientists are discovering that psychedelics, especially psilocybin and ayahuasca, help people pull out of that default networking in their brains to experience healing. They help you detach from traumas and experience a new reality that’s disconnected from that past pain. And when you combine these plant medicines with meditation or breath work, it helps you integrate that experience back into reality.
I recently watched this incredible documentary called From Shock to Awe that I recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about the healing power of psychedelics. It’s about Iraqi war veterans who are experiencing severe PTSD — to the point where if somebody closes a door, they think a bomb is going off. They can no longer connect with their families and friends because the war traumas are just on replay in their brains. In order to heal from PTSD, they partner with therapeutic professionals who take them through an ayahuasca journey, and the results are fascinating. By using the psychedelic, they can start detaching from the traumas by experiencing a beautiful, 5D reality. It pulls them out of that default neural network of pain, and they’re able to experience love and healing.
So personally, I really do believe that psychedelics possess incredible healing properties. And it’s not just me — there is so much research happening around this topic. Entrepreneur Tim Ferriss has been investing tons of money into this research in partnership with John Hopkins Medicine. And I think that really soon, these plant medicines will be legalized for professional, therapeutic use because they have so much healing potential.
How Psychedelics Have Helped Me Heal
Last summer, I did an ayahuasca journey down at Rhythmia, and it was a beautiful, healing experience. I’ve always been committed to personal development, but I’ve struggled with this fear of judgment — what are other people going to think of me? But when I did this ayahuasca journey last summer, I realized how this fear of judgment has really kept me from experiencing the fullness of life, love, and expression.
I’m still working through those things, but the ayahuasca journey definitely helped me push through some mental blocks this year, including telling my parents that I don’t have the same worldview as they do. And for me, that was huge because I’ve always subconsciously felt judged by my parents, which has inhibited me from doing a lot of things.
I’ve also been doing psilocybin mushroom journeys right here in my living room. When you can craft the intention and environment around the experience, they can provide you with some really great healing. They personally help me remove those subconscious blocks that I didn’t even know existed!
For example, a year and a half ago, I would write out a script for each one of my solo podcasts. I always had problems talking in a flow state, and that’s one reason I even started the podcast — to conquer my fear of speaking. I really think that psychedelics have helped me move past that fear. I can now record solo episodes in a constant flow, and it’s been amazing.
At least 95% of the way we operate is from our subconscious mind, and the only way to really create long-lasting change is to rewire our subconscious. There are several different modalities you can use to do that, including hypnosis, mediation, and breathwork, but plant medicines really help you dive deeper into your psyche.
Ayahuasca specifically has helped me dive into my childhood traumas and work through those. If you don’t do that inner work, then those experiences are going to run the way you operate. You’ll get triggered 24/7, and nothing will change until you can get past those subconscious blocks. I want to live a life that fully expresses what I believe, and personally, I think that psychedelics are a really great tool to help us do that.
Are Psychedelics Right for You?
To sum up, I think psychedelics are definitely worth looking into, but you have to do it under very controlled conditions and with the right intentions. Definitely educate yourself before you try anything. Michael Pollan’s book, How to Change Your Mind, is a great place to start. It will give you a great historical context along with scientific studies on how to approach plant medicines.
You can also check out my interviews with the founder of Rhythima, Gerry Powell, and the chief medical officer of Rhythima, Dr. Dr. Jeff McNairy, to hear more about Rhythmia, the power of psychedelics, and the science behind them.
Alchemy is defined as the process of taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary, sometimes in a way that cannot be explained.
With that being said, I define Creative Alchemy as using the process of creativity to create a lens of which to perform alchemy. These principles not only apply to artists and creatives in their own creative processes but to anyone who wants to create an extraordinary life in color for themselves. I’ve found that 80% of creating is alchemizing the thoughts, emotions, and other inner blocks that keep you from putting the pen to the paper. Navigating to the act of creation takes alchemical processes, and personally, psychedelics help me do this at a whole different level.
I think that once you heal from your past baggage, you can really activate your own creativity and connect you closer to the universe. Psychedelics have helped me create a better podcast and create an elevated flow state even in my photoshoots. I’m excited to keep reading more research, and hopefully see these plant medicines used across the world for healing and therapy.
Thanks for reading! If you want to hear more about my experience with psychedelics, make sure to listen to the full episode. Please share this episode on Instagram and tag me, @nickonken. I’d love to answer any questions you may have about plant medicine and my experience. And if you love this podcast and want to support me, please leave a good review on Apple Podcasts. Every review helps.
I’ll leave you with this: My mission is to help you become the better version of yourself by creating in every small moment. To do that effectively, we often have to heal from past trauma to overcome subconscious blocks. In whatever modality you choose, I hope the best for you and am here to support you along the way.
I’ll talk to you later
Nick Onken
You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And please leave me a Rating and Review!
Some things we learn in this podcast:
- What DMT is made of [2:30]
- How to ingest DMT [2:40]
- The distinction between drugs and plant medicine [6:40]
- What book to read before doing psychedelics [8:00]
- How psychedelics heal [9:20]
Links Mentioned:
LET'S CONSPIRE & CREATE
CULTIVATING YOUR VISUAL UNIQUENESS AND STREAMLINING YOUR BRAND'S EVOLUTION
[smart_track_player url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/nionradio/185_-_Nion_Radio_-_The_Healing_Power_of_Psychedelics.mp3″ title=”The Healing Power of Psychedelics” artist=”Nick Onken” image=”https://nionlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/185_NickOnken_HealingPowerOfPsychedelics_CVR.jpg” color=”#de4b9b” ]
“Different plant medicines will help you dive deeper into your psyche.”
This week on ONKEN RADIO, we’re going far out, guys. As you all probably know, I recorded a podcast episode at the end of last year about the 21 things I learned in 2019. This year, I’ve dedicated one entire episode to each item on that list, and this week, we’re on number three: the healing power of psychedelics.
A few years ago, I went through a dark time. I no longer had the desire to be creative, and I barely had the drive to do even mundane tasks. I began searching for meaning in my life, and that’s when I first started my foray into the mystical world of psychedelics and plant medicines.
You may remember that I talked about all things mushrooms and creativity with Tero Isokauppila, the founder of Four Sigmatic — a food and beverage company that specializes in mushroom-based drinks. I also had an interview with Gerry Powell, the founder of Rhythmia, discussing how plant medicine can change your life. To follow up, I had Dr. Jeff McNairy on the podcast to explain how plant medicine works in your brain.
Today, you’ll get my take on the power of psychedelics and plant medicine — what I’ve tried, what my experience was, and how it’s helped me heal from a difficult time. I’ll also provide some information from different scientific resources, which show that some psychedelic drugs and natural medicines may help heal depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
My Experience Trying DMT Psychedelics for the First Time
A couple of years ago, I was going through my very own “dark night of the soul.” I had lost purpose in my life, and I no longer had the creative drive I used to. I was in a lost space, and so I decided to try something new — psychedelics.
The first one I tried was 5-MeO DMT, which is crystalized toad venom. I smoked it, and it took me on this crazy journey outside my body and through my consciousness. Everyone has a different experience, but for me, it was like I left my body and ventured into the universe. I saw all these colored fractals and found myself amongst the stars. It was a beautiful experience during a dark time in my life.
At that point, I really didn’t know what to expect. And more importantly, I didn’t know how to interpret my psychedelic experience afterward. As beautiful as it was, I came back from that experience sort of shell-shocked. I had experienced this beautiful 5D reality, and then all of a sudden, I was back in the 3D physical world. That contrast was so abrupt for me, and afterward, I experienced somewhat of an existential crisis.
Looking back, I know that experience served its purpose. It showed me that I didn’t know how to integrate my psychedelic experience into reality. I didn’t even know I needed to integrate that experience into my life.
When you do psychedelics or plant medicine, it takes you to a different place. You experience and see things that are not in the 3D realm. It’s important to integrate that experience back into 3D reality so that you’re not using it as an “escape” but as a way to understand the world and yourself on a deeper level.
After my first experience, I realized that I had a lot to learn about psychedelics — I didn’t know how to harness their power. That’s when I came across an invaluable resource: a book titled How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan.
Psychedelics 101: How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
This book completely revolutionized my point of view on psychedelics. You all know that I’m really interested in the concrete science behind things when I’m trying any new modality to improve my life, whether it be religion, healing, or spirituality. This book by Michael Pollan provided all that for me. It gave me the grounding to really understand how psychedelics work, their history, and their benefits — especially for people who suffer from PTSD, depression, and even addiction.
In this book, Michael shared that he interviewed 15 to 20 different facilitators for each different type of plant medicine — including DMT, psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, peyote, LSD, and a few others. After the interview process, he asked a couple of the facilitators to walk him through the process of taking their drug. In the book, he shared his personal experience and how he experienced healing and a spiritual reality he never thought existed.
Next, Michael explained all the new neuroscience behind how psychedelics affect your brain and how people have been healing PTSD and depression using psychedelics in a therapeutic context. But probably the BIGGEST distinction I took from the book was the difference between drugs and plant medicines. I grew up believing that all drugs are bad, and this book really created a difference for me.
To sum it all up, there are drugs like meth, heroin, cocaine, and others that will absolutely destroy your life. They cause life-threatening addictions and are toxic for your body. Then there are plant medicines such as psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, and LSD that actually have healing powers when used in a controlled environment. They can actually help treat those suffering from a meth, heroin, alcohol, or cocaine addiction in the right context.
When using these plant medicines, getting the correct dosage is extremely important. In his book, Michael Pollan really stresses the necessity of safety — i.e., being in a controlled environment and taking the correct dosage.
You may hear of people saying they experienced a “bad trip,” and usually you’ll hear that from people who are at musical festivals with people they don’t know. When you’re not in a controlled environment, you can encounter all sorts of weirdness and different energies that can really destroy an experience. And when you’re not educated about the medicine you’re taking, you can easily overdose.
But when used correctly and in the right context, psychedelics actually have lots of healing properties! In the latter part of the book, Micahel Collan discussed the studies that have been done using plant medicines, and the results are incredible.
The Healing Properties of Plant Medicines
When someone is struggling with PTSD, their brain is stuck in a negative loop — the trauma is replayed over and over in their minds, like a faulty record player. And the more this happens, the stronger those neural networks become. The same sort of thing happens with depression. Your brain starts repeating a story about yourself — “I’m not worthy, and no one loves me” — and those thoughts integrate themselves into your neural networking, making it extremely difficult to think otherwise.
Scientists are discovering that psychedelics, especially psilocybin and ayahuasca, help people pull out of that default networking in their brains to experience healing. They help you detach from traumas and experience a new reality that’s disconnected from that past pain. And when you combine these plant medicines with meditation or breath work, it helps you integrate that experience back into reality.
I recently watched this incredible documentary called From Shock to Awe that I recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about the healing power of psychedelics. It’s about Iraqi war veterans who are experiencing severe PTSD — to the point where if somebody closes a door, they think a bomb is going off. They can no longer connect with their families and friends because the war traumas are just on replay in their brains. In order to heal from PTSD, they partner with therapeutic professionals who take them through an ayahuasca journey, and the results are fascinating. By using the psychedelic, they can start detaching from the traumas by experiencing a beautiful, 5D reality. It pulls them out of that default neural network of pain, and they’re able to experience love and healing.
So personally, I really do believe that psychedelics possess incredible healing properties. And it’s not just me — there is so much research happening around this topic. Entrepreneur Tim Ferriss has been investing tons of money into this research in partnership with John Hopkins Medicine. And I think that really soon, these plant medicines will be legalized for professional, therapeutic use because they have so much healing potential.
How Psychedelics Have Helped Me Heal
Last summer, I did an ayahuasca journey down at Rhythmia, and it was a beautiful, healing experience. I’ve always been committed to personal development, but I’ve struggled with this fear of judgment — what are other people going to think of me? But when I did this ayahuasca journey last summer, I realized how this fear of judgment has really kept me from experiencing the fullness of life, love, and expression.
I’m still working through those things, but the ayahuasca journey definitely helped me push through some mental blocks this year, including telling my parents that I don’t have the same worldview as they do. And for me, that was huge because I’ve always subconsciously felt judged by my parents, which has inhibited me from doing a lot of things.
I’ve also been doing psilocybin mushroom journeys right here in my living room. When you can craft the intention and environment around the experience, they can provide you with some really great healing. They personally help me remove those subconscious blocks that I didn’t even know existed!
For example, a year and a half ago, I would write out a script for each one of my solo podcasts. I always had problems talking in a flow state, and that’s one reason I even started the podcast — to conquer my fear of speaking. I really think that psychedelics have helped me move past that fear. I can now record solo episodes in a constant flow, and it’s been amazing.
At least 95% of the way we operate is from our subconscious mind, and the only way to really create long-lasting change is to rewire our subconscious. There are several different modalities you can use to do that, including hypnosis, mediation, and breathwork, but plant medicines really help you dive deeper into your psyche.
Ayahuasca specifically has helped me dive into my childhood traumas and work through those. If you don’t do that inner work, then those experiences are going to run the way you operate. You’ll get triggered 24/7, and nothing will change until you can get past those subconscious blocks. I want to live a life that fully expresses what I believe, and personally, I think that psychedelics are a really great tool to help us do that.
Are Psychedelics Right for You?
To sum up, I think psychedelics are definitely worth looking into, but you have to do it under very controlled conditions and with the right intentions. Definitely educate yourself before you try anything. Michael Pollan’s book, How to Change Your Mind, is a great place to start. It will give you a great historical context along with scientific studies on how to approach plant medicines.
You can also check out my interviews with the founder of Rhythima, Gerry Powell, and the chief medical officer of Rhythima, Dr. Dr. Jeff McNairy, to hear more about Rhythmia, the power of psychedelics, and the science behind them.
Alchemy is defined as the process of taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary, sometimes in a way that cannot be explained.
With that being said, I define Creative Alchemy as using the process of creativity to create a lens of which to perform alchemy. These principles not only apply to artists and creatives in their own creative processes but to anyone who wants to create an extraordinary life in color for themselves. I’ve found that 80% of creating is alchemizing the thoughts, emotions, and other inner blocks that keep you from putting the pen to the paper. Navigating to the act of creation takes alchemical processes, and personally, psychedelics help me do this at a whole different level.
I think that once you heal from your past baggage, you can really activate your own creativity and connect you closer to the universe. Psychedelics have helped me create a better podcast and create an elevated flow state even in my photoshoots. I’m excited to keep reading more research, and hopefully see these plant medicines used across the world for healing and therapy.
Thanks for reading! If you want to hear more about my experience with psychedelics, make sure to listen to the full episode. Please share this episode on Instagram and tag me, @nickonken. I’d love to answer any questions you may have about plant medicine and my experience. And if you love this podcast and want to support me, please leave a good review on Apple Podcasts. Every review helps.
I’ll leave you with this: My mission is to help you become the better version of yourself by creating in every small moment. To do that effectively, we often have to heal from past trauma to overcome subconscious blocks. In whatever modality you choose, I hope the best for you and am here to support you along the way.
I’ll talk to you later
Nick Onken
You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And please leave me a Rating and Review!
Some things we learn in this podcast:
- What DMT is made of [2:30]
- How to ingest DMT [2:40]
- The distinction between drugs and plant medicine [6:40]
- What book to read before doing psychedelics [8:00]
- How psychedelics heal [9:20]
Links Mentioned:
2/26/20
185: The Power of Psychedelics
infuse your vision with a fresh breath of creativity and vitality
BOOK A BRAND PHOTOSHOOT
GET THE DETAILS
GET THE DETAILS
infuse your vision with a fresh breath of creativity and vitality
PODCAST
BRAND INTELLIGENCE
CREATIVE INTELLIGENCE
LIFE INTELLIGENCE
masterfully aligning perception and reality through personal branding
masterfully aligning perception and reality through personal branding
[smart_track_player url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/nionradio/185_-_Nion_Radio_-_The_Healing_Power_of_Psychedelics.mp3″ title=”The Healing Power of Psychedelics” artist=”Nick Onken” image=”https://nionlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/185_NickOnken_HealingPowerOfPsychedelics_CVR.jpg” color=”#de4b9b” ]
“Different plant medicines will help you dive deeper into your psyche.”
This week on ONKEN RADIO, we’re going far out, guys. As you all probably know, I recorded a podcast episode at the end of last year about the 21 things I learned in 2019. This year, I’ve dedicated one entire episode to each item on that list, and this week, we’re on number three: the healing power of psychedelics.
A few years ago, I went through a dark time. I no longer had the desire to be creative, and I barely had the drive to do even mundane tasks. I began searching for meaning in my life, and that’s when I first started my foray into the mystical world of psychedelics and plant medicines.
You may remember that I talked about all things mushrooms and creativity with Tero Isokauppila, the founder of Four Sigmatic — a food and beverage company that specializes in mushroom-based drinks. I also had an interview with Gerry Powell, the founder of Rhythmia, discussing how plant medicine can change your life. To follow up, I had Dr. Jeff McNairy on the podcast to explain how plant medicine works in your brain.
Today, you’ll get my take on the power of psychedelics and plant medicine — what I’ve tried, what my experience was, and how it’s helped me heal from a difficult time. I’ll also provide some information from different scientific resources, which show that some psychedelic drugs and natural medicines may help heal depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
My Experience Trying DMT Psychedelics for the First Time
A couple of years ago, I was going through my very own “dark night of the soul.” I had lost purpose in my life, and I no longer had the creative drive I used to. I was in a lost space, and so I decided to try something new — psychedelics.
The first one I tried was 5-MeO DMT, which is crystalized toad venom. I smoked it, and it took me on this crazy journey outside my body and through my consciousness. Everyone has a different experience, but for me, it was like I left my body and ventured into the universe. I saw all these colored fractals and found myself amongst the stars. It was a beautiful experience during a dark time in my life.
At that point, I really didn’t know what to expect. And more importantly, I didn’t know how to interpret my psychedelic experience afterward. As beautiful as it was, I came back from that experience sort of shell-shocked. I had experienced this beautiful 5D reality, and then all of a sudden, I was back in the 3D physical world. That contrast was so abrupt for me, and afterward, I experienced somewhat of an existential crisis.
Looking back, I know that experience served its purpose. It showed me that I didn’t know how to integrate my psychedelic experience into reality. I didn’t even know I needed to integrate that experience into my life.
When you do psychedelics or plant medicine, it takes you to a different place. You experience and see things that are not in the 3D realm. It’s important to integrate that experience back into 3D reality so that you’re not using it as an “escape” but as a way to understand the world and yourself on a deeper level.
After my first experience, I realized that I had a lot to learn about psychedelics — I didn’t know how to harness their power. That’s when I came across an invaluable resource: a book titled How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan.
Psychedelics 101: How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
This book completely revolutionized my point of view on psychedelics. You all know that I’m really interested in the concrete science behind things when I’m trying any new modality to improve my life, whether it be religion, healing, or spirituality. This book by Michael Pollan provided all that for me. It gave me the grounding to really understand how psychedelics work, their history, and their benefits — especially for people who suffer from PTSD, depression, and even addiction.
In this book, Michael shared that he interviewed 15 to 20 different facilitators for each different type of plant medicine — including DMT, psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, peyote, LSD, and a few others. After the interview process, he asked a couple of the facilitators to walk him through the process of taking their drug. In the book, he shared his personal experience and how he experienced healing and a spiritual reality he never thought existed.
Next, Michael explained all the new neuroscience behind how psychedelics affect your brain and how people have been healing PTSD and depression using psychedelics in a therapeutic context. But probably the BIGGEST distinction I took from the book was the difference between drugs and plant medicines. I grew up believing that all drugs are bad, and this book really created a difference for me.
To sum it all up, there are drugs like meth, heroin, cocaine, and others that will absolutely destroy your life. They cause life-threatening addictions and are toxic for your body. Then there are plant medicines such as psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, and LSD that actually have healing powers when used in a controlled environment. They can actually help treat those suffering from a meth, heroin, alcohol, or cocaine addiction in the right context.
When using these plant medicines, getting the correct dosage is extremely important. In his book, Michael Pollan really stresses the necessity of safety — i.e., being in a controlled environment and taking the correct dosage.
You may hear of people saying they experienced a “bad trip,” and usually you’ll hear that from people who are at musical festivals with people they don’t know. When you’re not in a controlled environment, you can encounter all sorts of weirdness and different energies that can really destroy an experience. And when you’re not educated about the medicine you’re taking, you can easily overdose.
But when used correctly and in the right context, psychedelics actually have lots of healing properties! In the latter part of the book, Micahel Collan discussed the studies that have been done using plant medicines, and the results are incredible.
The Healing Properties of Plant Medicines
When someone is struggling with PTSD, their brain is stuck in a negative loop — the trauma is replayed over and over in their minds, like a faulty record player. And the more this happens, the stronger those neural networks become. The same sort of thing happens with depression. Your brain starts repeating a story about yourself — “I’m not worthy, and no one loves me” — and those thoughts integrate themselves into your neural networking, making it extremely difficult to think otherwise.
Scientists are discovering that psychedelics, especially psilocybin and ayahuasca, help people pull out of that default networking in their brains to experience healing. They help you detach from traumas and experience a new reality that’s disconnected from that past pain. And when you combine these plant medicines with meditation or breath work, it helps you integrate that experience back into reality.
I recently watched this incredible documentary called From Shock to Awe that I recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about the healing power of psychedelics. It’s about Iraqi war veterans who are experiencing severe PTSD — to the point where if somebody closes a door, they think a bomb is going off. They can no longer connect with their families and friends because the war traumas are just on replay in their brains. In order to heal from PTSD, they partner with therapeutic professionals who take them through an ayahuasca journey, and the results are fascinating. By using the psychedelic, they can start detaching from the traumas by experiencing a beautiful, 5D reality. It pulls them out of that default neural network of pain, and they’re able to experience love and healing.
So personally, I really do believe that psychedelics possess incredible healing properties. And it’s not just me — there is so much research happening around this topic. Entrepreneur Tim Ferriss has been investing tons of money into this research in partnership with John Hopkins Medicine. And I think that really soon, these plant medicines will be legalized for professional, therapeutic use because they have so much healing potential.
How Psychedelics Have Helped Me Heal
Last summer, I did an ayahuasca journey down at Rhythmia, and it was a beautiful, healing experience. I’ve always been committed to personal development, but I’ve struggled with this fear of judgment — what are other people going to think of me? But when I did this ayahuasca journey last summer, I realized how this fear of judgment has really kept me from experiencing the fullness of life, love, and expression.
I’m still working through those things, but the ayahuasca journey definitely helped me push through some mental blocks this year, including telling my parents that I don’t have the same worldview as they do. And for me, that was huge because I’ve always subconsciously felt judged by my parents, which has inhibited me from doing a lot of things.
I’ve also been doing psilocybin mushroom journeys right here in my living room. When you can craft the intention and environment around the experience, they can provide you with some really great healing. They personally help me remove those subconscious blocks that I didn’t even know existed!
For example, a year and a half ago, I would write out a script for each one of my solo podcasts. I always had problems talking in a flow state, and that’s one reason I even started the podcast — to conquer my fear of speaking. I really think that psychedelics have helped me move past that fear. I can now record solo episodes in a constant flow, and it’s been amazing.
At least 95% of the way we operate is from our subconscious mind, and the only way to really create long-lasting change is to rewire our subconscious. There are several different modalities you can use to do that, including hypnosis, mediation, and breathwork, but plant medicines really help you dive deeper into your psyche.
Ayahuasca specifically has helped me dive into my childhood traumas and work through those. If you don’t do that inner work, then those experiences are going to run the way you operate. You’ll get triggered 24/7, and nothing will change until you can get past those subconscious blocks. I want to live a life that fully expresses what I believe, and personally, I think that psychedelics are a really great tool to help us do that.
Are Psychedelics Right for You?
To sum up, I think psychedelics are definitely worth looking into, but you have to do it under very controlled conditions and with the right intentions. Definitely educate yourself before you try anything. Michael Pollan’s book, How to Change Your Mind, is a great place to start. It will give you a great historical context along with scientific studies on how to approach plant medicines.
You can also check out my interviews with the founder of Rhythima, Gerry Powell, and the chief medical officer of Rhythima, Dr. Dr. Jeff McNairy, to hear more about Rhythmia, the power of psychedelics, and the science behind them.
Alchemy is defined as the process of taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary, sometimes in a way that cannot be explained.
With that being said, I define Creative Alchemy as using the process of creativity to create a lens of which to perform alchemy. These principles not only apply to artists and creatives in their own creative processes but to anyone who wants to create an extraordinary life in color for themselves. I’ve found that 80% of creating is alchemizing the thoughts, emotions, and other inner blocks that keep you from putting the pen to the paper. Navigating to the act of creation takes alchemical processes, and personally, psychedelics help me do this at a whole different level.
I think that once you heal from your past baggage, you can really activate your own creativity and connect you closer to the universe. Psychedelics have helped me create a better podcast and create an elevated flow state even in my photoshoots. I’m excited to keep reading more research, and hopefully see these plant medicines used across the world for healing and therapy.
Thanks for reading! If you want to hear more about my experience with psychedelics, make sure to listen to the full episode. Please share this episode on Instagram and tag me, @nickonken. I’d love to answer any questions you may have about plant medicine and my experience. And if you love this podcast and want to support me, please leave a good review on Apple Podcasts. Every review helps.
I’ll leave you with this: My mission is to help you become the better version of yourself by creating in every small moment. To do that effectively, we often have to heal from past trauma to overcome subconscious blocks. In whatever modality you choose, I hope the best for you and am here to support you along the way.
I’ll talk to you later
Nick Onken
You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And please leave me a Rating and Review!
Some things we learn in this podcast:
- What DMT is made of [2:30]
- How to ingest DMT [2:40]
- The distinction between drugs and plant medicine [6:40]
- What book to read before doing psychedelics [8:00]
- How psychedelics heal [9:20]
Links Mentioned:
2/26/20
185: The Power of Psychedelics
When you need a trusted creative partner in the room.
Take the Fit Check
Be seen at the level you’re stepping into.
Hey! I'm Nick.
PHOTOGRAPHER
BRAND ALCHEMIST
TEACHER
At vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium voluptatum deleniti atque corrupti quos dolores et quas molestias excepturi sint occaecati cupiditate non provident, similique sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollitia.
Build authority from the inside out.
Emanate is a creative-direction-led photography experience for entrepreneurs, speakers, and thought leaders in a moment of expansion. This isn’t about better photos. It’s about aligning how you’re seen with who you’ve become. For seasons of rebrand, visibility, and next-level leadership.
Magnetic Authority is a self-guided container for people who feel visible, but not fully anchored.
If your message keeps shifting, your brand feels inconsistent, or your presence doesn’t match your capability yet. This is where you build the foundation before you scale.
Take the Fit Check
Start Here
For founders, creatives, and leaders who want a trusted long-term partner. This isn’t coaching or traditional consulting.
It’s an ongoing creative partnership focused on bringing your personal brand identity to life.
Your brand. Your website. Your visuals.
All shaped as a direct extension of who you are. The work also includes a bespoke process of identifying and aligning the right experts when needed, so nothing gets built out of sync with your core.
Explore the Partnership
Quiet. Precise. Highly Selective.
NEXT post
PREVIOUS post
read the latest
TL;DR – What You’ll Learn in This Post There’s a feeling you recognize when it happens. Nothing is split.Nothing is rushed.Nothing is held back. Your thoughts, body, and actions move together. This is embodied coherence. What Embodied Coherence Really Is Embodied coherence isn’t intensity.It’s not confidence.It’s not motivation. It’s alignment in motion. What you feel […]
Most creativity books teach technique. Methods. Processes. Step-by-step systems. These five books teach something else. They teach how to be creative. How to access creativity. How to stay in creative practice. How to overcome what stops you. Not tactics. Fundamentals. The foundation everything else builds on. I return to these repeatedly. When stuck. When resistant. […]
There is a moment when your visuals stop keeping up with who you are. It’s subtle at first.Then it becomes obvious. You feel clear internally.But your imagery feels dated.Or noisy.Or just slightly off. That tension isn’t a branding problem.It’s a readiness signal. 1. Your Work Has Evolved, But Your Images Have Not You’ve grown.Your thinking […]
TL;DR – What You’ll Learn in This Post Identity does not change in theory. It changes in contact. Growth happens when something internal meets reality.Not in thought.Not in intention. In experience. This is where identity alchemy begins. What Identity Alchemy Really Means Identity alchemy is not reinvention.It is integration. It is the moment your inner […]
Nicky Clinch teaches people to dissolve their identity. So when I suggested professional photography and styling, she resisted. “Isn’t this the opposite of what I teach?” Her work is about loosening attachment to identity. Mine is about making identity visible. The paradox was real. But here’s what she discovered: you can have an identity without […]
TL;DR – What You’ll Learn in This Post Why Brand Photography Matters More for Coaches As a coach, you are the product. People are not buying information.They are buying clarity, trust, and emotional safety. Your imagery sets the tone before a single word is spoken. If your photos feel stiff, overproduced, or generic, it creates […]
TL;DR – What You’ll Learn in This Post Imagination does not create reality. Presence does. Ideas live in the mind.Vision lives in the future.But reality responds only to what is here. Nothing moves forward without presence. Not clarity.Not alignment.Not creation. Presence is not something you add.It is what remains when you stop reaching. The Gap […]
Some people do not need to perform. They simply arrive. Peter Crone is one of them. His work is quiet.Precise.Deep. So the challenge was never how to make him look impressive.It was how to let his essence lead. This case study is about what happens when imagery stops trying and starts listening. The Challenge Peter’s […]
Most celebrities spend their careers being turned into something they’re not. Magazines need a character. Brands need a fantasy. Directors need a performance. After decades of that, you forget who you actually are. Evangeline Lilly retired from acting and faced a question most people avoid: who am I when I’m not performing? The answer required […]
If you’re searching for a photographer in London who can actually capture your essence, not just your image, you’re asking the right question. Because when it comes to personal brand photography, geography matters.But frequency matters more. You don’t need just a photographer.You need a visual translator. Someone who can turn your energy, story, and identity […]
Visual identity isn’t about how you look. It’s about how you make someone feel when they first encounter you. Before anyone reads your words, they feel your presence.Before trust, there is tone.Before authority, there is resonance. This is where Elevated Realism™ lives.Not in polish.Not in perfection.In presence. The Problem With Most Brand Imagery Most visual […]
There’s something pulling at you. Not a plan. Not a strategy. Not even a clear destination. Just this persistent tug that won’t let go. You’ve probably tried to rationalize it away. To wait for more clarity. To map out the full journey before taking a step. But here’s what I’ve learned after years of building […]
What happens when your inner transformation meets visual expression? When Caoimhe Harrison came to me, she wasn’t just looking for new photos. She was mid-evolution. Her coaching practice had deepened. Her energy had shifted. And the version of her that existed online no longer matched the woman she was becoming. She didn’t need a rebrand. […]
About the Blogger
I was born in a low middle class conservative religious family in the suburbs of Seattle. Art was and always has been my passion, and more than that a way of life. Starting as a graphic designer, I taught myself photography, built a commercial/editorial business shooting for the worlds biggest brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Adidas and more. I've also had the opportunity to photograph the world's biggest celebrities like Justin Bieber, Usher, Jessica Alba and more. I've curated a lifestyle around creativity and have learned a lot along the way which I get to share here.
I was born in a low middle class conservative religious family in the suburbs of Seattle. Art was and always has been my passion, and more than that a way of life. Starting as a graphic designer, I taught myself photography, built a commercial/editorial business shooting for the worlds biggest brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Adidas and more. I've also had the opportunity to photograph the world's biggest celebrities like Justin Bieber, Usher, Jessica Alba and more. I've curated a lifestyle around creativity and have learned a lot along the way which I get to share here.
