On Reverence, Knowing, and the Mystery of Psychedelic Experience
Beyond the Ego: Entering the Mystery
There’s something sacred that happens when we tap into something greater than ourselves—something beyond our ego or intellect. Psychedelic experiences often ask us to surrender what we think we know and soften into something more mysterious. They invite us to step out of the role of expert and into the role of witness, of participant. To learn not by studying, but by being with what unfolds.
The Beauty and Limits of the Thinking Mind
In Western society, we’ve been trained to think our way through life—to think our emotions, to think our imagination, to think our experiences into meaning. It’s a beautiful capacity, and one that has brought us science, innovation, and deep reflection. But it can also get in the way. Especially in the context of a psychedelic journey.
You Can’t Study Your Way Into Surrender
We live in an age of information, where knowledge is endless and always at our fingertips. Social media, podcasts, research articles—all of it feeds our desire to understand. But you can’t read your way into a psychedelic experience. You can’t study your way into surrender. Intellectual preparation is valuable—it can help you understand the landscape and feel more secure—but the experience itself asks something else of you: presence.
Reverence as a Relationship with the Unknown
It asks you to drop into the body. To sit with uncertainty. To let go of control. And that’s where reverence comes in. Reverence is the practice of being in relationship with the unknown. It’s holding gratitude for the mystery, for whatever arises, even if it’s uncomfortable. It’s learning to approach the experience with humility and curiosity—not needing to explain, fix, or interpret, but simply allowing.
Beginner’s Mind: The Path to True Openness
This is the heart of beginner’s mind. A willingness to say: I don’t know what’s coming. I don’t know what this means. But I’m here for it. It’s a mindset taught in contemplative traditions—through prayer, through meditation, through mindful presence. And it’s one of the most powerful ways to prepare for a psychedelic experience.
Transformation Emerges When We Let Go
Because ultimately, transformation doesn’t come from grasping or forcing. It comes from allowing. From softening. From trusting what is greater than us—whether we call that Spirit, Soul, the body’s wisdom, or something else entirely.
Make Space for the Sacred
So yes, study. Learn. Read the books. Listen to the stories. But also make space for silence. Make space for not knowing. Make space for the sacred to enter—not through the mind, but through the heart.
References & Further Reading
Gorman, I., Nielson, E. M., Molinar, A., Cassidy, K., & Nicholas, C. R. (2021). Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: A roadmap for wider acceptance and utilization. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 550674. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.550674
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. Hyperion.
Dore, J., Turnipseed, B., Dwyer, S., Turnipseed, A., Andries, J., Ascani, G., Monnette, C., Huidekoper, A., Strauss, N., Wolfson, P., & Woolley, J. D. (2019). Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy: A systematic narrative review of the literature. The Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 51(2), 189–198.
Watts, R., & Luoma, J. B. (2020). The use of the psychological flexibility model to support psychedelic assisted therapy. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 15, 92–102.
Suzuki, S. (1970). Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice. Weatherhill.
Maté, G. (2022). The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture. Avery.
Griffiths, R. R., Johnson, M. W., Richards, W. A., Richards, B. D., McCann, U. D., & Jesse, R. (2011). Psilocybin occasioned mystical-type experiences: Immediate and persisting dose-related effects. Psychopharmacology, 218(4), 649–665.
