A Letter from the Editor

Dear friend,

Many of you know that I offer coaching and education related to psilocybin mushrooms, an offering that comes from a deep place of relationship with these beings. What does this mean?

For me, it means relating to the natural world with the same inherent respect we afford other conscious beings — not as objects to be used, but as individuals with their own needs and rights. This requires a total shift in how we interact with what we call “nature” — a shift that involves dissolving our Western epistemology and entering into a way of seeing the world which indigenous people across the globe have stewarded for many generations: that all of life is conscious, and that humans are simply the youngest sibling of all our relatives who have been here for much longer than we have.

In this way, I relate to psychedelic plants and fungi not as substances that we “take,” but as individuals — Beings with their own consciousness that is unique and deserving of respectful relationship. It is because of my relationship with them that I feel I must speak up about the ballot initiative that we will be voting on this Tuesday in Massachusetts.

Question 4, (Legalization and Regulation of Psychedelic Substances Initiative), would legalize the cultivation and possession of small amounts of natural psychedelics — DMT, psilocybin, mescaline, and ibogaine — for personal use. It would also establish a commission to regulate their use as a tool in psychedelic-assisted therapies. I am writing to you to express my support for this ballot initiative, and to advocate for a “yes” vote on question 4.

For me, the purpose of working with psychedelics is to help people experience the divine as an embodied reality, not just a concept. My work with psychedelics has made me a more compassionate, kind, and connected human being. It has also been a huge part of my own healing journey, and I firmly believe that if more people had access to these medicines, we would see a more tolerant, loving, and kind population — one that is deeply in touch with the Oneness of all life.

Some advocates for psychedelic liberation are concerned that this bill would increase the cost of treatment for those who are seeking professional medical care. This is extremely important because clients who are at higher risk may only be able to access the medicine through a more medical/therapeutic avenue (such as psychedelic-assisted therapy). Ensuring affordability is essential in these cases, as those who are in most need may also be the least able to pay for treatment.

I share this concern, but I strongly feel that these medicines should first be liberated for personal use, and then we can work out the details of how to regulate their therapeutic use in a fair and equitable way — in the meantime I believe everyone who feels called should be able to grow these medicines and enter into relationship with them, without fear of legal repercussions. My work is to educate my clients on how to enter into right relationship with these plants and fungi — how to work with them as conscious beings and not as drugs, for this is ultimately the path toward deeper healing for ourselves and for the planet.

If you have any questions or specific concerns about this bill that you would like to discuss with me, please reach out — I would love to hear from you. As of the most recent polling, this issue is tied 43% in support, 43% against, and 14% undecided — therefore we need all the votes we can get. For more info on the ballot question, click here.

Thank you for reading, and regardless of how you vote, I hope you will join me in exercising this sacred rite of democracy.

Best,

Hakim