Ayahuasca | Psychedelics, Plant Medicine, and Spirit

[From the vault – Episode 8 of The James Xander Trip] – In today's episode, Zach Schenken interviews me and dives into my story: how I discovered psychedelics, and how my experiences with LSD, DMT, and mushrooms have shaped my life. We also dive into the manifestation, reality creation, and the nature of reality. Finally, we talk about the 1 Billion Humans mission: a mission to unite the planet with the help of psychedelics. [Watch this episode on YouTube] I am so grateful to Zach for hosting this interview; this was one of my favourite conversations ever. The vibes were definitely flowing. You can find Zach's excellent podcast at The Vitruvian Podcast. In our conversation, we dive into: • the beginning of my personal growth journey • how a random bus stop encounter changed my life • Abraham-Hicks: Ask and It Is Given • the books that have most influenced me • studying the books vs. studying your life • Reality Transurfing by Vadim Zeland • reading the same book for 30 years (Bob Proctor) • what I learned from my first psychedelic experience • the connection between shrooms and DMT • the true nature of reality • do other people actually exist? • the 1 Billion Humans mission • and much more Books and authors mentioned: • Ask and It Is Given by Abraham-Hicks • Reality Transurfing by Vadim Zeland • As a Man Thinketh by James Allen • Feeling is the Secret by Neville Goddard • The Four Agreements • The Kybalion • Emmet Fox Listen to the podcast on Spotify and Apple: https://jamesxander.fm/subscribe 🎧 Connect with James Xander: • Newsletter • YouTube • Instagram • Twitter • Discord You've been listening to The James Xander Trip, episode 8. Special thanks to Zach, Talon, Lucas, Ranjana, Ebrahim, Khoa, Alejandro, Manny, Azmat, and Mike for your contributions and encouragement. Stay tuned for more episodes on love, psychedelics, mindset, and spirituality. Join the Psychedelic Tribe - jamesxander.com/tribe ❤️  Thanks to our monthly supporters Brent Knight Johan Benjaminsson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Nine lessons I learned from a recent mushroom trip. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more psychedelic episodes! Resources for your psychedelic trip: • YouTube channel • 4 Essential Touchstones for Your Trip • The Mushroom Trip Checklist • 1:1 Cosmic Guidance Call with James • My list of mushroom music playlists Join the Psychedelic Tribe - jamesxander.com ❤️  Please subscribe to my YouTube channel for more psychedelic episodes! Chapters:(0:00) - Introduction (0:22) - What to do when a trip starts slow (3:31) - Always look for the blessing (5:26) - Best way to begin a trip (9:16) — Tripping on the beach (11:45) - Tapping into awe (16:13) — Concentration (18:35) — Allowing yourself time to THINK (24:43) - Life is for YOU (28:57) - Final lesson: You GET to do this Terence McKenna quote:"Culture replaces authentic feeling with words. As an example of this, imagine an infant lying in its cradle, and the window is open, and into the room comes something, marvelous, mysterious, glittering, shedding light of many colors, movement, sound, a transformative hierophany of integrated perception and the child is enthralled and then the mother comes into the room and she says to the child, “that’s a bird, baby, that’s a bird,” instantly the complex wave of the angel peacock iridescent trans-formative mystery is collapsed, into the word. All mystery is gone, the child learns this is a bird, this is a bird, and by the time we’re five or six years old all the mystery of reality has been carefully tiled over with words. This is a bird, this is a house, this is the sky, and we seal ourselves in within a linguistic shell of dis-empowered perception." Listen to my in-depth psychedelic podcast: The James Xander Trip 🎧 The Mission - Let's get 1 billion humans to take shrooms on the same day.  Connect with James Xander • Newsletter• YouTube• Instagram• Twitter• PatreonFeedback or questions? Reach out to me at jamesxander.com  Thanks to our monthly supporters Brent Knight Johan Benjaminsson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This is my personal guide for preparing for your first Ayahuasca trip. [Watch this episode on YouTube] What is Ayahuasca? Ayahuasca is a plant-based psychedelic. It is made by prolonged heating or boiling of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub, although there can be a variety of other plants included in the decoction for different traditional purposes. The active chemical in ayahuasca is DMT (dimethyltryptamine). It also contains monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Ayahuasca has been used for centuries by First Nations peoples from contemporary Peru, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador for religious ritual and therapeutic purposes. Resources for your psychedelic trip: • YouTube channel • 4 Essential Touchstones for Your Mushroom Trip • The Mushroom Trip Guide: A Psychedelic Checklist • 1:1 Cosmic Guidance Call with James Psychedelic Resources: • Top 20 Myths About Mushrooms & Psychedelics  • Lessons from a Deep Mushroom Trip  • How Psilocybin Opens the Door to Synchronicity • The Dark Tunnel of Mushrooms – How to Have a Smooth Trip • What Is the Right Dose for a Mushroom Trip (Safety Guide) • The Power of Surrender - What the Mushrooms Taught Me  • 8 Things You Must Do Before a Mushroom Trip  • 5 Life-Changing Benefits of Doing Mushrooms  Join the Tribe - jamesxander.com ❤️  Please subscribe to my YouTube channel for more episodes!  Listen to my in-depth psychedelic podcast: The James Xander Trip 🎧  1 Billion Humans mission - Let's get 1 billion humans to take shrooms on the same day.  “Psychedelics are illegal not because a loving government is concerned that you may jump out of a third story window. Psychedelics are illegal because they dissolve opinion structures and culturally laid down models of behaviour and information processing. They open you up to the possibility that everything you know is wrong.” – Terence McKenna  Connect with James Xander • Newsletter • YouTube • Instagram • Twitter • Discord • PatreonFeedback or questions? Reach out to me at jamesxander.com  Thanks to our monthly supporters Brent Knight Johan Benjaminsson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Here are my four touchstones for having a great psychedelic trip — be it mushrooms, Ayahuasca, LSD, or another psychedelic journey. This episode is focused on mushrooms, but these 4 touchstones equally apply to Ayahuasca. Join the the Psychedelic Tribe - jamesxander.com ❤️  Resources for your psychedelic trip:• YouTube channel• 4 Essential Touchstones for Your Mushroom Trip• The Mushroom Trip Guide: A Psychedelic Checklist• 1:1 Cosmic Guidance Call with James   [Watch this episode on YouTube]  Psychedelic Resources:• Top 20 Myths About Mushrooms & Psychedelics • Lessons from a Deep Mushroom Trip • How Psilocybin Opens the Door to Synchronicity• The Dark Tunnel of Mushrooms – How to Have a Smooth Trip• What Is the Right Dose for a Mushroom Trip (Safety Guide)• The Power of Surrender - What the Mushrooms Taught Me • 8 Things You Must Do Before a Mushroom Trip • 5 Life-Changing Benefits of Doing Mushrooms Join the Tribe - jamesxander.com ❤️  Please subscribe to my YouTube channel for more episodes!Listen to my in-depth psychedelic podcast: The James Xander Trip 🎧1 Billion Humans mission - Let's get 1 billion humans to take shrooms on the same day.  Terence McKenna quote:“Psychedelics are illegal not because a loving government is concerned that you may jump out of a third story window. Psychedelics are illegal because they dissolve opinion structures and culturally laid down models of behaviour and information processing. They open you up to the possibility that everything you know is wrong.”  Connect with James Xander • Newsletter• YouTube• Instagram• Twitter• DiscordFeedback or questions? Reach out to me at jamesxander.com  Thanks to our monthly supporters Brent Knight Johan Benjaminsson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

[From the vault - Episode 3 of The James Xander Trip] - Paul Scott is an energy healing facilitator, spiritual seeker, plant medicine explorer, and transpersonal counsellor. Paul joins me to talk about his experiences with Ayahuasca, mushrooms, Bufo, DMT, his journey from addiction to the spiritual path, and so much more.[Watch this episode on YouTube]Join the the Psychedelic Tribe - jamesxander.com ❤️  Resources for your psychedelic trip:• YouTube channel• 4 Essential Touchstones for Your Mushroom Trip• The Mushroom Trip Guide: A Psychedelic Checklist• 1:1 Cosmic Guidance Call with James  Paul joins me today to dive into:• his journeys with LSD, Ayahuasca, and Bufo• how psychedelics brought him closer to God• why do so many people feel disconnected• how he overcame a life-threatening illness• his journey with addiction and sobriety• how Alcoholics Anonymous helped him• how to keep going in the face of adversity• what keeps people stuck in life• his study of A Course in Miracles• his vision quest with the Indigenous people• the planet's current evolution• how to trust and surrender to the Divine• his Ayahuasca experience• his Bufo experience (5-MeO-DMT)• his wild mushroom trip• the difference between LSD and mushrooms• how he met the love of his life, Kathie• his advice and wisdom on love & relationships• the importance of forgiveness & making amends• his thoughts on aging and growing older• the #1 lesson he would impart to his younger selfSupport the podcast:• Watch this episode on YouTube.• Share this episode: jx.fm/episode3• Join the Psychedelic Tribe - jamesxander.com/tribe ❤️Connect with James Xander:• Newsletter• Instagram• Twitter• PatreonTimestamps:• (0:00) - Preview• (02:15) - Introduction• (03:06) - First mystical experience• (05:58) - First awakening experience• (07:48) - How LSD changed Paul's life• (10:20) - Unity consciousness state• (16:25) - Paul's journey with addiction• (18:42) - Dark night of the soul• (26:44) - Surrendering to life• (36:02) - Sobriety & Alcoholics Anonymous• (41:39) - The key to transformation• (44:18) - A Course in Miracles• (50:27) - Paul's Vision Quest• (54:56) - The planet's current evolution• (57:14) - Trusting in the Divine Plan• (01:03:58) - Psychedelics & Ayahuasca• (01:07:20) - Bufo, Sonoran toad (5-MeO-DMT)• (01:17:17) - The importance of integration• (01:18:46) - Remembering past lives• (01:21:52) - Paul's wild mushroom trip• (01:26:02) - LSD vs mushrooms• (01:30:06) - Jaguar / 5-MeO-DMT• (01:34:17) - MDMA & mushrooms• (01:35:13) - The Celestine Prophecy• (01:36:22) - How Paul met Kathie• (01:41:00) - Lessons from love & marriage• (01:45:05) - Advice on love & relationships• (01:49:37) - Forgiveness & making amends• (01:56:51) - Thoughts on aging• (02:00:54) - Lessons to his younger self• (02:05:34) - Just be you• (02:08:50) - Enjoy the ride• (02:10:14) - ConclusionBooks mentioned:• Eating Alive by Jonn Matsen• You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay• A Course in Miracles by Helen Schucman• The Celestine Prophecy by James RedfieldSupport the podcast:• Share this episode: jx.fm/episode3• Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube• Support the podcast via PatreonConnect with Paul at:• quantumlife.caConnect with James• Newsletter• Instagram• Twitter• PatreonYou've been listening to The James Xander Trip, episode 3.Special thanks to Paul, Kathie, Sayde, Sasha, Jerry, Lucas, Alejandro, Manny, Azmat, Monty, Ajrina, Fikky, Raka, Mamet, Somnath, Khizer, Artemis, Vlad, and Karim for your contributions and encouragement.Stay tuned for more episodes!Join the Psychedelic Tribe - jamesxander.com/tribe ❤️  Thanks to our monthly supporters Brent Knight Johan Benjaminsson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Let me share with you the top myths around psychedelic shrooms and psychedelics in general. Some of these may be obvious to you if you've already done psychedelics – this episode is geared towards beginner's and those just starting on their mushroom journeys. Join the the Psychedelic Tribe - jamesxander.com ❤️  Resources for your psychedelic trip:• YouTube channel• 4 Essential Touchstones for Your Mushroom Trip• The Mushroom Trip Guide: A Psychedelic Checklist• 1:1 Cosmic Guidance Call with James  [Watch this episode on YouTube]Psychedelic Resources: • Top 20 Myths About Mushrooms & Psychedelics  • Lessons from a Deep Mushroom Trip  • How Psilocybin Opens the Door to Synchronicity • The Dark Tunnel of Mushrooms – How to Have a Smooth Trip • What Is the Right Dose for a Mushroom Trip (Safety Guide) • The Power of Surrender - What the Mushrooms Taught Me  • 8 Things You Must Do Before a Mushroom Trip  • 5 Life-Changing Benefits of Doing Mushrooms  Join the Tribe - jamesxander.com ❤️  Please subscribe to my YouTube channel for more episodes! Listen to my in-depth psychedelic podcast: The James Xander Trip 🎧 1 Billion Humans mission - Let's get 1 billion humans to take shrooms on the same day.  Terence McKenna quote:“Psychedelics are illegal not because a loving government is concerned that you may jump out of a third story window. Psychedelics are illegal because they dissolve opinion structures and culturally laid down models of behaviour and information processing. They open you up to the possibility that everything you know is wrong.”  Connect with James Xander • Newsletter• YouTube• Instagram• Twitter• DiscordFeedback or questions? Reach out to me at jamesxander.com  Thanks to our monthly supporters Brent Knight Johan Benjaminsson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Here are the 7 tools that helped me overcome depression. Mushrooms and Ayahuasca definitely helped me on my journey, and there were a couple other important principles that really helped. I dive into all of them in-depth in this episode. Join the the Psychedelic Tribe - jamesxander.com ❤️  Resources for your psychedelic trip:• YouTube channel• 4 Essential Touchstones for Your Mushroom Trip• The Mushroom Trip Guide: A Psychedelic Checklist• 1:1 Cosmic Guidance Call with James   [Watch this episode on YouTube] 0:00 Intro 1:38 Self-Honesty 7:14 Living in the Past 12:55 Purpose 19:22 Asking for Help 24:56 Mushrooms 29:11 A Warning 31:27 Ayahuasca 37:22 Connection with God 40:43 One Last Thing Join the Tribe - jamesxander.com/tribe ❤️  Please subscribe to my YouTube channel for more episodes!  Listen to my in-depth psychedelic podcast: The James Xander Trip 🎧  1 Billion Humans mission - Let's get 1 billion humans to take shrooms on the same day.  Kahlil Gibran quote:“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being,the more joy you can contain.Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”  Connect with James Xander • Newsletter • YouTube • Instagram • Twitter • Discord Feedback or questions? Reach out to me at jamesxander.com  Thanks to our monthly supporters Brent Knight Johan Benjaminsson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

[From the vault] - This is a re-share of one of my most popular episodes from The James Xander Trip podcast. Enjoy :)Jakob Gricar (@jakobgricar) is a spiritual explorer, thrill seeker, and the co-founder of Vortex Retreats. For the last four years, he’s done deep work with plant medicine and psychedelic journeys, living and learning with the Indigenous communities in Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador. Join the the Psychedelic Tribe - jamesxander.com ❤️  Resources for your psychedelic trip:• YouTube channel• 4 Essential Touchstones for Your Mushroom Trip• The Mushroom Trip Guide: A Psychedelic Checklist• 1:1 Cosmic Guidance Call with James  Jakob Gricar joins me today to dive into: • his Ayahuasca experiences in Peru • his 5-MeO-DMT and Yopo experiences • his mushroom microdosing experiments • how he overcame depression with psilocybin • the lessons he's learned from plant medicine • what it was like to leave his home country • how to listen to the signs from the Universe • his dilemma when it comes to manifestation • how Dolores Cannon's work impacted him • his self-hypnosis experiments • his wild travel stories • and how to live an epic life Timestamps:• (00:00) - Introduction• (01:35) - Jakob's story of healing• (14:00) - Leaving his home country• (26:35) - First mushroom trip• (43:19) - Wild hitchhiking story• (51:57) - First Ayahuasca trip• (01:02:30) - Doing the shadow work• (01:09:25) - Finding the magic in life• (01:24:27) - The true nature of reality• (01:41:00) - Trusting the Divine Plan• (01:55:44) - How to live an epic lifeBooks mentioned:• A Really Good Day by Ayelet Waldman• The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide by James Fadiman• Hatha Yoga Padipika by Swami Muktibodhananda• The Convoluted Universe by Dolores CannonAdditional resources:• Beginner's Guide to Shroom Trips• Top 5 Benefits of Mushroom TripsSupport the podcast:• Share this episode: jx.fm/jakob• Subscribe to the YouTube channel• Join The Psychedelic Tribe - a Discord for reality explorers ❤️ Connect with James• Newsletter• Instagram• Twitter• DiscordYou've been listening to episode 1 of The James Xander Trip. For more conversations like this, visit jamesxander.com.Stay tuned for more episodes!Join the Psychedelic Tribe - jamesxander.com/tribe ❤️  Thanks to our monthly supporters Brent Knight Johan Benjaminsson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

How to navigate a deep psychedelic trip – how I learned to trust and surrender to the psychedelic rollercoaster! Join the the Psychedelic Tribe - jamesxander.com ❤️  Resources for your psychedelic trip:• YouTube channel• 4 Essential Touchstones for Your Mushroom Trip• The Mushroom Trip Guide: A Psychedelic Checklist• 1:1 Cosmic Guidance Call with James  Please subscribe to my YouTube channel for more psychedelic episodes! Listen to my in-depth psychedelic podcast: The James Xander Trip 🎧  1 Billion Humans mission - Let's get 1 billion humans to take shrooms on the same day.  Resources mentioned in this episode:  • 8 Things To Do Before Any Mushroom Trip  • Busting Loose from the Money Game by Robert Scheinfeld  • Marsh DJ Set - Live from Castello Zamittello, Malta  • My list of mushroom music playlists  Neville Goddard quote: "Standing still is the deep conviction that all is well; it is done. No matter what is heard or seen, you remain unmoved, conscious of being victorious in the end."  Aubrey Marcus quote: "A psychedelic trip only becomes a BAD TRIP when you place something happening outside of the ceremony. If you adopt the attitude that everything that happens is part of the ceremony, then the only outcome is growth. But the moment that you start believing that something is WRONG, and you try to escape the ceremonial frame, you're in a 'bad trip'."  Connect with James Xander  • Newsletter  • YouTube  • Instagram  • Twitter  • Patreon  Feedback or questions? Reach out to me at jamesxander.com  Thanks to our monthly supporters Brent Knight Johan Benjaminsson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Omar Harb (@theomarharb) joins me to talk about what shrooms taught him about unconditional love, how he navigates loneliness and heartbreak, the difference between attachment vs love, the truth behind rejection, his thoughts on grief, self-love, gratitude, forgiveness, and much more.  This is a bonus episode from my full-length, psychedelic podcast The James Xander Trip. For more conversations like this, search for The James Xander Trip 🎧 on Spotify and Apple. You can also visit The James Xander Trip podcast on YouTube.  Note: Although this episode isn't specifically about Ayahuasca, I do feel like it's very relevant to those journeying with Ayahuasca, as so much of our inner work and lessons come back to love, relationships, and self-love. Join the the Psychedelic Tribe - jamesxander.com ❤️  Resources for your psychedelic trip:• YouTube channel• 4 Essential Touchstones for Your Mushroom Trip• The Mushroom Trip Guide: A Psychedelic Checklist• 1:1 Cosmic Guidance Call with James  Connect with James Xander • Newsletter  • YouTube  • Instagram  • Twitter  • Patreon  Concepts mentioned: • TWIM • Metta • 6R's • The four noble truths • Dependent origination Resources from Omar: • Workshop: Understanding Dependent Origination according to the Buddha • Instructions for Metta or Lovingkindness Meditation and the 6Rs by Bhante Vimalaramsi Connect with Omar: • Instagram • YouTube Feedback or questions? Reach out to me at jamesxander.com  Thanks to our monthly supporters Brent Knight Johan Benjaminsson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★