As a practicing herbalist for well over 30 years, I have been a student of plant medicines, honoring their gifts for healing body, mind and spirit.  There are plants that restore physical health, others with more affinity for mental health, and of course the revered spirit medicines.

These potent allies have been stewarded by plant people for time immeasurable, made illegal by corporate controlled policies to reinforce our disconnect with spiritual wellness.  In other articles I will gladly elaborate on this conversation, for now I want to emphasize that these spirit medicines have been an integral part of human health and share a table with the many other fantastic plants and remedies.  This also means that stewardship of these plant medicines should remain with those who speak their language.

What does this have to do with the microbiome?

Much of my practice has been translating the language of plants and validating Indigenous wisdom with modern science.  With the unveiling of the microbiome we were able to visually meet the invisible life force that Indigenous medicines have been nurturing for thousands of years.   Whether referred to as Qi, Prana, Agni, Aloha, Aaniin, Ki, Aṣe, ancestral health care was focused around the care of this “energy” that was felt but not seen.

My understanding that we are simply a host for microbes, with 90% microbial DNA and only 10% human, has been the focal point of my ego dissolution.

If  we are mostly microbe, including our prized mitochondria which is built on bacterial DNA, it’s obvious to conclude that when we eat we are simply feeding our microbes, whom extract nutrients through composting.  Therefore consuming anything is feeding the microbes, including psychedelics (spirit medicines).

I see spirit medicines as higher frequency medicine, that grants us a unique opportunity to stop being human centric, feeling the microbial vibration (or energy) all around us and within us.  We can feel connected to all life on Earth and in the universe, receiving messages and clarity from deep within.

As the microbes feed upon these medicines, they release peptides among other compounds that stimulate pathways to open, “energy” pathways that only open during birth and death.  Yes, humans are “psychedelic” by nature, with plant guides attuning our microbes with their microbiota in a vibrational shift within our internal ecological terrain.

    Why do you think studies with terminal patients and psilocybin has shown a dramatic decrease in the fear of death?  Maybe because the medicine reveals that energy never dies.  The law of conservation of energy states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed – only converted from one form of energy to another.  The microbes will keep living and reincarnating, even when the human host has passed. 

Preparation with Perspective 

I find this perspective to be an important guide for preparation, as our inner ecology will influence our journey with psychedelics.  In my experience while supporting journey work, if there is dysbiosis or a hidden infection, the traveler can struggle metabolically which may result in unmet expectations.

It’s as important to support a person’s terrain as it is to care for the soil before planting and harvesting a garden.  I see journey work as Spiritual Surgery, which should be prepared for with care and attention.

If the microbes dictate how we think, feel, and heal, supporting their health is an essential step to a successful Spiritual blossoming and transformation.

The other refreshing perspective when looking through this microbial lens, is the understanding that I am a Multitude, not just a single individual.  If we accept ourselves as a multitude, this can assist our shift away from hyper-individualization and start rebuilding our relationship and interdependence with our external environment.

When healing trauma, it’s essential to focus on collective healing.   Humans, like microbes, survive as a collective.  We are social beings exchanging microbial intelligence and thriving on diversity.   Plant medicine stewards who understand that there is no true liberation from suffering without collective liberation, have an authentic understanding of universal consciousness and the profound gifts offered by these spirit medicines.

I see myself as a word steward. My written art is organic and AI-free.  Feel free to share but DO NOT replicate or copy without permission.  Plagiarizing is a crime against storytellers.  Thank you – Deborahlise