Entheogenic Alchemy: The Humorous Approach To Spirituality & Integration
Humor is an effectively valuable tool for psychedelic integration and holistic healing
Humor, Spirituality, and Psychedelic Integration
What is Entheogenic Alchemy?
Entheogenic Alchemy is a type of spirituality and mysticism that explores the profound connection between humor and spiritual growth, using the philosophy of inner alchemy to understand the integration of psychedelic experiences. It is ultimately a path to know our true selves and to strengthen our inner guide. Laughter can be an appropriately timed tool for this transformative journey, gently guiding us through the stages of inner change from dissolution to wholeness.
“Integration is a process in which a person revisits and actively engages in making sense of, working through, translating, and processing the content of their psychedelic experience. Through intentional effort and supportive practices, this process allows one to gradually capture and incorporate the emergent lessons and insights into their lives, thus moving toward greater balance and wholeness, both internally (mind, body, and spirit) and externally (lifestyle, social relations, and the natural world).”
Synthesized definition of integration from Bathje, Majeski, & Kudowor, 2022
For more info about integration visit MAPS at: https://maps.org/integration-station/
Spiritual alchemy is an ancient philosophy of turning the lead of ignorance into the gold of wisdom and is widely adopted in many different traditions around the world. It includes a process called "transmutation", which involves breaking down ego, self-doubt, and any other limiting beliefs or negative energy in order to reconnect with one's true essence.
Entheogens, derived from the Greek words for “generating the divine within,” encompass a range of sacred psychoactive substances (such as DMT, LSD, psilocybin, cannabis) that have been used across cultures to access altered states of consciousness.
From Ayahuasca ceremonies in the Amazon, to present-day Native American entheogenic churches, sacred medicine is revered and respected for it's capacity to dissolve rigid parts of our ego, reveal hidden psychological landscapes, and connect individuals to a sense of the sacred.
The Alchemical Journey
Spiritual alchemy can provide us a symbolic map for transformation. Psychedelic experiences often mirror these stages, moving back and forth between chaos and clarity. When appropriately applied, having a humorous take on the human condition and our own suffering can allow space between the action and our reactions.
This metaphor of inner transformation mirrors the practice of physical alchemy and its stages include:
1. Calcination: Breaking down the ego
and confronting our illusions.
2. Dissolution: Letting go of attachments and false identities.
3. Separation: Discerning what truly serves our higher self.
4. Conjunction: Integrating the spiritual
and material aspects of life.
5. Fermentation: Allowing spiritual insight
and renewal to emerge.
6. Distillation: Refining and purifying the self further.
7. Coagulation: Achieving unity and spiritual enlightenment.
Each stage is a process of shedding layers of conditioning, beliefs, and attachments to realize the
deeper truth of our existence.
This is where humor can be more than just amusement. Instead, humor and playfulness can be a profoundly therapeutic way to shift perspective, reveal insights, and even increase overall wellbeing.
The Power of Humor
Laughter is truly powerful. It activates both frontal lobes, integrating the brain's hemispheres and boosting creative problem-solving. It also triggers a release of beneficial neurochemicals, acting as a natural mood booster and stress reducer.
Entheogenic Alchemy can be a modern way for more than those in recovery to continuously choose a path that separates and distills, refines and purifies, renounces and rejoices, moving us from inauthentic to authentic and cultivating a playfulness that helps maintain positive mental health. .
Humor in the context of Entheogenic Alchemy acts as a:
- Liberator: Freeing us from the shackles of rigid thinking and egoic identification.
- Transmuter: Facilitating the transformation of heavy, dense energies into lighter, more refined states.
- Catalyst: Speeding up the process of insight and understanding.
- Coating: Smoothing the often-challenging journey of self-discovery.
How Did I Get Here?
Several years ago, I used to live a completely different life. A life full of relentless alcohol and drug abuse. Too many close calls with police. Severe depression. Rampant addiction. Self destruction. Undiagnosed disabilities. Reaching rock bottom. Going deeper than rock bottom. Climbing back up. Getting knocked back down. Holding on. Letting go. Doubting. Believing. Falling off the path. Getting back on the path. Forgetting and remembering.
There's no doubt, profound awareness can be initiated and cultivated from our entheogenic journeys. The most lasting impact however, is using this lens of consciousness to cultivate meditation, mindfulness, shadow work, integration, creativity, playfulness, unity & love into what I call Entheogenic Alchemy.
Entheogenic Alchemy uses humor, mindfulness, meditation, and spiritual frameworks to provide clarity, a sense of purpose, emotional balance, and a deeper connection to your authentic self after a psychedelic experience.
Entheogenic Alchemy 8 Week Live Course
$1,111.00
Over 8 weeks we will take a much deeper dive into the 7 stages of inner alchemy from a playful approach of psychedelic integration. At the end of 8 weeks, you will be able to maintain your own personalized integration practice that mainly involves listening to your truest inner self and knowing when to appropriately apply humor in your life. There is no requirement to share any stories, but it is encouraged as a vehicle for healing in a group setting. Ultimately go with what feels right and what you feel called to share.
Similar to a dharma talk, these sessions are intended to offer wisdom and guidance for anyone seeking spiritual practice by discussing philosophy, ethics, and the integration of our psychedelic experiences and the principle of nonviolence into daily life.
8 week live course on Zoom. No recorded sessions. Everything will take place in a live format on Zoom over 8 weeks. 2 weekly classes (more info in Dec 2025) are structured with a 45 minute presentation followed by 90 minutes of discussion. The final class is a celebratory ceremony where we all laugh and share stores and heal as a group.