IMAGE: Psyche in the Underworld by Curzon Paul Alfred de (1820 - 1895)

Psychedelic Feminism—Stepping Up + Speaking Out
In A Perfect World | Podcast
with host Rak Razam

The word ‘Psychedelic’ (which means ‘mind-manifesting’) was created by an English-speaking male using words from my maternal ancestry. I like the word, but it's not OK to reduce Psyche to ‘mind’.

Psyche is a complex FEMALE archetype, more like a combination of spirit + soul + mind + heart + center, or the very core of conscious self.

In the famous myth, Psyche is separated from her true love Eros (Aphrodite's love child with Ares) to express an extraordinary death-and-rebirth medicine story that includes ecstatic love-making, mean girls, an act of disobedience, loss and separation, a journey in and out of the Underworld, and eventually, self-actualization and wholeness.

Language matters. Language is a reflection of culture. The Greek's archetypal Language of The Soul was developed over many centuries as vocabulary to express human condition through myth. It’s a beautiful, sophisticated vocabulary created by a culture deeply involved with psychedelic plants and fungi—as in, “Know Thyself.”

We borrow words from foreign cultures when we don't have a word for something we want to express. It's totally OK to borrow, but gross over-simplification of complex cultural concepts is isn't cool. Psyche is part of a rich, deep pre-Christian wisdom tradition created by devoted people over Centuries. People with talent, courage and curiosity who deserve a more conscientious appreciation.

Love,

ZOE

#psyche #myth #soul #spirit #heart #greece #greek #languagematters


Women Mentioned

Maestra Estela Pangoza
https://www.ayamadre.com/

Rachael Carlevale
The First Plant Spirit Grant recipient
http://www.ganjasana.com

Sitaramaya
Producer of Visionary Convergence 2008, where I had my first ayahuasca experience
http://www.plantteachers.com

Martina Hoffmann
Visionary Artist
https://www.martinahoffmann.com

Andrea Langlosis
The International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research & Service (ICEERS)
http://www.iceers.org

Mary Porter
Founder of Looking Glass Peyote Church of Oregon
Descendant of the Nez Perce; Yakama, Wasco tribes

Klara Soukalova
co-founder, Temple of The Way of Light
https://templeofthewayoflight.org

Men Mentioned

Chris Kilham
https://www.medicinehunter.com

Dr. Joe Tafur
https://www.drjoetafur.com

Matthew Watherston
co-founder, Temple of The Way of Light
https://templeofthewayoflight.org

Stacy Stephen Povey
https://www.dreamglade.com

Jeremy Narby
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Narby

Dennis McKenna
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_McKenna

Ayahuasca Retreats Mentioned

Aya Madre
Maestra Estela Pangoza
https://www.ayamadre.com/

Temple of The Way of Light
Created with the intention of supporting female healers
https://templeofthewayoflight.org

Nihue Rao
Maestro Ricardo Amaringo
https://www.nihuerao.com

DreamGlade
https://www.dreamglade.com

Mushroom Retreat in Jamaica

MycoMeditations: Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy
https://www.mycomeditations.com


Rak Razam is a leading ‘experiential’ journalist, writing about and helping shape the emergence of a new cultural paradigm in the 21st century. Author of the critically acclaimed book Aya Awakenings: A Shamanic Odyssey and the companion volume of interviews, The Ayahuasca Sessions (www.ayathebook.com), he is a frequent lecturer on ayahuasca and the shamanic revival sweeping the West. He wrote, produced and co-directed the groundbreaking new visionary documentary Aya: Awakenings (www.aya-awakenings.com) that toured across 10 cities in the USA in early 2014. He has been hosting dynamic speaking engagements, panel facilitation and lectures across Australia and North America at conferences, transformational festivals and other events for the past five years, weaving together the New Age, counter-culture and progressive thought. He has been called one of the “leading spokespersons for the new paradigm”.

#PsychedelicFeminism

December 2018