Psychedelics for normal people? An exploration with Vian Morales of Beckley Retreats
A journey towards better living
Vian Morales is a Veteran Army Officer, seasoned Operations Strategist, The Citadel’s 33rd Black Female graduate and a breathwork facilitator. She currently serves as the SVP of Operations at Beckley Retreats, a psychedelic retreat company ba`sed in America offering psilocybin retreats internationally.
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Vian and I discussed her personal journey into breathwork and then psychedelics, along with her decision to pursue this healing work professionally.
Vian said curious beginners should do their own research, go slowly, and take the journey that feels accessible to them - while emphasizing that psilocybin is far safer than the public’s perception and can be a profound tool for building consciousness and empathy.
When I asked Vian if she wished that every person could take a psilocybin journey and what the societal impacts would be, her answer was striking.
I especially appreciated how Vian is a real person speaking to real people rather than a woo-woo ethereal spirit. She’s a no-nonsense, Catholic, former military, ops-focused working mother with tremendous intellect. On the show we jokingly used the term “business-casual hippies” to describe the vibe.
The final 20 minutes of the episode are some of my favorite of anything we’ve done thus far, as we delve into the spiritual implications of psychedelics.
Thanks again for journeying with me (pun intended). Here’s the episode if you want to listen or watch. I think it’s our best one yet:
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I’m more curious about the potential societal benefit of greater psilocybin adoption than almost any other topic. Two reflections from our conversation:
1) The benefits cited psilocybin advocates are of a different order of magnitude than most any ‘product’ in the marketplace
Here’s a sampling of what Vian alluded to in her own journey and what she’s witnessed others experience:
Building consciousness and empathy.
A gentle opening of compassion.
Beginning to break harmful patterns.
Greater harmony.
Increased reverence for nature.
A re-balancing of how we’re approaching life, with better work-life balance.
Moving from a scarcity mindset to abundance.
Feeling more connected to community and less of a siloed existence.
Decreased fear of death.
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…that is a heck of a combination! It’s nearly the opposite of the over-consumptive, lonely, disconnected, addictive tendencies that seem to characterize our modern existence.
It also strikes me that those words could characterize someone authentically pursuing the Jesus message.
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2) I perceive a gap on the ideological vanguard - what will be the tipping point for broader acceptance?
Psilocybin is still classified as a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act in the United States. You can get mega locked up for using or distributing a mushroom that grows naturally in a cow paddy. This classification means:
High potential for abuse.
No accepted medical use.
Lack of safety for use of the drug, even under medical supervision.
So far I’m yet to encounter anyone who has worked with these substances in a controlled, safe setting who agrees with that classification, and there are mountains of anecdotal evidence to the contrary.
I anticipate a big time tipping point to happen in the coming years. I imagine it will be driven by incontrovertible clinical studies at major US research institutions.
Even then, public perception will have to shift swiftly enough to compel lawmakers to act.
We’ve seen it happen this century with same-sex marriage, marijuana, and gambling. Will psilocybin be next?
Who will champion the message? Will it be someone with an economic interest in bringing psilocybin to market (it doesn’t exactly feel patent-able)? Will it be the church or another entity to sees psilocybin as an under-explored tool for peace?
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Resources for folks wanting to learn more:
How to Change Your Mind (documentary or book): This is credited with bringing psilocybin to the attention of the masses. I still think it fails the ‘mainstream’ test by making it seem more dramatic and all-encompassing than Vian’s focus on starting gently with breathwork, expanding to microdosing, and then eventually to 1-2 journeys every couple years.
Speak with the Beckley team directly: Vian and her team are happy to speak with anyone who subscribes to Macon Atlanta and wants to learn more. Let me know, and I can facilitate an intro!
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Questions for reflection:
What emotions hit you when you contemplate psychedelics? Interest, fear, curiosity, otherwise?
If you’re curious, is there an on-ramp you could take, like Vian recommending 3-5 minute breathwork practices on Spotify?
Thanks again for journeying with me (pun intended). Here’s the episode if you want to listen or watch. I think it’s our best one yet!: