participation

It's easier to spot patterns of behaviour in groups.

At the individual level we have differences but when you zoom out, you start to see trends.

The mechanism for consciousness altering drugs in relation to society is that the perturbation of consciousness allows for the individual to see a narrative that they are part of and how their behaviour has been molded to fit into the expectation the gatekeepers of society have for them.

Taking this a step further, you would then see the grand illusion.

The body is flesh and blood tangibly real.

The illusion is thinking you are your body.

Well, you kind of are.

Yes, just as you are your car when you go for a drive.

Okay, you are saying if you alter your consciousness, you will see how society has fooled you.

If you keep going, you will see your whole existence is a fool.

Correct.

Then why participate?

It's a game.

You could leave the game because you have seen through it, and don't want to play anymore.

That's always an option.

Look at it this way: if you are playing chess, do you stop playing because you know it is a game even though you are taking it seriously?

Well, no, you either play to win, or you are playing a better opponent because you are learning from them.

Exactly.

The best teacher is a better opponent.

Yes, through experience.

Are you my opponent?

I was.

You are still teaching me.

Yes, but you know you are in a game.

We both know we are in a game.

We are playing the game together.

So, I was playing chess with you, and I joined your side.

Correct.

Who are we playing then?

Everybody else.

It's us two against the world on the big stage.

Okay, that's interesting.

Are we going to win?

If you want, but then it's game over.

We have all the knowledge and tools necessary to win.

However, if you wish to play, you can't win.

Well, I remember that lesson well from the Andes mountains where you reminded me to play.

I enshrined it.

You're a good student.

You were playing me though.

I wanted to see if you were as good as you thought you were.

Am I?

You backed it up.

You're quite the player.

So, as my teacher you challenged me?

Many times.

You made it through the fire.

Shouldn't you have beat me?

I wanted to keep playing.

We played long enough that you became as good as I am at the game.

You know all the secrets of the game as well.

Why didn't you just tell me the secrets at the start and do away with the game?

Then it's no fun.

Plus, you wouldn't understand or not believe me.

You must be shown step by step.

So, you played a game with me?

Yes, that's what you wanted.

It's an adventure.

You learned the secret of the game by continuing to play.

When others find out it is a game, they drop out.

You mean society or taking drugs?

Both.

Imagine you go on a lot of plant medicine journeys, spend a lot of time and money at retreats and ceremonies, and then you realize it is a farce.

You're getting personal.

What do you do?

You stop playing.

Why?

You think you have been fooled.

Have you?

In a way, yes; however, no, I haven't been.

Why?

It's the story; the story I was seeking.

Congratulations.

Your plant medicine journeys revealed to you the big game.

That's what you wanted from the experience.

That is true.

It takes a while to get there.

What did you think of that trip as a whole?

It's spectacular.

Would you change it?

No.

What am I still doing here?

Playing a game.

The difference is that you have a partner in crime.

That's amazing.

I'm sincere about that; it's not hyperbole.

Awakening is not escape; it is the choice to keep playing.

integrity

There are a million ways to run from your truth, from facing what it is you uncovered. There are many methods, diversions, and things we tell ourself to get away. When you embark on the plant medicine journey it is a major commitment and those with a vested interest in your well being recognize this and will offer ways of navigating not only the immediate experience but the challenges you will face after the ceremonial candle is blown out. Integration, you are forewarned, can take weeks and months. I think you are told this in order to get you to realize it is not a quick fix, that it will take work, and the work will not always engender overnight results. What you aren’t told however is that in reality it sticks with you going forward. It sometimes gnaws at you and presents your failings front and centre. It reminds you of promises you made to the medicine and how you have either not fulfilled those promises or have gotten a little lapse with them. There’s no reckoning, just an inner knowing to make good. The medicine does its part and selfish you took what you wanted and haven’t given back like you promised. You are within ceremony, and then post ceremony, faced with challenges. It is a progression and once you navigate through different stages of fears, blocks, and self-limiting beliefs you level up and then face more challenges. It is difficult and you want to run, maybe invent excuses, because hey the course has gotten hard and I’ll rationalize it by saying it isn’t working for me anymore so I am going to stop. You devise all these things in your head to stop, and most do stop, but I’m determined to keep going and make good on my promises. If you stop you give it all away and there’s no guarantee it is going to come back. Why should you be trusted? Your word is all you have. It’s ultimately a lesson in and of integrity. There’s no cosmic police at the ready to hold you to it. Reciprocity is a voluntary act and thus the best kind of test. Continuing on and making good, embracing reciprocity, keeping your word, and living with integrity are presented to you and you are faced with the challenge. Like anything truly meaningful in life, you are not forced to reciprocate but you do it out of your own free will and volition because you want to. In a way it is like love. You can’t force someone to love you, nor can you try to love someone. It just happens as feelings are non negotiable. 

Don Howard talked quite a bit about love, reciprocity, your word, being impeccable, and integrity. At the time you figure he is giving you life lessons and stressing a way to go about life living your truth. It is sage advice and at the end of the day as humans it is a way of life that if practiced is something you can be proud of and I don't mean pride in a way where you lord it over others. Instead it is a feeling of I did my best, was honest, and tried to help others. Sure it strokes the ego a bit but every dog needs a pat on the head. You know what I finally realized though? There is another meaning to what the maestro was talking about. I fully admit it sometimes takes me a while to clue in; in this case almost five years. You see when entering into a relationship with plant medicines don Howard made damn sure you were clear why you were doing it, had you meditate on your intention, and make a reciprocal offering to the plants. There is clarity and meaning that grows out of the exercise however there's more to it. We go into ceremony and take. We receive healing from the plants and then for a lot of us that's it. But wait a minute, you made a promise to the plants. Are you going to fulfil that promise or are you going to run, basically as a thief and a coward, or just announce your lack of integrity because you are not going to keep your end of the bargain? Is it too difficult or did you never intend to try to fulfill your promise?

The primary force at work in plant medicine experiences is free will. You are entrusted to decide what you want to do with the power that is being presented to you by the plants. You asked for it and they delivered. You can reciprocate as promised, or you can take and ignore, or you can take take take and aggrandize yourself. We humans are good at that, especially when we find a game that we can rig and profit off of to our advantage. Maybe even become a celebrity shaman, do battle with other shamans trying to step on our turf, or just take advantage of others for your own personal benefit. Perhaps start investigating those sorcerer plants once the medicine ones sour on you. We all know there is an eventual reckoning; I mean eventually you have to come to terms with what you have done or live with that gnawing feeling in the pit of your stomach. The choice is yours.

Integrity means to keep your word and you made a promise and an exchange with the plants in return for their healing virtues and knowledge. They took you at your word. Are you going to fulfill your promise? Deep down you will live with your decision. Energetically you have integrity or you don't. What I am trying to say is why would the medicine plants continue to work with you if all you do is take? I think you see it clearly. To continue to walk the plant medicine path requires you to uphold your end of the mutual agreement. It's the honourable thing to do.