Recently I created a substack called “Welcome the Threshold” exploring the cermonial frontier of psychedelic medicine and mindfulness practice. My main question is, how can we support finding greater agency working with plant medicine by adhering to deeper principles of mindfulness, presence and virtuous living. Below find a sample of my third article and please consider subscribing to my substack!
I deeply appreciate your support. (Keep an eye out for the 4th article being released this week!)
Note: The names in this article are changed to honor confidentiality. This reflection is a truthful retelling based upon all actual events.
Recently, a beautiful man sat across from me in his first journey. He said something I’ve heard from dozens of men over the years.
“I don’t actually know how to ask for help. I’m not sure how to trust. I’ve only been shown how to shoulder the burden. What happens if I need you?”
He was not a weak man. He had a phd, was a lifelong athlete and was a family man. Yet he, like many so others, lived with a set of unspoken expectations brought upon him from his father, and likely his father’s father before him; to carry the weight…. the job, the family, the mental & emotional toil, the physical pain… He was Required to carry it well and not expect any “handouts” in return.
Over the past decade, psychedelics have moved from the margins of psychiatry into some of the world’s leading academic centres, where they are being investigated for conditions ranging from treatment-resistant depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to addiction, anorexia nervosa and end-of-life anxiety.
The results have generated real excitement, particularly for psilocybin, where several large studies have shown rapid and sometimes sustained benefits after only one or two administrations. Researchers soon began asking whether these treatments might also help in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), one of psychiatry’s most disabling and treatment-resistant illnesses.
For those interested in the path of insight meditation, this book touches the very soul of the practice. Written by two of the most inspiring voices in the tradition, Joseph Goldstein & Jack Kornfield, it holds a full tapestry of wisdom teachings and practical guidance. True to the title itself, it offers a tremendous amount of heart in the way the path is offered cover to cover. It has been instrumental for me.

Ehren Cruz is an Anthropologist, CTA & ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Third Wave Psychedelic Certified Coach, Master Ceremonialist, certified Harm Reductionist, Loving Husband & Proud Father of 3 Little Ladies. He is devoted to the healing & actualization in all facets of his life.