Greetings Dear Friends!  It has been a full month since our last newsletter, as I have been deeply engaged with the final push to at long last launch our new Communitas Sanctuary.. And at long last we are almost ready! 

The journey of creating our Communitas Retreat Center & Sanctuary has been a true path of devotion. Upon beginning this project, I never realized how much energy, effort, time, resources, and resilience It would take for us to co-create this epicenter. In many ways, the tower grows as we grow. As we open ourselves up to what it means to be stewards of a true sacred space for community… a place of invitation to celebrate, explore and experience so many powerful facets of what life has to offer.. the tower and gardens have slowly and steadily grown into their full expression.

After over 12 years of dreaming and 2 1/2 years of active design, construction and a seemingly endless stream of final details – we are finally approaching its official launch! It’s a humbling and beautiful feeling to know that we are almost fully realized on this soul expedition. Above is a photo of the main ceremonial space, while below is the sky lounge, one of five bathrooms, one of 10 full bedrooms and our outdoor pond. Renee and I are so grateful for the dozens of artists, artisans, designers, skilled laborers and supportive friends that have brought us this to this moment. It’s truly taken a village in every sense of the word! I can’t wait for this space to become a home away from home for countless friends and families for generations to come. We are almost there!
 
If you have any interest in renting the space from hourly workshops, to daylong experiences, to full weekend retreats – Please don’t hesitate to reach out!  We have not officially put a call out to community, so consider yourselves the first to be invited to share your gifts with your community in our sacred sanctuary in the mountains of Asheville, NC! We would be honored to host you. 

Now onto the meat! I hope you enjoy this newsletter filled news, resources and offerings fresh from the psychedelic frontier! And as always, thank you for joining me for this exciting Ride into deeper transformation, personal growth and lasting healing. 

James Fadiman, a distinguished figure with over six decades in psychedelic research, examines the profound impact psychedelics have on consciousness, creativity, and connectivity. Fadiman shares insights into how these substances shift perception, offering perspectives that challenge and expand our understanding of reality. He also delves into the scientific underpinnings of psychedelics, their therapeutic potential, and the societal benefits of fostering deeper empathy and open-mindedness.

Explore this short 5 min video Highlighting the importance of integration post-experience, Fadiman sheds light on the transformative power of psychedelics to not only alter individual consciousness but also to enhance community bonds and personal relationships. Expert James Fadiman explains how psychedelics have the power to expand consciousness, enhance creativity, and deepen our connections to the world.

A top official with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) says there’s an “unstoppable narrative” in support of advancing psychedelic medicine, with a combination of compelling personal stories of recovery and robust clinical data from studies he’s hoping to expand upon. He also said bipartisan acceptance of psychedelics has “surpassed” that of marijuana in Congress.
 
At a psychedelics conference organized by Horizons on Friday, VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal also discussed his efforts to position the department to provide psychedelics-assisted therapy “the moment it’s approved” by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), adding that he’s anticipating “overwhelming demand” from veterans.
 
“What we need to do for our scientific community, especially within the VA, is prove the case further,” he said, pointing out that the department is actively supporting trials into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin and MDMA. “We want to expand that further and prove the case for veterans.”

Stepping into the powerful work of psychedelic healing, coaching and transformation is a deep and personal commitment.  It’s incredibly important that you choose a guide & facilitator that genuinely resonates with your core values and sense of safety & care.  

This vocation is a true lifelong path of devotion. I am honored to share these words from a client of the SpArc, and if you hear the call – I would be honored to support you in a journey of lasting healing and Self Discovery.

“In three words, Ehren changed my life. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t reflect upon the journey Ehren helped me to undertake and the guidance he provided…

In seeking out his wisdom, I was looking for space in my life, my heart, and my brain that I knew was available but didn’t know how to find alone. Though I had no hesitation or fear in going on the journey, his support, reassurance, and spirit made the whole process feel safe, beautiful, and necessary. There was never a moment that I questioned what might happen or if everything would be okay—his preparation and steadiness made every moment exactly as it should be. What I experienced in Asheville in Ehren’s ceremony space was world-altering. I spoke to my ancestors, I felt what it was like to be born again, I felt myself come home to myself. There is nothing bigger than coming home, because when you know you’re home, you have the clarity, space, and strength to provide home for everyone around you. I am a better mother, partner, leader, and friend because I know that I am always at home with myself. Ehren helped me discover something profound—a gift I hope every single person in this world has the opportunity to find.”

– Leslie Pariseau, Writer & Entrepreneur | New Orleans, LA 
Come join us on Sunday, May 19th 12pm-2pm for our monthly preparation & integration session. Prep and integration are two sides of the same coin. Techniques for preparation can help unlock mysteries during the integration phase, while experiences shared by others in an integration circle can help reveal what may lie ahead. It’s never too late to prepare, and it’s never too early to integrate.

Integration does NOT just occur in the few days or weeks following a journey. It is a lifelong process! Some say true integration doesn’t actually begin till 2-3 months after a psychedelic experience – not till the pink cloud effect has worn off and you’re fully integrated back into “normal” life. That’s when the rubber really hits the road!
Prep and integration support among community has many benefits that can help illuminate synchronicities and gifts that can come before a journey, while providing a safe space for you to continue receiving the benefits of psychedelic work by following through on the guidance offered by the medicine.
Facing the latest participants attending her four-day psychedelic retreat, Whitney Lasseter made a bold claim: The ceremonies they would take part in were sanctioned by federal law, which sets a high bar for the government to interfere in religious practices.

“We are using these medicines to connect with the divine,” said Ms. Lasseter, the founder of All Tribes Medicine Assembly, one of dozens of organizations that describe themselves as churches and view their use of psychoactive substances as sacramental, even though they are generally illegal under federal law. “It’s your right to practice your religion however you are guided.”
Bipartisan congressional lawmakers are asking the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to produce a plan to begin providing MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans as soon as the psychedelic is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In a letter sent to VA Under Secretary Shereef Elnahal on Tuesday, Reps. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) and seven other members said FDA could approve alternative treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) such as MDMA “as soon as this summer,” demanding planning on VA’s part.

Have you ever considered the frequency range of certain levels of consciousness? And how your perception is literally limited by the bandwidth of consciousness you find yourself in?  In this seminal text by the great Dr. David Hawkins, he shares with you how to recognize what state of awareness you are in (Grief, courage, Joy, etc) and how to transcend to higher states through a powerful time tested technique of Letting Go.  This book has profound in my own journey of growth and healing as well as those I support through my work as a coach and guide. 

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