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To the average fundamentalist, psychedelics and religion are like oil and holy water. Mixing them would be ineffective at best, downright blasphemous at worst.

But are the two truly incompatible? It’s a fair question. We know medicine can enrich one’s spiritual connection, but religion is usually wrapped in more dogma structure than free-flowin’ spirituality. And psychedelics have a tendency of breaking all the rules, don’t they?

So for this issue, we posed this question to our network of experienced practitioners: If I come from a traditional religious background, how can I use psychedelics to deepen my faith?

Here's what they had to say about bringing your religious beliefs into a psychedelic experience.

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Bridge, don’t break

Many practitioners proactively addressed the elephant in the room. Namely, the fear psychedelics could shake your current belief system. Summer MacCool counters that "these medicines often open the heart and quiet the mind, helping you experience the sacred more directly. Instead of replacing your faith, they can deepen it by revealing the living essence behind your traditions: love, connection, awe, and surrender."

Oxana Kirsanova agrees: "When approached with reverence, psychedelics can become a bridge rather than a break from faith. They open the heart to direct experience of the divine beyond doctrine, yet not in opposition to it." These experiences don't have to challenge your beliefs; they can bring new light to familiar teachings.

Kala Hall builds on the bridge metaphor: "Psychedelics and plant sacraments can serve as a bridge between belief and direct experience. Instead of only hearing about God through scripture or tradition, these expanded states of consciousness open you to a direct felt sense."

Knowing beats faith

Several guides highlighted how psychedelics can transform intellectual faith into gnosis, or experiential understanding. Katie Simons describes this shift: "Psychedelics invite us into a state beyond time, space, and the confines of the thinking mind, where the essence of religious teachings can be felt and realized instead of simply studied. For instance, instead of hearing 'God is love,' you may experience love as the fabric of reality."

Mary Decker adds another layer: "Psychedelics can be used as a tool to deepen faith by increasing self-awareness, helping you recognize that the Divine, or God within, has always been part of you." Then, religious exercise can shift from external displays of devotion to inward reflection. (Side note: this comment reminds us of the definition of entheogen.)

Jo Ross suggests there’s nothing new about the knowledge gleaned from a journey. She says, "It's a remembering, a knowing that you forgot about but can revisit with the help of medicine. You are never the same in the world after that. You live with greater awareness of what's really going on and what you are a part of."

Frame with sacred intention

Practitioners recommended approaching psychedelics with the same reverence you'd bring to any sacred practice in your tradition. Wallace Murray suggests, "Treat the medicine as a sacrament. Approach with humility, and let any insights deepen your core practices (such as prayer, forgiveness, service) by bringing them back into scripture, community, and daily acts of compassion."

Cheri Coley recommends creating a sacred container: "Begin with prayer or intention, asking to draw closer to the divine. Surround yourself with symbols, scripture, or rituals from your tradition to stay rooted. Enter the experience with reverence, as you would a holy place." This intentional framing helps to align the experience with your religious beliefs.

However, Eric Toshalis offers an important word of caution about being too rigid with expectations: "When we ask medicine to 'do something' like 'deepen our faith,' it can constrict powerful openings that might otherwise flourish. So instead, perhaps ask it to simply help you to better know divinity (or divinities). Leave it wide open; then receive."

Our take

To the “spiritual but not religious” crowd reading this, we see you.

But we can all agree that one thing organized religion has going for it is community. Unlike the solo seekers out here Frankenstein-ing together their own belief systems, traditionalists have shared history, rituals, brick-and-mortar places of worship, and social support networks. So if you're using psychedelics to deepen your religious experience, why not take advantage of that community strength?

Organizations like Ligare (for Christianity), Shefa (for Judaism), and Ruhani (for Islam) are getting creative with ways to incorporate psychedelics into traditional religious practice. Or at least provide a safe space to talk about it.

What’s also remarkable is, there’s research showing psychedelics can help people see beyond religious differences altogether into our shared humanity. (Read our interview with Natalie Ginsburg for more on this topic.)

After all, what’s religion ultimately about if not love and connection to something greater than ourselves? Don’t say control, don’t say control, don’t say control. 🫠

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UNTIL NEXT TIME

That’s all for today, Cyclists! Whenever you’re ready, here’s how we can help.

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DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. The use, possession, and distribution of psychedelic drugs are illegal in most countries and may result in criminal prosecution.