How (And Why) I Use Shamanic Medicine & Psychedelics To Prepare For My Own Death
By: Caiyuda Kiora
Tags: Death And Dying, Ayahuasca, Psychedelics, Spirituality, Death

Death. Something that’s not often talked about openly in our society or culture.

It might even be more accurate to say that it’s somewhat of a taboo subject, where deeper discussions and contemplation on the matter are actively avoided. Until delving deeper into the path of shamanic medicine and psychedelics, I gave little attention to pondering the concept of death and dying.

It’s not a concept though, even though we can only know it conceptually, until it’s actually our time to experience it. It’s one of the great certainties in life. The ultimate guarantee.

(Unless the future of science/medicine/technology proves otherwise, of course! Another article entirely.)

Until I starting engaging in practices to become more self-aware, it was as if my own mortality wasn’t real to me. I’d rarely given it deep considerable thought, that at anytime without prior warning, the Queen of the Underworld could come and grasp my hand, taking me swiftly to the other side.

My relationship to shamanic medicine and psychedelics continues to evolve, and as I feel more and more reverence towards these sacraments, the more my relationship in how I look at dying and death changes.

Jeff Mason, a lecturer of philosophy, writes this about death:

“Ignoring death leaves us with a false sense of life’s permanence and perhaps encourages us to lose ourselves in the minutiae of daily of life. Obsessive rumination on death, on the other hand, can lead us away from life. Honestly coming to terms with one’s death involves reflection on its significance in one’s life, and thinking about the larger values that give life its meaning.” 1

I can’t speak on behalf of other people, but this certainly resonates with me.

Contemplating the process of dying and death doesn’t have to be a depressing, morbid concept, but an important reminder of the reality of existence.

Reflecting on my own impermanence allows me to put things into perspective. To acknowledge the fact that it may be my time to go, any time. It reminds me to not get caught up in the anxiety and stresses of the insignificant happenings of daily life.

To deepen my presence while experiencing the richness that life has to offer. To better my relationships with those around me. To define my priorities, values, virtues, and what’s truly important to me. To find fulfilment and meaning in how I choose to spend my time…

Contemplating the process of dying and death with a sense of humility and curiosity presents the option to travel deep down the rabbit hole, exploring the possibilities of what might happen at this significant event.

Does one’s consciousness cease to exist when the lungs have stopped breathing and the heart has stopped beating? Or does one’s consciousness transcend our physical limitations, gifting unknown potentialities free from attachment to the material realm?

It’s one of the great mysteries that humanity has explored philosophically and spiritually for millennia.

I’ve delved into books, articles, podcasts, and lectures, all which provide very interesting discussions and evidence that support the notion that one’s awareness continues to exist beyond the shackles of our physical body. This compelling information fills me with curiosity and fascination, however it’s a process that in it’s entirety, while we’re alive, we can never really know.

It is possible though, to get experiential insight into the detachment from our material realm, through the use of shamanic medicine and psychedelics…