Is There A Place For Psychedelics & Sacred Medicine In “Men’s Work”?
By: Caiyuda Kiora
Tags: Ayahuasca, Mens Health, Sacred Masculine, Psychedelics, Spirituality

What is mens work really about?

“Harden up.”

“Don’t be so soft.”

“Boys don’t cry.”

“Are you gay or something?”

These are some of the classic remarks many of us men have heard at some stage during our lives; throw-away statements that enforce the idea that showing emotion, vulnerability, tenderness, or something other than the stereotypical yet outdated masculine male archetype of being tough, stoic, and full of brawn, is something to be ashamed of.

Although it’s blaringly obvious, I’ll state it anyway: All humans feel emotions. All humans cry. All humans have a soft side. All humans are a beautiful blend of the hard, soft, light, dark and everything in between.

Yet because men have been subject to judgment and ridicule over the past few decades for not meeting the expected criteria and image of masculinity, questions along the lines of “what does it mean to be a man?” are questions that many have asked at some stage along the journey.

This is one reason why mens work is important, and why mens work is becoming more popular. Whether it’s through regular meet-ups, one day events, or multi-day retreats, many of us are challenging the dysfunctional stereotypes and shining a light on the preconceived notions of what it means to be a man; encouraging the integration of all aspects of what it means to actually be a whole human being.

This includes (but is not limited to) being seen for who we really are, supporting each other through challenges, encouragement to feel and express our emotions, to connect with our truth, learning to speak from our heart, finding trust, brotherhood and real connections with other men, having fun and reconnecting with the little boy within, exploring both the masculine and feminine archetypal energies that reside inside us, recognizing the strength within our vulnerability, and taking more responsibility as role models and leaders within our communities.

To distill it down, we could say mens work is about reconnection.

Reconnection to ourselves, to tribe, and to the natural world from which we come and from which we are a part.

Yet sometimes we’re so burdened with the heavily ingrained — and even enforced — conditioning, dogma, and taboos from society, culture, family, media, and other aspects of our external environment, that it can become increasingly challenging to release the old patterns and programs to make way for new ways of being.

One of the focal points for these new-ways-of-being in much of mens work, is in making the journey from the head, down into the heart. From the thinking mind, down into the feeling body.

While there are many ways to become more aware of the dysfunctional conditioning and limiting beliefs, some methods are naturally slower than others, yet contain a low risk to reward ratio, and others contain higher risks, yet hold the potential for significant growth to occur in a shorter amount of time.

There are rarely ever any solid guarantees no matter which route one takes, yet many people are in agreeance that one of the most transformative and profound ways to release this conditioning and make the journey from the head, down into the heart, is through harnessing the potential of the safe and responsible use of sacred medicines and psychedelics.

The path of developing a relationship with these sacraments and consciousness altering molecules is not the only path to take for those looking to shed the old and step into the new, while connecting deeper to their heart and truth within. It’s also not a path that everyone should pursue either, for that matter.

When it comes to mens work though, where is the relevance?

This was one of the questions posed by a committee of men, after I was initially approved to offer a workshop and ceremonial ritual at a mens only event, only to have it revoked due to committee guidelines and values. This workshop was focused on the education, demystification, de-stigmatization, and experiential knowing of a traditional Amazonian medicine, known as Rapeh, which is becoming more well known and more widely used due being an accessible, legal, healing, and heart connecting plant medicine.

While I absolutely respect the guidelines and values of any committee in their decision to include or exclude specific offerings at their events, it left some questions and concerns unanswered that are important to address:

Where is the relevance between men’s work and sacred medicine? Is it really necessary? Does it have a place? Where would it fit in?