mental health

What Ayahuasca taught me about Jungian Psychology, and what Jungian psychology taught me about integrating psychedelic experiences.

Post by Johann MynhardtAbout fifteen years ago, on the recommendation of a friend and Ayahuascero (Ayahuasca shaman) I attended my first Ayahuasca ceremony. I wasn’t particularly enthused about the idea, but he suggested it might be good for me and in hindsight I probably had (and to some degree still have) issues around control. I was hesitant about opening up the floodgates of the unconscious.My journey was revelatory and to my surprise I found myself being introduced to my body...

The psychological practice of confession

This post deals with the topic of confession, its psychological and spiritual value, how to understand the idea and purpose of confession in the psychotherapeutic context and the importance of collective or objective context in the act of the confession. In addition to offering some background and theory on the act of confession, I will offer you some ways of thinking about why you might consider adopting it as a personal practice and a structure within which you can frame...

Prozac and the royal road to misery

modern (wo)man in search of soul in the wasteland of meaningEpigraph: In 2006 I had occasion to spend Diwali in Mauritius with my then sister-in-law, Joanne Farah. One of the celebrants at the hotel where we were staying was offering Henna tattoos to the guests. I asked for the word ‘spirit’ to be tattooed on my arm. When my sister-in-law, seemingly bemused, inquired as to what exactly I considered ‘spirit’ to be, I was unable or possibly unwilling to answer....