🫠 Psychonaut POV

Welcome to Tricycle Day. We’re the psychedelics newsletter that’s like Sunday school, but better. You get parables that feed your soul, and you don’t even have to leave your house! 😇 

Hunt Priest (yes, that’s his real name) is an ordained minister who’s always had a taste for the esoteric. After a psilocybin experience deepened his connection to Christ, he founded Ligare, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing the direct experience of the sacred to all who desire it.

We spoke to Hunt about his search for meaning in the Christian contemplative tradition, the lost history of spiritual healing in the early church, and how psychedelics are reconnecting a disillusioned culture back to faith.

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Which came first: your interest in psychedelics or your Christian faith? Were there any particular moments that led you to believe the two could be combined in a meaningful way?

My Christian faith traces back to my childhood. I was born into a Christian family that was observant but not rigidly devout. Our approach to Christianity was open-minded, embracing a broad perspective rather than an exclusive one. This approach to faith has stayed with me throughout my life.

During my twenties, I delved into meditation and explored other religions and philosophies, particularly Buddhism and Hinduism. I wanted to get to the contemplative essence of Christianity. Throughout my period of exploration, I always felt a call to ordination.

After college, I got a job with Delta Air Lines and later transitioned to working as a copywriter in an advertising agency. By my mid-thirties, I sensed that it was time to pursue ordination within The Episcopal Church. The process, spanning a few years, led me to seminary, where I was eventually ordained at the age of 40. I later served as a parish priest in Austin, Atlanta, and Seattle before moving to Savannah in 2016.

It was during my time in Seattle that I had my first encounters with psilocybin as part of a religious professional’s research study at Johns Hopkins University. These experiences left a profound impact on me, aligning with my Christian beliefs. Despite the clinical context of these journeys, they facilitated a profound connection with the Holy Spirit. The experience reminded me of the passage from the New Testament where Paul writes about the body being a temple of the Holy Spirit. This biblical truth became tangible to me and enhanced my understanding on a deep level.

More than seven years have passed since that initial experience. Since then, my life, ministerial endeavors as a priest, and overall life path have undergone irrevocable and profound transformations due to my work with psilocybin.

How are people integrating psychedelics into Christian practice? Are they a substitute or add-on to traditional rituals like prayer, meditation, and communal worship?

First, we must be very careful to point out that these are powerful substances, and they aren’t meant for everyone. I want people to use the gift of discernment and talk to their pastors, family members, spiritual directors, and even mental health professionals.

As far as integrating these substances into Christian practice, it really depends on where people are in their lives. We've all seen how many people are stepping away from organized religion, especially Christianity, in droves. That trend was already underway, but then COVID and the past seven years or so of intense political discord in our country just turbocharged the process. Somehow, everything became political, and Christianity got dragged into the mix. Now, we have folks either walking away or carrying deep wounds from their experiences with Christianity.

But here’s the unexpected twist. Psychedelics are leading some people back to Christianity. You’d be surprised how often Christian imagery or personal associations pop up during some people’s psychedelic experiences. Jesus might make an appearance, or Mary Magdalene shows her face, or they feel this overwhelming embrace of God's love.

That urge I had in my twenties to delve into contemplation seems to be striking a chord with others. Right now, we don't really have established Christian rituals for psychedelics, but that doesn’t mean we can’t. Look at the ayahuasca churches, like Santo Daime and UDV. They're blending Christianity and indigenous spirituality. It's proof that the connection is there; it's just waiting to be nurtured.

The name of my organization, Ligare, stems from the Latin word for "to bind or unite." Religion is supposed to rebind us to our source, our connection to something greater. But let’s be real; it hasn't been doing the best job of that lately. Especially in recent decades, Christianity has strayed into exclusion, finger-pointing, and a disregard for science, all the while losing sight of Jesus' teachings. It's become more about power than spirituality.

But if psychedelics can help reforge that connection, that unity with the source of life, they're right where they belong in the realm of religion. In fact, I think they're already making a positive impact. They're nudging organized Christianity to sit up and take notice. The question now is: how do we support the healing that comes from these experiences? How do we help people enrich their Christian practice through these profound encounters?

Are there passages or teachings from the Christian scripture that support the use of psychedelics?

I’ll step back from focusing solely on psychedelics because Jesus never explicitly mentions mushrooms or similar substances. However, what Jesus and scripture do emphasize are non-ordinary states of consciousness, encounters with the mystery of God, and a profound understanding of interconnectedness. These messages resonate not only within Christianity but also Judaism and other faiths.

Consider Jesus' teachings on solitude for meditation and prayer, as well as his approach to healing. He met people where they were and empowered their capacity to heal through his compassion and love. These parables echo what we're called to do for one another.

Historically, the early church would establish hospitals and train spiritual healers, akin to medicine people. Healing through encounters with the divine is a prominent aspect of the New Testament. If the church sidesteps healing and neglects this priority, it strays from the essence of scripture and Jesus' teachings.

To me, it’s clear that the mental health crisis is intertwined with our spiritual well-being. There’s no one standalone solution; presence, prayer, and sometimes medication contribute to healing. Psychedelics can also facilitate access to our inner healers.

While there's limited scriptural evidence of psychedelic use, it's not essential for engaging with this topic. There are plenty of healing modalities not mentioned in scripture—organ transplants, surgery, antibiotics, antidepressants to name just a few—that are embraced in the 21st century. Psychedelics work by ushering in mystical experiences, bridging the gap between science and spirituality, and potentially offering healing to all and even saving our planet.

Have you faced any pushback from other members of the Christian community? What do you say to people who argue that psychedelics are inherently sacrilegious?

I keep anticipating this objection, but it isn’t one I’ve faced head on yet. While I haven't engaged much with extreme, conservative, or literalist Christians, I've spoken with many others—clergy, academics, and everyday practicing Christians. Their questions generally revolve around when and how to access these experiences. They’re more curious than judgmental.

Fundamentalist perspectives, on the other hand, tend to discourage exploration, particularly if something isn't explicitly mentioned in scripture. Having grown up in the Bible Belt, I'm familiar with this mindset. So I brace myself for pushback whenever I discuss this topic.

Although it's been minimal with Christians so far, some resistance has come from members of the recovery community, particularly those in twelve-step programs. They view substances like LSD, mushrooms, and MDMA as addictive, due to decades of misinformation. When I share that Bill Wilson used LSD, it often surprises them, as this information was either forgotten, concealed, or didn't align with the prevailing narrative.

Part of my effort involves educating people and asserting legitimacy within these kinds of established structures, without skirting the potential risks. Certainly, moderation, care, and reverence are necessary, but there's no reason for fear. My focus within the Christian sphere is to provide as much information as people are willing to absorb.

Sooner or later, this movement is going to span various Christian denominations. Recently, the issue of access to psychedelics is becoming more talked about, especially among veterans and politically conservative Christians. It’s shaping up to be a pivotal year for religious conversations on this topic.

Can you talk about any notable experiences or insights you have had personally while using psychedelics within a religious context?

My psychedelic experiences haven't always been explicitly religious, but there have been some profound moments tied to my ordination as a priest and my own healing.

After I’d been ordained within The Episcopal Church, that rite of passage expanded in an unexpected way during a psilocybin journey. I sensed a connection to the vast cosmos and witnessed myself being ordained not solely at the feet of a bishop but also at the feet of the divine. As the experience unfolded, I found myself assuming different physical postures, reminiscent of various prayer traditions beyond Christianity. To me, those movements symbolized the expansiveness of God beyond any single system.

In another psilocybin experience, I felt an uncomfortable energetic pulse on my thigh, which I’d noticed for the first time during a silent meditation retreat about a year prior. I made the decision to let go, and as I released control, the electrical current suddenly began shooting up my spine. I felt the energy bottle up at my throat, where it got stuck. The pressure was so intense I thought my Adam’s apple was going to explode. Then, the person who was guiding me laid their hands on me, and that comforting touch led to a spontaneous experience of speaking in tongues. I didn’t understand the words as I spoke them, but I knew they were coming from spirit. This whole experience seemed to help process the traumas and anxieties I’d accumulated over 52 years of life. The next morning, I felt like a new person with a deep sense of peace and gratitude.

I believe these moments of healing are deeply spiritual, connected to psychology and physiology. Our mind, body, and spirit are interwoven. When healing occurs, the distinctions blur.

My transformation has solidified my commitment to normalizing psychedelics within the context of religion, spirituality, healing, and personal growth, while acknowledging the valid concerns. It's an ongoing journey that continues to shape me as a priest, spouse, father, friend, and human being. In my opinion, it can’t just be about following spiritual practices and chasing peak experiences. For real healing to occur, the way you engage with the world has to transform, too.

Want more from Hunt? Subscribe to Ligare’s newsletter and get access to community events and discussion at the intersection of Christianity and psychedelics.

That’s all for today. Before you head off, don’t forget to share, rate, and review Tricycle Day below. Catch ya next time, Cyclists! ✌️

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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.