Welcome to this Week's Edition of Red Things on Tuesday

Hello, Friend!

If you're new to the Tam Integration mailing list, Red Things on Tuesday is a glimpse into our journey. We're continually growing and exploring, just like you. This collection of books, music, teachings, psychedelic ephemera, and the like that we think is meaningful and have been enjoying. It gets sent out on most Tuesdays. The name is based on something a Vedic astrologer told Daniel (me!) once, making this a sadhana . We appreciate you participating in it.

If you're interested in joining one of our integration circles, the information for those is at the bottom of the email, or you can also visit the website here or our Social Link Tree Here.

You're probably doing it right, and you probably don't need a guide.

I’ve just returned home from our Coaching Training Retreat Weekend in Berkeley. It was splendid. So many of our relationships are virtual these days. It's so nourishing whenever I spend time with people in the flesh.

Bamboo floors are a second home to me. Meandering slowly around a room littered with mats and cushions, teaching barefoot (or in mushroom socks) in front of a community-constructed altar is my happy place.

Above everything else, I was so struck by how engaged the students were with each other. Sometimes it seemed like they didn’t need me at all. Had I vanished, they would have had no trouble filling the time teaching and learning from each other.

This is the beauty of community. I was taught that a community is a group of people who are all giving to and receiving from each other. The process of sharing equally is a core tenet of community. It’s not hierarchical. And while it was ‘my class,’ it’s also obvious that any of them could successfully lead a weekend of learning and fun. I just happen to be the one playing the role of teacher this time around.

In any community centered around growth and healing, it's clear how much we support each other and how necessary we are to each other’s process. I can’t be the only one who’s had a moment of struggle and confusion alleviated by the simple and casual kindness of a fellow retreatant. I can’t have been the only one to have been informed later that a small gesture on my part came at a magically synchronous time and was exactly what a friend needed. Am I?

Ram Dass talked about ‘central casting,’ proposing that it’s the guru's wisdom that puts us in each other’s lives. Often in ways we can’t understand. We’re all playing roles for each other. Even if we don’t believe in the religiosity of this idea, the phenomenon is observable. As the Grateful Dead tells us, “The music plays the band.” That’s us, we’re the band.

It reminds me of the Ramayana, the story of Ram and Hanuman. Ram is an avatar, an incarnation, of Vishnu. He’s God in a human body. He came to earth to stop a terrible demon who was wreaking havoc.

Shiva is one of the other Gods in this pantheon. He spends most of his time in meditation. He’s a total renunciate and does not need the creature comforts that are important to us. There is almost nothing that can entice him to stop meditating, open his eyes, and get up off his tiger skin. However, when he ‘saw’ in his mind’s eye what Vishnu was planning to do, he decided to go to earth to help his friend. He took birth as Hanuman. This is what inspires him to interrupt his practice. Nothing but friendship and service makes him stir.

And thank the heavens that he did. Ram struggled in his quest. It wasn’t easy for him. If he had to do it alone, it might have not turned out so well. And he’s God. He’s God, and he needed Hanuman’s help. What does this say about us? Why would we think that we can go it alone and thrive?

We can’t; we need each other. We’re so interconnected.

“No man is an island; he’s a peninsula,” Jefferson Airplane jokes.

This is why group practice is so important. This is why integration circles are awesome. We get to step into our roles as friends, support systems, and evolutionary change agents. We’re always playing some role. Our practice and our communities give us the chance to pick one in alignment with our psychedelic aspirations. How lucky are we?

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Ayla Nereo has popped up on my feed again.

I listened to her several years ago, and she's popped up again. It's really nice to have her in my ear again. Powerful, peaceful, and meaningful.

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Upcoming Events

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February 21st, Noon Pacific, 3pm Eastern
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We want to invite you to attend an exciting event where you can learn about the world of psychedelic integration coaching. This event is designed for individuals who are passionate about supporting others in their healing and growth and are interested in becoming highly skilled and competent coaches.

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February 23-25
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Hosted by Fungi Academy, the Sacred Mycology Summit aims to inspire and educate fungi lovers all over the world. Together with 20+ thought leaders and citizen scientists, including Dennis McKenna, William Padilla-Brown, and Daniel Shankin, we will explore the realms of mycology, psychedelics, and permaculture 🍄🌱

Tam Integration Coaching Training

October 2024

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​https://circle.tamintegration.com/psychedelic-integration-coach-training/​

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Nothing in this email should be considered medical or legal advice. We're not suggesting that you break any laws or do anything dangerous. This email is offered as education and entertainment in the spirit of harm reduction. Consult medical and legal professionals if you have questions.

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