Our Own Rituals

We opened the trip with our own ritual. Burning palo santo to purify the space, homemade margaritas and a shot of tequila to unwind, and a sharp sniff of amazonian snuff to clear the mind. 

I woke up the next morning to the mysticism and beauty that is Joshua Tree. When we were ready for our journey, we all sat on the floor around the living room table. We spoke out loud our intentions for the trip, before placing the brightly coloured tabs of acid on our tongues.

Before it began to hit us, we drove out into the desert. We began an unknown hike under the warm spring sun. I felt giddy and filled with childlike curiosity. The hike ventured carved-out paths through slab and sand - you could’ve told me we were in the Middle East and I would’ve believed it. I was enamored by the wild trees and unique plants, entranced by the patterns in the rock. We put our hands on it to share in the energy and magic it seemed to hold.

Our trip began to peak, as did our path. We were suddenly hiking up a rocky mountain, not sure where it led. My jaw dropped as we made it to the top. A majestic mountain range lay before us, hidden until this very moment. I wasn’t sure if it was the majesty of nature, or the drugs, (or both), but I felt like I had never seen something so beautiful. The air felt different - it tingled with the energy from the sunshine blanketing the mountains. After marveling at the view, our friend invited us to join him in breathwork. We each chose a spot, cosied up among the rocks. I held the earth to ground myself. My first true breathwork session, and I ended light-headed, teary-eyed, and buzzing on a new kind of high. The intentions, the setting on top of the desert mountains, the amazing group of people, the breathwork, the LSD - the experience was spiritual.