Sylvie Hill

Record high deaths on Everest begs the question re: seeking and preparedness…

A friend of mine pointed out to me today that there was a record amount of deaths this year reported of folks climbing to Everest. Similar perhaps, in parallel to, others seeking the spiritual summit through Ayahuasca journeys abroad. Not that we heard of more deaths from ingesting entheogenic brews and medicines, but curious how many came back untied and in need of integrating after disintegrating … in that: perhaps, the proverbial death [or ego-death, as it’s known?]

This article speaks to the expedition outfitters whose goal is to get clients to the reach the summit, while others are more concerned about their safety. In both situations, the onus falls to the climber — their longing for the climb; their intention for the trek; and their own personal preparedness on ALL levels for such a journey and the skills and capabilities to recover from reaching the top in an altered state, and coming back down to Earth [physically, and yet — dimensionally].

Freud and conventional psychologies that sought to shape your mind to change your feelings may have been the guides in the past to healing what ails humans, but going forward, I can’t help but think that as we wise up to a deeper intelligence summoned/awakened by psychedelics, plant medicines, non-dual states, mysticism, love and connection that we, too, could jump too fast, too soon and unprepared.

You may know where you want to go but is it about the goal or the direction for you? And is the journey perhaps the preparation as you balance not knowing enough to take the leap of faith with not taking the leap of faith because you ran out of time?