In this episode of Speak with Tyler Bryden, Tyler shares his thoughts on psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in over 200 species of mushrooms. Psilocybin mushrooms have been used in therapeutic settings to treat a wide variety of ailments and disorders including cluster headaches, obsessive-compulsive disorders, anxiety, depression, and addiction. But, although there have been recent monumental pushes forward in decriminalization and legalization of psilocybin, there is still a long way to go and a lot of barriers and stigma to get through.
Tyler shares his own experience with psilocybin, discusses the positive and negative effects of the substance, the fear of being a business owner while talking about psychedelics, and shares his hope for a culture where entheogens are used to promote health, consciousness, spirituality and overall quality of life.
Transcription (Undedited)
So Tyler here. It was going on. So the volume at in this guys pretty good. OK, I’ve got a message just
going off the bad stuff. Can hear about? Noise in the background. Traffic going hard. Emergency. And
the other piece. Goes along with my life is sitting. In the backyard with train. Track. Must be? Train tracks
back there, so it comes might come during this actually don’t know I’m recording this right now.
Wait, for a couple of friends caloric advice. Drinks. For now. So, just meditating. Last couple of days. I would say.
Summer. Right. It always brings me into an introspective place and one that I like to be in.
Myself. Therapeutic calming substance that makes me feel better. Me too. Focus. I feel like you get
running around so much. The point in my life where? Different things at once projects clients all this
stuff. You can get so. Get so frantic. I know that I deal with. Today’s talking to people. And get all nervous
about designer hand. But. Something different about Psilocybin. I do believe there is an affect on you,
that can be destructive from magic mushrooms. And. I don’t know there’s just. It’s going to be a life
changing thing for myself. But you can definitely have this moment where I can create sort of too many
connections.
When people start forming connections. That can be a beneficial thing patterns that they identify but
what I found in the times when I got too deep into my own journey. When I was twenty one and going
through a lot. Was that the connections? And many of them have guessing non existing. It depends of
course review on life what and what is? Is there? Is it statistically better looking at it? Is it fake thing that
you’re looking at it is coincidence. These kind of things and depending on your perspective of the world.
Change how you would see this button. Yeah, I. And so there’s a spot where you have to be careful with
so siding and as when you listen to.
You know, many people in one of the most to myself, just an organization that I hear her put up on a
pedestal as maps. I can actually start this such an amazing thing because. If you have first-hand
experience way. You understand. You do understand. Positive piece of it and again, I’m talking I have
been talking. I’m very conscious about the negative piece can be is when those connections are made
when it can spiral you into.
You know in different times different points when I was going through everything else. Test. So aside.
Combine with the stress with the stage in my life. The Xbox you know the existential crisis that was sort
of under. Instead of long the current events, Kentucky with all this stuff sorta seems to pile up at once.
And in those times I would say the door over usage of suicide and then they just a complete.
What they were the consequences of using them how they do affect you what it’s doing in your in your
brain work mechanisms or being cold.
And so I think that’s a big piece that I’m trying to get at is. This is something that we need to properly understand and Unfortunately for so long research. That’s
not been a thing that people really want to research. And. That’s because of the stigma. It’s can be
informed and make people believe by pharmaceutical companies who understand the power of
Psilocybin. And. And this is just sitting on the back deck and ranting. This is scientific studies, John
Hopkins. There is studies, taking over the place Denver decriminalizing organs looking at actually.
Access. It’s there’s a revolution coming right now and people who have seen again.
The impact of what psilocybin can do that. Beneficial effects and what we’ve seen in these studies is.
Dramatic drops in. In addiction. In. PTSD. In depression. And. Their sustained or not just short term
benefits. Positive benefits over months. And other you pieces know come the with psilocybin, but
not just psilocybin what we seem DMT or we’ve seen with MDMA LSD. All these things that are now.
Going through different. Stages of research. MDMA and psilocybin being at the foremost that I believe
even Alice to eat on that journey as well, too. These things are often described as some of the most
magical but not just magical spiritual. Those 2 words that they use but? Mythical like these
people are having mystical experiences. They can say it’s one of the most meaningful experiences in
their life and these are one of those, and when I say what the experience what I’m talking about in
these studies are.
They have person basically laying down, they would administer so psilocybin, LSD MDMA. Whatever
substance it is. Sometimes there will be 1 count to one. One person in the room honouring
sometimes only 2 times. There are organizations who have to want to have one male and one female.
Trip sitter but also certified doctor be there to help guide them through and so they would often this is
really interesting to me, they? For example, if we go psilocybin administer in a pill form. And. I’m just like
having a thought it might be in my backyard. Hope my neighbours aren’t around and getting excited
about this stuff but they administered in a pill form. And. You can you take that and a lot of times will
actually put a sleeping mask on you and you’ll be able to lie on your back and sometimes they will
believe talked to a lot of times. There’s preparation session or like a pre-prep into some of them are
even like Michael Pollan went through the last session.
They made him do breathing exercise believe in the day before in the morning, so there are these
rituals and I think when we look at this stuff what? Really determines. How? How effective this is but
we’re also the damage is can come in? We’re psilocybin W Spica psychedelics with some of these. The
substances. That. Anticlimactic. The problem for substances that just. And if you have the
wrong intent actually going into them. How was your state mentally or their massive massive changes
going on probably shouldn’t be doing sales and so here I am talking not preaching that. They need to
be worried about the power of these sentences as well as a person who believes of law in. That people
have psychedelic drugs in general, which is just a whole lot of discussion but. You need to change this
and I think mostly focus dramatically failed at the world, in general, has become more chaotic.
Aggressive primal. And. You don’t know that it’s You know, I think a little bit more empathy and.
Introspection and the ability to process what’s going on in our lives in a more holistic.
Beautiful way that would be it would be good for all of us should be good for humanity. To talk about
because? The so much stigma that still goes along with psychedelics and my own case. I had really
difficult experiences a lot of times. Commingled by the use of psychedelics and so as an outsider.
Certainly, it’s been really difficult as an insider as you think the ability to differentiate. You know the
good from the bad without usage with that time in my life and with that stuff is that’s a difficult thing to
sort through, but when you look at it and when it comes down to what they say Tyler is out of is a net
positive was in that negative.
It’s in that positive, it continues to be and not only that I’ve continued to. Understand? How substances
like this can be used to further improve your life and better your life and increase happiness and
quality of life. And this is just another extension. I believe of what we want as humans is what we’ve
seen in this human optimization movement and I would just say technology a lot of people look at
Psilocybin.MDMA cada mean all these things they actually look at the market technology. And if you go to tribes if
you go to people and and and just like. Just groups of. Of people who are have the respect have the understanding have the knowledge of this
stuff.
That’s what they actually believe we go to mine cultures. It’s an ancient technology and. It was used in
a lot of different purposes. Interesting like just like. They would Hunters would take so sudden before
they went on the hunt because it increased their senses and their perceptions.
You know for myself. One of the big pieces of Psilocybin is the fact that we actually seemed to.
Just change your perspective of time, such an odd feeling to describe its ineffable as Michael Poland.
Sort of talks about but It’s it’s It Is It’s really, really. It’s really interesting. To be honest. Yeah, and so on.
Basically just Trying to understand what how this can be approach as well, too from an angle because.
I think the world needs this, I think a lot of people can agree in some in some form stuff that we need to
figure out a better form of. Therapy and healing and reducing trauma and as I sort of alluded to the
financial aspect of the pharmaceutical companies and stuff we need to stop this. Continually older.
Pushing up pills, but we have seen is costly detrimental and has been turned into sort of a racket.
And so. It needs to be a retaking of it and there’s a lot of people working on that.
But it also needs to be done in the proper way, and what happened here with O’leary and sixty 70s. Was
he got it out of control and he was doing experiments with students and this TuneIn and drop out?
TuneIn. I should know that this mentality, though. It just it purple it. We just went through the
culture and became too, reckless and that’s not dangerous part of psychedelics. And when we see
those stereotypes in media and movies. Those are based on real things. Anyone who tells you different
is lying as true lover of psychedelics of Psilocybin. It’s not the right way to approach and then you have
to be honest about the negative parts of it if you’re going to try to talk about the positive parts and so I
do try to be aware of that as I’m talking about any of this stuff and. Obviously very passionate about it
when you first and see it. You can deposit effects. I can’t even describe here. And you
always have to pull this bias because there’s magic mushrooms or MDMA. All these things that are
mystical magical experience or comes this part where we have you know? What is real and what is not
and that’s a really scary thing for a lot of people and I think that’s where people talk about like. People
have sex and then they never come back. That’s the problem. We’ve that’s a real thing, that can
happen if you just have not had the second Lt experience that is needed, and I felt that spear. I felt that
the inability to discern reality and what was real. And I think the important part of any psilocybin session
from going back on wow.
I’m going back to how they actually administered this. So if you go to counselling sessions unrelated
actually integrating. And if you go. And so if you have deep discussions and it’s a very introspective
thing to route. But a lot of times actually debrief with you after and go through a bunch of things and
try to understand what changes sort of felt or what you were thinking about in process that and if you
don’t have that ability to process and I think. A lot of people who even I would say trips solo you have to
make sure that you can. Integrate back with reality. I guess even I would say part of what I’m doing
right now is doing that on integrating I’m talking just choosing to record it. I’m OK with that being my
outlet and how I talk. In and work through and integrate back into reality and I continued to do this with
people as well, too. It is really important so if if you’re in those sessions that they actually do that and
help you take those powerful mystical experiences that you can have and help you put that in the
realm of the perspective of the real world that we do live and not just physically, but I would say
culturally because, as we’ve seen a lot of people. Immediately, it changes their behaviour and
perception and perspective, so much they radically alter their behaviour in their life. We’ve seen a lot of
times or like Academy substances can. Decision making. That’s led to breakups and life changes. And
lots of different things. Maybe to eat better too. To workout more introspection to say tell you need to
actually eat better need to stop eating more unhealthy food. You need to be focused more on good
food. You need to work out and be a little bit more energetic and enthused at work out pretty hard, but
not turn it up another level kind of thing. Itself. The funny part about doing this. I just can’t imagine the
perception that comes off because. There’s an outer layer and this is what we’re all facing with anyone,
especially loses supporter. So Simon said there’s this layer. There’s this piece of pieces of me. But
there’s also the professional piece that needs to be presented in the professional piece that is actually
there because everyone I know who. You know is truly advocating for sale, Sideman through it, whether
it’s maps or maps, Canada or researchers at John Hopkins are all across everywhere with all this is
happening and all the great places that are decriminalizing this kind of stuff. Forgetting such a better
understanding. And we need that to continue. And. And it’s difficult because of that steak
mine, the ability to keep you know to keep a professional image So so when I can lot use stop, of times.
sending this over again, but you know what I’m talking about. She has been just you know displayed as.
Rambunctious rowdy rebels dropouts failures hippies. All this stuff that has been forced for so long
through. Through stereotypes on television anime or whatever medium that we’ve been
watching that stigma has continued.
It decreases and I would say with a similar decrease that we’ve seen across just mental health in
general focus on mindfulness on conscientiousness. All these things that are so important in our life
cornerstones of what makes us human. The things that allow us to actually modifier. Our lives to make
us who we want to be which is the true purpose of our lives.
In you know, Unfortunately, that awareness. We don’t get instilled in so many people on a lot of time, be
filtered through media. We don’t have those mechanisms in place to reflect on ourselves and make the
changes that we want to make to actually get to the place that we want to get an answer really
difficult thing for so many people there had to write mentors right education.
The right life experiences to get through that process is so difficult and in so many ways.
Just feel so. Continue that I’ve even had the opportunity to have the education I’ve got.
Been around the people that I’ve had to make it through some of the stuff that you know that just went
through and still love life. And continue to learn every day and make mistakes. Screw up all the time, but keep
just powering through and learning. And I think we all deserve that. Will say There is Another side of this
that I’ve seen in there’s a good person.
He will lose so this is mark support. Is the one who wrote the subtle art of not giving a fuck and now he’s
got everything is fucked? And so we’ve got to look at it in that perspective as well, too. So when I say
that we need to have a purpose and live the life and change ourselves completely believe in that, but
there’s the other side of this, where You know. What is that thing that’s actually pushing us through that
purpose and? We look to a lot of more ancient religions and wisdom and it’s not about
necessarily always pushing yourself and doing that it’s poking happy with who you are in that moment.
Experiencing. This can be. You know, some people would say. You know, I’m out of shape for example.
And. I want to get better or then you must this ancient philosophy is in here, you should be happy
with yourself. So that’s it. They really difficult things that and it’s a tough thing to get through and I think
you know the fairway to get back to that.
We always have to bring it down to a science and practical evidence as far as we know that can that we
show us.
From an objective point are you healthy or not. I think that’s maybe the mechanism in place. The scale
of the measuring stick that we use for that. So what time? Say 30 my body is coming over. Now I just
sound like a crazy branding man in the backyard and I’m sorry for that.
Again, I go? I just go back to just couldn’t imagine listening to this. I guess I will put this out on a podcast
and we’ll see what people say, and maybe I wanna Mountain as publicly or softap launch it or
something. I don’t know that’s not really true Carter style. I just need this to be a topic you know, not a
topic like I just this needs to be published. The evidence is there if you look into it. I want to continue to
share. More information on these details as best I can. And those in a way that looks at it, spiritually in
holistic Lee and in the fun way that it needs to by keeping in mind that this is a practical world we’re living in we’re also dealing with systems and institutions and we need to keep that credibility and factual hard evidence to show that what these substances doing which have been portrayed so negatively. Actual positive impact. You know when I say that I know without most company confidence that were going to be in a good place now and we’ve had a lot of people can feel this, but we’re
going to be in a great spot because we have proven S and we’re only going to continue as we do
more.
I don’t know you know, I said that we I know exactly who you are, but I would say you know the maps
organization Mass, Canada. People even who are selling magic mushroom gets across the world, you
know what I mean, all of these. People who are shamans and trying to bring this element. Uh. Whatever
you say of spirituality? Back to a more. Functions in this world of course, we need them. We need to
business member need all this stuff that needs to happen to function in this current system.
But we also need to be able to be self-aware and making modifications to that system. How can you do
it? How can you do it effectively? Not too crazy at once. All these things because it’s a difficult world
that we’re navigating through and again, it’s pretty. It’s pretty clear to most people that are not operating
in the best manner, no matter what side you’re on some things going on. So. If people’s Italian are
professional you’re talking about stuff that you shouldn’t be talking about that.
You’re using substances that you should be using? That you know, I’m just not going to take that
and I understand why people would say that to myself or anyone who’s using services and again there
needs to be used safely. That’s why I believe that there should be signs everywhere would just like we
have a therapist for normal depression or treatment or trauma or PTSD.
We need to have. And we need to see what this does because. So many people have seen the positive
parts and we just want. We want to know this technology can be really powerful for isis, humanity as
we do navigate through this. We need it. Just think about it and how much is brought out but climate
change.
All the problems that we’re facing. Both. Biologically, as the world by this cultural. Bruised beaten up
and. And I like that. We are struggling. Right. There are so many people pushing with good ideas and
good leadership, but it’s one of those things. I feel like when they say even know you get into politics
and just get crushed by the system and good people go in and they just spit him out and then. People.
Statistics. We need to empower those people and keep pushing them. The system is too slow that
doesn’t understand how to work those. Work. Why aren’t we able to you know we have amazing
progress and innovation in Fintech and I think that only continues and I can actually even speak at this
from an expert because I’m just not involved enough. In my only use good technology for my business,
but I just not deep into Fintech like a lot of people are. So I can actually speak with the sort authority but
although we’ve had so much innovation.
There’s still so much lack of. Technological infrastructure, but aren’t even that just free with the free trade of
resource is like we talk about the capitalist market, and what we’re in. But then we need to have I agree
there needs to be a resource like is it capless as it needs to be driven by resource or demand right so.
If. If we can see someone you know in this in this circumstance in the system that we’re in.
Doing well in business. We should especially as Canadian or maybe from Weezer, London ON example
or whoever it is. That’s making a push for the good of humanity that in our case. We hope that is, I
guess. Contributing in a practical sense, which could be jobs, which means paying taxes. All these
things that we classically look at his success. We need to be able to push this and continue in as we
look at the race.
Globally, for how this system of tech new technology whether it’s 5G high-speed autonomous car.
All because we have to understand how we can function through this all and it’s a very competitive
spot right now with the powers.
The people in the control of some of these. This power not necessary laps necessarily being the best
ones, and I think we can all. You know pretty quickly put a couple of people into your mind or people, you
don’t want. With this kind of Technology. And so we need to be competitive Canadians. We need to
innovate and adapt in function in this modern economy. But we also need to have security defence.
We need to protect ourselves. And sometimes by taking themselves, you do need to make investments
in. People who there are people who understand so much at a young age. Now the right experience.
Whether that’s technological or just sucking in the data. We have the right people are just incredible.
And seeing that. The collision conference like crazy to see how intelligent some people are at such a
young age, it’s actually ridiculous. So much power. But. That’s happening everywhere and even if you
would say. Objectively, if you look at the Chinese culture for example, while obviously, they have way
more people, but not that they also work hard like the culture is work hard not to stop.
We’ve seen this with, we’ve seen this with I don’t even know how many hours a week that they say.
In what Jack MA endorsed and what we’ve seen over there. Like it’s crazy, that culture how hard they
want to work, how quickly they are innovating. What progress is stuff that we see on the outside the
stuff that we don’t see we’re seeing this stuff with Huawei.
Now I can’t say God is good crazy. Crazy with the security. Kidnapping kidnapping. The holy it’s a
chaotic place right now that we’re dealing with. So I guess it’s 8:45. How many trains which is
surprisingly and ice? So I feel like I should pull it off before that actually happens. This probably been
weird to you, it’s been weird for me, but this is my experience. I’m sharing with you, I don’t care I know
whatever. It’s not that I just like don’t give a shit. I think a lot of people actually feel that way in the world
right now.
How do you do? But it’s time for me to go down. It’s time for us to stop. Just continuing to. Prioritize the
wrong things. All these things that I don’t want to go into approach mode. So obvious is so easy for us,
so many people to see and it’s frustrating when. You and others and can see what’s happening
unfolding and yet for some reason, it’s not coming into place and a lot of times. We talk about how do
you make change? How do we force change quicker we look at protests we look at what’s happening
in France? We look at. When do changes been made. It’s when the pressure of society gets put on it, so
much to people, the citizens who vote who truly do have some control as long as they don’t let bigger
systems take advantage of them or let it get out of their control. When the pressure’s prep. Things
change and maybe not set. Maybe we’re just being too apathetic and we’re not printing in the change
in the passion where we need to maybe we should be.
Maybe I should be in Toronto. Right now at Queens parks with a bunch of people and we should be like
there are. Out there trying to push change, but how do we do this? How can we push continuous
sustained change? Some things can be pushed quickly and some things actually do need to be
slowing down and done practically and you know when you talk about rock and protesting then you
get into riots and then you get into revolution and needs to be controlled and it needs to be sustained
and it needs to be done for the right reason with the right.
Leadership in the right systems like the stuff we’ve seen can get out of control, so much. I was a great.
Piece by honey, I always forget his name but. This is But. Where they talk about? A school that basically
took over next sort of these teachers and help it basically just delved into out of control students,
like torturing teachers, getting out of this and I don’t know how I got deep into this point. But what I’m
saying is when they thought they were doing something good this was during the revolution. And it
turned into something so deep and dark because it was out of control it was not.
Don and even know. Some of the stuff that they were doing with the torture and all this stuff with so
systematic. I don’t know what the police that were put on top. We’re not right. But at the same time that
primal part of us as humans. When put into situations like this, where either. It’s pressure on 2 different
groups or their stress in the world. Even as we’re seeing climate change things like this that we can
push and come to the forefront cause chaos. I understand how to deal with that. So it’s not just want to
talk about it now, I can only talk to so many people in a person every day. And so the system space
that I talked from sometimes I talk from it completely.
Completely sober and. On a Monday afternoon at work. Other times, I sit here on a Friday night and I
just want to talk and I want to think.
Out loud and talk to not just myself but. In this weird way where were plugged into the system and are
connected. Facebook or the comments and messages or conversations become realizes that sub.
Having these talks with myself and sharing them with you. And for anyone who just lessons to
tolerances sense. Holy shit what the hell is going on with his head truly admire. You know every are just
thank you. I appreciate it very much ’cause. It’s quite the roller coaster on an even as I continue to
see more intelligent. People like Dammit. This closing conference. Some of the smartest people. I know,
but still like no one knows what the fuck is going on. It’s hilarious. And, yes, there’s a ton of investors and
companies left systematic processes in place, but Even at you know watch this keynote at a
conference in Toronto or from the guy from Disney ahead of creativity and it’s like his main message to
me was just like innovator die and these companies who have these old systems in place or being
eradicated by like a couple kids. Like in San Francisco not even more anywhere in the world. People are
able to make these changes really quickly, with scrappy teams and amazing scale of technology that’s
both paid and private but also now open source in the systems that we have to manage those
libraries.
Oh my God, the capabilities that we have are just endless right now to disrupt so many things in place.
We have to be so careful. Talk about the structure. We talk about disruptions, it needs to be done. It’s
obvious but man can cause some chaos and so how do we do this? How do we make a better world
and what is a better rub that has to become a discussion as well too? Is it back to that piece where we
look at it scientifically healthy world climate zone.
That’s causing damage or is it when water depletes. This is what happens we lose animals which they
use animals loser environment, which means we actually lose food and healthy food. But we
need to consider these things as well, too, and not just look at it. It is a selfish or primal or tribal way.
Which is a really difficult thing for all of us and I think all of us defence mechanisms are Eagles right
now, it’s really hard to put those down. It’s almost like Game of Thrones, where Johns Jon Snow in Nam
of attacked a village and they rang the Bell. Jon Snow and basically put their swords down. But they got
their swords over there like is this moment? What is this moment? And then they just drop it drop the
swords. That’s where we need to be we need someone to drop the swords down. Right now we’re
getting that Game of Thrones. For the dragon ripping up the city and Jon Snow on his buddies are
slaughtering those guys who had just put down their swords minutes ago it along with an entire city
and truly a metaphor for? What is happening in a way in our world right now? It hurts to be reflecting
ourselves. Quite the fantasyland, but Man, I don’t know if people watch that stuff, with that in there, but
when something so big culture. In one of the biggest cultural thing. It’s wild like so many people are
watching it, you’re feeling better thinking about every day into mountain watching that’s attached to
our world. That’s attached or calls so there’s something there’s significant there’s meaning. When? So
many people are invested so deeply. Series or just culture of talking to people and hearing about it up
ripple just ripping through. People. We’re seeing that with all these things, men. And I hope through
these mechanisms, not even God. It’s through this, I hope that we do CJ so when you watch
handmaid’s tale. I’m pretty sure that’s the thing that got pretty clear like they’re barely not even doing
metaphors right now, it’s just like holy shit. This is this fat guy. And we need to take that seriously that
people were printing, even like people putting energy into that. The money and everything. Yes, they’re
capitalizing on it. Of course, but these people also care what they’re doing their passion at the top of
their game and these are the messages that they’re trying to send us into content that the creating we
have to think about that. I was almost done this happened. I’ve been thinking a lot about his visceral. I
feel it, I feel it from. I am very up in my head and then oftentimes thinking about other things, even
when I’m in the room. But at the same time, my ability to bring myself into the present. Talking to myself
or working out or You know doing Diaries in journaling or whatever it is like I figured out so much stuff in
the last 4 or 5 years to help through that stuff. Ha. Right now. The short term prime line because that’s
what’s been triggered but also still trying to think about the long term and where we want? Far more
not ride with you when I’m trying to do it, honestly and transparently and I hope that everyone does
and I’ve ever seen live on the ability that’s going on.
Who we are? The compassion it weighs. All of us. So that Train. Beautiful place. I hope you feel the same way.