Towards Right Relationship and Reciprocity in Psychedelic Spaces
The recent surge of psychedelic research and exploration in the Western world has sparked significant concerns amongst Indigenous Nations, organizations, and individuals interested in cultivating right relationship for plants and people.
Some ethical concerns include:
cultural appropriation
insufficient acknowledgment of the sacredness of psychedelic medicines within their cultures
exclusion of indigenous peoples from research processes
access issues for treatment
exploitation and extraction of natural resources, ecosystems and communities
imbalanced benefit sharing
the patenting of traditional knowledge
This situation has heightened the call for more inclusive, respectful, and culturally aware practices in the psychedelic field.
In this blog, we’ll explore the concept of right relationship, reciprocity, and benefit sharing. We’ll look into ethical issues in the psychedelic field, and provide resources to begin to address the balance.
What is right relationship?
“Right Relationship” refers to how we interact with the other beings of our world - people, plants, animals, cultures, and ecosystems.
Many potent plant medicines are accessible today due to the longstanding cooperative efforts between Indigenous peoples and the natural world. These communities have meticulously gathered and passed down knowledge through generations, formulating specific practices and relationships with these medicines.
“Comprising less than 5% of the Global population, Indigenous Peoples protect 80% of the World’s Biodiversity’ (National Geographic.)
“Currently the relationship is out of balance with Indigenous stewards of these medicines, through colonization and the extraction of medicines and knowledge,” (ICEERS) (Etheridge Foundation.)
Some current issues in the Psychedelic Space:
Inequitable sharing of resources
Research shows that while the psychedelic industry may evolve into a multibillion-dollar sector, the economic and health benefits for Indigenous communities have been minimal. Indigenous practitioners often receive far less compensation compared to their Western counterparts, with earnings ranging dramatically from as little as $2 to $150 per service, in contrast to Western practitioners who can earn an average of $10,500 per event (Natividad, 2023).
Lack of Indigenous Voice
Additionally, there is a stark absence of Indigenous leadership and voices in the Western psychedelic movement, where their involvement is often symbolic rather than substantive. This oversight extends to the lack of benefit sharing and the patenting of traditional medicines, which further alienates Indigenous people from resources derived from their ancestral knowledge (Celidwen et al, 2022.)
Displacement of Wisdom Keepers
Retreat centers using Indigenous Shamans and Wisdom Keepers for ceremonies will often have relocated them from their homes and communities, where they may be needed as part of the local medicine system. Many people will want to sit in ceremony with an ‘Authentic’ Wisdom Keeper, but may not consider the community cost this comes with. In addition to sometimes flying across the globe to embark on psychedelic journeys, we must consider the sustainability of our choices and whether we are truly acting with reverence for the planet as a whole.
Extraction of Resources
Historically, Western relationship to natural resources has been extractive. As demand for psychedelic medicines rises dramatically, there is a growing pressure on communities, ecosystems, plants and animals to meet the growing need. Though indigenous peoples bear many of the costs associated with this extraction, they receive far less of the derived benefits.
Access to psychedelic services and training programmes
In the West, Psychedelic Assisted Therapy, and Training Programs for those wishing to support, can only be afforded by some members of society, leaving access issues for other communities that could really benefit. There is a stark imbalance in who is doing research, making policy, offering services and affording treatment.
Moving towards right relationship
A collective of Indigenous thought leaders identified eight interconnected ethical principles to inform Psychedelic Research and Practice, including: Reverence, Respect, Responsibility, Relevance, Regulation, Reparation, Restoration, and Reconciliation.
Find the brilliant paper here.
We can also move towards right relationship through solidarity, benefit sharing, and reciprocity.
Benefit Sharing in the Psychedelic Space
An example of benefit sharing is where companies utilizing indigenous knowledge and medicines structurally share some of their revenue with the people and places where those things originated. This is not only ethical, but also legal, according to the Nagoya Protocol, an international agreement on the use of genetic resources.
Blessings of the Forest is an organization that supports benefit sharing from Iboga for the people of Gabon, honoring their resources and ancestral knowledge.
Solidarity in the Psychedelic Space
Expressions of solidarity can include personal contributions of financial or resource support. It's essential to understand that solidarity transcends simple charity—it is an acknowledgment of our deep connection and responsibility towards the people, plants, and ecosystems that serve as custodians and guides regarding natural resources and cultural heritage.
Solidarity means supporting people on their terms. It requires listening first, and then providing support in a way that is consensual and actually being requested. The Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund is a good example of this, supporting 5 key medicines (Ayahuasca, Iboga, Psilocybin, Peyote, Toad) and working directly with their related Indigenous communities to thrive.
Improving Access in Psychedelic Spaces
Awake in the Dream School is thrilled to announce that we can now accept donations to empower individuals in funding their psychedelic preparation and integration training. We believe finances should not be a barrier to access training. Improving access for diverse communities will improve the fair spread of knowledge and healing, in a moment where one in eight people globally are living with a mental health difficulty (World Health Organization, 2022). Opening access by donating a little, or a lot, can support the education of diverse practitioners and open avenues for talented, less financially resourced individuals and communities. Donations are tax deductible, meaning you benefit emotionally, financially, and spiritually from the exchange.
Overall
By fostering an environment where reciprocity, benefit sharing, and solidarity are prioritized, the psychedelic space can grow in a way that is respectful, ethical, and sustainable, ensuring that all parties involved are acknowledged and compensated fairly for their contributions.
How to support this moment…
If you believe in fair access and would like to support someone’s education, you can now donate a small or large amount here. Your money will help support an individual through their learning journey without negatively impacting Awake in the Dream school, so we can all continue to do the work we came here to do.
Support other reciprocity initiatives:
Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative
Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund
Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative of the Americas - Chacruna Institute
Related Articles:
ARC: a framework for access, reciprocity and conduct in psychedelic therapies
