Psychedelics and Martial Arts: A Perfect Union?
There is an important convergence happening and it’s between two unlikely disciplines.
Psychedelics and martial arts continue to close in on one another. From afar, these two worlds might seem radically different and very much unrelated. What do psychedelics and martial arts possibly have in common?
Turns out, a lot! If you move in closer, you will see that psychedelic medicine and martial arts not only share rich similarities, but they also compliment one another when practiced in combination. Together, they provide a powerful experience for growth, healing, and transformation. In many ways, they are a perfect union.
Martial arts have long been a part of human history. Look no further than the practices of Karate, Jiu-Jitsu, and Muay Thai and you will find deep cultural histories that go back centuries. Many of these practices are synonymous with the cultures and regions from which they emerged.
With the modern evolution of “mixed-martial arts,” a discipline in which practitioners learn and master many different martial arts in combination, there is now somewhat of a martial arts renaissance. Martial arts disciplines are being studied, merged, and combined to make a more robust expression.
Psychedelics are very similar. There is a long history of psychedelics being used ceremonially and recreationally around the world. It is borderline impossible to remove psychedelics from the origin story of many cultures. More recently, psychedelic medicines have also had somewhat of a renaissance. Similar to mixed martial arts, the psychedelic medicine revolution has provided a space for different modalities and philosophies to merge and come together.
From this view, both martial arts and psychedelics are at a similar junction. The different paths and modalities of expression are converging, creating a new space for creativity.But this is not the only similarity they share. Both practices are inherently paths of growth and self development.
If you examine the history and modern expressions of martial arts, you find that the practices are much more than just a physical discipline; it is a mind and body training. Martial arts have an incredible ability to take us to the roots of our being. Considering these practices are stemmed from the basis of survival, it is common for a martial arts practicioner to come face to face with their fears, insecutiries, and psychological defenses. From this point, we are hopefully in the hands of trainers and teachers who can help guide and support us through the process. As we grow and develop in the art, we are rewarded with deep personal growth. A long-term martial artist is often developed with patience, diligence, confidence, power, and humility. The goal of many martial arts is not only to be a competitor, but to become a fully aligned human being with great potential for power and grace.
Psychedelics are very similar. Like martial arts, they expose us. They take us to the roots. One main reason psychedelic therapy is so powerful is because it reaches beyond our basic psychological structure and gets to the deeper cores of our development. Like martial arts, these roots are often associated with another kind of survival – social and emotional survival. When held and supported by a teacher or guide, we can explore and reconstruct the very fabric of our being. Much like the martial arts, a goal of psychedelic therapy is to become a fully aligned human being with great potential for power and grace.
These two worlds have a lot more in common than we think. And they make excellent dance partners.
From my view as a therapist, these two worlds greatly support one another. An individual who is constantly pushing and challenging themselves in the martial arts arena will be primed and ready for powerful psychedelic medicine work. They will often know the map and blueprint of their mind, because they are in constant confrontation with themselves. As an individual progresses in their martial arts path, they are continually being asked to grow, shift, and learn. This spirit of awareness and intrapersonal challenge makes one an ideal candidate for psychedelic medicine work.
Likewise, an individual who is pursuing psychedelic medicine will likely be primed and ready for some form of martial arts training. Psychedelics provide an opportunity to come into deep contact with our bodies, instincts, and impulses. There is often an inspiration that develops within the psychedelic space to move, explore, and find avenues to express these parts of ourselves. Martial arts may serve as a perfect canvas to paint these new parts of ourselves and increase our feelings of confidence and competence.
A perfect union, indeed.
Psychedelics and martial arts are having their day. Whether it be the similar roots in culture, or their inherent ability to connect us to our roots, both psychedelics and martial arts are paths of growth and healing. In many ways, this is just the tip of the iceberg, as psychedelics are proving to also be effective and helpful in healing journey related to martial arts. Most notably, some psychedelics are being explored as medicine to relive symptoms of TBI. There is also a cultural movement towards psychedelic therapy and psychedelic use to improve performance. The future is wide open for these two disciplines, and as both become more widely accepted and practiced in the mainstream, practitioners of either discipline have a lot to look forward to.
