Paleo Fx Co-Founder Keith Norris on Ayahuasca
Paleo FX co-founder Keith Norris is on the Optimal Performance Podcast to discuss ayahuasca, self-exploration & personal development, emotional resiliency and creativity.
Image Courtesy of The Rain Forest Healing Center
First, some background on ayahuasca:
Ayahuasca is a plant-based tea that originated in the upper Amazon region and is used by indigenous tribes and personal development fanatics all over the world to explore the mind, the universe, consciousness and connection.
The main active ingredient is DMT - or dimethyltryptamine - and it has been called the spirit molecule. Our guest Keith is an experienced ayahuasca user and he's taking us on a guided tour of self-exploration and personal development today.
Ayahuasca, as we'll learn from Keith, is a "catch-all" name for a plant based tea that elicits a psychedelic experience by increasing levels of DMT in the brain.
Molecular pharmacology studies have shown that such psychedelics stimulate neurotrophic and transcription factors associated with synaptic plasticity and have a long history of use by humans for their capacity to induce profound modifications in perception, emotion and cognitive processes. [1]
Despite the early assumptions on DMT by the FDA and WHO, both DMT and ayahuasca are being investigated for their "potential role in some other, high level function as an endogenous neuromodulator. Further clinical work may even substantiate its usefulness in therapeutic application, such as an adjunct to psychotherapy, perhaps not by itself, but in a modified form, or in combination with other substances." [2]
**Consider this our disclaimer...Keith and I are not doctors and this is not medical advise. We're both searching for the "more" that we know exists within us and in the universe - and we're sharing our journey with you.**
"Making ourselves better from the inside-out. That's what we're all here to do. - Keith Norris
What you'll hear from Keith Norris in this episode:
- The Peruvian plant for learning...
- DMT, the spirit molecule and connectedness
- What it's like inside the "altered state"
- How the Shaman-led ayahuasca ceremony works
- WHO should be interested in an ayahuasca experience?
- Why take this journey inward?
- "I knew there was something more..."
- Why a good Shaman is crucial to maximizing your ayahuasca experience
- It's LEGAL...(at least for now)
- How ayahuasca has helped Keith as a coach, entrepreneur, and person
- Turning off your internal editor during the creative process
- Comparing ayahuasca to meditation & floating and how to use them all as tools in your self-exploration toolbox
- What is the ARXFit training system?
- Why auto-regulation is key
- How Keith is preparing for his upcoming ayahuasca ceremony
- Keith's Top 3 Tips to #liveoptimal
- Where to find more of Keith Norris
"We all have blind spots. It's about identifying them and working on them." - Keith Norris
Links & Resources
Resources:
- Bouso JC. “Long-term use of psychedelic drugs is associated with differences in brain structure and personality in humans”. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2015 Jan 31;.
-
Szára S. “DMT at fifty”. Neuropsychopharmacology. Hung. 2007 Dec 30;9(4):201-5.
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Have a question? A comment? Drop yours below in the comments.
