This concept guides the work we do at Medicinal Mindfulness. It helps ground us, and reminds us of our practice. It creates a solid structure for us to practice within, both a “ship” that allows us to travel through new possibilities, as well as a “crucible” that helps transform us in our healing process. 

In many traditions, the West represents the subconscious, the unconscious, the emotions, and diving deep into our psyches. On our circle, the West represents the Psychological: the clinical work we do. It’s the healing work, it’s trauma resolution, it’s depth and meaning and soul work. 

The North often represents the wisdom that comes from experience, and the intellect of the rational mind. In our practice, we acknowledge the important role of scientific inquiry and discovery, and the best practices created from existing psychedelic research that so many before us have dedicated their lives to. We base our programs on research models that we know work. This direction also represents using discernment as we explore new possibilities. 

The East often represents our connection to Spirit and to community. At Medicinal Mindfulness, these ideas — spirituality, prayer, community — are always part of our practice. We see no need to separate the spiritual, the ceremonial, the sacred, from the rest of our work. It wouldn’t feel complete. Many people come to us seeking psychological care, but realize during their time with us that what was really missing from their lives was connection to Spirit. 

The South, symbolic of  embodiment, creativity and play, represents the importance of aesthetics and our body’s natural intelligence. Curiosity, self expression, art, music and our body’s natural healing intelligence are all centrally important to our transformational process. 

Each of these directions and aspects of healing are part of the medicine space that we create at our center; they are also embedded in every program we offer.

 I’ve described the horizontal directions, but there is also the vertical axis, the transpersonal dimensions of this work. The above: the sky, the universe, the cosmos, the sacred, transcendent and our future possibilities. And below: the Earth, honoring the sacredness of the physical, the manifest, the abundant, as well as our ancestors and our past. We’re all part of the Earth and we come from the Earth. Working in a way that’s aligned with the planet is part of everything we do at our Center. 

And then there is the center of the circle, the still point within, the reflection of all that is inside each of us. It’s the sacred place within ourselves that makes us who we are — the spark of genius, of soul, that belongs uniquely to you. It’s our hope and our mission at the Center for Medicinal Mindfulness to help that spark, that light, shine as brightly as it can within each of you as empowered and self-actualized human beings.