As we progress through life, it is common for our ways of thinking to become more “hard-wired” over time. We become lazy or “efficient” in our cognition, and our response to stimuli from the world becomes more automatic, almost pre-determined. It can be useful to think about that friend or family member who has become so rigid in their ways of thinking, that you already know how they will respond to some piece of news or information.
Like it or not, this hardwiring, or loss in neuroplasticity is happening to the majority, and research has shown that the strength of our Default Mode Network (DMN) plays a crucial role. Given the amount of stimulus and the complexity of the world, our DMN simplifies and automates our response to what our brains come to consider as an overwhelming amount of information. In a positive light, this can be seen as necessary and energy-efficient. However, this can also be considered as loss of human consciousness and potential.
When we work with plant medicine, the activity in our DMN is temporarily dampened, and we are provided unprecedented access to our own cognition. We experience a sort of reconciliation between the respective components of our brain. fMRI scans have shown that under the influence of plant medicine, the neurology of an individual looks similar to a practiced monk who has meditated for 20,000+ hours.In a sense, plant medicine opens a door and lights a path to improved and expanded states of consciousness that can be made available for all.
Through even a temporary experience in these states supported by plant medicine, people typically see and feel how they can make improvements to their own lives. Additionally, it is quite common for people to take up contemplative practices (mindfulness, meditation) to experience the benefits in a more sustainable fashion.