Azalea's Journey: 3 Questions
A Mazatec-trained mushroom guide reflects on studying and sharing the heart-opening magic of psilocybin and cacao
For this month’s reader profile, I’m excited to introduce you to Azalea.
With indigenous roots in the Americas, the Bahamas, and Mexico, Azalea Kemp considers herself una niña de Madre Tierra (a child of Mother Earth). Mushrooms have offered Azalea healing from treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, anorexia, and anxiety.
Trained to work as a psychedelic mushroom guide under a Mazatec lineage in Huautla de Jiménez, Oaxaca, México, she’s passionate about sharing this medicine and leading people to their own healing paths.
You’ve studied with indigenous Mazatec healers in Mexico. What led you to the Mexican mushroom traditions?
Needless to say, I found tremendous healing from psilocybin mushrooms. From my very first journey with this medicine, I felt strongly called to explore a shamanic path with mushrooms specifically. It was during an Ayahuasca experience that the call to follow a shamanic path with mushrooms became clearer and louder. I spoke to the shamans and facilitators at my retreat center and they connected me with a Mazatec mushroom curandera in Huautla de Jimenez, Oaxaca, Mexico - the town where psilocybin mushroom ceremonies originated from!
I had no idea that the mushroom traditions came from Mexico at the time. This powerful calling from the medicine truly came from within, as I am Mexican. My Mexican family abandoned most of their indigenous traditions when they came to America. Through this medicine path, I’ve been able to tap into the forgotten ancestral wisdom of my family. I feel honored to have been given the opportunity to reintroduce these ancient traditions into my lineage.
What are some shifts you’ve observed in yourself and others from working with psilocybin?
I’ve observed myself and others shift from getting lost in the mind to finding Truth in the heart. Mushrooms, spiritually, are considered a heart-opening medicine. They blast the heart open so that you almost have no choice but to listen to the wisdom that is already inside of you, inside of your heart.
The mind is helpful, but it’s easy to get lost in unhealthy thought patterns. When we reconnect to the heart, our own intuition helps us form healthier and more beneficial thought patterns that serve our higher state of being. When human beings connect to their hearts authentically and lead their mind from a space of love, incredible things happen. Honestly, magic happens.
What practices have you found most helpful in your integration?
I’ve found Cacao very helpful to psychedelic integration. Cacao is not a psychedelic, but it’s a euphoric heart-opener. Traditionally, it’s also a plant teacher. In fact, in Mexico, we typically take Cacao with psilocybin mushrooms in ceremony because the spirits of these plants work together.
I like to drink a cup of ceremonial-grade Cacao before a yoga flow or a meditation. When you create a relationship with the medicine of Cacao and blow an intention into your cup before consuming it, Cacao will help you explore your inner wisdom. It helps me revisit and explore lessons from my psychedelic experiences.
If you feel called to begin a relationship with Cacao, I invite you to share a moment of gratitude to Mother Earth, Mother Nature, The Spirit of Love, and the Aztecs before you drink each cup. And, of course, always save a little Cacao at the bottom of your cup to give back to the land.
Azalea Kemp provides people with microdose guidance, integration services, and plant medicine content. She also wrote a book about microdosing mushrooms and publishes a weekly psychedelic newsletter.
Inspired to share your own journey? Reply to this e-mail if you’re interested. I’m always keen to feature readers.