Colorado Psychedelic Church Podcast

Colorado Psychedelic Church
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Spirituality
  • Updated Weekly

The Colorado Psychedelic Church Podcast exists to strengthen and deepen our community ... and to offer an honest window into who we are. Founded by Teopixqui Dez and guided by a growing circle of clergy, our church is committed to the sacrament as a sacred responsibility and to community as the heart of spiritual life. Through sermons, conversations with clergy, and personal stories from members, we explore theology, ethics, integration, humility, and what it means to build a welcoming spiritual community in Colorado today. You'll hear from people of different ages, backgrounds, and walks of life ... sharing their experiences in their own words. Many guests are identified by first name only to honor privacy and personal boundaries. We believe spiritual growth happens best in environments that are transparent, accountable, and grounded in mutual respect. For our members, this podcast is about connection and continued formation. For those considering joining, it's a clear and thoughtful look at our leadership, values, and rhythms of community life. For the spiritually curious, it's an invitation to listen, discern, and see if this feels like home. This is not about spectacle. It's about belonging. Because spiritual growth doesn't happen in isolation… it happens in community.

  1. 6d ago

    Sermon: What Makes Someone Evil? Faith, Morality & Human Nature

    What separates someone who does something bad from someone who is genuinely evil? And are people born capable of evil, or do they become that way? Continuing the Colorado Psychedelic Church's October tradition of exploring life's darker and more uncomfortable questions, Teopixqui Dez examines the nature of evil, morality, and human behavior. From everyday acts of selfishness to deliberate cruelty and some of history's greatest atrocities, Dez challenges the congregation to consider where bad behavior ends and evil begins. Drawing on his experiences working in mental health, Dez explores the complicated relationship between harmful intentions, psychological conditions, and personal responsibility. He also considers why we so often describe people who commit terrible acts as monsters, distancing ourselves from the uncomfortable reality that ordinary human beings are capable of extraordinary cruelty. Rather than offering easy answers, Dez invites listeners to examine their own moral compass. Is evil something innate, something learned, or the result of circumstances and choices? Can someone be capable of love and kindness while also committing terrible acts? And what responsibility do we have to continue doing good in a world where others knowingly cause harm? Sometimes strengthening our faith means asking questions that don't have comfortable answers. Timeline & Topics The supplied transcript doesn't include timestamps, so the following sections are presented in order rather than with estimated timecodes. Opening — Continuing October's Uncomfortable Conversations Dez revisits the previous sermon about hopelessness before introducing this week's question: What is evil? Defining Evil: Is Being Bad the Same as Being Evil? Exploring the distinction between harmful behavior, selfishness, deliberate cruelty, and genuine malice. Is There Such a Thing as Universal Evil? How different cultures, religious traditions, and individual moral frameworks shape our understanding of right and wrong. Mental Health, Intent & Moral Responsibility Dez shares an unsettling experience from his work in mental health and asks whether someone who lacks ordinary moral reasoning can be considered evil. Does Anyone Believe They're the Villain? Why people who cause tremendous harm may nevertheless see themselves as justified or even righteous. The Human Face of Evil Examining why we call perpetrators of atrocities monsters—and what we risk overlooking when we forget they're human. Is Evil Born or Learned? Dez challenges the congregation to consider whether evil is innate, acquired through experience, or shaped by individual choices. Continuing the Conversation The congregation is invited to explore these questions further with Bjorn and Thaumaturgist Julian. Community Announcements & Upcoming Events Dez announces Bjorn's clergy training and encourages congregants to participate in the church's upcoming Blunts & Ballots educational gathering. A Note About the Breakout Conversations Following the sermon, members of the congregation were invited into smaller discussion groups to explore their personal understandings of evil, morality, and human nature. These conversations are not included in this podcast recording. If these questions challenge you or spark your curiosity, we encourage you to join us in person. The Colorado Psychedelic Church is more than a place to listen to sermons. It's a community where people can explore difficult questions, share different perspectives, and strengthen their understanding of faith together. About the Colorado Psychedelic Church The Colorado Psychedelic Church is a community centered on healing, connection, PACK Life, personal growth, and the intentional use of psychedelic sacraments. Through sermons, education, community gatherings, and shared revelry, the church creates space to explore spirituality, build authentic relationships, and grow together. You don't have to use psychedelics to belong. Contact Us Learn more at: ColoradoPsychedelicChurch.com Colorado Psychedelic Church 5028 North Academy Boulevard Colorado Springs, CO 80918

  2. Oct 13

    Sermon: Why Keep Fighting? Finding Hope in a Broken World

    What's the point of doing good when bad things just keep happening? It's a question many of us have asked, especially when the world feels overwhelming and our own struggles seem never-ending. As the Colorado Psychedelic Church begins its October tradition of exploring some of life's darker and more uncomfortable subjects, Teopixqui Dez confronts hopelessness and the challenge of continuing to do good when circumstances seem determined to knock us down. Drawing from Albert Camus and the Greek myth of Sisyphus—the man condemned to push a boulder uphill for eternity—Dez explores how finding purpose in the struggle itself can change our relationship with suffering, setbacks, and uncertainty. Through reflections on depression, the Buddhist story of Chenrezig, and the strength found in community, Dez challenges us to recognize that perseverance isn't about preventing every hardship or fixing everything that's broken. It's about continuing to love, help, and build something meaningful despite knowing that difficulties will come again. And when the weight becomes too much for one person to carry, community reminds us that we don't have to carry it alone. Timeline & Topics The transcript contains a time marker at 11:07 but does not provide timecodes for the remaining sections. The timestamps below are approximate. 00:02 — Community Updates & Winter Plans Upcoming changes to church events, winter scheduling, holiday celebrations, and opportunities for congregants to help lead community activities. 06:00 — Why Keep Doing Good? A conversation with a struggling congregant raises the central question: What's the point of doing good when bad things keep happening? 09:00 — Sisyphus & the Endless Struggle Dez introduces Albert Camus's interpretation of Sisyphus and the idea that we can find meaning even in seemingly endless struggles. 12:00 — Finding Balance in a Broken World Why our actions matter even when we cannot prevent the harm, selfishness, and suffering caused by others. 15:00 — Depression & the Fear of Hardship Returning Recognizing how the anticipation of another difficult day can rob us of the joy we're experiencing right now. 18:00 — Community as an Answer to Hopelessness How love, connection, and mutual support help us carry burdens that might otherwise feel impossible. 21:00 — Chenrezig: When Compassion Meets Despair A Buddhist story about confronting seemingly endless suffering and discovering that perseverance sometimes requires transformation. 24:00 — Becoming Stronger Through the Struggle Dez reflects on the growth he's witnessed within the congregation and encourages members to recognize their own resilience. About the Colorado Psychedelic Church The Colorado Psychedelic Church is a community centered on healing, connection, PACK Life, personal growth, and the intentional use of psychedelic sacraments. Through sermons, education, community gatherings, and shared revelry, the church creates space to explore spirituality, build authentic relationships, and grow together. You don't have to use psychedelics to belong. Contact Us Learn more at: ColoradoPsychedelicChurch.com Colorado Psychedelic Church 5028 North Academy Boulevard Colorado Springs, CO 80918

  3. Oct 6

    Sermon: Finding Your Pack-The Power of Community

    What happens when you finally find a community where you feel safe, accepted and genuinely loved? With Teopixqui Dez unable to attend, Oracle Richard steps in to revisit the Colorado Psychedelic Church's Three Universal Truths: Revere the Self, Embrace the Communal Experience and The Universe Provides. He explores how the universe speaks to each of us differently and why opening ourselves to unfamiliar perspectives can strengthen our understanding of spirituality. The conversation then turns to Embrace the Communal Experience, led by Threadkeeper Sara and Bahn Fasa Maya. Sara shares how the encouragement of her church community helped her overcome anxiety about returning to work after nine years as a stay-at-home parent. Maya reflects on discovering the importance of genuine human connection after years of limited social interaction. What follows is a heartfelt collection of stories from congregants who arrived carrying loneliness, anxiety, depression, religious baggage or uncertainty about belonging. Some came looking for psychedelic experiences and discovered something they never expected: a community of people who genuinely care about one another. As one congregant beautifully puts it, "I have been for years now searching for my tribe. And instead, I found a pack." Timeline & Topics 00:02 — Revisiting the Three Universal Truths Oracle Richard introduces the evening's discussions and reflects on the foundations of the church's communal faith. 02:00 — The Universe Provides Why the universe doesn't necessarily give us what we want, but may provide answers through unexpected people, experiences and perspectives. 06:24 — Embracing the Communal Experience Threadkeeper Sara shares how the support of the congregation helped her find the confidence to return to work. 10:42 — Finding Community When You're Used to Being Alone Bahn Fasa Maya reflects on discovering the church, attending lounge nights and realizing how much she needed meaningful human connection. 13:10 — Creating a Safe Place for One Another Congregants share personal experiences of anxiety, emotional struggles and finding people who offer genuine support. 14:30 — Expecting a Mushroom Cult, Finding a Church One congregant humorously recalls arriving with completely different expectations—and discovering a community worth returning to. 18:56 — Finding Home Without Judgment A newer member describes learning how to participate in a community that allows people to be themselves. 21:00 — Searching for a Tribe, Finding a Pack A congregant shares the challenges of social anxiety, childhood experiences and the unexpected sense of belonging found at the church. 24:28 — More Than Psychedelics A member who travels from Golden, Colorado, explains why finding community has become important to him and his family. 28:30 — Look What We've Built Together Threadkeeper Sara closes with an emotional reflection on the love, acceptance and connections the congregation has created. About the Colorado Psychedelic Church The Colorado Psychedelic Church is a community centered on healing, connection, PACK Life, personal growth and the intentional use of psychedelic sacraments. Through sermons, education, community gatherings and shared revelry, the church creates space to explore spirituality, build authentic relationships and grow together. You don't have to use psychedelics to belong. Contact Us Learn more... ColoradoPsychedelicChurch.com Colorado Psychedelic Church 5028 North Academy Boulevard Colorado Springs, CO 80918

  4. Sep 29

    Sermon: What Happens After We Die? Faith, the Soul & the Unknown

    What happens when the body fails—and what, if anything, comes next? Teopixqui Dez explores one of the biggest questions humans have wrestled with throughout history, while making something clear from the beginning: he doesn't have the answer, and he doesn't believe anyone else can claim with certainty that they do. Before turning to death and the afterlife, Dez asks why the universe seems to speak differently to different people. Why might one person find truth in Christianity while another finds it through Buddhism, Judaism, paganism, psychedelics, science or something else entirely? Rather than viewing those differences as a problem, Dez considers whether they might actually give us opportunities to learn from one another and strengthen our own spirituality. Dez then shares his personal understanding of an "ethereal sea"—the idea that the soul or energy that makes us who we are eventually returns to something larger than ourselves. But rather than asking the congregation to accept his belief, he challenges everyone to listen to someone whose understanding of death is different from their own. When we question our faith, we strengthen it. Timeline & Topics 00:01 — Community, Faith & the World Around Us Dez opens with reflections on community, civic engagement and what it means for a faith centered on people to engage with issues affecting people. 11:00 — Why Does the Universe Speak to Us Differently? Why spirituality may look completely different from one person to another—and why those differences may actually help us grow. 16:00 — What Is Reality? Using perception, color and even food as metaphors, Dez explores how our individual experiences shape what we understand to be true. 20:00 — What Happens When the Body Fails? Death, near-death experiences, science, spirituality and the limits of what any of us can truly know. 24:00 — The Ethereal Sea Dez shares his personal understanding of the soul returning to a larger whole—and why some people can feel strangely familiar from the moment we meet them. 28:00 — Questioning Our Faith The congregation is challenged to hear someone else's understanding of death and the afterlife and seriously consider how that perspective might change the way they live. A Note About the Breakout Conversations Following the sermon, the congregation broke into smaller groups with Colorado Psychedelic Church clergy to explore different beliefs about death, the soul, reincarnation, the afterlife and the unknown. Unfortunately, the breakout conversations weren't captured clearly enough to include in the podcast. These conversations are also part of what makes experiencing Colorado Psychedelic Church in person different from simply listening afterward. If these questions resonate with you, we encourage you to join us in person, meet the clergy and congregation, and become part of the conversation yourself. About the Colorado Psychedelic Church The Colorado Psychedelic Church is a community centered on healing, connection, PACK Life, personal growth and the intentional use of psychedelic sacraments. Through sermons, education, community gatherings and shared revelry, the church creates space to explore spirituality, build authentic relationships and grow together. You don't have to use psychedelics to belong. Contact Us Learn more... ColoradoPsychedelicChurch.com Colorado Psychedelic Church 5028 North Academy Boulevard Colorado Springs, CO 80918

  5. Sep 22

    Sermon: What Is Legal vs. What Is Right?

    What happens when what's legal and what's right aren't necessarily the same thing? Teopixqui Dez examines that question through the Colorado Psychedelic Church's approach to psychedelic sacrament, religious freedom and the responsibility of church leadership to protect both access and the community itself. From questions surrounding synthesized 5-MeO-DMT and Colorado's psychedelic laws to cannabis and the First Amendment, Dez explains why the church continually weighs legality, ethics, safety, autonomy and sincere religious practice. He also discusses why sacrament can be taken home, why donations aren't mandatory, and why transparency and relationships with local authorities matter as the church prepares for potential legal challenges. Ultimately, Dez turns the question back to the congregation: How important is your faith to you? What would it take for someone else—a government agency, politician, critic or anyone else—to convince you to abandon something you've sincerely come to believe? His challenge is to build a faith capable of growing and changing while remaining firmly rooted in the spiritual foundation you've discovered for yourself. Timeline & Topics 00:01 — Church & Sacrament Updates Updates on Amanita, Matosin, 5-MAPB and changes being considered for sacramental DMT. 05:00 — What Is Legal vs. What Is Right? Dez introduces the central question through Colorado's psychedelic laws and the ethics surrounding 5-MeO-DMT. 10:00 — Religious Freedom & the First Amendment Why Dez views psychedelic sacrament as sincere religious practice rather than recreational drug use. 17:00 — Meaningful Access to Sacrament Balancing legal considerations with autonomy, at-home spiritual practice, donations and access regardless of financial circumstances. 23:00 — Protecting the Community Liability agreements, transparency, law enforcement and preparing the church for increased scrutiny as it grows. 27:00 — Is Every Sacrament Equally Sacred? Dez wrestles with what it would mean to stop offering one sacrament because of legal pressure while continuing to defend others. 31:00 — How Firm Is the Foundation of Your Faith? The week's challenge: What would it take for you to abandon something you sincerely believe? 35:00 — Access, Community & the Fight Ahead Making sacrament more accessible, preparing for future challenges and recognizing why the community is worth protecting. About the Colorado Psychedelic Church The Colorado Psychedelic Church is a community centered on healing, connection, PACK Life, personal growth and the intentional use of psychedelic sacraments. Through sermons, education, community gatherings and shared revelry, the church creates space to explore spirituality, build authentic relationships and grow together. You don't have to use psychedelics to belong. Contact Us Learn more... ColoradoPsychedelicChurch.com Colorado Psychedelic Church 5028 North Academy Boulevard Colorado Springs, CO 80918

  6. Sep 15

    Sermon: Faith Is Personal, Religion Is Communal

    What makes a faith truly communal? Teopixqui Dez continues the church's month of questions by exploring the relationship between personal spirituality and shared religion. Rather than asking people to arrive empty and adopt someone else's beliefs, Dez describes the Colorado Psychedelic Church as a place where each person brings their own experiences, spirituality and understanding of the universe—and contributes them to the Divine Us. Dez also addresses why sacrament can be sacred without being required, the importance of human connection, and what happens when relationships experience friction as people grow. Instead of automatically severing relationships when conflict appears, he encourages discernment, boundaries, accountability and, when possible, grace. He closes by inviting the congregation to help shape the next edition of the Book of PACK Life so the church's religious text continues to reflect the community that created it. Following the sermon, Thaumaturgist Julian leads an extended conversation about his understanding of 5-MeO-DMT, how he distinguishes it from N,N-DMT, the spiritual experiences he associates with it, and why he believes psychedelic sacraments should ultimately be viewed as tools rather than the destination itself. His comments reflect his own experiences, beliefs and understanding of these substances. Timeline & Topics 00:01 — Building a Living Faith The Book of PACK Life, the next edition, and why the congregation has a role in shaping the church's evolving religious text. 07:00 — Sacrament, Intention & Autonomy Church updates and Dez's approach to allowing members to experience sacrament in ways that respect personal autonomy and spiritual intention. 12:00 — Faith Is Personal, Religion Is Communal Why members bring their spirituality into the community rather than relying on religion to make them whole. 19:00 — Is Sacrament Necessary? Why psychedelic sacrament can be sacred without being required—and why human connection remains central to the church's faith. 25:00 — Relationships, Boundaries & Growth Navigating friction, recognizing harmful relationships and distinguishing disagreement from relationships that no longer serve us. 34:00 — Grace, Accountability & Community Dez reflects on a difficult encounter at the church and why the community seeks to balance safety and accountability with compassion. 40:22 — Thaumaturgist Julian: Understanding 5-MeO-DMT Julian discusses his experiences and beliefs surrounding 5-MeO-DMT, N,N-DMT, ego dissolution, preparation, spiritual experiences and psychedelic integration. 1:09:00 — Psychedelics as a Tool, Not the Destination Julian explains why he views psychedelics as a glimpse of what's possible rather than enlightenment itself—and why the work beyond the psychedelic experience matters. About the Colorado Psychedelic Church The Colorado Psychedelic Church is a community centered on healing, connection, PACK Life, personal growth and the intentional use of psychedelic sacraments. Through sermons, education, community gatherings and shared revelry, the church creates space to explore spirituality, build authentic relationships and grow together. You don't have to use psychedelics to belong. Contact Us Learn more... ColoradoPsychedelicChurch.com Colorado Psychedelic Church 5028 North Academy Boulevard Colorado Springs, CO 80918

  7. Sep 8

    Sermon: The Universe Provides-Faith, Autonomy & Taking Action

    What does it actually mean to call the Colorado Psychedelic Church a church? And when one of its Universal Truths says "The Universe Provides," how is that different from simply believing everything will somehow be taken care of for you? Teopixqui Dez explores those questions while reflecting on how his own psychedelic experiences transformed him from someone deeply skeptical of faith into someone who believes he has experienced something beyond the physical. For Dez, church isn't about doctrine, certainty or someone else's agenda. It's what happens when people intentionally gather to explore spirituality, community and the things they don't completely understand. That leads into a deeper examination of The Universe Provides. Dez rejects the idea that faith makes us passengers in our own lives. Instead, he describes the universe as providing tools, people, opportunities and pathways while leaving us with the responsibility—and autonomy—to choose what we do with them. We aren't NPCs following a predetermined script. We're active participants in our own lives and in the Divine Us we create together. Timeline & Topics 00:01 — Community Updates & New Sacraments Updates on 5-MAPB, blue honey, mushroom sacrament and new social activities within the growing church community. 09:00 — A Month of Questions About Our Faith Dez introduces a month focused on the Book of PACK Life and asks congregants to read or listen to it and bring their questions to the clergy. 14:00 — Why Are We a Church? Why Dez believes spirituality without agenda can still be church—and how his own psychedelic experiences fundamentally changed his relationship with faith. 21:00 — Faith & the Impossible From skepticism to spirituality: what happens when personal experience challenges what you previously believed was possible? 25:00 — Understanding "The Universe Provides" Why this Universal Truth isn't intended to mean sitting back and waiting for life—or God—to solve your problems. 31:00 — Faith, Religious Baggage & Christianity Dez discusses his experiences with weaponized religion and distinguishes those experiences from what he believes the teachings and example of Christ can represent. 39:00 — You Are Not a Passenger The universe may provide tools and pathways, but you retain choice, autonomy and responsibility for what happens next. 43:00 — What Do the Universal Truths Mean to You? The congregation breaks into discussions with clergy to explore Revere the Self, Embrace the Communal Experience and The Universe Provides. About the Colorado Psychedelic Church The Colorado Psychedelic Church is a community centered on healing, connection, PACK Life, personal growth and the intentional use of psychedelic sacraments. Through sermons, education, community gatherings and shared revelry, the church creates space to explore spirituality, build authentic relationships and grow together. You don't have to use psychedelics to belong. Contact Us Learn more... ColoradoPsychedelicChurch.com Colorado Psychedelic Church 5028 North Academy Boulevard Colorado Springs, CO 80918

  8. Sep 1

    Sermon: Growth in Motion-Removing the Barriers We Put in Our Own Way

    Growth isn't simply something we talk about. Growth is something we do. Closing out the Colorado Psychedelic Church's month-long exploration of growth, Teopixqui Dez asks the congregation to consider the barriers they've placed in their own way. From fear and rigidity to imposter syndrome and the comfort of "good enough," Dez explores what happens when we stop merely wanting change and begin putting growth into action. Using the evolution of the church—and his own evolution as its leader—Dez shares lessons learned from expanding access to sacrament, listening to the community, making sacramental chocolate as an act of love, and learning when his own preferences need to get out of the way. He also challenges everyone to identify their personal truths, live more authentically, and recognize just how far they've already come. Timeline & Topics 00:01 — Honoring Those Whose Torches We Carry Remembering those we've lost and carrying their love, passion and promises forward. 05:00 — Growth in Action How the church's approach to DMT and other sacraments has evolved by listening, learning and removing unnecessary barriers. 12:00 — What's Standing in Your Way? Identifying the barriers we create for ourselves and allowing community to help hold us accountable. 16:00 — Chocolate as an Act of Love Why Dez continues making sacramental chocolate himself and how seemingly small acts can become expressions of faith and service. 21:00 — Universal Truths & Personal Truths Revere the Self. Embrace the Communal Experience. Let the Universe Provide. But what truths guide your individual life? 25:00 — Authenticity & Taking the Next Step Dez discusses living more authentically, confronting imposter syndrome and publicly committing to explore running for local office. 31:00 — Look How Far You've Come Who were you a month ago? A year ago? At your most fragile? Growth also means recognizing and celebrating the distance you've already traveled. About the Colorado Psychedelic Church The Colorado Psychedelic Church is a community centered on healing, connection, PACK Life, personal growth and the intentional use of psychedelic sacraments. Through sermons, education, community gatherings and shared revelry, the church creates space to explore spirituality, build authentic relationships and grow together. You don't have to use psychedelics to belong. Contact Us Learn more... ColoradoPsychedelicChurch.com Colorado Psychedelic Church 5028 North Academy Boulevard Colorado Springs, CO 80918

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The Colorado Psychedelic Church Podcast exists to strengthen and deepen our community ... and to offer an honest window into who we are. Founded by Teopixqui Dez and guided by a growing circle of clergy, our church is committed to the sacrament as a sacred responsibility and to community as the heart of spiritual life. Through sermons, conversations with clergy, and personal stories from members, we explore theology, ethics, integration, humility, and what it means to build a welcoming spiritual community in Colorado today. You'll hear from people of different ages, backgrounds, and walks of life ... sharing their experiences in their own words. Many guests are identified by first name only to honor privacy and personal boundaries. We believe spiritual growth happens best in environments that are transparent, accountable, and grounded in mutual respect. For our members, this podcast is about connection and continued formation. For those considering joining, it's a clear and thoughtful look at our leadership, values, and rhythms of community life. For the spiritually curious, it's an invitation to listen, discern, and see if this feels like home. This is not about spectacle. It's about belonging. Because spiritual growth doesn't happen in isolation… it happens in community.

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