A mystical psychedelic experience has inspired a Colorado Springs resident to open the state’s first psychedelic church. He says he was transported to a Mexican forest where his ancestors told him to heal others with psilocybin.
Benji Dezaval has now converted his home into a chapel where attendees partake in ceremonies involving magic mushrooms and DMT. It has become a full-time job for him and he now hosts 15 or more gatherings per month.
“They told me they used this to heal their people, and that I needed to do the same thing,” Dezaval described with regard to his ancestral shroom experience in January.
Colorado decriminalized the use of psychedelics at the end of 2022. Now, Dez simply needs to make sure that participants are over 21 before they proceed.
He provides his guests with home-grown psilocybin and dimethyltryptamine he has extracted himself. Designated sober individuals are present during the sessions to help Dez make sure everything goes smoothly.
He has named his holy house the Community of PACK Life, but hasn’t specified the meaning behind the title. It opened up earlier this year and was brought into the spotlight in a piece written by The Colorado Sun earlier this week.
Dezaval also offers classes on how to grow your own psychedelic fungi and hosts an assortment of community events at the church. He will be leading a discussion about recovering from trauma on Saturday afternoon.
Dezaval (fourth from the left) leads a session in June. Photo credit: Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun — via Report for America
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Dezaval aims to achieve religious non-profit status
This would provide tax exemptions, reduced operational costs, enhanced public trust and access to grants and other partnerships that are only available to non-profits.
Thus far, Dez has sunk about US$4,000 out of his own pockets into maintaining the church. “I have dedicated myself entirely to this,” he explained. The psychedelics he has been providing to people are free.
He also wants to raise money through grant funding and local business donations so that he can provide healing retreats for veterans at no cost to them.
“Access to psychedelics is going to provide thousands of Coloradans with healing – both of the mind and the soul,” Dez proclaimed on his church’s website.
He says he is someone who was able to overcome depression and suicidal thoughts with the help of psychedelics. Dez has a background in psychology and holds a degree in that field.
rowan@mugglehead.com
