I remember when I was in first grade, my teacher told us we could be anything we wanted to be. She then rattled off a list of careers we might want to consider going to college for. We could be doctors, lawyers, teachers, firefighters, police officers, construction workers, veterinarians, business men/women, and other various conventional job opportunities offered in the Western Culture. I find it ironic, however, that though we were told we could be *anything we wanted to be,* we could only be something that was offered in colleges. Now, this is a vague list of careers, but for a six-year-old, it really limits what else is out there. Nobody ever told me I could take off to South America, learn how to boil and prepare some tree bark and root, shake some banana leaves and guide people through what can be expressed as an experience of a lifetime. If my first-grade teacher had mentioned that was an option, I would have jumped right on that. But "drugs are bad," no matter how great the benefits.
It was almost like government-funded schools were pushing us to hurry up and figure out what part of a machine we were going to be a part of. Imagine that. We were put in a box before we even knew who we were. I'd like to know how many six-year-old students actually went to college for the particular career they had picked at that age. I'm assuming it's a low number. So why even put this kind of pressure on kids? I remember feeling anxious having to go home and write a paper on what I wanted to be when I grew up. I didn't have a clue!
I remember my mother saying, "You have twelve years to figure it out, so you're in no rush!"
I don't know about you, but the older I get, the faster time flies. Twelve years is not enough time, especially when those twelve years involve heavy indoctrination. I had NOTHING figured out by the time I hit eighteen. Quite frankly, I was not allowed to figure out who I was until I got out of high school.
I was an incredible writer in high school. I was in advanced English classes from the time I was fourteen. My classmates literally called me the "grammar queen." Writing was an art to me, so naturally I applied to the University of Wisconsin Superior to major in English. After I got accepted, however, I proceeded to allow my family and peers to convince me that I would never find a job in this field, and I should go to school for nursing instead. I listened to them, and as a result, I never set foot into UW Superior. Instead, I went to a local community college to pursue my career as a nurse. I found the classes to be incredibly boring, and I ended up dropping out four weeks later to become a full-time Hooters girl (I'm not proud of this). It's ironic that when I finally chose a field I was passionate about, I was convinced by the same people who told me I could be anything I wanted to be, that I would never make money in the field I desired to pursue. I don't hold it against those people, because if I had really believed in myself, I would have pursued this field of study no matter what was being said.
Two years later, I discovered the magic of psychedelics. How incredible it was to be engulfed in alpha and theta brainwaves while awake! I found psilocybin to be comforting, and I finally found peace in my aloneness. My mind was full of endless possibilities and mind-blowing epiphanies. And because I got to explore my mind so deeply, I ended up building a loving and trusting relationship...with myself.
I became deeply passionate about psychedelics after years of experimentation. However, I didn't think I could do anything with that passion. It wasn't until after I had experienced the magic of Ayahuasca that I realized I could take that passion and actually DO something with it. Under a shaman's care, this magical substance of Divine Feminine energy showed me my true potential. When I stood up the morning after to shake my shaman's hand, I knew that one day I would be changing the world the way he was.
The same people who told me it wasn't worth my time to go to school for English are now trying to convince me that going to South America to become a shaman might be a mistake, and I should just go back into the medical field to ensure the safety of my finances. Eight years ago, I would have listened to them. But this time, I actually believe in myself. I believe that my goals are extremely attainable, no matter how far out they might seem to others. I believe that if I were to listen to the ones who want me to take the conventional road to nowhere, I would not only cut myself short, but the world short.
It doesn't matter how long it takes to discover your true potential. It takes life experience to know yourself, your passions, and where you are heading. This is why it is so absurd that government-funded schools start pushing careers on children at age six. People have to figure that out on their own, and it could take longer than eighteen years. As George Harrison sings, "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." Could you imagine what intelligent and creative entrepreneurs we would have if this concept was taught in school?