*OT does not endorse or promote the use of substances, and the purpose of this content is for storytelling
Britt: Without further ado, I will invite Bianca, a content creator, focusing on the benefits and of psychedelics and her life traveling. Recently she'd been living in Guatemala. She's staying in the jungle in Costa Rica!
Bianca: Thank you so much for having me. I'm just trying to fix this light here. Is that okay?
Britt: We just got back from Costa Rica, when it hits like five, like 5:00 PM, it's dark. It is like pitch black out there. So we get it. We're Origin Travels and we meet here every Tuesday, to chat with an awesome woman, somewhere in the world whose life has been changed by travel, whose future trajectory is shaped by the things that she's learned on the road. And tonight, we're talking with Bianca who is going to just talk with us a little bit about like her life on the road, living in Guatemala and Costa Rica and her personal adventures with psychedelics and why she's committed her time to helping others. So Bianca, why don't you tell us, start by telling us a little bit about who you are and like how you kind of got to this point.
Bianca: Hey everybody, I'm Bianca. As Britt said, I'm currently living down in Costa Rica. So I feel like I've been on the craziest journey over the last few years. Honestly I do credit a lot of my personal growth and where I'm at now because of my journeys with plant medicines and psychedelics. So that whole journey kind of began when I was 25 and it's a few years ago. I'd been working in a job at the time that I wasn't super inspired by it. Wasn't really what was aligned for me. The one thing I was grateful for in that job is that it allowed me to travel all over the world. I was an actor, but I was also bartending at the same time. But instead of bartending and acting that sorta became like bartending and traveling. I’m so grateful to that experience, you know, made some good money and explored many countries, traveled everywhere. But yeah, I was always kind of like, is this what I want? Like, I'm not a super happy, I go in and I'm like anxious before every shift. So then I went to this one music festival and that's where I had met all of my friends and had some psychedelic experiences. And I was like, oh, okay. There really is something more to all of this. And like, we really are all connected and there's something bigger here for me.
That kind of sent me off on this whole journey of being like, okay, what do I actually want? Who do I actually want to be? And honestly, like, I don't, I don't want to say I was like a bad person before in any way, but I wasn't as empathetic. I was probably like, you know, more judgmental. I think a lot of that did come from not being happy enough with myself and like who I am and not believing in myself. So it's been such a process. And like that took me from leaving the bar industry. And then I was like, okay, is it acting that I want, is that what will make me happy? So then I started focusing my energy there cause I was like, okay. Plant medicines have told me if I focus my energy on something that I can create whatever I want, but then I started realizing I'm like, I don't want to be an actor. Like that's not what I want to do. And I was, okay, what's helped me in my life. Oh, plant medicines, psychedelics of health. So then I started getting more involved in that community, getting involved online and in different online communities, and working for different organizations and spreading the message. Cause these things have helped me. I want to share my experiences in hopes that it will help.
That itself was a whole journey of believing in myself and my own personal message because in the past I was working for others. I was interviewing people for other brands. I was running somebody else's Instagram page, somebody else's social media. So I actually moved to Costa Rica because I have a lot of friends who work in the plant medicine community down here. And there's this music festival here in Costa Rica called Envision. So I went there in February 2020, right before everything in the world happened. And, you know, I had a lot of very intense plant medicine experiences there, but it's also a very spiritual place here in Costa Rica. I don't know how to explain it. The energy is just different. It's a lot and a lot will come to the surface very quickly and you have to deal with it. So when I had gone back to Canada and I was like, okay, acting's not my thing. I want to be myself. And then, you know, start believing myself a little bit more, and then moved to Costa Rica. Now I'm surrounded by plant medicine. And that's when I started my whole journey with Ayahuasca. At that point though, I was still working for other people and it was making me super anxious and super stressed. And during this period of time, is when I started sitting in Ayahuasca ceremonies and I really realized this isn't making you happy either. You can't leave a bar and then start working for somebody else with something that's making you feel anxious every time you have to do. So, then that somehow turned into me finally, after months of like integrating, I started YouTube, but I only made three YouTube videos. And then I discovered TikTok
So this is like such a long story, but yeah. Then I started doing TikTok and I remember when I first downloaded the app, my friends all went out for dinner and I didn't go because I wanted to practice making TikToks. And I'm so proud of myself for sticking with it and believing in myself. When I first started my videos, they weren't that good? I've learned so much on this journey, but basically for anyone who doesn't know or have me on TikTok I share my experiences with plant medicines, and with the different psychedelics. I talk about festivals and consciousness and spirituality. Just all the things that are helping me on my own journey and the things that. I'm discovering about myself and how to be a good person in this world and help others on their own journey too. I love all of it.
Britt: It’s so funny because even before you took these journeys with that medicine, you clearly were a person who wanted to be interacting with other humans. Like your interacting with, you're engaging with other people, obviously there was something in you that like wanted you to be connecting with people, but it just wasn't the right route. So, so cool that you've finally been able to make this path that is really working for you at fulfilling.
Before we move forward for anybody who's watching this or will watch this. Can you dive a little bit more about what you're talking about when you talk about psychedelics and plant medicine, plant energy? Like, can you give us a little bit of a definition about the general kind of, maybe like medic medicines or practices that you gravitate to, that you talk most about?
Bianca: Yeah. So I guess as a whole, like all psychedelics or plant medicines, they're all called entheogens. That's kind of the broad name for it all. Entheogens. So that includes, your traditional psychedelics, like LSD: so LSD and acid are the same thing. I know sometimes people will be like, oh, I would try LSD, but not acid. Exact same thing. And you know, there's a lot of stigma around many of these psychedelics, but, that stigma comes from the past. Anyways, we have your traditional psychedelics, which are, LSD, mushrooms, silicide and mushrooms. And then, you know, some people will include MDMA and MTM is actually being used in, PTSD therapy now, which is really awesome.
So, yep. MDMA, Peyote, San Pedro, so San Pedro are cactus plant medicines. And so I guess my plant medicine, that's kind of like the medicines that are the substances that come from the earth. So like mushrooms, Peyote, San Pedro. Those contain Mescaline, that’s the active ingredient in it. Mushrooms contain psilocybin. And then of course you have Ayahuasca, and then, DMT, and there's other, there's so many medicines out there. Oh my gosh. There's just, there's just so many. I don't like the word hallucinogen because when you take them. Yes. You are seeing the world in a different way. Your perception is totally different. It really does change, but you're not like hallucinating something that isn't there. Like you're not going to see like a pink elephant in the middle of a bedroom, for example. But you're essentially going to have a visual experience.
So anything that gives you kind of like this, like visual, spiritual, these substances allow you to get into a different frame of mind. I don't want to say altered conscious. I prefer like a shifted consciousness in some way. And it allows you, these substances and they often get called medicines because when you have things like Ayahuasca even like mushrooms, when you were sitting in a ceremony, these things truly do heal you, or allow you to begin that healing process. They allow you to connect better with yourself. With others and honestly, with the world, even if we're talking about like the universe, cause I always say the universe, but some people will call it like God or source or the divine, whatever it is, it's just something bigger than yourself.
I did another podcast actually earlier today, and I was talking about Nikola Tesla, how he said to understand anything, you have to understand energy, frequency and vibration. So because technically everything is energy, and I'm super interested now in quantum physics and, that whole world. But yeah, when you're on psychedelics or plant medicines, and you're going to shift the state of consciousness, you really do feel a different energy and you feel more connected to others and you have more of a sense of the energy that's always there.
Britt: Yeah, for sure. I know that's a beautiful description and I think I understand why you're hesitant to use the word hallucination as like, you know, as a state of being. You know, because to hallucinate, it almost is, is like, transferable with like, it’s not real, is not there. But I think from what I'm listening to you and listening to other people like speak about variances that like, no, in fact, you actually are able to like access a certain level of realness that maybe you can’t access on a daily basis because there's like sensory overload and like you're distracted by so many things. And so I feel like potentially it has the ability to allow you to really focused on what's important to a certain extent. So I think that that's a very cool way to put it.
So, you know, when you, when you talk about, about your experiences with these psychedelics, do you kind of do a play-by-play of what's going on?
Bianca: So on TikTok I do story times. My tagline is explore consciousness with me. So I do story times a lot where I'll be like this one time. Like this one time I did DMT and this happened, or, you know, I'm trying to be like, kinda more mindful with wording now, but, for example, like in DMT ceremonies that I've done or DMT experiences I've had, it's like, basically with DMT, you're taken to another universe or dimension. I had this one experience, for example, I always use the green screen on TikTok just to kind of like to show a little bit of an idea of what I'm talking about. So it'd be like, who else has been to this realm? Or I did this one time and then this happened, and this is what I was told. This is the message I was given. So yeah, I kind of just do a little story times, like trip reports of my experiences.
Usually I'll do like part one part two part three. I have so many stories I still need to share, but I want to take the time to do it right. I usually write a script before. So I'm set, I'm not repeating myself and all that, which is why, honestly, my stories have gotten way better since I first began. But yeah, so I've talked about like my Ayahuasca ceremonies. I’ll usually also talk about the lessons that I've been given. Um, and also like trips, I guess like say if you're going to sit with Ayahuasca, that's a crazy experience to take on. And it's a hard, hard journey. Yes. Beautiful. But it can also be very challenging.
So I try to like share tips that have helped me, like always remember to breathe. You're more powerful than you think. Like it's all about surrendering, just be open. And it's really important to me. I also share about like, not to look at experiences as like good trips or bad trips. Because I think every journey is important in its own way. And I think the challenging journeys can sometimes be the greatest teachers. Obviously the fun trips are way like more fun and you want to have those. But it's like, if you need to work on something, it is a good way to just get down to work and get through it.
Britt: So, I mean, it's a lot like off the beaten path travel, which like we tried to encompass and in a group setting and it'd be like, you know, you come back from a trip, you never talk about like that cool kind of statue that you saw. Somehow I think that like, it's very similar in that respect and like, even like the pineapple as our like kind of symbol for Origin Travels. Cause it's all about getting through the rough terrain to access the sweet.
Would you be like open to sharing some stories? Like one of like your craziest stories with us? It doesn't have to be like bad, crazy, or good, crazy or whatever.
Bianca: Oh my gosh. Yeah. Okay. I guess I can share my favourite Ayahuasca ceremony, just cause it was so freaking beautiful and I feel like there's so much value in it and that I still share every single day, because this has been so important to me on my own journey. It's taken months to integrate. My second Ayahuasca ceremony. I had my first, my first ceremony that was really physically challenging. I was very nauseous the entire time, my mom's soul or higher self, whatever you want to call, it was talking with my higher self somewhere in the universe.
So anyway, it was a, it was a hard experience. And then I went into my second Ayahuasca ceremony and I actually have a tattoo here. Well, on my arm it says the universe. And that is because, all my journeys with LSD, I'm always be like guys, the universe. We're all connected. So before my second ceremony, I pulled a card from my friend's Oracle deck and I got the universal. And I was like, oh my gosh. Okay. Like, let's see what happens. So my intention for that ceremony was to connect with the universe and with my higher self. And I went in and I was like, I'm going for a big cup tonight. So my first cup was a large cup. And then after about an hour, the shaman will ask if you want another cup of Ayahuasca. And I was like, yeah, I'll have another. So I went to go take another cup, but as I sat down for the second cup, the first cup started hitting me. And I was like, oh my gosh. So I sit down in front of the Sharman. She's like, how much do you want? And I was like, uh, less than a small cup. So she gets me like, honestly, like almost a full cup. And then I like drink this as I'm sitting down. I'm like blasted off into the universe. It's, it's so hard and crazy to explain, but it's like, I was in infinite black space.
I was looking at the universe as though it was this hologram, it was like this hologram made of energy grid. So I'm just looking at the universe and I'm with all of these gods and goddesses and beings and spirits. And I always see like Hindu gods and like Hindu symbolism. And so there was like Lakshmi and Nasha and other Hindu deities. They took me to this source energy, and let's call it source. I don't know what anybody believes, you know, but for me, this is what I was shown. It was like this source energy or the divine or God, it was this energy that I was being told that we all come from and that we're all apart. People had always told me, like, even with like LSD, that we're all connected. Everything's energy. Everything's love, like, love everybody. We're all just love. But until that moment I didn't fully get. But then it was like this feeling of like Nirvana and I don't know what else to call it. It was like perfection. One is bliss with the universe and it was like the best feeling in the entire world. And it was like having this party up in the universe. And then I guess I was like taken back across like black space and then there was the hologram universe and I remember like flying into.
Like, maybe this was my soul and seeing all of the different like planets and they were all like holographic, I guess. And we flew into earth and, this sounds so crazy, but like I'm obsessed with burning man. Like, I swear to God. I was like, I love the desert as we flew into earth, I was just like going across this desert in the middle east. So we're just like out in the middle of the desert, it was insane. And then I was basically being told by the spirit of Ayahuasca and these other spirits, that you create your own reality. Anything you want in life, you can have, you need to vibrate out. That everything is just energy, that you need to vibrate at the frequency that you want to attract. And I remember just seeing this, like home in the desert and I've always wanted, I used to think that I wanted a music festival in the desert somewhere because I love burning man so much. But then I was, I really was being shown that you don't need to have a festival, you can buy this. Like, you can own this like property one day and just create your own little space for you and all your friends to come to. So that was kind of cool. And then I was like being reminded of this like burning man energy because at burning man, it’s honestly, so similar to Ayahuasca when you're at burning man, obviously a lot more fun because you're like partying in the desert, but it's like it's some of the craziest experiences you'll have, it's like being in another dimension while you're in the real world. So it was just like burning man, but in my Ayahuasca journey, I have so many awesome, like female friends around the world who I love so much. And that's like very important to me too. Like so many girlfriends and like always be like super inclusive and whatnot. And I started sending messages to all my girlfriends in different countries and I was like, guys, we just need to love ourselves. Like, life's beautiful. And then I was like, suddenly on a dance floor at burning man. And I was with like my friends and like my mom and my sister and her best friend. And then I was also told that I chose to come back to earth to experience life, to learn lessons and to grow. And I was told that we keep coming back until we learn all the lessons that we need to learn. And have all the experiences we need to experience.
I remember being so overwhelmed because I was like, are you kidding me? Like, you're telling me I have to come back. Like again and again. And I just was sitting there in this circle and my head was like, in my hands, I was like, oh my God, like I have to do this again. And that I hit this life, like my life where I meditate all day every day and share, I don't know, that was super wild. And, um, yeah, like even those things that I learned and all that beauty I experienced, I'm like, I still have to remind myself of it every day, but it has really, really helped me to believe in myself and to truly understand that we are all so powerful and so much more powerful than we realize, and that I can create whatever and just to put my energy there.
I'm really proud of myself because that's what I've been doing, honestly, with TikTok but I still have to remind myself all the time, like, don't worry, you're good. You've got this. It gets easier every day.
Britt: Do you feel that you're able to recall that confidence a lot easier now?
Bianca: Yeah. I think with all plant medicines or psychedelics, they really do help. Who are you to tell somebody that their healing is not legit? Especially, when everything at the end of the day is just a chemical. It is all derived from something like, like LSD comes from or got mushrooms and like, MDMA, it comes from sassafras. But anyways, so, um, oh my gosh, what am I, what, uh, where was I even going with that?
Britt: I had asked you, like, do you think that as a result of like, you know, practicing this and you having these experiences and, you know, you're in these states where you're allowing yourself to like access this alternate, our additional, like state of learning. Do you find it easier in your day to day to like recall that confidence and those learnings you kind of get, and like, as you go through your life, you can just recall those learnings that you have more than like maybe you did before?
Bianca: Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Like with anything, you let go of a little bit, every single time and you realize that it's not all about you and all about the ego. I mean, we also like egos. Most ceremonies involve purging. So, and purging for anyone who doesn't know, purging is a big part of like Ayahuasca, and other ceremonies, but it's like, physical, emotional, spiritual cleanse through like throwing up, crying, laughing, shaking, yawning.
So say if you're like, I often ask, like help me let go of anything that is not serving me anymore. So whether that's like fear or judgment or shame or guilt or judgment of others or judgment of self, I always ask, let go of it. But usually I will ask is like, okay, you want to let go of this issue? Throw it up. Physical cleanse. You know, all this, I've sat in six, Ayahuasca ceremonies and each time I feel like you let go of a little bit more, a little bit more, a little bit more. And then you do like you, can, you kind of like, you remember how to do it faster. So yeah, I think you can get back to remembering what you were told easier, but you do have to be reminding yourself and doing the work. Every single day. And to be honest, I didn't properly integrate for months after my first ceremonies. And like, it wasn't til this past July and my life has already like, changed so much through the last six months, seven months. And not just from integrating. I journal every day, meditate twice a day, have a good exercise routine, eat healthy, you know, all these things that are like good for me, physically and mentally that I feel like it really just does all make it easier to remember what you've been told. Even with like, if you're told and by Ayahuasca like, you're the powerful creator of your own reality.
It helps to back it up by gratitude, journaling or writing affirmations, like every day. I am this, I am that I am that. You just got to keep repeating it until you believe it. And it gets easier.
Britt: That makes sense. There's no like easy, you know, just solution for anything,. What kind of, you know, guidance would you give people who are just starting to get interested and potentially, you know, trying plant medicine, or trying psychedelics, like what would you, what would you say? Like, what would you say is like, would be the first steps you would take and kind of learning next step to that?
Bianca: Yeah. So, okay. This is the thing, like, I don't want to recommend anything specific for anybody. Cause it is like a very personal journey. We all are affected by different things in different ways. So, okay. Like marijuana, for example, is like it's a plant medicine. It helps so many people, but it's like, not really for me personally. So I think like if anybody is curious, I think just do a lot of research before. Already have some sort of mindfulness practice because yes, like 100%, I think you can have these beautiful experiences from going in, like say going on a hike and eating some mushrooms with your friends. For sure. But at the end of the day, like if something does come up and we all have stuff we have to work on, you need to be ready to explore all parts of yourself. So I would say have some sort of mindfulness or spiritual practice already in place. If you don't like the word spiritual let's use mindfulness, like already be meditating already be journaling.
At least be like curious about getting to know yourself. I think like having the main things before you go into any journey is to have a good mindset. What's your setting. What's your intention. So have a good mindset about the thing. Don't go into any experience because you think you have to, or it's the only way or because your friends are doing it or because you want to like, party. It's not a really good mindset. So, have a good mindset, be in a safe and supported environment with somebody that you trust, I think for anybody going on like a first-time journey, it's so important to like, go on this this experience with someone you trust and feel safe around who is more experienced than you. Don't go with someone who's never had this type of experience before, at least like have a guide. Honestly, someone with like good energy, who makes you feel good because that is true. That is what can make a world of difference, and then always, you know, think about your intention. So have like a really good intention for why do you want to have these types of experiences? It doesn't need to be like the most serious intention all the time. It doesn't need to be, I’m going to go in to heal this trauma. Like you can go in with an intention to connect with nature or to connect with music in a beautiful way, or to connect with your best friend in a different way, or to connect with yourself, but have something positive. I would say like, always, like, it's so important for anybody to start small and not think you're invincible. Because yeah, everybody's affected differently. It doesn't matter about like how tall you are, how much you weigh or anything like that. It really isn't about like the physical, a lot of it is. It's just how the chemicals in our brains work. And don't mix substances.
Britt: Well, I wanted so much for being here. I was so enlightening talking to you. And I think that, you know, you have a lot to share. And so if anybody wants to like, learn more continuing following your journey, like where can they find you?
Bianca: I'm on Instagram, but my main platform is TikTok. So I usually post on there every single day. So my TikTok is the same as my Instagram, just like at BiancaCP_. You can find me on there and then I'm actually doing, a few retreats in the new year in Costa Rica, I love traveling as well.
And like you were saying earlier, Oh, my gosh. Traveling has changed my life so much. Like, yes, I like credit all my psychedelic experiences to help shape who I am, but it's also the travels that I've had, the people I've met and like pushing yourself. I'm doing, I'm, co-hosting a couple of retreats in the new year, so if anybody's interested, DM me on Instagram and I can definitely share more, it's kind of like a, you know, an introduction to a more mindful way of life and understanding more of like the mind, body spirit connection. So like ecstatic dance, breath, work, meditation, cacao, ceremonies, all that kind of.
Britt: Amazing. Amazing. Well, thanks for being here and for sharing your time, we really, really appreciate it. And we hope to see you on the road again soon. And if you're just tuning in, you have to watch this, this real all the way from the beginning. So it will be saved on our lives. And I truly hope we see each other on the road and, enjoy Costa Rica, enjoy the nature and we'll chat.
Bianca: Anytime. It would be so awesome to meet you in person. Thank you so much for having me.
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