Aaron Rodgers Talks Ayahuasca And Empathy: 'Real Compassion Is You Get Right Down There And Cry The Same Tears'

"In the realms of consciousness, you're never alone," says Aaron Rodgers, the NFL star quarterback, emphasizing the profound effects of his ayahuasca experiences. Rodgers recently took the stage at a psychedelics conference in Denver hosted by MAPS to share his insights into the world of psychedelic experiences.

"One of the things it does is it brings people together," he said. "When you go through these difficult initiatory practices that really go inside and find the places that you're vulnerable, find the places that you're broken, and you share them with your brothers and sisters, there's a bond that forms." This bond, according to Rodgers, isn't like the friendships you may have in everyday life; it's a deeper connection born out of shared vulnerability and healing.

Rodgers shared a potent analogy about the communal experience of plant medicine ceremonies. He said, "they'll be like superheroes, like Guardians of the Galaxy, just right there by our side. So any place we go, we don't go alone." He believes that this "team" experience goes beyond feeling sorry for each other from a safe distance. "Real compassion is you get right down there in the shed and you cry the same tears and you purge the same purge. You scream the same, you scream zero, you're with each other, you fight the same battles," he said. This forms a sacred allyship where the participants feel understood and supported.

According to Rodgers, the medicines unlock a deeper sense of purpose, acting as a fuel source propelling individuals towards their greater ambitions. "How do you perform really well? Well, you fucking want it. You want it bad. And unless you know why you want it, you're not gonna want it that bad," he said, crediting his ayahuasca experiences for clarifying his purpose and providing a "deeper why" that keeps him pushing towards excellence.

Rodgers also shared the cultural shifts he has observed since he first started talking about psychedelics in 2011. He explained, "the culture is shifting, and the more momentum we have, and just sharing the truth of our experiences, no need to embellish, because it's really happening. You know, that's the beauty of this, the stories are real, they come from a place of truth, and just sharing the truth, it has a profound impact."

One of his fascinating insights into how psychedelics can enhance performance relates to team building. He said, "we hooked up with one of my very first Ayahuasca teacher, Maestro Lana Chudendama, to catch the tradition... Ayahuasca, 48 touchdowns." He seems to suggest that not only does the experience bond individuals together, but it also brings out the best in them, thus enhancing their performance levels.

Rodgers believes that the vision of the future provided by such experiences serves as fuel to reach extraordinary levels of capability. "Until you have that vision of the future, your future, your role in the future of this greater future that we all share, you're not going to have the proper fuel to actually reach the levels that you're capable of," he said.

Photo: MAPS