Today we’d like to introduce you to Mikaela Valentino.
Hi Mikaela, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Well, I was a sister born in a strange place. Where I went to school, there were far too many restrictions on expression and far too many dogmatic believes about the nature of the universe, God and how I was supposed to express.
I rebelled in every cell of my being in deep resistance. But this forced me to the outskirts. Mixed race, from a financially unstable and addicted family, living in a well-off neighborhood, going to mostly white, religious private schools in the San Fernando Valley — I was deeply unhappy, depressed even as a young person.
Truly, this story is long-winded, winding, painful. At 13, I became addicted to opiates and nicotine, sneaking out at night, being sexually assaulted regularly. I was in DANGER and no one knew how to help. It was a dyer situation.
And here I stand, 15 years later, radiant, an entrepreneur, a mother, a life partner, a friend and… a psychedelic facilitator and educator.
What changed? Plant Medicine and Healing Fungi teachers.
There’s much more to this story, but that is the short of it.
Entheogens helped me retrieve myself, my purpose, my self-respect and has led to help others do the same.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road I walked was far from smooth, but I have made it smooth with the grit of my heels.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I create ceremonial experiences for transformation. I am a visionary artist.
I make mushroom candles.
I craft graphics for conscious and intentional events.
I am known for my community ceremonies and ritual services.
I am most proud of my ability to pull together beautiful groups of people and move them through a process where they are held and shown the light of life.
There is nothing like what I have.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The legalization and medicalization of psilocybin mushrooms is going to create tremendous integrity problems within the grassroots movement of medicine.
Every person on the planet deserves the opportunity to grow, gather and gift medicine to each other. Industrializing psilocybin is a threat to the natural order of this healing fungus and its desire to proliferate in the world.
Pricing:
- Healing hikes – 166
- Yoni steam initiation – 122
- Art prints – 27
- Graphic design – 77/piece
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: mysticjasper.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/mamadelamyco
