Keegan Brady, Plant-Medicine Specialist
Co-facilitator, Integrative Health Practitioner, Musician
Keegan is a Sacred Space Holder and Ceremonialist with over 10 years in wellness facilitation and 8 years as a counselor.
From the time that I could remember, I always felt like I was out of place. I was under the illusion of disconnection. I was under the impression that I was radically different from other people because of how I felt inside. I didn’t have the words or the means or even the ability to somehow communicate to those around me. At a very young age, I sought escape to find a sense of peace.
My first initial sense of relief that I can remember that caused a change within my being and caused me to feel ok, or even potentially distract me from feeling not ok, was food. My relationship to food for the majority of my life, I would consider to be unhealthy. I would often engage in over-eating, and even for a period of time, bulimia. These patterns and behaviors eventually brought me to drugs and alcohol at a young age. I first experimented with tobacco, smoking cigarettes, and drinking alcohol. It wasn’t until I was about 13-14 years old, that someone came up to me at my high school offering me marijuana for the first time. The feeling that I received by coping with drugs and alcohol worked for a time, until it didn’t…which led to harder, stronger drugs, which in turn to a harder, more traumatic and chaotic lifestyle. For well over a decade, I wrestled with the demons of addiction using methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and any other water soluble substance that would change my perception of my reality. For several years, I was in and out of jail. I was homeless. I lived inside tweaker garages and crack dens. And even though I was suffering throughout this process, I felt free. These patterns lasted for years until I entered treatment. I have attended 13 different drug/alcohol and mental health rehabilitation centers in my life. Each one a minimum of at least 30 days, and some of them lasting six to 18 months. As my disease progressed, the amount of time I needed to be removed from drugs and the amount of time that I needed to be in a treatment setting increased every time because it became harder and harder to let go of the desire to use, but also because the root causes and trauma patterns weren’t resolved and kept me living in the shadows. After about 6 to 12 months of working on mindfulness practice and attending a 12-step program, my life started shifting in major ways. One of the greatest releases and healthy coping mechanisms that I adopted was weightlifting. The gym brought me solace and brought me relief. It brought me to a place of creating a meditative practice, a place of being able to connect to my breath, to my body , and to my mind. I became a NASM-certified personal trainer and was lead trainer for World Gym in Palm Springs, CA. This passion became a very large foundation for my new life, and it became a very large part of who I am today. I discovered myself in the gym, discovered how my body moves, discovered how our bodies connect, discovered how we can heal our bodies. Over the last decade when helping my clients lose weight, which was just really teaching them to have a connection with Self, I was also simultaneously developing a sitting and silent meditative practice. My recovery led me back to addiction treatment centers. This time, though, on the other side of the fence. At six months sober, I started serving in a detox. I then became a case manager and a certified drug and alcohol counselor. Over the last 10 years, I’ve helped launch numerous detox centers, and I’ve helped facilitate impatient and outpatient facilities. I have gone through extensive training in trauma-informed therapy, and I have had the privilege and ability to work with thousands of drug and alcohol and mental health patients, all of whom I saw and felt myself in. Through the years, it became increasingly difficult for me to continue to work in these spaces due to the fact that I felt we were missing the mark. I felt that the patterns the treatment industry had fallen into were merely a new cycle of diagnosis and labeling and a new stream of medication instead of actually getting down to the causes and conditions, or roots of the addiction. In my search for another way, I was introduced to Dr. Stan Grof, the Godfather of LSD, who spent thousands of hours in therapy sessions with clients helping them heal through LSD sessions. More importantly, Dr. Grof developed holotropic breathing. This was the ticket to discovering different states of consciousness without having to take a substance outside of yourself to induce these states. In his research, Dr Grof showed that we can breathe our way into activating DMT, the spirit molecule, within our being, that we can use our life force, our breath, to bring about this experience. With this simple seed, I was sent down a path of seeking seeking this nourishment. This connection that I now see as my relationship with my higher power, with Spirit, with the Universe, with All. And my soul was lit on fire! It was ignited, and I was sent down this path of coming to seek and understand who I am. Where have we come from? Where are we going? These questions brought me to books. They brought me to people. They brought me to experience places, things, ideas, concepts, beyond what I was originally taught and conditioned to believe, being a recovering Roman Catholic and all. One of the most impactful and influential challenges in my life has been coparenting. In 2014, at 24 and again newly sober, I met an older woman who I ended up having a child. Unresolved trauma and fear led me back to heroin. I separated from my son‘s mother, and I lost the opportunity of watching him take his first steps, say his first words and be involved for the first year or two of his life. Because my son did not have a mom and dad together, I wanted to ensure that I didn’t create another broken family. The idea that it needs to work or I will never be good enough to be in another relationship was the underlying mantra or belief system that I had going into this last relationship. Five years ago, when I was ignited along my path of seeking Spirit, I found a system, a process, a way to connect to source, a way to amplify and charge my life. And that came in the form of simply listening to the messages that my heart was sharing with me. These messages would come in the form of synchronicity. I would read something or I would see a sign or I would see numbers… all of these little synchronicities, which are a part of my life today… leading me back home back to the heart. In this process, I discovered many modalities and many paths leading back to Self. For me, the ones that have resonated the most and the ones that have been most impactful within my vibratory frequency are simple mindfulness practices, kundalini yoga/pranayama, and the way of the natural world - the shamanic essence we all carry. These practices, modalities, and cultures have awoken my being into a state of remembrance. These practices ignited my life and changed me in such a way that everything completely changed. I am now divorced. I have two children with two separate women and I am in the learning process of coparenting with both of them. I share this because the some of the strongest and deepest judgments that I carried were towards people that had been divorced or towards people that had children with multiple partners. And because of these judgments, they manifested as experiences in my reality. I have come to understand that the judgments we carry bring about some of the greatest challenges. From a very young age, I was always connected to music, song, and dance. Being a young boy growing up in a patriarchal society, I was often told “don’t do that”. “Oh you don’t have a good voice… stop moving like that… what’s wrong with you? Can you just be quiet? Why can’t you calm down?” Carrying these voices within created a lot of heaviness and separation from being able to express myself in these ways. Along my journey of self-discovery, I experimented with tarot, yoga, martial arts, and advanced technology that introduces different states of consciousness. My throat chakra was unlocked, and I began to sing again. I have come to remember that I carry the songs of our souls. My DNA has been reactivated to the point of being able to express this light through movement, through voice, and through simply being. My purpose, my passion my hope is to ignite this within all of those that are willing. My purpose is to help remind all of us of our divinity, our sovereignty, to help remind us that we are more than the body. We are more than the mind and that we are infinite, everlasting love. I have been blessed and honored to be able to carry these tools, and for me, this way of living. Through this process of seeking, I was also brought back to connecting with all of the plants, animals, and energies that this realm has to offer. I began working again with psychedelic medicines and other plant medicines with intention, connection, and reverence this time. I was brought into the communion of the spirit of psilocybin, DMT, bufo, and the spirit of kambo, to name a few I have trained with certain small group societies that have developed a means of spiritual sciences. They trained and initiated me in the way of our ancestors, or the way of the ancient. As I serve the medicines to myself and others, I learn from them, listen to them, for they are the true shamans…they are the true Guru. These plant teachers are here to help bring us home, to deliver the reverberation of remembrance throughout our beings. With deep intention in ceremonial settings, they bring about a vast change and shift in consciousness, in totality of our divine expression through the vessel we have chosen at this time. That is why I am on this path… to simply help us all remember. |
Keegan is a Sacred Space Holder and Ceremonialist with over 10 years in wellness facilitation and 8 years as a counselor. Here are his specializations:
Safe Space Creation: Keegan has a wealth of experience in creating environments that support both group and individual healing. His focus is on nurturing emotional and physical well-being, providing participants with the opportunity for personal growth and transformation. Integrative Health Practitioner: Utilizing a blend of holistic health practices, Keegan addresses the unique needs of each individual. He prioritizes balance and harmony, drawing from various therapies to support well-being. Kambo Facilitator: Keegan guides individuals through the traditional Amazonian Kambo ritual, known for its purifying and healing properties. He ensures that participants experience this practice in a safe and supportive manner. eremonial Musician: Music is an integral part of Keegan's ceremonies, enhancing the atmosphere and deepening participants' experiences. His musical talents facilitate emotional release and connection. Trauma-Informed Breathwork Facilitator: Keegan employs breathwork techniques to help individuals process and release trauma. By fostering a supportive environment, he guides participants through transformative breathing exercises that promote healing and resilience. QiGong and Reiki Master Teacher: With expertise in QiGong and Reiki, Keegan offers powerful healing sessions and instructional guidance, harnessing these energy-based practices to promote overall well-being. Drug and Alcohol Dependency and Mental Health Counselor: With 8 years of experience working in detoxes and inpatient treatment centers, Keegan has a strong background in counseling individuals with drug and alcohol dependency and mental health challenges. His compassionate approach and deep understanding of these issues enable him to provide effective support and guidance to those seeking recovery and mental wellness. Crafting Consumable and Holistic Wellness Products: Keegan creates consumable products and holistic wellness items, such as aura sprays and anointing oils, using spiritual sciences. These products are designed to have an impact on both the physiological and energetic levels, supporting individuals in their pursuit of holistic wellness. His approach integrates spiritual insights with practical applications to enhance well-being. Community Involvement: Committed to serving his community, Keegan's work as a wellness retreat facilitator and ceremonialist is driven by a dedication to helping others achieve holistic health and personal growth. His diverse skills and compassionate approach support individuals on their journeys to healing and self-discovery. "I’ve had the pleasure of attending Keegan’s sound baths, breath work meditations, and full moon ceremonies. The integrity and intention he puts into each event is palpable. Keegan gently guides his participants in such a way that makes you feel held, seen, and protected. This allows you to surrender and receive the energy you need on each journey. I highly recommend any event Keegan is a part of." - Iain C. OC California
"I have been dabbling in plant medicine for the last few months, and I cannot express how much it has helped me with my personal growth and anxiety. Keegan Brady hands down, holds the best space for these scared ceremonies. You can truly process whatever is needed for you, while Keegan compassionately guides you, not just in the ceremony, but a week prior to your session. Even though Kambo is rough in the moment, it is worth every minute of releasing energy that is no longer useful for you. Not to mention, Psilocybin has been a game changer in my social anxiety, and an overall mood stabilizer. I highly recommend this formative transformation to anyone with Keegan who is willing to try!" - Andrea R. - Orange County, CA
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