The Olaz Story: The Mushroom That Broke Me—and Healed Me

In this deeply personal conversation, Bahn Fasa Maya sits down with Olaz, Chief Mycologist of the Colorado Psychedelic Church, to trace the long and painful road that brought him to the medicine.

What begins as a story about curiosity and early psychedelic exploration quickly becomes something much heavier. Olaz shares how LSD first opened the door to wonder, how mushrooms remained elusive for years, and how a single catastrophic high-dose mushroom experience changed everything. What he expected to be enlightenment became terror, confusion, trauma, and years of fear around the medicine that had once shown him beauty.

But that is not where the story ends.

After years of struggling, searching, and trying to make sense of what happened, Olaz eventually found the right support… a therapist who understood both trauma and psychedelics, and who helped him rebuild a safe relationship with mushrooms. That healing process did more than restore trust. It gave him purpose. Today, he grows sacrament with extraordinary care, reverence, and intention… not just to produce mushrooms, but to help ensure others never have to go through what he went through alone.

This is a story about danger, survival, reverence, and calling. It is also a reminder that these medicines are powerful, sacred, and deserving of preparation, support, and respect.

 

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Timeline of Topics

00:01 – 01:27

Bahn Fasa Maya introduces Olaz, Chief Mycologist of the Colorado Psychedelic Church, and asks what drew him so deeply into mycology over the last year.

01:28 – 03:25

Olaz shares his early psychedelic history… beginning with alcohol, then LSD, and the sense of wonder and expanded perception that first drew him in.

03:26 – 04:48

His first mushroom experiences were beautiful, affirming, and self-loving… but mushrooms were hard to find, and early attempts to grow them were frustrating and unsuccessful.

04:49 – 07:06

After becoming fascinated with the idea of “ego death,” Olaz prepared for a major mushroom journey without truly understanding how different mushrooms were from LSD.

07:07 – 12:29

He describes taking an initial 5 grams, then impulsively consuming another 9 grams as the trip intensified… leading to panic, disorientation, and complete loss of control.

12:30 – 21:52

The experience spiraled into a full traumatic event: running for miles, reliving past trauma, and entering what he describes as his own personal hell… followed by a profound, maternal, loving presence that shifted everything.

21:53 – 29:32

Coming back from the trip without proper support made the aftermath even harder. Shame, misunderstanding, and judgment compounded the trauma, and his relationship with mushrooms was damaged for years.

29:33 – 37:50

A later car accident and resulting crisis became the turning point that led him toward real healing. Through acupuncture, somatic therapy, and eventually a guided mushroom session with the right practitioner, he began to repair what had been broken.

37:51 – 43:55

Olaz explains how mushrooms became medicine again… and how that healing eventually led him to growing sacrament with skill, devotion, and spiritual intention.

43:56 – 50:40

He reflects on what it means to serve the community now: using mountain water, premium grains, music, affirmations, crystals, and conscious care in the cultivation process. The conversation closes with the Universal Truth that speaks most strongly to him: The Universe Provides.

 

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About the Colorado Psychedelic Church

The Colorado Psychedelic Church is a Colorado Springs-based spiritual community centered on two core forms of resonance: connection with sacred medicines and connection with one another. The church teaches that healing is not meant to happen in isolation, and that community itself is part of the sacrament.

The church’s spiritual framework includes the Three Universal Truths:

• Revere the self

• Embrace the communal experience

• The universe provides

Gatherings include sermons, lounge nights, community conversations, art-based events, demographic-specific groups, and guided opportunities to approach natural medicine with intention, safety, and reverence. The church also emphasizes harm reduction, spiritual responsibility, and building a real-world community where people can find support, belonging, and meaningful healing.

Olaz serves as Chief Mycologist, helping cultivate sacrament for the community with an emphasis on quality, consistency, and spiritual intention.

 

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Contact & Learn More

Colorado Psychedelic Church

Colorado Springs, Colorado

 

Website: coloradopsychedelicchurch.com

 

Through the website, you can:

• Learn more about the church

• View upcoming events

• Reach out with questions

• Connect through the Discord community

 

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Subscribe & Share

If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who needs a more honest view of what these medicines can be… not just the beauty, but the responsibility.

And if you’ve ever struggled to make sense of a difficult experience, this story is a powerful reminder that the right support can change everything.