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Author and activist Matthew Weintrub had a wildly successful career in early-stage technology startups. At the peak of his career, he taught User Experience design at UCLA and UC Berkeley and would go on to architect a UX/UI BootCamp that is taught at universities across the country. In spite of his success, he felt spiritually unfulfilled. This led him to an Ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador, where he received a series of visions that would bring him to his true purpose. Matthew has since released his book, The Psychedelic Origin of Religion, which features one of the visions spirituality brought him to during his journey.
“I had this vision in a sweat lodge during an ayahuasca ceremony in Ecuador. After processing that vision, I returned back home asking myself a simple question: is it possible that every religion is rooted in psychedelics? After two years of research, the answer was yes!”
The Psychedelic Origin of Religion details how all religions can trace their roots to shamanism and psychedelics. “The book explores the use of sacred medicine plants throughout history to facilitate spiritual connection and healing,” says Weintrub, “For millennia, these plants and medicines have been used to promote a sense of oneness with the world and to bring about peace and wellbeing.” Weintrub is thrilled to be able to share his discoveries about the intersection of psychedelics and spirituality with the world.
As a psychedelic activist, Matthew is passionate about sharing the scientific research on psychedelic medicine in order to effect policy change. “We’re facing a mental health epidemic. Look at the recent CNN report from the CDC that 40% of our children are facing persistent sadness and hopelessness. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for children and psychedelic medicine in clinical studies shows efficacy to treat mental health disorders from anxiety to depression to eating disorders to suicidality. But here is the craziest part about the science: psychedelics help us find God. That’s in the body of research from steemed institutions like John Hopkins University proving without a shadow of a doubt that psychedelics induce mystical states of consciousness. We’re now in a moment where science if proving what spirituality has been preaching for thousands of years.”
The book launch coincides with the crowdfunding campaign of Ohai Wellness, Weintrub’s vision to build a world-class wellness center that combines indigenous healing, western medicine, and scientific spirituality. With a heart for healing what ails humanity, Weintrub dedicated this center to enriching others’ lives and to helping them find their own personal and spiritual fulfillment.
“I’ve learned so much about healing from the tribes. That’s why I decided to walk the red path of the Sacred Fire of Itzachilatlan – a path of Indigenous healing. I know of hundreds of people who have left the United States to seek healing and there are thousands who are seeking out healers from these tribes and finding inner peace. So for me it’s important to bring healing back to my country and to my people in a good way.”
With an Indigenous board of advisors and a goal to expand, Ohai Wellness is launching an equity crowdfunding campaign and an NFT fundraiser to provide free healing retreats for ten thousand veterans. “In 2018, over a million veterans reported severe mental health issues like depression, debilitating anxiety, and PTSD. On average, there are 130 suicides per day, 44 of which are veterans,” holds Weintrub, intending to address those numbers through Ohai Wellness.
“The Ohai wellness center is part of a wider mission to build a better future for our children with the development of sustainable eco-cities based on healing and harmony with nature,” states Weintrub. “Ohai is a movement healing the earth.” To bring this vision to fruition, Matt and his co-founder Adam are launching an NFT project to pre-sell retreats to collect funding for the first center, a nature-based retreat facility in Colorado.
“I choose equity crowdfunding because I believe it’s essential that this company is funded by the people. And our team chose NFTs because we believe in the ethos and potential of crypto. The Ohai Legends NFT is raising $50 million through the usage of NFT (Non-Fungible Token) technology,” states Weintrub, “When a person purchases an NFT, they will receive a future retreat and they will also help a veteran in need. Additional advantages of purchasing an NFT include a future airdrop of the Ohai token, discounts at all future Ohai locations including housings sales, and the chance to shape the Ohai platform.”
“We hope to offer thousands of veterans spots at the retreat and a chance to take their life back through a new type of healing, one which we know to work very well,” states Weintrub. “We like to say that everyone is on a wellness journey and Ohai’s mission is to support you with the tools of natural medicine.”
The author tells readers to expect information about how psychedelics can change someone’s outlook on life. He mentions how natural medicine such as this can spur a snowball effect that can change one’s entire perception of everything in their life – from their relationships to their career to their spirituality.
He is excited to share his book and the Ohai Wellness crowdfunding campaign with the world and looks forward to seeing the impact it will have on the healing of the human family.
You can find his book HERE, connect with him on Instagram @heytrub and stay up to date with Ohai Wellness at ohaiwellness.com
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