The Village We Lost: Rebuilding Sacred Community Through Psychedelic Work || K’hiel Anker
Artem SmirnovKyle Anker works at the intersection of men’s work, psycho-spiritual coaching, and psychedelic medicine. A big theme of this interview is the true power of sacred community for our healing journeys.
His journey with psychedelics began at age 27 at Coachella, but his first meaningful experience came through ayahuasca ceremonies years later. Despite having what appeared to be a perfect life in Venice Beach – a great job in digital media and a good relationship – he felt deeply unhappy and disconnected.
Connect with K’hiel:
Email: anochoredhearthealingarts@protonmail.com
Instagram: @khiel.anker
Watch: How I left Big Tech to Study Ancient Plant Wisdom
“My goal in the world is to help recreate the rites of passage and initiations that men have lost, that help them transition individually, powerfully, and safely into maturity. I believe the lack of mature men is largely a cause for many of the problems we’re facing right now.”
-K’hiel
Read: From Corporate Tech Slave to Jungle Medicine Man
K’hiels transformative journey began with ayahuasca, which helped him recognize harmful patterns he was perpetuating unconsciously. This led him to leave his comfortable life and embark on a path of deep personal work. He spent time in Bangkok working on a psychedelic education platform, then moved to Northern California where he met his teacher, who became a crucial mentor. A particularly intense period came after spending two weeks in the Amazon doing ceremonies with 200 people per night, which led to a challenging integration period including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Through this dark night of the soul, it was his teacher’s guidance and eventually developing a strong personal practice that helped him emerge stronger.
“I realized that I was doing harm to people around me, the people I loved most, from places I did not know”
Anker’s work evolved to focus particularly on men’s healing, using various medicines including MDMA and psilocybin mushrooms in carefully structured group settings. He emphasizes the importance of community and mentorship in the healing process, noting that while psychedelics can be powerful tools, the real medicine is in reconnecting – first with oneself, then with nature, spirit, and community. He shares a powerful experience of working with his own mother using MDMA, which led to her sharing childhood trauma and ultimately strengthened their relationship.
Building a Sacred Community for Men
Currently, Anker runs retreats and works with men, helping recreate the rites of passage and initiations that he believes modern men have lost. He strongly advocates for the importance of men’s work and proper male leadership, suggesting that many of society’s current problems stem from a lack of mature, integrated men rather than patriarchy itself. Throughout the interview, he emphasizes the importance of moving slowly with psychedelic work, having proper support systems in place, and being discerning about choosing guides and communities to work with.
Q&A With K’hiel
What’s fascinating about your story is that you had this huge shift that led to an incredibly dark period. What saved you during that dark period?”
I would say it was my teacher. While they say community is the best way to integrate, and tribal peoples have this naturally through their villages and homogeneous connections, I had my teacher – a 30-year therapist and counselor for men with deep addictions who transformed into a medicine man. He understood what I was going through and was always guiding me in the right direction
Have you ever shared a psychedelic experience with family?
First, I’ll preface this by saying doing work with family is the hardest work we can do because they are our most challenging mirrors…
The first person in my family to work with me was my mother. I took her on an MDMA journey some years ago during a Thanksgiving visit. It was powerful and unexpected…
Later, we sat outside on a rare sunny fall day, and she shared her story of childhood sexual abuse that had affected her and her sisters… I share this as a caution to those who want to work with their families because their shadows will come to light, and through that, you will know yours on a very deep and real level that you can’t push aside
What advice would you give your old self and people who are lost in the dark, who don’t know how to get out?
First, sit with your pain for a while.
Pay attention to it. Really notice what’s happening because the medicine path isn’t for everybody. Be curious about what you’re waiting for and start talking to people in your community about your pain.
Find an elder, especially for men. Find someone who can support you on this healing path because as men, we don’t get everything we need from our families – we have to break through from that
Watch the full interview with K’hiel Anker
About Normalize Psychedelics
Normalize Psychedelics is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) working to transform public perception of psychedelic medicine through real stories of healing. Our mission is to collect 1,000 powerful testimonials from individuals whose lives have been transformed by psychedelic experiences. By sharing these authentic voices, we aim to reduce stigma, advance the conversation around mental health, and expand our understanding of wellness.
Your donation will help us amplify these important stories and create lasting change. Every contribution, whether $5 or $500, directly supports our work to document and share these transformative experiences. As a registered 501(c)(3), all donations are tax-deductible. Join us in building a future where psychedelic healing is better understood and accepted
