Expanding The Mind With Colorado Psychedelic Church

For years, Colorado Springs has carried a reputation as a deeply traditional city, in an ocean of Colorado blue, The Springs, has always stood out for its deeply “red” stamp on the political map.  For decades, we have had to subscribe to the long standing and deliberate mantra of “Keep the Springs Lame”… an adage that we at Springs Things fundamentally refute!!

But things are on the change, and we have definitive proof!!  Tucked into the east side of town, a new kind of spiritual community has quietly been growing.  No, we aren’t talking about Focus on the Family or The Navigators.  This is a movement more likely to be found in the likes of Boulder, Crestone, or maybe Manitou.  This community is one centered not around dogma, guilt, or rigid belief systems, but rather connection and healing.  Oh, and one more thing… they happen to use psychedelics as their primary form of sacrament!!

Welcome to Colorado Psychedelic Church!

What started in a residential setting has now evolved into a rapidly growing movement with more than 2,000 members participating through the church’s Meetup community alone!  The organization recently announced that it had secured a new 3,500 square foot space in the heart of Colorado Springs, with a formal grand opening scheduled for June 1.  A soft opening/ sneak peak is scheduled for May 29th and May 30th.

Founder Benji “Teopixqui Dez” Dezaval has consistently framed the mission around accessibility and human connection.  The church’s website states its goal is to “make the strength of community and the healing power of entheogenic plants accessible to all.”  In interviews with local media, Dezaval explained that before opening the original church in 2024, he proactively contacted neighbors and law enforcement to ensure transparency and compliance with Colorado law.  “I’m trying to help people,” he told reporters while discussing the church’s approach to legal psychedelic sacraments.

And despite what critics or social media commentors may assume, guests should not expect an uncontrolled party atmosphere. We were pleasantly surprised to see that the church seems almost obsessive about structure, boundaries, and safety.  According to statements made publicly by Dezaval, clergy and administrative staff remain sober during operations, safety personnel are first-aid certified, and the organization separates family-friendly areas from 21+ sacramental spaces.  He also emphasized that there is no “open revelry” (revelry: the term they use to refer to the “trip”) during normal operating hours and that more emotionally intensive ceremonies are supervised carefully.

So, I’m sure your natural first question is… what the hell is an entheogen?  We didn’t know either…  but according to google, entheogens are naturally occurring psychedelic substances that we humans have been using for centuries to “expand consciousness,” connect spiritually, and occasionally stare at a tree long enough to become emotionally attached to it.  From psilocybin mushrooms to ayahuasca, these substances have played major roles in ancient ceremonies, healing rituals, and modern-day journeys where someone (maybe named Seth) inevitably says, “bro… time isn’t real.”   

Not surprising to any of us that may have (or may have not) experimented with these substances in college, science is now taking psychedelics seriously for potential mid expanding, mental health benefits.  As it turns out, that profound experience that you had with your buddies at 22, has real medical merit and is now generally accepted to aid in depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance abuse disorder, and even cluster headaches, fuck me!  Doctors even prescribe ketamine and other psychoactive substances in “micro-dosing” formulations to treat an array of mental health complications.

And the obvious second question would be… So how can something like this be legal?

The answer largely comes down to Colorado’s 2022 passage of Proposition 122, also known as the Natural Medicine Health Act. Under current Colorado law, adults 21 and older are legally allowed to possess, cultivate, consume, and share certain natural psychedelic substances, including psilocybin mushrooms and DMT.  What isn’t allowed is commercial sales.  The law only protects non-remunerated sharing, meaning these substances cannot legally be “sold” like products at a dispensary, but they can be shared within spiritual, ceremonial, or community contexts.  The Colorado Psychedelic Church appears to operate carefully within those boundaries by framing entheogens as religious sacraments.  It should be noted that the church also takes a number of precautions such as maintaining private membership structures, enforcing age restrictions, separating sober staff from participants, emphasizing guided and supervised environments, and avoiding direct retail-style drug sales. Colorado law also provides protections against arrest or prosecution for lawful personal-use activities permitted under Proposition 122, although public intoxication, impaired driving, and commercial distribution still remain illegal.

So how do you be a part of the psychedelic church?  It’s actually easy to get involved.  They host open hours from noon to 6pm, Tuesday through Saturday, and you can even schedule a 30-minute spiritual counseling session with a clergy member right from the website.  Other weekly programming appears to include a Tuesday “Weekly Guidance” sermon, focusing on reflection, spirituality, and personal growth, natural medicine is available at no cost to the participant.  This, of course, is assuming that the participant has taken and passed the required educational classes about the psychedelic that they choose to use.  More activities like Dungeons & Dragons nights intended to foster belonging and creativity are on the way. 

We at Springs Things couldn’t be more excited to welcome the Colorado Psychedelic Church to the main steam as they break in their brand-new building!  If you happen to be in the area, stop by and see what it’s all about!