Rethinking Ego-Death: Psychedelics, Healing & Reconnection

In the Western psychedelic landscape, ego-death is often hailed as an ultimate goal—a radical dissolution of self that leads to positive transformation. Whether in psychedelic therapy, spiritual communities, or psychonaut subcultures, the idea of ego-dissolution dominates conversations, often portrayed as a necessary passage to healing and transformation. Many Western therapeutic models, influenced by transpersonal psychology and neuroscience, frame the breakdown of identity structures (such as the Default Mode Network and the REBUS model) as a key mechanism behind psychedelics’ healing potential.

But is ego-dissolution the only or even the best model for psychedelic healing? Mystical traditions have long shared this preoccupation with self-annihilation—from the Christian mysticism of John of the Cross to Sufism’s fana, in addition to Buddhist and Advaitic traditions that view liberation as the dissolution of the self. Psychedelics, then, are often framed within this centuries-old paradigm of self-transcendence, where the ego is an obstacle to be overcome rather than a dynamic aspect of identity to be transformed.

However, many Indigenous and ancestral traditions approach psychedelics differently. Rather than focusing on the self, these traditions emphasize what comes after ego-dissolution—living in right relationship. Psychedelics, in these traditions, are not simply tools for self-transcendence but means of remembering one’s place within the greater web of life—a process of re-rooting, of reintegration, of bringing the self back into harmony, and thus unity with community, ancestors, future generations and the living world of Nature.

This article challenges the West’s overemphasis on ego-dissolution and explores alternative paradigms of psychedelic healing. Instead of asking, “How can psychedelics dissolve my ego? How can psychedelics heal the self?”, we will explore a different question: “How can psychedelics help us reconnect—with ourselves, our communities, and the Earth?” By rethinking the role of psychedelics beyond the individual self, we can move toward a more relational, ecocentric, and integrative approach to healing and transformation within the West’s emerging psychedelic renaissance.

The Origins of the Ego-Death Narrative in Western Psychedelia

The idea that psychedelic healing is achieved through ego-dissolution did not emerge in a vacuum. It is rooted in Western psychoanalysis, transpersonal psychology, and mystical traditions, which have long emphasized transcending or annihilating the self as a pathway to enlightenment and transformation. While these frameworks have contributed to our understanding of altered states—and still do—they have also shaped psychedelic discourse in ways that prioritize self-transcendence over reintegration, connection, and relationality.

Psychoanalysis & Transpersonal Psychology: The Ego as the Obstacle

Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and later Stanislav Grof played major roles in framing the ego as something to be transcended or broken down in order to access deeper aspects of the psyche. Freud saw the ego as the mediator between the unconscious and the external world, but he also recognized that psychedelic-like states could bypass ego defenses, revealing repressed memories and traumas. Jung, on the other hand, saw the ego as a limited aspect of the total psyche, advocating for the integration of unconscious material through individuation rather than total ego loss.

It was Stanislav Grof who most explicitly linked psychedelic states to ego-dissolution. His work with LSD therapy led him to describe the perinatal matrices, a model in which ego-death is the final stage before spiritual rebirth. Grof’s framework became highly influential in transpersonal psychology, reinforcing the idea that the dissolution of the ego leads to expanded states of consciousness, deep healing, and spiritual union.

Mystical Traditions: The Preoccupation with Self-Annihilation

Long before Freud and Grof, Western mystical traditions already centered self-loss as a spiritual ideal. Christian mystics like John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila spoke of the “dark night of the soul”—a process of total ego-stripping that leads to union with the divine. Their experiences closely resemble descriptions of psychedelic ego-dissolution, reinforcing the Western idea that self-annihilation is necessary for transcendence.

Similarly, Buddhist and Advaita Vedanta traditions emphasize non-duality—the realization that the individual self is an illusion and that ultimate liberation comes from dissolving the ego into a greater whole. Modern psychedelic research, particularly studies conducted at Johns Hopkins and Imperial College London, has drawn heavily from these traditions, often framing mystical experiences primarily in terms of self-loss rather than relational integration. This influence is evident in the MEQ30 (Mystical Experience Questionnaire), which operationalizes mystical experiences based largely on Western interpretations of non-dual states, reinforcing the idea that ego-dissolution is the hallmark of healing rather than one of many possible pathways to wholeness.

Neuroscientific Models: The Default Mode Network & REBUS

Neuroscience has reinforced the ego-dissolution paradigm by identifying the Default Mode Network (DMN) as the neurological seat of the self. The DMN is responsible for self-referential thinking, identity, and internal narratives—all of which are suppressed during psychedelic experiences. Research suggests that psychedelics temporarily “deactivate” the DMN, reducing rigid self-structures and allowing for more flexible, expansive modes of cognition.

The REBUS model (Relaxed Beliefs Under Psychedelics), developed by Robin Carhart-Harris, builds on this by suggesting that psychedelics weaken the brain’s predictive coding mechanisms, making the mind more open to new ways of perceiving reality. In this framework, ego-dissolution is seen as a crucial step toward breaking free from pathological thought patterns—but is this too narrow of a focus?

Dissolution Over Transformation

The dominance of the ego-death narrative in Western psychedelic research and therapy suggests that dissolving the self is key, rather than rebuilding, reconnecting, or expanding it to include our many relations, including the ecosystems we inhabit and the non-human lives we co-exist with. While ego-dissolution can be deeply healing, the question remains: Why is the emphasis so heavily placed on loss rather than integration? Mystical traditions outside of the West often see dissolution as just one phase of a greater process, followed by reintegration into community and Nature—the greater web of life.

By reframing ego-dissolution and personal integration not as an endpoint but as a passage to something greater, we can expand the psychedelic healing model beyond its Western individualistic roots—toward a more relational, ecological, and holistic approach that benefits the whole.

Indigenous and Non-Western Perspectives: Psychedelics as Connection, Not Annihilation

Many Indigenous and non-Western traditions approach psychedelics differently. Rather than focusing on dissolving the self, these traditions emphasize what comes after ego-dissolution—rebuilding the self in right relationship with the world. In these traditions, psychedelics are not simply tools for personal transcendence but relational medicines that reconnect individuals to their community, ancestors, the living Earth and cosmos.

The key distinction is this: ego-dissolution is not the goal, but a passage. Psychedelic experiences are meant to reposition the self within a greater relational whole, rather than simply changing it by “resetting” it. Through these encounters, individuals do not disappear but remember who they are in relation to their people, their lineage, and the land.

The Contrast: Self-Annihilation vs. Remembering One’s Place

Many Indigenous traditions challenge the Western psychedelic fixation on ego-death as the goal. Instead of dissolving the self, these traditions show that psychedelics can be keys to integration, remembrance, and reconnection.

The West often focuses on self-transcendence, or dissolving into mystical unity. But in many Indigenous traditions, the quest isn’t about achieving a particular state to better or heal oneself, but instead, remembering and honouring one’s place in the web of life.

Psychedelics, then, are not portals to oblivion, but pathways back to relationship—with community, ancestors, the land, and the sacred forces that sustain life. In this view, ego-dissolution is only meaningful if it is followed by rebirth, reintegration, and the responsibility to live in right relationship.

By shifting our psychedelic frameworks from individual transcendence to relational reconnection, we move past the Western focus on self-annihilation and toward a more holistic, integrated, and ecocentric approach to healing.

The Problem with Ego-Dissolution as the Ultimate Goal

Psychedelic experiences are inherently diverse, yet Western frameworks often privilege ego-death over other transformative possibilities. The assumption that self-annihilation is the pinnacle of healing or transformation overlooks the reality that many individuals find profound meaning, healing, and growth through reintegration, connection, and expansion of self into the web of life.

While ego-dissolution can be a powerful experience, an overemphasis on it can lead to several potential pitfalls:

Spiritual Bypassing: Transcendence Over Trauma Work

Some seekers fixate on ego-death as a shortcut to enlightenment, using psychedelics to escape difficult emotions rather than working through them. This is a form of spiritual bypassing—pursuing transcendence instead of engaging with emotional wounds, relational patterns, or embodied healing. True integration requires confronting and processing personal and collective trauma, not just momentarily dissolving into cosmic unity.

Dissociation Rather Than Integration

Without proper grounding, ego-dissolution can sometimes lead to dissociation—a detachment from reality rather than a deepened engagement with life. While psychedelics can loosen rigid self-structures, healing is not just about undoing the self but also about rebuilding, reorienting, and reconnecting. If the self is deconstructed but not reconstructed, individuals may struggle to integrate insights into their daily lives, leading to alienation instead of growth.

The Importance of Ego-Reformation

Carl Jung warned against complete ego loss, advocating instead for a process of integration and individuation. For Jung, the goal was not to dissolve the self entirely but to cultivate wholeness—a balance between the conscious and unconscious mind. He saw ego-death experiences as valuable only if followed by reintegration, where the self is reconstructed in a way that is more expansive, aware, and in harmony with life.

Neglecting Rebirth: The Missing Half of the Journey

Western mystics like John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila did not view self-loss as the endpoint but as a means to reintegrate into divine relationship. In contrast, much of Western psychedelic discourse stops at the dissolution, failing to emphasize the necessity of returning, re-engaging, and reintegrating. In many traditions, ego-death is not a final destination but a passage toward a greater, more connected self.

The Psygaia Hypothesis: Ego as an Evolving Relationship

Rather than seeing the ego as an illusion to escape, what if psychedelics could help reshape the self in relationship to Nature, community, and ancestral knowledge? The Psygaia Hypothesis suggests that consciousness and the self are not isolated but part of an evolving planetary system. In this framework, psychedelics do not just dissolve identity—they allow the ego to evolve, adapt, and integrate into a larger web of life. By shifting the focus away from self-annihilation and toward relational, ecological, and integrative models of healing, we open the door to a more holistic and grounded psychedelic paradigm—one that embraces transformation while honoring the necessity of return, connection, and responsibility to the greater web of life.

Another alternative to ego-annihilation is ego-expansion—not in a narcissistic sense, but in recognizing the self as part of the greater living world. Psychedelics have been shown to increase nature-relatedness, fostering a sense of deep kinship with the Earth. Ecopsychology, which examines the relationship between psychological wellbeing and environmental health, suggests that healing is not just about personal transformation but about restoring humanity’s connection to the natural world. Psychedelics can serve as a bridge between inner and planetary healing, allowing individuals to move from a self-centered perspective to an ecocentric one—not losing the self, but seeing the self as part of something greater, offering meaning and healing.

A New Vision for Psychedelic Therapy

The psychedelic renaissance has an opportunity to move beyond its fixation on ego-death and embrace a more integrative, relational, and ecologically grounded approach to healing. Instead of seeing psychedelics as tools for erasing the self, we can recognize their potential to help us rebuild, reconnect, and remember our place within the larger web of life.

Psychedelic therapy should reflect the diversity of human experiences—some people may benefit from ego-dissolution, while others need relational repair, ecological reconnection, or ancestral remembrance. By shifting away from a singular focus on self-transcendence, the field can evolve into a more inclusive and holistic model of healing—one that honors not just the individual, but the communities, ecosystems, and histories we are all a part of.

Conclusion

The dominance of the ego-death model in Western psychedelic therapy and research has overshadowed equally valuable pathways to healing. While ego-dissolution can be profound, it is not the only nor the ultimate psychedelic experience. Many Indigenous and ancestral traditions recognize that self-loss is not an endpoint, but a passage—a necessary dissolution that must be followed by reintegration into relationships, community, and the living Earth.

The goal is not erasure, but right relationship.

By moving beyond the fixation on self-annihilation, psychedelics can serve a broader purpose—not as tools for transcendence alone, but as pathways for rebuilding, reconnecting, and remembering. Instead of asking “How can I heal myself?”, we should be asking “How can I learn to exist in harmony with life?”

As the psychedelic renaissance unfolds, we have an opportunity to expand its framework—to embrace models of healing that prioritize relational integration, holism, and ecology. Perhaps the true transformation that psychedelics offer is not in dissolving the self, but in rediscovering how to belong—to ourselves, our communities, and the greater web of life.

---

References

Carhart-Harris, R. L., & Friston, K. J. (2010). The default-mode, ego-functions and free-energy: A neurobiological account of Freudian ideas. Brain, 133(4), 1265–1283. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awq010

Davis, A. K., Barrett, F. S., & Griffiths, R. R. (2020). Psychological flexibility mediates the relations between acute psychedelic effects and subjective decreases in depression and anxiety. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 15, 39–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2019.11.004

Glowacki, D. R., Williams, R. R., Maynard, O. M., Pike, J. E., Freire, R., Wonnacott, M. D., & Chatziapostolou, M. (2021). Dissolving yourself in connection to others: Shared experiences of ego attenuation and connectedness during group VR experiences can be comparable to psychedelics. arXiv preprint arXiv:2105.07796. https://arxiv.org/abs/2105.07796

Letheby, C., & Gerrans, P. (2017). Self unbound: Ego dissolution in psychedelic experience. Neuroscience of Consciousness, 2017(1), nix016. https://doi.org/10.1093/nc/nix016

Nour, M. M., Evans, L., Nutt, D., & Carhart-Harris, R. L. (2016). Ego-dissolution and psychedelics: Validation of the Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI). Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 10, 269. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00269

Stoliker, D., Egan, G. F., Friston, K. J., & Razi, A. (2022). Neural mechanisms and psychology of psychedelic ego dissolution. Pharmacological Reviews, 74(4), 876–917. https://doi.org/10.1124/pharmrev.121.000508

Tupper, K. W., Wood, E., Yensen, R., & Johnson, M. W. (2015). Psychedelic medicine: A re-emerging therapeutic paradigm. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 187(14), 1054–1059. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.141124

Uthaug, M. V., Davis, A. K., Haas, T. F., Davis, D., Dolan, S. B., & Lancelotta, R. (2020). The epidemiology of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) use: Benefits, consequences, patterns of use, and motives among current users. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 34(6), 646–659. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881120916143

Watts, R., & Luoma, J. B. (2020). The use of the psychological flexibility model to support psychedelic assisted therapy. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 256. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00256