CL-081 Holly Regan is a Trip

Holly Regan believes that we are all surrounded by opportunities to have transcendent experiences. As humans, we're often prone to looking inward, thanks both to our egos as well as our desire to seek solace from the chaos and noise of the world. But when we're able to tap into the beyond, through whatever means available, we have the potential to commune with each other, ourselves, and all creation beyond our sometimes-limited scope of perception. If this sounds a little woo-woo, that's okay. Holly admits they're a bit of a hippie, but that doesn't make them wrong—far from it. In their piece "Psychedelic Pints — Finding Oneness Through Beer and Other Drugs," which was published on June 23, 2021 on Good Beer Hunting, they manage to tie together the universality of seeking cosmic consciousness with how individual identity can influence the journey, as well as how the human experience can be shaped by mind-altering substances—from beer to hallucinogens—in both intentional and unintentional ways. In this conversation with Holly, they describe why—and how—they were called to write this piece, which they describe as the most challenging one they've ever attempted. In fact, in writing it, Holly found their own future transformed in ways they could have never imagined. The mere ritual of writing in and of itself opened them up to a new path: perhaps bringing the entire concept of oneness full circle. We discuss where (and how) they find God in every living thing; how ceremony and ritual can change people's lives under the right circumstances; how trust, vulnerability, and an open mind can yield incredible results; and even what they consider the meaning of it all. It gets heavy at times. But by talking about what makes life worth living, Holly reveals their own personal truths and invites others to partake in the possibilities.