From Activist to Ayahuasca Advocate

Life is a Festival #19: Tony Moss (Bird Tribe)

Today on the podcast, I’m speaking to a man I deeply admire about one of my favorite topics: medicine ceremonies. Tony Moss is a community leader, a musician, and an ayahuasca advocate. Thirty years ago, Tony was heavily involved in activism, trying to change the world through protesting war and inequality. Today, he is a leading proponent of the legalization and responsible use of ayahuasca and other plant medicines for healing individuals and the world.

Tony’s mother, Rejoyce Moss, was part of 1960s gospel act The Stovall Sisters, and he grew up in a musical household. His medicine music is informed by his R&B roots, a love of musical theater, and icaros (traditional ayahuasca songs) that guide healing ceremonies.

On the podcast, we discuss his personal journey to plant medicine and how ayahuasca has helped him heal his ancestral lineage. We talk about his specific strategies to facilitate ceremony and build community, as well as how to integrate psychedelic experiences. We also discuss the racial divide in Ayahuasca accessibility.

In 2012, Tony founded I.AM.LIFE, a non-profit organization that promotes interconnectivity through modern and indigenous wisdom. He is part of the musical collective Bird Tribe, which has just released its debut album, Birds in Paradise. Tony’s gospel-inspired hymn “Grateful”, my favorite medicine song, is featured in its entirety at the end of the podcast.

Eventually there is no difference between your life and ceremony… your life becomes a ceremony. And the secret is gratitude.