Environmentalist, Sustainability Professional
Date of Birth: 07/22/1987 (30 in ceremony)
Lives in Brooklyn, New York

Despite an impressive career as a sustainable farming professional, turning thirty has made Elisabeth Sheldon take a critical look at her goals and accomplishments. “Many of my friends are settling down, getting married, and are building their careers,” she says. “I know the pressure to follow suit comes from societal constructs, but I feel it nonetheless. I’ve chosen to explore options until I find a professional path that feels right for me.”

“The suffering of others and the destruction of the Earth weighs heavily on my spirit,” says Elisabeth, “and fills me with fear for the future.” During ayahuasca ceremonies, she intends to confront that fear and “transform it into strength and inspiration.” She also intends to “peel back the layers of learned behavior—the being female in a male-dominated world conditioning—and to reconnect to the source, the divine feminine, and to my most authentic self.”

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and raised in a progressive family in Western Massachusetts, Elisabeth frequently found herself taking on the role of mediator in resolving conflicts at school, and as a witness and “peacemaker” in family disputes. She accepts this role of being “a source of empathetic, grounding, peaceful energy” as part of her core nature and is looking for a profession where those talents are best put to use.

Elisabeth earned her Bachelor of Science (BS) in Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture from Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, in 2010. She then worked as a counselor and program manager at a large non-profit therapeutic farming community that helped people with economic, physical, and mental challenges learn vocational skills. Elisabeth loved empowering people but was appalled at how many were on massive dosages of medications. “There was no holistic approach being taken to the care of the people that I so dearly cared about,” she says. “It seemed as simple as ‘eradicating’ symptoms with medications only, with a reductionist and often exploitative approach being taken with their health.”

Elisabeth is now a carpenter at Folia Gardens, a Brooklyn-based full-service garden and landscape company. Being the only woman on a seven-person crew and learning to use power tools is “empowering and fun,” she says, and “definitely helps build my confidence and autonomy.” She’s passionate about travel and spending time in nature and with animals, and this year she went on a “walkabout,” exploring the United States for two months with her filmmaker partner, Jared, before they settled temporarily in Brooklyn.

She has experienced the benefits of psychedelics for improving mental health firsthand and through her friends and family. Ayahuasca helped Elisabeth’s father, master guitarist John Sheldon, overcome severe depression, and she is adamant that it is “time for humanity to connect back to the Earth and spirituality, and for the age of prohibition to be over.” A staunch advocate for legitimate scientific inquiry into the healing power of psychedelics, she is interested in exploring the field professionally.

In addition to personal issues, Elisabeth intends to confront injustice and environmental degradation during ceremony. “So many people in positions of power have no connection to nature. Their actions are short-sighted and motivated by personal gain, and their lack of concern for the future of this planet and for other living beings is shocking,” she says. “How can I possibly feel OK about bringing children into this war on nature, and how can I best be of service in the fight to help protect their habitat?”

Nomination

Elisabeth was nominated by her mother, Susan Sheldon, who received a Cosmic Sister Plant Spirit Grant in 2014. “Elisabeth is at a point in her life where I think that she can be energetically receptive to the experiences offered by Ayahuasca; to be open to the unexpected and have the courage to explore her fears. Ceremony holds potential for Elisabeth to find her authentic voice which will serve in her heart journey once home. I am grateful that she has the opportunity to join Cosmic Sister at the Temple of the Way of Light and am confident that she will be safely supported in her journey.”

Cosmic Sister Plant Spirit Grant 2018
Women of the Psychedelic Renaissance Grant 2018
Ayahuasca Retreat: Temple of The Way of Light