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Cipher_5
Raad Seraj
June 23, 2025
You came to MOSAIC and now you’re part of the cipher, a bi-weekly dispatch on culture, psychedelics, community — decoded.
Table of Contents
TLDR: S2E2 was our biggest MOSAIC yet, and something shifted — the room held itself. We’re back this July with biweekly Mosaic Salons, another ROOTED retreat in July, and eyes set on Mosaic’s next evolution this September. Plus, big news: the Federal Court has overturned Health Canada’s psilocybin training ban, marking a major step forward for the future of psychedelic-assisted therapy in Canada. Keep reading - the movement’s gaining momentum.
🔮 Reflecting on MOSAIC S2E2
There were 180 people in the room, and at some point in the night, I stopped looking at the room like a producer. I wasn’t clocking cues or watching the exits. I wasn’t trying to hold the energy or patch the leaks. I was just… there. Breathing. In the room. In my body. And that’s not usually how these nights go.
Anyone who’s ever produced a live experience knows the invisible weight of it — the quiet hypervigilance, the constant scan for what might unravel. But something happened at S2E2. Maybe it was the way people arrived. Maybe it was the circle of first-timers who gathered early with Sumit and dissolved whatever tension they walked in with. Maybe it was Kiyoshi and Akemi’s taiko, which didn’t just open the night, it cleared the air. Whatever it was, something clicked. And for the first time since MOSAIC began, I didn’t feel like I had to steer the night. The night already knew where to go.
That sense of surrender carried into the panel with Kiyoshi, Erin, and Sabrina. We didn’t talk about psychedelics as trend or tool, we talked about thresholds. The point where breath becomes revelation. Where exertion becomes release. Where we cross from ordinary into altered, not through theory but through the body itself. We talked about death, and what it means to live with the end in view. We talked about grief, and the movements that begin when other things end. The body has thresholds. So does a culture. So does a life. That conversation, like the room itself, held the tension without trying to fix it. It reminded me that what we’re doing here isn’t about escape. It’s about crossing over — together.
And then, just when it felt like the night might tip into too much weight, SHOUT! burst through the seams. Swampy brass grooves rippled through the space, and the seriousness melted. Bubble guns appeared. The air filled with foam and funk. People danced like they didn’t need permission. It felt like the room exhaled. Summer had arrived, and so had the absurd joy that reminds you a gathering doesn’t have to end heavy to be holy.
And that’s the dream, isn’t it? That something you build can start to carry its own rhythm. That you can stop holding the center because the people are the center. That night, I got a glimpse of that. A moment of real stillness. And from where I stood, the thing we’re building felt inevitable. Thank you for hopping on.
- Raad
What’s next for MOSAIC?
Runway06 closed its doors last month, and with it, we said goodbye to the space where MOSAIC learned how to walk. What that night revealed is that this thing we’re building isn’t tied to a venue.
So the question is: what does Mosaic look like when it grows up a little?
We’ll be back in September. But MOSAIC will evolve. But it will remain familiar, but with a little more room to stretch. And in the spirit of experimentation and staying punk rock, we’re going to try some things. We might get a few wrong. But our promise is to keep showing up with the same intention: to blow minds, clear hearts, and make it feel like something you want to bring your people to. That also means keeping it accessible. At S2E2 we introduced tiered pricing, and it worked. We’ll build on that, and make sure there’s always room for low-income access and equity-based invites. MOSAIC isn’t a luxury experience, its a shared experience.
Where should Mosaic land next? If you know a space - warehouse, gallery, theatre, temple, something strange and beautiful - reply to this email. We’re listening.
🎙️ Mosaic Salon
Salons weren’t just social. They were subversive. In 17th century Paris and across the Arab world, salons and coffeehouses created space for the conversations that weren’t allowed elsewhere. Artists, mystics, poets, and philosophers gathered around tables to exchange ideas, challenge power, and make culture together. They existed because people needed a place to think out loud — and be changed in the process.
That’s the energy we’re channeling. Mosaic Salons sold out every time we ran them.
So this July, we’re trying something new - 2x a month. July 9 and July 29, 7–9pm at À Toi — a secret oasis modelled after a 1920s hotel, where you can kick back and let the good times roll. Hosted by your MOSAIC crew.
Invite-only for Cipher subscribers. Spaces limited to ensure intimacy and priced for access (thanks to Nikean Foundation). Family-style dinner included and community curated by the MOSAIC crew. Real conversation expected.
If it hits, we’ll keep it going.
Reserve your spot:
🌱 Next ROOTED Retreat July 12 - 13
In a world that rarely gives us time to slow down, ROOTED offers a space to step out of the noise and come back into rhythm with yourself. This one-day retreat is designed to create enough stillness, structure, and ceremony for something meaningful to surface, whether that’s clarity, release, or simply a deeper sense of connection to the body and the present moment.
At the heart of rooted is a carefully guided medicine journey supported by a synergistic stack of MDMA and psilocybin, grounded in emerging research that suggests co-administration can enhance therapeutic outcomes. Lower doses of MDMA alongside psilocybin may reduce fear, soften resistance, and increase self-compassion, gratitude, and emotional openness, especially for those who tend to navigate anxiety or intense psychedelic edges.
Through breathwork, movement, sound, and integration, we create a container where these experiences are not just profound, but metabolized through the body, through story, and in community. If you’re navigating transition, seeking deeper insight, or simply ready to listen more honestly to yourself, we return July 12–13.
Space is limited. If you’re feeling the pull, we’d love to welcome you in. Please respond to this email or fill out this short interest form.
🫶🏽 The Extended Mix // Spotlights from the Community
From August 13–17, leaders in psychedelic healing, research, and culture will gather on the bioluminescent shores of Cortes Island for the Canadian Psychedelic Summit — one of the few gatherings truly led by Indigenous voices, rooted in land-based learning and relational ethics. Mission Club returns as a partner and advisor for the fourth year running, because this gathering continues to shape how we move.
✨ Altered States Weekly // Psychedelic research, rituals, and real-world impact
Federal Court overturns Health Canada’s psilocybin training ban. The Federal Court of Appeal has ruled that Health Canada’s decision to deny exemptions for healthcare professionals to use psilocybin (the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms”) during their experiential training was unreasonable and unjustified. This case involved 96 healthcare practitioners who wanted legal access to psilocybin as part of their training to offer psychedelic-assisted therapy for conditions like severe depression and end-of-life distress.
📡 Transmissions // What Our Friends Think
“I don’t know what it was, but this Mosaic felt different. There was this exciting buzzing in the air yet a calmness in the heart. Thank you for creating this space and for making it welcoming for everyone! It was really nice hearing the first timers be so excited to be a part of something. You guys really gave meaning to the words, “community” and “connection”. So thankful for you all, for the space and for what’s to come!”
“You guys are changing things. Mosaic yesterday felt like a tectonic shift. The revolution is not televised, it's happening in person and it's so incredible to see this happening.”
📡 Low-Key Loud
No website. No ads. No culty group chat. Just good people, doing real shit. If you believe in what we’re building — help us keep it strange, sacred, and sustainable.
Show up. Share it. Tell one person who gets it. That’s how this grows.
