The 7 Principles of MAPS

Healing For All

We proactively and creatively work to overcome cultural, legal, and economic barriers to equitable psychedelic access. We work to catalyze mass mental health and spirituality with the belief that saving one life saves a whole world.

Prioritize Public Benefit

We prioritize the good of our collective humanity and planet over organizational or individual gain. We strive to honor the communities, ancestral and modern traditions, and struggles we have learned from by practicing reciprocity and working for the good of future generations.

Open Science, Open Books

We commit to sharing what we learn and create, including our findings, protocols, and finances. Transparency creates a culture of accountability and contributes to the public domain, facilitating ethical collaboration toward a greater shared purpose.

Set the Setting

We approach everything we do like a journey: with clear intention, a resolve to face our shadow, and a commitment to ongoing integration. Guided by history and inspired by visionary possibilities, we aim to build foundations and tools for symbiotic and inclusive ecosystems.

Consciousness without Criminalization

We advocate for the dignity and rights of all people who use drugs, free from fear and stigma. We firmly reject criminalization of people for growing, making, distributing, or using drugs.

Be the Bridge

We build common ground between the medical, the mystical, the marginalized, and the mainstream. Uniting divergent communities and traversing new territory demands spiritual audacity.

See Past the Paradox

We take an incremental approach to radical change. We employ a diversity of tactics, perspectives, and strategies because we recognize the wisdom that unites seemingly paradoxical approaches. Everyone carries a piece of the puzzle.

Creating our Principles through Collective Values

To develop the MAPS principles, we sought input from MAPS and MAPS PBC staff and board members, and reflected on our own understanding of fundamental psychedelic values.

We drew inspiration from a number of sources. The 10 Principles of Burning Man have inspired many of MAPS staff, board and community to build a loving and sustainable community, and we similarly hope MAPS’ 7 Principles can support our broader community in its multitudes of creation, inspiration, and healing. We were deeply influenced by Adrienne Maree Brown’s principles of Emergent Strategy and Dr. Bronner’s 6 Cosmic Principles. MAPS Founder Rick Doblin has also long drawn on Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals,” and many in the MAPS community are guided by the late John Perry Barlow’s “Principles of Adult Behavior.” We also applaud the North Star pledge, a strong starting point for conscious psychedelic businesses. 

MAPS is committed to working towards upholding and embodying these principles and values in our daily work, and we are grateful for our community and supporters who constantly teach and remind us how to do so with integrity. We look forward to the ways these principles can help us collectively manifest the future we all know is possible.