Our “Hero’s Journey.”
How does one grow in the cannabis space in a truly altruistic way, genuinely making a difference, whilst becoming one’s best self without a mold to fit into?
Written by Basia Zieniewicz, Founding Director & Curator CaNNTalks, and Founding Director of CannPass
I’m delighted to have been invited and given the opportunity to share my journey into and throughout the cannabis sector, for which I thank you, Sister. A pleasure to reflect and be included. However, saying that I’ve decided not to write about cannabis.
There is no personal link, nor obvious natural progression. I’d like to think I represent the general layperson. It’s been an intuitive process of heart vs mind(/less), and I’ve learned many lessons trying to get the balance right. The successes, although few, have been invigorating in both mind and spirit as well as heart. Rich in adventure and shaping change. I’m not a politician, businesswoman, banker, scientist nor patient. I’m just your local pedagogue who has had the honour to journey alongside a few incredible mentors, most of which have been (and are) women. As such I’ve been privileged to be equipped with tools and inspirations to carve my own path and, with any luck, be of value and add a modicum of light to the world along the way. To be honest, I’m not sure that it’s ever really been about cannabis. For me it’s about positive change and paradigm shifting, more of a “Hero’s Journey”. Just one of a few within existing larger cycles.
Blessed with an extraordinary role model, my mother, who like those moving mountains today, sacrificed everything so that I could have a promising future - she was the driving force behind my parents fleeing Poland’s Communist Regime in the early 80’s. She is still the most forceful woman I know, led by a golden compass. Ultimately, the cannabis sector is a promise for a better future, for patients and hopefully, in the fullness of time, society in general. So let’s explore the notion of our compass as we navigate through the uncharted waters for a new industry.
A paper I recently submitted, for a psychology program I’m enrolled in, turned out to be the perfect prequel to writing this piece for The Cannabinoid Journal. As the module was on transpersonal experiences, I wrote about my lifelong interest in self-actualization, as described by Abraham Maslow in The Farther Reaches of Human Nature. It’s quite a subjective topic and in many cases, in my view ill-considered. By that I mean, how does one not stop at the ego and self-interest when attempting to carve out one’s own Hero’s Journey? I think that this is something that has been a challenge for everyone involved in the cannabis sector. How does one grow in this space in a truly altruistic way, genuinely making a difference, whilst becoming one’s best self without a mold to fit into?.. Patients who are wrestling for their medicine; advocates who are standing in their corner; the doctors and nurses pioneering the treatments; the politicians who must risk making a judgement call on something they know very little about; NGOs having to expend energy and resources supporting a mere idea; entrepreneurs taking a financial risk backing an undeveloped industry; and so on… which is what, in my view, is the catalyst behind everyone’s involvement in this sector without maybe even realising it. Of course, not everyone is virtuous but there again that’s not unique to cannabis. I believe everybody is here to self actualize and build a stronger future. As human beings it is our nature to evolve.
As for my milestones; regularly being on the edge of something, being involved in the shaping of a law, exercising my divergent thinking, being an apprentice of many truths, invited into the heartbeat of where both the EU & UK write policy, awarded for being governed by compassion, and reprimanded where not. Meeting the most incredible people and exchanging energy with them along the way. Learning how to overcome challenges in the face of adversity and to really listen, not to just what I want to hear. To generate a vision and ask for help, pass on batons and acknowledge where to pivot or persevere. Knowing that with every step, regardless of the outcome, I’m always accountable to my Greater Self.
What cannabis represents has resonated with my values. Opportunity for a better life, whether that’s through an individual being able to function, paying it forward, environmental regeneration, economic growth, or to shape a better future. At our pilot at the University of Cambridge in 2019, CANNTalks; Curating A New Normal, a cross-cultural event that included a variety of perspectives, one of our speakers and friend Jessica Steinberg, Socio-legal Anthropologist made a fantastically poignant point:
“… we have a responsibility. And that responsibility is not for me to say or for you to tell someone else. But it's for us to live on and just to be aware of. And so on that note, are we reconstructing an industry that already exists? And what does that industry look like within our own small world and within the wider world, out there?” (Steinberg, CANNTalks, 2019).
The cannabis sector is evolving and we, as ‘policy influencers’, should all feel quite proud of ourselves, because although not ideal, it is now closer to being the new normal than it was prior to 2018. I'm going to plug here by saying we, at CPASS, have a brilliant vision and roadmap on how to really widen the berth for cannabis in the UK by millions. That’s only thanks to the stellar team I have the honour to co-lead and vision alongside, as well as the incredible thought leaders that we’ve had the privilege to be able to turn to directly to collaborate and partner with.
At the end of the day, the opportunity for me personally has been to evolve as a human and contributor to the greater community. That's how I got into cannabis. And that's how I'm carrying on in cannabis. And whatever achievements may yet come, that will be the driving force.
As for the CPASS opportunity… call me.
