Psychedelics and the Ontology of Work: A Qualitative Study of Career Transformation, Spiritual Embodiment, and Purpose-Driven Labour
Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion 2026 DOI: 10.51327/zjmz7806 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 28 |
| Population | Individuals who have had psychedelic experiences and discussed their career trajectories |
| Key findings | Psychedelic experiences catalyze career realignment by dissolving ego-based ambitions and reorienting motivation toward purpose-driven work. |
Abstract
In this study, I investigate how psychedelic experiences influence career trajectories, using a qualitative interpretivist framework grounded in 28 in-depth interviews. Although prior research has emphasized the psychological and therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, little is known about their impact on work life. Through grounded theory analysis, four integrative categories emerged: (1) psychedelic influences on work, (2) creativity and innovation, (3) personal transformation, and; (4) career transitions. Findings reveal that psychedelic experiences catalyze career realignment by dissolving ego-based ambitions, enhancing somatic awareness, and reorienting motivation toward value-based, purpose-driven work. Participants often integrated spiritual insight and sacred intuition into professional life, reframing labour not as a means of achievement, but as a mode of existential expression. This study advances the field by offering a differentiated, embodied, and spiritually grounded account of how psychedelics reshape vocational life, extending psychedelic science into underexplored domains of career development, entrepreneurship, and organizational behaviour.