From AI Research to Alternative Healing (with Palveshey Tariq)

 In this transformative conversation, Palveshey Tariq—founder of Alternative Coaching Methods—shares her journey from quantum physics and AI research to guiding others through plant medicine ceremonies. After collecting all the accolades in STEM but feeling empty inside, a suic*de attempt led to a two-year journey of meditating 4-8 hours daily and completely rewiring her relationship with herself. What started as reaching for psilocybin mushrooms as an escape became five hours of taking ownership of her role in her own suffering. The conversation explores how we trade our authentic selves for conditional love starting in childhood, why observing our behavior (internally and externally) changes everything, and how fear drives most of our achievements until we learn to operate from integrity instead. Palveshey reveals her morning routine, why "discipline is the highest form of self-respect," and how asking "How do you know it's true?" can dismantle an entire belief system.

Key Topics:

• From quantum physics to consciousness: the observer effect applied internally
• Why high achievement doesn't equal high performance (vitality and balance)
• Trading authenticity for love: "I am who I think you think I am"
• A psilocybin ceremony that wasn't an escape but a mirror
• The body screaming what the mind ignores: menstrual pain as communication
• Morning routine as self-respect: meditation, walking, yoga, reading, then clients

 

Notable Quotes:

• "Plant medicines shed light on all the dark areas and assign you homework, but you still have to go home and do the work."
• "There's a fine line between owning your shit and being full of it."
• "In order to become a graceful master, we need to look like a foolish beginner."
• "In order for a spiritual awakening to happen, there has to be a mental breakdown."
• "Creation and contribution are the antidotes for comparison and criticism".

Palveshey's Powerful Question: "How do you know it's true?"—And the crucial follow-up: "What's truer?"

 

Key Lessons:

• Our subconscious starts believing love is conditional around age 2-3
• The difference between religion and spirituality/devotion
• Integration is the most important part of plant medicine work
• Your body whispers before it screams—listen early
• Four motivators: fear, desire, duty, or love—know which drives you
• Turn "why me?" into "watch me"
• Right and wrong are illusions—feel what's right in the moment

Resources Mentioned:

• Alternative Coaching Methods 
• The Diamond Cutter (and other books mentioned on this season - affiliate links)
• No Bullshit Spirituality newsletter - one hard truth, one simple turnaround
• LinkedIn for Palveshey's writings
• Gravitas - 1:1 accelertaors for biz owners stepping into their founder era
• The Curiosity Lab - Strategy sessions for leaders by Chedva
• You’re Gonna Want to Sit Down for This - bi-weekly email packed with lessons and free tools
• Chedva's newsletter - Weekly musings and questions