Doug Red Hail Pineda

Doug Red Hail Pineda is the founder and spiritual guide of The Church of Psychedelics.

At the heart of Red Hail's work is a simple philosophy: plant medicines are not shortcuts to enlightenment—they are sacred tools. Transformation is not found in the ceremony alone, but in the discipline, integrity, and daily practice that follows. Spiritual awakening is cultivated through devotion, personal responsibility, and a lifelong commitment to walking what the Church calls The Golden Path.

From the jungles to the deserts, and from the mountains to the oceans, Red Hail has spent decades learning Indigenous teachings from masters within direct-lineage traditions. Those teachings, combined with years of personal practice and facilitation, form the foundation of his work today.

Doug Red Hail is a prolific writer on spirituality and a teacher of walking the spiritual path through lived experience. He speaks from the perspective of a daily practitioner and facilitator—not a theorist—and has personally practiced every protocol offered by the Church before ever teaching it to others.

Rolling Stone magazine described Doug Red Hail as “a purveyor of spiritual wisdom.”

His work centers on the intentional and responsible use of natural plant medicines as sacrament, including psilocybin microdosing protocols, macrodose ceremony, functional mushrooms, education about DMT, and the slow, often unglamorous work of integration that transforms profound experiences into lasting change.

He developed The Red Hail Protocol®, the renowned psilocybin microdosing protocol used by entrepreneurs, professionals, athletes, parents, and practitioners around the world. He is also the author of numerous psychedelic research briefings that translate primary scientific literature into practical guidance for spiritual seekers, making complex research accessible without sacrificing accuracy or nuance.

Above all, Doug is committed to honesty over hype. His work is grounded in primary research, openly acknowledges what remains unknown, and treats plant medicines as sacred sacraments deserving of humility, reverence, and responsibility. Nothing presented through The Church of Psychedelics is intended as medical advice. Rather, it is the record of a living spiritual practice, offered to help others walk The Golden Path with greater wisdom, deeper intention, and an unwavering commitment to safety, education, and authentic spiritual guidance.