This is true, however you must admit that in New Age/Spiritual circles (to which I proudly belong btw), there is a degree of pseudoscience that can be dangerous. Believing things like "essential oils can cure cancer" and "vaccines are evil" kind of thing. I think Pollan is wanting to make the case for psychedelics to people who are not already in the New Age/Spiritual communities, people who are science minded, skeptical etc. If he just unquestioningly accepted a crow's wing as being an integral part of the psychedelic experience, I think a lot of his potential audience would have turned off.

I think also it's essentialist thinking to assume that "the feminine" is essentially opposed to rationality and science as you seem to be claiming. One doesn't have to be a pseudoscientist to be feminine. While I AGREE with you that things like: emotions, nature, holistic mind-body unity, mythology, ritual etc are important to a well rounded existence, I think nuance is necessary. Because unfortunately people go too far in their rejection of science and "the masculine" in these communities, which is why there is such a huge percentage of antivaxxers in the spiritual/New Age movement. Not all spiritual, empathic, intuitive people are like this OF COURSE. But let's not pretend they don't exist or that they're rare either.