> All of this is mildly depressing though. It feels as though we are just our brains (maybe obviously), but just that we're the strange effects of the functions of a non-magical/soul-less organ in our heads primarily just meant to steer our bodies. Those thoughts make drugs both existentially liberating but at the same time also "imprisoning" for me

That is certainly one way of looking at things, and one of the more frequent perspectives I harbor. But I've also had enough trips down the rabbit hole to realize there's more to it than that. Way more to it.

We are definitely strange effects for sure. We are haunted atoms that formed in the core of a dying star. Weird, right? If you find that worldview imprisoning, I encourage you to question it. Magic is often simply what you need it to be, no need to get hung up on whether magic is "real" or not, because that doesn't actually matter.

Check out Discordianism if you haven't already. It's kinda like hot swapping reality tunnels. No need to commit to one ontology all the time :).