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Psychedelics Today

Psychedelics Today is the planetary leader in psychedelic education, media, and advocacy. Covering up-to-the-minute developments and diving deep into crucial topics bridging the scientific, academic, philosophical, societal, and cultural, Psychedelics Today is leading the discussion in this rapidly evolving ecosystem.
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Now displaying: 2017
Dec 28, 2017

Download Tim Cools joins us on Psychedelics Today to talk about his project, Psychedelic Experience, a web platform that allows individuals to post reviews about different psychedelic retreat centers and organizations. There is a psychedelic journal feature that is currently in beta-testing that allows users to write about their experiences, in hopes to further phenomenological and qualitative research in the future. As described on the site, this is a "one-stop-shop" for resources surrounding psychedelics.


About Psychedelic Experience

We aim to reduce harm and stigma associated with psychedelics by helping to best inform users, offer tools to help with integration of their experiences, and a space for communal support.

One-stop-shop web resource surrounding psychedelics

  • Online community by and for beginning and experienced psychonauts.
  • Promote safe use of psychedelics by providing scientific, responsible information.
  • Privacy is a top-priority. Users have full control over what is public and what isn’t.

Psychedelic experiences journal

  • Keep a private journal of your psychedelic experiences.
  • Share your experiences with your friends or the community. Reports are peer-reviewed by community to ensure quality.
  • Integrate your experiences by discussing them with fellow psychonauts and professional therapists.
  • Advanced search functionality by substance and keywords. Anonymous statistics can beused for scientific research.

Global organisations directory

  • A community managed global directory of organisations related to psychedelic experiences.
  • Connect people with honest organisations to stay updated on meetings, events and retreats.
  • Collect reviews by the community to create an unbiased image of the organisations.
  • Promote sustainable projects to help indigenous communities.
  • Issue warnings for organisations linked to abuse or dishonesty.


Support Psychedelics Today by becoming a Patron


Show Notes/Links


About Tim Cools

Tim lives in Belgium as a professional software developer/social entrepreneur. With his latest project, PsychedelicExperience.net, he aims to reduce harm and stigma associated with the use of psychedelics, and to support psychedelic research. Driven by some profound experiences, he hopes to make psychedelics more accessible in a safe way.  

Dec 19, 2017
Download Nicholas Powers Ph.D. is a poet, journalist, and Associate Professor of English, SUNY Old Westbury. Nick joins us to talk about psychedelics, race, cultural diversity, and the future of psychedelics. Race and diversity within the psychedelic community has been a hot topic lately, and it is an important topic to continue discussing and examining. Unfortunately, the community is exclusive to people of privilege and power, which shows some concern when it comes to the future direction of this field, as it leaves out diverse ideas and beliefs from people from other cultural backgrounds and communities. What are your thoughts on this topic? Leave us a comment below!

Show Topics

  • Diversity in research
  • Monica Williams - Diversity in the psychedelic research
  • The trust between diverse populations and institutional research
  • History of forced sterilizations and the Tuskegee syphilis study
  • The importance of storytelling and authentically listening to stories of people from other cultural backgrounds
  • Start your own psychedelic community
  • Psychedelics and intergenerational trauma
  • Including minority groups into the psychedelic community

https://vimeo.com/237699822

Nick's Book

The Ground Below Zero: 9/11 to Burning Man, New Orleans to Darfur, Haiti to Occupy Wall Street

Links/Show Notes


About Nicholas Powers, Ph.D.

Nicholas Powers Nicholas Powers is a poet, journalist and professor. His books, The Ground Below Zero and Theater of War, was published by Upset Press. He has written for The IndypendentAlternet and The Village Voice. He has spoken and read all over the country. He teaches literature at SUNY Old Westbury and co-hosts the long running New York City College Poetry Slam at the Nuyorican Cafe. If you would like to work with Nick, please contact tara@upsetpress.org.
Dec 13, 2017
Download Dr. Matt Brown of the Chicago Psychedelic Club and the Psychedelics and the Future of Psychiatry Meetup joins us to talk about his interests and involvement with psychedelics.  We talk about how Dr. Brown got interested in psychedelic research and how he got involved in forming two psychedelic meet up groups in Chicago. Leave us a comment below and let us know what you think!

Show Notes

  • Perspectives on psychedelics
  • Creating a psychedelic meetup
  • Building community
  • Introducing more voices into the conversation besides medical professionals and students - artists and other creative people can help to provide various insights into the psychedelic conversation.

Show Links


If you enjoy the show, please consider donating to our Patreon!


About Dr. Matt Brown D.O., M.B.A.

Dr. Brown Specializes in whole health psychiatry. This approach differs from many other practitioners who more and more practice symptomatic management when it comes to mental health. Dr. Brown takes the perspective that the body has the ability to heal itself, but from time to time may need assistance through balancing the things that are important for physical health that are also important from mental health. These include, sleep, diet, exercise, meditative/spiritual practice and cultivating positive social relationships. Dr. Brown also has a strong command of how to balance vital nutrients in our body with the aid of supplementation to augment traditional psychopharmacological therapies. Dr. Brown's method is aimed primarily at the treatment of Depression and Anxiety as well as other mood disorders and ADHD. Dr. Brown is a specialist in the treatment of OCD specifically and is board certified by the ABPN in both adult as well as child and adolescent psychiatry. ​
Dec 5, 2017


Download
Dr. Scott Shannon joins Psychedelics Today to share his experience and insights about ketamine therapy used in conjunction with integrative psychiatry. Dr. Shannon has been working with ketamine for the past year within his psychiatry practice and has found tremendous benefit in using this medicine for particular disorders. Dr. Shannon is also part of the Fort Collins MAPS MDMA-assisted psychotherapy Phase 3 study, which is just starting up.

Show Topics/Notes

  • What is ketamine?
  • Mechanisms of action of ketamine.
  • What is the ketamine experience like?
  • Three types of administration methods - IV, IM, and oral
  • MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and the MAPS Phase 3 trials
  • Transpersonal experiences fostering change and transformation
  • Critiques of traditional psychiatry.
  • Patient with 40 years of depression became a new person no longer suffering from depression.
    • Electro Convulsive Therapy was almost an option, thankfully avoided.
  • The importance of music with ketamine therapy and other psychedelics

Scott Shannon: Cannabidiol in the Treatment of Anxiety

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1TvU6Hqf2U]

Show Links

Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America Hardcover – April 13, 2010
Audio version

About Scott Shannon, MD

Dr Scott Shannon's Bio from Wholeness Center

I decided to become a psychiatrist in high school after my first psychology class. The amazing capacity of the human mind simply astounded me. I wanted to help people by using this power of the mind. What intrigued me the most then (and now) is that our human potential remains only partially understood. I am still on that journey of discovery about our true potential. To this end, I resonate with the theme of empowerment: my greatest day is the day that you have the skills to thrive without my services. I feel blessed with all that I have been given in my life. I have been married for almost thirty years to Suze with two wonderful children, Noah and Sarah. I love to travel the world teaching or just exploring. My nature is relentlessly creative and curious. I love to cycle, snowboard, golf, run, climb, backpack and listen to music. Seamus, my big black Lab, may accidentally show up to work with me occasionally just because he likes people so much. My spiritual life is very important to me and I have meditated for over thirty years. Helping people makes my heart sing. As a child and adolescent psychiatrist, my current focus involves supporting young people to find wholeness and recover their full health in body, mind and spirit. Although I use prescription medication at times, I much prefer to employ natural methods like nutrition, supplements, mind-body skills, acupuncture and a shift in awareness to support the healing process. This approach represents the new field of Integrative Psychiatry. Most importantly, I employ a holistic philosophy to understand people and their struggles. The single most important thing that I have learned in my professional life is to listen well: deeply and intuitively. After this listening, much of my work involves teaching you what I have heard. I founded Wholeness Center to work in collaboration with a team of gifted healers to help you better understand your story. College: University of Arizona Medical School: University of Arizona Internship: Columbia Program, Cooperstown, NY Psychiatric Residency: Columbia Program, Cooperstown, NY Child/Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship: University of New Mexico https://youtu.be/u1TvU6Hqf2U If you liked this episode you may also like these episodes

Shane LeMaster – Ketamine

Lex Pelger – Psymposia, Ibogaine, Ketamine, Research and Knowing Your Dose

Nov 29, 2017
Download Emanuel Sferios joins us to talk about his upcoming film "MDMA The Movie" along with the founding story of Dance Safe. Emanuel has a fascinating story that includes.
  • Humble beginnings
  • Lots of media attention
  • Huge amounts of fundraising for harm reduction
  • A film that is going to be incredible. Check out the trailers below!
MDMA was one of the last drugs that the old guard anti drug US government worked to smear with disinformation and outright lies,  using outlets like Oprah and more to stain MDMA's reputation. While Ophra's media empire has now come around a bit, MDMA continues to hold parts of the social stigma that Oprah helped to give it. Emanuel tells the story here with on the ground details in ways that Kyle and Joe haven't heard before. We hope you love it!

If you enjoyed this episode you may love these other podcasts.

Confessions of an Underground MDMA Therapist Thomas Roberts Ph.D. – The Broad Future of Psychedelic Research
https://youtu.be/7ldu7qAdZ0Q

Show Notes/Links


Want to learn more about psychedelic harm reduction, safety, and integration? Sign up for our online course!


Find MDMA The Movie On Social Media

Facebook
Twitter
Youtube
Instagram
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About Emanuel Sferios

Emanuel Sferios is an activist, educator, public speaker and harm reduction advocate. Founding DanceSafe in 1998, Emanuel was an early pioneer of MDMA harm reduction. DanceSafe has volunteer chapters in over two dozen cities across the United States and provides non-judgmental, peer-based drug education and drug checking (a.k.a., “pill testing”) services in the electronic dance music community. Emanuel also started the first public laboratory pill analysis program in 1999 which allowed ecstasy users for the first time to anonymously send tablets to a DEA-licensed laboratory for chromatography analysis. Originally publishing the results on the DanceSafe website, the program still exists today and is hosted at Ecstasydata.org. Today Emanuel speaks at colleges and universities about MDMA, harm reduction, and drug policy. He lives in Grass Valley, California with his wife and two stepchildren.
Nov 21, 2017
Download Rafael Lancelotta, the administrator of the site, 5meodmt.org (5 Hive), joins us to talk about the powerful psychedelic compound, 5-MeO-DMT. Some of you may have heard of this medicine, but if you have not, chances are you will begin hearing about it more and more. 5-MeO-DMT is a powerful psychedelic medicine that comes from venom secretion of the Bufo Alvarius toad. This compound is also found in various plants as well. Correction - 5-MeO-DMT has an oxygen and a methyl group attached to it, not just an oxygen.
https://youtu.be/xtOiBiAL-K8

Show Topics

  • What is 5-MeO-DMT
  • How does it differ from N.N-DMT?
  • Near-death experiences and DMT
  • Dr. David Nichols talking about DMT at Breaking Conventions
  • Experiences of 5-MeO-DMT
  • The pros and cons of online forums
  • Risks and concerns

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeeqHUiC8Io]

Show Links


About Rafael Lancelotta

Rafael Lancelotta is a graduate student at the University of Wyoming studying Mental Health Counseling. He is interested in the use of psychedelics towards greater levels of resiliency, mental health, and openness. He is also interested in the investigation of techniques used in the counseling relationship that may deepen and enhance the benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy integration. He is passionate about opening the doors to psychedelic research to all students that are interested as well as helping to raise awareness as to the responsible clinical applications of psychedelics/entheogens and serves as the administrative assistant for the Source Research Foundation. He hopes to continue on to a PhD to help develop evidence-based practices for psychedelic-assisted therapy integration to empower individuals to make lasting positive change in their lives and in their communities. He is also the administrator of 5meodmt.org, which is a forum dedicated to forming community discussions on harm reduction, integration, and safe practices around 5-MeO-DMT.
If you liked this episode, you may enjoy these. Brian Normand - Microdosing, Amazonia, Psymposia and Horizons Afterparty Ashley Booth, M.S. - Ayahuasca, DMT, Integration, and Los Angeles Kyle and Joe - Life, Death, and DMTx      
Nov 15, 2017
Download Daniel McQueen of Medicinal Mindfulness joins us to talk about extended-state DMT research, also known as DMTx. Daniel has been presenting this idea at local events in the Colorado area to help raise awareness and money to help bring this research idea to life. To learn more about this project, upcoming events, or to donate to help fund the research check out DMTx.org

Here is a quick message from Daniel:
A few years ago we started a community gathering and speaker series called Psychedelic Shine, and it was through this project that I met Dr. Rick Strassman, Dr. Dennis McKenna, and Dr. Andrew Gallimore, to name a few. The process of creating psychedelic inspired programs, meeting innovative leaders in the field, and also the inner exploration this work requires, were all factors that initiated this journey into exploring Extended-State DMT research. It has been a wild and wonderful ride ever since, and we're excited to step into the next stage of this work. It is our intention to create a sustainable, multi-generation DMT research program that is both congruent with scientific inquiry, as well as with the creative and spiritual interests and values of the psychedelic community. We believe Extended-State DMT research is as much an expedition as it is a scientific experiment. We believe it is both deeply inspiring and practically feasible.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_rrjBD16_0]

Show Notes/Links


About Daniel McQueen

Daniel earned a Masters Degree in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology from Naropa and received advanced training in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy through a year internship with the MAPS Boulder MDMA for PTSD Study.  It was his experience with MAPS that inspired Daniel to explore alternative visions in psychedelic activism and entrepreneurship. Daniel bridges transpersonal paradigms with the grounded clinical and organizational skills necessary to begin addressing the significant ecological and mental health crises facing our society today.  Although Daniel no longer practices as a clinical psychotherapist, he supports his clients as a teacher, coach, ally and event facilitator, providing individual and group transformational experiences and deeply held intentional conversations.  In his practice, Daniel quickly realized that the most important intervention he could provide to his clients, who were isolated and longed for meaningful contact with others, was a sense of community.  Medicinal Mindfulness is, in a very real way, a cultural intervention that provides a safe and transformational community container for healing and awakening… a program based on skill development and not dogma.  Since 2012, Daniel has been teaching a psychedelic harm prevention and intentional psychedelic use course called Mindful Journeywork.  Since the legalization of recreational cannabis in Colorado, he has been facilitating Conscious Cannabis Circles and individual cannabis journeys. In addition to his work with Medicinal Mindfulness, Daniel has a successful spirituality and life coaching practice with his wife, Alison, through their company, Aspenroots Counseling LLC.  Highly skilled in identifying and cultivating giftedness in young people and supporting significant life transitions, Daniel is inspired to support passionate and talented individuals striving to live into their calling.  A primary focus of his practice involves assessing and addressing the benefits and difficulties related to psychedelic and cannabis use and misuse. Daniel co-founded the Naropa Alliance for Psychedelic Studies and helped organize the first annual Psychedelic Symposium at Naropa University in 2012.  He is currently working with Grounding Solutions, Inc. to develop a natural rescue medicinal for users of psychedelics and cannabis.

Our online course, 'Navigating Psychedelics: Lessons on Self-Care & Integration" will keep you and your friends safer. Just say KNOW to drugs.

 
Nov 2, 2017
Download Kwasi Adusei of the Psychedelic Society of Western New York joins us to talk about the Global Psychedelic Month of Service campaign. This is a wonderful campaign to help encourage members of the psychedelic community to become more involved in their communities.

About The Global Psychedelic Month of Service

kwasi adusei - psychedelic month of service
Still hiding in the psychedelic closet? Looking for an opportunity to join the movement? This November, find a need in your community, gather your friends, and participate in the Global Psychedelic Month of Service.
In the month of November, the global psychedelic community invites you to take on a need in your community in the name of psychedelics. Psychedelic groups all over the world are joining the cause by giving back.
At the core of the psychedelic movement is a mission of social activism. So take part in seeing this mission through by volunteering at your local soup kitchen, food pantry, or doing a community clean up.
The integration of a psychedelic experience is as important as the experience itself. Transform the feelings of connectedness induced by the psychedelic experience, into actions of connectedness.
How to get involved
 
1. Find a local service organization
2. Reach out to find volunteer opportunities in the month of November
3. Find psychedelic friends to volunteer with
4. Volunteer and send in pictures and number of hours completed
What to join the cause? Email buffalopsychedelic@yahoo.com with your name and location so we can add you to the list of participating individuals.

Kwasi Adusei Show Topics

  • Building community
  • Breaking down stigma
  • Doing psychedelic things
    • Spending time helping
    • Doing compassionate things
  • Psychedelic values and morals
  • Access to expensive MDMA therapies
  • How to bring more diversity into the psychedelic movement
  • Nick Power's talk at Horizons NYC

[vimeo 237699822 w=640 h=360]

Show Links


About Kwasi Adusei

Kwasi dedicates his work in the psychedelic movement to altering the stigma in mainstream channels by promoting the science, the healing potential of psychedelics, and civic engagement.
Kwasi is a nurse and a doctoral student at the University at Buffalo, studying to be a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. He is the founder of the Psychedelic Society of Western New York and project manager for Psychonauts of the World, an initiative to share meaningful psychedelic stories, with the ultimate goal of publishing them in a book as an avenue to raise money for psychedelic research. He is also one of the administrators for the Global Psychedelic Network, a conglomerate of psychedelic groups and individuals from around the world.
He hopes to use his training and education to become a psychedelic therapist. Born in Ghana and raised in the Bronx, New York, Kwasi hopes to bring psychedelic therapy to communities of color.
 
Oct 29, 2017
Download Kyle and Joe report from the scene of the amazing Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics conference. We had the chance to interview attendees of Horizons NYC 2017 outside the venue on the closing day. Horizons NYC Horizons is a fantastic event at an amazing venue in the heart of Manhattan at the historic venue - "The Cooper Union." The same podium on stage was shared by Abraham Lincoln, Susan B Anthony, and along with many other important historical figures. It was an amazing event and we hope that this episode helps share some of the excitement. We talked to past guests, future guests, and also some new friends. You may recognize some of the voices :) Let us know what you think of this episode and if you want to hear similar episodes to this in the future.
[vimeo 237699822 w=640 h=360] Horizons 2017: NICHOLAS BYRON POWERS, Ph.D "Black Masks, Rainbow Bodies: Race and Psychedelics" from Horizons on Vimeo.
In the show, we speak about a lot of things from Horizons NYC including
  • The most interesting thing learned
  • The sense of community inside a conference like this
  • Some problems the movement has that we need to stay aware of
  • Issues with communicating the science of psychedelics with a wider audience
  • Volunteering for events for free tickets

Do you want to listen to Joe and Kyle recap their highlights of the conference and the Psymposia Microdosing event? Support us on Patreon to get exclusive access! Check out the video introduction to this episode - Here
Check out our book giveaway! Books by Grof, Shulgins, Hoffman, and many more!

About Horizons NYC

Horizons NYC Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics is an annual forum that examines the role of psychedelic drugs in science, medicine, culture, and spirituality. In recent years, a growing community of scientists, doctors, artists, activists, seekers, and scholars have orchestrated a renaissance in psychedelic thought and practice. Horizons brings together the brightest minds and the boldest voices of this movement to share their research, insights, and dreams for the future. Horizons was founded in 2007 by Kevin Balktick, with Neal M. Goldsmith, Ph.D., joining as speaker curator and MC in 2008. Horizons Media, Inc., a 501c(3) not-for-profit educational charity, is currently led by board members Kevin Balktick, Neal M. Goldsmith, Ph.D., James Vasile, Esq., and Ingmar Gorman, M.A. Having outgrown Judson Memorial Church, its original location, Horizons is now hosted at The Cooper Union Great Hall, which has been a center for public dialogue since its founding in 1858, having hosted such illustrious speakers as Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and more recently, Barack Obama. Horizons Media, Inc. conducts no other business besides the annual conference and is funded in solely by registration and concession sales. All profits go towards producing and improving the following year’s event. Its board members are not compensated. Horizons Media, Inc. is not a political advocacy or scientific research organization, nor does it have any financial relationships with other organizations and businesses that participate as presenters or informational presences.    

Sign up for our online course, "Navigating Psychedelics: Lessons on Self-Care & Integration"

Oct 17, 2017
Download Kyle and Joe talk with Shane LeMaster about ketamine as a therapeutic tool and also a tool for self-discovery and personal development. Shane shares some amazing stories, and we get to peel off some of the layers around ketamine. There are some amazing uses, and perhaps some therapeutic falling short of the mark in the ketamine world that we discuss. Hope you enjoy! [caption id="attachment_1591" align="alignnone" width="640"] Source: https://www.rehabs.com/pro-talk-articles/is-ketamine-really-a-miracle-drug-for-depression/[/caption]
Shane is a past guest on the show and one of our favorites. You will really like his past episodes where we talked about peyote, treating veterans, Jiujitsu for PTSD and microdosing for athletic performance. (first - second)

Sign up for our course!


Show Topics/Discussion

  • Chemical effects
  • Lego world of the Ketamine experience
  • Hallucinogenic properties of Ketamine for Shane
  • Astral Projection
  • Therapeutic method. Music, Temp, Comfort, Safe setting, etc.
  • Not trauma work - getting to see all of reality as the machine as it is and his role in it.
  • 1 gram - half a gram per nostril.
  • 360-degree waterfall
  • Mindfulness practice can helps his practice.

Show Links


Check out our book giveaway! Books by Grof, Shulgins, Hoffman, and many more!

About Shane LeMaster, B.A., M.A.,  LAC, CC-AASP

Bio from Mind-OPS Shane earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO, completed extensive coursework towards a Master of Arts Degree in Sport & Performance Psychology at the University of Denver, and earned his Master of Arts Degree in Sport & Exercise Psychology from Argosy University. Shane is nationally certified as a Sport Psychology Consultant and a licensed mental health clinician in the state of Colorado.  Having worked in community non-profit mental health since 2008, Shane has gained experience working with the entire spectrum of mental disorders and with all populations and age groups.  Shane plans on attending a Ph.D program in Counseling Psychology where his interest in Resiliency, Mental Toughness, and Mindfulness Training Program Development can be explored and further developed. He is a life-long athlete having competed at various levels in more than a dozen different sports.  Because of his passion for warrior cultures of past and present, Shane has been ardently developing his own “Warriorship,” training in various forms of Martial Arts for 25 years.  Shane feels that the self-discipline, the philosophy of non-violence, the innumerable mental and physical benefits, and the enjoyment that he gains from the Martial Arts is what helped drive his passion in the field of Psychology. His personal interest in Eastern Philosophy stems from his adoption of a Buddhist lifestyle and blends well with his training in Western Psychological Science.  Clients describe Shane as an out-of-the-box clinician that is easy to get along with, knowledgeable on a variety of topics, credible with lived experience, and as having the ability to make therapy fun and interesting.
Oct 9, 2017

Download

Animals are known to indulge in psychoactive compounds. Humans are not the only species who like to become intoxicated. From bees drinking to fermented nectars to reindeer of the Siberian tundra eating Amanita muscaria mushrooms, Aaron and Andras find a creative way to start a conversation about drug policy, harm reduction, and psychedelics. Aaron and Andras have started a company that produces tshirts depicting cute animals doing drugs. While this may seem like a way to promote drug use using cute animals, Aaron and Andras have a deeper meaning, which is about starting a conversation and trying to shift the cultural narrative about drug use. If you want to get one of your own t-shirts, use the coupon code: PSYCHEDELICSTODAY25 to receive 25% off your purchase!                               


[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVqObIauPJA]


Enroll Today!


Show Notes/Links


[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkCS9ePWuLU]


About Cute Animals Doing Drugs

Cute Animals Doing Drugs was created by two friends to raise awareness around these issues, support drug policy reform, and encourage honest conversations about drugs in everyday life. We believe individuals have the right to sovereignty over their own consciousness and that there is no reason to deny any adult the safe and beneficial use of psychoactive substances. We believe social and political change can start from the bottom-up. Our apparel serves as a conversation-starter and a fun, unique way to show your support for an increasingly important social issue. Cute Animals Doing Drugs is here to call attention to these issues, support psychedelic research, encourage drug policy reform, and promote cognitive liberty for all. We also donate 10% of our pre-tax profits to MAPS, the Drug Policy Alliance, and other drug-related non-profit organizations. Check out our current line of apparel here.


Andras L

Andras L is a cofounder of Cute Animals Doing Drugs Apparel, an initiative intended to help shift societal perceptions around drug use. Cute Animals builds on his previous work as a director on the board of Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy, where he advocated for the advancement of harm reduction and evidence-based drug policy reform. He is especially focused on reversing harmful policies and combating stigma. Andras graduated with an M.Sc. in Primary Care Research from McGill University and now researches infectious disease.


Aaron 

Aaron co-founded Cute Animals Doing Drugs Apparel with Andras in the summer of 2017. He finished his BA at McGill University in 2014 and has since been traveling the world and working online. Aaron has a longstanding fascination with psychedelics, and is particularly interested in the subjective elements of psychedelics experience as well as the potential broad social impact of mainstreaming psychedelic use, especially in spiritual contexts. He writes about personal development, spirituality, and psychedelic experience at freedomandfulfilment.com.

Sep 28, 2017
Download What is microdosing? Is this a growing trend in the psychedelic community? What do some people in the psychedelic community think about it? Can it really help boost creativity and productivity? While the idea that microdosing can help with depression, creativity, and productivity, these claims are usually backed by self-reported experiences. There is currently no hard science/research that highlights the risks, safety, or benefits of this concept despite the growing trend and loads of anecdotal evidence. If you want to learn more about this current trend, be sure to get your ticket to the upcoming Psymposia Microdosing event. We are sure all of these questions will be laid out on the table, and it will sure be a great night and discussion! Brian Normand, Co-Founder of Psymposia, joins us again to talk about the Psymposia Microdosing event/Horizons afterparty. The event will be hosted by the one and only, Duncan Trussell. If you have plans to attend the Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics conference in NYC, be sure to check out the afterparty. It is always a great time and also a great place to "find the others." Save 5 dollars on your ticket with the coupon code psychedelicstoday We also cover topics revolving around drug policy and Brian's experience in the Amazon.
Microdosing event

About the Microdosing Event

You’re invited to Psymposia’s 4th annual celebration following day 1 of the Horizons Perspectives on Psychedelics forum in New York City that examines the role of psychedelic drugs in science, healing, culture and spirituality. This year, Comedian Duncan Trussell joins Hamilton Morris (VICELAND’s Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia), Katherine MacLean, Sophia Korb, and Paul Austin to talk about everything you wanted to know about microdosing and more, surrounded by a live audience in Brooklyn. Co-sponsored by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies // MAPS

Buy tickets here: https://www.psymposia.com/events/microdosing-duncan-trussell/

Remeber to use coupon code: psychedelicstoday
[vimeo 233615239 w=640 h=360]

Show Notes/Links


About Brian Normand

Brian Normand               Brian Normand is CoFounder, lead designer, and webmaster of Psymposia. He’s a greenthumb, social entrepreneur & occasional trouble maker, focused on changing minds and creating spaces to teach people about plants and drugs. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a BS in Plant, Soil, Insect Science, & Sustainable Horticulture, Magna Cum Laude.
Navigating Psychedelics
Sep 18, 2017
Download Joe speaks with Becca Segall Tarnas about her work with Carl Jung's Red Book and J.R.R. Tolkien. There is a substantial amount of overlap between the two. Why these two in a show about psychedelics? Transpersonal \ Jungian psychology is the bridge. There appears to be objects or entities beyond the veil of our perception and understanding (so far). We have a collective imagination \ collective unconscious that these things interact in. Psychedelics and other methods can give us access to these. Becca will be presenting her work to this point at the Prague ITC 2017. This discussion goes all over the world, so feel free to reach out if you have any questions. We really enjoy Becca's work and hope to have her on again in the near future!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUeywHbxXSM]

About Becca Segall Tarnas

Becca Segall Tarnas Becca Segall Tarnas is a doctoral candidate in the Philosophy and Religion department at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Her dissertation research is focused on the theoretical implications of the synchronicity between the Red Books of C.G. Jung and J.R.R. Tolkien. Becca received her M.A. from CIIS, and her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College. Her research interests include ecology, imagination, philosophy, and depth psychology, and she is also co-editor of Archai: The Journal of Archetypal Cosmology.
All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. J. R. R. Tolkien “The Road goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can.” Tolkien - The Fellowship of the Ring “I indignantly answered, “Do you call light what we men call the worst darkness? Do you call day night?” To this my soul spoke a word that roused my anger, “My light is not of this world.” I cried, “I know of no other world!” The soul answered, “Should it not exist because you know nothing of it?” ― C.G. JungThe Red Book: Liber Novus

Links - Becca Segall Tarnas

James Hillman Jorge Ferrer
Navigating Psychedelics
Sep 14, 2017
Download This talk was recorded live in Bolton, Vermont during a MAPS Psychedelic Dinner fundraising event in May 2016. Lenny Gibson presented a lecture during the event about the brief history of psychedelics in the Western world -- surveying the ancient Greek mysteries to the current contemporary psychedelic culture. "Blessed is he who, having seen these rites, undertakes the way beneath the Earth. He knows the end of life, as well as its divinely granted beginning." Pindar Creatures for a day! What is a man?What is he not? A dream of a shadow Is our mortal being. But when there comes to menA gleam of splendour given of heaven,Then rests on them a light of glory And blessed are their days. Pindar I suddenly became strangely inebriated. The external world became changed as in a dream. Objects appeared to gain in relief; they assumed unusual dimensions; and colours became more glowing. Even self-perception and the sense of time were changed. When the eyes were closed, coloured pictures flashed past in a quickly changing kaleidoscope. After a few hours, the not unpleasant inebriation, which had been experienced whilst I was fully conscious, disappeared. What had caused this condition? Dr. Albert Hofmann – Laboratory Notes (1943) To fathom hell or soar angelic, just take a pinch of psychedelic. Dr Humphry Osmond

Show Notes & Links

  • Greek Mysteries
  • Pindar
  • Albert Hofmann
  • Humphrey Osmond
  • Aldous Huxley

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckzfckwiyQ0]

About Lenny Gibson

Lenny Gibson Leonard Gibson, Ph.D., graduated from Williams College and earned doctorates from Claremont Graduate School in philosophy and The University of Texas at Austin in psychology. Lenny has 50 years of experience working with non–ordinary states of consciousness. He has taught at The University of Tulsa and Lesley College and served his clinical psychology internship at the Boston, MA V.A. Hospital. He also taught transpersonal psychology for 20 years at Burlington College. Lenny serves on the board of the Community Health Centers of the Rutland Region in Vermont. A survivor of throat cancer, he facilitates the head and neck cancer support group at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. He is a past president of the Association of Holotropic Breathwork International. You can find out more about Lenny at these two links. Holotropic Breathwork - http://dreamshadow.com Papers and Discussions - http://www.lennygibson.com/
Aug 30, 2017
Download In this episode, Joe and Kyle discuss the difference contexts of psychedelic use:
  • Therapeutic
  • Recreational
  • Psychospiritual & Self-Discovery
  • Ceremonial & Shamanic
While these categories can be flexible and sometimes merge into one another, we thought that it would be important to give context to the variety of experiences. As MAPS has just received "Breakthrough Therapy" status on the MDMA-assisted psychotherapy research, this is an exciting time for research and therapeutic use of a powerful medicine. However, there may be some confusion about how the therapeutic approach is different from some of these other contexts and ways of using psychedelics. While we believe that all contexts are valid or legitimate and each carry their own risk/benefit, we thought that it would be helpful and fun to talk about our views about this subject. Become a Patron!https://c6.patreon.com/becomePatronButton.bundle.js
If you want to learn more about navigating the psychedelic experience or learn more about safety guidelines for these different contexts, check out our new online course, "Navigating Psychedelics: Lessons on Self-Care & Integration." Navigating Psychedelics

Useful Texts & Resources

Aug 8, 2017
DMTx Download The summer has been busy for us at Psychedelics Today. We have been working hard on launching our new online course, "Navigating Psychedelics: Lessons on Self-Care & Integration." Beside lining interviews up for the podcast, we have been recording video interviews/master classes for the course. Since we just launched the course this week, we figured that would check in and just talk about what's been going on. This conversation takes off with Joe and Kyle discussing the recent DMTx event that took place last month in Boulder, Colorado. During this talk, we both speculate the risks and concerns of this research as well as the potential benefit. With the conversation revolving around DMT and extended-state DMT research, the discussion heads down the rabbit hole for a bit and we explore the global crisis, climate change, future uses of DMT, alien worlds and alternative dimensions, and more!

We also highlight the recent death of Baylee Ybarra Gatlin, who passed away at the Lightening in a Bottle festival during Memorial Day Weekend. The autopsy report suggests that Gatlin passed due to "Acute LSD Toxicity." Many condolences to the Ms. Gatlin's family and friends. It is very unlikely that Gatlin died from "Acute LSD Toxicity," but rather most likely from ingesting another substance like 25i-NBOMe. Tragic situations, like these, really stress the importance of substance testing. It seems that with the rise of research chemicals, adulterations in substances, and drugs laced with fentanyl one can never be 100% certain of what they are actually ingesting. If you have the time to ingest, you have the time to test. Get a test kit today. Leave us a comment and let us know what you think of the show! Become a Patron!
Navigating Psychedelics

Show Notes/Links - DMTx


Psychedelic Shine with Andrew Galimore - Cyber DMT

Aug 2, 2017
Download We have an awesome time speaking with SSDP's Drug Education Manager, Dr. Vilmarie Narloch. Vilmarie is making a big difference with drug safety in the US and internationally with SSDP's education program 'Just Say Know.' During the show we discuss Vilmarie's work with policy around the Good Samaritan laws and other impressive and impactful harm reduction projects. We also discuss some of the pressure from various elements in the government regressing rules, like some law enforcement offices refusing to use Narcan\naloxone to help save the lives of people overdosing. This episode is a dose of compassion and gives perspective about the different impacts from the drug war and prohibition. If you are a student who wishes to get involved in drug policy work, please check out the work that SSDP is doing. If you do not have a chapter at your school or university, start one today! Vilmarie also joins us in our course Navigating Psychedelics for a master class featuring harm reduction strategies and more. Be sure to sign up today to learn more from Vilmarie and many others!Navigating Psychedelics

About Students For Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP)

Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) is the only international network of students dedicated to ending the war on drugs. At its heart, SSDP is a grassroots organization, led by a student-run Board of Directors. We create change by bringing young people together and creating safe spaces for students of all political and ideological stripes to have honest conversations about drugs and drug policy. Founded in 1998, SSDP is comprised of thousands of members at hundreds of campuses in countries around the globe.

About Just Say Know

Just Say Know is a series of drug education modules aimed at promoting open and honest dialogue around commonly used substances. The program aims to equip young people with harm reduction tools and skills as it relates to the specific substance, but can be applied to substance use generally. Students for Sensible Drug Policy believes that students should be an overall part of any campus and community prevention and intervention strategy. Our SSDP Peer Education program seeks to empower students in our network to analyze the relationship between drug policy and drug use by providing evidence-based drug information, teaching students to recognize and address dangerous behaviors and unhealthy attitudes, and promoting prosocial and harm reduction oriented behaviors and attitudes. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Fcl6NZ1AFs]

Show Notes/Links


Vilmarie Narloch PsyD. - Bio

Vilmarie Narloch, PsyD., is the Drug Education Manager at Students for Sensible Drug Policy. In this role, Vilmarie oversees the development and implementation of the SSDP Peer Education program, which is a training program for SSDP Members to become certified to deliver our drug education program, Just Say Know, to their peers. Vilmarie is passionate about reforming drug education in the U.S. and abroad, and has dedicated years of study on the topic for her dissertation. Vilmarie has taken on this position because as an organization driven by students with exceptional knowledge on drug policy and other drug use related issues, SSDP is uniquely positioned and qualified to be developing a drug education program. Additionally, Vilmarie educates staff and the network on the current state of research and treatment issues with regard to substance use disorders and mental health. Vilmarie aims to aid in the connection of policy and practice by helping our network understand the impact of policy on access to treatment and care while utilizing the latest research. Vilmarie earned her M.A. in Counseling and Psychological Services from Saint. Mary’s University of Minnesota, and a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology. During her time at Roosevelt, she was a graduate research assistant with Roosevelt University’s Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy. Her work at ICDP included research support, report co-authorship and event planning and coordination. Vilmarie’s interests in drug education, access to treatment, and harm reduction policy and practice have led her to numerous projects, including the provision of counseling and harm reduction services to students at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and DePaul University, serving as a member of the Chicago Consortium on College Alcohol Harm Reduction, a predoctoral internship in the Adult Behavioral Services department in a local public health department, and a postdoctoral fellowship in a small prviate agency, where she provided therapy for individuals, couples, families, and groups in addition to supervising interns. Additionally, Vilmarie has been an adjunct instructor teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology and substance use disorder treatment. She has dedicated her studies and clinical work to advance Harm Reduction as the standard of practice for substance use disorders. In doing so, she has sought opportunities to educate others in her field about harm reduction, including her students. Vilmarie’s dissertation, titled, “What Youth Want: Developing a Drug Education Curriculum Based on Youth Guidance and Evidence-Based Principles,” inspired her to continue to advocate for effective drug education on a professional level, which led to her current position at SSDP. Additionally, Vilmarie’s next personal career goal is to become trained to deliver psychedelic psychotherapy, which she considers to be the future of psychological practice.
Jul 27, 2017
Download

Ashley Booth

This week we talk with Ashley Booth, co-founder of InnerSpace Integration and founder of the Aware Project: Rethinking Psychedelics. Ashley shares with us how she went from being an oceanographer to starting a psychedelic community in the Los Angeles area and also pursuing psychedelic research. We talk about how the formation and history of both the Aware Project and InnerSpace Integration, and the importance of building a psychedelic community. We also talk about Ashley's background in somatic practices such as Hakomi and how Hakomi can be used for integration as well as in the psychedelic space. Body psychotherapy seems to be a tool of the future for many psychotherapists who are interested in psychedelics and psychedelic research as normal talk therapy does not always address some of the underlying issues that are stored within the body.

Other Show Topics

  • Non-visual experiences with Aya
  • Not getting caught up in the story.
  • Burning Man
  • Integration groups/networks
  • Tips on getting involved in the field

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsTxzEB-XA0]

Ashley Booth Show Notes/Links


[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aq_cOMsyik]

About Ashley Booth, M.S.

Ashley Booth, M.S. is a scientist, philosopher, and psychedelic ambassador. After years of working in environmental science, she experienced a radical paradigm shift through the use of psychedelics which ignited a passion for the awakening of human consciousness. Ashley uses her scientific background to break through the "war-on-drugs" rhetoric and have an intelligent and scientifically-based conversation about the safety and use of psychedelic substances. Ashley is the founder of the Aware Project: Rethinking Psychedelics (awareproject.org), which hosts educational and community-building events in Los Angeles and San Diego, California. She is also a co-founder of the InnerSpace Integration (innerspaceintegration.com), a psychedelic integration support service and harm reduction organization in Southern California. For a year and a half, she worked as a psycho-spiritual coach at Crossroads Treatment Center, supporting people through ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT experiences. She is a certified Kundalini yoga teacher and is currently training in a somatic psychotherapy approach known as the Hakomi Method. www.AshleyBooth.net
Header Photo: https://www.instagram.com/scarlet.barnett/

Check out our upcoming course, "Navigating Psychedelics: Lessons on Self-Care & Integration." Sign up Today!

Navigating Psychedelics
Jul 21, 2017
Daniel Pinchbeck, author of the new book, How Soon is Now? joins us this week to talk about the global ecological crisis, climate change, and how psychedelics may play a role in transforming human culture. If you do believe that we are in a time of great ecological crisis, what are you doing about it? Taking action is the most important step to creating change, but are we willing to take the sacrifices and action to create change? Daniel shares his insights about how to take action to implement change. While some of these changes may be challenging, i.e., stop traveling as much, it may be necessary to help cut carbon emissions and to slow down the global warming cycle. Or is it too late to even take action? A recent journal article, "Lifetime experience with (classic) psychedelics predicts pro-environmental behavior through an increase in nature relatedness" states:
Our model controlled for experiences with other classes of psychoactive substances (cannabis, dissociatives, empathogens, popular legal drugs) as well as common personality traits that usually predict drug consumption and/or nature relatedness (openness to experience, conscientiousness, conservatism). Although correlational in nature, results suggest that lifetime experience with psychedelics in particular may indeed contribute to people’s pro-environmental behavior by changing their self-construal in terms of an incorporation of the natural world, regardless of core personality traits or general propensity to consume mind-altering substances. Thereby, the present research adds to the contemporary literature on the beneficial effects of psychedelic substance use on mental wellbeing, hinting at a novel area for future research investigating their potentially positive effects on a societal level.

About How Soon is Now

Description of his book from Amazon.com
We are on the brink of an ecological mega-crisis, threatening the future of life on earth, and our actions over the next few years may well determine the destiny of our descendants. Between a manifesto and a tactical plan of action, How Soon is Now? by radical futurist and philosopher Daniel Pinchbeck, outlines a vision for a mass social movement that will address this crisis. Drawing on extensive research, Daniel Pinchbeck presents a compelling argument for the need for change on a global basis. The central thesis is that humanity has unconsciously self-willed ecological catastrophe to bring about a transcendence of our current condition. We are facing an initiatory ordeal on a planetary scale. We can understand that this initiation is necessary for us to evolve from one state of being – our current level of consciousness – to the next. Overcoming outmoded ideologies, we will realize ourselves as one unified being, a planetary super-organism in a symbiotic relationship with the Earth's ecology and the entire web of life. Covering everything from energy and agriculture, to culture, politics, media and ideology, How Soon Is Now? is ultimately about the nature of the human soul and the future of our current world. Pinchbeck calls for an intentional redesign of our current systems, transforming unjust and elitist structures into participatory, democratic, and inclusive ones. His viewpoint integrates indigenous design principles and Eastern metaphysics with social ecology and radical political thought in a new synthesis.

Show Notes/Links

Daniel's Books

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="105"] How Soon is Now?[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="104"] Breaking Open The Head[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="107"] 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl[/caption]

Check out more of Daniel's writing: Here


About Daniel Pinchbeck

    
From Daniel Pinchbeck's Website I am the author of Breaking Open the Head (Broadway Books, 2002), 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl (Tarcher/Penguin, 2006), Notes from the Edge Times(Tarcher/Penguin, 2010), and How Soon Is Now (Watkins, 2017). I co-founded the web magazine, Reality Sandwich, and Evolver.net, and edited the publishing imprint, Evolver Editions, with North Atlantic Books. I was featured in the 2010 documentary, 2012: Time for Change, directed by Joao Amorim and produced by Mangusta Films. I founded the think tank, Center for Planetary Culture, which produced the Regenerative Society Wiki. I hosted the talk show Mindshift on GaiamTV. My essays and articles have been featured in The New York Times Magazine, Esquire, Rolling Stone, ArtForum, The New York Times Book Review, The Village VoiceDazed & Confused, and many other publications.

Check out our upcoming course, Navigating Psychedelics

Learn about harm reduction practices, self-care, and ways to integration your experience

Jul 12, 2017
Download Sara Gael joins us on this week's episode. Sara is the Director of Harm Reduction at the Zendo Project. We get into some great stuff including some of Zendo's biggest wins, how Zendo works, how to discuss harm reduction with festival organizers, and how to manage difficult experiences that arise in the Zendo.  Something interesting that we learned during this talk was how law enforcement at Burning Man has really been interested in learning more about Zendo and their services, and requested Zendo to help train their staff. Sara also shares her experience and insights working on the MAPS Phase 2 MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD trials and how she got involved in psychedelic research. We also explore how transpersonal psychology can serve as an important framework for working with psychedelic experiences. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvzq63xWCeI] We hope you enjoy this episode. Be sure to leave us a comment below and share this episode!

The Zendo Project

The Zendo Project is sponsored by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Zendo provides harm reduction services to the community and to festivals. Zendo strives to:
  • Reduce the number of psychiatric hospitalizations and arrests.
  • Create an environment where volunteers can work alongside one another to improve their harm reduction skills and receive training and feedback.
  • Demonstrates that safe, productive psychedelic experiences are possible without the need for law enforcement-based prohibitionist policies.
Psychedelic Harm Reduction

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Tox15j1jzc]

Show Notes/Link


Sara Gael, M.A., Director of Harm Reduction, Zendo Project

Sara Gael Sara received her Master’s degree in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology at Naropa University. She began working with MAPS in 2012, coordinating psychedelic harm reduction services at festivals and events worldwide with the Zendo Project. Sara was an Intern Therapist for the recently completed MAPS Phase 2 clinical trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD in Boulder, CO. She maintains a private practice as a psychotherapist specializing in trauma and non-ordinary states of consciousness. Sara believes that developing a comprehensive understanding of psychedelic medicines through research and education is essential for the health and well being of individuals, communities, and the planet.
Community is an important part of integration. One of the most difficult aspects of integration is returning to a society that doesn’t understand or support psychedelic exploration. In fact, re-entering society can feel like a stark contrast between the interconnected, transpersonal state of the psychedelic experience. Therefore, one of most important tools for successful integration is a supportive, understanding community. We encourage our Guests to connect with and build supportive communities around themselves when they return home from the event. We support them in seeking professional help if necessary. -Sara Gael, Zendo Project Coordinator source

Sara Gael - Links

Sara's Professional Practice site - Re-membering Sara's Profile on Psychology Today Mikedelic Podcast - October 5, 2016  Understanding and Working with Difficult Psychedelic Experiences - MAPS Bulletin Entheogen Show - Psychedelic First Aid 

Be sure to check out our upcoming course: Navigating Psychedelics

Jul 3, 2017
Download It is the week of the 4th of July. That means the United States is celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence, breaking free from the British Empire, and becoming an independent nation.  With the holiday underway, it seems like a great time to reflect on the concept of freedom (including cognitive liberty) and what it means to each and every one of us. In honor of Independence Day and the Declaration of Independence, here is a quote by Terence McKenna: [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="660"]Terrence McKenna - Cognitive Liberty Photo from: http://www.cannalawblog.com/they-said-it-on-marijuana-quotable-saturday-part-cxxvi/[/caption] In this episode, Joe and Kyle reflect on the concept of personal freedom, cognitive liberty, and the impact that the War on Drugs has on the American people. It seems to be the consensus that the War on Drugs is failing. The policy has huge negative consequences on people across the globe, and significantly marginalizes minority groups and people of color.

Cognitive Liberty

As psychedelic research continues to progress in the academic and scientific realm, many people are still subjected to arrest and imprisonment because of this failed policy. Kyle and Joe share their thoughts about the pursuit for cognitive liberty and personal freedom.
The unexamined life is not worth living - Socrates
Do you think that exploring one's own consciousness, whether through plants or other drugs, be illegal? Why should a person have to "ask permission" to have an experience with their own body, mind, and spirit? Let us know your thoughts about this topic.
Joe and Kyle also talk about their new upcoming course, Navigating Psychedelics: Lessons on Self-Care & Integration. Be sure to check out this course and sign up TODAY! We are giving away a SPECIAL offer just for the 4th of July! Receive 10% off our Earl-Bird special with the coupon code "freedom" when you check out. You do not want to miss this offer!  

Show Links


Geoffery Schwartz presents: Cognitive Liberty and Entheogenic Freedom for ERIE [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fobjqBbSiQ]
Jun 29, 2017
Download Shane LeMaster joins us again to talk about his work with veterans, enhancing human performance and traditional use of peyote. If you haven't listened to part one, check that out first here.

Show Topics

  • Warriorship and Shambhala
  • Micro-dosing as it would apply to sports performance research
  • Flow states
  • Eckhart Tolle
  • Microdosing at JuJitsu competitions
  • High or standard dose psychedelic use at NASA
  • The difference between microdosing and normal dosages
  • Shane's own practice
  • JuJitsu for healing trauma
  • Vets only JuJitsu class
  • Where is trauma stored
  • Insights on Peyote Integration

Show Links


About Shane LeMaster, B.A., M.A.,  LAC, CC-AASP

Bio from Mind-OPS Shane earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO, completed extensive coursework towards a Master of Arts Degree in Sport & Performance Psychology at the University of Denver, and earned his Master of Arts Degree in Sport & Exercise Psychology from Argosy University. Shane is nationally certified as a Sport Psychology Consultant and a licensed mental health clinician in the state of Colorado.  Having worked in community non-profit mental health since 2008, Shane has gained experience working with the entire spectrum of mental disorders and with all populations and age groups.  Shane plans on attending a Ph.D program in Counseling Psychology where his interest in Resiliency, Mental Toughness, and Mindfulness Training Program Development can be explored and further developed. He is a life-long athlete having competed at various levels in more than a dozen different sports.  Because of his passion for warrior cultures of past and present, Shane has been ardently developing his own “Warriorship,” training in various forms of Martial Arts for 25 years.  Shane feels that the self-discipline, the philosophy of non-violence, the innumerable mental and physical benefits, and the enjoyment that he gains from the Martial Arts is what helped drive his passion in the field of Psychology. His personal interest in Eastern Philosophy stems from his adoption of a Buddhist lifestyle and blends well with his training in Western Psychological Science.  Clients describe Shane as an out-of-the-box clinician that is easy to get along with, knowledgeable on a variety of topics, credible with lived experience, and as having the ability to make therapy fun and interesting.

Interested in learning more about psychedelic self-care and integration? Check out and sign up for our new online course!

Jun 22, 2017
Download Shane LeMaster joins us to talk about his work with veterans, enhancing human performance and traditional use of peyote.
Show Topics
  • Psychedelics and martial arts.
  • Martial arts / JuJitsu for Veterans.
    • Exposure therapy
  • Flow states and psychedelics.
  • Psychedelic Integration and groups.
  • Opinions on MDMA being a psychedelic drug or not.
  • Doing work with veterans and gaining their trust for therapeutic relationships.
  • Traditional approaches to ayahuasca.
  • First hand accounts of what the Peyote world is like.
  • Shifting away from the predominant Newtonian Cartesian paradigm after psychedelic use and understanding that we know very little about what is really happening here in the world.
  • Sustainability in the Peyote habitat.
Show Links

About Shane LeMaster, B.A., M.A.,  LAC, CC-AASP

Bio from Mind-OPS Shane earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO, completed extensive coursework towards a Master of Arts Degree in Sport & Performance Psychology at the University of Denver, and earned his Master of Arts Degree in Sport & Exercise Psychology from Argosy University. Shane is nationally certified as a Sport Psychology Consultant and a licensed mental health clinician in the state of Colorado.  Having worked in community non-profit mental health since 2008, Shane has gained experience working with the entire spectrum of mental disorders and with all populations and age groups.  Shane plans on attending a Ph.D program in Counseling Psychology where his interest in Resiliency, Mental Toughness, and Mindfulness Training Program Development can be explored and further developed. He is a life-long athlete having competed at various levels in more than a dozen different sports.  Because of his passion for warrior cultures of past and present, Shane has been ardently developing his own “Warriorship,” training in various forms of Martial Arts for 25 years.  Shane feels that the self-discipline, the philosophy of non-violence, the innumerable mental and physical benefits, and the enjoyment that he gains from the Martial Arts is what helped drive his passion in the field of Psychology. His personal interest in Eastern Philosophy stems from his adoption of a Buddhist lifestyle and blends well with his training in Western Psychological Science.  Clients describe Shane as an out-of-the-box clinician that is easy to get along with, knowledgeable on a variety of topics, credible with lived experience, and as having the ability to make therapy fun and interesting.

Interested in learning more about psychedelic self-care and integration? Check out and sign up for our new online course!

 
Jun 15, 2017
Download In this episode, Kyle talks with Leia Friedman, co-founder of the Boston Entheogenic Network (BEN) and also known as "The Psychedologist." Kyle recently was invited to facilitate an "Introduction to Transpersonal Breathwork" workshop for BEN. Joe also was in town for the weekend and presented a talk about "Breathwork, Psychedelics, and Ecological Collapse." It was a great psychedelic weekend in Massachusetts. After the workshop, Kyle had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Leia about her interests in the psychedelic field, feminism and eco-feminism, and how she got involved with starting a psychedelic group in Boston. She provides some helpful tips and advice for creating/starting your own local group.

Tips for starting your own psychedelic group:

  • First, what is the point of the group?
  • What is the purpose or mission?
  • Learn about your local laws and the legal risks
  • Do not condone or facilitate illegal activity
  • Go slow
  • Find the others to help you out
  • Check in with yourself and the other members of the group
  • Protect your members
  • Start online to gain awareness and then start an in-person meet up
Sign up below to get your FREE download "How to Create Your Own Psychedelic Group" https://forms.convertkit.com/226022?v=6
We hope you enjoy this episode and let us know what you think!
[caption id="attachment_1202" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Leia Friedman Kyle and Leia holding space for the breathwork circle[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1204" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Leia Friedman Breathwork on the river.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1203" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Leia Friedman Joe and Kyle presenting, "Breathwork, Psychedelics, and Ecological Collapse" in Lowell, MA, USA[/caption]

Show Notes/Links


About Leia Friedman

Leia Friedman is a professor, clinician, writer and the cofounder of Boston Entheogenic Network. Her present focus is an amalgamation of psychology, ecology, and experiences of altered consciousness as tools for deeper self-understanding. She is also involved in local social and climate justice activism, alphabet soup, and body positivity.
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