Jun 26, 2018
In this episode of Psychedelics Today, host Kyle Buller interviews Alyssa Gursky, a Masters student at Naropa University with a focus in mental health counseling and transpersonal art therapy. Their discussion dives into the intersection between art therapy, transpersonal art, and psychedelics. Ketamine, symbols, and meaning are also areas of this interview.
3 Key Points:
- Alyssa Gursky has been working with the MDMA research In Boulder, Colorado and now in Fort Collins for the last three years as a night attendant.
- Creating art is a gift from our unconscious, to be able to see what is happening within ourselves.
- There is art in therapy and there is art as therapy.
More at: www.psychedelicstoday.com
Navigating Psychedelics: psychedelicstoday.teachable.com/p/navigatingpsychedelics
Jun 19, 2018
Introduction
In this episode of Psychedelics Today, host Joe Moore and Kyle Buller interview Matt Pallamary, and have a discussion with him about his writing, research, and ayahuasca experiences. He also shares his concerns about self-proclaimed gurus and some issues that have been emerging because of the popularity of ayahuasca. 3 Key Points:- Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury was a mentor of Matt Pallamary.
- There are pros and cons to ayahuasca shamanism in Peru.
- The more in touch with the natural world you are the more balanced you are.
Show Notes
- Matt Pallamary was part of the early psychedelics podcast scene.
- Matt grew up in Dorchester near Boston, and he began early experiences with sniffing glue, weed, and getting acid from a chemist from M.I.T..
- He has almost 20 years experience with ayahuasca.
- Too many people have a couple of ayahuasca experiences and claim to be a guru.
- Famed science fiction writer Ray Bradbury was a mentor of Matt Pallamary.
- Everything is energy—the whole universe exists between our eyes.
- Matt labels shamans as the first storytellers, the first musicians, the first performers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and first performers.
- Being in touch with the natural world makes a person more balanced.
- The boundaries between your conscious and subconscious are blurred, overlapping your visions, dreams, and waking life.
- When going through an ayahuasca experience, you have to be in a safe place where you can be vulnerable and around people you can trust.
- For ayahuasca experiences, be sure to get references from people that have successfully worked with a group.
Resources Mentioned:
- Matt Pallamary – Website for Matt Pallamary
About Author
Author, Editor, and Shamanic Explorer Matthew J. Pallamary is an award winning writer, musician, and sound healer who has been studying shamanism all of his life. He incorporates shamanic practices into his daily life as well as into his writing and teaching. He has over a dozen books in print that cover several genres, many of which have been translated into foreign languages. His book on writing, Phantastic Fiction: A Shamanic Approach to Story took First Place in the International Book Awards Writing and Editing Category, and his popular Phantastic Fiction Workshop has been a staple of the Santa Barbara Writers Conference and the Southern California Writer’s Conference for over twenty five years. He has also lectured about writing and shamanism at numerous venues throughout the United States. Matt has spent extended time in the jungles, mountains, and deserts of North, Central, and South America pursuing his studies of shamanism and ancient cultures. Through his research into both the written word and the ancient beliefs of shamanism, he has uncovered the heart of what a story really is and integrated it into core dramatic concepts that also have their basis in shamanism.
Jun 12, 2018
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At Voices in the Dark, we bring you powerful, mind- and soul-expanding conversations about real life psychology, philosophy, psychedelics, spirituality, social dynamics and much more. We’re a podcast, a blog, and a community of likeminded individuals who want to become the best versions of themselves. We’re dedicated to never stop Learning How To Human. Our mission is to entertain, provoke, inform, and make you question everything you think you know. 
A disturbingly quick study in most fields, Dre’s autism made learning people more of a challenge. The works of Robert Greene shone a light on the otherwise deeply confusing world of other people’s psyches, transforming the world around him into something which finally made sense.
After spending far too many years in educational institutions, Jon got a PhD in History but is now finally learning something about the real world and the people in it. He always felt that science and scholarship needed more dick jokes and is on a mission to redress that balance. He writes, talks, travels, sings, and has a problematic relationship with cake and coffee.
Caution!!
A few important notes. This is an episode of an individual experimenting with powerful drugs to see if he can get any sort of relief from autism. In this case, it appears to have been successful. That said, this came with a substantial amount of risks, and people need to be aware. Please read the below bullets so you understand.- Autism is not what is treated. The thing being treated would be a symptom like social anxiety.
- "The field of autism science includes a long and shameful history of quack treatments and parents taking desperate and harmful measures to “fix” their children. Autism is a spectrum of congenital and neurocognitive variants, and there are no published research data in support of any compound that can influence its course." Alicia Danforth, PhD
- Please do not administer these drugs to children with autism.
- There are only two researchers investigating where MDMA and autism meet - Alicia Danforth PhD and Dr. Charlie Grob. A scientific paper will likely be available on this in the next few months. Expect to see more here.
- These drugs have not been shown to cure or treat autism, but in some cases, just like with neuro-typical individuals, some have seen meaningful changes.
- Even if changes are noticed the person is still autistic no matter how many high doses of psychedelics they take.
- Obtaining pure drugs is very difficult if not impossible in black markets.
- Verifying purity will require the resources of mass spectrometry from organizations offering these services like Energy Control or Ecstasy Data
- Providing unsafe, dirty or compromised drugs to people can cause serious harm or death.
- If you are planning to use MDMA to alleviate some suffering on your own, please wait or don't.
- Do substantial research and have skilled people available to help.
..autism is a genetically determined cognitive variant. It's pervasive, and it affects the whole person, not just the brain. No chemical compound has been shown to treat, cure, or alter the course of autism. However, for some people, substances like MDMA can help them manage symptoms such as anxiety, social anxiety, and trauma effects. - Alicia Danforth, Ph.D
Introduction
Joe Moore and Kyle Buller interview Jon and Dre of the Voices in the Dark podcast out of England. The discussion addresses treating autism with MDMA and LSD, what types of doses you should take, and how to in part do it safely. Note there are always risks with any kind of drug. Learn the basics over at our Navigating Psychedelics course. 3 Key Points:- A lot of autism is sensory overload. As far as emotions are concerned, we see potentially too many things in other people’s faces.
- A good range for MDMA dosages is between 100mg and not going over 200mg.
- 125 micrograms per drop of liquid LSD, and not going above 250 micrograms is recommended.
Show Notes
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- Jon’s first psychedelic experience shifted his academic career path and helped him to deal with depression.
- Dre first tried MDMA as a first step and it unlocked emotional empathy.
- Sensory overload is a lot of Autism according to Dre.
- Jon’s experiences with MDMA made him feel like himself without the fear and the worry.
- MDMA and LSD at the same time didn’t feel as emotional when combined to Jon.
- 125 micrograms per drop of liquid LSD, and not going above 250 micrograms is recommended.
- Democratising psychedelic therapy is where Joe would like to see the industry go.
- Jon is against the fetishizing of any particular concept of belief system in its totality.
- Jon is excited that he is starting to see more types of research on LSD/MDMA and autism.
- Dre’s experiences have shifted his autism by feeling that he has a foot in both worlds to know how living without it feels in his mind.
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- Voices in the Dark – Website for Voices in the Dark
- Instagram – Psychedelics Today Instagram
- Patreon – Psychedelics Today Patreon donation page
- DMTX.org – Website for DMTX.org
- Ecstasy Could Help Adults With Autism Cope with Social Anxiety - Discover Magazine
- MDMA-Autism - MAPS.org
- MDMA-assisted therapy: A new treatment model for social anxiety in autistic adults
- Autism and LSD-25
About Voices in the Dark
LEARNING HOW TO HUMAN
At Voices in the Dark, we bring you powerful, mind- and soul-expanding conversations about real life psychology, philosophy, psychedelics, spirituality, social dynamics and much more. We’re a podcast, a blog, and a community of likeminded individuals who want to become the best versions of themselves. We’re dedicated to never stop Learning How To Human. Our mission is to entertain, provoke, inform, and make you question everything you think you know. DRE
A disturbingly quick study in most fields, Dre’s autism made learning people more of a challenge. The works of Robert Greene shone a light on the otherwise deeply confusing world of other people’s psyches, transforming the world around him into something which finally made sense. JON
Jun 6, 2018
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Kyle and Joe discuss professionalism in the psychedelic field. There are a number of people out there doing very unprofessional things. We need to be aware of what professionalism could look like, what self care, ethics and boundaries look like in this world we are actively developing.
In light of festival season, we are offering a $30 off coupon for our online store with every purchase of our course, Navigating Psychedelics: Lessons on Self-Care and Integration throughout the month of June. If you are a student, please email us with your university email address to receive a special discount!
Joe and Kyle will also be offering some special live online course options. If you want to stay up-to-date about these offerings, sign up for our email list. If you're interested in learning more about DMTx, you can enroll in the DMTx 4-week Psychonaut Training. Proceeds go towards the DMTx project.
