Brainforest Café

Decoding the Divine: The Shared LSI Secret of the Greek Kykeon and Vedic Soma

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -0000

Legal Disclaimer: The following content explores the chemistry and history of psychoactive plants for educational research.

No Medical Claims: The Brainforest Café Podcast and Dennis McKenna do not make any claims regarding the health benefits or safety of the substances discussed. Any statements made by the guest regarding physical effects or health outcomes are personal anecdotes and should not be interpreted as medical advice.

Safety & Legality: This conversation includes theoretical discussions on chemical synthesis. We do not encourage illegal activities or the handling of potentially toxic compounds (such as Ergot fungi). Please adhere to all local laws and regulations.

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Chemist Matthew Stahl shares with Dennis McKenna his discovery that ancient Eleusinian kykeon likely used barley infected with a safe fungus, mixed with young barley's natural plant compounds under mild acid to transform a mild substance into a powerful, LSD-like visionary brew with no nausea.

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Matthew Stahl learned Lab chemistry while attending Texas A&M University and Texas Lutheran University for 4 years at Texas A&M University and 2 years at Texas Lutheran University. He has worked in the Automotive production industry for 32 years, in the quality department, with chemistry, to achieve enhanced safety and better performance. Matthew Stahl has read at least 200 books on psychedelics, numerous papers, and studied psychedelics for around 24 years.

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Herbalism, Citizen Science, and Ancestral Knowledge

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:30:00 -0000

Join Dennis McKenna in this insightful conversation with Rebecca Lazarou as they explore the urgent need to preserve ancestral medicinal plant knowledge, the role of ethnopharmacology, and how traditional herbal wisdom can be protected for future generations. Rebecca shares the story behind her PhD research on Cypriot medicinal plants and her mission to document at-risk ethnobotanical knowledge before it disappears. They also discuss citizen science, cultural heritage, biodiversity, and the connection between science and traditional healing.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: Due to unforeseen circumstances the activities for Rebecca's event in London has now shifted. The date and location will be the same, and it will still be a highly educational event but it will now be a more intimate home herbalism medicine making workshop. Participants will learn all about medicinal plants, the medical system, and will be making their own teas to take home with herbs focused on mental health and stress. Rebecca will also talk about ethnobotany, have a herbal tea bar, and all proceeds still go towards supporting her research.

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Rebecca Lazarou’s work is an ecology of different disciplines spanning across medical science, ethnopharmacology, herbalism, holistic healthcare, cannabis and psychedelics. She is also an activist, writer, speaker and herbal formulator.

She is currently a PhD candidate at Kew Gardens and UCL School of Pharmacy with a focus on ethnopharmacology and herbal medicines. She was the science and managing editor for the ESPD55 volume, is currently co-editor for education charity Herbal Reality and founded Laz The Plant Scientist to bring quality, sustainably sourced herbal medicines and education to people.

She is passionate about democratizing knowledge, and rekindling ethnobotany and herbalism from being marginalised disciplines to part of common knowledge again.

Ultimately her aim is to help nurture our relationship with nature through natural medicines, and support our species return back to Earth centred living. She is devoted to science to demystify these topics, but equally I am committed to rekindling the magic, awe and healing we find on our precious Earth.

You can read more about her work at rebeccalazarou.com

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Rewiring the Muse to Restore Creative Flow

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:00:00 -0000

In this episode of Brainforest Café, Dennis McKenna sits down with award-winning filmmaker Greg Hemmings to discuss the transformative power of storytelling and its ability to catalyze social and environmental change. Greg reveals his personal battle with long COVID and how it led to his Rewiring the Muse project, which uses neuroscience and EEG data to track his recovery. The conversation also explores Greg’s diverse film projects, including the sci-fi series Revival, the scripted feature on homelessness What We Dreamed of Then, and the climate documentary The Berg. It further delves into his profound experience using Wachuma in Peru to reorganize his brainwaves and restore the creative energy lost during his struggle with long COVID.

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Greg Hemmings is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker whose work examines how storytelling can catalyze positive social and environmental change. He is the founder of Hemmings House Pictures, a certified B Corporation that produces documentary, factual, and scripted works for international audiences.

Greg’s recent projects explore the intersections of neuroscience, creativity, ecology, and consciousness, with particular interest in how human relationships to nature, including traditional and contemporary research into plant-based knowledge systems, can inform wellbeing and collective resilience. In 2023, he received an honorary doctorate for contributions to the arts and social change. Greg is also a mentor, speaker, musician, and lifelong student of what helps humans—and the planet—thrive.

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Books, Human Creativity and "humble", a Graphic Meditation Tool for Openness

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:00:00 -0000

Dennis McKenna and OpticMystic explore humble, a graphic meditation on openness, self-questioning, books, technology, AI, love, and the ongoing mystery of what it means to be human.

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OpticMystic a.k.a Hugo Amadeu is just a human fascinated by being alive. He intended to be an astrophysicist or an oceanographer but ended up studying graphic design and becoming a freelancer. He worked on DMT: The Spirit Molecule documentary film by Mitch Schultz, ESPD 50 book and later at the McKenna Academy. Currently, he is working with Namae Ntumae at CWays Home performing all sorts of media wizardry. He is also a sandwriter, musician, writer and terrific dishwasher. A bookworm from early age, his curiosity and passion for reading has made him a sort of accidental philosopher. A trance festival, more than 20 years ago, altered profoundly the course of his life and his hopes for the future. A few, yet, intense psychedelic experiences assured him that there is certainly more to the world than the eyes can see. Devout atheist with a profound feeling for the sacred, he will ignore the gods but embrace the spirits. There is something punk in his approach, an itchiness for authority and a refusal to compromise that arises from earnest questioning. He has written a graphic meditation called “Humble”. An exploration of ideas that reflect on openness, relativity and love as forms of approaching the self and the other(s).

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Remarkable Amazonian plants that shape human consciousness

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:21:00 -0000

In this special crossover episode of Plants of the Gods and Brainforest Café, Dennis McKenna and Mark Plotkin explore sacred plant medicines, psychedelic science, and indigenous wisdom, moving from DMT and ayahuasca to virola snuffs, salvia, ibogaine, and beyond. Originally recorded for Mark´s Podcast “Plants of the Gods”, this rich conversation on ethnobotany, shamanic healing, and the future of psychedelic medicine is now being released as a special crossover on both shows.

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Dr. Mark Plotkin is a renowned ethnobotanist who has spent more than four decades working alongside Indigenous communities of the Amazon to document and protect traditional plant knowledge. He is President and co-founder of the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT), a nonprofit he launched in 1996 with fellow conservationist and his wife, Liliana Madrigal, to support Indigenous stewardship of tropical forests and biocultural knowledge.

Dr. Plotkin is also the host of Plants of the Gods, a popular podcast exploring hallucinogenic plants and fungi and their powerful influence on world culture, religion, and healing. He is the author of several widely read books on ethnobotany and conservation and has shared his work through a TED Talk and lectures around the world. Dr. Plotkin was educated at Harvard, Yale, and Tufts University.

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Honoring Dennis McKenna’s Lifetime of Enduring Plant Wisdom, Mentorship, and Inspiration to the Next Generation

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:45:00 -0000

Ethnobiologist Michael Coe returns to Brainforest Café with a special mission: to turn the spotlight onto Dennis McKenna’s lifelong dedication to ayahuasca, visionary plants, and ethnopharmacology. In this intimate conversation, Michael honors Dennis’ 54 years in the psychedelic space, from early fieldwork in the Amazon to pioneering biochemical and pharmacological research on plant medicines. The discussion explores the importance of mentorship, with Dennis now seeing his primary role as supporting a new generation of ethnobiologists like Michael and their work with indigenous communities and threatened medicinal plant traditions. Together, they discuss standing on the shoulders of giants, the challenges of academia and funding, and why following what “puts fire in your belly” matters more than chasing titles.

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Michael Coe is an ethnobiologist and applied ecologist with a Ph.D. in Evolution, Ecology, and Conservation Biology. As an Assistant Professor at Tarleton State University, his teaching and research focuses on the relationships between humans, ecosystems, and traditional knowledge systems. Passionate about biodiversity and the sustainable management of natural resources, Michael brings a dynamic interdisciplinary perspective, helping to integrate contemporary ethnobiology and ecology with traditional ecological practices to inform sustainable use strategies, conservation priorities, and global medicine security. Michael is the principal investigator (PI) for the COE LAB where they are conducting hypothesis driven research in ethnobiology and harvest impact assessments on medicinal plants that serve as a primary source of healthcare for over 80% of the world's population. Michael is also the Director for Research and Education for the Pacha Nishi project, a Shipibo-Konibo led effort in the Peruvian Amazon basin seeking to restore 20ha. of degraded land in an agroforestry setting with a primary goal to inform sustainable ayahuasca production in the area as locally sourced sustainably grown medicine.

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Psychedelics, Baltic Traditions & Rethinking Mental Health in Latvia

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:00:00 -0000

Discover Una Meistere’s journey from Soviet-era Latvia to becoming a bridge between indigenous plant medicines, psychedelic science, art, and Baltic traditions in this in-depth conversation with ethnobotanist Dennis McKenna. They explore ayahuasca, psilocybin mushrooms in Latvia, Amanita muscaria, and ancient sauna rituals as a kind of “Latvian ayahuasca,” touching on symbiosis with nature and how psychedelic experiences can help heal our disconnection from the natural world. Una shares how synchronicities led her from journalism to co-founding Arterritory, Spiriterritory, and the NGO Veseliba Latvija, and to organizing the first psychedelic science conferences in Latvia together with the University of Latvia. The discussion dives into stigma, legal grey zones, human rights to psychedelic-assisted therapies, and the Baltic region’s emerging role in the global psychedelic renaissance.

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Pacha Nishi Project, Ayahuasca Cultivation, and Amazonian Restoration

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 15:00:00 -0000

Michael Coe is an ethnobiologist and applied ecologist with a Ph.D. in Evolution, Ecology, and Conservation Biology. As an Assistant Professor at Tarleton State University, his teaching and research focuses on the relationships between humans, ecosystems, and traditional knowledge systems. Passionate about biodiversity and the sustainable management of natural resources, Michael brings a dynamic interdisciplinary perspective, helping to integrate contemporary ethnobiology and ecology with traditional ecological practices to inform sustainable use strategies, conservation priorities, and global medicine security. Michael is the principal investigator (PI) for the COE LAB where they are conducting hypothesis driven research in ethnobiology and harvest impact assessments on medicinal plants that serve as a primary source of healthcare for over 80% of the world's population. Michael is also the Director for Research and Education for the Pacha Nishi project, a Shipibo-Konibo led effort in the Peruvian Amazon basin seeking to restore 20ha. of degraded land in an agroforestry setting with a primary goal to inform sustainable ayahuasca production in the area as locally sourced sustainably grown medicine.

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Strange Attractor: The Hallucinatory Life of Terence McKenna

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:27:00 -0000

Terence McKenna was the stand‑up philosopher of the apocalypse. A cognitive libertarian. The anti‑guru who rejected authority—even his own. Twenty‑five years after his passing, the “Tryptamine Elf King” still haunts the present, reverberating through the sensorium of a new generation.

Inspired by Graham St John’s definitive magnum opus, Strange Attractor: The Hallucinatory Life of Terence McKenna, the inner circle—the family, the friends, and the co‑conspirators who knew the man behind the myth—came together for an extraordinary online conversation.

PANELISTS BIOGRAPHIES:

Dennis McKenna and his brother Terence first came to S. America in 1971. Their unexpected adventures in pursuit of exotic psychedelics led to some surprising discoveries recounted in Terence’s book, True Hallucinations, and Dennis’ 2012 memoir, The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss. In 1981, Dennis returned to Peru, this time as a graduate student, and began his scientific investigations of ayahuasca. In 2019 he founded the McKenna Academy of Natural Philosophy.

Graham St John, PhD, is a cultural anthropologist and historian of transformational events, movements, and figures. His new book Strange Attractor: The Hallucinatory Life of Terence McKenna (MIT Press, Oct 7, 2025) is the latest among his ten books, which also include Mystery School in Hyperspace: A Cultural History of DMT (North Atlantic Books 2015). Graham is Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Media, Humanities and the Arts at the University of Huddersfield, UK.

Tama Starr is an acclaimed author and former president of Artkraft Strauss, the historic company behind Times Square's iconic signs and the New Year’s Eve Ball. A pioneering psychedelic yogi, she is connected to Terence McKenna’s circle and recorded one of his earliest talks. Starr’s work spans literature, business, and psychedelic culture.

R.U. Sirius is a cultural icon best known as founder and editor-in-chief of the influential 1990s cyberdelic magazine Mondo 2000. He authored multiple books including collaborations with Timothy Leary and is also a lyricist and vocalist, currently active with the album The Smarter Kings of Deliria by R.U. Sirius & Phriendz.

Dr. Bruce Damer is an astrobiologist and Chief Scientist at the BIOTA Institute, UC Santa Cruz, known for co-authoring a leading origin-of-life hypothesis. He also pioneers psychedelic insight research through the Center for MINDS and has designed innovative spacecraft concepts for NASA. Damer collaborated with Terence McKenna on early virtual worlds and explores humanity’s cosmic future.

Dan Levy, New York-based since 1988, edited Terence McKenna’s key books: The Archaic Revival, True Hallucinations, and The Invisible Landscape (2nd ed.). An early WELL member, he built pioneering websites for McKenna, Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, and more. He taught programming to kids and serves on The Jazz Gallery board.

Lorenzo Hagerty is a former Navy officer turned cyber-lawyer and storyteller, known for founding the Psychedelic Salon podcast. With decades at the crossroads of technology, culture, and consciousness, he explores AI's connection to Terence McKenna’s TimeWave theory through his fiction and public talks.

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It's Going to Get Weirder: The Terence McKenna Story

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 14:10:00 -0000

Sharon McKenna is the director and producer of the forthcoming feature documentary, “It’s Going to Get Weirder: The Terence McKenna Story.”

Sharon is a writer, film director, and journalist whose work has appeared in a range of outlets, from several alternative weeklies to MSNBC digital, among others. Her career spans three-plus decades of network news production, investigative reporting, corporate creative work and screenwriting. Her screenplays have been optioned and won numerous awards, and she has worked as a script reader and consultant for several film production companies.

She is a member of the International Documentary Association, Film Independent, Women in Film, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and several other organizations dedicated to filmmaking, the arts, and freedom of speech. Sharon has various projects in the works; to learn more about her, visit her creative hub: seanchaistudio.com and you can learn more about the Terence McKenna documentary project at goingtogetweirder.com

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From Conventional Medicine to Plant Dietas and Spiritual Growth

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 09:38:00 -0000

Nissan started his career as a medical doctor and began his work as a general practitioner in an urban community clinic system. He then specialized in ophthalmology and practiced in a small town for 36 years. He became dissatisfied working strictly on the physical level and received training in Gestalt psychotherapy and had a small private practice. He became interested in the field of Natural Vision Improvement which combined his interest in vision with present moment, embodied presence. A reading from a tarot card reading psychic suggested the need for working in and with the spiritual realm to facilitate the Natural Vision work and suggested there were some gifts for him in shamanism. His wife had had a powerful experience in a ceremony with Don José Campos and encouraged him to explore Ayahuasca as a method to open himself spiritually. He had two very different , but powerful experiences with Don José and participated in a plant dieta in the Amazon in 2005 with Don José. He received what he interpreted as an initiatory experience and felt called to be trained as a vegetalista. He embarked on the training under Don José and Don Lucho’s guidance and began leading ceremonies in the US in 2009 and in 2011 began leading plant dietas in the Amazon. He continues to lead ceremonies in various locations in the US and occasionally Canada and leads dietas in the Amazon twice a year.

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The Faerie Rings, a Magical Tale of Healing and Rebellion.

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 18:27:00 -0000

Zina Brown is the writer and director of The Faerie Rings, an upcoming narrative feature film
about the promise of visionary plant medicines, and the cruelty of those who would outlaw
them.
Zina’s unique visual and narrative style has been awarded in film festivals across the world,
including the Barcelona International Environmental Film Festival, Kyiv Film Festival in
Ukraine, Mexico City International Film Festival, Amsterdam International Film Festival, San
Antonio Film Festival, and the Woods Hole Film Festival.
He has over 25 years of writing and directing experience, including numerous music videos
and festival favorite short films. His short film, Dreams of the Last Butterflies, was screened
at 50 Film Festivals in 13 countries, as well as winning many awards.

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Entheogen Stewardship Project—Protecting Sacred Plants and Indigenous Wisdom.

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:11:00 -0000

Kevin Reed, founder and president of the Entheogen Stewardship Project, a vital new nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting culturally significant plant and animal species sacred to indigenous communities worldwide.
Kevin brings a remarkable 45-year journey as a student of psychedelic science and culture to this crucial conservation work. His path began in 1984 under the mentorship of legendary researchers Sasha and Anne Shulgin, followed by profound connections with iconic figures including Wavy Gravy, Jack Herer, Timothy Leary, Rick Strassman, and many others who have shaped the modern psychedelic renaissance.
Kevin's hands-on expertise spans an impressive range of fields: from teaching cannabis extraction in the mountains of Jamaica in 1985, to large-scale indoor cultivation in the Netherlands, to designing and successfully opening a state-of-the-art Type 7 cannabis manufacturing facility in California. His diverse interests encompass mycology, conservation biology, indigenous traditions, accelerated learning, transpersonal psychology, and ethical wildcrafting—principles that now support his conservation philosophy.
The Entheogen Stewardship Project represents the culmination of Kevin's decades-long commitment to both psychedelic wisdom, indigenous rights and environmental protection. The organization combats illegal trafficking and exploitation of endangered entheogenic species while fostering respectful collaboration with all indigenous communities whose ancestral knowledge have safeguarded these sacred plant and animal spirits for millennia.
Kevin's work addresses one of the most pressing issues facing our community today: how do we honor and protect the plant and animal teachers that have guided human consciousness for thousands of years, while ensuring their survival for future generations?

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(2nd Installment) Strange Attractor: The Hallucinatory Life of Terence McKenna

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 04:17:00 -0000

Graham St John, PhD, is a cultural anthropologist and historian of transformational events, movements, and figures. His forthcoming book Strange Attractor: The Hallucinatory Life of Terence McKenna (MIT Press, Oct 7, 2025) is the latest among his ten books, which also include Mystery School in Hyperspace: A Cultural History of DMT (North Atlantic Books 2015). Graham is Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Media, Humanities and the Arts at the University of Huddersfield, UK.

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Strange Attractor: The Hallucinatory Life of Terence McKenna

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 17:00:00 -0000

Graham St John, PhD, is a cultural anthropologist and historian of transformational events, movements, and figures. His forthcoming book Strange Attractor: The Hallucinatory Life of Terence McKenna (MIT Press, Sep 30, 2025) is the latest among his ten books, which also include Mystery School in Hyperspace: A Cultural History of DMT (North Atlantic Books 2015). Graham is Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Media, Humanities and the Arts at the University of Huddersfield, UK.

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Creating Human-Centered, Ethical AI Inspired by Nature

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 17:08:00 -0000

Tony Ācworth (pronounced Ayk-worth) is a visionary herbalist, psychedelic advocate, forest guide, and self-described “wily wizard” living with his wife and five-year-old son amid the coastal rainforests of Brentwood Bay, Vancouver Island.

For 15 plus years, Tony has walked the plant (and mushroom) path, logged over 5,000 clinical hours doing comprehensive intakes with patients, helping them untangle what truly plagues the mind, body, and spirit. Under the mentorship of herbal elder and prolific author and mycologist Robert Rogers, Tony deepened his reverence for the fungal world and its wisdom.

In 2015, he was hired to work in Pacific Rim College’s herbal dispensary. Soon after he created and began teaching their first medicinal mushroom materia medica. From here, Tony began offering herbal clinics, nutrition courses, herbal therapeutics and mycological exploration weekends for students in the community herbalist, nutrition, and permaculture programs at the College. At home, he spent a decade developing his own ritual for psilocybin ceremonies, immersing himself in shamanism from Iquitos to the moss-laden forests of Vancouver Island.
This led to guiding individuals and men’s groups through the ritual experience, facilitating deep
personal explorations for those who participated.

Tony is also the creator behind DelOs, his heart-led line of herbal-supported mushroom microdose blends, with the expressed purpose of supporting the human body and nervous system with herbal medicine to help rewire stagnant, disserving patterns and improve overall well-being.

In 2026, he will expand his offerings by launching a dedicated Psychedelic Therapy Training Program at Pacific Rim College, further bridging ancestral plant wisdom with modern integration practice.
Recently, Tony blends mushroom intelligence with machines as a mycelial-minded systems tinkerer building ethical, living AI ecosystems designed to help people recalibrate and remember who they truly are. His work guides both personal recalibration and scalable AI solutions for human-centered collaboration, ensuring that advanced technology uplifts humanity.

He’s a father, a leatherworker, a Raspberry Pi hobbyist and if he appears in your life, chances are, the mushrooms arranged it.

Tony Ācworth is a techno-mystic wizard: part forest guide, part quantum gardener, part mycelial ambassador – all heart.

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The Buddhabrot - Unlocking the Mathematical Code of Consciousness

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 16:37:00 -0000

Dr Harry Shirley has a PhD in organic chemistry and research experience at the
University of Oxford. His research focussed on the synthesis of biologically active chemicals
of marine origin. Having left academia some years ago, he now holds a deep passion for
Jungian thought. He recently published his paper “the Buddhabrot and the Unus Mundus” in
the International Journal of Jungian Studies, which explores the role of the Mandelbrot set in
mind and matter.

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Exploring the DMT Realm and the Nature of Reality

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 13:41:00 -0000

Dr. Andrew Gallimore is a computational neurobiologist, chemical pharmacologist, and writer, living and working in Tokyo. He has a master’s degree in chemical pharmacology and a PhD in biological chemistry from the University of Cambridge and has held postdoctoral research fellowships in computational neuroscience at the Universities of York, Oxford, and Okinawa. He has been fascinated by the neuropharmacology of psychedelics for more than two decades and is the author of three books: Alien Information Theory -- Psychedelic Drug Technologies and the Cosmic Game; Reality Switch Technologies -- Psychedelics as Tools for the Discovery and Exploration of New Worlds.; and the forthcoming Death by Astonishment -- Confronting the Mystery of the World’s Strangest Drug, which focuses on the history of DMT and science’s continuing struggle to understand how such a simple naturally-occurring molecule can have such astonishing effects on the human mind. His current interests lie in implications of DMT in understanding the nature of reality, and how it might be developed as a tool for extended communication with non-human intelligences inaccessible to normal waking consciousness.

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Psychedelics and Brain Mapping for Trauma Healing

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 11:28:00 -0000

Luke served in the Marine Corps for six years and two years in the National Guard, deploying to Afghanistan with an Airborne infantry unit. After his deployment, he faced severe PTSD, a loss of purpose, and a transformative “dark night of the soul.” Seeking healing, Luke explored various modalities, eventually traveling to the Amazon basin in Peru to experience Ayahuasca. This profound encounter brought him personal healing and a spiritual awakening, revealing the vast, interconnected nature of the universe.

Inspired by this experience, Luke delved into shamanism, including rediscovering lost Northern European traditions. Along his spiritual journey, he encountered neurofeedback and QEEG brain mapping, recognizing their transformative potential for healing and spiritual growth—what he calls “spiritual neuroscience” or “electronic yoga.” These tools became central to his evolving vision.

In 2019, Luke met Dr. Richard Soutar, whose mentorship profoundly deepened his understanding of consciousness, healing, and the neurological foundations of spiritual development.

Since December 2023, Luke has been leading retreats in Peru’s Sacred Valley, combining diverse healing modalities into a unique and transformative experience. He has also conducted groundbreaking research using QEEG brain mapping to study plant medicines, including the first longitudinal study on Ayahuasca and the first brain imaging study of Huachuma. Through these studies and future research, Luke hopes to deepen humanity’s understanding of plant medicines, consciousness, and spirituality. His work aims to inspire a greater recognition of our spiritual nature and the boundless potential for personal and collective transformation.

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Mushrooms, AI, and the Human Spirit

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 14:37:00 -0000

Paul Stamets, speaker, author, mycologist, medical researcher and entrepreneur, is considered an intellectual and industry leader in fungi: habitat, medicinal use, and production. He lectures extensively to deepen the understanding and respect for the organisms that literally exist under every footstep taken on this path of life. His presentations cover a range of mushroom species and research showing how mushrooms can help the health of people and planet. His central premise is that habitats have immune systems, just like people, and mushrooms are cellular bridges between the two. Our close evolutionary relationship to fungi can be the basis for novel pairings in the microbiome that lead to greater sustainability and immune enhancement.

Paul’s philosophy is that “MycoDiversity is BioSecurity.” He sees the ancient Old Growth forests of the Pacific Northwest as a resource of incalculable value, especially in terms of its fungal genome. A dedicated hiker and explorer, his passion is to preserve and protect as many ancestral strains of mushrooms as possible from these pristine woodlands. His research is considered breakthrough by thought leaders for creating a paradigm shift for helping ecosystems survive worldwide.

Paul´s most recent book (2025) is called "Psilocybin Mushrooms in Their Natural Habitats".oms in Their Natural Hbin Mushrooms in Their Natural Habitats

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Psychedelics, Dissociation & Trauma

Mon, 12 May 2025 12:52:00 -0000

Steve Elfrink, a pioneer with over 40 years of experience in psychedelic medicine and integrative healing, is the founder of OmTerra (www.omterra.org). In this podcast, Steve focuses on his groundbreaking hypothesis of Psychedelic Iatrogenic Structural Dissociation (PISD), which was recently published in Frontiers in Psychology (co-authored by Leigh Bergin). Drawing from his own deeply personal journey—from a transformative yet destabilizing ayahuasca ceremony in a sacred Southern Wisconsin valley to years of navigating dissociative trauma—Steve shares how these experiences led him to explore how psychedelics can deconstruct dissociative processes and potentially release trauma too quickly. With his expertise in legal psilocybin facilitation in Oregon and Psycholytic Somatic Integration Therapy (PSIT) using low-dose ketamine for PTSD and C-PTSD, Steve offers unique insights into the importance of cautious, titrated psychedelic sessions and somatic integration. Join him as he recounts his personal story, unpacks the science behind PISD, and discusses the transformative yet sometimes challenging nature of psychedelic therapy.

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Exploring Plant Consciousness and Photosynthesis Miracles

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:28:00 -0000

Rajnish Khanna, M.Sc. Ph.D., is a Senior Investigator, Biosphere Science and Engineering at Carnegie Science, Stanford. Rajnish is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of i-Cultiver, Inc.

TerreLocal, and co-founder and Executive Director of “Urban Green Project”. He is a strategic biotechnology consultant, plant and soil health scientist applying multidisciplinary approaches for research and development.

Known for empowering the industry through strategic partnerships with academic institutions, facilitating technology transfer into real world applications, and deploying advanced technologies such as CLASlite, a unique software to quantify and monitor crop and tree health at global scale for agro-eco projects. Rajnish applies photobiology to explore the science of consciousness. He has developed a unique and testable “Theory of Spatial Relativity” relating to the origins of consciousness, which aligns modern science with ancient concepts of spirituality.

Rajnish is the host of TerreScience podcast/YouTube channel focused on soil and planetary health. For a full bio, visit www.rajnishkhanna.com.

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The Original Psychedelic Artist - From NYC to the World

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 18:00:00 -0000

Isaac Abrams was born and raised in New York City.
He is a self-taught artist who started painting in 1965.
Based in Upstate New York, he continues to paint every day.

He first discovered psychedelics in 1962. He then discovered psychedelics again and again. He decided there had to be such a thing as psychedelic art and founded the Coda Gallery - the first gallery of Psychedelic Art in NYC in 1965. He had his first one man show in 1968 at Galerie Bischofberger in Zurich.

Other memorable moments include climbing a tree with Timothy Leary to discuss business, meeting Salvador Dali, shooting a film at Mickey Hart's Ranch in 1971 featuring Jerry Garcia and The New Riders of the Purple Sage, Reality One Group and David Crosby.

MEDIUMS
He’s worked across several mediums from oil to acrylic, sculpture to animation. From brushes to airbrushes, canvas to board, glass to bronze.

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Fungi, Ecology, and Bioremediation Technologies.

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 15:46:00 -0000

Howard Sprouse, CEO of the Remediators, Inc. and developer of bioremediation technologies since the mid 1990s. Howard previously worked as a consultant to Battelle’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Sequim, Washington assisting with the development of mycoremediation technology. His work assisted projects aimed towards remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons, biological agents, pathogen degradation, and biofiltration of agricultural runoff.

Howard also worked for the Department of Botany, University of Washington and with US Forest Service, as a research assistant conducting fungal ecology research in Olympic National Park. Howard Sprouse is recognized in the bioremediation industry for commercializing mycoremediation and is a well known lecturer on the subject at universities across the United States. The Remediators have mentored student interns at Peninsula College in Washington State since 2005.

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Pioneering Seed Banking for Global Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration.

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 18:12:00 -0000

Jill Wagner has been a forester in Hawaii for 30 years. She started at the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden as a horticulturalist for the garden, where she grew native Hawaiian species. She received a Bachelors Degree from the University of Hawaii in Ethnobotany. She has been conducting forest restoration projects for the State of Hawaii, Department of Hawaiian Homelands, The Nature Conservancy, The National Park Service, Kamehameha Schools and other private land owners. She has trained people in ecosystems restoration and nursery management for decades.

She started the Hawaii Island Seed Bank in 2008, which banks seeds for large landowners on Hawaii Island. It also serves as a model for small, regional seed banks, called Seed Arks. She conducts training to people from all over the world so they can save their native seeds, and their food crop seeds. Seed Arks are off-grid solar powered seed banks that are built to keep seeds in the hands of the people.

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The Sacred Coca Plant, an 8,000 Year History & The Fight to Liberate It.

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 11:30:00 -0000

Wade Davis is a writer, photographer, and filmmaker whose work has taken him from the Amazon to Tibet, Africa to Australia, Polynesia to the Arctic. Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society from 2000 to 2013, he is currently Professor of Anthropology and the BC Leadership Chair in Cultures and Ecosystems at Risk at the University of British Columbia. Author of 23 books, including One River, The Wayfinders and Into the Silence, winner of the 2012 Samuel Johnson prize, the top nonfiction prize in the English language, he holds degrees in anthropology and biology and received his Ph.D. in ethnobotany, all from Harvard University. His many film credits include Light at the Edge of the World, an eight-hour documentary series written and produced for the NGS. Davis, one of 20 Honorary Members of the Explorers Club, is the recipient of 12 honorary degrees, as well as the 2009 Gold Medal from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the 2011 Explorers Medal, the 2012 David Fairchild Medal for botanical exploration, the 2015 Centennial Medal of Harvard University, the 2017 Roy Chapman Andrews Society’s Distinguished Explorer Award, the 2017 Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration, and the 2018 Mungo Park Medal from the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. In 2016, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. In 2018 he became an Honorary Citizen of Colombia. His 2020 book, is Magdalena: River of Dreams, Knopf, 2020, is a tribute to his love for Colombia, of which he is an honorary citizen. His latest book, Beneath the Surface of Things: New and Selected Essays (Greystone, 2024) has been termed ‘A timely and eclectic collection from one of the foremost thinkers of our time, “a powerful, penetrating and immensely knowledgeable writer” (The Guardian).

Andrew Weil, M.D., is a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine. Combining a Harvard education and a lifetime of practicing natural and preventive medicine, he is the founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, where he is a clinical professor of medicine and professor of public health. A New York Times best-selling author, Dr. Weil is the author of 15 books on health and wellbeing, including Mind Over Meds: Know When Drugs Are Necessary, When Alternatives Are Better, and When to Let Your Body Heal on Its Own; Fast Food, Good Food; True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure; Spontaneous Happiness; Healthy Aging; and Eight Weeks to Optimum Health. Dr. Weil is a frequent guest on talk shows and the lecture circuit. He is the editorial director of DrWeil.com, the leading online resource for healthy living based on the philosophy of integrative medicine. He is also a founder and partner in the growing family of True Food Kitchen restaurants. In partnership with Seabourn and The Onboard Spa by Steiner, his “Spa and Wellness with Dr. Andrew Weil” mindful-living program is offered on all of the Seabourn cruise ships.

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Bridging interdisciplinary perspectives from Psychedelic-Induced Psychosis to Spiritual Emergency

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 14:20:00 -0000

Mariya Garnet is a Ukrainian-born artist, traditionally trained psychedelic facilitator, and student psychotherapist with over 15 years of experience in indigenous healing practices. Since 2008, she has been in apprenticeship with mestizo curanderos in the Peruvian Amazon. During her eight years living full-time in Peru, Mariya co-founded Canto Luz Centre for Research and Cultural Preservation, a treehouse retreat dedicated to healing and environmentalism.

Mariya integrates her expertise in psychedelic therapy within the Amazonian Vegetalismo tradition with modern therapeutic approaches. Currently, she leads retreats in Peru and maintains a private one-on-one practice, focusing on healing complex trauma and restoring holistic health.

As a postgraduate student at the CREATE Institute in Toronto, Mariya is deepening her knowledge in Expressive Arts Therapy. She views creative expression as a powerful pathway to an integrated Self, believing that artistic practices, similarly to plant medicines, can help individuals access deeper layers of consciousness and embodied cognition, facilitating personal transformation.

Mariya is also an active member of the sound healing duo Project Mariri, organizing community events that leverage music and creativity as tools for healing and self-discovery. Through her work, she invites clients to explore their inner landscapes, guiding them towards embodying their true selves and authentically expressing their essence in the world.

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Sound, Consciousness and the Divine

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 12:40:00 -0000

Alexandre Tannous is as an ethnomusicologist, sound therapist and sound researcher. He has been investigating the therapeutic and esoteric properties of sound from three different perspectives - Western scientific, Eastern philosophical, and shamanic societal beliefs - to gain a deeper understanding of how, and to what extent, sound has been used to affect human consciousness. This search has led him to the intersection of art, science, philosophy and spirituality.

His ethnomusicological approach entails a social scientific study of sound use in several traditional contexts—religious, spiritual, holistic, and cultural—for various purposes and occasions in entertainment, worship, meditation, and rituals of healing and trance. Consequently, his approach in researching, understanding, experiencing, transmitting, and working with sound has always been based on a multidisciplinary approach.

The material he transmits about sound is based on a multidisciplinary research over 24 years: observations he made during his fieldwork in over 40 countries, scientific studies, personal experiences, and data collected from thousands of people he has worked with doing sound therapy. This has led him to a deeper understanding of how sound reveals and unlocks hidden powers we have within us to promote profound inner transformation and healing.

Alexandre is the principle founder of the ResonantMind Collective, a non-profit collective providing support in processing and integration.

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A Grateful Tribute to Amazonian Wisdom in "Yuriana's Garden"

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:00:00 -0000

Luis, born in Galicia, Spain, has been fascinated by dreams, the occult, spirits, and magic since childhood. This lifelong curiosity drew him to science fiction, comics, and ultimately, filmmaking. After beginning his career with short horror and sci-fi films, he soon grew weary of commercial work and moved to London to expand his career. There, he joined London Real and rose to the role of creative director, where he eventually met one of his idols, Dennis McKenna. Together, they created ReConnect, a documentary that introduced Luis to the world of ayahuasca, sparking a profound shift in his life.

Driven by the transformative experience, Luis journeyed to the Amazon to immerse himself in shamanic practices, arriving just as COVID lockdowns began. This unplanned, extended stay led to Psychedelic Pandemic, an awardwinning documentary chronicling his time in the jungle. He spent three years in the rainforest, undertaking "dietas," facilitating ayahuasca retreats, and co-creating Biognosis with the McKenna Academy. His experiences are shared on his YouTube channel Dissolution and distilled in his latest project, El jardín de Yuriana.

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The Spirit of Huachuma

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 14:25:00 -0000

Laurel Anne Sugden is a Ph.D. candidate in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of British Columbia. She grew up in rural Montana, where she developed deep connections with the flora and fauna of the Rocky Mountains, and went on to earn a B.Sc. in Molecular Biology. Her PhD research centers on the visionary San Pedro Cactus (Huachuma) and its cultural and ecological roles in the Andes. Laurel conducted a broad survey of the endemic habitats of Huachuma which revealed the decline of wild Huachuma in Peru.

Josip Orlovac Del Río is a maestro huachumero from coastal Peru with over 33 years of experience growing, cooking, drinking, and sharing Huachuma. He received his connection to the plant through his Andean grandfather, and from a young age studied traditional healing in a lineage of curanderos from the Río Santa. He has been planting San Pedro for 30 years, and collectively his gardens are home to over 5,000 individual cacti. Josip is the creator of the Peruvian cultural phenomenon Mullu. Together with an alliance of traditional curanderos and Indigenous leaders, Josip and Laurel co-founded Huachuma Collective, a nonprofit association in Peru which works with Andean communities towards the bio-cultural sustainability of the San Pedro Cactus.

About Huachuma Collective: Huachuma Collective is a Peru-based nonprofit association that cares for the bio-cultural sustainability of the San Pedro Cactus. Their leadership is an alliance of curanderos, Indigenous leaders, and Andean community members. Together, they empower communities to protect, conserve, and plant Huachuma and explore sustainable practices for growing and working with traditional medicine in Peru. Their projects support and revitalize cultural traditions in Andean and Coastal Peruvian communities. The organization was founded in 2020 to unite and provide a platform for the voices of traditional curanderos and curanderas in North and Central Peru. The collective convened to address growing concerns with Huachuma's conservation status and the loss of traditional medicinal knowledge in North Peru. The knowledge and practices of San Pedro were declared Cultural Heritage of Peru in November 2022, an important step towards recognizing the unique cultural world of this medicine and the skill of practitioners. Huachuma Collective takes this a step further by working at the community level to ensure the survival of Huachuma and the healing arts of North Peru. The organization recently published a “Collective Statement from the Curanderos and Curanderas of North Peru on the State of Conservation of the San Pedro Cactus, their Traditional Knowledge, and the Use of Wild San Pedro by Foreigners.” In the statement, over 60 traditional practitioners and allies from the Huachuma / San Pedro Cactus bioculture in North Peru have drafted guidelines for foreigners about how to engage with their medicine. This statement is their response to the mistreatment of Huachuma in Peru and around the world. It makes their position clear about the exploitative practices used to produce commercial “San Pedro powder” and urges practitioners to give back financially to Andean communities. The statement is a call from the guardians of Huachuma to the world to stop consuming wild plants and to cultivate their own. All species of Huachuma are considered Endangered by the Peruvian Ministry of the Environment, and this is mainly due to overharvesting for ceremonial use.

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Exploring Ancestral Pilgrimages and Visionary Art in Sacred Sites

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 10:04:00 -0000

Delvin Solkinson is a visionary permaculture designer and art culture creator from the Elpinstone Rainforest of British Columbia, Canada. Holding four Diplomas, a experimental Masters and Doctorate in Permaculture Education, he teaches permaculture design, writes articles and books, makes videos and creates learning tools with his beloved wife Grace. He is the Diploma Program Coordinator for the Permaculture Institute in the USA, a Diploma Tutor With the Permaculture Association Britain, and Dean of the Permaculture School at Pacific Rim College. He recently co-created a 80 hour online permaculture course with Dr. Elaine Ingham's Soil Food Web School including 74 teachers from 22 countries.
Senior Managing Editor of CoSM Journal of Visionary Culture since 2009, Delvin has served on the Board of Directors for CoSM Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, lived and worked there as senior staff member, and done a six year Future Ministers Training with Alex Grey and Allyson Grey.

Grace Solkinson grew up on a small family farm nestled on the edge of the woods and spent her childhood and young adult years diving deeply into animal husbandry while raising and showing a variety of livestock and poultry breeds. Specializing in herbalism, food preservation and green building she is an Instructor on the Permaculture Design and Resilient Ecosystems Diploma at Pacific Rim College, on the Dr. Elaine Ingham’s Soil Food Web School permaculture design certificate and on many other courses with her husband Delvin.
Serving as the Product Manager at CoSM Chapel of Sacred Mirrors for many years, Grace co-created artifacts of visionary culture including art prints, sculptures, clothing with artists Alex Grey & Allyson Grey with whom she did a five year Future Ministers Training. Celebrating happily ever afters with her business Grace Alchemy, she creates commitment jewellery and geek rings for engagements, weddings and milestone moments.

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The Power of Unscripted Stories

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 10:05:00 -0000

Lucy Walker is an Emmy-winning, twice Oscar-nominated director renowned for creating riveting character-driven nonfiction. Her films have won over 100 awards including two at Sundance and two at Berlin and include Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa, Of Night and Light: The Story of Ibogaine, Bring Your Own Brigade, The Lion's Mouth Opens, The Crash Reel, The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom, Waste Land, Countdown to Zero, Blindsight, and Devil's Playground. For Netflix she directed/executive produced How To Change Your Mind, executive produced Ram Dass, Going Home and produced Why Did You Kill Me?. She was born in London and graduated from Oxford University before winning a Fulbright Scholarship to attend NYU's Graduate Film Program, where she supported herself with a successful career as a DJ.

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A Journey into Ethnobotanical Drug Discovery

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 09:39:00 -0000

Steve began learning about tropical ecosystems, indigenous and local people in 1974 at the age 15 when he went to the Rio Polochic River area in Alta Verpaz, Guatemala as a volunteer paramedic with the NGO Amigos de los Americas where he supported volunteer MD’s/ Dentist and provided vaccines to youth in the nearby small mountainous villages. A few years later he visited a village of Angotere Secoya indigenous people in Peru who live near the Colombian and Ecuadorian border with a Spanish Jesuit Missionary Luis Uriarte. That initial visit led to Steve living with the Angotere Secoya community on the Santa Maria River for 9 months in 1978 where he lived with a family and studied the diet and medicinal plant use in this community of 35 people. Shortly after that field research he met Tim Plowman at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Tim sent him to visit Dr. Schultes at Harvard on his way back College of the College of the Atlantic where was earning his BA in Human Ecology. After earning is degree, he spent a year traveling in Peru and Bolivia working with friends and colleagues as an Ethnobotanist for hire looking at Andean Tuber Crops, returning to visit the Secoya people and other wanderings.

He was then accepted as the first Fellowship student at the Institute of Economic Botany at the New York Botanical Garden studying with Ian Prance, Mike Balick and colleagues in the Institute of Economic Botany. He conducted field work in the Andean and Amazon regions. He did his PhD research on Andean Tubers Crop complex. He then was hired by the National Academy of Sciences as part of the Board of Agriculture Committee on Managing Global Genetic Resources. He was then hired as the Chief Botanist for Latin America at the Nature Conservancy but met Lisa Conte who invited him to help start Shaman Pharmaceuticals along with Dennis, Mike Tempest.

35 Years later he is the Chief of Sustainable Supply, Ethnobotanical Research, and IP at Jaguar Health, where he focusing on the integration of traditional ethnomedical knowledge and the development of novel therapeutics. He has focused on reciprocity with local collaborating communities and the conservation of biocultural Diversity. Over theses 3.5 decades he dedicated himself to the sustainable harvest and management of the miraculous Croton lechleri tree, also known as the Dragon's Blood tree, found in the Amazon rain forest. Steve’s efforts have been crucial in developing Crofelemer from this tree into an innovative plant-based prescription medication, which is the first FDA-approved oral Botanical drug. He has also focused his research and collaborations with local and Indigenous communities in various regions, including Africa and South East Asia with a focus on the conservation of biocultural diversity. Most recently he and many ethnobotanical colleagues who were scientific strategy team advisors to Shaman, formed the Entheogen Therapeutics Initiative (ETI) that has led to the formation of Magdalena Biosciences, a joint venture between Jaguar/ETI and Filament Health in Vancouver, Canada.

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Revolutionizing Cannabis Genetics for Healthier, High-Quality Strains

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 08:30:00 -0000

Alisha Holloway is a data scientist and population geneticist with expertise in genomics and statistical analysis of big data. She held an assistant professor appointment at UC San Francisco School of Medicine, where she was the founding director of the Gladstone Institutes Bioinformatics Core Facility. She earned a PhD focused on molecular evolution at the University of Texas at Austin.

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From True Hallucinations to Modern Reality

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 10:09:00 -0000

John O’Connor is from Kalamazoo, Michigan. His recent book, The Secret History of Bigfoot: Field Notes on a North American Monster, explores the obsessive world of Bigfoot believers. His essays have appeared in The New York Times, Oxford American, GQ, Creative Nonfiction’s True Story series, and elsewhere. He teaches journalism at Boston College. His upcoming book traces a historical path from Terence and Dennis´s McKenna "Experiment at La Chorrera" to our current psychedelic moment.

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Down the Rabbit Hole with Dennis Mckenna

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Mike (Schwann Cybershaman) Kawitzky was born in a post-war Apartheid South Africa and (purportedly) survived being indoctrinated by state, culture and corporate influences to emerge, years later, as a social commentator, columnist, author, (a gonzo autobiography titled: "Journey to Everywhere"), and independent filmmaker, Cognition Factor [2009], and The Terence Mckenna OmniBus 2012. Mike has been a commentator on the ascent of consciousness, via social networking, from a unique South African viewpoint since the net became available in South Africa, back in 1990. Mike's first column, The Schwann Column', was published by Intelligence Magazine (Hardcopy) in 1995.

Mike has contributed media to several international conferences, plus a live performance at the LSD Symposium in Basel in 2006 on the occasion of Dr. Albert Hofmann's 100th birthday, where "True Hallucinations", a prequel of Cognition Factor was shown.

In Mike's post-corporate existence he lectured college students, filmed rocket launches and observed solar eclipses for South African Astronomical Observatories, for whom he also produced educational programs. Mike was responsible for the first official international press release for South African Large Telescope's (SALT) 'first-light' images and directed and produced videography for the International Astronautical Congress in Cape Town in 2011 while also making a presentation called; "A Zeitgeist Accelerator - The Cyberspace Evolution of the Psychoactive mind", at the Khanyisa Psychedelic Plant Symposium at the University of Johannesburg with Kilindi Iyi and Graham Hancock.

For the last few years Mike has been working on a six part afro-futuristic TV series called; "Xelexnia", a unique tale of the past, present and future of South Africa, somewhere he calls home, in a leafy suburb of Cape Town in an old Victorian house. Mike has a lovely wife, four children and two grandchildren and a dog called Remy. He enjoys riding his 1300cc V2 motorbike whenever he can and doesn't like aeroplanes. You can sometimes find him inside a space game called Elite Dangerous.

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Inside Soltara Healing Center

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 15:20:00 -0000

Daniel Cleland is CEO of Soltara Healing Center, which has gained worldwide recognition in 2019 as THE preeminent Shipibo healing center and is now regularly visited by the most prominent influencers, celebrities, and public figures. Cleland holds a Masters of Intercultural and International Communication, but he learned his hard-knock style of scaling from years of traveling, living, and hustling in the merciless Amazon jungles of South America. to. In addition to supporting the field of ayahuasca healing through Soltara, Cleland has also ventured into the music industry with his heavy metal band Savage Existence, having toured USA, Latin America and Europe with such acts as Cradle of Filth, DevilDriver, Sepultura and Cavalera brothers. In 2021, Cleland published his second book “12 Laws of the Jungle: How to Become a Lethal Entrepreneur” as a follow up to his first book “Pulse of the Jungle: Ayahuasca, Adventures and Social Enterprise in the Amazon.” Cleland resided in Costa Rica with his two beloved husky dogs, but is currently in Peru hosting an ayahuasca retreat for wellness and spirituality influencer, Aubrey Marcus.

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Bridging Fungi Science and Mazatec Culture Heritage Initiatives

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 11:43:00 -0000

Giuliana Furci is the founder and CEO of the Fungi Foundation. She is also an associate at Harvard University, a National Geographic Explorer, a Dame of the Order of the Star of Italy, the deputy chair of the IUCN Fungal Conservation Committee, and the author of several titles, including a series of field guides to Chilean fungi. She has co-authored titles such as the 1st State of the World's Fungi (Kew, 2018), the publication that delimits the term “funga,” and the 3F Proposal - Fauna, Flora & Funga.

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Writing Alien Perspectives: A Sci-Fi Author's Journey

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 09:40:00 -0000

Caitlin Demaris McKenna is a science fiction writer whose passion for the genre stretches back to her elementary school's Scholastic book fairs. She has chronicled the faraway worlds and strange beings of her imagination ever since. When not writing, she enjoys reading, gaming, and exploring the hiking trails near her home in Vancouver, British Columbia. She grew up in the Minnesota woods, where on clear winter nights, she would look up at the stars and wonder.

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Exploring the Realms of AI, Music, and Psychedelia

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 16:25:00 -0000

As an Artist, Thomas Haferlach merges machine learning wizardry with music and multimedia art, exploring the realms of psychedelia from artistic and scientific perspectives. He founded Voodoohop, an influential art collective celebrated by São Paulo's art scene.

Utilizing generative AI, Thomas crafts new musical expressions that blend high-tech in unexpected and glitchy ways.

Born in Germany and ripened in the rich cultural milieu of São Paulo for over a decade, Thomas’s music fuses minimalist electronics with the chaotic rhythms of Latin America and the calculated trippiness of Krautrock. His approach is a testament to the joy of creation, focusing on innovative hybrid experiences that bridge diverse cultural and technological landscapes.

Through the lens of a Business/Researcher, after studying Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence at Edinburgh University, Thomas spent 9 years in São Paulo creating an art collective, while always keeping one foot in the technology sector. Thomas conceived and implemented a variety of interactive installations, combining his passion for art, research, and technology.

After settling back in Germany, he completed a project which involved researching the future trends of Artificial Intelligence for the World Government summit. Since then he spent a few years researching and working with data-driven generative audio modeling. He built the open source platform Pollinations.AI which has the aim of making generative machine learning more accessible.

Currently Thomas is working as a senior machine learning specialist at the music AI company Pixelynx founded by Deadmau5 and Richie Hawtin.

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From Ayahuasca Explorations to an End of Life Doula

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 04:30:00 -0000

By the time Annelise was seven years old, she had lived in Istanbul for five years and travelled around the world. By the age of twenty, she had lived in England and Spain, and had a passion for learning languages and experiencing diverse cultures. This contributed to her going to Brazil to study its culture and history, a time which profoundly influenced the rest of her life. Her professional careers have ranged from Runway Model, to Director of HR in a corporation, Author, and Death Doula for thirty years. “Ayahuasca, Sacred Medicine” shares these exciting, often wondrous, and sometimes awful experiences from her life.

In 1977, she drank Ayahuasca for the first time with a Brazilian spiritual group, the UDV (Uniao do Vegetal). She was a member for eighteen years, and served as a primary translator. Her story of rituals, the strength of community, and the years of deepening awareness portrays a tradition of mystery with ancient roots, and also a very modern drama involving stark and honest revelation. The story shares the role of Ayahuasca in opening Annelise to dimensions beyond this realm. Those expereinces led to the healing of old wounds, a significant change in the trajectory of her life, and deeper happiness in her everyday life. The book is a great repository of factual and experiential information for understanding the science and the mystery of the many aspects of Ayahuasca.

Over many years, Annelise has written articles and presented her knowledge at conferences dedicated to studying Ayahuasca. From the intimate perspective of a translator and interpreter, Annelise adventured with researchers involved in Ethnobotany and learned first hand the personal, cultural, and scientific significance of Ayahuasca in human development. Her work has contributed beautiful knowledge and personal experience to the conscious exploration of this sacred medicine. This book offers wisdom and realistic and grounded knowledge of how Ayahuasca can lead to spiritual awakening, emotional and physical healing, and the deepening of our human connection with nature.

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Kava, a Plant with a Rich Cultural Heritage. Exploring Potential and Challenges.

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 10:02:00 -0000

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Rediscovering the Magic of Herbal Medicine

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 08:50:00 -0000

Rebecca Lazarou’s work is an ecology of different disciplines spanning across medical science, ethnopharmacology, herbalism, holistic healthcare, cannabis and psychedelics. She is also an activist, writer, speaker and herbal formulator.

She is passionate about democratizing knowledge, and rekindling ethnobotany and herbalism from being marginalised disciplines to part of common knowledge again.

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Beneath the Surface of Things

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 09:33:00 -0000

Wade Davis is an ethnographer, writer, photographer and filmmaker whose work has taken him from the Amazon to Tibet, Africa to Australia, Polynesia to the Arctic. An Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society from 2000 to 2013, he is currently professor of anthropology and the BC Leadership Chair in Cultures and Ecosystems at Risk at the University of British Columbia. Author of 24 books, including One River, The Wayfinders, Into the Silence, and Magdalena, he holds degrees in anthropology and biology and received his Ph.D. in ethnobotany, all from Harvard University. Primarily through the Harvard Botanical Museum, he spent over three years in the Amazon and Andes as a plant explorer, living among fifteen indigenous groups in eight Latin American nations while making some 6,000 botanical collections. A professional speaker for 30 years, Wade has spoken from the TED main stage on five occasions, delivered the CBC Massey Lectures, and lectured at 200 universities and some 250 corporations and professional associations. Davis is an Honorary Member of the Explorers Club, Honorary Vice-President of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, a recipient of 12 honorary degrees, and a Member of the Order of Canada, among other distinctions. In 2018, he was made an Honorary Citizen of Colombia. Named by the National Geographic Society as one of the Explorers for the Millennium, he has been described as “a rare combination of scientist, scholar, poet and passionate defender of all of life’s diversity.” His latest book, Beneath the Surface of Things, became a national bestseller within days of its release by Greystone in April, 2024.

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Jungle Living and Plant Medicines: A Wildlife Ecologist's Journey

Mon, 27 May 2024 07:27:00 -0000

Lee Kaiser was born in Milwaukee Wisconsin in the 1980’s and is a wildlife ecologist who has lived in various communities throughout the Americas. He has worked on permaculture projects, natural building endeavors, hosting and organizing events and retreats, performing surveys for conservation investigations, agricultural and natural medicine initiatives, conducting artesanal essential oil distillation, taking part in music production, volunteering in educational workshops, and generally participating in cultural, scientific, and international exchanges. Lee met Dennis in 2016 when they both were in Minnesota, and their mutual interests in Amazonian and Andean ecology and ethnography have kept them in contact over the years. He currently lives with his partner in Argentina, and has primarily lived over the last decade in Colorado, Minnesota, Perú, and México. His travels and experiences in foreign lands as well as living with people from many different cultural backgrounds have allowed for him to dive deep into a broad range of fields and settings, while also staying plugged into some broader networks of connectivity and interdisciplinary explorations.

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A Psychedelic Journey to the Origin of Life

Mon, 13 May 2024 13:23:00 -0000

Dr. Bruce Damer is a scientist working in the field of Astrobiology with his passion being working on the mystery of the origin of life and where life might arise in the universe. Back at our ESPD conference in 2022 he 'came out of the psychedelic scientist closet' in his talk 'Its High Time for Science'. This talk, at which I was sitting in the front row, sparked a movement that has today led to a new organization: the Center for MINDS (Multidisciplinary Investigation into Novel Discoveries and Solutions). MINDS is modeled on MAPS and seeks to go beyond psychedelics in therapeutics and bring online practices and tools to use them to catalyze creativity, in science, tech, design and even leadership.

McKenna Academy was there at the very beginning of MINDS and I am sure we will hear about where it is today, and a bit about its deep history back to the 1950s and 60s.

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Evolving planetary consciousness with breakthrough books in ecology, sustainability and psychedelic medicine

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 17:40:00 -0000

Deborah has published over 40 books through her publishing house Synergetic Press, Ltd. in global ecology, regenerative agriculture, ethnobotany, psychedelics, and social justice, since establishing it in 1984. In 1986, she was on the team that designed and built a large-scale closed ecological system, Biosphere 2, developing the publications and educational programs for the complex. In 1990, she started The Biosphere Press, an imprint of the Biosphere 2 project, producing a dozen books and a classroom curriculum for children on biospheres and biomes.

While at Biosphere 2, Deborah met Richard Evans Schultes, the grandfather of contemporary ethnobotany. She went on to publish his two books of photographs he made documenting people’s use of plant medicine in the NW Colombian Amazonia. Deborah is a director and VP of the U.S. non-profit, the Institute of Ecotechnics, based in Santa Fe, New Mexico at Synergia Ranch. The Institute owns the RV Heraclitus, an 84-foot ferrocement Chinese Junk design that sailed 270,000 miles around Planet Ocean, with two years up the Amazon on an ethnobotanical expedition inspired by Schultes (1980-1982). Deborah currently lives at Synergia Ranch organic farm and retreat center where she lives, contributes to the farm operations when she can, and continues publishing books.

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Joshua Bloom MDS Sahara Desert 250km Ultramarathon

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 14:05:00 -0000

Joshua Bloom was born and raised in Hackney, London, to a Filipino mother and Jewish father. He grew up in a culturally rich area, sandwiched between Hackney's infamous ‘Murder Mile’ and Stamford Hill, home to Europe's largest ultra-Orthodox Jewish community with over 100,000 residents. Much of his early years were spent exploring the local parks and Hackney Marshes nature reserve, where he developed a deep fascination for the flora and fauna, particularly birds. This love for nature naturally led him to pursue studies in Microbiology and Genetics, driven by a desire to comprehend the inner workings of organisms at a fundamental level. Following his university education and a stint in a genetics lab, Joshua embarked on a significant chapter in his life. For two years, he dedicated himself to working at a drug and alcohol rehab clinic in Camden, an area known for its struggles with substance abuse. Reflecting on this period, he often describes it as a "PhD in real life." The experience exposed him to individuals born into tragic circumstances, with little hope for a way out. It also shed light on the shortcomings of mainstream medical approaches to helping the less fortunate, sparking his interest in the potential of psychedelics for treating addiction and PTSD. In the subsequent years, Joshua explored the world extensively, immersing himself in different cultures. He transitioned into freelance photography, focusing mainly on capturing the beauty of nature and landscapes. It was during this time that his curiosity about consciousness deepened, fueled by a couple of near-death experiences and altered states of mind. This journey culminated in the completion of a master's degree in neuroscience and psychology, although he firmly believes that firsthand experience surpasses all. Twelve years ago, Joshua made a significant life change by moving to Switzerland to pursue a career in IT. Although this choice was made for practical reasons, to pursue a career in IT. He also collaborated with charities and NGOs that share a vision for a better future in harmony with nature. Today, he is the creator of "Reality in Bloom," a website and podcast that explores topics ranging from nature and consciousness to reality and psychedelics. In recent years, Joshua has taken up marathon running for its health benefits and stress management. This newfound passion (or mid life crisis as his wife would call it!!) has now brought him to the starting line of one of the "Toughest footrace on earth": The Marathon Des Sables, a grueling 250km race through the Sahara Desert. He eagerly anticipates this mammoth challenge as he prepares to embark on this extraordinary journey later this week.

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Ethnobiology, Ayahuasca Sustainability, Biognosis, and Balanced Coexistence between Humanity and Nature

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 13:27:00 -0000

Michael Coe, PhD, is an applied ecologist and ethnobiology research fellow at the French National Institute for Research and Development (IRD) and Mediterranean Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology (IMBE) in Marseille, France. Michael is working to help promote the revitalization of ethnobiology at academic institutions in the United States, to help provide a global synthesis on the sustainability and of non-timber forest products, and to help Indigenous-led efforts aiming to facilitate sustainable ayahuasca management in the Peruvian Amazon.

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From Zen to Psychedelics

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 12:30:00 -0000

Erik F. Storlie, PhD, entered graduate school at Berkeley in 1962 intending to become a medievalist. Experience with cannabis, peyote, mushrooms, and LSD prompted an interest in Zen and the synergies between meditation and psychedelic medicine. He is retired from teaching meditation and mindfulness at The University of Minnesota and has published two memoirs that speak to sixty years of meditation and psychedelic exploration: Nothing on my Mind: Berkeley, LSD, Two Zen Masters; and Go Deep and Take Plenty of Root.

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The Tao of the Wisdom Warrior

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 11:20:00 -0000

Tom (Tomás) Pinkson has been walking the Warrior Wisdom path far longer than most of the readers of this book have been walking. In it, he shares the wisdom distilled from a lifetime of seeking to understand himself and his place in the realm of shamanic and indigenous practices. In the course of his long life, he has learned from the great medicine teachers, including LSD, ayahuasca, peyote and magic mushrooms, and those who have been the keepers and stewards of this psychedelic gnosis, ranging from indigenous elders to spiritual leaders in Eastern and Western spiritual traditions, psychotherapists, and fellow seekers such as Ralph Metzner, Huston Smith, Ram Dass and others. Tomás has been a beacon of hope and a compassionate guide for others seeking to follow the path of Warrior Wisdom, helping them to find their own way in their personal quests. While he has pointed the way for many to find their way, he shows up always as a humble learner; not a leader, but a fellow traveler, ever open to the marvelous mystery of being.
Brother Tomás has traveled far on the road to Warrior Wisdom. Here, he shares the experiences gleaned from that long journey. He has much to teach us, and we all have much to learn.

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The Alchemist: Reflections on a Lifetime of Psychedelic Chemistry

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 11:39:00 -0000

Dr. David E.Nichols is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the chemistry and pharmacology of psychedelic substances.

In 1993, with the collaboration of colleagues, Dr. Nichols founded the Heffter Research Institute, realizing his vision of a privately funded Institute as the most effective mechanism for bringing research on psychedelic agents into the modern era of neuroscience. Since its founding it has emerged as a leading force advancing psychedelic research in numerous institutions.

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God on Psychedelics

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 11:37:00 -0000

Don Lattin is an American journalist who has been exploring the interface between psychedelics and religion in America since the end of the 90s. His books include "Shopping for Faith: American Religions in the new Millenium" (co-authored with Richard Cimino & Jose Basse, 1998); "Following our Bliss: How the Spiritual Ideals of the Sixities Influence Our Lives Today" (2003); "Jesus Freaks: A True Story of Murder and Madness on the Evangelical Edge" (2007); and "The Harvard Psychedelic Club: How Timogthy Leary, Ram Dass, Huston Smith, and Andy Weil Killed the 60s and Ushered in a New Age for America" (2010); "Changing our Minds: Psychedelic Sacraments and the New Psychotherapy" (2017). His most recent book is "God on Psychedelics: Tripping Across the Rubble of Old Time Religion" (2023) which explores the emerging integration of psychedelic mystical experiences into mainstream religious practices. He has been an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, and for two decades was a staff writer covering religion, spirituality and psychology at the San Francisco Chronicle. In addition to his published books, his work has been widely published in many US magazines and newspapers. Don kindly took time from his busy schedule at the MAPS Psychedelic Science Conference in Denver last June 2023 to record this Interview for the Brainforest Café.

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Civilization: is it worth it?

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 11:55:11 -0000

Dr. Ryan is an astute observer, commentator and fellow experiencer of the human condition. Unlike most of us, his insights into the existential human situation undermine conventional wisdom, and are often profoundly unsettling. This approach is reflected in his best selling book, “Sex at Dawn” (2010) which calls into question nearly everything we think we understand about human sexuality. His latest book, “Civilized to Death: the Price of Progress”, takes on the very notion of Civilization and what he terms the Narrative of Perpetual Progress. From the book’s description: Most of us can feel that something’s off—balmy December days, face-to-face conversation replaced with screen-to-screen zomboidism, a world at constant war, a political system in disarray. We hear some lies so frequently that they begin to feel like facts: Civilization is humankind’s greatest accomplishment. Progress is undeniable. We’re lucky to be alive here and now. Well, maybe we are and maybe we aren’t. Civilized to Death counters the idea that “progress” is inherently good, arguing that the progress defining our age may be analogous to an advancing disease. The ideas Chris Ryan unpacks in this book have reframed much of what I assumed to be true about civilization and the evolution of our species. It has been a most unsettling experience, as much as it has been edifying, stimulating, and enlightening.

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Herbaria: Their role in protecting biodiversity and indigenous knowledge

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 18:04:00 -0000

Dr. Barbara Thiers is the director emerita in the Division of Plant Research and Conservation at the New York Botanical Garden. Prior to her retirement, she was the Patricia K. Holmgren director of the William and Linda Steer herbarium, the world's third largest herbarium, housing over 7.9 million collections of algae, broophytes, fungi, and vascular plant. She applied her interest in herbarium science and information technology to develop the CV Star Virtual herbarium, which contains a searchable database of digitized herbarium specimens. She is also the editor of the Index Herberorium, the guide to the world's approximately 3300 herbaria. Dr. theers is widely recognized for her contributions to efforts to digitize the world's natural history collections. In 2020, to help educate the public as to the importance of herbaria and botanical history, she published a beautifully illustrated book entitled herbaria the quest to preserve and classify the World's plants, published by Timber press. She is past president of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists and past president of the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections. She's a member of the Board of the Natural Science Collections Alliance and member of the External Advisory Board of ID Bio the National Collections Digitization Hub.

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Ancient Egyptian Alchemy: From Acacia to Zosimos

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 13:41:00 -0000

P. D. Newman specializes in the historical and current use of entheogenic compounds, mystical, magical, and initiatory context. He is the author of the groundbreaking work Angels in Vermilion, the philosopher Stone from D to DMT, and the forthcoming titles Theurgy In Theory and Practice, Myster Mysteries of the Ascent to the Divine, and Tripping the Path of Souls. Native American Shamanism in the Mississippi Valley, both a keen researcher and a dedicated practitioner, Newman, has been immersed in the study and practice of alchemy, theurgy and Shamanism for over two decades.

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On Ancient Archeology And Psychedelics

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 13:00:00 -0000

A conversation with Graham Hancock.

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Modern Science & Ancestral Eastern Healing Practices

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 15:00:00 -0000

A conversation with Shauheen Etminan & Jonathan Lu.

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