008: The Trip Treatment

Recorded on Feb 26, 2015

This is Entheogen: three human beings discussing generating the divine within while still being human beings. In this show we're discussing the Trip Treatment, an article in the New Yorker by Michael Pollan in the Feb 9, 2015 edition.

Topics:

- use of entheogens for terminal cancer patients, nicotine addicts, PTSD

- use of entheogens for "betterment of well people" (in the words of Bob Jesse)

- Roland Griffiths, trained as a behaviorist and holding senior appointments in psychiatry and neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University, is one of the nation’s leading drug-addiction researchers. Pollan quoting Griffiths: “There is such a sense of authority that comes out of the primary mystical experience that it can be threatening to existing hierarchical structures. We ended up demonizing these compounds. Can you think of another area of science regarded as so dangerous and taboo that all research gets shut down for decades? It’s unprecedented in modern science.”

- Robert Jesse, founder of Council on Spiritual Practices (CSP) in 1993, former VP of Oracle.

- Rick Doblin, founder of Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) in 1986.

- Charles Grob, at U.C.L.A., who won F.D.A. approval in 2006 for a Phase I pilot study to assess the safety, dosing, and efficacy of psilocybin in the treatment of anxiety in cancer patients.

- David Nichols, emeritus professor of pharmacology at Purdue University and a founder of the Heffter Research Institute in 1993, key funder of psychedelic research.

- Robin Carhart-Harris and David Nutt of Imperial College, London. See prior coverage on the show: Entheogen 002: Psychedelic Research Renaissance, Part 2

Also:

- Roland Griffiths, a leading psychedelic researcher at Johns Hopkins University and the States of Consciousness Research Team is conducting an anonymous, web-based study to characterize experiences of personal encounter that might be described as "Ultimate Reality," "Higher Power," "God" or any aspect of the God of your understanding. If you’ve ever had such an experience, taking the Johns Hopkins survey could serve science and help others.

007: Founder Focus – Dr. Albert Hofmann

Recorded on December 22, 2014

LSD-25, first synthesized in 1938 is so named because it's the 25th in a series of lysergic acid amides which Dr. Hofmann was exploring. It was set aside for five years, and in 1943 a dream inspired Hofmann to revisit it. Through an "accidental observation" from contact with the skin, he discovered the psychedelic effects of LSD and confirmed his discovery through a planned experiment on "Bicycle Day."

Topics:

An Interview with Albert Hofmann by Michael Horowitz in 1976.

Eleusinian Mysteries

Psychotomimetic

María Sabina

Albert Hofmann's Letter to Steve Jobs

006: Interview with Meriana Dinkova: Navigating Altered States

This is Entheogen: three human beings discussing generating the divine within while still being human beings. In this show we are honored to be joined by Meriana Dinkova, licensed psychotherapist. Thanks for joining us.

Topics:

- Meriana's work: preparing and processing

- techniques for protection and optimization of a trip

- the Bruce Lee technique: superheroes as archetypal guides or guardians to be called upon during altered states

- personifying LSD, mushrooms, and ayahuasca:

LSD: that's you. That's your shit. Deal with it. (Can cover a lot. Can be cold about it.)

Mushrooms: the little brothers, jokers. This is your shit and this is how it's funny. Lightness. The universe is a cosmic joke. Intelligent. Caring. At higher doses, less funny and more deep.

Ayahuasca: the great mother; the grandmother: wise feminine being who cares about you. These are the ways in which you're not your shit. Hard truths, e.g. shows you how you've harmed other people. Non-judgemental. Caring, wise. Supportive.

- 10 Day Plant Medicine Reteat With 3 Shamans- Peru; Apr 18-27th 2015 – Tickets

- future topic teaser: Sex Magic and Erotic Influence

005: A Positive LSD Story – Tangible Benefits of Entheogens

Recorded on January 19th, 2015

This is Entheogen: three human beings discussing generating the divine within while still being human beings.  In this show we discuss tangle benefits of psychedelic use.  We open with one our favorite Bill Hicks bits.

Topics:

   Francis Crick, Cricked

- Francis Crick, Nobel Prize-winning father of modern genetics, deduced the double-helix structure of DNA: may have been influenced by LSD.

- Kary Mullis, inventor of PCR, a scientific breakthrough that accelerated the sequencing of the human genome: "I found it to be a mind-opening experience. It was certainly much more important than any courses I ever took. [...] What if I had not taken LSD ever; would I have still invented PCR?  I don't know. I doubt it. I seriously doubt it."

- Steve Jobs: “Taking LSD was a profound experience, one of the most important things in my life. LSD shows you that there’s another side to the coin, and you can’t remember it when it wears off, but you know it. It reinforced my sense of what was important—creating great things instead of making money, putting things back into the stream of history and of human consciousness as much as I could.”

“When you grow up you tend to get told that the world is the way it is and you're life is just to live your life inside the world. Try not to bash into the walls too much. Try to have a nice family life, have fun, save a little money. That's a very limited life. Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you. And you can change it, you can influence it… Once you learn that, you'll never be the same again.” - Steve Jobs

Also: "Here's to the Crazy Ones"

Douglas Engelbart, early computer scientist, presenter of the Mother of All Demos, had "two LSD experiences."

- Kevin Herbert, early Cisco engineer: "When I'm on LSD and hearing something that's pure rhythm, it takes me to another world and into anther brain state where I've stopped thinking and started knowing.  It must be changing something about the internal communication in my brain."

References:

Interview with Patrick Lundborg: 60’s psych & garage guru, psychedelic culture scholar and author of brilliant „Psychedelia” and „Acid Archives” books, discussed in Entheogen #003

What the Dormouse Said: How the Sixties Counterculture Shaped the Personal Computer by John Markoff

"Shaking one's snow globe" with LSD: Entheogen 002: Psychedelic Research Renaissance, Part 2