Today, Jonathan talks with Shane LeMaster. Shane earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO, completed extensive coursework towards a Master of Arts Degree in Sport & Performance Psychology at the University of Denver, and earned his Master of Arts Degree in Sport & Exercise Psychology from Argosy University.  Shane is nationally certified as a Sport Psychology Consultant and a licensed mental health clinician in the state of Colorado.  In this conversation, Jonathan and Shane discuss Psychedelic Science 2017, Shane's work in addiction treatment, the strengths and weaknesses of the 12 steps, and how Shane is integrating his personal work with psychedelics into future professional endeavors. Enjoy. Full Podcast notes can be found at http://www.psychedelicparenting.org/psychedelic-parenting-podcast-34/

In this episode, Jonathan talks with his dear friend Lex Pelger. Lex is a co-Founder (along with past podcast guest Brett Greene) of the psychedelic media group Psymposia, an author, and the new host of the legendary psychedelic podcast The Psychedelic Salon. Lex has recently begun publishing his magnum opus, Anandamide, or: The Canabinoid, a graphic novel about cannabis, the war on weed, and our own endocannabinoid system, based on Moby Dick . He is also co-hosting a cross-country tour of Psymposia's popular Psychedelic Storytelling events, called The Blue Dot Tour, with a goal of building psychedelic community in "blue cities inside red states" Full Program notes can be found at:  http://www.psychedelicparenting.org/psychedelic-parenting-podcast-33/

On this episode, Jonathan talks with Omar Thomas, founder of 5 in the Dark Life Coaching, retired Army Ranger, and fellow partner, facilitator and Visual Media Director at MycoMeditations, which offers Psilocybin-assisted retreats and therapeutic experiences in beautiful Treasure Beach, Jamaica. Omar is also the founder of CannaMed Consultants, a medical cannabis nutraceutical company. In this conversation, Jonathan and Omar discuss their mutual excitement after their recent experience facilitating together for the first time on Treasure Beach, Omar's personal struggles with PTSD, and what it means to be a Psychedelic Dad. Omar also chimes in on our eternal question: How old is "old enough?" Full Podcast Notes at: http://www.psychedelicparenting.org/psychedelic-parenting-podcast-32/

Today, Jonathan once again welcomes Psychedelic Parenting's favorite author, Natalie Grigson. Natalie is the author of the amazing title Just Call Me Is, which we helped to sponsor on Kickstarter. Natalie is now launching another campaign for the sequel, Call Me Perfect , which is currently 1/2 way funded with about 2 weeks to go. Call Me Perfect approaches body image and identity with the same gentle touch that Just Call Me IS brought to mindfulness. In this conversation, Jonathan and Natalie talk about the new book, and how Natalie's own psychedelic experiences helped her heal from a childhood eating disorder. Jonathan also discusses some of the struggles with identity and body image that led to the recent gap in podcast creation. Enjoy. Get Full Program Notes at: http://www.psychedelicparenting.org/psychedelic-parenting-podcast-31/

After MANY months hiatus, we return with a new episode, featuring our friend, Stephen Gray, Co-founder and MC of the Spirit Plant Medicine Conference, and Editor of the new Anthology, Cannabis and Spirituality: An Explorer's Guide to an Ancient Plant Spirit Ally. Stephen is also the Author of the book Returning to Sacred World: A Spiritual Toolkit for Emerging Reality, and has many years of experience with plant medicine ceremonies in both the Native American Church tradition, as well as the Santo Daime religion. In this conversation, Jonathan and Stephen discuss Cannabis and Spirituality in detail, give tips on incorporating Santa Maria into your own spiritual work, and ask the perennial question: "How old is old enough?"

In this episode, Jonathan talks with fellow Michigander, Kilindi Iyi. Born and raised in Detroit, Kilindi is the head instructor and technical adviser of Tamerrian Martial Art Institute. A world traveler and mycologist, Kilindi has presented on the subject of psilocybin as far north as Norway and as far south as Australia. His exploration and research centers on high-dose psilocybin magic mushrooms. Jonathan and Kilindi met at Psychedemia in 2012, and have appeared together at many conferences around the USA and the world. They are currently both speaking at Beyond Psychedelics in Prague. Join Jonathan and Kilindi as they talk about the role of mushrooms in the secret history of martial arts, about the lessons Kilindi has learned form his 40+ years of symbiosis with the mushrooms, and about why he prefers the title "explorer" over "shaman," "medicine man," or "healer." Also discussed is the upcoming Detroit Psychedelic Conference, October 28-30 at the historic First Unitarian Church of Detroit on Cass. Full Program Notes can be found at: http://www.psychedelicparenting.org/podcast-29/

In this episode, Jonathan talks with father, facilitator, and mushroom farmer Eric Osborne. With a Master’s Degree in Education Eric Osborne taught middle school language arts for seven years. In 2009, he left education to open a gourmet mushroom farm Magnificent Mushrooms in Indiana and the first State recognized Wild Mushroom Expert in Indiana allowing him to legally sell wild mushrooms. Eric is founder and facilitator at Myco-Meditations, a psilocybin retreat center in Treasure Beach, Jamaica. Listen as Jonathan and Eric discuss his family's incredibly intimate relationship with fungi, how he turned a legal setback into a healing journey, and how he is changing lives with his Myco-Meditations mushroom retreats in Jamaica. For Full Program Notes, go to http://www.psychedelicparenting.org/podcast-28/ ‎

In this episode, Jonathan talks with Ryan, Lisa, Sean, and Gabrielle LeCompte. Ryan is the founder of Veterans for Entheogenic Therapy (VET), and a graduate student at Naropa University, studying Transpersonal Psychology and recently brought his family along with him as he accompanied a group of veterans to a healing experience with Ayahuasca in Florida. The LeCompte family talks about their collective healing experience, how their Cajun roots created space for forgiveness and reconnection through food, and how Lisa's gumbo is so good that it even makes vegans give up their vows! Ryan also talks about how childhood trauma makes some vets more susceptible to PTSD, and what's next for VET. Get Full Program notes at: : http://www.psychedelicparenting.org/podcast-27/

On this episode, Jonathan talks with Natalie Grigson, who is in the midst of a Kickstarter campaign for her new project Just Call Me IS, a book designed to teach tweens techniques of minfulness, as well as help them understand and get to know their Inner Self ("IS"). Jonathan and Natalie talk about launching her Kickstarter, in which she is seeking to raise $10,000 to pay for her time to fully illustrate the book, as well as resources for printing and marketing the final product. They also talk about how her experiences with psychedelics have influenced her career path, her creative process, and her work with children. Get full Program notes HERE: http://www.psychedelicparenting.org/?p=1621

Get FULL program Notes at: www.PsychedelicParenting.org/?p=1396 Dr. Ben Sessa is a consultant in adult addictions and is senior research fellow at Bristol, Cardiff and Imperial College London Universities, where he is currently taking time off from clinical medical practice to study towards a PhD in MDMA Psychotherapy, and has specialist training as a child and adolescent psychiatrist. Dr Sessa's joint interests in psychotherapy, pharmacology and trauma have lead him towards researching the subject of drug-assisted psychotherapy using psychedelic adjuncts. In this conversation, Jonathan and Ben discuss "How old is old enough," the illogic of the new UK Psychoactive Substances Law, and how to take your kids to festivals safely. Ben also explains his belief in why the medical model of psychedelics has the best chance of changing the hearts and minds of mainstream culture and making them more widely available to all. As a pediatric psychiatrist, a father of 2, and an expert in the clinical application of psychedelic medicines, Dr. Sessa is uniquely qualified to provide insight into many of the questions we often ask here at Psychedelic Parenting, and we are excited to have him on the show.

Visit www.PsychedelicParenting.org for FULL Program notes with Links! Terra is a writer, traveler, artist, mother of 2, and organizer with a background in non-profit, community based finance, book-keeping and small event fundraising. In this conversation, Jonathan and Terra talk about her role as a Burning Man volunteer, the current state of cannabis prohibition around the USA, “cannabis vs marijuana,” and how the pro-legalization world can stop preaching to the crowd and begin to more radically change hearts and minds through comprehensive education, directed not just at kids, but at adults who need help understanding how we have gone from our “reefer madness” and “gateway drug” approaches to legal recreational experiences in Oregon and Colorado in such a short period of time.

Mindy is a Soul Coach and Life Purpose Guide. She started her journey to find and live her higher purpose at the beginning of 2014. While going through a painful divorce and a career crisis, she was introduced to Life Purpose Coaching. In this conversation, Jonathan and Mindy talk about her road to recovery, the role of Ayahuasca in her life, and her desire to open a retreat center in Mexico that will be kid- and family-friendly. We look forward to hearing more from Mindy in the coming months and years. Read the full Program Notes with Links HERE

This episode’s guest asked to go by the pseudonym “Antler” to protect his family and career, and we are happy to share his story. “Antler” is an aspiring herbalist and proud parent of two young children.   He and his partner recently welcomed their son into the world with a challenging premature birth after the mother’s water broke at 32 weeks. In this episode, Jonathan and “Antler” discuss the ReWilding movement, the Pro-Child approach to parenting, and how psilocybin should be seen as a component of “complete nutrition” and how mushroom tea helped “Antler” and his partner conceive, hold a connective space while his premature son was staying in the NICU, and come to terms with the difference between their plans for a natural home birth, and the reality of their circumstances. Visit www.psychedelicparenting.org/?p=1329 for Full Program Notes with Links

Danny is a father to a magical 3-year-old son, is a recent graduate from the University of Minnesota, the Executive Administrative Assistant to Dennis McKenna at Symbio Life Sciences, a music enthusiast and producer, artist, psychonaut, and explorer. In this episode, Jonathan and Danny discuss music, their mutual love of the Promega Bioethics Forum, teaching gratitude to their children, and how they have both been influenced by their relationships with Dennis McKenna and other giants of psychedelic studies. They also discuss Danny’s work with Symbio Life Sciences, the incubator company that Dennis is currently starting. We hope you will enjoy this conversation with one of the shining young faces in psychedelic studies today. Visit www.psychedelicparenting.org/?p=1254 for Full Program Notes with Links!

Zach is the host of the “It’s All Happening” podcast, an infrequent blogger/writer, a seasoned digital marketer and brand strategist, and the son of psychedelic pioneer, Dr. Timothy Leary . Zach is also a practitioner of bhakti yoga.  Through the practice of bhakti yoga he has found keys that unlock doorways that allow the soul to experience it’s true nature of being eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. In this conversation, Jonathan and Zach talk about what it was like being raised by one of the pioneers of the psychedelic movement, about how this effected Zach’s early encounters with LSD, and his relationship with substances generally. They also talk about Zach’s long relationship to his spiritual teacher and lifelong family friend, Ram Dass (Richard Alpert), and Zach’s feelings on the 12 steps, and it’s relationship to the psychedelic experience. Visit www.psychedelicparenting.org/?p=1218 for Full Program Notes with Links!

Today's show is the second half of a conversation (for the first 1/2, click HERE) recorded over a couple days last month, on 4/20 and Earth Day with Zoe Helene. Zoe is the founder of Cosmic Sister, which is dedicated to recognizing and elevating feminist voices in the growing Psychedelic Renaissance, and to supporting visionary women in the exploding world of Cannabis business and studies. Zoe is also the wife and partner of ethnobotanist and writer Chris Kilham, and is the manager of the web presence for his site The Medicine Hunter, and has accompanied Chris on many trips to the Amazon and elsewhere, looking for healing plants and soul-transforming experiences. Zoe is an artist, writer, journalist, and visionary explorer in her own right. She has been featured in Boston Magazine, Forbes, Boston Globe, AlterNet, Chicago Tribune, Newsday, MIT Technology Review, Utne Reader and Fast Company. You don't need some Shaman telling you you're special. If that shaman is telling you you're "special," run. Go Run. Friends don't let friends sleep with Shamans.     --Zoe Helene In this portion of the conversation, Jonathan and Zoe discuss the power of psychedelics to break through cultural programming, how old plays can show us how far we've come (and how little has changed) in society, and Zoe discusses how young people can stay safe when travelling in the Amazon, and ways to navigate the dangers of sexual violence in ceremonial spaces. Jonathan (once again) expresses his undying devotion to Darren Aranofsky's movie Noah. As always, if you value the info and conversations here, please consider a tax-deductible gift to Psychedelic Parenting through out Fiscal Sponsor, MAPS, by clicking the button below: Topics and Websites Discussed in This Episode: Cinco De Sapo event in Los Angeles with James Oroc and The Teafaerie Tickets for sale HERE at Eventbrite CivilWar.net: "1860 Census Results" (Statistics on slave ownership) History Matters: "An Early 20th Century Black Nanny Sets the Record Straight"  The Role of Southern Women, Black and White, in Society by JoAnn Marshall Patricia Ziprodt School for Scandal Wikipedia Entry (plot summary) Project Gutenberg: "School for Scandal" (complete script) Richard III by William Shakespeare Wikipedia Entry  Project Gutenberg: "King Richard III" (full text) CBSNews.com: "Psychedelics NOT Linked to Mental Health Woes" PsychedelicParenting.org: "How Old is 'Old Enough?'" Sexual Abuse in Psychedelic Ceremonies Women's Visionary Congress: "Abuse of Power in Ceremonies that use Psychoactive Substances" by Annie Oak Singing to the Plants: "Sex with the Shaman" Ayahuasca.com: "Traveling Safely to Drink Ayahuasca" Zika Virus Centers For Disease Control and Prevention: "Zika Virus" STAT: "Zika May Persist in Semen for Months, Experts Say" The World of the Amazonian Ayahuasquero Singing to the Plants by Stephan Beyer  (Amazon.com) Ayahuasca.com: "Unravelling the Mystery of the Origin of Ayahuasca" by Gayle Highpine Ayahuasca.com: "Four Transformations that Ayahuasca Tourism is Producting in Traditional Ayahuasca Practice" Dr Joe Taufr Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual homepage  Reset.me Podcast Interview MedicineHunter.com Profile Lily Kay Ross, MDiv LilyKayRoss.com Across The Threshold Podcast Elephant Journal: "Shamans are Sexy and Drugs are Drugs" YouTube: "Sex Drugs and Power"  Don Alberto Tores Davila Blue Morpho Center "Meet our Shamans and Staff" MedicineHunter.com: "Don Alberto Profile" Toé Singing to the Plants: "Courage and Power" Vice.com: "Colombian Devil's Breath" Acquired Situational Narcissism NY Times: "Year in Ideas 2001" Decision Making Confidence: "Acquired Situational Narcissism" from Malignant Self-Love by Dr. Sam Vaknin Recipients of the Cosmic Sister Grant Nese Devenot Psychedelic Parenting Podcast #16 Rachel Carlevale Ganjasana More recipients' names announced HERE Eleusinian Mysteries "The Psychedelic Cult that Survived for 2000 Years" The Ritual Path of Initiation into the Eleusinian Mysteries by Mara Lynn Keller, PhD Wikipedia Entry Darren Aronofsky's Noah The Atlantic: "How Darren Aronofsky Interprets the Bible" Mother Jones: "Noah and Climate Change" (Video) Noah Graphic Novel  Noah Film

After a long break while Jonathan decompressed from a life-transforming experience with Martin W. Ball, in Ashland Oregon at the 3rd Annual Exploring Psychedelics Conference, We are BACK with another episode of the Psychedelic Parenting Podcast! This week's show is the 1st half of a 2-part interview with Zoe Helene of Amherst, MA. Today's show was recorded over a couple days last week, on 4/20 and Earth Day with Zoe Helene. Zoe is the founder of Cosmic Sister, which is dedicated to recognizing and elevating feminist voices in the growing Psychedelic Renaissance, and to supporting visionary women in the exploding world of Cannabis business and studies. Zoe is also the wife and partner of ethnobotanist and writer Chris Kilham, and is the manager of the web presence for his site The Medicine Hunter, and has accompanied Chris on many trips to the Amazon and elsewhere, looking for healing plants and soul-transforming experiences. Zoe is an artist, writer, journalist, and visionary explorer in her own right, and has been featured in Boston Magazine, Forbes, Boston Globe, AlterNet, Chicago Tribune, Newsday, MIT Technology Review, Utne Reader and Fast Company. In this episode, Jonathan and Zoe discuss the art of "Psychedelic Mentoring"as an important part of the emerging plant medicine culture in this country, and how even those without their own kids have an important job to do in raising the future members of the Psychedelic Society. They talk about the "Faerie Goddessmothers" who were instrumental in Zoe's life, and how she has embraced her role as "Psychedelic Faerie Goddessmother" to the children of her friends and siblings.  Zoe also discusses Earth day and how her Ayahuasca experiences in the Amazon have galvanized her as an environmentalist and animal-rights activitst, and her view that "a baby is a baby," whether they be human animals or non-human animals. She also discusses her deep relationship to the Maui's dolphin of New Zealand, which is currently on the verge of extinction. If you weren't able to make it to Ashland for Exploring Psychedelics this year, Martin Ball will be releasing Jonathan's presentation from that event on The Entheogenic Evolution Podcast in the coming weeks. We will inform you when it goes live. In the meantime, you can check out Jonathan's presentation on Prezi by CLICKING HERE. Tune in next week Wednesday (5/4/2016) for the second 1/2 of Jonathan's interview with Zoe, when we'll be back on track for our weekly Wednesday podcast releases. If you're in Los Angeles this weekend for May Day, Jonathan will be remotely presenting a talk called "Envisioning Psychedelic Summer Camp" at May meeting of the Los Angeles Medicinal Plant Society (LAMPS).  For more information, contact chairperson Brad Adams: BAdams(at)mednet(dot)ucla(dot)edu. If you can't make it and are interested in seeing the slideshow from this presentation, CLICK HERE to view it on Prezi.com As always, if you find this podcast valuable and would like to support our work, consider a tax-deductible gift to Psychedelic Parenting though our non-profit fiscal sponsor, The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. (MAPS) via the button below. TOPICS AND WEBSITES DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: This Week's Sponsors: Cypress C (via GoFundMe) Attendees of Exploring Psychedelics, who donated and bought stickers Chris Benett  Cannabis and the Soma Solution Harmony Haynie Matt Vogel Martin Ball and Jessalynn Jones Church of the Holy Light of the Queen Padrino Jonathan Goldman Brad and Jennifer Cosmic Sister Twitter Page (@CosmicSister) Recipients Mentioned Neşe Devonot Chemical Poetics Psychedelic Parenting Podcast #16 Susan Sheldon Rachel Carlevale Ganjasana Chris Kilham Wikipedia Entry www.MedicineHunter.com Fox News archive Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1963) Yellow Submarine (1964) "Turn on, Tune in, Drop Out" "Flow State: Wikipedia: "Flow (Psychology)" zenhabits.net: "The Hidden Art of Achieving Creative Flow" Mrs Mindfulness: "How to Enter the Flow State Any Time: 4 Simple Steps" "Medicinal" Alcohol during Prohibition Era  NowIKnow.com: "The Prohibition Prescription" Tampa Bay Times: "'Medical' Alcohol Made Mockery of Prohibiiton" The "Harry Potter Generation" BoingBoing.net: "How Harry Potter Shaped a Generation" Mugglenet.com: "Defining the Harry Potter Generation" Shakespeare's Miranda of The Tempest Wikipedia Entry "Discovering Miranda" lecture by Bruce Pattinson (YouTube) The Tempest (Full Text at Project Gutenberg) The School where Zoe was raised University of North Carolina School of the Arts Wikipedia Entry Zoe's "Faerie Goddessmothers" Rainbow Sari Sarah Sugihara Patricia Ziprodt Late Stage Capitalism medium.com: "The Pain You Feel is Capitalism Dying" medium.com: "The Mental Disease of Late-Stage Capitalsim" Dolphins New Zealand Dept of Conservation: "Maui's Dolphin" (also known as "Hector's Dolphin") National Geographic News: "China's River Dolphin Extinct" IquitosTimes.com: "The Legend of the Pink Dolphin" WorldWildlife.org: "5 Myths About Amazon River Dolphins" Ayahuasca Centers Discussed Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual Temple of the Way of Light

We apologize to our listeners for our show being late this week. We are coming to you directly from the Exploring Psychedelics Conference at Southern Oregon University, and preparations and travel have slowed down the release of this week's episode. On Today's Episode of the podcast, Jonathan talks with Jon Bridge. Jon is  a 34 year old father of two. from Canada. The two met through a Facebook Group, The Terence McKenna Experience, thanks to Jon's willingness to share his inspiring story of hope and healing. Jonathan felt called to respond almost immediately after the posting appeared on his feed, and the two connected to share Jon's story. Jon's experience of the failure of standard  psychiatricpharmaceutical drugs  and his journey back to health with the help of psilocybin mushrooms and a clear understanding that the conditions that ailed him for years did not have to be permanent, or simply "managed" with ill-understood collections of molecules. Jon [I was on] daily doses of high strength, high dose pharmaceutical garbage. I was supposed to be a customer for life. Although I have no credentials behind my name I have a story of healing and hope. I had been a long time sufferer of mental illness but thanks to psychedelic medicines I have discovered a new, better self. My journey into psychedelic healing has just begun and I hope to be able to inspire someone to help themselves. Jon's "before" picture, on the let, is dated March 20, 2010, exactly 6 years before the date of his Facebook post..Looking in the eyes, it feels possible to almost see the changed interior landscape behind them. This is a story that our listeners will not want to miss. (None of Jon or Jonathan's remarks should be interpreted as psychiatric advice. Neither is a licensed therapist. Changes in medicines should be done with the partnership of a qualified professional.) Thanks to everyone who "Liked" Psychedelic Parenting on Facebook and helped us reach our goal of 1000 page likes by the end of March. As of 3/31/16 at 11:59pm, we had 1017 page likes! Thanks again to all who clicked, shared or clickshared... And, as always, if you like what you see and hear, please consider a tax-deductible contribution to the work. Help us keep the podcast streaming and the website improving! Click the purple button below to contribute to Psychedelic Parenting via MAPS Click HERE to join our mailing list or become a part of our "Secret" Facebook discussion group. TOPICS AND WEBSITES DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Exploring Psychedelics Conference Home Page Facebook Page Grateful Meds Dispensary, Talent, Oregon Home Page Oregon Cannabis Connections: "Third Grateful Meds Dispensary Opens in Talent" Pharmeceutical Products Cyprolex (Generic: Escitalopram) Tryptophan Lithium Seroquel (Generic: Quetiapine) Wellbutrin (Generic: Bupropion) Citalopram (Brand Names: Celexa, Cipramil) Divalproex (Valporate) Stopping Psychiatric Drugs  For specific dangers and symptoms and helpful guidelines for coming off psychotropics, see Coming off Psychiatric Medication  Ketamine Erowid.org page WebMD: "Ketamine: The Future of Depression Treatment?" ClinicalTrials.gov: "Rapid Antidepressant Effects of Ketamine in Major Depression" Vice.com: "I Used Ketamine to Treat My Depression" Ketamine Advocacy Network: "Provider Directory" Dextromethorphan ("DXM") Erowid.org: "DXM Vault" Psilocybin Erowid.org: "Psilocybin Mushroom Vault" Vice.com: "What it Feels Like to Treat Depression with Magic Mushrooms" New York Times: "Can Mushrooms Treat Depression?" The New Yorker: "The Trip Treatment" By Michael Pollan Mixing Psilocybin and Cannabis (as Jon describes in his story) Shroomery.org forums: "Cannabis and Mushrooms" Erowid Experience Vaults: "Rendered Eternal, Mushrooms and Cannabis" Santa as Shaman When Santa Was a Shaman: Ancient Origins of Santa Claus and the Christmas Tree  by Tony van Renterghem NPR.org: "Did 'Shrooms Send Santa and his Reindeer Flying?" Reality Sandwich: "Shaman Claus: The Shamanic Origins of Christmas" Plenty of Fish (POF) Free Online Dating Service

MOTHER, SCHOLAR, TEACHER, REVOLUTIONARY: NEŞE DEVENOT \Today is the last day of Lent, as tomorrow begins the Holy Triduum (the three days leading up to Easter), and this is our sixth consecutive episode, fulfilling our promise to bring you an episode every week of Lent without fail. Thanks go out to KMO for inspiring this goal with his 9+ years and 500 episodes of weekly C-Realm Podcasts! This effort has been so much fun and so energizing that we're just going to keep on going! To celebrate the goal and the return of Spring, we are asking that you help us reach 1000 "likes" by the end of March! Click the Button below to "like" our Facebook Page and invite others who might find us inspiring to do the same!     Nese and Ellis-D Today, Jonathan talks with his friend, Dr. Neşe Devenot, PhD., Neşe is an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Digital Humanities at the University of Puget Sound, where she teach classes on psychedelics and literature. She is also working on a book, Chemical Poetics: The Literary History of Psychedelic Science. Neşe was also a 2015-16 Research Fellow at the New York Public Library's Timothy Leary Papers and a Research Fellow with the New York University Psilocybin Cancer Anxiety Study, where she participated in a qualitative study of patient experiences. Neşe received her PhD in 2015 from the Program in Comparative Literature and Literary Theory at the University of Pennsylvania, focusing her studies on psychedelic philosophy, the literary history of chemical self-experimentation (“trip reports”), and radical poetics.  She is the founder of the Psychedemia interdisciplinary psychedelics conference (which has a radical and profound influence on Jonathan and inspired the creation of this very website), and was a founding member of the MAPS Graduate Student Association. In this conversation, Jonathan and Neşe discuss her radical healing from crippling childhood social anxiety through the intervention of LSD, her struggles with postpartum depression, and her advocacy for human breastmilk sharing. They also talk about the founding of Psychedemia, her work on the Leary Papers, and their shared conviction in the urgent need for more women and voices of color in the psychedelic conversation.  Neşe also talks about her recent news that she is one of the recipients of the 2016 Cosmic Sister Spirit Plant and Women of the Psychedelic Renaissance Grants. As always, if you like what you hear and see at Psychedelic Parenting, please consider a tax-deductible gift to this work though our fiscal sponsor, The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, using the button below! Current donations are being used to pay for podcast hosting and the purchase books for our upcoming series of review articles. Future donations will also go toward a revamped website, forum capabilities, and the development of in-person and virtual events for Psychedelic Families. Thank you for your continued support! TOPICS AND WEBSITES DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Neşe Chemical Poetics Neşe's Website and book project Neşe's work on Academia.com #StopTheRaids March Michigan Moms United Charmie Gholson Michigna NORML WomenGrow Bard College University of Pennsylvania, "UPenn" University of Puget Sound  Psychedemia Psychedemia: The Movie (a MUCH thinner Jonathan can be seen at 2:05) Home Page Facebook Group Jezebel: "It's a Lot More Fun to Play Make Believe with Your Kids If You're Slightly High on Weed" Psychedelic Parenting: "When Being Dad IS the Ceremony" Neurons to Nirvana New York Public Library Timothy Leary Archive "Greatest Hits" Page Hyperallergic "The Tim Leary Papers are Now Available to the Public" NY Times "Public Library Buys Tim Leary Papers" Chemical Poetics: "The Leary Papers" Fitz Hugh Ludlow Memorial Library @ Harvard hlc.harvard.edu "The Julio Mario Santo Domingo Collection" Booktryst "The LSD Library Goes to Harvard" Psychoactive Substances Library @ Purdue Purdue Today: "The Psychoactive Substances Research Collection" Home Page for the collection C-Span: "Stephanie Schmitz Talks About the Collection"(video) Timothy Leary Archives:  "Acid Bodhisattva" (interview with Michael Horowitz Milk Sharing Eats on Feets Reality Sandwich: "It Takes a Village" by Neşe Food Safety News: "Human Milk-Sharing Networks, A Growing Movement" Microdosing to treat Depression IFL Science: "Small Doses of LSD Can Treat Anxiety and Depression" Vice: "This is What it Feels Like to Treat Depression with Magic Mushrooms" Metro UK: "Taking Magic Mushrooms Cured My Depression" James Fadiman, author of The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide Coming Out of the Psychedelic Closet Neşe's talk at Psymposia 2015 Rick Doblin on London Real Acid Test: LSD, Ecstasy, and the Power To Heal Audio Book "Pahnke's 'Good Friday Experiment:' A Long-Term Follow Up and Methodological Critique" by Rick Doblin Student Resources MAPS Grad Student Listserv Other Student Resources Feminism and Psychedelics Annie Oak: "A Brief History of the Women's Entheogen Fund" MAPS Bulletin, Autumn 2006 Joseph Gelfer: "Entheogenic Spirituality and Gender in Australia" Paranthropology October, 2012 Lilly Kay Ross: "Sex, Drugs, & Power" Psymposia 2014 ZoeHelene.com: "Psychedelic Femenism" The Cosmic Sister Spirit Plant Grant Alternet: "A Feminist on A Misson" Zoe Helene Dreamglade Retreat Center NYU Cancer Anxiety Psilocybin Study Literary History of Trip Reports Neşe at Psymposia's "Psychedelic Stories"  Darwin's Pharmacy by Richard Doyle Richard Doyle presentation LucidNYC The Joyous Cosmology: Adventures in the Chemistry of Consciousness by Alan Watts

On today's episode, Jonathan welcomes Maggie Volpo. Maggie is a writer and cannabis activist, and like Jonathan and Nicole, is a Michigan Native. Maggie has dual degrees in English and Spanish. She has worked in traditional publishing, journalism, as a blogger, and in the medical field as a translator. When she isn't fighting the tyranny of cannabis prohibition or working on her series of cannabis kid's books or science fiction novels, she can often be found sorting her neighbors' recyclables. She also loves to cook, bake, garden, knit, sew and climb trees, the last of which is a joy shared by her son. Jonathan first discovered Maggie's character "Stinky Steve" while looking for new stinky steve children's titles about cannabis, and reached out to her via Facebook. He was surprised to find that she was not only a resident of Michigan, but the idea for Stinky Steve was born while Maggie was a camp counselor at a camp only 20 min from his hometown. Stinky Steve is a fun character who reassures children about the safety of their parents' cannabis use as well as reminding them that the medicine is not for them unless they have a condition which warrants it. Remember Stinky Steve's Safety Plan: Don't touch the meds, and don't tell The Man ladybud-tank-top_designIn this conversation, Jonathan and Maggie talk about the current situation regarding parental rights when dealing with cannabis issues and Child Protective Services. They also talk about Maggie's work on Ladybud Magazine, her year as a cannabis dispensary owner, and the many injustices faced by families across the country as they fight for the right to heal their bodies and minds with the cannabis flower. Maggie makes her Stinky Steve titles available in digital form to families who think they could benefit from them, but who cannot afford to purchase physical copies. For more information, Maggie can be reached via email at: info(at)stinkysteve(dot)com primemindIn the intro, Jonathan also discusses the recent article in PrimeMind highlighting Psychedelic Parenting and placing our work in the larger context of the psychedelic movement. PrimeMind is a new digital news source that aims to dig deeper into stories and rise above the usual "clickbait" seen on the internet today. They describe themselves as "a media platform for exploratory journalism through the lens of the human psyche."

This week's guest is Mariavittoria Mangini, PhD, FNP. Dr. Mangini is a member of the board of directors of the Women's Visionary Congress, and has been a family nurse midwife for twenty five years. She has written extensively on the impact of psychedelic experiences in shaping the lives of her contemporaries, and has worked closely with many of the most distinguished investigators in this field. Her current project is the development of a Thanatology program for the study of death and dying. Jonathan was alerted to her work and her resonance with Psychedelic Parenting when a listener passed along a digital copy of her 2000 PhD dissertation entitled Yes, Mom Took Acid: The Sociohistorical Influence of Prior Psychedelic Drug Use in Adults. We soon discovered that not only was she a WVC board member, but also working in a family practice that incorporated cannabis as a regular part of their work. In this talk, Jonathan and Dr. Mangini discuss the upcoming Women's Visionary Congress NYC Salon (where the Psychedelic Parenting Away Team will be tabling), the role of psychedelics in the history of the baby boomer generation, the growth of interest and understanding of death in American culture as the boomers "run out of runway," and Dr. Mangini's role in the resurgence of Psychedelic Studies though her efforts, with George Greer and Charles Grob on the 1998 Monograph Edition of The Journal of Psychoactive Drugs As always, we ask that if you find value in this work, that you consider making a tax-deductible donation to Psychedelic Parenting through our Fiscal Sponsor, MAPS, using the button below: donate-button TOPICS AND WEBSITES DISCUSSED IN THIS PODCAST: Women's Visionary Congress NYC Salon Tickets Psymposia's "Visionary Women" afterparty event Dr. Mangini's Bio (WVC board members) Speakers at NYC Salon Allyson Grey Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (CoSM) Katherine MacLean, PhD Julie Holland, MD Moody Bitches The Pot Book (editor) The Trips Festival Wikipedia entry The Trips Festival DVD The Merry Pranksters Wikipedia Entry Stanislav Grof Erowid Character Vault Personal Website Joan Halifax Wikipedia Entry Upaya Zen Center Bio Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 1998 Monograph Issue Betty Eisner Erowid Character Vault Wikipedia Entry The Trip Treatment by Michael Pollan Shpongle Ecofarm Conference The Psychedelic Experience: A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead Tobacco: A Forgotten Healing Plant Dr Frank Lucido Alice In Wonderland Statue in Central Park Map LSD: Problem Child and Wonderdrug (Albert Hoffman 100th Birthday Symposium) Thanatology Order of the Good Death Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty Ask a Mortician YouTube Channel Undertaking L.A. Death Salons Mutter Museum in Philadelphia Getty Villa Museum in L.A. The Giver 1993 book by Lois Lowry 2014 Film starring Jeff Bridges Wikipedia Entry

In this week's episode, Jonathan talks with Abdul "Duli" Wilkins, aka "The Beantown Ghetto Shaman." Duli is a visual artist, certified Massage Therapist, Reiki Master, Yoga Teacher and Intuitive Healer from Boston Ma. He grew up in the inner city of Roxbury and was influenced by his father and mother from a very young age to value the study of metaphysics, mysticism, occult information and spirituality. In college at Northeastern University Duli was introduced to psilocybin mushrooms which had a very mystical affect on him and ever since has been exploring the benefits of "Teaching Plants and Fungi".  Through personal experience he advocates the use of ethogens in a sacred manner. Duli strongly believes that "Urban Shamanism" can help heal trauma based issues, bring people together from various backgrounds/races and bring a new found awareness of self and connection to the earth and Great Spirit! Duli and his wife and partner Yolanda are raising their 1-year-old daughter, Dendara, organize nature walks in Boston city parks, and are currently planning an Urban Shamanism Conference in Boston for this summer, which we will keep everyone updated on. Jonathan and Duli's conversation topic include the recent passing of Kai Wingo, their mutual love and respect for Baba Kilindi Iyi, the role of plant teachers in healing the trauma that can come from life in the inner city, and how mushrooms can reconnect us with our children, our partners, and our ancestors. They also talk about the dynamic of race in the psychedelic community, and the actions that white members of the community can take to create a more welcoming environment for a greater diversity of people. Duli can be reached by email at lovemotherearth33(at)gmail(dot)com Click the Logo to Donate to Psychedelic Parenting TOPICS AND WEBSITES DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Dendara Temple Complex Northeastern University Baba Kilindi Iyi "Mushrooms, Africa, and Transhumanism" Brother Hankh's Podcast Magnets, Crystals and Pyramids "Freeway" Ricky Ross Kill the Messenger 2014 film Freeway: Crack in the System 2015 Documentary Kai Wingo "Most Interesting People of 2015" Cleveland Magazine article Kultured Mushrooms Community Organization. We Remember Kai Wingo by Annie Oak (Women's Visionary Congress) X-Files Season 10, Episode 5: "Mulder's Magic Mushrooms" Epilepsy Foundation article on cannabis oil for seizures  Lucy Limitless Harriet Tubman as Shaman  Ryan LeCompte Veterans for Entheogenic Therapy  Interview on Havok Journal China's Super Psychics by Paul Dong & Thomas E. Raffill Men's Wisdom Council Tim Wise, anti-racist essayist, author, and educator

In this episode of the Podcast, Jonathan talks with Brett Greene. Brett is a  co-founder of Psymposia, an organization dedicated to building community and honest dialogue around drugs and society through live events. They are the creators of the Psymposia Conference, now in it's third year, and of the "Psychedelic Storytelling" events, which could be described as "The Moth Radio Hour... On Acid."   Brett is also madly in love with the mother of 2 teenagers, and has been a part oftheir lives for twelve years. At the end of our conversation, Brett and I are joined by one of them. In this conversation, we talk about the work of founding and maintaining a psychedelic non-profit, about how psychedelics helped Brett heal his mental illness, and how he is sharing his knowledge and excitement about these substances with his family. When we are joined by Brett's stepson, we discuss peer pressure, what he sees as the ideal form of drug education, and why he is choosing to NOT do drugs. If you are so moved, please consider a donation to this work, either directly through GoFundMe or via a tax-deductible gift through MAPS. Either route qualifies your donation for our generous matching gift from Robert Barnhart, a MAPS and Heffter Research Institute board member, and creator of the film A New Understanding: The Science of Psilocybin.  TOPICS AND WEBSITES DISCUSSED IN THIS PODCAST Psychedelic Parenting GoFundMe Page Psychedelic Parenting MAPS Donation Page Driftless Psychedelic Symposium Women's Visionary Congress NYC March 11-13, 2016 KMO's C-Realm Podcast KMO's Psychonautica Podcast Psymposia Psychedemia Gabriel Garcia Marquez Paramhansa Yogananda "Autobiography of a Yogi" Wikipedia Entry "Song of Myself" by Walt Whitman You Say You Want a Revoluion, The Beatles

0n this episode, Jonathan talks with DanceSafe founder and director of the upcoming documentary MDMA: The Movie, Emanuel Sferios. Emanuel founded DanceSafe in 1998 with a goal of providing fact-based drug education and harm reduction at raves and parties. After a number of years working as an environmental activist, he has returned to the world of drug policy reform and education with this documentary project. Jonathan and Emanuel discuss drug policy, drug education reform, how to talk to your teen about their interest and use, and why testing is so much more critical in today's drug climate than it was back in their day. Emanuel also weighs in on our BIG questions right now: "How to talk to your children with integrity about substances," and "How to come out to your parents about psychedelics." Emanuel also spends a great deal of time discussing the many popular substances out there right now, how they may differ from the party climate we grew up in, and how to help our kids make the informed choices about their use or non-use of plants and chemicals. Jonathan also talks about the ongoing Psychedelic Parenting GoFundMe fundraiser, and announces 2 BIG pieces of news: Robert Barnhart, producer of A New Understanding: The Science of Psilocybin, (who will be joining us on an upcoming episode) has pledged a $2000 matching gift to the fundraiser, which means anyone giving now will have their donation DOUBLED by Robert's generous gift. Also, Psychedelic Parenting is now being fiscally sponsored by The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), which means our supporters can now make tax deductible donations to our efforts though MAPS! We would like to thanks everyone who has already given, David, Dasha, and Bodhi Gaian and the team at Pharmazonia. Dennis McKenna, and our anonymous donors TJ, Matt, SC, JYN, and VR. We are honored by your support and email messages.  TOPICS AND WEBSITES DISCUSSED IN THIS PODCAST: Psychedelic Parenting GoFundMe campaign MDMA: The Movie DanceSafe DARE program  (critical analysis) Danforth et' al Research on MDMA and autism DOPE Movie IMDB Roger Ebert.com Review Nobody is putting Ecstasy in your kid's Halloween candy! (Free Range Kids) Drug Testing Supplies DanceSafe Shop (instant answer reagent testing) Bunk Police (appears to be down at the time of this posting) Ecstacydata.org (mail order gas chromatography) A New Understanding: The Science of Psilocybin (Robert Barnhart's film, mentioned in the introduction) Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)  Substances discussed (all links to Erowid.org) MDMA ("Ecstasy," "Molly") LSD ("Acid")  25I-NBOMe ("2C-I-NBOMe," "N-Bomb," sometimes sold as "Acid, but is not LSD) Cathinones ("Bath Salts," "Cat," "Qat," "Khat," sometimes sold as "Molly," but is not MDMA) MDPV ("Flakka," "Bath Salts," sometimes sold as "Molly," but is not MDMA)

On this episode of the podcast, Jonathan talks with Harmony Haynie, author of the upcoming book Medicine Children. Harmony is the mother of two adult children, and is a former public school teacher, with a Master's Degree in Education. She has over 20 years of experience as an educator, mentor, and facilitator for young people, and has been deeply engaged with the entheogenic plant medicine traditions of Columbia for over a decade. She is also a musician, with a published CD of ceremonial music to her credit, called Opening to Ceremony.  Harmony's book Medicine Children discusses the potential role of plantsacraments in the lives of children and teens, and the struggles of parents like us working to chart new cultural paths with our families. The book will incorporate Harmony's own personal experiences, as well as her research with families and children. She also discusses inappropriateness of current drug scheduling for psychedelics and plant medicines, and why our culture of addiction both resists and seeks healing through these substances. Harmony is currently exploring Doctoral programs in Entheogenic Studies, and hopes that her book will broaden the conversation about plant medicines and their role in family life in the modern Western world. She is also currently seeking anonymous subjects to include in her research. If you have a story you'd like to share for her book, she can be reached via email at:  harmonysue23(AT)gmail(DOT)com. If you would like to support her research, she has a GoFundMe page. LINKS AND TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Harmony's Research Blog Harmony's music and personal website Medicine Children GoFundMe Page

In this edition of the Psychedelic Parenting Podcast, Jonathan sits down with Dr. Katherine MacLean, PhD. Katherine is formerly of the Johns Hopkins University's Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit (BPRU), the home of the well-known Johns Hopkins Psilocybin Studies, where she held space for healthy individuals while under the influence of synthetic psilocybin.  While at Hopkins, Katherine was the lead author on the paper "Mystical Experiences Occasioned by the Hallucinogen Psilocybin Lead to Increases in the Personality Domain of Openness", and was instrumental in creating the currently ongoing study looking at the effects of psilocybin on people with a long-term mediation practice. She is currently, with her husband, John, living and working at Happy Acres Farm in Sherman, CT, raising free-range chickens, grass-fed cattle, and a milk-fed infant. Katherine is also currently involved in a project building psychedelic community and support in New York City called the Psychedelic Education and Continuing Care Program with Ingmar Gorman at New York's New School. During our conversation, Katherine discusses her path to motherhood, though her medicine work, Buddhist meditation, and the loss of her sister from cancer. She discusses the question of whether we should let our infants "learn to self-soothe," or should we commit ourselves to holding space for them 100% in their early years. She discusses how motherhood is a contract to being open to sacrifice and suffering. Katherine and Jonathan also discuss the ways that our culture of "Protestant work ethic" contributes to disconnection from the self, how it minimizes the importance of being with, and caring for, ourselves and our loved ones in the moments of birth, death, and pain. They also re-imagine a new form of work that gives birth to future labs, offices, and kitchens where career and home life will be harmonized and balanced. TOPICS AND WEBSITES DISCUSSED IN THIS PODCAST: The Shamatha Project @ UC Davis "The Psychedelic Art of Dying" (Katherine's talk at Psymposia 2014) "The Moral Imperative to End 'Cry it Out'" Philly Voice Happy Acres Farm Johns Hopkins Psilocybin Studies "My Experience as a Guide in the Johns Hopkins Psilocybin Research Project" by Mary Cosimano (MAPS Bulletin, Winter 2014) "What it Means to 'Hold Space' for People, Plus 8 Tips on How to do it Well" by Heather Plett The Center for Mindful Learning Zen Center in Johnson, VT The Zendo Project The Nomads Clinic The Reinvention of Work by Matthew Fox Link to the book at Powell's Interview with Matthew Fox The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein 1973 Film Version (narrated by the author) Link to the book at Powell's

On this episode of the Psychedelic Parenting Podcast, Jonathan talks with Stephen Gray, author, speaker, and "emerging elder." Stephen is the organizer and MC of the Spirit Plant Medicine Conference, which will be held next weekend, October 24 & 25, 2015 at the University of British Columbia's Buchanan Building, Room A101, Vancouver BC, Canada, where Psychedelic Parenting host Jonathan will be speaking on the topic of "Reclaiming Religious Freedom and Family Values."  Stephen is the Author of the book Returning to Sacred World: A Spiritual Toolkit for Emerging Reality. He also has many years of experience with plant medicine ceremonies in both the Native American Church tradition, as well as the Santo Daime religion. Tickets for Spirit Plant Medicine Conference can be purchased HERE. In this conversation, Stephen and Jonathan discuss the possibility of an emerging distinct medicine tradition for white North Americans, about the role of the sacred feminine in family and religious life, and of taking on the mantle of "elder" as one enters the latter part of life. The highlight of this interview is Stephen's story of the powerful commitment of a friend and respected NAC Roadman whom Stephen calls "Kanucas." Kanukas made a promise to Stephen to attend and speak at the launch event for his book, and even though he was met with a great deal of personal hardships around the time of the launch, Kanucas fulfilled his promise to Stephen. The story is also recounted HERE on Stephen's blog. Enjoy. TOPICS AND WEBSITES DISCUSSED IN THIS PODCAST:   Stephen Gray Blog Spirit Plant Medicine Conference Order Returning to Sacred World at Powell's Books The Native American Church Wikipedia Entry Oklevueha Native American Church NAC and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act   Santo Daime tradition Wikipedia Entry English Language Homepage Short video on Church of the Holy Light of the Queen   The Jubilant People: a support and after-care community for medicine seekers in BC   Chogyam Trungpa Rimpoche Founder of Naropa University   Annie Oak Founder of the Women's Visionary Congress Founder of the Full Circle Tea House/Camp Soft Landing at Burning Man Author of The Manual of Psychedelic Support   Kilindi Iyi Founder of the Ta-Merrian Institute Author of "African Roots in Asian Martial Arts" (Journal of African Civilizations) "Africa, Transhumanism, & The Magic Mushroom" (Khanyisa Psychoactive Plant Conference, 2013) "High Dose Mushrooms--Beyond the Threshold" (Breaking Convention 2013)   Dr Bruce Damer Host of The Levity Zone Podcast Co-Creator of the Palenque Norte lectures at Burning Man Founder of The Digibarn Computer Museum   Conscious Living Radio Stephen's recent appearance on Martin Ball's Entheogenic Evolution Podcast

On this episode of the Psychedelic Parenting Podcast, we talk with Dr. Neal Goldsmith, clinical psychologist and author of Psychedelic Healing: The Power of Entheogens for Psychotherapy and Spiritual Development. Neal is also the father of a 16 year-old-son and the Speaker Curator and MC for the Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics conference, which will be held this weekend, Friday-Sunday October 9-11 in New York City, where your humble webmaster will be speaking on the topic of "Reclaiming Religious Freedom and Family Values." Neal will also be speaking on the topic of "Psychedelics and Death: A Brief Introduction". During this conversation, Neal discusses his own history with Psychedelics, how an experience with LSD in middle age awakened his own understanding of how we are shaped by childhood interactions and how they can be a powerful tool for uncovering the true self. He also discusses his own experiences as a dad, and how he "came out" to his son as a cannabis user. Websites and topics covered in this podcast: Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics Personal/Professional website of Dr. Neal Goldsmith Psychedelic Healing: The Promise of Entheogens for Psychotherapy and Spiritual Development (at Powell's) More information on "Nesting Agreements:" "Nesting: Will it Work for You?" "What is 'Bird's Nest Custody' and How Does it Work?" "How to Implement a Bird's Nest Custody Arrangement: 6 Steps" Liveblogging a Nesting Divorce (nestingdivorce.blogspot.com) Imago Relationship Therapy Wikipedia Entry Imago Relationships International It's Just A Plant (at Powell's) Erowid.org: Documenting the Complex Relationship Between Humans and Psychoactives

After a long hiatus, the Psychedelic Parenting Podcast is back with a candid conversation between Jonathan and "Connor," a friend of Psychedelic Parenting who recently shared ceremony space with his Silent Generation Father. Connor discusses strategies for bridging the gap and asking parents to join you in your medicine work, as well as the struggles of growing up in a household with mental illness and how the lessons of his work as a community organizer in a post-industrial urban center can translate into the building of a real, lasting psychedelic community. Topics and articles discussed in this podcast: The Religion That Has No Name: The Persecution of Psychedelic Spirituality by Cognitive Liberty UK How and Why "Conscious" Festivals Need to Change by Humburto Braga II Bioenergetic Therapy

In this episode of the PsychedelicParenting.org Podcast, Jonathan talks with Psychedelic Iconoclast and genuine nice guy, Martin Ball. Conversations discussed include Martin's encounter with Radical Honesty on the Playa of Black Rock City in 2007 and the aftershocks in his life and his relationship with his daughter.  Jonathan talks about his own healing though Ayahuasca, and how profound it is to be in a workplace where you can be yourself. Martin also discusses his upcoming Exploring Psychedelics Conference (Thursday and Friday, 6/4-6/5) at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, OR. Exploring Psychedelics is 2 days, 19 speakers, 1 movie, and 1 night of music, all FREE of charge! Jonathan will be speaking about the "5 Psychedelic Family Values" via Skype at 9:00 AM PST on Friday. Also featured in person will be a friend of PP.org, and EPIC Michigander, Kilindi Iyi , on "Psilocybin Mushrooms for Exploration." Towards the end of the conversation, Jonathan asks Martin about the issues of safety and maintaining the integrity of the family in the face of the threats posed by the DEA and Child Protective Services, and whether it's worth the risk to be a public advocate for these medicines. Martin had this to say: "The State has the power to destroy your life. There's absolutely no question about that, and so the state is incredibly dangerous in that sense. And it's vindictive, it's misguided, it's built on illusion upon illusion upon illusion. The problem is that these illusions can still come to get you, even if they're illusions. It's a difficult call that ultimately people have to judge for themselves. But other other side of that is this: If no one stands up, nothing's going to change. Somone's got to do it. Personally, reality is more important than anything I might want to protect, such as my own personal well-being or comfort, so I'm not going to hide myself in any way. Although there are certain details I'll avoid discussing on podcasts. But if they really wanted me, the data is all right there. I'm all-in at this point. Don't get me wrong, I love my family and the last thing I want would be to be separated from them, and although prison would profoundly suck, I'm not going to edit myself in order to avoid something that I don't have any real certainty is actually going to happen. Reality will always win, eventually." Martin's new book, a memoir, is entitled "Being Infinite - An Entheogenic Odyssey into the Limitless Eternal: A Memoir from Ayahuasca to Zen" is both self-published or avalible for download on the Kindle or at Scribd. Read it to get the full story of Martin's 2007 encounter with Radical Honesty at Burning Man, his dramatic life and personality changes that resulted, and the long journey of healing with his now-teenage daughter that was the aftermath.   Links discussed in this show: Martin Ball's Facebook Page Martin's Website Martin & Jessalynn's band Fractal Love Jam Exploring Psychedelics Main Page Santo Daime  The Temple of Awakening Divinity

Jonathan talks with Veterans For Enthegenic Therapy (VET) Founder and President Ryan LeCompte about healing psychological wounds, being a dad, and helping to change the world! Jonathan and Ryan met at Psymposium 2015 where they were both speakers (watch both talks here). When Jonathan found out that Ryan was a dad, he couldn't wait to include Ryan in the conversation.  In this talk, Jonathan and Ryan also share their collective debt to Rick Doblin, founder of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and how much both consider him an example and personal inspiration From VET's Website: Ryan LeCompte is a former United States Marine Infantryman (MOS 0311) who served on active-duty from 2007-2011. He has served out of Camp Lejeune, Quantico and White House operations in Washington, D.C. While still on active duty, he served with his fellow combat Marines returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD, yet observed that they risked being labeled “failure to adapt” and/or discharged if they talked about their problems. The heart-ache became more personal when he found one of his brothers, a fellow infantryman Sgt. Jorge Leon-Alcivar  in his barracks room the morning after he took his own life.  Sgt. Leon had just returned from deployment to Iraq with 3rd Marines 2nd Battalion and was clearly struggling with PTSD.  Shortly thereafter, Ryan decided to retire from the military in order to help his brothers and sisters from outside the confines of military structure. He began by volunteering hours in the waiting rooms of VA clinics talking to and assisting vets awaiting treatment. He started collecting data for his undergraduate on the prescription medications being given to veterans diagnosed with PTSD, and found the same kind of cocktails being prescribed to almost every one of them. (Anti-depression, sedating anxiolitics, and heavy barbiturates for sleeping. "These drugs seem to shut out experiences associated with trauma by numbing them.", Ryan states, "and this came across to me to be not only exacerbating the symptoms, but also creating new ones. It went against the values and virtues that we as veterans came to embody while on active duty, a few of them being courage and commitment." Shortly thereafter, he began his search for alternative treatment options not being used by the VA. Recently, Ryan has organized a trip to the jungles of Peru with a group of vets suffering from PTSD  to experience an ayahuasca ceremony and plans future excursions for healing. VET Website VET Facebook Page Psymposia.com

In our debut episode, Jonathan talks with his good friend "Mark" about his volunteer experiences, about his recent trip to Peru, and the lessons learned there. We dive deep into the Psychedelic Family Value of Radical Honesty, and "Mark" discusses how this value has given him, his children, and their mother the space to redefine the meaning of family in the wake of divorce. An amazing conversation! Check us out on PodOmatic! Links to sites discussed in the podcast: Challenge Day: "Motivated by memories of their own experiences of being teased and bullied in school, Yvonne and Rich Dutra-St. John created the award-winning Challenge Day program in 1987. As parents of four young children, their goal was to create a program that brought everyone together. 'If we settle for tolerance, we have failed. Our goal is love' they said. In the last 28 years, Challenge day has reached over a million people across the world and received numerous awards for this life-changing work. Challenge Day is the world leader in providing empowering and transformational workshops for teens as well as adults. Our life changing programs create safe, open, and caring space for people to connect in a nurturing and fun environment, helping us realize that we are not alone in the issues we face (bullying, drugs, violence, abuse, poverty, prejudice, racism, etc.)." Nihue Rao Center: "Under the guidance of master Shipibo healer and primary owner Ricardo Amaringo, Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual provides visitors with profound experiences in Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine, specializing in traditional ayahuasca ceremony.  Ricardo Amaringo is one of the most talented and generous Shipibo healers of his generation and is dedicated to sharing this vital medicine to those who need it the most.  At Nihue Rao, he is assisted assisted by his gifted Shipibo colleagues. Ricardo leads the center with his partners and apprentices Colombian-American Family Physician Joe Tafur MD and Canadian Artist Cvita Mamic."