The Lex Files: Recent Episodes
Lex Pelger
Join Lex Pelger on his weekly quest to learn more about cannabinoids, plant medicines & the important things in life. Spanning traditional healing to the newest scientific breakthroughs, experts share their insights into the thoughts & tools to better our lives. Season 2 is finished. Season 3 coming soon...
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Book cannabinoid education sessions with Lex here... https://www.whitewhalecreations.com/cbd-cannabis-consulting & join his cannabinoid science newsletter here... https://cannabinoidsandthepeople.substack.com/
Today’s episode announces my new freelance business: White Whale Creations.
https://www.whitewhalecreations.com/
You can sign up here for the free cannabinoid science newsletter: ‘Cannabinoids & the People’
https://www.cannabinoidsandthepeople.whitewhalecreations.com/
Or check out our individualized cannabinoid education sessions here:
https://www.whitewhalecreations.com/cannabinoid-education-sessions
For today’s interview:
Why did the cannabis plant evolve cannabinoids? How do scientists study them?
Matthieu Conroy worked at the Institute of Cannabis Research in the lab of Dr. Sang Hyuck Park where he tried to answer these problems. Today he tells us about the leading hypotheses for the evolution of the cannabinoids and the methods for studying them.
Dr. Park’s site:https://www.csupueblo.edu/profile/sang-hyuck-park/index.html
Dr. Park’s publications:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sang-Hyuck-Park
In this special bonus episode, here’s a lecture that Lex gave at the UK Psychedelic Society explaining the biochemistry of cannabis through the metaphor of Moby-Dick. The human brain is an ocean. The endocannabinoids are whales. The phytocannabinoids are elephants. Neurons are gigantic & complex underwater cities. And anandamide is our Great White Whale!
Listen today to hear how the endocannabinoid system regulates neurogenesis, synaptic transmission, the mitochondria, genetic transcription & more.
For more lectures, check out the UK Psychedelic Society for excellent speakers on a range of topics:
https://psychedelicsociety.org.uk/
& read three of the the Moby-Dick endocannabinoid graphic novels here:
https://www.lexpelger.com/work/anandamide-or-the-cannabinoid
Dr Nick Herbert is one of the original bad boys of quantum physics. Today he explains quantum reality, quantum tantra, and his pursuit of the riddles of consciousness. He also reads his quantum poetry and explains the history behind David Kaiser’s book “How the Hippies Saved Physics.”
Nick's Blog: "your one-stop site for sex, drugs and quantum physics."
http://quantumtantra.blogspot.com/
His site:
http://www2.cruzio.com/~quanta/index.html
His poetry books:
http://www.quantumtantra.com/BOOKPAGE/BOOKPAGE.htm
The excellent nonfiction book about Nick & his cohort by David Kaiser:
'How the Hippies Saved Physics: Science, Counterculture, and the Quantum Revival'
https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393342314
Favorite posts:
Ten Years Old: Quantum Tantra Blog
http://quantumtantra.blogspot.com/2018/09/ten-years-old-quantum-tantra-blog.html
Bell's Theorem Blues
http://quantumtantra.blogspot.com/2014/11/bells-theorem-blues.html
No More Safe Science
http://quantumtantra.blogspot.com/2008/07/no-more-safe-science.html
Opening Night
http://quantumtantra.blogspot.com/2010/09/opening-night.html
Elements of Tantra
http://quantumtantra.blogspot.com/2016/02/happy-valentines-day-2016.html
Where does consciousness come from? It’s one of the oldest problems in human thinking – and new tools were brought to bear on it with the advent of the quantum mechanics revolution a century ago. Dr. Harald Atmanspacher began his career as a physicist but is now more of a synthesized across various realms trying to formulate solutions to problems like consciousness, the mind-matter connection & how quantum phenomena might relate to how we experience the world. It’s wild and wooly thinking, shared by an expert in his field who knows how to teach. Please enjoy this penultimate episode of our second season.
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on ‘Quantum Approaches to Consciousness’ written by Dr Atmanspacher:
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/qt-consciousness/
An excellent free overview of the field.
Book: ‘The Pauli-Jung Conjecture: And its impact today’
https://www.amazon.com/Pauli-Jung-Conjecture-its-impact-today/dp/1845406680
An essay collection edited by Dr. Atmanspacher & Dr. Fuchs on the work of Pauli & Jung.
A recent essay about the theories that flowed from Pauli & Jung’s collaboration:
‘The Pauli–Jung Conjecture and Its Relatives: A Formally Augmented Outline’
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/opphil-2020-0138/html
Book: ‘Beyond Physicalism: Toward Reconciliation of Science and Spirituality’
https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538125960/Beyond-Physicalism-Toward-Reconciliation-of-Science-and-Spirituality
A collection of essays by important thinkers in the field, including Dr. Atmanspacher, that I found very helpful in learning about this field.
Dr. Marjorie Woollacott discusses her book, “Infinite Awareness: The Awakening of a Scientific Mind.”
She is a neuroscientist who embraces mysticism, meditation, and supernormal experiences. She reviews the scientific evidence to suggest that consciousness might be more fundamental than matter and that phenomena such as near death experiences, energy healing, hypnosis and reincarnation have more research behind them than most people realize.
Her site:
https://marjoriewoollacott.com/
Her book:
https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442250345/Infinite-Awareness-The-Awakening-of-a-Scientific-Mind
Use the coupon code ‘4F15WOOL’ for 30% off the list price.
For our first ever video interview, Dr. Kim Penberthy shares practical wisdom on living mindfully. She’s a clinical psychologist and the author of “Living Mindfully Across the Lifespan: An Intergenerational Guide.” It’s an excellent book for exercises and anecdotes about how to improve your mental health, your stress response and your relationships, all drawn from her personal experience as well as a deep knowledge of the scientific literature. It’s an excellent book and a great interview.
If you’re listening on a podcast platform & want to see us, watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/myJwg15TANM
(& stick around to the end to see my firstborn…)
Her book: ‘Living Mindfully Across the Lifespan: An Intergenerational Guide’
https://www.routledge.com/Living-Mindfully-Across-the-Lifespan-An-Intergenerational-Guide/Penberthy-Penberthy/p/book/9780367370152
Her bio at the University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies:
https://med.virginia.edu/perceptual-studies/dops-staff/kim-penberthys-bio/
Dorion Sagan is a science writer, philosopher, magician, and the son of Carl Sagan and biologist Lynn Margulis. This interview explores the meaning of biological life, the evolution of sexuality, the genetic basis for aging, sleight-of-hand magic, and his collaborations with his mother.
He brings a unique perspective to everything he touches so you’ll learn more than just the scientific facts, but how they fit together to shape our place in the cosmos.
His site:
https://dorionsagan.wordpress.com
The diversity of human life requires a diversity of human care. Courtney Watson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who understands the unique challenges facing BIPOC, Trans & Queer communities, and what it takes to help them through their struggles.
This conversation explores the different faces of mental and emotional health, how to embrace your ancestry, and how to find your best path through trauma.
Her practice:
http://www.doorwaytherapeutics.com/ketamine
Here is the donate link for her non-profit Access to Doorways:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=EG5V9KTFSSTTW
Give today to support BIPOC, Queer & gender diverse clients seeking ketamine assisted psychotherapy
Wade Lightheart is a vegetarian bodybuilder who competed for Mr. Universe. He began as a scrawny kid with a dream – and he followed it with determination. In sharing his life story, he also tells us the story of the human body and how to keep it operating in top condition. He explains the benefits of enzymes, probiotics, and regular exercise, as well as the dangers of industrialized food production. Most importantly, he’s an inspiring speaker with a courageous attitude to remind you that you’re capable of a whole lot more.
His personal site:
https://www.wadelightheart.net/
Use the coupon code ‘thelexfiles10’ for 10% off on bioptimizers.com
Get your free book at: https://bioptimizers.com/bioptimization-blueprint/
His podcast:
https://bioptimizers.com/awesome-health-podcast/
This is the perfect personal guide to magic mushrooms. Michelle Janikian is an experienced drug journalist who talks about ingestion methods, mystical states & the dangers of sexual abuse by providers. She’s the author of “Your Psilocybin Mushroom Companion,” a grounded resource for any adventurer heading into the world of psychedelics.
Her site where you can buy the book & read her journalism:
https://www.michellejanikian.com/
Dr. Efrem Nulman is a seasoned psychologist who works in harm reduction. His goal is the overall health of the patient, rather than obsessing over curing some particular symptom. This conversation offers a fresh perspective on mental health, a look at the history of psychiatric medication, and practical advice for balancing your own behaviors.
Dr. Daniele Piomelli explains the endocannabinoid system: how our bodies use our own cannabinoid chemistry to regulate healthy functioning.
Dr. Piomelli is a distinguished professor of anatomy and neurology at the University of California in Irvine, Director of the Institute of Cannabis Research and a researcher with countless papers on the endogenous cannabinoids. He’s also a genial scientist who keeps expanding our knowledge outward while still maintaining a healthy respect for how many mysteries remain.
His academic research page:
https://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile.cfm?faculty_id=4840
The Journal of Cannabis & Cannabinoid Research:
https://home.liebertpub.com/publications/cannabis-and-cannabinoid-research/633/overview
Dr. Daniele Piomelli: ‘Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA): Physiological roles and therapeutic potential’
https://youtu.be/wPoHFIrIHC0
Minute with Miles: ‘What is PEA? A Brief History of Palmitoylethanolamide’
https://youtu.be/tezHfzXs5kw
Alexandre Tannous goes deep into the mystical and psychedelic powers of sound as he explores the role of music in spiritual practices and societal structures. He is an ethnomusicologist, sound researcher and sound therapist who studies sound for its esoteric powers and deep human meaning. We can shape our relationship with the world by nurturing our relationship to sound, and Alexandre Tannous wants to show us how.
His site:
https://soundmeditation.com/
Dr. Julie Moltke teaches a dynamic response to the problem of stress. Her holistic arsenal includes yoga, meditation, and cannabinoids. She teaches, she sees patients, and she carries out research on holistic health from her Mindfulness Manor in Sweden. Listen in to hear how you can use her methods to manage your own stress.
Her book: 'A Quick Guide to CBD: Everything You Need to Know'
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1856754375
The Holistic Medicine Podcast:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1175627
Her site:
https://www.drjuliemoltke.com/
The Margreteholm Mindfulness Manor:
https://www.mindfulnessmanor.com/
Dr. Ede Frecska is bringing shamanism back into medicine. As psychologist, a psychopharmacologist and a scientist trained in the Western tradition, he posses a unique angle on the history and relevance of shamanism. This episode explores initiation rites, spiritual journeys, the power of images, ayahuasca trips, the role of shamans in society and the source of their hidden information.
A book containing chapters from him: “Inner Paths to Outer Space: Journeys to Alien Worlds through Psychedelics and Other Spiritual Technologies”:
https://www.amazon.com/Inner-Paths-Outer-Space-Psychedelics/dp/159477224X/
His lecture ‘From Science to Shamanism’:
https://youtu.be/5z3GW-Sqzlc
His recommended reading: Michael Harner’s ‘The Way of the Shaman’:
https://www.amazon.com/Way-Shaman-Michael-Harner/dp/0062503731
When a soldier brings back trauma from the battlefield, there’s no single reliable way to help them integrate back into society. Everybody needs a different approach. For Ian Benouis, he rediscovered the power of plant medicines after his exit from the military and as he was working his way through law school. It led him on a path to introduce other veterans to plant medicines by organizing trips for them and as a lawyer activist working with a number of plant medicine organizations and churches.
Ian experienced the War on Drugs firsthand, from his childhood in Hawaii to his participation in the largest anti-drug military mission in Panama. He shares today about what he learned about the War on Drugs, the power of plant medicines and how he’s trying to bridge the gaps that separate people from each other and from healing.
links:
His site:
https://psychedelicmusalman.com/
His 'Psychedelic Timeshare' podcast:
https://psychedelictimeshare.com
His Twitter:
https://twitter.com/psychedemus
The movie about his work: ‘Soldiers of the Vine’
https://vimeo.com/210139995
Are you afraid of your own mind? If you silence your thoughts, do you dread what you’ll see behind all that clutter? If you can face those fears what you might find is bliss, peace, and radical acceptance. It’s not easy, but apparently, it’s worth it.
Spring Washam teaches mindfulness meditation. She trains people in everything from daily practice to extended meditation retreats and even the most intense: ayahuasca meditation retreats. She’s been involved in the community for a long time and is a founding teacher at the East Bay Meditation Center. She understands the contraindications for meditation practice, its fusion with social justice, and how meditation can help you accept your most troubling thoughts and experiences as a path to your most rewarding self.
Her website:
https://www.springwasham.com/
Her book: ‘A Fierce Heart: Finding Strength, Courage, and Wisdom in Any Moment’
https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781937006761
Prof. Jeffrey Kripal explores the unexplainable phenomena that are the sparks that might spawn entire religions. His intellectual journey includes receiving his books as information streams from the future, his early years at a loving Catholic seminary, exploring the supernormal at Esalen, and how we are all conduits for the huge cultural stories which we also get to shape.
His university site:
https://jeffreyjkripal.com/
His books:
https://www.amazon.com/Jeffrey-John-Kripal/e/B001IODIT2
(this episode includes an afterword with a rundown of all of Dr. Kripal’s books)
After an ‘abyss’ caused by his acquaintance with psychedelics, the economist Dr. Bennet Zelner switched the focus of his studies towards the 'Pollination Approach’ to the design of psychedelic wellness centers (and economic organizations in general). Join us today to hear what it was like to realize that everything he had studied in economics helped to create the meta-crisis of failed systems we’re experiencing today, the history of thought around community-based economics and how this might apply as psychedelics emerge again.
Essay on his Pollination Approach:
https://maps.org/news/bulletin/articles/439-bulletin-spring-2020/8131-the-pollination-approach-to-delivering-psychedelic-assisted-mental-healthcare
A lecture on the Pollinator Approach:
https://youtu.be/6G4Wz8pJiUM
Can something that appears to the outside world as a psychotic break also be regarded as a legitimate religious epiphany? Maybe the difference lies in how you respond to it, or whether your peers and your therapist know how to help you integrate the experience. Through his teaching and writing, Dr. David Lukoff helps his patients and the wider mental health community to do just that. Today he talks about his own episode, what it meant to him, and how it enables him to help others who are struggling to do the same.
His Spiritual Competency Academy
https://spiritualcompetencyacademy.com/
His article ‘Spirituality in the Recovery from Persistent Mental Disorders’:
https://spiritualcompetency.com/pdfs/smjrecovery2007.pdf
An interview about his own emergence experience:
https://youtu.be/RUcbj7hou2c
Elizabeth Nielson researches psychedelic therapies for PTSD, addiction, and mood disorders. She also co-founded Fluence, which offers courses on psychedelic integration, ketamine therapy, and much more.
Fluence:
https://www.fluence8.com/
Her article 'Group Therapy for Psychedelic Integration'
https://chacruna.net/group-therapy-psychedelic-integration/
Her Google Scholar page:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=_Q6kXugAAAAJ&hl=en
The history of drugs & religion is important – and often fraught with controversy. In the history of Hinduism, tens of thousands of pages have been written speculating about the identity of the legendary soma – a psychoactive substance that was also a god. But Hinduism & Buddhism have a long & complicated history, as you’ll hear today from our guest Mike Crowley. And in Buddhism, if you look at the art or read the ancient texts or even participate in modern ceremonies, you’ll see constant references to amrita – which might be called the soma of Buddhism. And while many scholars have worked on the identification of Soma, Mike Crowley’s book breaks new ground on identifying the important & mysterious amrita of Tibetan Buddhism. Drawing on his knowledge of ancient languages – most especially Sanskrit, a gigantic language with a keen delight in wordplay – he believes that the secret to amrita is laying right there, hidden in plain sight.
And this isn’t just esoteric contemplations on past mysteries. As you’ll hear from Mike, the religious experiences of Buddhism still resonate today & the ancient tantric practices are still changing lives around the world.
The name of the book is ‘SECRET DRUGS OF BUDDHISM - Psychedelic Sacraments and the Origins of the Vajrayāna’ and the author is someone I feel lucky that we get to hear from. He’s not just a scholar who knows the languages and knows the texts, he’s a fully ordained lama in the Tibetan Kagyud school and since 1989, he is in charge of his teacher’s 100+ plus students in North America. So he speaks from inside the tradition, but he’s still a curious lad from Wales and a Seeker whose lived experiences help to illuminate his work & spice up his talks.
So come with me to snowy Northern California & dive deep into our shared psychedelic history.
Laura Northrup helps people heal their trauma with somatic psychotherapy and she knows much about how psychedelics can help strengthen the mind-body connection.
In somatic psychotherapy the body is seen as a place to process trauma, emphasizing awareness of our physical embodiment as a way to live a healthier and more fulfilling life. If you keep in touch with how you feel physically and allow your body to express itself, then emotional and spiritual well-being will follow. Listening to Laura will help you follow your body to a richer life.
Her site:
https://www.lauramaenorthrup.com/
The 'Inside Eyes' podcast:
https://www.lauramaenorthrup.com/inside-eyes-podcast
Instagram:
@lauramaenorthrup
Twitter:
@inside__eyes
Heather Hargraves discusses neurofeedback therapy and its ability to let you observe your own brainwaves. You can train yourself to maintain a healthy brain state or to repair past wrongs. It’s used by athletes, and by doctors to treat patients with stroke, ADHD, addiction, depression, trauma, and more. And Heather has even more exciting ideas about the future of this kind of scifi healing work. This is cyberpunk therapy from our medical future.
Neuromeditation Institute:
https://www.neuromeditationinstitute.com/listedproviders/heather-hargraves-kgc6z
Divergence Neuro:
www.divergenceneuro.com
Her Twitter:
@nspyrl
An article about her journey:
https://www.tryhealium.com/2020/09/04/after-trauma-how-heather-rewired-her-brain-with-neurofeedback/
Charley Wininger guides us through using MDMA and other psychoactives to strengthen our relationships. He is the author of “Listening to Ecstasy: The Transformative Power of MDMA” and he’s a therapist specializing in relationships. This is a beautiful chat with lots of great advice.
The site for his book:
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Listening-to-Ecstasy/Charles-Wininger/9781644111161
Mary Porter co-founded the Looking Glass Peyote Church. She helps people reach higher dimensions of thinking... if they’re ready.
The Looking Glass Peyote Church contact:
peyotechurch.oforegon@gmail.com
Two meditations she recommends:
Winter Solstice 2020 Transmission -
https://youtu.be/OlHhX9e2n-Q
The Rainbow Bridge Transmission -
https://youtu.be/BWISRJQ88Jk
After a brief recap of Season 1, Lex will share about the trip that led him to writing his cannabinoid graphic novels based on Moby-Dick.
“Call me Jasper.” And then he’ll walk us through the first 50 chapters – which covers the Amerikan history from the Golden Age of Cannabis after the Civil War up until the approval of Prop 215 in California legalized medical marijuana.
You can read the first two books for free on his site:
https://www.lexpelger.com/work/thecrown
He’s hard at work on the next chapters, so for updates, sign up for his No Nonsense Club at the bottom of the page.
“For I tell ye, the sperm whale will stand no nonsense!”
Matt Payne’s site:
www.pattmayne.com
Brendan Cleak’s site:
www.brendancleak.com
For today’s bonus double feature episode, we interview two professionals on cannabis business and law. Lex talks with the lawyer Alex Buscher about how cannabis law has changed over the years and then with business consultant Emily Fata on what makes businesses thrive in this rising industry and how business can be harnessed for the power of good.
Alex Buscher:
Cannabis law is complicated – many different rules for many different fields. Today, Alex – who started his own cannabis-centric law firm - joins Lex to help navigate the legal minefield of state laws, federal laws, and the regulations regarding extracts, transportation, and patents.
His site & social:
https://www.buscherlaw.com/attorneys
https://twitter.com/alexbuscher
Emily Fata:
The founder of Diagon Ventures and host of the Cannabis Science Today podcast, Emily is a consultant who helps cannabis-based entrepreneurs build their business plans and deal with regulations. Every state has different laws, a different business climate and unique challenges. She’s worked all across the world in many aspects of the cannabis business world and in this episode she tells us what she’s learned from helping so many entrepreneurs find their place in this growing industry. Plus, we’ll learn how she has combined her love of business with social justice to create new opportunities.
Her site & podcast:
https://diagonventures.com/
https://agriculturalgenomics.org/podcast/
Dr Peter Grinspoon discusses how doctors are susceptible to addiction, and what resources are available to help them recover. Medical workers have high stress jobs, easy access to drugs, and could lose their licenses if they get caught. Grinspoon’s memoir “Free Refills” depicts his own journey through addiction and recovery.
His site:
http://www.petergrinspoon.com/
His Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Peter_Grinspoon
(funny, smart & worth following)
One of our most important episodes so far: the I Ching or, how to work with the Oracle, with our guest Fred Hatt.
We learn about this historical importance of this ancient Chinese book of divination, how it influenced mathematicians and artists of the West, and how it can make your life better right now.
After Fred explains about the I Ching, join us for a reading where he asks a question for these times. If you know the I Ching, you’ll be surprised by the power of the answer.
Essays & Resources:
“The Uncertainty Machine”
https://aeon.co/essays/forget-prophecy-the-i-ching-is-an-uncertainty-machine
Fred says, “an excellent essay, very close to my own understanding of the essence of the work.”
“What Is the I Ching?”
https://www.chinafile.com/library/nyrb-china-archive/what-i-ching
An introduction to I Ching and a comparative view of two of the best modern translations.
The Virtual Yarrow Stalks page
http://www.russellcottrell.com/VirtualYarrowStalks/
Lots of resources here, particularly the link to 44 different translations of the I Ching.
I Ching with Clarity
https://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/
Resources from a diviner's perspective and a good place for getting started.
The I Ching on the Net
http://www.whincup.ca/yijing/
A large collection of I Ching-related websites.
Yi Jing, Oracle of the Moon
https://www.yijing.nl/
An online tool for questioning the Oracle.
Important Editions of the I Ching:
-
Wilhelm/Baynes classic Confucian interpretation
-
Hatcher's site has the most extensive collection of translations of the names of the 64 hexagrams:
https://www.hermetica.info/GuaMing.htm
His downloadable word-by-word literal translation of the core text that is very helpful: https://www.hermetica.info/Yijing1+2.pdf
- Ritsema and Karcher's several more psychological versions
(quite interesting, in a different way, going deep into the psychological aspects of all the words and images)
-
David Hinton's poetic reading
-
John Minford's scholarly study
-
A survey of English editions:
https://www.biroco.com/yijing/
Fred’s Art:
Antimony
(a poetry blog):
http://fredhatt.com/antimony/
Fred Hatt on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/fredhatt/
Newsletter subscription:
https://fredhatt.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=99c122879545b0915cd69c180&id=b7a9a2fcbf
Fred using yarrow stalks for an I Ching reading:
https://vimeo.com/427940893
Alexis Turner is a historian of science at Harvard with a dissertation titled ‘Lost Souls Delivered: LSD, Technopolitics, and the Battle for the Spirit of a Nation’. Today’s discussion covers the early history of LSD, from its discovery by Dr. Albert Hoffman, the first therapists to start using it in their practices, and the dark obsession with it by the CIA. It’s a crash course in psychedelic history with a particularly great speaker.
links:
http://surliertexan.com
https://www.patreon.com/surliertexan
Rafael Lancelotta, a therapist and psychedelic researcher, discusses his studies and therapeutic experiences with 5-MeO-DMT – often referred to as the God Molecule. A powerful psychedelic extracted from toad venom or synthesized in a lab, 5-MeO-DMT seems to be particularly potent for helping people with trauma as well as other mental illnesses.
He’s also the administrator of 5meodmt.org, an online forum dedicated to hosting community discussions on harm reduction, integration, and safe practices around 5-MeO-DMT use. Check out the Source Foundation, where he’s a board member, to see an organization that provides grants to students interested in researching anything related to psychedelics.
https://sourceresearchfoundation.org/
Talks:
Characterization Of Mystical Experiences By 5-MeO-DMT-Containing Toad Bufotoxin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtOiBiAL-K8&ab_channel=BreakingConvention
5-MeO-DMT Use in the Global Population: Insights and Perspectives for Further Clinical Development
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GSsqoKj0Vs&ab_channel=BreakingConvention
Defining "Therapy" in Psychedelic assisted Psychotherapy
https://youtu.be/yG8v_6-VXbo
Today’s episode is a special. Years ago, I hosted an open-mic storytelling tour that traveled around the country that we called ‘The Blue Dot Tour’. Anyone was welcome to share their stories involving psychoactive experiences – and things got real. One of the best stops was in Chicago, where I met last week’s guest, Aaron Paul Orsini.
I’ve never seen anything quite like these events where psychonauts shared their tales of transformation, self-discovery, healing, and spectacle. I think you’ll find this episode as fascinating as I did. Originally broadcast on the Psychedelic Salon, you can hear all the stops from the tour there.
(And if you’re down for an Easter Egg Hunt, I told a story at one of the stops. Let me know if you find it...)
recap of the tour:
https://www.psymposia.com/magazine/heres-2-months-psychedelic-stories-22-cities-across-us-canada-looks-like/
The other stops on the tour:
https://psychedelicsalon.com/podcasts/
(Search for ‘Salon2’ to see the work I contributed)
my Moby-Dick pot books:
http://www.lexpelger.com/
Aaron Paul Orsini has built an impressive body of work. His book is ‘Autism on Acid’ about his life-changing experiences with LSD. It’s deeply researched, written with heart – and filled with disclaimers to not try this at home. He charted his own path into this world when an LSD experience in his 20’s changed everything about his relationship to being autistic and helped him understand the social world and how to integrate with it. This sparked a personal journey that led to the writing of this book and founding a community of neurodiverse individuals exploring psychedelics and plant medicines.
His site:
AutismOnAcid.Com, which is a treasure trove of resources for people on the spectrum who want to learn more about these insights and practices.
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AutismOnAcid
The Autistic Psychedelic Community Twitter:
https://twitter.com/autisticpsyched
In 2019 Decrim Nature Oakland helped to pass a measure that made plant medicines the lowest priority for the police force and defunded enforcement. Their legislative victory has sparked others – and now there are dozens of branches of this movement sprouting throughout the world.
And Carlos Plazola was there from the beginning. Today he tells Lex about the mushroom trip that inspired him to embark on this mission of healing, why we need to reconnect with ancient traditions, and how he works with human power structures to achieve healthy social goals.
site:
https://www.decriminalizenature.org/
his op-ed on applying the lessons of legal cannabis to psychedelic decriminalization:
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/applying-the-lessons-of-legal-cannabis-to-psychedelics-decriminalization-op-ed/
If you don't know anything about UFOs, this is the episode for you. If you know a whole bunch about UFOs, this is definitely the episode for you. And if you're curious how the great Erik Davis can turn the question itself into the Hero's Journey, you should listen now.
With a PhD in religious studies focusing on gnosticism, esotericism and mysticism, Erik Davis, author of the inimitable ‘TechGnosis’, places the current UFO fascination in its broader historical context. These stories have morphed and repeated themselves over the centuries before manifesting in recent decades as alien visitation narratives. Here he explores their meaning and their power. And he offers inspiring advice on how to think amidst a field so thick with obstfucations and misdirections.
He’s also simply one of the best public speakers I’ve met in my life of interviewing people – and here he is as fascinating and engaging as ever. I walked away this interview feeling like a slightly better person for having heard it.
His online publication, The Burning Shore :
https://erikdavis.substack.com/
His main website:
https://techgnosis.com/
**His Twitter:**
https://twitter.com/erik_davis
Article: ‘Alien Views: A profile of Joe Firmage, Silicon Valley UFOnaut’ (2000)
https://techgnosis.com/alien-views/
Physician Dr. Harry McIlroy has trained in many fields. Besides getting his medical degree in Western medicine, he’s a licensed acupuncturist, a nutritionist, an osteopath, a functional medicine practioner, and an authorized teacher of Ashtanga Yoga, which he learned in India directly from the holder of the lineage. Besides his medical practice, he gives back by helping at clinics for underserved populations and by sharing his knowledge in lectures and podcasts like this. Today he talks about his various fields of study, the power and balance of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and what he’s learned by watching the psychedelic movement evolve over the last three decades.
His site:
https://harrymcilroymd.com
One of the most important relationships that human beings have with plants is changing our consciousness. Dr. Mark Ferrara discusses this in a recent essay and in his book, “Sacred Bliss: A Spiritual History of Cannabis.” It’s about peak experiences and psychological health, how this relates to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and how the history of the great civilizations gives us a blueprint for using plants like cannabis to transcend ourselves and to bond with our community and the cosmos.
His recent paper:
Peak-experience and the entheogenic use of cannabis in world religions
https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/aop/article-10.1556-2054.2020.00122/article-10.1556-2054.2020.00122.xml
His wonderful book:
Sacred Bliss - A Spiritual History of Cannabis
https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538118986/Sacred-Bliss-A-Spiritual-History-of-Cannabis
Yarelix Estrada straddles many drug worlds. With a Masters in Public Health from Johns Hopkins, she works in New York City as a city research scientist studying harm reduction. On the activism side, she founded a chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. On the nightlife side, she’s volunteered as a lead for DanceSafe in DC. As an organizer, she’s currently the head of the New York City Psychedelic Society as well as an organizer of the first People of Color and Psychedelics conference in Washington D.C. On social justice, she gives lectures about issues like psychedelic intersectionality and treating trauma in underrepresented populations with psychedelics. Today, she discusses working with people in drug crisis, the importance of harm reduction in different fields and how race and income can mark the difference between a psychedelic dream and a paranoid police-state nightmare.
Her social media:
IG: @Yarelix15
FB: https://www.facebook.com/yarelix15
New York Psychedelic Society:
site: https://www.meetup.com/nycedelic/
IG: @Nycedelic
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nycedelic1
Colonel Doctor Michael Lewis is a physician, a researcher, a soldier, and an author. He’s an expert on nutritional interventions for brain health, particularly the prevention and rehabilitation of brain injury – including being on the advisory board at CV Sciences. He also was a virus hunter for the US military during the SARS pandemic. He’s had a vast and fascinating career – and today he shares about nurturing your immune system, optimizing brain health, and dealing with stress during the pandemic.
His site:
http://drmichaellewismd.com/
His 501c3:
www.brainhealtheducation.org
His practice:
www.braincare.center
His book:
www.whenbrainscollide.com
Britta Love is a somatic sex educator and healer. She talks about the spiritual side of sex, the oppression of sex workers, and she shares great advice on how to bring the sacred into your own practices or how to build sensual trust with a partner. Sex is an altered state. This episode celebrates pleasure and will help you use pleasure for healing.
Her site:
https://brittaloved.com/
Articles:
Exploring Sacred Sex: The Body as Spirit
https://brittaloved.com/exploring-sacred-sex-the-body-as-spirit/
10 Reasons to End Both the War on Drugs and the War on Sex Workers
https://brittaloved.com/10-reasons-to-end-both-the-war-on-drugs-and-the-war-on-sex-workers/
'Psychedelic Whore' in the sex issue of the 'Psychedelic Press UK'
https://psychedelicpress.co.uk/products/psychedelic-press-xxx
Dimitri Mugianis discusses the popularity of the iboga root for treating problematic drug use, his critique of the so-called Psychedelic Renaissance and the beautiful radical anarchy of the 12 Steps and the 12 Traditions. He treats addiction as a dynamic state and ever since an experience with iboga and an initiation into the Gabon tradition of Bwiti dramatically changed his relationship with opioids, he has been creating spaces of healing and acceptance for people dealing with their own problematic behaviors.
Dimitri is an activist, an anarchist, a raconteur, a musician, a writer, and a healer.
He currently works doing holistic harm reduction at New York Harm Reduction Educators
www.nyhre.org
(if you’re looking for a great organization to support during these times, this is it. Fighting the stigmas associated with drug use and sex work, they offer needle exchange, education, outreach, and holistic healing services for those in need. Your dollars here go a long way to help.)
You can also watch the documentary about him called “I'm Dangerous with Love” by Michel Negroponte that follows Dimitri to Gabon
https://vimeo.com/147653704
a film the NYTimes called ‘aggressively unappetizing’
The Reverend Danny Nemu is the author of Neuro-Apocalypse. In this chat he examines the gospels and psychedelic drugs. He joins the researchers who see an entheogenic origin to some of the Biblical stories. The psychedelic mindscape and the world of mythology may go hand-in-hand. This is the fungal essence of your daily bread.
His site: Nemu’s End
http://nemusend.co.uk/
His books:
Neuro-Apocalypse
https://psychedelicpress.co.uk/products/neuro-apocalypse
Science Revealed
https://psychedelicpress.co.uk/products/science-revealed-by-rev-nemu
His Twitter:
https://twitter.com/RevNemu
Some talks:
Prejudice and Neo-colonialism in the Academic study of Ayahuasca at Breaking Convention 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhgdhz4W114
Danny Nemu on Ayahuasca and Other Spiritual Drugs (Ancient & Modern) on Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio
https://aeonbyte.libsyn.com/danny-nemu-on-ayahuasca-and-other-spiritual-drugs-ancient-modern
Some writings:
Drugs, the Israelites and the Emergence of Patriarchy
https://www.lucid.news/drugs-israelites-and-patriarchy/
We three kings of Orient are… drug runners. And not kings on Psychedelic Press UK
https://psypressuk.com/2016/12/22/three-kings-orient-drug-runners-not-kings/
Give us this day our daily dose: Ergot, LSD and the Israelites on Psychedelic Press UK
http://psypressuk.com/2017/02/02/give-us-this-day-our-daily-dose-ergot-lsd-israelites/
Dr. Nicholas Powers is a poet, a journalist and a college professor who explores the racial dimensions of psychedelia. He co-hosted the long running New York City College Poetry Slam at the Nuyorican Café. Today he discusses decriminalization, positive action, and how the psychedelic renaissance can help the poor.
And we didn’t even get a chance to talk about his book, ‘The Ground Below Zero - 9/11 to Burning Man, New Orleans to Darfur, Haiti to Occupy Wall Street’ (which is as wild as it sounds):
http://www.upsetpress.org/tag/nicholas-powers/
His writing at the Indypendent:
https://indypendent.org/authors/nicholas-powers/
Articles:
Truthout: ‘I’m Protesting for a World That Affirms My Black Son’s Life Matters’
https://truthout.org/articles/im-protesting-for-a-world-that-affirms-my-black-sons-life-matters/
MAPS: ‘Black Masks, Rainbow Bodies: Psychedelics and Race’
https://maps.org/news/bulletin/articles/429-maps-bulletin-spring-2018-vol-28-no-1/7268-black-masks,-rainbow-bodies-psychedelics-and-race
His talk of the same name at Horizons 2017:
https://vimeo.com/237699822
Dr. Julie Holland, a psychopharmacologist and psychiatrist in New York, talks about what happens in our bodies when we are connected with people - and the damage that occurs when we’re disconnected. Today she talks about her book, ‘Good Chemistry – The Science of Connection from Soul to Psychedelics’ and how various drugs, therapies, and changes of mindset can help us mitigate and heal that damage to give us a feeling of connection and unity.
Dr Holland is the editor of ‘The Pot Book’ and ‘Ecstasy: A Complete Guide’, and the author of ‘Moody Bitches’, ‘Weekends at Bellevue’, and now, ‘Good Chemistry’.
Where to buy ‘Good Chemistry’
https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062862884/good-chemistry/
The incredibly detailed references section of ‘Good Chemistry’:
http://drholland.com/good-chemistry-notes.html
The promised page with a list of antidepressants & their contraindications with recreational drugs:
https://www.bluelight.org/xf/threads/antidepressants-and-recreational-drugs-long.108959/
Elan Sudberg is a microscopist and the CEO of Alkemist Labs. They’ve been doing plant-identification and chemical analysis on supplements since the 1990’s. Herbs, medicine, and science all run in the family for Elan. He explains how a small lab has had such a big impact on the world of supplement testing.
https://www.alkemist.com/
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all the options at your local dispensary? Andrea Sparr-Jaswa is here to help. She’s a budtender and cannabis educator who really knows her stuff.
Andrea was the Director of Education at Farma, a science-focused dispensary in Portland, Oregon, for 2 years before heading back to the Midwest to become the science editor for Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary and Hemp Grower magazines in Cleveland, Ohio.
This interview is packed with information such as how to choose which compounds and effects you’re looking for, which intake method you prefer, and what’s on the horizon for cannabis products. This is great information as the cannabis world continues to grow.
Her Instagram:
@cultivore
The blog at Farma blog:
farmapdx.com/blog
Publications: “Rethinking Strain Names”
https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/article/rethinking-strain-names/
Some people know ketamine as a street drug. Anesthesiologists know it as one of the safest ways to knock out children and old people for surgery. But in the psychiatric community, it’s one of the most exciting new options for the treatment of depression, PTSD, anxiety, and as a catalyst for healing trauma.
Marcela Ot'alora is a psychedelic therapist who uses ketamine in her practice. She tells Lex how ketamine works in therapy, how it’s different from other psychedelics, and how to prepare yourself for an experience. She’ll also shares about her progress in MDMA research with MAPS (the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies).
Donate to MAPS here:
https://store.maps.org/np/clients/maps/donation.jsp
(one of the best ways to build up your psychedelic library is to become a MAPS member and select your free book from their really wonderful collection of classic psychoactive literature)
Yoga and Cannabis: Two tools for healing that respond to our physical and emotional sides.
Martha Triantafillides combines both in her personal and professional life. Today we learn how to approach this synthesis in our own personal way and how she advises people on adding cannabis to their yoga practice.
Marthahas studied interior design, she ran an art gallery in Dubai, and she had many more adventures - but today she runs Blue Island Yoga and promotes edible cannabis products for Wana Brands. This is her journey.
She hosts adventure and yoga retreats in the Greek islands through Blue Island Yoga:
https://www.blueislandyoga.com/about
Through this challenging social distancing Covid 19 crisis, she is offering free virtual live classes daily on zoom at 10:00 AM MST. Sign up here for the link:
https://www.blueislandyoga.com/online
Today’s interview happened while Kyle Boyar worked for Medicinal Genomics, the cannabis kit testing company working to democratize cannabis testing. They sell kits to identify your plants’ gender, as well as good and bad microbes. Kyle Boyar explains the science behind the tests, the intricacies of cannabis genetics and microbiota, and the daily life of a cannabis scientist.
Medicinal Genomics & research:
www.medicinalgenomics.com
Cannabis microbiome sequencing reveals several mycotoxic fungi native to dispensary grade Cannabis flowers
https://f1000research.com/articles/4-1422/v1
Metagenomic analysis of medicinal Cannabis samples; pathogenic bacteria, toxigenic fungi, and beneficial microbes grow in culture-based yeast and mold tests
https://f1000research.com/articles/5-2471/v1
American Chemical Society's Cannabis Chemistry Subdivision (CANN):
www.cannachem.org
www.facebook.com/canndchas
www.instagram.com/canndchas
Cannabis Science and Chemistry:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CSAC710/
For applying to the ElSohly Award:
http://tiny.cc/ElSohlyAward
Cellular & Molecular Biologist and Cannabis Expert, Dr. Anna Schwabe, talks about variations within cannabis strains, epigenetics, identifying strains through their smell, and why it takes training to draw proper pictures of pot plants.
Her site:
Behold the beauty of her botanical illustrations at her new and improved website: https://www.annaschwabe.com/
Her research:
Genetic tools weed out misconceptions of strain reliability in Cannabis sativa: Implications for a budding industry
https://jcannabisresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42238-019-0001-1
Research grade marijuana supplied by the National Institute on Drug Abuse is genetically divergent from commercially available Cannabis
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/592725v1
Dissertation:
https://digscholarship.unco.edu/dissertations/554/