In this episode of Psychedelics Today, hosts sit down with Jeff Breau from Harvard Divinity School's Center for the Study of World Religions. Key themes include the intersection of psychedelics and religion, harm reduction practices, and the burgeoning psychedelic church movement. Jeff brings insights from his ethnographic research on psychedelic churches and discusses the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration for advancing understanding in this field. He also delves into the role of music in psychedelic therapy, critiques of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ), and the potential for psychedelic chaplaincy. Tune in for an enlightening conversation on the evolving landscape of psychedelics in society and spirituality.
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:18 Music in Psychedelic Therapy
02:13 Cultural Context of Music in Therapy
06:08 Personal Journey into Psychedelics and Religion
08:40 Living at an Ashram and Spiritual Practices
15:52 Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ)
33:01 Psychedelic Churches and Legal Challenges
46:11 The Intersection of Law and Religion
46:34 Emergence of Psychedelic Churches
48:41 The Democratization of Mystical Experiences
49:49 Technologies of Revelation
51:10 Novel Rituals and Spiritual Practices
53:49 Humor and Irreverence in Religion
56:44 Reevaluating the Term 'Cult'
01:10:11 Psychedelic Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care
01:18:44 Burning Man as a Model for Religiosity
01:22:43 The Rise of Iboga in American Christianity
01:25:56 Conclusion and Future Directions
Links
https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/people/jeffrey-breau
