#365: Michael Pollan — Exploring the Frontiers of Psychedelics

Mar 21, 2019

Michael Pollan, a bestselling author and professor, dives into the fascinating world of psychedelics and their transformative potential. He discusses their historical journey from the 1950s to their resurgence in modern mental health treatments. Pollan shares personal experiences linked to psilocybin and highlights its therapeutic benefits for depression and addiction. The conversation also explores the ego's role in consciousness, the importance of qualified guides in psychedelic therapy, and the societal stigma around mental health that needs change.

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INSIGHT

Psychedelic Definition

Psychedelic is a term coined in the 1950s, combining "psyche" (mind) and "delos" (manifesting).
It highlights how these drugs bring the mind into an observable space.

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INSIGHT

The Psychedelic Renaissance

Research on psychedelics, promising in the 50s and 60s, was halted due to their association with the counterculture and a subsequent moral panic.
Nixon's "war on drugs" further stifled research, viewing psychedelics as a threat to the Vietnam War effort.

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INSIGHT

Modern Psychedelic Research

Current psychedelic research focuses on guided experiences, not just the drug's effects.
Promising applications include treating addiction, depression, anxiety, and facilitating behavior change.

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Exploring the Transformative Power of Psychedelics

05:58 • 23min

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Exploring Psychedelics: Personal Journeys and Therapeutic Insights

28:37 • 28min

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The Ego and the Brain: Exploring Consciousness and Self-Identity

56:10 • 3min

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Exploring the Psychedelic Frontier

58:51 • 31min

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Guidelines for Finding a Qualified Psychedelic Guide

01:29:25 • 4min

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Navigating Mental Health: Stigma and the Need for Change

01:33:14 • 2min

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Exploring Interesting Recommendations and Nutritional Support

01:34:49 • 4min

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Acid Test

LSD, Ecstasy, and the Power to Heal

Tom Shroder

Acid Test delves into the history and controversy surrounding psychedelic drugs, particularly LSD and MDMA, and their potential therapeutic benefits for treating anxiety disorders like PTSD. The book follows the stories of key figures in psychedelic research and therapy, offering a compelling narrative about the power of these substances to heal. It also critiques the legal and societal barriers that have hindered their medical use.

Five Morning Rituals

ebook

Tim Ferriss

The Omnivore's Dilemma

A Natural History of Four Meals

Michael Pollan

In 'The Omnivore's Dilemma', Michael Pollan investigates the American food system by tracing the origins of four meals: one from McDonald's (representing industrial food), one from Whole Foods (representing industrial organic food), one from Polyface Farm (a sustainable farm), and one that he hunts, gathers, and grows himself. The book delves into the politics, perils, and pleasures of eating, highlighting the profound consequences of everyday food choices on health, the environment, and society. Pollan's narrative takes readers from Iowa cornfields to food-science laboratories, from feedlots to organic farms and hunting grounds, emphasizing the dynamic relationship between humans and the food they consume.

The botany of desire

a plant's eye view of the world

Michael Pollan

In 'The Botany of Desire,' Michael Pollan examines how people and domesticated plants have formed a mutually beneficial relationship. He links four basic human desires—sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control—with the plants that fulfill them: the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato. Pollan illustrates how these plants have evolved to meet human needs and how, in turn, humans have helped these plants spread and thrive. The book delves into the history and impact of these plants on human society, highlighting the complex and often reciprocal nature of the relationship between humans and plants.

The 4-Hour Body

An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman

Tim Ferriss

In 'The 4-Hour Body,' Tim Ferriss shares the results of over a decade of self-experimentation and research, involving hundreds of elite athletes, dozens of MDs, and thousands of hours of personal testing. The book covers more than 50 topics, including how to lose weight quickly, gain muscle without steroids, sleep less and perform better, and improve sexual health. Ferriss emphasizes the importance of finding the smallest changes that produce the biggest results, making it accessible for readers to achieve significant improvements in their physical health and performance.

The psychedelic explorer's guide

James Fadiman

James Fadiman's "The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide" is a comprehensive guide to the responsible use of psychedelics. It provides detailed information on various psychedelic substances, including their history, effects, and potential risks. The book emphasizes the importance of setting and setting, and offers practical advice for conducting psychedelic sessions safely and effectively. It also includes a wealth of anecdotal accounts from individuals who have used psychedelics for personal growth and therapeutic purposes. Fadiman's work has been influential in shaping the modern psychedelic renaissance.

The Tao of Seneca

Practical Letters from a Stoic Master

Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)

This book is a compilation of Seneca's letters, known as the *Epistulae Morales* (Moral Epistles), which provide practical advice on Stoic principles. It covers topics such as the importance of living in accordance with nature, the dangers of external influences on happiness, the value of self-control, and the pursuit of virtue. Seneca's writings emphasize the need to focus on inner strength, endurance, and the cultivation of a sound mind, rather than seeking happiness through external goods like fame and riches.

Doors of Perception

Aldous Huxley

In this book, Huxley recounts his first psychedelic experience with mescaline in May 1953. He describes how the drug altered his perception of the world, making ordinary objects and experiences take on profound aesthetic and philosophical significance. Huxley draws on various philosophical and spiritual traditions, including those of William Blake, Meister Eckhart, Plato, and Buddhism, to contextualize his insights. The book challenges conventional views on perception and reality, suggesting that certain substances can reveal deeper aspects of existence that are normally filtered out by the human brain's 'reducing valve'

Cooked

A Natural History of Transformation

Michael Pollan

In 'Cooked', Michael Pollan delves into the art and science of cooking, examining how the four classical elements—fire, water, air, and earth—transform raw ingredients into edible and nutritious food. The book is divided into sections that focus on different cooking techniques: grilling with fire, braising with water, baking bread with air, and fermenting with earth. Pollan apprentices himself to various culinary masters to learn these techniques and explores the social, ecological, and historical contexts of cooking. He argues that cooking is essential for human well-being and that the outsourcing of cooking to corporations has significant negative impacts on health, culture, and society. The book emphasizes the importance of reclaiming cooking as an act of self-reliance and enjoyment, highlighting its role in connecting us with nature, culture, and each other.

How to Change Your Mind

What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence

Michael Pollan

In this book, Michael Pollan delves into the history of psychedelic drugs, from their rise in the 1960s to their current resurgence in medical research. He combines historical and scientific analysis with personal narratives of his own experiences with psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin. The book explores how these substances are being used to treat conditions like depression, addiction, and anxiety, and discusses their potential to revolutionize our understanding of the human mind and consciousness. Pollan's work is a blend of science, memoir, and travel writing, offering a nuanced and engaging look at the therapeutic and spiritual benefits of psychedelics.

In Defense of Food

An Eater's Manifesto

Michael Pollan

In 'In Defense of Food', Michael Pollan argues that the Western diet, characterized by highly processed foods and a focus on individual nutrients, has led to increased rates of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. He proposes a simple yet profound alternative: 'Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. ' This approach emphasizes the importance of whole, unprocessed foods, moderate portions, and a diet rich in plant-based foods. Pollan critiques the food industry and nutritional science for creating confusion about what constitutes healthy eating and advocates for a return to traditional, culturally informed ways of eating.

Food Rules

Kate Shanahan

Michael Pollan — Exploring the Frontiers of Psychedelics | Brought to you by 99designs and Athletic Greens.

"An overactive ego is a tyrant." - Michael Pollan

Michael Pollan (@michaelpollan) is the author of seven previous books, including Cooked, Food Rules, In Defense of Food, The Omnivore's Dilemma, and The Botany of Desire, all of which were New York Times bestsellers. A longtime contributor to The New York Times Magazine, he also teaches writing at Harvard and the University of California, Berkeley where he is the John S. and James L. Knight Professor of Science Journalism. In 2010, TIME magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

His newest book is How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence, which will be available as a paperback in May.

And if you haven't yet, check out "Trip of Compassion", which is the most compelling movie I've seen in the last year. It documents one unusual approach to healing trauma that might astonish you, an innovative treatment involving the psychoactive drug MDMA (commonly known as “ecstasy”). As you will see firsthand, if the therapy is well designed, true rebirth and transformation can happen in a matter of weeks and not years. Find out more by clicking here.

Click here for the show notes for this episode.

This podcast is brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, "If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?" My answer is, inevitably, Athletic Greens. It is my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body and did not get paid to do so.

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