Lex Fridman Podcast

#211 – Brian Muraresku: The Secret History of Psychedelics

Aug 15, 2021

Brian Muraresku, author of 'The Immortality Key,' delves into the profound history of psychedelics and their impact on human consciousness. He explores how these substances shaped ancient religions and rituals, including the Eleusinian Mysteries of Greece. The conversation touches on the transformative power of psychedelics in enhancing spirituality and their therapeutic potential for mental health. Muraresku also discusses Nietzsche's views on spirituality in a modern context, questioning the essence of divinity and our quest for meaning.

00:00

Creator website

Episode guests

Brian C. Muraresku

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Personal Data and Philanthropic Impact

5min

Navigating the Hiring Process and Learning from Experts

2min

Exploring the Divine: Mysticism and Existence

14min

Psychedelics and the Fabric of Consciousness

15min

Psychedelics and Ancient Brews

20min

Rituals, Psychedelics, and the Quest for Meaning

18min

Psychedelics and Spirituality: A Dual Perspective

22min

The Decline of Religious Affiliation and Nietzsche's Insights

2min

10.

Divinity, Consciousness, and Extraterrestrial Insights

17min

11.

The Subjective Nature of Meaning and Existence

1min

12.

Exploring Love and Subjective Experience Beyond Logic

2min

Brian Muraresku is the author of The Immortality Key. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
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EPISODE LINKS:
Brian’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/brianmuraresku
Brian’s website: https://www.brianmuraresku.com
Immortality Key (book): https://amzn.to/3iNYBfB

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OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) – Introduction
(09:46) – Who or what is God?
(25:15) – Terence McKenna’s DMT Trips
(29:58) – Psychedelics were the source of collective intelligence
(40:30) – Psychedelics in ancient alcohol
(43:30) – The Immortality Key
(46:16) – Jesus and psychedelic wine
(58:56) – Role of rituals in human society
(1:02:37) – Human confrontation with death
(1:05:15) – The future of the human experience
(1:17:07) – The role of religion in society
(1:22:54) – The future of psychedelics research
(1:26:05) – Fasting and meditation as religious experiences
(1:29:44) – Neuralink and BCIs
(1:36:42) – Is LSD a crutch or an aid in creative work
(1:39:21) – Nietzsche said God is dead
(1:41:48) – Creatures people meet while on psychedelics
(1:47:18) – Consciousness
(1:53:41) – Books or movies that made an impact
(1:57:39) – Meaning of life

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