This episode of The MAPS Podcast dives into the rich tapestry of the foreign yet wise world of South American plant medicine culture as experienced through the lens of an American medical doctors eyes. Joe's new book "The Fellowship of The River - A Medical Doctor's Exploration into Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicines" is a beautifully written and passionately researched account into Joe's time exploring how traditional plant medicines, with their ability to alter consciousness and open channels of communication to our emotions, offer so much promise in the treatment of many conditions that Western medicine does not seem to have much success with.  Joe and I also danced around his own evolution from traditional medical doctor to plant medicine mystic, the roots of Western medicine's own systematic limitations, various ailments and how we tend to treat them and a couple of case studies that illustrate the effectiveness of Joe's research.  I highly recommend his book (and this podcast) if you're at all curious about a road map of how healing via shamanic plant medicine can be applied to traditional Western medicine as it stands now.  Visit - drjoetafur.com to learn more and to purchase the book

The State of Psychedelic Therapy, Culture and Policy in the UK and Beyond with Dr. Ben Sessa Ben beams in via cyberspace for an original episode of The MAPS Podcast. Ben's talk with Zach weaved in and out of topics including the psychedelic dance in the UK, his own experiences with various methods, how to integrate results with traditional therapy and the culture wars that we're still fighting. Ben's experience, candor and passion is not to be missed. He's a force on the front lines of the psychedelic movement.  Intro: An excerpt was read from "Why I'm microdosing LSD" By Erica Avey. The entire piece can be read here From DrSessa.com -  I am a medical doctor providing private psychiatric consultation through Mandala Therapy Limited  I am a published medical and fiction author I carry out psychopharmacology research with psychedelic medicines I am researching MDMA Therapy for mental disorders I publish in the academic and medical press I present regularly in multi-media platforms I carry out medico-Legal family law expert witness work I am co-founder and chair of the Breaking Convention conference.

Have you wondered what happens on a neuro-scientific and physiological level when phsychedelics enter your body? That question has been at the root of the psychedelic experience for generations if not centuries. Ancient mystics had the understnading that these sacred plant medicines contained tribal DNA which was necessary to keep cultures and history alive. However, now that we have more data and research available we can augment that thinking with actual stuides that illustrate how the brain is effected when these agents enter our system.  Highlighting the results of two fMRI studies and one MEG study with psilocybin and an fMRI study with MDMA, Carhart-Harris will report the effects of both drugs on regional brain activity and brain network organization. Additionally, he will report the effects of both drugs on brain and subjective responses to personal autobiographical memory cues. Dr Robin Carhart-Harris talks about his scientific research into the effects and potential therapeutic uses of psychedelic drugs. Join him as he discusses brain imaging work involving psilocybin, the active ingredient of magic mushrooms, and explains how the drug works in the brain.   In 2005, Robin began a four year PhD in Psychopharmacology at the University of Bristol. In 2009, he successfully coordinated the first clinical study of psilocybin in the UK and the first clinical study of a classic psychedelic drug in the UK for over 40 years. Also in 2009, Robin moved to Imperial College London to continue his work under the supervision of Professor David Nutt. Robin has since coordinated the first resting state fMRI and MEG investigations of a psychedelic drug and the first fMRI study of MDMA in the UK. Robin and David Nutt recently received ethics approval for an MRC-sponsored clinical trial that will investigate the efficacy of psilocybin as a treatment for depression and an LSD fMRI and MEG study. Robin's work is published in PNAS, Brain, Schizophrenia Bulletin and the British Journal of Psychiatry and he has appeared in television interviews for BBC news and Channel 4.

Microdosing: The Phenomenon, Research Results, and Startling Surprises From Psychedelic Science 2017 Yes, Dr. Fadiman is back on the show! I know it seems disproportionate and it is. But after you listen to this episode you'll see why! Microdosing is by far one of the most popular revolutions happening within the psychedelic community today. The wide ranging applications for use in increased cognitive capacity based experiences is fast becoming a legitimate psychedelic method for use within the general population. James Fadiman and Sophia Korb at the center of cyclone with their ongoing research of over 1500 active participants.  From their site,  These are the three most frequently asked questions: How much is a microdose? Most people start at 1/20 to 1/10 of a recreational dose of whatever substance they are trying and adjust based on their experience. If you are experiencing visual effects, you have taken too much. How often are microdoses taken? Most participants dose every three days. Is microdosing right for me? Only you can make that determination. There is more information about who has benefited so far and possible risks in the full FAQ. Over 1500 participants have reported their experiences of microdosing as of this writing, and submitted narrative reports and daily data. We are taking time to read and analyze and report on all the data.  

This episode of the MAPS Podcast is from the Psychedelic Science 2017 conference in Oakland, CA. Draulio Barros de Araujo gives a very compelling and engaging talk on his research into the use of Ayahuasca in Treatment-Resistant Depression. It seems that life in the modern world sees that depression issues touch nearly everyones life either directly or indirectly. Research into how these plant medicines can unlock certain parts of the brain to aid in natural anti-depression re-balancing functions is very eye opening. The research isn't fully matured yet but is well on its way.   Draulio Barros de Araujo works as a professor in neuroimaging at the Brain Institute, Natal, Brazil. Since 2006 my research has focused on using functional neuroimaging methods (EEG and fMRI) to investigate the acute and lasting effects of a psychedelic called Ayahuasca. Our research group has also been studying the antidepressant potencial of Ayahuasca.

PART TWO of a three part series on the similarities between psychedelic and Buddhist experiences. This part is primarily the question and answer session from the audience. The audience is clearly very well versed and attentive. Many great questions are asked.  On Saturday, October 20, 2012, Rev. Kokyo Henkel and James Fadiman, Ph.D., engaged a diverse crowd in Santa Cruz with a discussion about the similarities between psychedelic and Buddhist experiences. Rev. Kokyo Henkel has been practicing Zen Buddhism since 1990 at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, and Bukkokuji Monastery in Japan. He was ordained as a priest and received Dharma Transmission from Tenshin Anderson Roshi, and is currently the Head Teacher at Santa Cruz Zen Center. James Fadiman, Ph.D., author of The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys (2011) has been teaching about, working with and doing research on psychedelic and entheogenic experiences for decades. He has taught at Brandeis, San Francisco State, Stanford, and is now at Sofia University.        

This is part one of a three part series on the similarities between psychedelic and Buddhist experiences. This topic is also explored in depth in the now seminal book by Allan Badiner called "Zig Zag Zen" which is of course highly recommended.  On Saturday, October 20, 2012, Rev. Kokyo Henkel and James Fadiman, Ph.D., engaged a diverse crowd in Santa Cruz with a discussion about the similarities between psychedelic and Buddhist experiences. Rev. Kokyo Henkel has been practicing Zen Buddhism since 1990 at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, and Bukkokuji Monastery in Japan. He was ordained as a priest and received Dharma Transmission from Tenshin Anderson Roshi, and is currently the Head Teacher at Santa Cruz Zen Center. James Fadiman, Ph.D., author of The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys (2011) has been teaching about, working with and doing research on psychedelic and entheogenic experiences for decades. He has taught at Brandeis, San Francisco State, Stanford, and is now at Sofia University.    

This episode of the podcast was taped LIVE in Los Angeles on June 28th in partnership with the Aware Project. Zach Leary led an hour long engaging, funny and insightful panel discussion with the great wisdom of Dr. Cole Marta and Ashley Booth. The conversation ranged from a look at the current state of psychedelic research, how culture and community plays a role, actual medical updates from the front lines and each persons own personal awakenings and journeys.  The Aware Project hosts bi-monthly salons that are not to be missed if you're in the LA area. Also, look out for more live tapings of The MAPS Podcast. Dr. Marta completed undergraduate studies at UC – Santa Cruz majoring in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology where he graduated with highest honors in the major, with a focus on genetics. After graduating, he was a Junior Specialist in a Howard Hughes Medical Institute laboratory studying neurogenetics in the model organism C. Elegans. Ashley Booth, M.S. is a scientist, philosopher, and advocate. She is the founder of a Los Angeles based community education group called the Aware Project (awareproject.org) and the co-producer of the monthly Psychedelic Awareness Salon series and the first Bicycle Day event in Los Angeles (www.bicycleday.la). She has given numerous talks at festivals and conferences to balance the public conversation about psychedelics, spread accurate information, and give a new face to psychedelia. She believes that the conscious use of psychedelics is an important tool to be utilized in medicine, creativity, and the creation of a more peaceful world.

“The opiates were stealing my life bit by bit,” she confided. For years, she had been eating very little and her nutrition was abysmal, and in more recent years the opiates hadn’t even provided relief from pain. But then, as she put it, “ibogaine gave my life back to me.” She went on to tell me about the importance of the ongoing support and care she received at Clare’s clinic and at another clinic in Mexico, and how she’d realized that what had happened after the ibogaine treatment was nearly as important as the treatment itself. This presentation is an overview of the MAPS-funded study of long-term outcomes for ibogaine-assisted treatment of opiate dependence for patients at two clinics in Baja California, Mexico. Beginning in September of 2010, the study enrolled thirty US residents seeking ibogaine treatment for opiate dependence at the clinics. Tom Kingsley Brown, PhD started his research on ibogaine treatment in November of 2009 when he conducted interviews with ibogaine patients at ibogaine clinics in northern Baja California, Mexico and collected data for the purpose of studying changes in Quality of Life for those patients.  The Ibogaine first person experience blog that was read can be found here: http://www.paijealexandra.com/prose/2016/5/2/the-world And to visit host Zach Leary's site please visit - www.zachleary.com  

Live from Psychedelic Science '17 in Oakland, this panel explores the future of psychiatry in the psychedelic context. In this conversational panel format, the conversation discucces with great candor and honesty all the pros, cons, triumphs and setbacks that have occurred within the last 10 years. Dr. Summergrad and Dr. Insel both share their experiences from the mental health and patient-doctor perspective.  Moderated by George Goldsmith and featuring Paul Summergrad, MD, and Thomas Insel, MD. George Goldsmith is a co-founder and director of COMPASS – a non-profit medical research organisation dedicated to accelerating access to evidence-led innovation in mental health and wellbeing. George’s early training and experience was a blend of cognitive psychology, clinical psychology and computer science. Paul Summergrad, M.D., is the Dr. Frances S. Arkin professor and chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine and psychiatrist-in-chief at Tufts Medical Center. Thomas Roland Insel is an American neuroscientist and psychiatrist who led the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) from 2002 until November 2015. Prior to becoming Director of NIMH, he was the founding Director of the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.