Katie Bain reflects on the media's portrayal of Burning Man 2023, Katrina Gordon discusses camp management and resilience, Emily Collins challenges the ethics of a large-scale event in the face of climate change, Matt Sundquist talks about sustainability, and Marian Goodell shares real-time experiences during the storm at Burning Man.

Burning Man's Philosopher Laureate, Caveat Magister, discusses the philosophy of Black Rock City. They explore the meaning of burning, the power of gifting, and the 10 principles. They delve into the challenges of writing about Burning Man and address diversity issues. The conversation emphasizes the importance of facing personal demons and being open about difficult emotions. They also discuss the indescribable impact of Burning Man and the significance of fun and enjoyment at the event.

Max Stossel, an award-winning poet, talks about the creative process, breaking structure, and techniques for getting unstuck creatively. He explores the relationship with the muse, the role of accountability, and the use of AI in creativity. Max also shares exceptional poetry throughout the podcast.

This podcast honors the remarkable grace of Eviatar Frankel, who faced death with wisdom and courage. The podcast features readings from Eviatar's philosophy, interviews with friends, and a voice message. They discuss the concept of facing illness with grace, approaching illness as a ceremony, living with grace and embracing true nature, and the power of self-reflection and boundaries in offering support.

Dennis Walker, Instagram satirist well-known for his roastings of all things psychedelic, talks about the role of satire in social movements. He recaps Psychedelic Science as his popular persona, the narcissistic neo-shaman Don Chad. They discuss how humor keeps psychedelics fun and helps level the playing field.

Today on the show, I'm speaking with the Godfather of ketamine therapy, author of The Ketamine Papers, and creator of the ketamine lozenge, Dr. Phil Wolfson. This episode marks the first time Phil has shared his insights on this mercurial molecule for those who use it recreationally, or as he prefers to term it, "ground use." As Phil stresses on the show, he doesn't condone any illegal behavior and provides his comments strictly for educational purposes. Our conversation starts with Phil's activist experiences in the sixties and his perspective on non-therapeutic use of psychedelics. He unpacks ketamine's unique signature as a dissociative anesthetic and its therapeutic value, specifically focusing on routes of administration. We navigate the realm of non-clinical, or shall I say, festival ketamine use. I had the chance to pose all my burning questions about Special K to Phil, including some of your questions from Instagram. We discuss whether there's a genuine difference between S and R isomers, if one should "spit the drip" to avoid bladder damage, and if frequent ketamine use leads to memory loss. Most importantly, we address the severity of ketamine dependency.  Dr. Wolfson serves as the President and CEO of the Ketamine Research Foundation and spearheads The Ketamine Training Center. He is the author of 'The Ketamine Papers' and 'Noe – A Father/Son Song of Love, Life, Illness, and Death.’ He served as the Principal Investigator for the MAPS study on MDMA treatment for those with life-threatening illnesses. His substantial work in clinical psychiatry and psychedelic medicine spans decades, with interests reaching into politics, secular Buddhism, consciousness, and activism for social and ecological justice. Links Phil Wolfson, MD | Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Ketamine Research Foundation The Ketamine Training Center  The Ketamine Papers: Science, Therapy, and Transformation Noe: A Father-Son Song of Love, Life, Illness, and Death Ketamine Testing Kit From DanceSafe Timestamps :10 - Phil’s experience in the 60s and the idea of “recreational” substance use  :23 - Ketamine’s unique dissociative signature :29 - S & R isomers and why ketamine experiences are so different and the story of the K-Hole :33 - Therapeutic ketamine use and routes of administration :47 - Equity & Access to psychedelics :58 - Is my party ketamine use therapeutic?  1:10 - Does ketamine cause issues with memory?

Today on the show, I'm in conversation with Sophie Strand, the mistress of mycelial masculinity and author of The Flowering Wand. Healthy masculinity has been a passion of mine for years and it was an honor to learn from this neo-troubadour animist and her poetic insights.  During our discussion, we discuss the androgynous rockstar Dionysus, modern misunderstandings of Odysseus, and the theriomorphic archetype of masculinity. Sophie elucidates why healing is always relational and the role of the festival in helping to "wed our wounds to the earth." Sophie's central thesis is that the trouble with masculinity is that it is like a gut dysbiosis and what we need is to give the masculine a big probiotic hug. Sophie Strand is a Hudson Valley-based writer who explores the intersection of spirituality, storytelling, and ecology. She has authored a collection of essays titled “The Flowering Wand: Lunar Kings, Lichenized Lovers, Transpecies Magicians, and Rhizomatic Harpists Heal the Masculine.” She also wrote “The Madonna Secret,” an eco-feminist historical fiction that reimagines the gospels. Links Sophie Strand Sophie Strand (@cosmogyny) • Instagram The Flowering Wand | Book by Sophie Strand The Madonna Secret | Book by Sophie Strand Timestamps :06 - Androgynous rockstar Dionysus :13 - Modern misunderstandings of Odysseus :21 - Why healing is relational :27 - The role of the festival in healing :34 - How we “wed our wounds to the Earth” :39 - How do we heal masculinity :45 - Theriomorph (half man half human) - rich inheritance of masculinity 1:02 - How to learn like Sophie

Kambo, an Amazonian medicine derived from the secretions of the Phyllomedusa bicolor—also known as the giant monkey tree frog—has been instrumental in maintaining my mental health for the past six years. Today's guest, facilitator Jetta Blaine, helps us understand why, and it boils down to peptides. Our episode begins with essential considerations about vetting practitioners and contraindications for sitting with kambo. We then delve into the basics of the medicine and the origin of kambo as an indigenous practice in the Amazon. Following that, Jetta administers two points of dry kambo to me, allowing me to share the experience in real time. We then immerse ourselves in a detailed exploration of the many peptides involved in this Amazonian cocktail. We conclude our conversation with a discussion on ethical considerations, ranging from concerns about animal cruelty to sustainability practices. Jetta Blaine embodies the wounded healer archetype, having personally battled depression, PTSD, and disordered eating. Before discovering kambo, she lived in ashrams and studied yoga, meditation, and bodywork. Jetta is twice certified with Kambo International, a governing body for Western kambo practitioners, and has been serving for the past two years. She sources her medicine from the Matses tribe through Kambo International. Links moonflowerinsights Kambo International International Association of Kambo Practitioners: IAKP Timestamps :05 - Kambo contraindications  :13 - Trust and vetting practitioners :20 - The origin of kambo :31 - Doing dry kambo :42 - Kambo’s many peptides 1:00 - Ethical considerations

Would you believe that carnivals are a crucial element of social movements? Indeed, today's guest, Professor Nick Powers, suggests that by emphasizing fun, sacrilege, and even the grotesque, we can safeguard social justice against dogmatism and self-righteousness, preventing its co-option. During our conversation, Nick and I reminisce about our early days as passionate, albeit somewhat overzealous, young activists. We share our mutual love of Burning Man, where he co-founded the People of Color Camp. Nick unpacks the concept of the "carnivalesque" and categorizes carnivals into three types: reactionary, status quo, and revolutionary. We propose a path forward, using festivals for social change, specifically for three types of individuals: the fervent young activist, the burnt-out revolutionary, and the complacent progressive. We discuss how diversity finally arrived at Burning Man and, lastly, why the white working class is the "prodigal son" of history. Dr. Nicholas Powers, PhD, is a novelist, poet, journalist, and professor based in New York. As a tenured Associate Professor of Literature at SUNY Old Westbury, his political writing has been featured in Truth Out, The Independent Catalyst, Raw Story, Business Insider, Lucid News, The Village Voice, and Vibe. His books include 'Theater of War,' 'The Ground Below Zero: 9/11 to Burning Man, New Orleans to Haiti, and Occupy Wall Street,' and 'Thirst.' It was an honor to visit Nick in his Brooklyn home for this engaging conversation—the first time on this show that we delve deeply into politics while ensuring that life remains a festival. Links Nicholas Powers The Ground Below Zero: 9/11 to Burning Man Carnivalesque - Wikipedia Burners Without Borders Rabelais and His World MANIFESTO OF SURREALISM Winnicot, Playing and Reality Klaus Theweleit’s Male Fantasies vol 1: Men and Women Asata Shakur For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is EnufSherman Alexie – Flight (Chapter 1) Timestamps :09 - How Nick and I were both insufferable young activists… and went to Burning Man :27 - Carnivalesque: Reactionary, Status Quo, and Revolutionary Carnivals :44 - The path forward for y the fiery young activist, the burnt out revolutionary, and the complacent progressive :54 - How diversity arrived at the Burn 1:04 - Resources to better understand the Revolutionary Carnival 1:14 - The white working class as the prodigal son of history

Today is National Fentanyl Awareness Day, and I believe this issue to be the most pressing concern facing our community of cognitive liberty. I use drugs and psychedelics to explore my consciousness, and many of the people I love do the same. The issue of fentanyl adulteration and the 100,000 deaths categorized as overdoses in 2020 indicate that this problem affects us all. I personally have friends who have died from fentanyl adulteration. In this episode, I am reposting a conversation I had with Mitchell Gomez, the director of DanceSafe. Our original podcast was longer, covering various topics before concluding with a discussion about fentanyl. I've shortened that episode, focusing entirely on what we can do about fentanyl: understanding why it appears in various drugs, the importance of testing all drugs, how to test them, why we should carry Narcan, and how to use it. Essentially, this is a comprehensive PSA about fentanyl. Mitchell serves as the Executive Director for DanceSafe, a Denver-based 501(c)(3) organization focused on health education and harm reduction. He also works as a Harm Reduction Consultant at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. Mitchell has held positions on the CU Denver MURPAA (Master of Urban and Regional Planning Alumni Association) board, the Jefferson County Community Development Advisory Board, and the Denver Drug Strategy Commission Data Subcommittee. If you're someone like me who enjoys using drugs that are unfortunately subject to misguided prohibition, it's crucial for you to know this information. That's why I'm sharing it again today. LINKS Mitchell Gomez: http://www.mitchellgomez.com/ Dancesafe: https://dancesafe.org/ Fentanyl Test Strips – Pack Of 10: https://dancesafe.org/product/fentanyl-test-strips-pack-of-10-free-shipping/ Dancesafe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dancesafe_/ Mitchell Gomez Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MitchellGomezAcamapichtli Prohibition-Driven Misrepresentation and How We Can Fix It Together: https://maps.org/news/bulletin/prohibition-driven-misrepresentation/ Finding Carcan: https://www.narcan.com/ NARCAN training video - Instructions for administration of NARCAN® Nasal Spray 4mg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGdUFMrCRh4 TIMESTAMPS :07 - What is “harm reduction” :11 - An “overdose” is actually a “prohibition created drug adulteration deaths” :16 - Why we’re seeing Fentanyl adulteration in non-opioid markets :30  - Use Fentanyl strips to test your whole bag :44 - How to get and use Narcan