Psychedelic Medicine Podcast with Dr. Lynn Marie Morski

James Fadiman, PhD, was a part of the first wave of pioneering psychedelic researchers in the 1960s in the US. He’s the co-founder of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, now known as Sofia University, and he’s the author of several well-known psychedelics books, including The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide. From his initial rediscovery of microdosing and developing a protocol based on early reports, Dr. Fadiman teamed up with Dr. Sophia Korb to record and pattern-map the microdosing experiences of several thousand individuals from 51 countries. In this episode, Dr. Fadiman answers listener-submitted questions regarding microdosing psilocybin and LSD. He discussed dosing recommendations, tolerance, microdosing's general effects on healthy normals, and its specific effects on a number of conditions, ranging from depression to PMS. He also covered a variety of additional areas where people benefit from microdosing, including academic performance and athletics.  In the last part of the episode, Dr. Fadiman discusses his new book, Your Symphony of Selves. He points out that we have not one, but a multitude of selves, and that we can learn to shift between them consciously. Further following this idea, he illustrates how we can save a lot of mental distress by not over-identifying with any particular one of our selves, and how we can extend that concept to those around us. This helps us not only forgive others when one of their selves may have acted in a displeasing way but also helps us forgive and go easy on ourselves when we act in a way that we later find distressing or shameful.   In this episode: The reported benefits and risks of microdosing psilocybin mushrooms and LSD. Whether someone’s height and weight makes a difference on their dosage. The overwhelming number of those suffering from depression who reported significant improvements in their survey. Why microdosing may not be advisable for those with anxiety. Dr. Fadminan reports on study findings regarding conditions including depression, PMS, migraine headaches, and bipolar    Quotes: “A lot of people have found that when they’re tapering off of an SSRI, which means taking it down very, very slowly over a period of maybe a couple of months from full dose to zero, that microdosing helps. That makes it easier. Makes it maybe even a little faster.” [14:13] “I’m an enthusiast for the effect of microdosing, but I never recommend that anyone microdose. That’s a personal decision based on information, but the nice thing is the risk/reward ratio, which is how dangerous versus how beneficial. It’s very good for microdosing. Meaning, if you take it, it’s very low risk, and yeah, from the reports, we have a lot of possibility of benefits.” [35:00] “What we’ve found is that about 80% of the people who come in with heavy depression, and again, most of them having failed medications or other therapies, we’ve about an 80% turnaround rate where they’re not depressed. That’s really striking.” [42:00] “They (students) say: “Microdosing is very much like Adderall, except with none of the very disturbing side effects.” Adderall includes crashing, by the way. And addiction.” [49:18] “Individual neurons in the laboratory, exposed to microdoses, grow into more healthy, more complex neurons with more dendrites, meaning more communication capacity.” [52:17] In discussing his new book, Your Symphony of Selves: “The inconsistencies you see in yourself and particularly in the people you love are not inconsistencies. It is that they have several selves, and you do too. And if you begin to think in that way, curiously, the world becomes easier. You understand things differently and you are kinder to yourself and more compassionate to others.” [1:10:43]   Links: Psychedelic Medicine AssociationMicrodosing Psychedelics  James Fadiman’s website and email: jfadiman@gmail.com Cluster Busters - treatment for cluster headaches Get 20% off everything at Octagon Biolabs with coupon code 'plantmedicine' Porangui Studies mentioned:Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity Books Mentioned: A Really Good Day by Ayelet Waldman The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide by James Fadiman PhD Your Symphony of Selves by James Fadiman PhD, Jordan Gruber JD

Mike Salemi is a certified kambo practitioner who utilizes a completely holistic approach when guiding and supporting his clients toward accessing their own inner wisdom to heal and grow. His motivation is to help all people discover their true potential from the inside out. In this episode, Mike discusses what a kambo ceremony looks & feels like, and how to both prepare for it beforehand and integrate it afterward. Mike shares how he was first introduced to kambo as “the warrior’s medicine” and the comprehensive training he underwent to be able to hold space for others. He also gives an overview of the uses of two other plant medicines called rapé and sananga. Kambo is an intense experience and Mike discusses who may benefit and who may be better served by other medicines. He also covers the importance of movement before the ceremony, the dietary recommendations for before and after kambo, and why it’s wise to find an experienced practitioner with whom you feel safe.

Neurobiologist Caitlin Thompson is a certified kambo practitioner, administering unique traditional frog medicine rituals. Caitlin is also the founder of a nutritional supplement company called EntheoZen. She’s an independent scientific researcher and research associate at UCSD School of Medicine and is currently conducting research on the potential of psychedelic compounds as a novel approach to autoimmune conditions as well as the first human kambo studies. In this episode, Caitlin Thompson discusses what we know and what we don’t know about kambo is and how it actually works. Having served kambo over 800 times, she shares the physiological and psychological changes people undergo when they experience the cocktail of peptides present in kambo. Caitlin also discusses the progress being made on creating synthetic variations of kambo. She explains how she’s observed kambo to be most effective for those who have insufficient detox pathways and usually have trouble clearing out metals, mold toxins and toxins in general, and those who have fairly low neurotransmitter production. She also discusses how she titrates dosages in her ceremonies.   In this episode: Where the kambo secretions come from and what ethical harvests are like. Why Caitlin uses the minimum effective dose as a kambo practitioner How leaky gut can lead to a herxheimer reaction after kambo use How often you may want to  use kambo depending on your specific needs How kambo may be useful for those with chronic illness, autoimmune disorders, Lyme disease, and Epstein-Barr.   Quotes: “I suffered with a chronic illness for most of my life and I sort of stumbled upon this [kambo] practice and accidentally started recovering from it. And the contrast between recovering from the illness and noticing how sick I used to be was quite startling. And that gap got bigger and bigger as time went on.” [4:00] “They [tribal hunters] would find that it [kambo] is a bit of an adaptogenic sort of substance with increased resilience, endurance and alleged reduced need for food or water, and I’ve also heard something about it covering their human scent, allowing them to hide from animals more effectively.” [17:30] “I try not to be dogmatic about anything but it’s hard because [...] it’s really great for inflammatory and immune dysfunction conditions, especially when there’s a psychosomatic element to it.” [33:45]  “The kambo interfaces with the chemical systems that are the interface between our spirit and our physiology. I think psychedelics hit on that as well. They work with these molecular systems, these receptor-sites that happen to sort of tickle where the soul meets the meat. I see these amazing emotional and spiritual resolutions happen for people that results in these physiological and biological cascades throughout the body.”  [35:10]   Links: Get 20% off everything at Octagon Biolabs (octagonbiolabs.com) with coupon code 'plantmedicine' Medicine Frog kambo - Caitlin’s Practice EntheoZen - Caitlin’s Supplement Company International Association of kambo Practitioners Porangui

Lucrecia has been on a long healing journey, both physically and spiritually. Physically, she had endured a number of chronic issues, like celiac disease and exposure to mold toxicity. She had felt like she had tried it all and did not know what else to do. In talking with some ayahuasca practitioners, she was introduced to a Kambo practitioner. Even though the intense experience of Kambo seemed scary for her, she was in a place where she was willing to try anything. At first, her physician recommended that she not try it and she concurred. Later, she found herself to be so depressed that she was willing to act irrespective of her physician’s recommendation. In having done so three different times (including once the day before this episode was recorded), she experienced such a significant reduction and even disappearance in her chronic migraines, gut, skin, and immune system issues that her own doctor voiced interest in trying Kambo as well.   In this episode: What Kambo is, and the fact that it is already a legally allowed medicine How Lucrecia came to discover and trust her Kambo practitioner The intake process, preparation, experience, and after-effects of her Kambo journeys How physically-demanding (and rewarding) Kambo can be Why Kambo is not considered to be psychedelic   Quotes:  “The after-glow was so amazing. I finished the ceremony and I went home. I sat in silence for an hour - which is very uncommon for me. It wasn’t even a meditation, I was just sitting there, empty; which was a really nice break from myself, which doesn’t happen very often. After that hour, I grabbed my journal and started writing things down and suddenly, I just got this burst of energy, and I felt happy and clear and light. After feeling so crappy for so long, where it was really hard to get out of bed, this was amazing!” [19:16] “I was having chronic migraines, (after the Kambo ceremony) those started going away. A lot of the gut issues -I was having severe food allergies and sensitivities- and those calmed down too. It’s like my whole immune system relaxed ." [20:30] “Kambo is not psychedelic at all. At all. Which is different. Usually, with Ayahuasca, there’s a purging but then it’s like you’ve got these cool insights and cool visions. No. There is nothing cool with Kambo.” [30:45] Links: Get 20% off everything at Octagon Biolabs (octagonbiolabs.com) with coupon code 'plantmedicine' Learn more about Kambo / find a practitioner - International Association of Kambo Practitioners Porangui

Del Jolly is co-founder and director of Unlimited Sciences, a psychedelic research non-profit. He was the outreach director for the Decriminalize Denver team that passed the historic legislation which decriminalized psilocybin in Denver, leading to a nation-wide movement. Before that, he worked for Charlotte’s Web CBD in business development and is on the board of community advisors for the Realm of Caring, a cannabis non-profit.  Along with research, Unlimited Sciences hosts a webinar series called Unlimited Voices and produces content educating the general public on entheogens. Unlimited Sciences’ first study, in conjunction with Johns Hopkins’ Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, intends to understand how the community is using psilocybin in real-world settings.  The goal of the study is to learn more about the effects of using psilocybin outside of the research setting, and any potential factors that could affect those outcomes. By collecting data from individuals who are already planning to use psilocybin, the researchers aim to investigate variables such as demographics, lifestyle, mindset, and personality traits—as well as characteristics of the experience itself, such as dosage, ingestion method, intention, and setting.  Anyone planning to use psilocybin (single dose; not a microdose regimen) outside a research laboratory in the next 6 months is invited to participate. In this episode: How in five years, Del went from being anti-cannabis to co-founding and directing a psychedelic research non-profit organization. Why community-provided data about how psilocybin is actually being used, and the effects people are experiencing with it, is crucial for informing future research studies. How data points collected through such studies can lead to aligning the financial incentives of insurance companies to support plant-medicine empowered therapies. Quotes: “As we were moving forward with the decriminalize initiative, I just knew and saw that there’s going to be this huge wave of psychedelic naive folks who are going to hear these stories that are going to come out, whether it’s veterans, or smoking cessation, or whatever it might be, and they’re going to need a safe place to land.” (11:01) "I continued to grow my knowledge of plant medicine and then I had a personal experience a couple years ago and that was it. I absolutely knew that there is so much potential in these entheogens, and our choice to not study them will go down as probably one of the biggest crimes against the human race." (16:07) "If you say: “Hey, how can I get involved in this cause? What can I do?” Most people don’t have time to petition, to collect signatures. They don’t have time to start a non-profit. Their focus is on other things but this is very important to them. This study is a really good opportunity to anonymously provide information on how you’re using psilocybin."  (21:18) "People are not using psilocybin in a lab, on a couch, with one or two therapists. They don’t. It’s not happening. This way of collecting information allows us to see how the community is using it, what does that look like, and what can we learn from that type of information?" (22:18) "It’s not our role to get people to vote for psilocybin. It’s more our role to make sure they’re not necessarily voting against it, just like for me (referring to his past), if you’re on the fence, just stay there. If you don’t know, just stay on the fence. Don’t jump on one side because it’s what you think you’re supposed to do." (38:29)   Links: Participate in the Unlimited Sciences/Johns Hopkins psilocybin research study  Unlimited Sciences website Unlimited Voices webinar series Follow Unlimited Science on Instagram Get 20% off everything at Octagon Biolabs with coupon code 'plantmedicine Follow The Plant Medicine Podcast on Instagram Porangui

Chris Timmermann, PhD, is a researcher at Imperial College, where he conducted the first neuroimaging studies of DMT in healthy volunteers and its potential for mental health interventions. He is also conducting research concerning the effects that psychedelics have on belief systems and the ethical implications associated with the mainstreaming of these substances. In this episode, Chris Timmerman discusses what happens neurologically when DMT is administered. He talks about his research into neuroimaging and how the brainwaves change during DMT experiences, and how those changes can help elucidate some of the mechanisms of psychedelic states. He also breaks down the concept of cortical activation and how DMT experiences lead to a pattern of cortical activation that mimics that of visual stimulation. Dr. Timmerman also discusses how DMT experiences are often compared to what happens to the body when it has a near-death experience. He explains some of the difficulties of studying these effects and how to ethically study the phenomenon of near-death experiences. In addition to his work on DMT, Dr. Timmerman also shares some of his research on the impact of music in psychedelic therapy, and how it can help comfort people facing trauma.   In this episode: How DMT interacts with our physiology Current scientific research on DMT The correlation between DMT and near-death experiences How alpha, delta and theta brain waves are affected by DMT Why people think DMT use can lead to tolerance The role of music in psychedelic therapy What psychedelic apprenticeships are and how they can help with healing Quotes: "DMT is incredibly unique because it is able to generate simulations of sorts. The level of immersion is radical, complete. People with their eyes closed, they feel kind of detached from their environment, but they are experiencing a world of experience." [5:52] "We developed a map of this DMT story for each participant. We found three main components: one there was a visual component in the experience, we found a bodily component [a somatic effect], and an emotional effect. And we found that these different parts of the DMT story - the visual, the bodily, and the emotional - had different brain signatures." [18:55] "There have been some animal studies, or very promising ones, in which not only DMT but also LSD and ketamine has been shown to have important properties associated with neurogenesis." [35:09] "The use of psychedelics by western populations is fairly new. We don't have that know-how or that expertise like some indigenous cultures, has for generations." [46:49]   Links: Get 20% off everything at Octagon Biolabs (octagonbiolabs.com) with coupon code 'plantmedicine' Follow Dr. Timmerman on Twitter Follow Dr. Timmerman (and check out his music) on InstagramFollow Chris on Instagram and listen to his music Center for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College Porangui

Adam Meredith is an entrepreneur, podcasting consultant, speaker, photographer, health and movement coach, martial artist, and retired pro fighter based in St. Louis, MO. In addition to hosting Outside Perspective, Adam is also the founder and CEO of Imposed Will, a lifestyle brand dedicated to empowering others to impose their will on life, through mental strength and healthy habits. In this week's episode, Adam goes into detail about what he experienced during multiple DMT journeys. He talks about how intense his first experience was and what he felt in the DMT space. He also compares how different his later experiences were.  Initially, Adam avoided setting expectations for his DMT experiences. However, he shares how it has helped him develop his spirituality and realize that he was more than just his physical body.   In this episode: What a DMT journey can be like and what Adam experienced How DMT can vary between experiences. The benefits of having a guide for a first time experience. How DMT can help promote religious experiences   Quotes:    “I feel like expectations are the quickest way to disappointment. So it's like, I just wanted to be open to the experience and see what I actually get from it.” [7:25] "I look on the walls and I'm seeing the geometric patterns and all of a sudden I'm just yanked away from this physical space." [10:12] “This is a place that you can go to, and we are a part of that thing, whatever that is. Whether you call it the universe, you can call it God, you can call it energy, it's like, there is a whole lot more going on than we really understand, and maybe we will never be able to explain it with science, but it's there." [25:12]   Links: Get 20% off everything at Octagon Biolabs (octagonbiolabs.com) with coupon code 'plantmedicine' Outside Perspective Podcast Follow Adam on Instagram Follow Outside Perspective Podcast on Instagram DMT: The Spiritual Molecule Porangui

Michael "Zappy" Zapolin and Warren Gumpel co-founded The Ketamine Fund, a 501(c)(3), that provides free ketamine treatments to veterans suffering from PTSD or having suicidal ideations, with the mission of lowering suicide rates by 75 percent. The Ketamine Fund has donated more than 400 free treatments to veterans suffering from PTSD. In this week’s episode, Zappy and Warren share their stories, and what led them to advocate for ketamine treatments. Noticing how expensive this therapy can be, Zappy and Warren wanted to help veterans who would benefit the most by subsidizing this treatment. Zappy and Warren also discuss some additional projects they work on to increase awareness of ketamine treatments, such as their upcoming documentary about Lamar Odom and their work with the Mind Army Movement. They also talk about why a proper ketamine facilitator is so important and how certain ketamine treatments are not as effective due to underdosing.    In this episode: How Zappy and Warren became involved in advocating for ketamine. Their upcoming documentary about Lamar Odom and how ketamine helped him in his recovery. How ketamine addresses trauma and how it’s helping soldiers with PTSD. How the Ketamine Fund is supporting soldiers through partnerships with treatment centers in the US.   Quotes: “After my ketamine treatments, my depression and anxiety were gone. Nothing had ever happened so quickly and so miraculously.” [7:29] "Probably the most beautiful thing about ketamine is it needs the least integration of what I've seen because some of the plant medicine takes a long time." [18:50] “It became very apparent to us that one of the most underserved communities in this country that deserves it [ketamine treatment] is the veteran community.” [25:38] "We think if we can fund that [the Ketamine Fund] properly, and then anybody in the country who says that they're having suicidal ideation; we can get them into a clinic, in our network, within 24 hours in a clinic and get a free treatment." [40:10]   Links: Ketamine Fund Odom Reborn The Reality of Truth Considering Taking Psychedelics During the Quarantine?  Porangui

Mike Jay is an author who has written widely on the history of science and medicine. His books include High Society: Mind-Altering Drugs in History and Culture and his latest, Mescaline: A Global History of the First Psychedelic. In this episode, Mike discusses his research into mescaline and its extended history. Mike shares the cultural significance of huachuma and peyote for indigenous tribes in Mexico and Peru dating back over 3000 years. He also talks about western research into mescaline starting in the 19th century, and even mentions how peyote was almost incorporated into the Mormon Church! Mescaline is considered a class A drug by many countries, and Mike discusses some of the legal "blurry areas" based on different types of cacti containing it.  He also covers the environmental impact of improperly harvesting peyote, how industrial mining is destroying peyote’s environment, and what native tribes in Mexico are doing to protect this endangered plant. In this episode: The origins of mescaline-related terms including san pedro, huachuma, and peyote.  The traditional uses of huachuma and peyote. How mescaline was discovered and what led to its criminalization. The differences between peyote and huachuma. Why peyote is endangered and what is being done to protect it. Quotes: “All those kind of great early accounts of peyote from the 1890s are all very full-on, first-person (what we would call trip reports), written by people who are often doctors, but who are also often poets and writers. People who are very, very good at medical description. So these are kind of beautiful pieces of psychedelic literature.” [6:14] "There are reports from the 17th/18th century of villages where everybody would get together, usually around a fire, usually at night. peyote would be passed around and people would sing and dance through the night." [21:04] “Your average cactus supplier, or sometimes even your cactus garden center will have huachuma. So the legal status of the cactus is kind of blurry.” [25:38] "We kind of go, 'Oh Psychedelics! That story started in the '60s or '50s.' If you look at mescaline it's like, no. I mean there are western stories starting way back in the 19th century." [36:50]   Links: Get 20% off everything at Octagon Biolabs (octagonbiolabs.com) with coupon code 'plantmedicine' Mike Jay’s Website Follow Mike Jay on Twitter Fundraiser for Peyote Conservation and Cultivation Mescaline: A Global History of the First Psychedelic Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians Porangui

Tah Whitty spent 25 years as a nurse in emergency medicine, and Kole Whitty has spent 17 years educating professionals about life’s addictions. Together, they have 17 years of combined experience in various shamanic traditions, guiding performance-driven entrepreneurs.  In this week’s episode, Tah and Kole discuss how their paths led to facilitating huachuma (San Pedro) ceremonies. While they both were initially resistant to using plant medicine, they discovered how impactful huachuma ceremonies can be to resolve pent up trauma.  Tah and Cole describe huachuma as more gentle compared to other plant medicines, though the effects of the medicine can often be present for 10-12 hours. They also discuss the pre-journey intake process, the preparation and support that goes into a participant’s experience, and the post-care support to help integrate the experience into their healing journey.  In addition to explaining the huachuma ceremony, Tah and Cole talk about trauma and healing. They emphasize the importance of avoiding the Transformation TRAPP (Tirelessly Repeating A Painful Process) which can be harmful to an individual’s growth, and the importance of being in a state of relaxation to optimize healing.   In this episode: What drew both Tah and Kole to working with huachuma ceremonies  The origin of the terms huachuma and San Pedro. Some common experiences during a huachuma ceremony. The preparation and support facilitators provide before and during a huachuma ceremony, and the necessity of follow up support. The importance of relaxation and the use of TRE(Tension and Trauma Release Exercise) to help the body relax at the beginning of their ceremonies. How modern treatments promote “Transformation TRAPP.” and prevent true healing. Quotes: "When your nervous system is relaxed, you can actually get to the deeper space that you need to get to, and that's where healing takes place the most." [5:03] "You are not controlling the [Mescaline]experience. You are co-creating the experience." [13:03] “The trauma response, physiologically, is your response to an activity. Trauma is not what happens to you, it is how your body and your organism responds.” [27:56] “What does it feel like to be free of the conditioning, of the expectations, of the trauma, and drama? It doesn't mean you stop feeling, it means it stops being so much weight on your wings.” [42:06] "We have had countless people come to us and to work with us, and they're like 'I've got trauma that is holding me back!’ No, what is holding them back is that they are not allowing themselves to have fun." [43:16]   Links: Get 20% off everything at Octagon Biolabs (octagonbiolabs.com) with coupon code 'plantmedicine' Tah and Kole's website Mentor in the Mirror Podcast Take the Get Help Quiz Subscribe to Tah and Kohle’s Texting List by texting ‘Optimize’ to 22999 Follow Tah and Kole on Instagram Find Tah and Kole on Facebook Porangui