Reflections on ESC & the Psychedelic Renaissance
ESC is a nonprofit launched in late 2013 and dedicated to “assuring the sustainability and safe use of traditional plants,” of which ayahuasca has been the clear priority thus far. All in all, ESC seems well-intentioned. So what are 17 experts (now 62) from Canada, Brazil, the UK, Australia, Costa Rica, Mexico, the US, and Colombia up in arms about?
Rick Doblin: Hippie of the Year
If Rick was going to run an organization dedicated to providing “rigorous scientific evaluation of the risks and benefits” of MDMA, he was going to have to learn how to do rigorous science. He set out to teach himself.
Buddhism and Psychedelics
In 2012, an important discussion took place between Rev. Kokyo Henkel and James Fadiman, Ph.D. on the intersections between psychedelic experience and Buddhist practice and insight.
Psychedelic Conference Aims High With Science
The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies is bringing together presenters from all over
the globe, April 18-23 in Oakland, California. The
conference will focus to a great extent on clinical research into the
use of psychedelic drugs for a wide variety of health needs.
The State of Psychedelic Research: A Talk with Rick Doblin
Recently, I met Rick Doblin, founder of the Multidisciplinary Assocation of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), for my research on the role of set and setting in the psychedelic debate of the 1960s. In this interview, Doblin discusses the current state and future of scientific psychedelic research.
Two Psychedelic Conferences a World Apart
Over the course of two consecutive weekends, I flew between
Entheogenesis Australis (EGA), Australia's premier gathering of
psychedelic pioneers, and Cartographie Psychedelica, a California-based
conference celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Multidisciplinary
Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). These are some of my
observations.
A Manifesto at the Burner Apocalypse
Burning
Man is creating the conditions for
interdimensional technology to manifest, which will in turn provide the
tools needed to unlock the secrets of eternal life. A spore
unpacks its DNA when it finds its fertile soil. Burning Man is the spore. The Rainbow Gathering is the soil.
Mapping the Horizons
On September 25th, Twilight, a benefit party for MAPS will illuminate Sullivan Hall in NYC with live music, art, dancing, and updates on psychedelic research.
MAPS Media
A flood of media coverage about the recent MAPS conference points to a shift in mainstream attitudes towards psychedelics.