The Second Wave
Pre-order Hero's Dose: The Case for Psychedelics in Ritual and Therapy
Watching the debate last night, my wife kept cheering when Kamala Harris turned to Mike Pence to tell him to stop interrupting her. The word “kept” is important. My wife has often told me about being constantly cut off by men in work situations, which has persisted throughout her career. Watching a powerful woman—which Senator Harris certainly is—take control was satisfying, to say the least. Why isn’t she on top of the ticket; again?
Oh, yeah. Politics.
But I’m fully with Biden, as we need to get this tyrant out of here asap.
We discuss this, as well as a whole lot of other topics, on Conspirituality 20. Matthew offers an especially moving segment on the charismatic leaders of cults, relating the subversive techniques used by men like Michael Roach and Bikram Chaudhury to Trump. He also points out their very real moral and physical failings.
I was excited to talk with musician Ben Lee, who is featured in the second half of the podcast. He’s been using his social media presence to speak out against QAnon and other vermin scratching at the door of the wellness industry and divulged his own sordid past being indoctrinated into cults. It was a powerful talk.
We also discuss Yoga Journal’s recent article about QAnon in the yoga world and are grateful they included our podcast in the discussion.
PRE-ORDER HERO’S DOSE FOR KINDLE (PAPERBACK OUT ON MONDAY)
Psychedelic rituals have given societies meaning for thousands of years. The plants and fungi known as psychedelics were showing tremendous mental health benefits in the 1950s and 60s.
Suddenly, they were outlawed.
A half-century later, a renaissance has begun. In Hero’s Dose, journalist Derek Beres explores his quarter-century journey with psychedelics and reviews the latest science on their role in mental health treatments. He investigates the reasons psychedelics were demonized, questioning why psychiatry turned its back on this promising field of research. Beres also considers the protocols psychedelics could replace by looking at antidepressants with a critical eye. He makes a convincing case that ritual and therapy are synonymous with optimal mental health, and that psychedelics are uniquely qualified to address some of the greatest social problems of our age.
Paid Substack subscribers not only get a weekly Monday newsletter with original writing and reporting on mental and physical health (and occasional other topics), they also get free access to my monthly Zoom yoga workshops, like the next one below.
Hip Deep: EarthRise Yoga Zoom Workshop
Sunday 10.12.20 | 11:30-1 PM PST | $15 / Free for Substack subscribers
Let’s face it: it’s a heavy month during a dark time. Yoga has been there for me to process my emotions for decades. I never feel calmer than after a strong flow with plenty of deep hip work. So that’s what we’ll focus on this month. Register here.
My latest yoga mixtape is out now!
