ARCHIVE

#34 – Psychedelic Anarchy with Thought Slime

Psymposia sits down with Thought Slime to chat about carving out a leftist space in psychedelia.

The Third Wave’s Paul Austin Has Been Accused of Stealing Information For His Psychedelic Provider Directory

The Third Wave copied information from Psychedelic.Support and MAPS Integration List without permission to use for its own directory.

MAPS Canada’s “Clarifying Misinformation” Letter by Mark Haden is Full of Misinformation

In response to Psymposia's reporting on outgoing MAPS Canada Executive Director Mark Haden's resignation following a year full of controversies, Haden published a statement entitled “Clarifying Misinformation” that was full of misinformation and factual inaccuracies. In the following article, we set the record straight.

#33 – Queering psychedelics and tripping out on gender with Jae Sevelius

Psymposia advisory board member and psychedelic researcher, Jae Sevelius, joins us to talk about queer theory, psychedelic research with transgender and gender diverse people, and what happens when political assumptions go unexamined in both research contexts and the world at large. Drawing on the work of Dr. Sevelius, as well as Dr. Devenot and Dr. Ross, we discuss some of the ways that research and social relations reproduce the logic of mainstream culture, and how queering acts as barrier to and disruption of that reproduction.

#32 – It’s All Red Flags: 5-MeO-DMT with Dr. Martin Ball

Psymposia editors discuss Dr. Martin Ball’s “session info” document that the retired 5-MeO-DMT practitioner sent to Psymposia. Dr. Ball has referenced the document in defense of his practices and cites it as evidence that his clients consented to him touching their genitals or vomiting on them while under the influence of 5-MeO-DMT.

COMPASS Pathways Is Trying to Patent Psilocybin for More Mental Health Conditions Than You Can Name

News that COMPASS Pathways is attempting to patent psychedelic therapy room specifications and therapist behaviors started an online firestorm about the company’s “monopolistic and shady behaviors,” but so far the debates have missed the biggest threats lurking in COMPASS’s international patent applications.

“Acid Revival” portrays a resurrected scientific field, notably more conservative than its historic predecessor

Through candid interviews with modern psychedelic researchers, Danielle Giffort’s "Acid Revival" presents a profession obsessed with how it is perceived by mainstream audiences and desperate not to repeat the “mistakes” of the 1960s.

After a Year of Controversy, MAPS Canada Executive Director Mark Haden Announces Resignation

During a Psymposia investigation into the alarming 5-MeO-DMT practices of Dr. Martin Ball, Mark Haden announced his resignation from MAPS Canada.

#31 – Alex Zaitchik on Degrowth and Big Pharma

Psymposia Advisory Board member Alex Zaitchik drops in to chat about his work and experiences as an investigative journalist with a critical analysis of capitalism. Alex has covered topics ranging from the effects of extractive industry on Indigenous communities, to the existential need for degrowth, and the economics of vaccine development.

Turn Off Your Mind, Relax—and Float Right-Wing?

On January 6th, 2021 at least two psychedelic heads stormed the United States Capitol. Strange as it may seem, those adhering to right-wing politics haven’t just established a beachhead in the psychedelic renaissance—they’re maneuvering to own it.

Timothy Leary’s Castalia Foundation Has Been Co-opted to Promote Conspiracy Theories about COVID and Elite Pedophile Rings

The Castalia Foundation — originally founded in part by Timothy Leary — "resurfaced" in 2020 with anti-mask content, praise for Donald Trump, and paranoid discussion around the sexual abuse of children. 

#30 – Giving a F*ck About People Who Use Drugs with Yarelix Estrada

In this episode, we're joined by our new advisory board member Yarelix Estrada to discuss her experiences with organizing psychedelic societies, psychedelic exceptionalism, and harm reduction on the streets of New York. Yarelix shares insights from her formal and practical training in public health as well as her interactions with frontline communities and her personal experiences.

#29 – The Tesla of Mental Health?

Brian Normand and David Nickles are joined by Psymposia Senior Writer Russell Hausfeld to discuss MindMed's CEO, Jamon Rahn's, recent claims that his company "may be creating effectively the Tesla of mental health,” and that the company is now a "$1B+ Unicorn.”

Psychedelic Authoritarianism Harm Reduction: “QAnon Shaman” Edition

Jake Angeli's tattoos provide a lens into how fascists and white supremacists have appropriated aspects of Pagan/Heathen culture and spirituality.

#28 – Qoup At The Qapitol: Q’mon Man

In this episode, we discuss a prominent participant in the bumbling coup attempt of January 6: "QAnon Shaman" Jake Angeli. Along with a coalition of Donald Trump supporters and assorted right wing ideologues, Angeli stormed the Capitol following a speech by Trump. Featuring a dissection of an "Ascension Masterclass" that was hosted on Angeli's now-deleted Star Seed Academy Facebook page, we (once again) wade into the disturbing world of psychedelic authoritarianism.

Jake Angeli: The Psychedelic Guru Who Stormed The Capitol

Capitol insurrectionist Jake Angeli is a self-appointed psychedelic guru who has opined about the urgent need for psychedelic shamanism to heal the world’s biggest problems.

Psymposia 2020 Staff Book Picks

The Psymposia staff reflects on some of the books that kept us company throughout 2020, which we'd like to recommend to our readers for 2021. The list includes works of intersectional analysis, psychedelic history, surveillance capitalism, and more. We hope you appreciate these insights as much as we do.

#27 – The Thought Leader and the Critic

This episode explores the rise of self-styled “thought leaders” within the psychedelic community, using Anand Giridharadas’ book “Winners Take All” as a jumping off point. Although people have been on the conference circuit for years, the recent explosion of capital investments means that there’s an unprecedented potential for money, celebrity, and status in the space.

Livestream #2: Team trip reports and experiential typewriters

Weeoo weeoo livestream alert for Thursday, December 17th at 8PM ET!!. Last time we popped bottles and jammed in the comments - come hang out with us again for some reflections on 2020.

Christopher Valore (AKA The Architect) talks “Conductor,” His Virtual-Reality, Psychedelic-Visual Sandbox Platform

Christopher Valore discusses his love of virtual reality; the early days of his company, Club Transcendia; and development of his first official release, “Conductor.”

#26 – Livestream: The Gang Goes Non-Profit

We kicked off the start of our ongoing livestreams with the announcement of Psymposia's 501(c)(3) non-profit status, discussions of corporadelic dynamics, fond memories of helping people learn how to extract psychedelic drugs during an Ivy League University's psychedelic conference, and a whole bunch of back and forth with the audience about the current state (and future) of psychedelia.

#25 – Press Release: Plus Three found to have neuroprotective effects against corporadelic BS

In this episode we explore the myriad of problems that result from media outlets treating corporate press releases as though they're legitimate news sources, rather than advertisements. We examine "science by press release" cases ranging from psychedelic pharmaceutical firms who claim their barely-studied compounds are superior to (and safer than) psilocybin (one of the safest psychoactive compounds in the human pharmacopoeia), to students who claimed Oreos were as addictive as cocaine, to pineal DMT, cold fusion, and more.

#24 – From Mining to Mushrooms

Recorded live at the Capital Psychedelic Summit, hosted virtually in Washington D.C., Russell Hausfeld joins Brian Normand and David Nickles to discuss the infiltration of the psychedelic pharmaceutical industry by companies, investors, and executives from extractive industry. This episode explores the destructive nature of extractive industry and the effects of introducing those dynamics into psychedelia. If the same people destroying Indigenous lands told you they believed in "sacred reciprocity," would you believe them?

Thea Riofrancos on the Implications of Global Energy Transition and the Impacts of Lithium Extraction

Thea Riofrancos is a political scientist whose research has focused on political conflict related to extraction, energy, and infrastructure in a rapidly warming and politically unstable world. She also serves on the steering committee for Democratic Socialists of America for a Green New Deal.

The Big & Dandy List of Psychedelic-Mining-Extractive-Industry Ties

This list is by no means exhaustive, but it spotlights a number of psychedelic pharmaceutical companies and executives with ties to extractive industry.


ARCHIVE

#34 – Psychedelic Anarchy with Thought Slime

Psymposia sits down with Thought Slime to chat about carving out a leftist space in psychedelia.

The Third Wave’s Paul Austin Has Been Accused of Stealing Information For His Psychedelic Provider Directory

The Third Wave copied information from Psychedelic.Support and MAPS Integration List without permission to use for its own directory.

MAPS Canada’s “Clarifying Misinformation” Letter by Mark Haden is Full of Misinformation

In response to Psymposia's reporting on outgoing MAPS Canada Executive Director Mark Haden's resignation following a year full of controversies, Haden published a statement entitled “Clarifying Misinformation” that was full of misinformation and factual inaccuracies. In the following article, we set the record straight.

#33 – Queering psychedelics and tripping out on gender with Jae Sevelius

Psymposia advisory board member and psychedelic researcher, Jae Sevelius, joins us to talk about queer theory, psychedelic research with transgender and gender diverse people, and what happens when political assumptions go unexamined in both research contexts and the world at large. Drawing on the work of Dr. Sevelius, as well as Dr. Devenot and Dr. Ross, we discuss some of the ways that research and social relations reproduce the logic of mainstream culture, and how queering acts as barrier to and disruption of that reproduction.

#32 – It’s All Red Flags: 5-MeO-DMT with Dr. Martin Ball

Psymposia editors discuss Dr. Martin Ball’s “session info” document that the retired 5-MeO-DMT practitioner sent to Psymposia. Dr. Ball has referenced the document in defense of his practices and cites it as evidence that his clients consented to him touching their genitals or vomiting on them while under the influence of 5-MeO-DMT.

COMPASS Pathways Is Trying to Patent Psilocybin for More Mental Health Conditions Than You Can Name

News that COMPASS Pathways is attempting to patent psychedelic therapy room specifications and therapist behaviors started an online firestorm about the company’s “monopolistic and shady behaviors,” but so far the debates have missed the biggest threats lurking in COMPASS’s international patent applications.

“Acid Revival” portrays a resurrected scientific field, notably more conservative than its historic predecessor

Through candid interviews with modern psychedelic researchers, Danielle Giffort’s "Acid Revival" presents a profession obsessed with how it is perceived by mainstream audiences and desperate not to repeat the “mistakes” of the 1960s.

After a Year of Controversy, MAPS Canada Executive Director Mark Haden Announces Resignation

During a Psymposia investigation into the alarming 5-MeO-DMT practices of Dr. Martin Ball, Mark Haden announced his resignation from MAPS Canada.

#31 – Alex Zaitchik on Degrowth and Big Pharma

Psymposia Advisory Board member Alex Zaitchik drops in to chat about his work and experiences as an investigative journalist with a critical analysis of capitalism. Alex has covered topics ranging from the effects of extractive industry on Indigenous communities, to the existential need for degrowth, and the economics of vaccine development.

Turn Off Your Mind, Relax—and Float Right-Wing?

On January 6th, 2021 at least two psychedelic heads stormed the United States Capitol. Strange as it may seem, those adhering to right-wing politics haven’t just established a beachhead in the psychedelic renaissance—they’re maneuvering to own it.

Timothy Leary’s Castalia Foundation Has Been Co-opted to Promote Conspiracy Theories about COVID and Elite Pedophile Rings

The Castalia Foundation — originally founded in part by Timothy Leary — "resurfaced" in 2020 with anti-mask content, praise for Donald Trump, and paranoid discussion around the sexual abuse of children. 

#30 – Giving a F*ck About People Who Use Drugs with Yarelix Estrada

In this episode, we're joined by our new advisory board member Yarelix Estrada to discuss her experiences with organizing psychedelic societies, psychedelic exceptionalism, and harm reduction on the streets of New York. Yarelix shares insights from her formal and practical training in public health as well as her interactions with frontline communities and her personal experiences.

#29 – The Tesla of Mental Health?

Brian Normand and David Nickles are joined by Psymposia Senior Writer Russell Hausfeld to discuss MindMed's CEO, Jamon Rahn's, recent claims that his company "may be creating effectively the Tesla of mental health,” and that the company is now a "$1B+ Unicorn.”

Psychedelic Authoritarianism Harm Reduction: “QAnon Shaman” Edition

Jake Angeli's tattoos provide a lens into how fascists and white supremacists have appropriated aspects of Pagan/Heathen culture and spirituality.

#28 – Qoup At The Qapitol: Q’mon Man

In this episode, we discuss a prominent participant in the bumbling coup attempt of January 6: "QAnon Shaman" Jake Angeli. Along with a coalition of Donald Trump supporters and assorted right wing ideologues, Angeli stormed the Capitol following a speech by Trump. Featuring a dissection of an "Ascension Masterclass" that was hosted on Angeli's now-deleted Star Seed Academy Facebook page, we (once again) wade into the disturbing world of psychedelic authoritarianism.

Jake Angeli: The Psychedelic Guru Who Stormed The Capitol

Capitol insurrectionist Jake Angeli is a self-appointed psychedelic guru who has opined about the urgent need for psychedelic shamanism to heal the world’s biggest problems.

Psymposia 2020 Staff Book Picks

The Psymposia staff reflects on some of the books that kept us company throughout 2020, which we'd like to recommend to our readers for 2021. The list includes works of intersectional analysis, psychedelic history, surveillance capitalism, and more. We hope you appreciate these insights as much as we do.

#27 – The Thought Leader and the Critic

This episode explores the rise of self-styled “thought leaders” within the psychedelic community, using Anand Giridharadas’ book “Winners Take All” as a jumping off point. Although people have been on the conference circuit for years, the recent explosion of capital investments means that there’s an unprecedented potential for money, celebrity, and status in the space.

Livestream #2: Team trip reports and experiential typewriters

Weeoo weeoo livestream alert for Thursday, December 17th at 8PM ET!!. Last time we popped bottles and jammed in the comments - come hang out with us again for some reflections on 2020.

Christopher Valore (AKA The Architect) talks “Conductor,” His Virtual-Reality, Psychedelic-Visual Sandbox Platform

Christopher Valore discusses his love of virtual reality; the early days of his company, Club Transcendia; and development of his first official release, “Conductor.”

#26 – Livestream: The Gang Goes Non-Profit

We kicked off the start of our ongoing livestreams with the announcement of Psymposia's 501(c)(3) non-profit status, discussions of corporadelic dynamics, fond memories of helping people learn how to extract psychedelic drugs during an Ivy League University's psychedelic conference, and a whole bunch of back and forth with the audience about the current state (and future) of psychedelia.

#25 – Press Release: Plus Three found to have neuroprotective effects against corporadelic BS

In this episode we explore the myriad of problems that result from media outlets treating corporate press releases as though they're legitimate news sources, rather than advertisements. We examine "science by press release" cases ranging from psychedelic pharmaceutical firms who claim their barely-studied compounds are superior to (and safer than) psilocybin (one of the safest psychoactive compounds in the human pharmacopoeia), to students who claimed Oreos were as addictive as cocaine, to pineal DMT, cold fusion, and more.

#24 – From Mining to Mushrooms

Recorded live at the Capital Psychedelic Summit, hosted virtually in Washington D.C., Russell Hausfeld joins Brian Normand and David Nickles to discuss the infiltration of the psychedelic pharmaceutical industry by companies, investors, and executives from extractive industry. This episode explores the destructive nature of extractive industry and the effects of introducing those dynamics into psychedelia. If the same people destroying Indigenous lands told you they believed in "sacred reciprocity," would you believe them?

Thea Riofrancos on the Implications of Global Energy Transition and the Impacts of Lithium Extraction

Thea Riofrancos is a political scientist whose research has focused on political conflict related to extraction, energy, and infrastructure in a rapidly warming and politically unstable world. She also serves on the steering committee for Democratic Socialists of America for a Green New Deal.

The Big & Dandy List of Psychedelic-Mining-Extractive-Industry Ties

This list is by no means exhaustive, but it spotlights a number of psychedelic pharmaceutical companies and executives with ties to extractive industry.