Culture

In the heart of the Netherlands, legal psilocybin truffle retreats help seekers explore the benefits of psychedelics at the Essence Institute.

Silo Wellness to Host Psychedelic Retreat Exclusively for LGBTQIA+ Community

In honor of Pride Month, Silo Wellness is launching its first-ever LGBTQIA+ psychedelic retreat in Jamaica.

Mike Tyson Invests In Psychedelic Wellness Company Wesana Health

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson announced he's an investor in psychedelic wellness company Wesana Health.

Advocating for Psychedelic Medicine Is Personal for Ashley Lukens

Psychedelics Helped Her Beat Cancer. Now Ashley Lukens Is Paying It Forward.

Advocate and activist Ashley Lukens has her reasons for supporting psychedelic medicine. They helped her battle cancer. Now she's returning the favor.

Former NFL Player Kerry Rhodes Discusses Ayahuasca Experience With Tamron Hall

Actor and former NFL safety Kerry Rhodes says the psychedelic compound ayahuasca has helped him recover from brain injuries.

Should Psychedelics Be Legal? Experts Weigh In

Culture, Policy

Should psychedelics be legal? That was the topic of an expert-led debate featured on the Intelligence² Debates podcast.

Who Is Stanislav Grof? Meet the Psychedelic Pioneer and Father of Holotropic Breathwork

Stanislav Grof is one of the earliest pioneers in psychedelics and holotropic breathwork.

Fireside Project Launches Psychedelic Support Hotline

Fireside Project Launches Psychedelic Peer Support Hotline

A new psychedelic hotline, the Fireside Project, aims to provide peer support for people under the influence of psychedelic substances.

The Benefits of Peyote: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Medicine

The benefits of peyote have been prized by Indigenous cultures for millennia. Now they're showing promise in modern medicine, too.

How a Psychedelic Experience Led to the Extinction Rebellion

How a Psychedelic Experience Led to the Formation of the Extinction Rebellion

A psychedelic experience helped create the environmental activist organization known as Extinction Rebellion.

Art, Ayahuasca, And Climate Change: Can We Heal Our Way Back to a Healthy Planet?

Art, Ayahuasca, And Climate Change: Can We Heal Our Way to a Healthy Planet?

Can psychedelics like ayahuasca along with art be healthy ways to heal our planet and make us advocates in the fight against climate change?

11 Celebrities Whose Lives Were Changed by Psychedelics

From Sir Paul McCartney to Joe Rogan, these celebrities all credit psychedelics with changing their lives.

Bicycle Day Celebrates First Human LSD Trip

What Is Bicycle Day? Celebrating the First Human LSD Trip

April 19th is Bicycle Day — the first documented case of a human experience on LSD taken by chemist Albert Hoffman.

First-Ever Jewish Psychedelic Summit Planned for May 2-3

The first conference of its kind, the Jewish Psychedelic Summit, will explore the connection between psychedelics and Judaism.

Can You Predict a ‘Bad’ Psychedelic Trip? And Can You Stop One Once It Starts?

For all the benefits in taking psychedelic substance like psilocybin, there is the risk of having a bad trip.

Daniel Carcillo’s Psychedelic Startup Wesana Health Raises More Funds, On Track to Go Public

Former NHL player Daniel Carcillo's psychedelic startup Wesana Health is preparing to take the company public.

Psychedelic Conference to Explore Promising Therapies for Veterans, First Responders

The Heroic Dose conference will explore the use of psychedelic therapies to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and suicide among military veterans and first responders.

Meditation and Psychedelics Have Similar Effects On Our Brains: Do We Need Both?

The synergy between meditation and psychedelics has been long understood. Now, as research explores the benefits, do we need both?

MAPS Founder Rick Doblin Talks MDMA Research for PTSD With Actress Mayim Bialik

MAPS Founder Rick Doblin Discusses MDMA Research for PTSD With Actress Mayim Bialik

Rick Doblin, the founder of MAPS, joined actress Mayim Bialik's podcast Breakdown to discuss MDMA and PTSD research.

Former Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang Wants to Decriminalize Psilocybin Mushrooms

Culture, Policy

Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang wants to decriminalize psilocybin. And if he becomes mayor of New York City, that could happen.

Silo Wellness to Launch a Bob Marley-Labeled Line of Psilocybin Mushrooms

The family of Bob Marley and Silo Wellness have teamed up for the first line of commercial psilocybin mushrooms.

How One Dying Man Received Canada's First End of Life Psilocybin Treatment

Canada’s First End of Life Psilocybin Treatment Brought Peace to Terminal Man

Tony White may have lost his battle with cancer, but becoming the first end of life recipient of psilocybin treatment has changed everything.

New App Creates Psychedelic Experience Without the Need for Substances

Can An App Give You a Psychedelic Experience Without Taking Drugs? Lumenate Says Yes

Lumenate is an app that simulates a psychedelic experience without the need for illegal substances.

Minority Veterans Organization Urges Congress to Loosen Restrictions on Psychedelic Therapies

A minority veterans organization wants access to psychedelic therapies for PTSD and depression. It's urging Congress to take action.

Michael Pollan Explores More Psychedelics In New Book: This Is Your Mind on Plants

New York Times bestselling author Michael Pollan explores mescaline, opium, and caffeine in his forthcoming book "This Is Your Mind on Plants".

UFC Explores Psychedelic Therapy for Brain-Injured Fighters

UFC is exploring psychedelic therapy for helping its fighters with brain injuries overcome the short and long-term issues.

Former UFC Fighter Ian McCall’s Reeducation on Psychedelics Comes With a Puppet Show

It's been nearly 3 years since Ian McCall stopped UFC fighting. Now, he's bringing psychedelics mainstream with the help of puppets.

How Music Plays a Role In Psychedelic Experiences

Should You Listen to Music During Psychedelic Treatments? How Sounds Impact the Experience

Does listening to music under the influence of psychedelics impact the experience? Here's what you need to know.

Listening to Ecstasy: Can This Man Normalize MDMA for Seniors?

Charley Wininger Hopes to Normalize MDMA With New Book ‘Listening to Ecstasy’

In his book 'Listening to Ecstasy' psychoanalyst and mental health counselor Charley Wininger discusses MDMA's benefits, including in his own marriage.

John C. Lilly: Father of LSD In the Sensory Deprivation Tank

John C. Lilly brought sensory deprivation tanks to the masses. He was also the first to bring LSD into the tanks. Do you know his story?

What Is Peyote? Everything You Need to Know About Mescaline Cactus

What is peyote? Here's everything you need to know about the psychedelic mescaline-rich cactus native to Mexico.

Why Ayahuasca Is Miley Cyrus’ ‘Favorite’ Drug

Singer Miley Cyrus says she's not likely to do it again, but ayahuasca is one of her favorite experiences. Find out what this psychedelic did for her.

Can Ketamine Shake Its Bad Rap?

Ketamine has a history as a date rape drug. As it becomes a therapy for depression, can it shake its bad rap?

How Psychedelics Helped Shape Modern Technology

Psychedelics played a crucial role in technology as we know it, and they're playing a part in how it develops into the future, too.

Is America Ready for Psilocybin Mushroom Retreats?

With Oregon's recent victory for psychedelics, psilocybin retreats could soon be commonplace. What does that mean for mental health treatment?

What Are K-Holes? The Ketamine Experience Explained

What are k-holes? These ketamine-induced experiences can be life-changing for people suffering from depression.

What Are Psilocybin Spores? Everything You Need to Know and Grow

What exactly are psilocybin mushroom spores? Are they legal? Here's everything you need to know and how to grow your own.

These 5 Apps Are Made for Taking Psychedelics

Taking psychedelics? There's an app for that. These companies are leading the way with trip guides, support, and more.

Psychedelics Cause Ego Death: What You Need to Know

One aspect of the psychedelic experience is something called ego death. Can it help people with mental health issues?

5 Athletes Who Healed With Psychedelic Therapy

Some of the world's top athletes have used psychedelic therapy to overcome addiction, depression, and other mental health issues.

Santa Claus Was a Psychedelic Mushroom

Was Santa Claus actually a psychedelic mushroom?

How Psychedelics Can Transform Your Sex Life

High, drunk, or sober, what’s your favorite way to have sex? asks the comedian Deon Cole during a recent Netflix Is A Joke special. As the crowd advocate for high or drunk, Cole reveals his intentions: if you can’t…

The Artist’s Muse: Do Psychedelics Boost Creativity?

From 1954 to 1962, Oscar Janiger, an esteemed psychiatrist, invited 100 artists to his therapy room in downtown LA. Over the 10 hour sessions, the artists were provided with paper, a box of art materials, and 100 micrograms of LSD. Inspired…

Mike Tyson Credits 5-MeO for His Return to Boxing

The outspoken former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, now 54, says an experience with the potent psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT sparked his return to the ring this past holiday weekend. The exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr.…

Why Is DMT Called The Spirit Molecule?

Why is DMT called “the spirit molecule?” Rick Strassman was the first American researcher to receive government approval to study hallucinogens after a two-decade ban. Between the years of 1990-95, the clinical associate professor…

Inside the Underground World of Online Psychedelic Support Groups

It was 20 years ago and some of Mike’s friends had just come into a stash of some very special fungi. He hadn’t tripped on ‘shrooms before, and didn’t want to fly without doing some research into what the trip might be like. So, he…

Ready to Become a Mushroom Master?

Mushrooms are having a moment. From sustainable replacements for meat and leather to holding great potential in rewriting mental health treatments, there’s a ‘shroom boom fully underway. And leading the mycophilia revolution this week…

‘The Hero’s Dose’: Ancient Psychedelic Therapy Gets a Modern Exploration

The idea to write about his quarter-century psychedelic experience had been rolling around in Derek Beres’ head for a while. Perhaps it would be something that would appeal to others who dabble in ‘shrooms or acid. Or maybe it could be…

An Art Lover’s Guide Psychedelic Art Plus 3 Artists You Need to Know

Psychedelic art has been around for thousands of years across cultures across the globe. Artists today have transformed the techniques and subject matter in innovative ways. Psychedelic art is defined as the depiction of the inner world of…

Are Psychedelics Putting Oregon On the Brink of a Mental Health Revolution?

For those of us on the outside looking in, it may be hard to imagine how a state as breathtakingly beautiful and progressive as Oregon can be ranked, according to data provided by Mental Health America, as the worst state in the U.S. for…

How Psychedelics Saved Former NBA Star Lamar Odom From Drug Addiction

In a new documentary about his life, former NBA forward Lamar Odom says the psychedelic drugs ketamine and ibogaine saved him from his drug addiction. He says the drugs saved his life. The film, “Lamar Odom Reborn,” was directed by Mike…

Taking a Psychedelic Trip? There’s an App for That

There are apps for nearly everything, these days. Now, there’s even an app to guide you through a psychedelic experience. Field Trip Psychedelics Inc., which operates clinics in Toronto, New York, and Los Angeles, has launched Trip,…

Taking Psychedelics Mimics Religious Experiences

New data reveal that taking psychedelics may impact users in a way similar to having a mystical or religious experience. The study, published in The Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, surveyed 288 people about their experiences with psychedelics. The…

Psychedelics and the Search for Self Consciousness

In September of 1848, a group of construction workers were tamping down blasting powder with 3cm thick iron rods when an accident sent a rod through the skull of the foreman, Phineas Gage. The rod entered the roof of his mouth and exited through…

How Psychedelics Helped Riley Cote

For fans of the game of hockey, the only thing more exhilarating than the blare of the goal horn after their team scores is the moment when a player finally takes the bait — after countless minutes of chirping, a few heavy hits, and maybe…

One Ayahuasca Ceremony Might Reset Mental Health

A single experience with the psychedelic South American brew called ayahuasca may help reduce psychopathology and depression in users for up to six months, a new study finds. The findings, published in the recent issue of the journal Scientific…

From Dynamic Entrepreneur to an Advocate Psychedelic Medicine: Tim Ferris

When discussing notable figures that are influencing the emerging psychedelic space, including well-known celebrities and social icons, it’s hard to miss the impact of renowned American entrepreneur, biohacker, author, and podcaster, Tim…

Paul Stamets Wants to Save Us: Mushrooms, Mycology & Medicine

Paul Stamets is standing on stage at the Exponential Medicine conference dressed in comfortable jeans and an amadou hat. It’s like he was plucked right out of the enchanted forest where he’s wandered for the past 50 years,…

Interested in Becoming a Magic Mushroom Trip Sitter?

Being a good trip sitter isn’t all that different from being a good babysitter. You must be responsible — no fireworks or switchblades around the children — and you must be trustworthy. If you can be both, you’re more than halfway to…

Growing Psilocybin Mushrooms Isn’t Magic

It’s a weekend in July and I’m sitting outside a Starbucks in Los Angeles to interview a magic mushroom cultivator for Psychedelic Spotlight. It’s been set up by a third party. I don’t know the name of the man I’m about to meet. I’ve…

MMA Star Goes From Hitting People to Healing People

Psychedelic advocacy is filled with all sorts of healers: therapists, PHDs, psychiatrists, shamans and scientists. Also this one guy who can easily choke you unconscious. Ian McCall is a mixed martial artist, a former professional fighter,…

A Servant of the Mushroom Kingdom

The debut commercial featuring Nike’s famous slogan “Just Do It” starred Walt Stack, an 80-year-old marathon runner in San Francisco who ran 17 miles every morning. “People ask me how I keep my teeth from chattering in the wintertime,”…

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Netflix Show Makes Magic Mushrooms Goopy

“The Goop Lab,” is a new Netflix docuseries, inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow’s “modern lifestyle brand” website, Goop. And I’m reviewing it for Psychedelic Spotlight because the first episode is called “The healing Trip” and features…

‘Have a Good Trip’ is worth the trip