Podcast 131 – “A Model for Sustainable Psychedelic Therapy”

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Guest speaker: Alicia Danforth

PROGRAM NOTES:

Alicia Danforth, who is Dr. Charles Grob’s research assistant, leads a Playalogue at the 2007 Burning Man Festival. In this wide-ranging group conversation, Alicia skillfully guided our eclectic audience through the intricacies of FDA-approved psychedelic research.

“I’m hoping to spark ideas in other people’s minds about what can be done to get a foothold in advancing psychedelic research.” –Alicia Danforth

“I tend to think of music [in a therapeutic psychedelic session] as a little boat you can hop on when you’re journeying and ride to wherever you need to go.” –Alicia Danforth.

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ALSO SEE:
Ecstasy : The Complete Guide : A Comprehensive Look at the Risks and Benefits of MDMA by Julie Holland, M.D.

Comments from original blog page: http://www.matrixmasters.net/blogs/?p=266

tree wisdom
I appreciated Alicia’s open and honest nature and willingness to be open to suggestions. She left me with a feeling that at the very least, she and Dr. Grob would not worsen the current image of psychedelics in the eyes of the scientific crowd. If anything, they might open a few closed minds. But, overall I couldn’t help but wonder if all the concessions to the FDA is kind of like trying to jam a square peg into a round hole.

c0sm0sis
This was an excellent podcast. It was as informative and engaging as some of the heaviest podcasts on the Salon. I appreciate how it dealt with the very relevant issue of helping people and possibly moving psychedelic understanding out of the shadows and into the mainstream.

As I listened to the podcast today, I had a several thoughts come to mind. What if the playlist was indeed standardized, released online, and any number of people worldwide could simultaneously journey with the cancer patient with or without entheogens? Everyone would be mentally united, riding along at the same time, mellowing out to the same soundtrack.

While this may not be suitable for inclusion in a govt. approved clinical laboratory trial, perhaps as an off the record test, there could be set up a small number of people to whom the exact time and date of the test is released. They could then, with the patients consent, begin a remote meditation or prayer to test the effects of positive intention in conjunction with the main study.

It takes me back to the podcast where it was mentioned that friends of Terence McKenna surrounded him by laying down in a circle, heads to the center, and began to send him their energy during his weakened state.

Outside of this idea being used strictly for clinical trials, what sort of volunteer network could we set up to conduct our own tests for strangers and loved ones alike in need of a positive outpouring of love? I believe that as we approach the singularity, the endtime, 2012, apocalypse or what have you, these abilities will become ever more pronounced as they become more necessary. My hope is that oppressive laws that prevent open creation and discussion of such a network will also accelerate with the times and allow more openness without fear of excessive legal ramifications.

Until laws become more reasonable, perhaps an internet-based community could be organized to setup a global non-entheogen oriented meditation/prayer circle to assist anyone who requests it. Does anyone know if such an organization exists?

I hope that this study helps to bring about such a concept and I am extremely encouraged and optimistic about where this could lead.

Felix
That was quite an inspiring talk for someone interested in doing some good for this community and mankind in general. It came with both an encouraging example in Alicia, who took what she knew and used it to great effect, and some prudent warnings from Lorenzo about the risks involved in putting your name to anything connected or possibly connected to the government.

As to the playlist…I couldn’t help thinking “Eyes of the World, Uncle John’s Band…,” – but I am a bit biased towards the Dead. Always comforting though.

zezt
I feel it is like a cat and mouse game going on.

I mean. Hmmmm I am hearing a lot of Tim Leary’s name being mentioned as a scapegoat from the irrational prohibition of psychedelics in ‘professional psychotherapy’. As though a culture whose seeming purpose for god kjows HOW long has been to bow down to a god of profit, to exploit people, and create wars, gencocide, and ecocide–which is very much happening right now–didn’t have any thing to do with it….??…You kiddin me?

So I smell fear from the emerging new psychotherapists, and rightly so. because we are really up against it when looking at the bigger picture.

I listen to Indigenous wisdom more so that scientific advice. And for the former they see our way of science as being compartmentalized when really we need INTEGRATED vision. And the need is

extremely urgent.

The profiteers are poisoning our planet, and other species–our relations–with depledted uranium and all other kinds of pollutants. And doing genocide, ecocide, and nearly a third of the animals are gone!

I would say this–and other stuff I dont have space for–is pretty damn serious and needs strong powerful Medicine to help resolve. Not the pathetic so-called ‘safeguards’ the authorities pretend to worry about. Shit I could tell ya things. Read The Slaughter of the Innocent…?

BUT….BUT, the ‘baby steps, Alicia kept saying is better than nothing. But only if we all have GUTS to really demand freedom now, and to realize something. That never did they–the self-appointed authorities–have the right, or ever have the right to tell adult what they can and cannot ingest.

I dont want us pullin our forelocks till they bring the walls in, if ya gets me.

And that John Halpern is a rat, if what you say is real. And I truly hope he gets no volunteers, and ends up on his mean snitch arse. he should be in prison!

One Comment

admin

June 1, 2010 at 1:35 pm

Comments from original blog page: http://www.matrixmasters.net/blogs/?p=266

tree wisdom
I appreciated Alicia’s open and honest nature and willingness to be open to suggestions. She left me with a feeling that at the very least, she and Dr. Grob would not worsen the current image of psychedelics in the eyes of the scientific crowd. If anything, they might open a few closed minds. But, overall I couldn’t help but wonder if all the concessions to the FDA is kind of like trying to jam a square peg into a round hole.

c0sm0sis
This was an excellent podcast. It was as informative and engaging as some of the heaviest podcasts on the Salon. I appreciate how it dealt with the very relevant issue of helping people and possibly moving psychedelic understanding out of the shadows and into the mainstream.

As I listened to the podcast today, I had a several thoughts come to mind. What if the playlist was indeed standardized, released online, and any number of people worldwide could simultaneously journey with the cancer patient with or without entheogens? Everyone would be mentally united, riding along at the same time, mellowing out to the same soundtrack.

While this may not be suitable for inclusion in a govt. approved clinical laboratory trial, perhaps as an off the record test, there could be set up a small number of people to whom the exact time and date of the test is released. They could then, with the patients consent, begin a remote meditation or prayer to test the effects of positive intention in conjunction with the main study.

It takes me back to the podcast where it was mentioned that friends of Terence McKenna surrounded him by laying down in a circle, heads to the center, and began to send him their energy during his weakened state.

Outside of this idea being used strictly for clinical trials, what sort of volunteer network could we set up to conduct our own tests for strangers and loved ones alike in need of a positive outpouring of love? I believe that as we approach the singularity, the endtime, 2012, apocalypse or what have you, these abilities will become ever more pronounced as they become more necessary. My hope is that oppressive laws that prevent open creation and discussion of such a network will also accelerate with the times and allow more openness without fear of excessive legal ramifications.

Until laws become more reasonable, perhaps an internet-based community could be organized to setup a global non-entheogen oriented meditation/prayer circle to assist anyone who requests it. Does anyone know if such an organization exists?

I hope that this study helps to bring about such a concept and I am extremely encouraged and optimistic about where this could lead.

Felix
That was quite an inspiring talk for someone interested in doing some good for this community and mankind in general. It came with both an encouraging example in Alicia, who took what she knew and used it to great effect, and some prudent warnings from Lorenzo about the risks involved in putting your name to anything connected or possibly connected to the government.

As to the playlist…I couldn’t help thinking “Eyes of the World, Uncle John’s Band…,” – but I am a bit biased towards the Dead. Always comforting though.

zezt
I feel it is like a cat and mouse game going on.

I mean. Hmmmm I am hearing a lot of Tim Leary’s name being mentioned as a scapegoat from the irrational prohibition of psychedelics in ‘professional psychotherapy’. As though a culture whose seeming purpose for god kjows HOW long has been to bow down to a god of profit, to exploit people, and create wars, gencocide, and ecocide–which is very much happening right now–didn’t have any thing to do with it….??…You kiddin me?

So I smell fear from the emerging new psychotherapists, and rightly so. because we are really up against it when looking at the bigger picture.

I listen to Indigenous wisdom more so that scientific advice. And for the former they see our way of science as being compartmentalized when really we need INTEGRATED vision. And the need is

extremely urgent.

The profiteers are poisoning our planet, and other species–our relations–with depledted uranium and all other kinds of pollutants. And doing genocide, ecocide, and nearly a third of the animals are gone!

I would say this–and other stuff I dont have space for–is pretty damn serious and needs strong powerful Medicine to help resolve. Not the pathetic so-called ‘safeguards’ the authorities pretend to worry about. Shit I could tell ya things. Read The Slaughter of the Innocent…?

BUT….BUT, the ‘baby steps, Alicia kept saying is better than nothing. But only if we all have GUTS to really demand freedom now, and to realize something. That never did they–the self-appointed authorities–have the right, or ever have the right to tell adult what they can and cannot ingest.

I dont want us pullin our forelocks till they bring the walls in, if ya gets me.

And that John Halpern is a rat, if what you say is real. And I truly hope he gets no volunteers, and ends up on his mean snitch arse. he should be in prison!

Comments are closed.