What Can Psychedelics Teach Us About Dying?
Luminous: A Podcast about the Science, Philosophy and Culture of PsychedelicsShow Notes
In the first episode of "Luminous," our series about the philosophy and the future of psychedelics, how can psilocybin ease our fears about dying? And how can psychedelics change the way we approach the end of life? — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:45 Roland Griffiths Faces His Diagnosis 00:06:10 Psilocybin and Mystical Experience 00:19:45 Lou Lukas on Palliative Care 00:36:05 Tony Bossis and Death Anxiety —
Bio: Roland Griffiths
Bio: Lou Lukas
Bio: Anthony Bossis
WPR: "How a pioneering psychedelic researcher 'leaned in' to his terminal cancer diagnosis"
WPR: "Dying without fear: How psychedelics can ease the anxiety of terminal illness"
WPR: "The terror and the ecstasy of psychedelics"
This episode also aired as an episode of "To The Best Of Our Knowledge" on Wisconsin Public Radio
More from Luminous: A Podcast about the Science, Philosophy and Culture of Psychedelics
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Thomas Metzinger is a renowned German philosopher. He has a longtime fascination with psychedelics, stemming from his own experience and also from his work as an analytic philosopher. He says altered states of consciousness give us profound insights into the nature of the mind. And he believes modern society has an ethical imperative to foster a “culture of consciousness.” — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:10 Is There Knowledge in These States 00:06:55 Metzinger's Own Experiences 00:19:45 When It Backfires 00:28:15 A Concrete Proposal — Bio: Thomas Metzinger
Most psychedelic stories are highly personal, but there’s a different dynamic when two people share the experience — especially a married couple. Steve talks with theoretical physicist Marcelo Gleiser and clinical psychologist Kari Gleiser about their transformative experiences. — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:08:45 A Physicist's First Journey 00:17:30 Reattaching Mind and Body 00:26:15 Kari's Clinical Practice 00:44:00 What a Shared Trip Opens Up —
Chris Timmerman is a neuroscientist with a deep interest in phenomenology—what’s actually happening in our minds during psychedelic experiences. He leads the DMT Research Group at Imperial College, where he’s found that a single psychedelic experience can transform a person’s belief system, often turning materialists into panpsychists. In this wide-ranging conversation, Steve talks with Chris about everything from fractals and ayahuasca ceremonies to whether scientists who study psychedelics should talk openly about their own experiences. — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:06:40 Why Study Non-Ordinary States 00:16:05 What DMT Does to the Brain 00:29:15 Entities and Scientific Caution 00:49:40 The Questions Still Open — Bio: Chris Timmermann
Buddhist meditation and psychedelic journeys have a lot of shared DNA—both take you deep inside your mind and can change your life. But many Buddhists say psychedelics violate the prohibition against intoxicants. Do they? Spring Washam straddles this divide as both a Buddhist teacher and founder of an ayahuasca church. Her own story is fascinating—how she’s merged these two practices. — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:30 Finding Buddhism in Oakland 00:12:55 When the Boat Cracked 00:25:10 Two Traditions, Both True 00:42:05 A Church in Georgia — Bio: Spring Washam