Luminous: A Podcast about the Science, Philosophy and Culture of Psychedelics

Can psychedelics be decolonized?

Luminous: A Podcast about the Science, Philosophy and Culture of Psychedelics

Show Notes

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype about how psychedelics might revolutionize the treatment of mental illness. But there are also lots of ethical concerns. And probably none are so troubling as the charges of exploitation and cultural appropriation. The fact is, the knowledge about many psychedelics — like magic mushrooms and ayahuasca — comes from the sacred ceremonies of Indigenous cultures. But over the past century, Western scientists and pharmaceutical companies have been going into these cultures, collecting plants and synthesizing their chemical compounds. Even if science is all about building on the knowledge of earlier discoveries, what is the psychedelic industry's ethical responsibility? Can psychedelics be decolonized? — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:35 Gordon Wasson and Maria Sabina 00:24:20 Sutton King on Reciprocity 00:38:50 Parke-Davis Goes Bioprospecting 00:44:50 Yuria Celidwen on Spirit Medicine —

Bio: Erika Dyck

Bio: Katherine MacLean

Bio: Sutton King

Bio: Lucas Richert

Bio: Yuria Celidwen

WPR: "The Tragic Story of Maria Sabina's Sacred Mushrooms"

WPR: "Empowering Indigenous voices in the psychedelic industry"

WPR: "Spirit Medicine: Yuria Celidwen's vision for an ethical 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

Nov 8, 2025

We all know Timothy Leary, the high priest of ‘60s psychedelia, but his partner, Rosemary Woodruff Leary, has largely been forgotten. She also had a remarkable life, even breaking Leary out of prison with the help of the Weather Underground. Now, biographer Susannah Cahalan tells her story — from the heady Sixties to a life on the run for decades. — 00:00:00 Introduction 00:05:40 Before Timothy Leary 00:10:40 Millbrook 00:20:00 Prison Break and Exile 00:36:00 Twenty Years as an Innkeeper —

Aug 2, 2025

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

May 9, 2025

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 —

Mar 1, 2025

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

Jan 25, 2025

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

See all episodes →