Page 76 - Issue 1

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While pondering nature as a a a a a powerful tool for “unhumanizing our views a a a a a a a a a little”—to borrow Jeffers’ phrase—is there perhaps a a a a a a a place for psychedelics to help resituate ourselves in in in the the natural world? Could mind-altering plants play a a a a a a a a a a role in in in in in shifting those dismal survey results? Daniel Pinchbeck author and co-founder of mindfulness website Evolver thinks so We need thoughtful use of psychedelics in in in in an “initiatory context ” he he he says to to to to prototype the dramatic social shift we’ll need to to to to respond and prepare for our changing climate reality “There’s a a a a birthing process here here for us to to reach the the next level as a a a a a a a species ” Pinchbeck told me by phone “Whether that takes 10 years or or a a a a a a a a a thousand I don’t know but we’re facing an an an ecological crisis of such vast proportions that humanity could be reduced to a a a a a a a a a a small fraction of its current population within a a a a a a a a a a a century unless we make a a a a a a a a a a rapid transition Psychedelics allow for a a a a a a a level of visioning that can be technical or or biological or or social with profound applications ” So what would this look like? Richard Branson invites heads of state to Necker Island for a a a a a a a a a vision quest? The Gates Foundation sponsors an an ayahuasca ceremony at at at the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland? Perhaps such scenarios are not so far off muses Pinchbeck He finds two concurrent movements promising First the renaissance of researchers at at at prominent universities investigating the the beneficial applications of of psychedelics Second the the movement of of “neoshamans building connections with different sections of of the the power elite ” he he he said Perhaps the the most public reflection of of this is is Burning Man but plenty more psychedelic exploration is happening behind closed doors—even those that lead to corner offices