Psychedelics are growing, and transforming the face of health and well-being. Elements of psychedelics can be found in all aspects of our life, from the books we read and the movies we watch, to the music and podcasts we listen to. How we look at psychedelics is based on what we see, read, or listen to. From academics to entrepreneurs, from biographies to how-to manuals, this list will help you think and explore.
Here’s our List for Psychedelics 101
Books on Psychedelics
Psychedelia: An Ancient Culture, A Modern Way of Life by Patrick Lundborg
This book is the product of 20 years’ research by Swedish writer on psychedelic culture Patrick Lundborg. At more than 500 pages, Psychedelia may seem like a heavy reading experience, at least until you start In Psychedelia, the story of psychedelic culture is told slowly and with great detail through the ages. The book is divided into two sections, an Ancient Culture and a Modern Way of Life. The first talks about plant drug cults and psychedelic culture in ancient Greece that was brought to Western Society. The second section covers the ’60s counterculture, and how psychedelics evolved in the following decades up to the present. This is essential reading if you’re interested in 3500 years of history of psychedelic experience and culture.
LSD: My Problem Child by Albert Hoffman
The story of LSD is told by the discoverer himself, Albert Hoffman. This book leads us to the roots and history of LSD. Hoffman describes his trip across Mexico to discover sacred Indian rituals and psilocybin mushrooms related to LSD, early psychiatric studies and the birth of the psychedelic movement.
The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley
In 1953, Aldous Huxley took mescaline, a psychedelic obtained from the peyote cactus, and then he wrote down his experience in the journal and published it. The Doors of Perception describes the spiritual experience with mescaline, perception of time and space, mind and body separation and exploration of visual changes. This book provides an understanding and links between the effect of psychedelics and modern society.
Dropping Acid: A Beginner’s Guide to the responsible use of LSD for Self-Discovery by Dale Bewan
This is a very practical and rational guide to the responsible use of LSD. Dropping Acid tells the history of LSD, explains it’s chemistry, , myths and truths about it, how LSD can be used to know more about yourself, and how it changes the perception of the world. The book describes in detail the importance of set and setting, and walks the reader through the basics of LSD.
DMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor’s by Rick Strassman
From 1990-1995 Dr. Rick Strassman conducted U.S. Government-approved and funded clinical research at the University of New Mexico, in which he injected sixty volunteers with DMT. DMT – or N, N-dimethyltryptamine – is a hallucinogenic tryptamine drug naturally produced by the brain. This drug produces effects very similar to mushrooms or LSD. This book illustrates how much more we need to learn about the working of the brain and consciousness.
How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence by Michael Pollan
How to Change Your Mind is a story about the potential and therapeutic benefits of psychedelics. Michael Pollan dives deep into an investigation of psychedelic research and experiences. Pollan, who had never tried psychedelics before, takes us on a first-person adventure through the effects of psilocybin, DMT, and LSD, while unpacking the science and culture behind the modern psychedelic sphere.
Podcasts
Adventures Through The Mind
This podcast is hosted by Canadian author and public educator James W. Jesso. Interview-based, it focuses on psychedelic cultures, research and medicine. It also supports personal and cultural integration of psychedelic experiences functionally and healthily.
The Joe Rogan Experience
This podcast is hosted by one-time comedian, reality-show host, and martial arts commentator Joe Rogan. He’s hosted a lot of psychedelic conversations over the years and had guests like research pharmacologist Dennis McKenna, founder of MAPS Rick Doblin, and Amber Lyon, an Emmy Award-Winning journalist who covers psychedelic and natural medicines.
Field Tripping: Epic Trips in Psychedelics with Ronan Levy
The weekly podcast features conversations with celebrities, entrepreneurs, artists, scientists and medical experts about their consciousness-expanding experiences on psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA, while exploring how psychedelics can shift our views on sex, science, business, fitness, life and death.
MAPS Podcast
The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies released the MAPS Podcast, hosted by Timothy Leary’s son Zach Leary. This podcast educates on a variety of topics all related to psychedelic research, such as MDMA therapy, ketamine’s therapeutic potential and psychedelic evolution.
Movies
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics
The film tells the history of psychedelics and their cultural impact, while describing what powerful role hallucinogens have in treating mental health. Over the last 11 years, Emmy winner Donick Cary collected revealing and candid interviews about mind-altering substances. Subjects have included Sting, Sarah Silverman, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Bourdain and more, describing their experiences with acid mushrooms, peyote and ayahuasca.
Neurons to Nirvana: Understanding Psychedelic Medicines
This film focuses on the various ways that psychedelics can be used as medicine. It dives deeply into the history and medicinal potential of the classic psychedelics – LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, ayahuasca, and cannabis. Various highly regarded scientists and experts in the field talk about the medicinal potential of the drugs.
A New Understanding: Science of Psilocybin
This documentary focuses on scientific research for treating end-of-life anxiety in terminally ill cancer patients with psilocybin mushrooms. This research looks at both, the science as well as spiritual content. Through the eyes of patients, their loved ones, therapists, and researchers, A New Understanding explains that the use of psilocybin in a controlled setting can reduce psycho-spiritual anxiety, depression, and physical pain.
