Psychedelics are a trending topic, whether in legal, investment, or medical circles. Discussions of psilocybin decriminalization in major American cities are ongoing, research meaningful in both quality and quantity is being performed, and ambitious startups are putting together plans to transform an illicit market into a thriving legitimate one. Microdosing is increasing in popularity for personal and professional wellness.
For all of this, we are still very much at the beginnings of a transitional phase. The piecemeal nature of state and municipal laws challenging federal statutes, rather than any sweeping top-down reform, makes this particularly apparent. The situation is reminiscent of the early cannabis industry in many ways. As in that space, there are those deeply interested in all facets of psychedelics, growing their own industry niche by teaching others to navigate. The Third Wave, a Public Benefit Corporation founded by psychedelic entrepreneur, speaker, and consultant Paul F. Austin is one such entity.
Safe, Structured, Responsible
The Third Wave touts itself as a home for “Resources for safe, structured, and responsible psychedelic use.” While still very much a business offering a microdosing course, as well as running both a blog and a podcast with guests from all points on the personal wellness spectrum, they do deliver on this core promise. Their resources, something of an online encyclopedia of psychedelics, are impressive and well-curated. Different psychoactive substances are cataloged, their chemical makeups and effects explained, and their histories both ancient and modern elaborated on in detail with well-cited sources. Accompanying these are lists of risks and benefits, along with legal information, and most importantly, tips for safe psychedelic use.
Separate from these more general profiles are specific guides for microdosing certain substances, complete with similarly detailed subsections. Third Wave has done their homework, moving through the SubReddits and online forums of the microdosing and broader psychedelic community in order to find detailed reports of user experiences. This integration between psychedelics illicit history and the emerging legal market future serves the key purpose of providing a bridge for the community of psychedelic users. While means and ends change, a continuity in the space appears important to The Third Wave.
The Third Wave Microdosing Course
Third Wave’s primary offer to prospective customers appears to be their microdosing course. This is available in either a self-administered or coached form, with the price points reflecting the difference. The listed modules include lessons on background, scheduling, and optimizing microdosing with different substances (including legal cannabis). There are also instructions for combining microdosing with meditation, breathing, and yoga routines. Integrated into the course are interviews from a variety of experts in the medical, psychiatric, and general wellness fields, as well as the social sciences.
The Podcast and Blog
With microdosing as a jumping-off point, the Third Wave Podcast covers a wide range of related topics. More than eighty episodes recorded to date. Hosted by Austin and with no shortage of guest speakers, each focuses on a different aspect of the psychedelic space. These usually come from the perspective of alternative medicine or integrated wellness. A sampling of episode topics includes: Synesthesia, Shared Dreams and Telepathy with DMT, Optimizing the Psychedelic Experience, and PTSD Treatment with Cannabis and Ayahuasca. The Third Wave Blog seems to be slightly more focused on microdosing practices and industry news. Both appear to be growing in popularity. Both a yoga supplier and a nootropic beverage producer sponsor recent episodes. A recent sponsored blog post promotes a ketamine therapy practitioner.
Impressions
Harm reduction and education are strong places to start from. Austin himself is intriguing, very much personifying psychedelics as an integrated part of a wider system of lifestyle practices. For that reason, he is both powerfully compelling to a point, and unlikely to appeal to everyone. That said, the Third Wave has done excellent legwork. They are likely to be an extremely in-demand resource for those looking to increase their awareness of psychedelics. As we expand our coverage, we look forward to speaking with Austin, and to examining this and other aspects of The Third Wave’s take on microdosing and wider psychedelic culture in greater detail.
