Mushrooms and Christmas?

Some historians believe that mushrooms may have sprouted several mainstream Christmas traditions.

As Salon recently reported, the concept of Santa may have been inspired by indigenous Siberian and Northern European shamans who traveled around conducting healing ceremonies during the winter solstice using a type of hallucinogenic mushroom called amanita muscaria, or the fly agaric.

What do you think?!

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Belief Changes with Psychedelics

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers continue their exploration into psychedelics and how these drugs may produce a wide range of profound changes in perception, cognition and mood.

In a recent study, published on Nov. 1 in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, experts from the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research explored belief changes related to psychedelic experiences.

They found that a single psychedelic experience increased a range of nonphysicalist beliefs as well as beliefs about consciousness, meaning and purpose.

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The Psychedelic Renaissance Has Issues...

From New Atlas:

“There is plenty of disagreement in the psychedelic community over how to end the drug war and achieve broader legalization.”

“Most psychedelic advocates picture a future where the drug war is over and people are free to responsibly use a number of currently illicit substances for healing, personal growth, or simple recreation. “

“But exactly how we get to that utopian future is the source of great acrimony and division in a once-unified alternative community that is increasingly moving towards the mainstream.”

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