Michael Pollan is the author of eight books, including:

How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence,

Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation,

Food Rules: An Eater's Manual,

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto,

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, and

The Botany of Desire, all of which were New York Times bestsellers. A longtime contributor to the New York Times Magazine, he also teaches writing at Harvard and the University of California, Berkeley where he is the John S. and James L. Knight Professor of Science Journalism. In 2010, Time magazine named him one of the one hundred most influential people in the world. Website

Christopher M. Bache is professor emeritus in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Youngstown State University where he taught for 33 years. He is also adjunct faculty at the California Institute of Integral Studies and a Fellow at the Institute of Noetic Sciences. An award winning teacher, Chris’ work explores the philosophical implications of non-ordinary states of consciousness, especially psychedelic states. Chris has written three books: Lifecycles- a study of reincarnation in light of contemporary consciousness research; Dark Night, Early Dawn - a pioneering work in psychedelic philosophy and collective consciousness; and The Living Classroom, an exploration of teaching and collective fields of consciousness. His new book is LSD and the Mind of the Universe: Diamonds from Heaven (2019). Website

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Summary and transcript of this interview.

Christopher Bache in Panel Discussion on Ayahuasca and Psychedelics as Potential Catalysts for Personal and Societal Evolution

Interview recorded May 11, 2019

YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction and Background of the Guests

00:04:44 - The Evolutionary Strategy of Gratifying Human Desire in Plants

00:09:20 - The Intelligence of Plants

00:13:30 - Relief for Existential Distress

00:17:28 - Psychedelics and Mental Habit

00:23:34 - The Potential of Psychedelics in Treating Mental Health

00:28:54 - The Effects of Psychedelics on Consciousness and the Brain

00:33:31 - Changes in Belief and Perspective

00:37:35 - The Price of Admission to a Mysterious Other Ground

00:41:17 - Exploring the Nature of Mind

00:45:32 - The Complementarity of Science and Spirituality

00:49:50 - The Question of Consciousness and Mind Preceding Matter

00:53:47 - Evidence for Continuity of Awareness

00:58:08 - The Subtle Body and Psychedelic Experiences

01:02:56 - The Demanding Work of High Dose Psychedelic Sessions

01:07:47 - The Healing Process in Psychedelic Sessions

01:12:50 - Healing the Collective Psyche

01:17:24 - The Shift from Individual to Collective Perspective

01:22:15 - Taking Psychedelic Inquiry Seriously

01:26:34 - Boundaries of Consciousness Exploration

01:31:16 - Merging with the Mind of the Universe

01:35:59 - The Exploration of Consciousness Through Psychedelics and Meditation

01:40:26 - Connections between Psychedelic and Mystical States of Consciousness

01:44:27 - The Relationship Between Psychedelic Experiences and Behavior

01:48:42 - Publishing Michael's book in paperback

01:52:32 - The Receptive Nature of Children's Consciousness

01:56:45 - The Potential Negative Consequences of Legalizing Psychedelics

02:00:53 - The Evolutionary Dynamics of Humanity

02:05:54 - The Birth of the Diamond Soul

02:10:46 - The Crisis of Consciousness and the Future Human

02:15:05 - Closing Remarks and Appreciation