Altered Mates

In this episode we explore the mainstream medical understanding of the domains of schizophrenia and psychosis.

In the process we discuss a number of texts including Better Call Saul, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Black Swan and Joker.

According to the Verywell Health website psychosis is a “symptom”, of which signs include: hallucinations, delusions, and agitation; and schizophrenia is a mental health “condition” that can cause psychosis. People living with schizophrenia can experience symptoms of psychosis but not all people experiencing psychosis have schizophrenia.

The writers of the DSM-V suggest that schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders are defined by abnormalities in one or more of the following five domains: delusions; hallucinations; disorganised thinking; grossly disorganised or abnormal motor behaviour (including catatonia), and; negative symptoms.

Please listen in as we try to wrap our heads around these five domains of schizophrenia.

References

Links:

Altered Mates Website

Altered Mates Instagram

Music for the show by Si Mulumby.

In this episode we continue our exploration of the Jungian shadow in our lives and in literature. The two texts we are primarily concerned with are A Monster Calls and Fight Club. Both began as novels and both were adapted into fine films— Fight Club, especially, is an excellent adaptation and deserving of its popularity.

A Monster Calls (2011), is a novel written by Patrick Ness, developed from an original idea by Siobhan Dowd, who died of breast cancer in 2007. Ness writes of Dowd that she, “had the characters, a premise, and a beginning. What she didn't have, unfortunately, was time.”

In A Monster Calls, we suggest that we can consider the shadow as the appearance of the “unthinkable thought”— a thought so terrible that the young protagonist, Conor, represses it and refuses to acknowledge it, until it consumes him with guilt and he unconsciously summons a monster to help him face it.

Fight Club is a novel written by Chuck Palahniuk, and later adapted into a film by David Fincher. In Fight Club, the shadow is represented by the mysterious and charismatic Tyler Durden, who serves as a projection of the narrator's repressed desires and rage. Tyler represents the narrator’s desire to break free from the constraints of society and live a life of freedom and adventure.

We hope you enjoy the episode

References:

Episode 7— Jung, The Shadow, and A Wizard of Earthsea

Carl Jung —The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol 9. Part 1 and 2

Carl Jung — Memories, Dreams, Reflections (1962).

Maggie Hyde — Introducing Jung: A Graphic Guide

Scott J. Hill — Confrontation with the Unconscious: Jungian Depth Psychology and Psychedelic Experience (2019).

A Monster Calls (novel), written by Patrick Ness (from an original idea by Siobhan Dowd), published 2011

A Monster Calls (film), directed by J. A. Bayona from a screenplay by Patrick Ness.

Chuck Palahniuk — Fight Club (novel)

David Fincher — Fight Club (film)

Tool — Forty-Six & 2 — Ænima

Links:

Altered Mates Website

Altered Mates Instagram

Music for the show by Si Mulumby.

The shadow— a concept developed by Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung— refers to the unconscious aspects of one’s personality that are repressed and thus, not integrated into the “conscious” aspect of the self. The confrontation with The Shadow is an important step in the process of Jungian “Individuation”, in which a person faces, integrates and balances different parts of the psyche.

In the Altered Mates family, we find that The Shadow is a useful model to bring to the Psychedelic Experience, to account for the sometimes confronting imagery and insights we often face in those realms.

In this episode we unpack Jung’s concept of The Shadow and consider its manifestation in the classic work of fantasy fiction “A Wizard of Earthsea”, written by Ursula Le Guin.

In a wonderful essay written by Konstantinos Salavatis, the protagonist’s confrontation with The Shadow is summarised as follows:

“In A Wizard of Earthsea, Ged’s enemy is his own shadow, the dark side of his character, born out of his youthful mistakes, pride and over-confidence in addition to his ignorance that evil resides inside one’s psyche. In true Jungian fashion, only when he acknowledges the shadow within himself does he attain true selfhood and maturity.”

We hope you enjoy this plunge into the depths...

References

Carl Jung —The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol 9. Part 1 and 2

Carl Jung — Memories, Dreams, Reflections

Maggie Hyde — Introducing Jung: A Graphic Guide

Scott J. Hill — Confrontation with the Unconscious: Jungian Depth Psychology and Psychedelic Experience

Ursula Le Guin — A Wizard of Earthsea

Konstantinos Salavatis — Wholeness of Self: Coming of Age in Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea and The Farthest Shore

Links:

Altered Mates Website

Altered Mates Instagram

Music for the show by Si Mulumby.

In this episode, the Altered Mates explore the slippery concept of Mysticism.

Our conversation centres around a classic work by pioneering American psychologist and philosopher William James (January 11, 1842–August 26, 1910), and specifically, the 1902 masterwork based on his Gifford Lectures: The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature (public library | free ebook).

The discussion begins with Alejandro describing what he considers to be his first mystical experience at Machu Picchu in 2011, after a four day hike along the Inca Trail, and importantly, a few days after the first two ayahuasca ceremonies of his life.

The remainder of the episode is structured around William James’ four markers of mystical states:

1. Ineffability, 2. Noetic quality, 3. Transiency, 4. Passivity.

And while these so-called “mystical” experiences may be almost impossible to convey to one another, we disregard them at our peril... for, in the words of William James:

“Our normal waking consciousness… is but one special type of consciousness, whilst all about it, parted from it by the filmiest of screens, there lie potential forms of consciousness entirely different… No account of the universe in its totality can be final which leaves these other forms of consciousness quite disregarded.”

References:

William James — The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature (1902) (public library | free ebook).

Quentin Tarantino — Pulp Fiction

The Wachowskis — The Matrix

David Foster Wallace — This is Water.

Maya Newell — In My Blood It Runs

Robert Anton Wilson — Acceleration of Knowledge (Note: use chrome. The section around 38 mins is related to what we were talking about).

Albert Camus — The Myth of Sisyphus.

The Alex Grey Poster (Net of Being) featured in Alejandro’s house.

Tool — [Rosetta Stoned](https://open.spotify.com/track/0D8l86LXxKcgKAO17DfQsl?autoplay=true) — 10,000 Days

To find out more about the time Alejandro pissed himself during an ayahuasca ceremony, jump online and order a copy of his novel: A Glimpse of Eternity.

Links:

Altered Mates Website

Altered Mates Instagram

Music for the show by Si Mulumby.

This is the second episode of a two part series on our experiences with, and understanding of, the Internal Family Systems (IFS) Model of Mind. If you haven’t listened to the first episode in the series yet, we do recommend stopping there first: Episode 4 — Understanding ourselves through Internal Family Systems.

This episode begins with Dr T. delving deeper into the nuances of the IFS Model, including some of the history of its development, and its application in therapy.

The discussion develops from there — touching on a wide range of topics from the groups of “parts” in the IFS model, soul retrieval, the conscious and the unconscious, the personified emotions in the film Inside Out, big Self energy, loving awareness, and the implications of the IFS model for our understanding of the self and the divine…

Throughout the discussion we hear reflections from a rather blissed out Alejandro, having just been through his third IFS session, this time as a participant of Dr T. himself! — because, as we all know, real men do therapy, and real mates run therapy sessions for each other.

References:

Links:

Altered Mates Website

Altered Mates Instagram

Music for the show by Si Mulumby.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a model of the mind where the basic assumption is that the human mind can be divided into a number of sub-personalities, known as “parts”. Ideally, each of these sub personalities work in harmony, with a central “Self” leading the system. According to the model, as we grow and develop throughout our lives, our sub-personalities, or “parts”, also grow and develop a complex system of interactions among themselves.

In keeping with our ongoing pursuit of experiences that can help to shape and mould our developing models and philosophies, the Altered Mates sought out a skilled IFS therapist to guide us through this therapeutic process. IFS therapy can often feel like an altered state as it involves an experiential deep dive into the living mystery of our inner system.

Tobias & Alejandro share some very personal reflections, speculating on Freud’s Id Ego Superego model, as well as the Fight / Flight, and Freeze / Friend model, based on the work of Dr. Simon Martin.

Clinicians in this space often talk about clients who have spontaneous IFS processes with psychedelics - without prior exposure to this form of therapy - suggesting this model is reflecting something very real about our internal machinations - an aliveness to this system of parts within us, not entirely unlike the film “Inside Out”.

The relationships between IFS and psychedelics are manyfold, and we invite you into a reflection on their differences, similarities and potential synergies as you listen in.

References

Links

Altered Mates Website

Altered Mates Instagram

Music for the show by Si Mulumby.

Last episode (Episode 2 — “Take it easy, dude…”) we concerned ourselves with the preparation for a high-dose psilocybin mushroom ceremony. This episode focusses on our integration, following that journey.

In coming to terms with our respective “mystical” experiences, we discuss: ego-death; who or what is the intelligence we encounter in high dose breakthrough psychedelic experiences; noetic experiences of connectedness with the great green web of life; and finally, what is it that lies at the centre of the universe.

Please note:

The Altered Mates have been engaging in ceremonial psychedelic use for over 10 years. We have each sought out experienced and trusted guides, and are always careful to put in place systems that safeguard our physical, psychological, spiritual and emotional wellbeing.

We do not suggest that psychedelics are appropriate for everyone. But for those who choose to use them, we strongly recommend great caution and great care, and consideration for psychological, emotional as well legal factors specific to your context.

The safest way to undertake a psychedelic journey is in legal contexts, under careful supervision from experienced and qualified guides.

References

Links:

Altered Mates Website

Altered Mates Instagram

Music for the show by Si Mulumby

Episode 2 — “Take it easy, dude…”

In this episode we take seriously, the late, great Terence McKenna’s famous words: “Take it easy, dude… but take it!”

Tune in as we discuss our preparation process for a so-called “hero’s” dose of psilocybin mushrooms, taken in the manner advised by the man himself, as “five dried grams in silent darkness.”

The conversation starts with our reasons for undertaking a high-dose psychedelic journey in the first place.

We discuss how psychedelics can help us to remember something of the sacred when we get lost in the daily grind. We compare notes on our own personal preparations— including specific diets and abstinences. And we outline our intentions for the ceremony.

And from there the conversation undergoes many twists and turns through soul, self, creativity, and sexuality.

We hope you enjoy the episode.

*Please note: *

We do not suggest that psychedelics are appropriate for everyone. But for those who choose to use them, we strongly recommend great caution and great care, and consideration for psychological, emotional as well legal factors specific to your context.

The safest way to undertake a psychedelic journey is in legal contexts, under careful supervision from experienced and qualified guides.

References:

Arne Rubenstein — Rites of Passage Institute

Jamie Wheel — Recapture the Rapture

Frank Herbert — Dune

Links:

Altered Mates Website

Altered Mates Instagram

Experienced psychonautical adventurers will know that the psychedelic experience is not all love and light. For all the beautiful visions, profound insights, and pleasure; it is also possible to expose ourselves to incredible pain, suffering, fear, and confusion.

In the conversation that follows the Altered Mates discuss three particularly challenging experiences from Alejandro’s psychonautical journey. The first with ayahuasca, the second with psilocybin mushrooms, and the third with DMT.

We use these three experiences as a launching point to consider what, as psychedelic practitioners, we can do with such experiences. How can we make sense of them? How do we reconcile them with our picture of the world? Because, if we are to take psychedelics seriously, and incorporate them into our lives responsibly, surely, we must consider their potential to present us with mystery, confusion and sometimes, complete and utter terror.

References

Graham Hancock on Ayahuasca, DMT and Entities.