This episode is for educational purposes only. It is intended for mature audiences and explores scientific, historical, and cultural perspectives on psychoactive substances. Nothing in this content should be interpreted as medical advice or encouragement for illegal activity. Viewers are responsible for knowing and following their local laws. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use or mental health, please seek support from a qualified healthcare provider.

Psychedelics don’t invent new worlds.They rearrange the tuning.And the key they use is serotonin.

In this episode, we follow the thread from simple biology to altered states of mind. Serotonin receptors, especially the mysterious 5-HT2A, act as gateways, not just for mood, but for the patterns that structure thought and self. When psychedelics enter the picture, these gateways open wider than usual, letting the current of consciousness flow in unexpected directions.

🔎 In this episode, we explore:

* How psychedelics mimic serotonin yet bend it toward visionary states

* The role of the 5-HT2A receptor as a portal of perception

* Why “disruption” of normal brain networks can feel like both chaos and revelation

* How dopamine’s reward and motivation circuits intersect with psychedelic states

* How ancient rituals intuited these effects long before neuroscience named them

Serotonin is the tuning fork.Psychedelics strike it with a different hand.And the resonance is what we call the psychedelic experience.

This episode is for educational purposes only. It is intended for mature audiences and explores scientific, historical, and cultural perspectives on psychoactive substances. Nothing in this content should be interpreted as medical advice or encouragement for illegal activity. Viewers are responsible for knowing and following their local laws. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use or mental health, please seek support from a qualified healthcare provider.

We’ve all heard the story.Serotonin: the “happiness chemical.”Too little, and you’re depressed.Boost it, and you’re back to normal.

It’s a neat narrative. Comforting.But like most comforting stories, it’s incomplete.

In this episode, we explore serotonin not as a single note of happiness, but as the tuning fork of the brain. A molecule that doesn’t just adjust volume: it sets rhythm, balance, and resonance.

Far from being about “mood” alone, serotonin touches almost everything: sleep, appetite, memory, social bonds, even the fragile architecture of the ego itself. And the most surprising part? Over 90% of it isn’t even in your brain.

🔎 In this episode, we cover:

* Why serotonin is more than the “happiness chemical”

* How it shapes perception, rhythm, and sense of self

* The gut–brain connection and where most serotonin is really found

* Why this molecule is central to both everyday experience and psychedelic journeys

Serotonin isn’t just a switch for happiness. It’s a hidden system of tuning, weaving context into consciousness.

This episode is for educational purposes only. It is intended for mature audiences and explores scientific, historical, and cultural perspectives on psychoactive substances. Nothing in this content should be interpreted as medical advice or encouragement for illegal activity. Viewers are responsible for knowing and following their local laws. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use or mental health, please seek support from a qualified healthcare provider.

In Episode 8, we take a step back, way back.

Before the receptors.Before the psychedelics.Before the mind was even a scientific question.

We trace the long arc from ancient alchemy to modern neurochemistry, and ask:How did manipulating matter lead us to question the mind?

This episode travels through:

⚗️ The esoteric roots of chemistry: from transformation to transmutation🔬 The rise of laboratory science: and the industrial economy that fueled it🧠 The birth of neurochemistry as a serious science of the soul📉 The impact of war, profit, and pharmacology on how we study consciousness🌍 And how spiritual inquiry was rebranded as scientific “objectivity”

What emerges is not a clean timeline, but a pattern.A poetic throughline, where the search for gold became the search for serotonin.Where philosopher-scientists became drug developers.And where the lab became a new kind of altar.

If we want to understand the modern psychedelic renaissance, we have to understand how we got here, chemically, culturally, and economically.

This episode sets the stage for everything to come, especially as we begin to explore how psychedelics helped force science to look inward again.

As always, thank you for listening, reading, and wondering alongside me.

This episode is for educational purposes only. It is intended for mature audiences and explores scientific, historical, and cultural perspectives on psychoactive substances. Nothing in this content should be interpreted as medical advice or encouragement for illegal activity. Viewers are responsible for knowing and following their local laws. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use or mental health, please seek support from a qualified healthcare provider.

Posted for all subscribers. Full script and bibliography available to paid supporters.

In this episode, we turn inward: from the molecules themselves to the maps they follow.

We begin with a simple question:How does a puff of smoke or a drop of DMT produce a shift in mood, memory, or meaning?

The answer, almost always, begins with the receptor.

This episode traces:

🧠 How the discovery of receptors transformed neuroscience🌀 Why "locks and keys" are more poetic and powerful than they sound📡 How psychedelic substances interact with specific neural circuits🧬 The brain’s natural “listening stations” and what they’re tuned to hear🕸️ What the receptor model reveals about connection, perception, and even selfhood

We explore how chemicals don’t force effects on the brain, they participate in a dialogue. A whisper into a system already wired for meaning.

To feel anything is to be in relationship.And to alter that feeling is to shift the pattern of connection between molecules, between neurons, between worlds.

As always, this project is ad-free, independently made, and crafted for those who believe that the mind is more than matter, and that matter might just be meaning in disguise.

Thanks for being here.

This episode is for educational purposes only. It is intended for mature audiences and explores scientific, historical, and cultural perspectives on psychoactive substances. Nothing in this content should be interpreted as medical advice or encouragement for illegal activity. Viewers are responsible for knowing and following their local laws. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use or mental health, please seek support from a qualified healthcare provider.

In Episode 6, we go deeper into cannabis, not as a single drug, but as an ecosystem of molecules.

We explore the nuanced chemistry behind the entourage effect. How cannabinoids like THC & CBD interact with aromatic terpenes like limonene and myrcene to shape mood, memory, and perception. It's not just what’s in the plant, it’s how the molecules communicate.

Because cannabis isn’t one voice.It’s a chorus.And the body doesn’t just receive it passively: it listens, filters, and responds.

This episode covers:

🌿 The major cannabinoids and what they do (scientifically, not sensationally)🎺 Why whole-plant medicine feels different than isolates🌱 How terpenes function like emotional context, not just scent🧬 The biological logic of synergy and polypharmacology in action⚖️ And why effects are relational, not linear

We also reflect on what it means to listen to the plant not just biochemically, but culturally.

🔓 Paid subscribers get the full episode script + citations + notes.

As always, Green Gage’s is ad-free, algorithm-free, and built for people who believe consciousness deserves careful language.

Thanks for listening, reading, and thinking with me.

This episode is for educational purposes only. It is intended for mature audiences and explores scientific, historical, and cultural perspectives on psychoactive substances. Nothing in this content should be interpreted as medical advice or encouragement for illegal activity. Viewers are responsible for knowing and following their local laws. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use or mental health, please seek support from a qualified healthcare provider.

THC and anandamide. One from the plant. One from the brain. Both speak the same chemical language.

In this episode, we take a closer look at two molecular messengers: THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, and anandamide, its naturally occurring counterpart in the human brain.

What do these two molecules reveal about memory, motivation, and mood? And what happens when balance between them is lost?

We explore how both compounds interact with the endocannabinoid system, not to override it, but to tune it. And in doing so, we trace the fine line between euphoria and dysregulation, between enhancement and escape.

In this episode, we cover:• How THC and anandamide compare structurally and functionally• Why cannabis feels so familiar to the brain• The role of anandamide in stress recovery, memory, and pleasure• How THC mimics, amplifies, and sometimes disrupts the ECS• The science of balance and what long-term cannabis use may do to it• A reframe of cannabis: not just a substance, but a signal

This episode lays the groundwork for understanding cannabis not as a single effect, but as a spectrum and how context, chemistry, and internal state all shape the outcome.

Green Gage’s is a 44-part exploration of consciousness through the lens of chemistry, neuroscience, and poetic insight.

🔎 Keywords: THC vs anandamide, cannabis science, endocannabinoid system, how THC works, natural cannabinoids, cannabis and memory, neurochemistry podcast, ECS modulation, Green Gage’s, psychoactive balance, cannabinoid receptors

📥 Follow & Subscribe for weekly episodes.**📩 Share your thoughts, questions, or reflections in the comments.

Welcome to Green Gage’s. Let’s begin.

This episode is for educational purposes only. It is intended for mature audiences and explores scientific, historical, and cultural perspectives on psychoactive substances. Nothing in this content should be interpreted as medical advice or encouragement for illegal activity. Viewers are responsible for knowing and following their local laws. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use or mental health, please seek support from a qualified healthcare provider.

A system hidden in plain sight. A molecule named after bliss. A plant that revealed it all.

Welcome to Episode 4 of thegreengage a podcast exploring the secret symphony of nature, mind, and science.

In this episode, we trace the astonishing story of the endocannabinoid system a vast, overlooked regulatory network inside the human body, first discovered because of cannabis.

From underground labs in 1960s Israel to breakthrough receptor mapping in the U.S., we follow how the study of THC led to the discovery of a system built not for intoxication, but for balance.

In this episode, we cover:• The discovery of THC and the mystery of how it worked• The emergence of CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brain and immune system• The brain’s own cannabis-like molecules: anandamide and 2-AG• How the ECS maintains internal balance: from stress to sleep to inflammation• Why cannabis acts not as an invader, but as a mirror of our internal intelligence• The clinical relevance of ECS dysregulation and its role in resilience

This is not just a story about a plant. It’s a story about how a plant helped science rediscover the body’s own language of equilibrium.

Green Gage’s is a 44-part journey into the chemistry of being — blending neuroscience, story, and psychoactive insight.

🔎 Keywords: endocannabinoid system, THC receptors, anandamide, what is ECS, cannabis and homeostasis, neuroscience podcast, psychoactive systems, CB1 CB2 explained, bliss molecule, resilience biology, Green Gage’s

📥 Follow & Subscribe for weekly episodes.**📩 Share your questions or reflections in the comments.

Welcome to Green Gage’s. Let’s begin.

This episode is for educational purposes only. It is intended for mature audiences and explores scientific, historical, and cultural perspectives on psychoactive substances. Nothing in this content should be interpreted as medical advice or encouragement for illegal activity. Viewers are responsible for knowing and following their local laws. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use or mental health, please seek support from a qualified healthcare provider.

A system hidden in plain sight. A molecule named after bliss. A plant that revealed it all.

Welcome to Episode 4 of TheGreenGage a podcast exploring the secret symphony of nature, mind, and science.

In this episode, we trace the astonishing story of the endocannabinoid system a vast, overlooked regulatory network inside the human body, first discovered because of cannabis.

From underground labs in 1960s Israel to breakthrough receptor mapping in the U.S., we follow how the study of THC led to the discovery of a system built not for intoxication, but for balance.

In this episode, we cover:
• The discovery of THC and the mystery of how it worked
• The emergence of CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brain and immune system
• The brain’s own cannabis-like molecules: anandamide and 2-AG
• How the ECS maintains internal balance: from stress to sleep to inflammation
• Why cannabis acts not as an invader, but as a mirror of our internal intelligence
• The clinical relevance of ECS dysregulation and its role in resilience

This is not just a story about a plant. It’s a story about how a plant helped science rediscover the body’s own language of equilibrium.

Green Gage’s is a 44-part journey into the chemistry of being — blending neuroscience, story, and psychoactive insight.

🔎 Keywords: endocannabinoid system, THC receptors, anandamide, what is ECS, cannabis and homeostasis, neuroscience podcast, psychoactive systems, CB1 CB2 explained, bliss molecule, resilience biology, Green Gage’s

📥 Follow & Subscribe for weekly episodes.
**📩 Share your questions or reflections in the comments.

Welcome to Green Gage’s. Let’s begin.

Neurons. Narratives. Identity. Molecules. Memory.
Welcome to the third episode of TheGreenGage — a podcast and video series exploring the arcane connections between nature, mind, and science.

You are made of stardust — but feel like a person. Why?

In this foundational episode, we unravel the layered relationship between the brain, the mind, and the self. Through the lens of neuroscience, philosophy, and chemistry, we explore how consciousness emerges from matter — and how psychoactive substances don’t just shift biology, but alter the story of who we are.

In this episode, we cover:

• The difference between brain, mind, and self — and why that matters

• How physical matter becomes lived experience

• The mystery of subjectivity: from stardust to sentience

• The narrative self: how memory and mood shape identity

• Why molecules like serotonin and anandamide influence not just our biology, but our being

• How psychoactive substances bridge these levels — from neurons to narrative

This episode sets the stage for everything that follows. Because before we can ask how cannabis, psilocybin, or DMT affect us, we must first ask: what is the "us" being affected?

Green Gage’s is more than a podcast. It’s a guided journey into the chemistry of being. Through a blend of neuroscience, story, and curiosity, we’re laying the groundwork for a 44-part course on psychedelics, neurochemistry, and the mystery of mind.

🔎 Keywords (for search/discovery): brain vs mind, what is the self, neuroscience podcast, consciousness science, serotonin and identity, psychoactive effects on the self, chemical self, psychedelic philosophy, narrative brain, default mode network, brain and consciousness, thegreengage, mind-body connection
📥 Subscribe. 🔔 Follow for weekly episodes. 📩 Share your questions or reflections in the comments.
Welcome to Green Gage’s. Let’s begin.

Psychoactives. Neurotransmitters. Altered States. Brain Chemistry. Conscious Experience.

Welcome to the second episode of TheGreenGage — a podcast and video series exploring the arcane connections between nature, mind, and science.

What is a psychoactive substance, really? Is it just something that gets you high? Makes you hallucinate? Changes your mood?

In this foundational episode, we challenge pop culture clichés and define what actually qualifies as "psychoactive" — and why these molecules deserve a more nuanced conversation.

We explore how certain compounds interact with the brain’s neurotransmitter systems — not as magic bullets, but as messengers that reveal just how interconnected biology, experience, and meaning really are.

In this episode, we cover:

• A clear and accessible definition of psychoactive substances

• The surprising ubiquity of these compounds — including ones you probably consumed today

• The brain as a chemical system: how neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and anandamide shape experience

• How psychoactives either mimic, block, or modulate these natural brain chemicals

• Why these substances are tools — not shortcuts — to altered states

• What their effects reveal about the architecture of perception, memory, and emotion

This episode invites you to think differently about what these molecules actually do. Not just recreational tools or therapeutic options, but windows into the deepest structure of consciousness itself.

Green Gage’s is more than a podcast. It’s a guided journey into the chemistry of being. Through a blend of neuroscience, story, and curiosity, we’re laying the groundwork for a 44-part course on psychedelics, neurochemistry, and the mystery of mind.

🔎 Keywords (for search/discovery): what is a psychoactive substance, psychedelic podcast, cannabis, psilocybin, DMT, serotonin, dopamine, anandamide, endocannabinoid system, neurotransmitters explained, consciousness science, neuropharmacology, altered states, philosophy of mind, brain chemistry, chemical consciousness, psychoactive definition, thegreengage, science of the self

📥 Subscribe.🔔 Follow for weekly episodes.📩 Share your questions or reflections in the comments.

Welcome to Green Gage’s. Let’s begin.