Episode 02 - John Mackey: The Whole Story

This episode of the Psychedelics Then and Now podcast features an all new interview with Zach and John Mackey that was recorded live in Austin, TX thanks to Psychedelic Society of Texas. John takes us through an oral history of his early life in Austin and how Whole Foods grew from a fledgling local natural food grocer to an international revolution that changed the way we think about food, nutrition and health. And yes, there are some very poignant psychedelic stories that influenced John and helped to shape his path.

The intro content features a snippet from a 1982 talk from William Burroughs recorded at Naropa Univeristy and is part of the Timothy Leary Estate collection.

John Mackey is an American businessman and writer. He is the co-founder of Whole Foods Market and was the CEO of the company from its inception in 1980 until 2022. Named Ernst & Young entrepreneur of the year in 2003, he is one of the most influential advocates in the movement for organic food. John's new book 'The Whole Story: Adventures in Love, Life and Capitalism' is out now. 

Psychedelics Then and Now with Zach Leary: Episode 01 - East Forest: Music for Mushrooms

This is the first episode in the rebranded Psychedelics Then and Now Podcast with Zach Leary. Formerly the MAPS Podcast - the show will continue to bring you insightful and entertaining interviews with some of the great minds within the psychedelic community. The podcast is a collaboration between Zach Leary and Psychedelics Today. 

We relaunch with an all new episode featuring East Forest, a multidisciplinary artist, producer, and ceremony guide. Since 2008, East Forest’s “lush” (Rolling Stone) and “blissful” (NPR) music has blended ambient, neoclassical, electronic, and avant-pop to explore sound as a tool for inner journeys and consciousness expansion.

The project's latest endeavor is the feature-length film Music for Mushrooms, a narrative documentary showcasing the transformative power of psychedelics, music, and community. The accompanying Official Documentary Soundtrack is an immersive album featuring tracks recorded during live psilocybin ceremonies.

East Forest's extensive catalog includes over 30 albums and notable collaborations with artists such as Ram Dass, Jon Hopkins, Laraaji, Dead Prez, Nick Mulvey, Peter Broderick, Max Cooper, and DJ ANNA. The project has performed in over 18 countries at major festivals and venues including BottleRock, Beyond The Pale, Mysteryland, Wilderness and SXSW.

Episode 75 - Rob from Adeptus Psychonautica

This episode of the MAPS Podcast features and all new, and very entertaining, interview with Rob from Adeptus Psychonautica which is a YouTube channel, podcast and psychedelic education and harm reduction outlet. Rob and Zach chat about the current state of the psychedelic movement, their earliest introductions into plant medicine healing and get into Robs all around unique take on magic and mysticism! 

Rob considers himself to be a fairly ordinary person from the North West of England, who like most teenagers back in the 1990's was introduced to various mind altering chemicals, some of which had a profound effect on him and encouraged further exploration into the world of altered states. This journey has lasted over thirty years until the present day. As well as his personal exploration Rob has spent significant time participating in traditional psychedelic ceremonies, from ayahuasca in the Amazon, to huachuma in the Sacred Valley, and amanita muscaria in his native Europe. In 2018 Rob started a YouTube channel as a hobby, with the goal being to document some of his travels in South America. The channel was named Adeptus Psychonautica as a reference to the sci-fi mysticism of Warhammer 40K (a board game), and also because roughly translated it means "one who has been initiated into the college of psychonautic study", which not only served as an appropriate description, but also sounded kinda cool. Rob currently lives in Switzerland with his two teenage children, and a small assortment of tropical fish.

Episode 74 - Joe Moore, Psychedelics Today

Joe Moore, CEO and co-founder of Psychedelics Today, joins this episode of the MAPS podcast for a wide ranging discussion around the past, present and future of psychedelic culture. Joe shares some of his personal story, the origins of Psychedelics Today, feelings around the War on Drugs and take home ketamine. Joe has so much in depth knowledge on the current state of psychedelic growth, culture and harm reduction. His take is not to be missed. 

Joe Moore is CEO and co-founder of Psychedelics Today. 

Psychedelics are set to disrupt the way humanity approaches healing and wellness, making way for a new paradigm in healthcare and cognitive liberty. We bridge scientific, academic, philosophical, societal, and cultural disciplines, covering up-to-the-minute developments and diving deep into crucial topics. Together, we are leading the discussion in this rapidly evolving ecosystem.

Through compelling content, thoughtful conversation and industry-leading education for a community of over 2.2 million annual learners, Psychedelics Today has the largest global reach of any media platform in the modern psychedelic realm. We honor this responsibility with humanity and humility.

Episode 73 - Court Wing - Chronic Pain and Psychedelics

This episode of the MAPS podcast dives deep into the intersection of chronic pain and psychedelics with Court Wing. If you want to learn something new about an issue that often goes overlooked by the general public, look no further. Chronic pain is something that one out of five Americans suffer from and Court provides data, science and empathy into new ways in which it can be treated.

Court Wing

As a former chronic pain sufferer, Court Wing is the founder and CEO of REMAP Therapeutics. Under his direction, REMAP Therapeutics is dedicated to exploring, innovating, and developing the intersection between psychedelics and chronic pain.

REMAP Therapeutics is devoted to the development of formal psychedelic rehabilitation sessions and cohesive best practices for many treatment-resistant chronic pain conditions. 

Episode 72 - Jamie Wheal: Psychedelics and Human Optimization

Recorded live in Austin, TX thanks to the Psychedelic Society of Texas! This episode has a very provocative and lively conversation with flow state and human optimization wizard, Jamie Wheal. We explore topics ranging from the end of the world to reclaiming our humanity to safe and effective psychedelic use. 

Jamie Wheal is the author of the global best-seller and Pulitzer Prize-nominated Stealing Fire: How Silicon Valley, Navy SEALs and Maverick Scientists are Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work and the founder of the Flow Genome Project, an international organization dedicated to the research and training of ultimate human performance. Since founding the organization in 2011, it has gone on to become the leading voice of evidence-based peak performance in the world, counting award-winning academics, legendary professional athletes, special operations commanders, and Fortune 500 business leaders among the hundreds of thousands of people in its global community.

Episode 71 - Yvie Oddly, Psychedelic Drag

Happy 2024 and may it be filled with psychedelic wonder and creation! 

This episode of the MAPS podcast features an all new interview with international drag superstar, Yvie Oddly. If you're wondering where the world of drag and psychedelics meet, wonder no more and listen to this very unusual and inspiring episode!

We also, once again, remember the legacy of Dr. Roland Griffths. 

Yvie Oddly is an (r)evolutionary drag queen performer, rapper, and fine artist from Denver, Colorado. Yvie captured the attention of the world when she won the eleventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race. New York Magazine named Oddly one of the most powerful drag queens in June 2019 because of her ability to push the boundaries of drag performance art.

Episode 70 - Dr. Joe Tafur; New Thought, Ancient Wisdom

In this episode of the MAPS Podcast, we connect once again with the wise and colorful Dr. Joe Tafur. Our conversation explores the roots of the absence of spirituality in Western medicine, how plant medicines can grow our inution and the current state of the psychedelic movement. Joe also teases some of his new book and let's us know what to expect from it.

The podcast intro also remembers the great Dr. Roland Griffths and brings awareness to the compassion that's needed in the Israel/Hamas conflict.

Joe Tafur’s interest in complementary and alternative approaches to health management took root in 1997, at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. It deepened during medical school at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), continued during his Family Medicine residency at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and has become the primary focus of his medical career.

Episode 69 - Dr. Cat Meyer; Sex, Trauma and Psychedelics

This episode of the podcast features a wide ranging conversation with Dr. Cat Meyer on the potential to heal trauma through psychedelics, renewed sexual health and vulnerability. Cat is on the leading edge of multi disciplinary approaches to healing and overall wellness. Her methods challenge the mainstream and is sure to spark curiousity in all of us.

We also hear from Dr. Roland Griffths in a preview of the content available for The Virtual Trip - the Psychedelic Science '23 online portal for all the sessions, panels and more. 

Dr. Cat Meyer, PsyD, LMFT is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in sex, trauma, and ketamine-assisted therapy (KAP), author, yoga teacher, and international speaker dedicated to evolving the relationship we have surrounding sexuality and our bodies. Dr Cat is the founder of SexLoveYoga.com, an online platform integrating various schools of thought including science, tantra, yoga, and psychedelic therapy,  designed to help people create a deeply fulfilling, prosperous relational and sexual life. As an expert and published researcher on the topic of sexual health, Dr. Cat sees clients in her private practice office in Los Angeles and leads workshops, lectures, and retreats internationally.  She is the author of the book sexloveyoga. Dr. Cat is the host of the podcasts Sex Love Psychedelics and Erotically Wasted, co-founder of Un.done women’s sensual yoga experience.

This episode of the podcast honors the life and legacy of Ram Dass with none other than Raghu Markus, the Executive Director of the Love, Serve, Remember Foundation. Ram Dass's influence on psychedelic research and culture has largely been forgotten because of his shift towards eastern spiritual practices. Raghu takes us on a journey through then Richard Alpert's early work in the field and his later thoughts on using psychedelics as a method. 

Raghu Markus spent 18 months in India with Neem Karoli Baba and Ram Dass. He has been involved in music and transformational media since the early 1970s, when he was program director of CKGM-FM in Montreal.

In 1974, he collaborated with Ram Dass on the box set Love Serve Remember. In 1990, he launched Triloka Records, which established itself as a critical leader in the development of world music. For 17 years, Triloka was home to such artists as Krishna Das, Hugh Masekela, Walela, Jai Uttal and transformational media projects that featured Ram Dass, Deepak Chopra, and Les Nubians.

Raghu lives in Ojai, California, and is the Executive Director of the Love Serve Remember Foundation.