08.14.2018 - By Joe Mattia
In our latest Psychedelic Times podcast, Joe Mattia speaks with Dr. Rachel Harris, psychotherapist, ayahuasca researcher, and author of the wonderful book Listening to Ayahuasca: New Hope for Depression, Addiction, PTSD, and Anxiety. In this hour-long conversation, Rachel and Joe discuss a wide array of subjects surrounding ayahuasca, including the importance of family connections, the process of becoming a shaman, the link between ayahuasca and nature, and much more. Show Notes: Ayahuasca and family healing [1:00] Ayahuasca and nature [2:23] Esalen in the 60’s [4:00] The War on Drugs [5:40] Underground ayahuasca research [6:25] Accounts of “miracle cures” [9:20] Ayahuasca integration [12:20] Spiritual bypass [15:10] Psychotherapy vs. integration [17:15] Finding ayahuasca [20:05] Becoming a shaman [20:10] Navigating difficult experiences [23:00] The importance of lineage [24:55] How psychedelics affect the brain [28:35] Traumatic experiences on ayahuasca [31:00] Traditional vs. underground ayahuasca use [34:15] Psychedelic research challenges [36:30] Why ayahuasca? [41:25] Psychic surgery [45:00]