- Course: Critical Perspectives on Knowledge Production in Psychedelic Science 2025 - November 20, 2024
- Indigenous Shamanic Knowledge Systems, Art and Creative Processes - November 14, 2024
- Course: Diversity, Culture and Social Justice in Psychedelics 2025 - November 7, 2024
Chacruna’s new lecture series highlights topics from shamanism to commodification
Chacruna is thrilled to announce that registration is now open for its new course, “Roots of Psychedelic Therapy: Shamanism, Ritual and Traditional Use of Sacred Plants.” Beginning August 8th, students will explore the use of sacred plants through historical, cultural, Indigenous, traditional, and contemporary lenses.
The series of independent lectures will be led by the Chacruna Institute’s culturally diverse and world-class faculty. Individual classes in the series will highlight topics including shamanism in Amazonia, peyote use among the Wixárika, psilocybin use among the Mazatec, iboga in Africa and other cultural traditions. Participants will take an anthropological viewpoint that empowers, honors and respects different cultures, territories, and peoples. Paralleling this will be nuanced analysis of critical social issues, including globalization, tourism, cultural appropriation, commodification, patents, reciprocity, conservation, legality, ethics, abuse, and practitioner training.
“This course focuses on a variety of uses of sacred plants from a multidisciplinary perspective, which will allow a broader perspective of the traditional uses of these species.”
Dr. Nidia A. Olvera
Interest in psychedelic therapy shows no signs of slowing. The decolonized perspective Chacruna provides, which prioritizes justice, equity and reciprocity, is more critical than ever. This series will support students from any professional background, providing a robust, interdisciplinary education that will complement and enhance other training. “This course focuses on a variety of uses of sacred plants from a multidisciplinary perspective, which will allow a broader perspective of the traditional uses of these species,” says Dr. Nidia A. Olvera Hernández, Associate Director of Chacruna Lationoamérica and co-author (with Bia Labate) of Plantas Sagradas en México: tradición, religión y ritualidad. Her class, “Historical Overview of Sacred Plants in the Americas,” will examine the psychoactive plants native to the Americas. Material from the course “can be integrated into academic studies, in therapeutic practice or for anyone interested in this fascinating subject of study,” she continues.
Dr. Osiris Sinuhé González Romero, founding member of Via Synapsis and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Saskatchewan, will teach the class “Mesoamerican Archeology, Sacred Plants and Ecstasy.” He notes that, while each class in the course “will be taught by a specialist, the significance of this course also lies in the plurality of visions and its cross-cultural approach. This course is different from others because it encourages the acknowledgement of Indigenous knowledge, cultural diversity and a decolonial approach within the psychedelic renaissance.”
“This course is different from others because it encourages the acknowledgement of Indigenous knowledge, cultural diversity and a decolonial approach within the psychedelic renaissance.”
Dr. Osiris Sinuhé González Romero
In addition to González and Olvera, faculty include Brazilian psychologist Bruno Ramos Gomes; cultural anthropologist and lawyer Kevin Feeney, PhD, JD, current Program Director in Interdisciplinary Studies – Social Sciences at Central Washington University; Dr. Clancy Cavnar, Chacruna Co-founder and Board of Directors member; Chris Byrnes, patent attorney and co-founder of Corporate Accountability Lab and Performing Pro Arts Commons; Dr. Anya Ermakova, research consultant and member of the Council for the Protection of Sacred Plant at Chacruna; Allison Hoots, attorney and lead author of Chacruna’s Guide to RFRA and Best Practices for Psychedelic Plant Medicine Churches; Joseph Mays, MSc, Program Director of Chacruna’s Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative of the Americas; Sean McAllister, a leading drug policy reform lawyer; Graham Pechenik, patent attorney and founder of Calyx Law; Glenn H. Shepard Jr., ethnobotanist, medical anthropologist and filmmaker; Nicholas Spiers, anthropologist and documentary filmmaker; Lígia Duque Platero, Chacruna’s Education Program Associate; Dr. Glauber Loures de Assis, Associate Director of Chacruna Latinoamérica in Brazil; and Dr. Bia Labate, Chacruna’s co-founder and executive director.
Chacruna is at the leading edge of the psychedelic renaissance, providing critical perspectives for researchers, clinicians, and enthusiasts. “The study of psychedelics requires critical engagement with the colonial past as well as the continuing influences of colonialism in the development of psychedelic medicines and therapeutic practices,” says Feeney. “While these topics are footnotes elsewhere, students will encounter these issues head-on in this unique course offering from Chacruna.”
Classes meet weekly on Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. PT / 1-3 p.m. ET from August 8th – November 21st. Check out the full description and register ($1,100; additional $560 for CE credits) here.
This 12-week course, Ayahuasca Healing, Science and Indigenous Knowledge (May 22nd – August 21st, 2023), will teach students the science of psychedelic healing. Psychedelic-assisted therapy clinical trials have shown promise for treating a variety of behavioral health indications, and the topics covered in this course will describe some of the potential mechanisms of action for these psychedelic benefits. Faculty will include Dr. Simon Ruffell, Dr. Henrique Antunes, Dr. Adam Aronovich, and more!
This 8-week course, The Science of Psychedelic Healing (June 6th – August 1st, 2023), will teach students the science of psychedelic healing. Psychedelic-assisted therapy clinical trials have shown promise for treating a variety of behavioral health indications, and the topics covered in this course will describe some of the potential mechanisms of action for these psychedelic benefits. Faculty will include Dr. Jordan Sloshower, Dr. Anna (Anya) Ermakova, Dr. Kelan Thomas, and more!
This 16-week course, Roots of Psychedelic Therapy: Shamanism, Ritual and Traditional Uses of Sacred Plants (August 8th – November 21st, 2023), will be composed of a series of independent lectures taught by the Chacruna Institute’s team and affiliates. It will lay out the foundation of the use of sacred plants through historical, cultural, indigenous, ‘traditional’ and contemporary lenses. Faculty will include Dr. Nidia Olvera, Sean McAllister, J.D., Dr. Kevin Feeney, and more!
Queering Psychedelics: Intersectionality, Healing, Spirituality and Liberation – Live/Online will be a 9-week course held August 28th – November 6th, 2023. Keep an eye out for more details! Faculty will include Dr. Bia Labate, Dr. Alex Belser, Taylor Dahlia Bolinger, LMSW, and more!
About Chacruna Institute
The Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization co-founded by Brazilian anthropologist Dr. Bia Labate and American psychologist Dr. Clancy Cavnar, based in Northern California and with strong ties to Brazil and Mexico. We promote reciprocity in the psychedelic community, and support the protection of sacred plants and cultural traditions. We advance psychedelic justice through curating critical conversations and uplifting the voices of women, queer people, Indigenous peoples, people of color, and the Global South in the field of psychedelic science.
Contact Information
Lorien Chavez
Chacruna Institute
[email protected]
415-390-6157
Take a minute to browse our stock:
Did you enjoy reading this article?
Please support Chacruna's work by donating to us. We are an independent organization and we offer free education and advocacy for psychedelic plant medicines. We are a team of dedicated volunteers!
Can you help Chacruna advance cultural understanding around these substances?
Become a Chacruna Member
To make a direct donation click the button below:
