From Reciprocity to Sovereignty: Sacred Plants Conservation and Community
2024-02-07 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
The Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative (IRI) attempts to address the profound gap between the promises of psychedelics as defined by the mainstream and the needs of Indigenous and local communities. What does “reciprocity” mean in response to the colonial structures of increasingly globalized plant medicine spaces? How can relational ontologies inform a different way of building community autonomy to challenge systems of exploitation and alienation? How do we properly give back, integrate, and act? What are the promises and limitations of “Access and Benefit Sharing”? We hope to explore different strategies for working towards a process of reciprocity in the corporate, non-profit, therapeutic and ceremonial contexts. Join us in this conversation with speakers Dr. Glauber Loures de Assis, who is Associate Director of Chacruna Latinoamérica in Brazil, Joseph Mays, MSc, who is Program Director of Chacruna’s Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative (IRI), and Dr. Bia Labate, who is Executive Director of the Chacruna Institute.

Psychedelic Societies as Catalysts for Global Transformation
2024-02-21 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
As the psychedelic renaissance gains momentum, new vibrant communities are popping up all over the world, playing a pivotal role in fostering individual growth and driving collective professional transformation. This forum will discuss the crucial significance of these communities, spotlighting the instrumental role played by the Global Psychedelic Society in bringing groups together and helping to strengthen local grassroots organizations. We will unravel the multifaceted contributions of psychedelic societies, serving as local hubs that not only facilitate knowledge exchange but also amplify global voices, empower local communities individuals, spread education and shape the trajectory of the movement’s future. Join us for an engaging conversation with experts Mareesa Stertz, Jessica ‘Jaz’ Cadoch, and Matt Gillespie, moderated by Mike Margolies.

How can we integrate Indigenous people into academic research on psychedelics?
2024-02-28 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Join us for this Community Forum where we will delve into the intricacies of interethnic research, the convergence and divergence of Indigenous worldviews and Western science, and the challenges and opportunities of integrating Indigenous voices into academic research teams. We will discuss the co-creation of research teams that value Indigenous wisdom as legitimate knowledge systems and shift the mindset of western researchers to enable deeper collaboration with Indigenous approaches, the limitations of western research methodologies and different ways in which Indigenous research be valued, as well as the consequences of excluding Indigenous peoples from research with plant medicines. Our speakers will be Simon Ruffell, Ph.D, a psychiatrist, ayahuasca researcher, and student of curanderismo, who has extensive experience working with Indigenous communities in the Amazon basin, Jem Stone, who is a We Al-li Facilitator, Wayapa Wuurrk practitioner, trainer and cultural consultant in psychedelic assisted therapies in Australia, in this forum moderated by Glauber Assis, Ph.D, who is Associate Director of Chacruna Latinoamérica in Brazil.

Workshop: Decolonization, Indigenous Allyship & Protecting Sacred Plants
2024-03-05 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
This workshop will challenge participants to take Indigenous claims on plant medicines seriously, to learn about traditional cultures and practices, and to engage in collaborative, horizontal and non-transactional relationships. With a combined 35 years of experience drinking and studying ayahuasca and other plant medicines, and 20 years of fieldwork in Mexico and South America, workshop facilitators will address the inherent inequities and power imbalances in the so-called “psychedelic renaissance”. A grounded analysis of Indigenous peoples and plants’ status in the psychedelic ecosystem will provide a framework for reconciling the increased demand for sacred plants and ceremony with the romanticization and fetishization of the cultures who have been using these plants since time immemorial. We will discuss the exploitative dynamics of partnerships between the Global North and the Global South, with the goal of outlining a more meaningful and impactful approach to respectfully engaging with plant medicines and working towards a process of reciprocity. Chacruna’s Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative of the Americas (IRI) will serve as a reflection of all these considerations; our contribution to trying to support Indigenous-led movements for self-determination and sovereignty that demonstrates a grassroots, ground-up approach. Attendees will engage in a modest and mindful, co-creative exercise to re-think and explore the true possibilities of decolonization and cultural exchange in the psychedelic space, integrating the political concerns emphasized by Indigenous activists and honoring their struggles for territorial and cultural autonomy.

How can Sacred Ceremonial Practices and Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Inform Each Other?
2024-03-13 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Join us in exploring the fascinating intersection of sacred ceremonial practices and psychedelic psychotherapy. We’ll delve into the unique contributions these practitioners bring, from their competency in working with spiritual material to their nuanced understanding of power dynamics and non-ordinary states of consciousness. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, they offer a vital counterbalance to biomedical perspectives, enriching psychotherapeutic models with the wisdom of ceremonial practices. Led by experts in the field, including mental health consultant Ian Bodaken, Co-founder of Modern Spirit, Joe Tafur, M.D., and Social Anthropology PhD candidate Emily Sinclair.

Traditions in Dialogue: Indigenous Wisdom and Psychedelic Research
2024-03-20 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Join us for an engaging community forum where we explore the intercultural dialogues, co-creations and dissonances between Indigenous wisdom and cutting-edge psychedelic research. Together, we will delve into the complexities of dialoguing traditional knowledge with modern scientific inquiry, navigating challenges while fostering meaningful collaboration. Join our vision of a future where Indigenous voices play a central role in the psychedelic renaissance, offering diverse insights for holistic healing and cultural renewal. Led by esteemed speakers Jimena Chalchi, a Global Leadership researcher specializing in intercultural collaboration for mental, spiritual, and planetary health, and Alejandra Barajas, project coordinator and member of the Chacruna’s Women, Gender Diversity, and Sexual Minorities Working Group.

Towards an ethical consensus for the field of psychedelics: The HOPE Consensus Statement
2024-03-27 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Join us as we discuss the HOPE Consensus Statement. This pioneering document aims to help steer the future of psychedelics with a strong ethical compass, highlighting psychedelic experiences beyond their medical use, advocating for essential aftercare in clinical trials, and exploring the innovative use in couples therapy. It’s a call to action for everyone interested in the ethical advancement of the psychedelic field. Join our speakers Brian D. Earp, philosopher and neuroethicist based at Oxford, and Eddie Jacobs, Research Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities for this compelling Community Forum.

Psychedelics, Nagoya Protocol & Indigenous and Local Communities Rights: A Brazilian Perspective
2024-04-03 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Mexico_City) | Virtual
In this forum we will explore the geopolitics behind access and benefit sharing within the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol. Discover the crucial role of Indigenous peoples and local communities, their rights enshrined in Brazilian legislation, and the challenges they face in protecting genetic resources for psychedelic use. We will delve into this complex terrain navigating the intersection of policy, Indigenous knowledge, and the psychedelic renaissance. Join us in this conversation with speakers Maira Smith, who is a biologist and General Coordinator for Access and Traceability at the Brazilian Department of Genetic Heritage of the Ministry of the Environment, Ana Luiza Arraes de Alencar Assis, who is biologist and has a master’s at Plant Genetic Resources from Santa Catarina´s Federal University, and Chris Byrnes, who is a registered patent attorney at Calyx Law.

Psychedelic Culture 2024 in Preview: Cultivating Change through Decolonial Dialogues
2024-04-17 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
As we approach The Bay Area’s Annual Spring Conference on Plant Medicines & Psychedelic Science, Psychedelic Culture 2024, we would like to offer space for some of the speakers, Chacruna staff, conference attendees and the general public to come together and explore some of the important conversations that will be held. Psychedelic Culture 2024 will platform Chacruna’s main initiatives: Indigenous Reciprocity & Decolonial Dialogues, Psychedelic Justice, Protection of Sacred Plants & Cultural Traditions, and voices from the Global South. Our main motto for this conference is Cultivating Roots for Cultural Change. This community forum in particular will be joined with Christine Diindiisi McCleave, who is an enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Ojibwe Nation and will be speaking on a panel at the conference titled Who benefits from the Psychedelic ‘Renaissance’? Indigenous Reciprocity, Decolonization, and Plant Medicine Conservation, Dr. Stephanie Michael Stewart, who is a member of Chacruna’s Racial Equity and Access Committee and will be speaking on a panel at the conference titled Shaping our Future: Ensuring equity and access in the psychedelic renaissance, Joseph Mays, who is Program Director of Chacruna’s Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative (IRI) and will be moderating the panel featuring Christine at the conference, Allison Hoots, who is a member of Chacruna’s Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants and will be speaking on a panel at the conference titled Sacred Plant Alliance (SPA): Religious Freedom and Legal Protections in the Plant Medicine Space, and moderator Alejandra Barajas, who is the Program Coordinator for Chacruna Institute and who has been working hard in the trenches on the creation of the conference program to make it happen. This event will be free and give space for speakers to share their perspectives and stress the importance of the dialogues they will be participating in. We will also leave space for attendees to ask any questions regarding the conference.

Psychedelic Culture
2024-04-27 - 2024-04-28 | Brava Theater Center, 2781 24th St., San Francisco, CA, United States
Chacruna started producing large-scale conferences in Mexico in 2015, and then yearly spring conferences in the West Coast since 2018. Psychedelic Culture 2024 will continue our tradition of exploring cutting-edge themes that are largely absent from the mainstream psychedelic conversation, related to our main initiatives: Indigenous Reciprocity & Decolonial Dialogues, Psychedelic Justice, Protection of Sacred Plants & Cultural Traditions, and voices from the Global South. At this two day in-person conference, with 3 simultaneous tracks, Chacruna will convene comprehensive panels and experiential opportunities that will foster conversations around topics including: Indigenous voices, Indigenous reciprocity, biocultural conservation, religion and psychedelics, holding mindful ceremony, legislation reform, law and policy, racial equity and access, queering psychedelics, women in psychedelics, veteran leaders in psychedelics, disabled populations and psychedelics, perspectives from the Global South, critical reflections on psychedelic science, including psychedelic assisted therapy, sexual abuse, touch and ethics, and dialogues between neuroscience and shamanism. We will also offer a space for participation in music and meditation circles and rapé (tobacco) ceremonies. Chacruna’s interdisciplinary conferences are well known for bringing diverse voices together, combining intellectual vision and rigor, community, activism, heart and soul. In the midst of the so called psychedelic renaissance, it is more important than ever to promote dialogues between scientists and communities who have been truly involved with these medicines, to have knowledge about the proper ways to use and steward them. Come join us in the beautiful Brava Theater, a co-op led by women in the traditional Latin neighborhood of San Francisco, for another memorable experience!

How can we regulate non-medical uses of psychedelics?
2024-05-08 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Join this community forum for an engaging discussion on the timely and pertinent topic of legal regulation of psychedelics for non-medical use. We’ll delve into why this focus is crucial at this juncture, considering factors such as risk and usage behaviors that inform policy decisions. We’ll address concerns surrounding corporate capture and strategize ways to mitigate these risks. Our conversation will also explore the development of a market that prioritizes social equity, including the role of religious and Indigenous use within this framework and alignment with international drug control laws. We’ll examine various regulatory models proposed to address these complex issues with Ester Kincová, Public Affairs and Policy Manager, and Steve Rolles, Senior Policy Analyst, both representing the UK-based independent charity Transform Drug Policy Foundation.

Psychedelic Networking Summit with the Chacruna Institute
2024-05-09 19:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | 222 E 46th St, 222 E 46th St, New York, NY, 10017, United States
Join us for an unprecedented gathering at a Psychedelic Networking Summit, presented in collaboration with the esteemed Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines. This landmark event is designed to unite enthusiasts, professionals, academics, and curious minds in the expansive field of psychedelic science and traditional plant medicine practices.
Founded by the visionary Brazilian anthropologist Dr. Bia Labate and the American psychologist Dr. Clancy Cavnar, the Chacruna Institute is at the forefront of producing pivotal research on psychedelic plant medicines. Their mission extends beyond the academic realm, aiming to demystify and destigmatize these substances by making scholarly knowledge accessible to the public, thereby fostering a deeper cultural understanding and legitimacy.

Workshop: Ecology, Spirituality and Psychedelics
2024-05-14 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-10-01 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Professional spiritual health practitioners hold expertise in psychology, spirituality, religion, metaphysics, theology, existential care, and meaning-making. They represent diverse religious, spiritual and humanist traditions. Ecologically-based spiritual care affirms a view of spirituality that includes reciprocity, planetary healing, adaptation to climate change, indigenous reciprocity, and ecological grief.
An ecologically-integrated approach to psychedelic therapies includes:

Support for climate anxiety and grief.
Earth-based rituals and ceremonies for life transitions.
Nature-based psychedelic care for PTSD, end-of-life anxiety, and other mental health challenges.
Crisis care for climate change disasters and support for eco-justice initiatives and indigenous communities.
Exploration of ecological identity as a core psychological factor in well-being.
Spiritual support that emphasizes nature connection.
Stewarding and caring for plants, animals, land, and every aspect of the eco-system as a network of relations rather than resources to be exploited.

This workshop is for professional spiritual health practitioners, eco-chaplains, psychedelic therapists, scholars and anyone interested in the intersection of spirituality, ecological consciousness, and psychedelic care

Workshop: How Can You Protect Your Psychedelic Plant Medicine Church, Community and Clients?
2024-05-15 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Mexico_City), 2024-08-21 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Are you involved with a Church that uses psychedelic sacrament? Do you want to learn how to protect your sacrament? Or are you just generally curious about the laws surrounding the religious use of psychedelic plant medicines? Come join us, get informed, and put to rest some of the myths that circulate around the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)–and learn the realities of this law–that affect plant medicine communities in the US. This workshop will be presented through the lens of Chacruna’s Guide to RFRA and Best Practices for Psychedelic Plant Medicine Churches, which teaches churches using psychedelic plant medicines as sacrament how to understand protections offered under the RFRA. The Guide includes an overview of current RFRA case law, definition of “sincerely religious beliefs”, benefits of single/multiple sacraments, as well as practical considerations such as the value of incorporating as church and 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, insurance, liability waivers, sacrament record keeping, storage, and importation issues. This workshop will also go through the history of RFRA claims filed for exemptions from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), including the cases of the Santo Daime and UDV churches, which have been granted exemptions. Attendees will gain clarity and guidance on how psychedelic churches may navigate the risks of and right to religious exercise with psychedelic sacrament, as well as explore implementing best practices in response to shifts in the psychedelic landscape and applicable law, and how such shifts may impact the legal analysis of the right to the religious use of sacrament(s).

Creating relations with plant medicines beyond psychedelics
2024-05-29 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Join us for an in-depth discussion as we explore the importance of cultivating deeper connections with plant medicines beyond psychedelics. Explore the significance of traditional protocols, the importance of building relationships with all plants, and the integral role of local ecosystems. Discover how embracing various plant relationships, from culinary herbs to gardening, enhances and complements psychedelic experiences. Examine the significance of language and culture in plant medicine practices. Our guest speakers are Angela Angel, a multifaceted healing practitioner, gardener, artist, medium/channeler, and ceremonialist, and Atava Garcia Swiecicki, MA, RH (AHG), a renowned herbalist, author, and educator.

Navigating Reciprocity: Bridging Indigenous Rights, Access and Benefit Sharing, and Social Responsibility in Psychedelics
2024-06-05 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Join us for a discussion on navigating reciprocity in the psychedelics and plant medicine fields. Explore the application of ESG principles, Indigenous reciprocity, legal structures, non-extractive finance options, and access and benefit sharing. This comprehensive conversation will address legal and policy, financial and business, and cultural aspects, including reflections on how to advance diversity and inclusion in the psychedelic eco-system. This community forum promises important insights for building a responsible and equitable future. Speakers include Sean T. McAllister, an attorney specializing in regulatory and corporate law, member of Chacruna’s board of Directors; Julia Mande, co-founder of Common Field, an organization supporting collective healing through bridge-building; Marc Ross, founder and former executive director of Rock the Earth, a national environmental advocacy organization that collaborates with the music industry; and Jason Wiener, principal of the boutique law and business consulting practice and co-founder of Colorado Cooperative Developers.

What do you know about the legal cases fighting for the right to access therapeutic use of psilocybin?
2024-06-19 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Join our discussion on the groundbreaking efforts to establish federal safe harbor for psilocybin-assisted therapy for individuals with life-threatening conditions. We’ll explore the current legal status of psilocybin as a Schedule I substance, the challenges this poses for access to therapy, and potential pathways for change, including the Right to Try Act and rescheduling efforts. We’ll also delve into the significant litigation, AIMS et al v. DEA, and its impact on inspiring federal bills like the Right to Try Clarification Act and the Breakthrough Therapies Act. This is a critical conversation about expanding treatment options and improving access to innovative therapies. This community forum will be led by Kathryn L. Tucker, a national leader in improving care for seriously ill patients, with advocacy roles at organizations like the National Psychedelics Association and Compassion & Choices. Britt Rollins, who is a co-founder of the National Psychedelics Association and a seasoned communications strategist in healthcare, will be the interviewer in this forum.

Exploring psychedelics and mental health care in Islam
2024-06-26 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Join us for a thought-provoking exploration at the intersection of Islam, psychedelics, and mental health. We will discuss the diverse Islamic practices, the historical bond between Islam and medicine, and the nuanced attitudes of Muslim communities towards psychedelics. This forum will engage in discussions on bridging psychedelic research with Muslim communities, integrating psychedelics into mental health care, and the role of scholars and leaders in shaping perceptions. Our speakers include Alizeh Ahmad, who is a PhD candidate in the Graduate Division of Religion at Emory University, Salman Shaheen Ahmad, who is a 5th-year student in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program at the University of Miami, Fayzan Rab, who is a Muslim-American, future physician, and psychedelic researcher, in this forum will moderated by Henna Malik, who iis a Pakistani-Muslim woman, social media strategist, and researcher.

Course: Roots of Psychedelic Therapy: Shamanism, Ritual and Traditional Uses of Sacred Plants
2024-07-02 10:30 - 2024-10-15 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
This course 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. We will explore topics such as shamanism in Amazonia, peyote use among the Wixárika, psilocybin use among the Mazatec, iboga in Africa, and many other cultural practices amongst other groups. We will discuss and analyze critical social issues such as globalization, tourism, cultural appropriation, commodification, patents, reciprocity, conservation, legality, ethics, sexual abuse, practitioner’s training and more. The course will create bridges between the worlds of ceremonies and psychedelic therapies. Students will learn how to incorporate this knowledge into their professional practices – either clinical or social science research, work clients or ceremonial circles – as well as their personal lives. Through multiple perspectives and the rich histories and cultures of psychedelic plant medicines, students will be able to deepen their understanding of the expanding future of psychedelic plant medicines in ways that are equitable, safe, and just, and ways we can give back to and honor the cultures from which these practices stem. The course will be taught from an anthropological viewpoint that considers different cultures and peoples worthy of respect and considers their own perspective and values.

What do you know about the anthropological contributions of Mead and Bateson to psychedelics?
2024-07-03 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Join us for a captivating forum exploring the pioneering work of Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson before psychedelics, their Boasian anthropology influence, and their roles as public intellectuals during the Cold War. Discover their interactions with early psychedelic researchers, the impact of major foundations like Macy, Rockefeller, and Ford, and their personal acquaintance with psychedelics. We’ll also delve into the significance of 1950s psychedelic research compared to the 1960s and discuss the controversial MKULTRA program. Speakers include Benjamin Breen, an associate professor of history at UC Santa Cruz, and Patrick Farrell, historian and member of Chacruna’s Chronicles editorial team, and instructor at the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies. Don’t miss this chance to delve into the fascinating intersection of anthropology, public thought, and psychedelics!

MDMA-Assisted Therapy: Timelines and Controversies
2024-07-10 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Explore the future of mental health treatment in our upcoming forum dedicated to MDMA-assisted therapy. We’ll dive into critical topics such as evaluating efficacy in experiential treatments, assessing the combined value of psychotherapy and medicine, and comparing risks between daily versus intermittent dosing regimens. Gain insights into FDA considerations for unmet medical needs and the resistance encountered in adopting innovative healthcare paradigms. Our panel features Jamie Beachy PhD, MDiv, a professional chaplain and ethics consultant involved in MAPS Phase 3 clinical trials, Ingmar Gorman, PhD, CEO of Fluence, a leader in psychedelic education, and Scott Shannon, who works at Wholeness Center, a comprehensive integrative mental health clinic in Fort Collins, Colorado as a psychiatrist, acupuncturist and researcher. The discussion will be moderated by Stephanie Stewart, who is a holistic psychiatrist who brings a spiritual, environmental, and social justice perspective to her work. She is also a member of Chacruna’s Board of Directors and serves also on the Racial Equity and Access Committee.

Course: Queering Psychedelics: Intersectionality, Healing, Spirituality and Liberation
2024-07-15 10:30 - 2024-09-23 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Psychedelics have encompassed a colorful history of the enchanted, wayward, and weird; its history also includes concrete ways queer folk have fundamentally shaped the substance, style, and spirituality of the psychedelic movement. At the same time, some queer people have been harmed by psychedelic culture’s heteronormative assumptions. As the psychedelic renaissance reaches a pivotal moment of mainstream interest and regulatory legitimacy, this course aims to foster accessibility and diversity in psychedelic science, practice, and discourses by addressing and dismantling sexist, heteronormative, transphobic, and homophobic forms of oppression in the psychedelic movement. This course will cover topics such as the cruel effects of patriarchy, practicing self-acceptance, the dark sides of psychedelic research such as conversion therapy, the move towards LGBTQ+ affirmative psychedelic-assisted therapies, transpersonal queer spirituality, sex positivity, trans and BIPOC issues, Indigenous perspectives in queer psychedelia, and pleasure. The course also grapples with how modern psychedelic research might address the unique needs and traumas of sexual and gender minorities—populations that can suffer from challenging mental health conditions brought on by social exclusion, pathologization, criminalization, and stigmatization. It is vital that queer spaces be established for exploring the unique needs, gifts, and strengths that LGBTQ+ communities bring to psychedelic medicine, and how psychedelic medicine can help queer folks move towards healing and liberation.

Judaism is Psychedelic: How psychedelics are Rekindling Jewish Practice and Healing
2024-07-17 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Join our discussion on the growing intersection of Judaism and Psychedelics, and its role in the renewal of Judaism through altered states of consciousness. We’ll explore how psychedelics are changing Jewish culture and how Judaism itself is becoming an expression of and a container for psychedelic experiences. We’ll also discuss the role of Judaism as a form of set and setting, providing a framework for psychedelic preparation and integration. This community forum will be led by Madison Margolin, an author, journalist, editor, consultant, educator, and a reference for the Jewish-Psychedelic universe. The interviewer in this forum will be Henrique Antunes, who has a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of São Paulo (2019), and is the coordinator of the Ayahuasca Community Committee of the Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines.

The Healing Power of Ayahuasca and Film
2024-08-07 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Join us for an insightful conversation with award-winning artist and filmmaker Maxi Cohen as she unveils the profound impact ayahuasca has had on her creative journey. Hear firsthand how this sacred medicine has transformed her life and fueled her passion for storytelling through the medium of film. Explore the inspiration behind her captivating films about ayahuasca (including the groundbreaking documentary From Shock to Awe, Ayahuasca Diaries and The Holy Give Me) and her latest project “A Movement in Water,” which deeply connects with her ayahuasca experiences. The forum will also examine her involvement with the Brazilian ayahuasca religion Santo Daime, highlighting cultural differences and filming experiences in Brazil and beyond. Moderating the forum will be Ana Flecha, a researcher exploring the Santo Daime bailado, a central dance practice of the religion, who is revealing neocolonial biases in intellectual debates around and practices with these medicines.

Workshop: Huni Kuin Tradition, Ayahuasca and Spirituality
2024-09-17 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
Tuesday, September 17th from 9am to 12:00pm PDT $10
This workshop will focus on the history and teachings of the Huni Kuin people, which will be explored through dialogues with Huni Kuin as well as a film screening of Eskawata Kayawai. Topics to be explored include: ethnocide, reciprocity, right relationship, Indigenous traditions, values, thinking and ways of life, and how to honor Indigenous peoples. This workshop will provide an honest, direct, and in-depth understanding of the Huni Kuin people of the Amazon Rainforest who are experiencing the renaissance of their culture after decades of slavery and being forbidden to live their identity. Today, many Huni Kuin are traveling and exploring the globe and leading ceremonies outside of their home villages. Through direct storytelling and sharing of traditions and knowledge, this workshop will convey some of the views and experiences of the Huni Kuin. The film screening will serve as a bigger picture view of Huni Kuin in the Amazon Rainforest, and will provide an opportunity to learn from the directors of the film about the process of communicating the story of the Huni Kuin to the general public in a way that is authentic and honors the needs and wants of the Huni Kuin people. Join this workshop with speakers Rita Sales Kaxinawá, who is a researcher of the knowledge and traditions of the Huni Kuin people, and is politically engaged in the movement, and directors of the film Lara Jacoski, who is cultural producer and independent filmmaker since 2008, and Patrick Belem, who is a Brazilian filmmaker, journalist and musician.

Co-Creating culturally tailored healthcare with the Urban Indigenous Collective
2024-09-18 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
September 18th, 2024 from 12:00-1:30pm PDT $10
Moderated by Joseph Mays, Dominique Morisano, Margaret Robinson, and Christine McCleave

Explore the pioneering work of how the Urban Indigenous Collective is reshaping mental healthcare within New York City’s urban Indigenous community amidst the burgeoning psychedelic renaissance. Gain insights into the multitude of Indigenous identities across the United States, the distinct challenges faced by urban-based pan-Indigenous communities in accessing healthcare, and discover UIC’s innovative approach to community-based participatory research. Join our enriching dialogue featuring speakers Sutton King and Ariel Richer, Co-Founders and Co-Directors of the Urban Indigenous Collective, with Joseph Mays, Program Director of Chacruna’s Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative (IRI), as moderator.

Course: Foundations of Plant Medicine Facilitation, Integration and Ethics
2024-09-30 10:30 - 2024-12-16 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual

The Collapse of Soul Quest: What Happened?
2024-10-02 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024 from 12:00-1:30pm PST. $10
How did a well-known ayahuasca church, Soul Quest, unravel, and what does it say about the state of the psychedelic movement today? We will discuss the rise and fall of this church, what the DEA review process revealed, the dramatic recent developments, and how the events surrounding it can potentially impact the broader psychedelic movement in the U.S. Where does plant medicine fit in the spiritual landscape moving forward? What lessons can be learned from this story? We will feature personal reflections and expert insights from Ron McNutt, who is steward of the Litigation and Advocacy Committee of the Psychedelic Bar Association; Mattha Busby, who is a journalist specializing in drug policy and the history of drugs based in Vancouver, Canada; and Rob Heffernan, who and independent researcher in the ayahuasca field and part of the Sacred Plant Alliance’s board, and Martha J. Hartney, who is a private practice attorney in Colorado and member of Chacruna’s Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants. This forum will be a space for open conversation on balancing growth with responsibility in the evolving psychedelic ecosystem. Join us for this timely and critical discussion to inform and inspire action!
