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What happens when a 25-year career at CNN ends — and a new life begins? In this episode of Divergent States, we talk with Cesar Marin, former CNN producer and founder of Microdosing Over 50, about how psychedelics helped him navigate midlife, identity loss, and personal reinvention. Cesar shares his journey from broadcast media to becoming an advocate for intentional microdosing later in life. We explore the difference between microdosing for healing vs optimization, how intention shapes outcomes, and why people over 50 face unique integration challenges. We also discuss:  • Microdosing psilocybin vs LSD  • Career loss and psychedelic-driven reinvention  • Presence, connection, and integration practices  • How media shapes psychedelic narratives  • Why midlife may be the most powerful time for change  • Healing vs performance framing in psychedelic use  • Stigma, legality, and education  • Building a mission-driven life after burnout This conversation is about more than substances — it’s about agency, curiosity, and what happens when you stop outsourcing your meaning. 🎧 Extended version available on Patreon 🎓 Zendo Project peer-support training: use code DIVERGENTS10 🧠 For listeners interested in microdosing, midlife transitions, and psychedelic culture https://cultivatingwisdom.net/ ⏱️ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Introduction & Cesar’s background  01:45 – 25 years at CNN and getting laid off  04:30 – Discovering psychedelics at 55  06:40 – Cultivating Wisdom & microdosing over 50  10:15 – Loss, grief, and mission-driven work  13:10 – What shifted personally  17:45 – Early doubts and first psychedelic experience  22:23 – Fun vs healing: why people stay  22:41 – How media shaped his psychedelic voice  26:13 – Bad headlines and stigma  28:26 – Why storytelling matters  29:18 – Midlife fear and reinvention  32:12 – “It’s not almost over — it’s just starting”  33:18 – Integration for older adults  37:55 – Meditation, presence, and connection  39:13 – Healing vs optimization  43:45 – Microdosing LSD vs psilocybin  46:36 – Psychedelic commercialization  47:47 – Public episode wrap-up  48:31 – Post-interview reflections  50:05 – Bryan’s takeaway  52:11 – Healing vs optimization framing  54:17 – Outro & Patreon plug Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

What really happens when psychedelics change someone, and why do some people come back grounded while others spiral into ego, conspiracy, or spiritual bypassing? In this long-form conversation, comedian and science-minded psychonaut Shane Mauss joins Divergent States for a deep dive into what psychedelics do to the human mind beneath the mystical language. Drawing on neuroscience, cognitive bias, evolutionary psychology, and lived psychedelic experience, Shane explains how substances like LSD, mushrooms, and DMT increase mental plasticity, loosen rigid categories, and open the brain to new ways of thinking — for better and for worse. Together, we explore why altered states can lead to creativity, healing, and insight, but also why they can just as easily fuel delusion, conspiracy thinking, and inflated ego. We talk about the placebo effect, Dunning-Kruger, belief formation, and how access to infinite information can make people feel like they know everything while understanding very little. Shane also shares candid stories from inside the psychedelic comedy world, including how Tales From the Trip was secretly launched at Comedy Central, why he’s uneasy about the current psychedelic “gold rush,” and how mainstream acceptance has changed the culture. This episode isn’t about chasing cosmic secrets or mystical narratives. It’s about how the mind actually works — and how psychedelics can either help us become more open, curious, and flexible, or lock us deeper into fantasy if we don’t know how to think critically about what we experience. If you care about psychedelics, consciousness, and staying grounded in reality while exploring extraordinary states, this conversation is for you. Shane's new special comes out 2/18 on ShaneMauss.com! Special thanks to Drip who did the music, check him out on Spotify and Soundcloud!  00:00 — Season 2 Opening  04:18 — From Stand-Up to Science  07:40 — Creating Psychedelic Theater  11:40 — Why Psychedelic Comedy Was Taboo  14:50 — Tales From the Trip Origin Story  19:20 — Why He Doesn’t Feel Like a Regular Comic  23:40 — Comedy as Tension and Truth  34:00 — George Carlin and Big-Idea Comedy  38:20 — Psychedelics Going Mainstream  41:00 — Skeptical Psychonauts  45:20 — Seeing the Dark Side of the Scene  47:45 — Psychedelics, Categorization, and the Brain  51:30 — The Crunchy-to-Conservative Pipeline  54:00 — Dunning-Kruger and Illusions of Knowledge  57:10 — Why Science Is Counterintuitive  01:02:40 — Why These Conversations Matter  Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

Season Two of Divergent States is about something simple and surprisingly rare: exploring altered states without losing touch with reality. In this preview episode, 3L1T3 and Bryan share two short moments from upcoming conversations that define the tone of the season ahead. In the first, Shane Mauss reflects on how psychedelics open people to awe—but also to certainty, conspiracies, and belief systems that can replace reality if no one pushes back. In the second, Cesar Marin explains why presence and human connection are the real work of integration, not endless chasing of peak experiences. Together, these moments capture what Divergent States has always tried to do: hold space for wonder without drifting into delusion, depth without losing grounding, and exploration rooted in real human connection. Patreon supporters get extended versions of these conversations, including sections that don’t survive algorithm-friendly edits. But this preview is here for everyone—because harm reduction, presence, and honest conversation shouldn’t be paywalled. Welcome to Season Two. Chapters 00:00 – Welcome back & season context Introducing Season Two and why this year matters. 00:28 – What Divergent States actually is What the show is: harm reduction, not hype or spiritual theater. 01:05 – Shane Mauss: Awe, science, and belief systems The “ghost crocodile” and microscope analogy. 04:49 – Why psychedelics create both insight and delusion Reflections on pattern-seeking and certainty in psychedelic spaces. 05:20 – Cesar Marin: Presence as integration Connection, mushrooms, and staying grounded in real life. 07:17 – The power of daily human connection Kids, texts, meditation, and showing up. 08:55 – What Divergent States is really about Awe without delusion; depth without losing touch. 09:15 – Patreon & how to support the show Extended cuts, deeper conversations, and why it matters. 10:10 – Harm reduction & Zendo Project Why we partner with them and what the code supports. 10:50 – Closing & Season Two welcome Personal sign-off and transition into the new season. Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

Dennis McKenna joins 3L1T3 and Valerie Beltran to discuss the future of psychedelics, indigenous knowledge, and whether we are ready to bring these tools into mainstream culture without repeating the extractive patterns of the past. We explore the gap between good intentions and real reciprocity, what Western psychedelic enthusiasm is missing, and how community-based practice may matter more than clinical models alone. We also dive into the first biomedical study of ayahuasca with the UDV, how long-term members showed surprising changes in behavior and biology, and why the community structure may have played a larger role than the compound itself. Dennis talks about the work happening at the McKenna Academy, preserving Amazonian herbarium collections, digitizing ancestral plant knowledge, and the ESPD Symposia. This conversation calls out the cultural side of psychedelics, not just the science. If psychedelics are going to help, they must be integrated with wisdom, not just technology. Join our Patreon for the exclusive extended interview! Key Points Psychedelics entered global awareness through indigenous stewardship, not Western inventionReciprocity requires more than money and acknowledgmentThe ESPD Symposia preserve ethnobotanical knowledge and make it publicEfforts to digitize herbarium collections in Peru before they are lostChapters 00:00 Welcome to the season finale with Valerie 01:10 Who Dennis McKenna is and why he still matters 04:50 What still feels unresolved after 50 years 06:15 Co-optation, capitalism, and indigenous knowledge 09:00 The ESPD symposia and preserving ancestral knowledge 12:40 Biognosis and digitizing Amazonian herbarium archives 17:00 Why preserving knowledge matters more than artifacts 18:35 The first biomedical study of ayahuasca with the UDV 22:45 Behavioral change, alcoholism, and community support 24:40 Serotonin transporter findings and biological mechanisms 27:30 Neuroplasticity and long-term structural change 31:00 Microdosing vs macro experiences 33:20 Default mode network and stepping outside the self 36:20 Separation from nature and cultural disconnection 38:30 Technology, AI, and cultural fragmentation 42:20 What real reciprocity might look like 46:50 Avoiding cultural appropriation and extraction 50:00 Psychedelics entering clinical models 52:45 Mushrooms as ideal symbiotic partners 56:00 Future of psychedelics in 10 years 01:00:20 Ibogaine as global brain reset 01:04:00 Evolution, partnership, and species symbiosis 01:06:00 Closing thoughts  Thanks to Dyl👽Alien for the music!  Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

In this episode of Divergent States, 3L1T3 sits down with Betty Aldworth, the new co-president of MAPS, as she steps into shared leadership with Ismail Ali following Rick Doblin’s four-decade run. Betty brings decades of experience in drug policy reform, from Colorado’s 2012 cannabis legalization campaign to leading Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and now helps guide MAPS through one of the movement’s most pivotal moments: the FDA’s rejection of Lycos Therapeutics’ MDMA-assisted therapy application. We unpack the tension between science and advocacy, urgency and rigor, and explore what real access means for people living with PTSD. Betty offers a candid, emotionally grounded look at the FDA’s critique, the role of stigma, and how MAPS plans to keep pushing forward through education, policy, and global research initiatives. Later, the conversation turns to the larger movement: political support from both sides of the aisle, state-level reform models, and MAPS’ upcoming 40th anniversary in 2026. Key Points Betty’s path from SSDP to co-president of MAPSThe FDA’s rejection of MDMA-assisted therapy: what it really meansHow “positive adverse events” became a sticking point in the FDA reviewDurability of treatment effects and the debate over long-term dataBalancing activism, science, and education under MAPS’ new leadership modelThe growing divide between regulatory caution and patient urgencyGrassroots and state-level psychedelic reform gaining groundThe stigma that still shadows MDMA despite decades of dataHarm-reduction advice for those seeking underground healingWhat’s ahead for MAPS’ 40th anniversary and new research directions⏱ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Intro — Bryan’s stage play, today’s guest: Betty Aldworth 02:00 – MAPS’ new leadership and legacy after Rick Doblin 05:00 – Betty on stepping into the role and the three MAPS pillars 08:00 – From activism to leadership — lessons from SSDP 11:45 – Balancing research, advocacy, and education 14:00 – FDA rejection letter — what really happened 16:00 – “Positive adverse events” and the question of abuse potential 22:30 – Durability of treatment and COVID-era data gaps 26:30 – Prior MDMA experience and bias — myth or factor? 29:20 – Politics, science, and the credibility dilemma 32:30 – RFK Jr., AOC, and politicization of psychedelics 35:00 – Echoes of the 1980s scheduling fight 36:20 – What comes next — Phase III, audits, and resilience 38:30 – MAPS’ evolving research priorities & global work 41:00 – Normalization, decriminalization, and stigma 43:45 – Science vs activism — carrying both forward 48:00 – State-level reform and slow federal process 50:30 – Cannabis rescheduling and broader reform 52:00 – A message to people living with PTSD 55:00 – MAPS’ 40th anniversary — what’s ahead 57:00 – Closing reflections — stay weird, keep exploring Thanks to Dyl👽Alien for the music! Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

Dr. Bronner’s Cosmic Engagement Officer David Bronner joins Divergent States for a candid, nuts-and-bolts conversation about building an “All One” company culture, pushing for psychedelic policy reform, and rewiring global supply chains to be fair, transparent, and regenerative. We trace the lineage from Rainbow Gatherings to Burning Man, from hemp activism to MAPS, and from commodity brokers to farmer-first vertical integration. Co-host therapist Valerie Beltran helps press on the tradeoffs: regulated access versus decriminalization, mission versus financing, growth versus grassroots. Key points The “All One God Faith” DNA, salary caps (5× lowest vested wage), and why profit is a means, not the mission.Why Dr. Bronner’s backed hemp early, fought DEA roadblocks, and supported MAPS, Oregon’s Measure 110, DC decrim, and church-based access models.Regulated access vs. decriminalization: complementary pathways; cost, community, and safety implications.Purpose-aligned financing: why many mission brands drift, and how the emerging Purpose Pledge aims to solve it.Sourcing as activism: Ghana palm grown in multi-strata agroforestry; olive oil partnerships across Palestinian and Israeli producers; farmer income and soil health as first principles.Regenerative Organic Certification: weaving soil health, animal welfare, and fair labor into one consumer standard.Cultural lineage: Zendo/sanctuary work, AA’s Bill Wilson and LSD, Sacred Plant Alliance, and lessons from the Brotherhood of Eternal Love.Pitfalls and PR landmines: navigating blame and lawsuits in a fast-shifting policy landscape.Longevity over hype: why real soap beats detergents, and the quirky “punk rock soap opera” moment that proved it.Practical integration: moving from unitive states to everyday choices—diet, sourcing, and local service.If this conversation resonated, follow the show on Spotify/Apple, leave a short review, and consider supporting the work on Patreon to keep community-driven media independent. Special thanks to Sandbgz for the music! Follow him on Spotify! 00:00 – Intro & Setup 02:00 – From Burning Man to the Mic 04:35 – Origins & Rainbow Gathering Roots 06:25 – The All One God Faith Legacy 10:25 – Sourcing as Activism 15:20 – Mission Financing & the Purpose Pledge 17:35 – Building Roots & Staying Grounded 22:30 – Why Risk Psychedelic Advocacy 28:30 – Early Activism & the Hemp Wars 33:00 – Meeting Rick Doblin at Burning Man 37:00 – Decrim, Churches & Community Access 39:15 – Pitfalls & Lawsuits 40:30 – Choosing Battles & Lessons from Oregon 110 42:45 – Integration & Regenerative Organic Agriculture 46:45 – From Vision to Action 51:55 – Balancing Perfection & Pragmatism 55:45 – Longevity over Hype 1:01:00 – Heaven on Earth & Deep Time 1:03:45 – Brotherhood of Eternal Love & Rainbow Bridge 1:08:30 – Closing Reflections 1:12:00 – Outro & Patreon Call to Actio Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

Psychedelics are no longer the fringe—they’re reshaping medicine, culture, and consciousness itself. In this episode of Divergent States, 3L1T3 and Bryan sit down with Joe Moore, co-founder and CEO of Psychedelics Today, to explore the messy evolution of the movement: from the chaotic 1960s to today’s corporate clinics and grassroots revival. They trace Psychedelics Today’s origins, dive into the Vital training program, and discuss what it means to build trust in a scene that still distrusts institutions. Joe shares insight into the next decade of psychedelic science—AI-assisted molecule discovery, new drugs entering clinical trials, and the fading of old stigmas—and the risks of turning medicine into marketing. Along the way, they talk Leary and McKenna, ketamine cults, LSD alchemy, and the underground traditions worth preserving. The result is a grounded, forward-looking conversation about authenticity, ethics, and the future of altered states. Key Points Covered  How Psychedelics Today started from the breathwork undergroundWhat the 1960s got wrong (and right) about psychedelics  The danger of idolizing substances and personalities — “don’t worship the drug” How overuse of ketamine mirrors past mistakes in psychedelic culture The future of psychedelic research and the AI-driven chemistry boom Vital, the 12-month training program creating the next generation of psychedelic professionalsWhat it takes to run an ethical business in a scene that distrusts business Harm reduction and why testing your substances matters more than ever The LSD Philosopher’s Stone — does the chemist’s energy shape the trip?  Why pleasure and integration must coexist in psychedelic healing 🎙️ Joe Moore joins r/Psychonaut for an AMA on October 9, 2025! 🎧 Support the show and hear the Patreon-only “Trip Stories & Cosmic Jokes” bonus segment at patreon.com/divergentstates Special thanks to SndBagz for the music! 00:00 – Intro / Bryan returns / Reggie Watts recap / Season 2 preview 04:16 – Meeting Joe Moore / Origins of Psychedelics Today 07:30 – Building a new media voice beyond academic monoculture 08:46 – Lessons from the 1960s and the cult of personality 12:00 – “Don’t Worship the Substance” – The Danger of Psychedelic Deification 13:30 – Unsung Heroes: Shulgins, Dr. Z, Grof & Leonard Pickard 15:00 – Repeating Old Mistakes: Ketamine Overuse and Media Myths 17:40 – “Is Anyone Driving the Bus?” – Who Really Controls Psychedelics Today 20:30 – Can Clinical Models Honor Mystical Experiences? 23:00 – Psychedelic Journalism: Objectivity vs Calling B******t 25:30 – Inside Vital – Redefining Psychedelic Training 28:30 – Teaching Mysticism to Therapists 31:00 – Building Trust in a Culture Skeptical of Business 37:30 – The Next Decade – Five Psychedelics Likely to Be Legalized 43:30 – Harm Reduction & Testing Culture 46:00 – The LSD Philosopher’s Stone – Energy, Alchemy & Intention Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

Comedian, musician, and improvisational genius Reggie Watts joins Divergent States for an unfiltered deep dive into psychedelics, creativity, and consciousness. From jamming on LSD and mushrooms to experimenting with dissociatives and even the Apple Vision Pro, Reggie opens up about how altered states shape his art, comedy, music, and worldview. We cover: Psychedelics in creative flow and improvisationDissociatives as “drug-induced float tanks”Saffron, ketamine, and unique mixes in performanceMainstreaming psychedelics in cultureFlow states, music as healing, and shadow workReggie’s bucket-list substances and wild stories from stage to studio🔑 Whether you’re a psychonaut, a fan of Reggie’s comedy and music, or just curious about the psychedelic creative process, this is one of his rare long-form podcast conversations. 👉 Full extended conversation (45+ minutes extra) only on Patreon: patreon.com/divergentstates 🎵 Thanks to Sndbagz for the music! 00:00 – Intro: Divergent States with Valerie Beltran 02:35 – Reggie Watts joins the show 03:27 – Saffron mixes & ketamine creativity 04:40 – Psychedelics and the creative process 05:40 – Solo vs. group creation on psychedelics 06:36 – Improv, ego, and the psychedelic equalizer 07:25 – Mainstreaming psychedelics & cultural shifts 08:15 – Tripping in ancient and future times 09:48 – Flow states, art, and natural psychedelics 12:26 – Dissociatives vs. psychedelics 15:00 – Apple Vision Pro + dissociatives 17:16 – Anamnesis: remembering the forgotten 19:31 – Jamming with Nazzle & improvisation 21:47 – Psychedelics: loosening control vs. sharpening focus 25:08 – Shadow work & healing through music 27:37 – Permission, freedom, and flow 29:47 – Psychedelics as tools or collaborators 32:00 – Closing thoughts & Patreon invite 35:04 – Outro reflections & gratitude Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

History shows politics can make or break psychedelic medicine, will we repeat the 1960s backlash, or finally move forward?  In this episode of Divergent States, we explore the uneasy intersection of psychedelics and politics. MDMA remains a Schedule I drug—classified as dangerous with no medical use—while at the same time advancing through FDA Phase III trials. This contradiction highlights the limbo psychedelics face today: criminalized on one side, medicalized on the other. We revisit the lessons of the 1960s, when political backlash ended promising psychedelic research for decades, and compare them to today’s fast-changing landscape. With figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. championing psychedelic medicine, the risk of partisan branding looms large. Can the psychedelic renaissance avoid being reduced to culture war ammunition? From Oregon and Colorado’s legalization models to global perspectives like Australia’s, we unpack the fragile future of access, safety, and legitimacy. And we emphasize why independent media, grassroots communities, and diverse voices are essential to keeping psychedelics rooted in healing rather than political agendas. 🔑 Key Points Psychedelics remain Schedule I but are simultaneously advancing toward FDA approval.The 1960s crackdown shows the danger of entanglement with politics and culture wars.Public opinion has shifted rapidly, with mainstream endorsements from figures like Oprah and Michael Pollan.Risks of polarizing association (e.g., RFK Jr.) could trigger backlash despite strong science.Oregon’s tightly regulated model vs. Colorado’s more open system—pros, cons, and accessibility challenges.Potential for a two-tiered system: expensive legal clinics vs. criminalized underground use.Independent media and grassroots communities play a key role in shaping the narrative.Psychedelics could follow three futures: medicalized/corporate, grassroots/underground, or partisan football.Safety concerns are emerging with unregulated “gas station mushrooms” and microdose products.Global models like Australia’s nationwide legalization offer lessons for the U.S. path ahead.Chapters 00:00 – The Psychedelic Contradiction MDMA is Schedule I and in FDA Phase III trials — the legal/medical limbo. 02:00 – Why Politics Are Dangerous Why Divergent States avoids partisan debates, and how culture wars derail progress. 06:30 – Lessons from the 1960s How Timothy Leary, Nixon, and the War on Drugs shut down decades of psychedelic science. 09:45 – The Risk of Polarization RFK Jr., vaccines, and how associating psychedelics with a single figure fuels backlash. 15:00 – Fragile Legitimacy Medical, cultural, and political legitimacy — and how easily it can collapse. 20:20 – Can Psychedelics Unite Us? Hope for bipartisan support, parallels with cannabis legalization. 24:00 – Global Models & Access Oregon vs. Colorado, Australia’s legalization, Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

In this episode of Divergent States, we sit down with Kabir Nath, CEO of Compass Pathways, and Dr. Steve Levine, Chief Patient Officer, to talk about the future of psychedelic medicine. From FDA approval and insurance coverage to patient access, cultural safety, and patents, we dig into whether Compass is truly disrupting the pharma model or just reinventing it. We also share a major community update: the official Divergent States Discord is now open to all of r/Psychonaut. Built by Brady and the mod team, the server is a space for harm reduction, trip reports, deep dives, and authentic connection across the psychedelic movement. As always, this conversation is about asking the real questions without corporate PR filters. What Compass shared — and what they left unsaid — reveals as much about the future of psilocybin therapy as the answers themselves. 👉 Join the movement: connect on Discord, support independent media on Patreon, and be part of the conversation.  https://discord.gg/swPwT6ZYun Key Points FDA approval: path to affordability or illusion of access?COM360 psilocybin therapy: synthetic model, patient journey, and therapy debateAccess & equity: insurance hurdles, pricing models, and patient foundationsCultural safety: trauma-informed design, marginalized populations, indigenous rootsPatents & Pharma tension: innovation vs. corporate control in psychedelic medicineCommunity news: Divergent States Discord officially launches for r/PsychonautChapters  00:00 – Intro: Setting the frame for Compass Pathways  01:30 – Community Update: Divergent States Discord opens for r/Psychonaut  09:30 – Guest Intros: Kabir Nath & Dr. Steve Levine of Compass Pathways  11:20 – Kabir on moving from pharma to psychedelics  12:30 – Steve on ketamine clinics & new models of care  14:15 – What “success” looks like for patients  16:00 – COM360 psilocybin therapy: synthetic vs. natural & the role of therapy  17:30 – How Compass plans to deliver psilocybin in different care settings  18:40 – Patient hopes, fears, and the path to access  20:00 – FDA approval, insurance, and affordability  21:00 – Cultural safety, trauma-informed design, and community input  21:45 – Indigenous engagement & staying “in their lane”  24:15 – The next 5–10 years of psychedelic treatment  26:10 – What could derail psychedelic medicine’s promise  28:10 – Compass’ place in the broader psychedelic ecosystem  29:50 – Outro: Independent media reflections & listener call to action  New Music from Sndbagz - check out his new EP "Chosen Path" on Soundcloud and Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/0T1LU2nJ9ibGIU3Bxin2X6 https://soundcloud.com/user-918755844 Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

In this episode of Divergent States, host 3L1T3 and co-host Bryan sit down with Paul F. Austin, founder of The Third Wave and the Psychedelic Coaching Institute. We dive deep into microdosing psychedelics, intentional use for peak performance, and the rise of psychedelic coaching as a professional path. Paul shares insights from his book Mastering Microdosing, his vision for conscious entrepreneurship, and how psychedelics are reshaping the way we think about healing, creativity, and human potential. If you’re curious about LSD or psilocybin microdosing, psychedelic integration, or building a career in the psychedelic space, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways and inspiring perspectives. 🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways: How Paul F. Austin became a pioneer in the psychedelic spaceThe science and practice of microdosing for focus and creativityWhy psychedelic coaching is the next frontier in mental health and personal growthEntrepreneurship and psychedelics: Lessons from building The Third WaveBest practices for safe, intentional psychedelic useWhere the psychedelic movement is headed in the next 5–10 years⏱️ Chapters: 0:00 – Welcome to Divergent States with 3L1T3 & Bryan 2:15 – Introducing Paul F. Austin & The Third Wave 5:30 – How Paul discovered psychedelics and microdosing 10:42 – The benefits of microdosing for focus, creativity & emotional balance 18:20 – Psychedelic coaching: What it is and why it’s growing 27:55 – Lessons from building The Third Wave & conscious entrepreneurship 36:10 – Integration, safety, and intentional psychedelic use 44:15 – The future of psychedelics, careers, and community 52:30 – Closing thoughts & how to connect with Paul Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

Amber Capone, co-founder and CEO of Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), shares the powerful story of how psychedelic therapy - starting with Ibogaine - helped her husband, Navy SEAL Marcus Capone, recover from PTSD and TBI when traditional care failed. We dive into the science and controversy behind Ibogaine, the limits of VA mental health care, and how VETS is paving the way for safe access to psychedelics like MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine for veterans in need. Key Points: Amber’s leap from military spouse to CEO of VETSIbogaine’s transformative potential for PTSD and TBIRisks and rewards of seeking psychedelic treatment abroadBipartisan momentum behind veteran psychedelic initiativesWhy careful vetting, integration, and support are critical🎧 Listen to hear how psychedelics are changing lives—and the future of trauma care. Chapter Markers: 00:00 – Introduction & why Amber’s story matters05:56 – What was happening behind the scenes at home07:57 – The struggle after service: Marcus’ decline10:59 – Turning point: discovering Ibogaine14:57 – What changed after treatment20:20 – Starting VETS to help other families25:06 – Not just Ibogaine: the expanded toolbox31:21 – Addressing TBI and polytrauma35:43 – The importance of screening, context, and preparation41:46 – VETS’ evolving role in advocacy and support45:16 – Bipartisan support and shifting cultural norms51:54 – What “success” really means for healing veterans57:57 – Where to learn more and get involvedSend us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

What happens when the most hunted man in psychedelic history walks free and joins us for a conversation? In this deeply reflective episode of Divergent States, I sit down with William Leonard Pickard: chemist, philosopher, author of The Rose of Paracelsus, and the man once called the “Acid King.” After decades behind bars, Pickard returns with revelations about time, memory, suffering, redemption, and the spiritual cost of psychedelic pursuit. We discuss the rise and fall of the most infamous LSD lab in history, Pickard's views on Ibogaine and modern psychedelic commercialization, and how prison reshaped his consciousness. He speaks of literature, inner stillness, shadow organizations, and the unfathomable lessons buried in the folds of silence. A mythic guest, a poetic mind, and perhaps the most important voice in the psychedelic space today. 🔑 Key Takeaways: The "Acid King" Speaks: For the first time in-depth post-release, Leonard Pickard reflects on his time at the center of what authorities called the largest LSD operation in history, and what he believes was really happening behind the scenes.Prison as a Psychedelic Experience: Pickard describes incarceration not as a void, but as a radically altered state, where time dilates, silence becomes sacred, and the mind either breaks or transcends.Ibogaine, Compassion, and the Future: He voices strong views on the therapeutic use of Ibogaine, its dangers when misused, and its misunderstood spiritual potential.The Rose of Paracelsus as Code: More than a memoir, Pickard hints that The Rose is layered with veiled truths and archetypes meant for those “with ears to hear”, especially those seeking refuge from commercialized psychedelia.The Invisible Networks: He suggests there are forces: academic, clandestine, spiritual, that have shaped and continue to shape psychedelic culture in ways the mainstream never sees.Redemption Through Stillness: Pickard doesn't romanticize his past. Instead, he presents a philosophy of quiet redemption, where introspection, myth, and suffering converge into what he calls “the sacred cost.”Warnings to the Psychedelic Industry: He offers a cautionary tale to today’s entrepreneurs and enthusiasts: be wary of glamorizing chemical mysticism, and remember that true wisdom comes not from flash, but from depth.00:00 – Introduction: The Acid King Returns 3:06 – From Secrecy to Spotlight 06:00 – Psychedelic Culture: Then and Now 10:53 – Ibogaine and Healing Work 12:44 – On Commercialization and Ceremony 16:46 – What About the Sacred? 19:46 – Medicalization vs. Freedom 24:53 – What They Never Ask 26:22 – Second Life Reflections 33:16 – What Prison Taught Me 38:15 – Ergot Wine and LSD Myths 43:01 – Machine Elves and Other Planes 44:13 – Star Trek and the Pickard Rumor 45:07 – Outro and Patreon Preview Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

In this episode, 3L1T3 sits down with Dr. Anne Wagner, clinical psychologist and founder of Remedy, whose research pushes MDMA therapy beyond the individual — into the space between two people. We explore what happens when couples facing PTSD enter treatment together, why trauma rarely belongs to just one partner, and whether psychedelic medicine can transform relational patterns where traditional therapy fails. We also examine the ethical and emotional risks of dyadic MDMA therapy: consent, power dynamics, memory, boundaries, and what happens when only one partner improves. Is this the future of trauma care — or a dangerous leap? This conversation challenges the standard medical model, questions the limits of psychedelic therapy, and asks whether healing sometimes requires more than one nervous system. ✅ Key Points / TopicsWhy relationship trauma isn’t just “one person’s PTSD”How MDMA-assisted therapy is being adapted for couplesThe science behind “dyadic healing”What happens when both partners dose — togetherHow MDMA opens emotional flexibility + secure bondingCore risks: power imbalance, coercion, storytelling shiftsEthical challenges in couples psychedelic workIs relational MDMA therapy scalable?Why some couples shouldn’t take MDMA togetherWhat traditional therapy gets wrong about trauma“The Power of Two” — healing via the relationship itselfCase outcomes — surprising resultsWhere research goes from here🎧 Plus: updates from Psychedelic Science 2025, upcoming guests like Leonard Pickard and Reggie Watts, and why the future of therapy might come in pairs. ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 – Intro & Conference Check-In  04:22 – Meet Dr. Anne Wagner  04:38 – Misunderstandings About MDMA Therapy  07:13 – Empathy and Connection on MDMA  09:05 – Pilot Study Results from MDMA + CBCT  14:08 – Unexpected Dyadic Challenges  16:31 – Why Couples Therapy vs Solo MDMA Work  20:09 – Shifting Toward CPT + MDMA  24:18 – Preview of Anne’s Panels at PS25  28:57 – Defining Integration for Couples  32:35 – Will Dyadic Integration Become Its Own Field?  34:52 – Power Dynamics, Communication & Conflict on MDMA  37:22 – MDMA, Neurodivergence, and CPTSD  40:38 – Future of MDMA in General Relationship Work  42:13 – Ethical Guardrails for Psychedelic Couples Therapy  44:50 – Risks of Untrained Psychedelic Facilitators  45:44 – Training Models for Dyadic Psychedelic Therapists  47:20 – Access, Regulation & Stigma Barriers  49:20 – Anne’s Origin Story: Psychedelics, Trauma & Relationships  51:23 – Most Unexpected Lesson from the Work  53:09 – How to Connect with Remedy Centre  54:02 – Final Thoughts & Psychedelic Science Plans  59:09 – Outro: PTSD Breakthroughs & Upcoming Guests Music by Flintwick Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod

A former U.S. Senator says the federal government is preparing to fast-track psychedelic medicines, especially for veterans with TBI, PTSD, addiction, and treatment-resistant depression. In this conversation, Kyrsten Sinema explains why the current administration is unusually aligned behind plant-based therapies, how Ibogaine and MDMA could move through the FDA faster than expected, and why small researchers, not Big Pharma, may end up shaping the field. We dig into: Ibogaine’s impact on Special Forces veteransWhy bipartisan support is real and why it’s strangeWhat “FDA fast-track” actually meansThe fight to secure Medicaid/Medicare + VA coverageHow cost + access could shift once CMS approves careThe threat of large companies burying breakthroughsWhy trauma + TBI may define the next decade of medicineSinema isn’t claiming everything is solved. She argues there’s a rare window — and it could close. Whether you’re hopeful or skeptical, you’ll walk away with a clearer view of the policy machinery behind psychedelic medicine. ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: Politics, Power, and Psychedelics  01:41 – Why Interview Sinema? Pushback & Intentions  02:21 – First Sponsor Tease & PS25 Plans  03:56 – Sinema Joins the Interview  04:18 – How Ibogaine Changed Her Perspective  06:49 – Senate Colleagues' Reactions  07:44 – Policy Progress & Bipartisan Allies  09:43 – Pharma Capture & Psychedelic Industry Risks  12:02 – Can Psychedelics Avoid Biotech Monopoly?  13:40 – Cost, Access, and Equity Concerns  14:44 – Ensuring Access for the Most Vulnerable  15:56 – State vs. Federal Models  17:00 – Federal Role in Decriminalization & Reform  17:20 – Regrets or Missed Legislative Opportunities?  18:43 – Sinema’s Continued Involvement  20:06 – Political Alignment vs. Policy Goals  20:17 – Restoring Trust in Institutions  21:55 – Five-Year Outlook for Psychedelic Medicine  23:10 – Final Reflections & Outro  23:41 – Bonus: Sinema on Psychedelic Science 2025 Panels  25:17 – Collaboration with VETS Foundation  25:53 – Closing Thanks & Conference Plans  28:49 – Outro Recap & Reflections  31:19 – Sponsors, Shulgin Legacy, and Fireside Project  32:10 – Next Episode Tease: Dr. Anne Wagner Send us a text FiresideProject.org Download the app or text/call 62-FIRESIDE Zendo ProjectOur listeners get 10% off the Zendo Project SIT Program with the code DIVERGENTS10Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Special Thanks to our Macrodosers, Super D and Mike on Patreon! https://linktr.ee/3L1T3Mod