by AbZu A flowing stream of thoughts based on a seed idea: Mind Movies—specifically, how psilocybin affects the brain. Any reference to mushrooms in this essay is to psilocybin mushrooms. Mind Movies, Comida de Coco, Kopf Kino, Film Mentali, etc. all describe the same scenario: the mental creation of an imagined “Reality”. Once created, it […]
By AbZu A flowing stream of thoughts based on a seed idea: Neuroplasticity — specifically, how psilocybin affects the brain. Psilocybin seems to create a kind of hyperconnected brain state, largely because of its neuroplastic effects. The mushrooms activate serotonin receptors that spark neurogenesis (the growth of new brain cells) and synaptogenesis (the formation of […]
by Dennis Walker Psychedelics have been explored by artists, scientists and entrepreneurs during this century to leverage their peculiar ability to purportedly amplify innovative thinking and creative problem solving. Yet understanding the underlying basis for how this process works is only just beginning to emerge as a focus of modern scientific inquiry and mainstream cultural legitimacy. […]
Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative disease which is characterised by cognitive decline, memory loss, and behavioural changes. Patients suffering from dementia often experience emotional distress, sadness and depression which also impacts the wellbeing of their caregivers. Recent research has explored the potential of psychedelics, such as psilocybin and LSD, when treating various mental health conditions. […]
Chase Hughes A neuroscience paper published in Cell just days ago answers a question researchers have been trying to solve for years: what actually changes in the brain during a psilocybin experience—and why those changes can last. Using a genetically modified rabies virus as a neural tracer, researchers were able to map—cell by cell—how psilocybin […]
By Lara Moore July 10, 2025 As revenues from the anti-aging market — riddled with hope and thousands of supplements — surged past $500 million last year, Emory University researchers identified a compound that actively delays aging in cells and organisms. A newly published study in Nature Partner Journals’ Aging demonstrates that psilocin, a byproduct of consuming psilocybin, […]
image by Peggi Wolfe A UCSF pilot study finds psilocybin therapy surprises, showing meaningful improvements in mood, cognition, and motor symptoms. By Victoria Colliver Psilocybin, a natural compound found in certain mushrooms, has shown promise in treating depression and anxiety. UC San Francisco researchers wanted to know if it could be used to help Parkinson’s patients […]
WRITTEN BY: Jenelle J. Rofe. MS, Neuropsychology As researchers learn more about the realities of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), it’s becoming increasingly clear that traditional treatments are struggling to keep pace with patients’ needs. Many standard methods fall short or are ineffective, leaving patients desperate for better solutions. Meanwhile, those reliant on these treatments find themselves […]
By McKenzie Prillaman Psychedelics go beneath the cell surface to unleash their potential therapeutic effects. These drugs are showing promise in clinical trials as treatments for mental health disorders (SN: 12/3/21). Now, scientists might know why. These substances can get inside nerve cells in the cortex — the brain region important for consciousness — and tell the neurons to grow, […]
The peyote cactus is central to many of the rituals of the indigenous Huichol tribe of Mexico. The bright colors and dreamy symbols of their yarn paintings are said to be inspired by the hallucinations experienced by ingesting the mescaline-rich plant in shamanic rituals. “They do these beautiful creations with beads, paint and sculpture. [By […]
art by Luminokaya By Sergey Baranov Contributing writer for Wake Up World This title came to me during the last Huachuma (San Pedro) ceremony while I was lying on the ground, observing a tango between eucalyptus trees and the wind. The moment of clarity seemed to stretch in time and afforded me a deeper look into […]
The global renaissance of psychedelic drugs in the treatment of mental health gains further legitimacy in Australia as psychologists sign up for clinical trialsJenny ValentishSat 29 May 2021 21.00 BST Last modified on Sat 29 May 2021 21.02 BST When growing up in Yea, in rural Victoria, Campbell Townsend took a dim view of drugs. […]
“A day-long workshop at Clairmont College in Southern California [in 1991] addressing the Jung Society of the greater Los Angeles area, was an unusual setting and analogies to instruct, suggest and enchant what might be called a group “with a rich inner life” that was not necessarily psychedelic. He stretched to new lengths and depths […]
In 1956 this unnamed American housewife took LSD at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Los Angeles. This woman’s husband was an employee at the hospital and referred her to this study, which was reportedly done for a television program on mental health issues.
By Sergey Baranov Contributing writer for Wake Up World Many times I have been asked what is the most important thing I’ve learned from working with Huachuma medicine over the years. Not once I could answer it simply, although I always did it truthfully. This is not because I didn’t have something to say. In fact, I […]
By Nanice Ellis Contributing Writer for Wake Up World Did Joseph Smith secretly add psychedelics to the sacrament? Did you know that, according to the Book of Mormon, the original Mormons reported mystical experiences and hallucinogenic visions during religious ceremonies? In fact, not only were these mystical visions and hallucinations shared amongst a large number of Mormon […]
Recently, while out to dinner with a few Silicon Valley Senior Management types ( Startup / Enterprise ), the question of how one could go about achieving the “Limitless Effect” was brought up. Of course referring to the film Limitless, where Bradley Cooper’s character taps into his full potential by using a performance-enhancing smart drug […]
There are many myths and stories about the pineal gland; thought by some to be the mystical seat of the soul. This tiny organ in the brain has been the center of many spiritual musings, and the focus of countless spiritual practices. People are enthusiastic about the connection between plant medicines like ayahuasca and the […]
It has long been known that psilocybin, found in ‘magic mushrooms’, can create feelings of a connection to the collective consciousness, and a dissolution of the self – often in experiences which prove positively life-changing for the participants [1]. Now new research has for the first time examined the effect of adding mindfulness meditation to […]
Then psychologist Martin Seligman became president of the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1998, he did something radical. Over the years, he had grown tired of his fields’ constant focus on the negative (mental illness, trauma, suffering, pain) and felt that more attention should be paid to the other side of the coin: happiness, well-being, […]