Uncharted Territory

Reflections on starting a podcast, the psychedelic revolution and assorted notes

Everything is unprecedented, or uncharted, sort of. We're always in unknown territory. There has never been this moment, time, or particular arrangement of things ever before, and there never will again. But drugs, and psychedelic medicines, have been around for some time now, and it seems they have never been so popular. The fact that so many people are taking them, imbibing them, sitting with them, and abusing them; juxtaposed with the growing clinical evidence that most of them have immense potential medical value, has led to a winding down of the war on drugs in most of the world. We’re slowly exiting the war on drugs era, and returning to a world where people could mostly alter their consciousness with plants, potions and powders without any threat of arrest. This fascinating reality inspired the name of my podcast.

The reason I find psychedelics so interesting, is because they can spark new ways of thinking for people who may otherwise never have plucked up the courage to do X, Y or Z. They generally bring about a greater sense of connection (or, indeed, a desire) with others, the nature world, and oneself. I’ll continue to write about various weird and wonderful and awful things across the board, but I’m keen to showcase (and interrogate) the mind-boggling psychedelic-induced changes that are happening apace throughout societies.

I’ve been delighted when folks who would rarely mention an article of mine tell me that they’ve listened to (and enjoyed!) the podcast. Its obviously a medium that many people prefer to the written word these days. And one in which discussions can occur at greater length than 700 or, even, 2000 words. We’re going to talk about the light and the dark amidst this western psychedelic revolution, and the parallel reforms which are taking place in wider drug policy. Already, psychedelic-assisted couple’s therapist Sarah Tilley, drugs historian Mike Jay, educator Charlotte James and comedian Dennis Walker have been kind enough to come onto the show (here’s the link to all of the episodes posted so far). Conservative MP Crispin Blunt is up next. With a conversation on challenging experiences with myself and Mary Carreon to follow. And many more thereafter. Talks that is, hopefully not challenging experiences. I’ll endeavour to post a new show every Tuesday morning.

Listeners have tuned in from all over the world, which has been really cool to see. From Mexico, to Uruguay, Norway, Hong Kong and Indonesia; with many places in between. Anyway, I’m looking forward to growing and improving the podcast, and developing its character. These Substack bulletins will vary wildly in terms of content, and will just serve as a means for me to pontificate and share what I’ve been reading, writing, listening to, etc. And also to reveal how great my editors are.

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What I’ve been writing

Earlier this month, I went to a festival – which I agreed not to name – to check out the awesome work of psychedelic harm reduction charity PsyCare, which you can read about here via the Guardian. They received dozens of volunteer applications following the publication of the piece, which was pretty cool.

I also interviewed author Antony Loewenstein about his new book The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World for Jacobin.

I dusted off my Bristol drugs correspondent hat for a piece published in the Cable on the government’s support for police-led decriminalisation schemes.

I’ve also been working on a prospective talk in which I discuss the differences between US and UK psychedelic culture. If anyone would like to chat about this, I’m all ears.

What I’ve been reading

I enjoyed this piece, which sure packed a few further surprises, by Chiara Wilkinson in the Guardian on the man who has been walking barefoot in London for more than a year now.

I was pleasantly surprised to read a powerful op-ed in the Washington Post calling for the legal regulation of drugs.

In Totnes, where I’ve lived for the past couple of months since my return from Mexico, there is an interesting initiative underway to avoid a repeat of the ludicrous outcome of most elections here: in which the “progressive” vote is split between Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green, and hands the Tories a victory. George Monbiot wrote about it here.

And I was cheered by the heartwarming tale of the Australian man rescued after surviving three months lost at sea with his dog on a simple vessel which had been damaged in a storm, taking out the electricity. He also claims to have beaten bowel cancer by eating raw vegetables.

I also read a large part of Mike Jay’s incredible book Psychonauts: Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind as I have a piece with Double Blind coming out about that soon.

What I’ve been watching

Pretty much just the Ashes (the cricket tournament between England and Australia). Oh, and a bizarre set of YouTube clips posted by Channel 4 in which people with diametrically opposed opinions are made to debate, then eat shrooms, and see if there’s any more common ground.

I also went to see Oppenheimer. The epic story of the creation of the A-bomb, and the hysterics of anti-communism in the US. A unique tale of idealism, politics, and destruction which says a lot about the human condition.

What I’ve been listening to

Harold Budd’s ambient classic The Pavilion of Dreams. Along with another superb meditation, Laraaji’s Flow Goes the Universe. Jazz/bass crossover banger Paying My Bills by Dennis Mpale has been on repeat, along with baile funk riddim De Segunda a Sexta by Furacao 2000 ft Jonjon. I really love the acoustic love song Carmesi by Vincente Garcia too.

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It feels apt to close out with a bit of wisdom, from the Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita:

“One should lift up oneself by oneself. One should not let oneself get depressed or defeated - because the self is the friend of oneself and the self is the enemy of oneself”

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Many thanks for reading and please subscribe if you would like to follow my work - stay tuned!