What does DMT Look Like?
May 30, 2023
The Science of Psychedelics & Spiritual Medicine Conference Review
Our Trippy Trip Report:
We just got back from the Science of Psychedelics & Spiritual Medicine Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, and let’s just say, our minds are blown 🤯. We went to the conference as a warm-up for the MAPS Psychedelic Conference , the biggest gathering of psychonauts ever, happening in Denver this June 19-23, 2023.
The Science of Psychedelics conference was a wild ride of fascinating lectures, mind-bending workshops, and deep conversations about the transformative power of psychedelics. We heard from experts in the field about the latest research and breakthroughs in psychedelic-assisted therapy, spirituality, and consciousness exploration.
But the real highlight was connecting with people from all walks of life who share our love for the sacred medicine. We made new friends, shared stories, and had some truly mind-expanding experiences together.
What is The Psychedelic Conference like?
So, we had never been to a psychedelic conference before, and we were all wondering: “What to expect at a psychedelic conference?”
Would it be a stuffy, corporate affair? A burnout hippie lovefest? Or just a free-for-all where people openly bought psychedelics? We brought gear for all those scenarios.
According to the schedule, vendors would be offering samples at 8 a.m. sharp, so we rushed to the conference center, only to find a massive line wrapped around the building! We were bracing ourselves for hordes of patchouli-soaked tie-dye clad hippies playing bongoes and burning incense, but to our surprise and relief, it was mostly a sophisticated, open minded crowd.
Sure, there were still a few token hippies and influencer types peppered throughout the throng, but by and large, it was an impressively professional group. Well, except for the staffing issues the venue (not the conference organizers) were having at the box office, which slowed things down quite a bit.
As soon as we checked in, they gave us a swag tote filled with some awesome stuff. We headed to the rotunda which had multiple exhibitors on multiple floors, but it was crowded so we decided to come back later. We then found our seats in the amazing Harbinger Theater.
Event Host Dan Impresses the Crowd with Surprise Guest and Inspirational Speech
At the Psychedelics Conference, Dan, the event host, wowed attendees with his comprehensive conference overview. But the real highlight came when he surprised everyone with a special guest: Peyote custodian and ethnobotanist, Leonardo Mercado, from the Gila River Tribe.
Leonardo not only gave the conference and guests a blessing of positive energy, but he also took a few moments to discuss the importance of the Morningstar Conservatory for Peyote. The crowd was moved by his inspiring story about his son, who while in basic training, expressed the significance of the ceremonies that they had in their Indian community. Leonardo’s energy electrified the audience and set the tone for a fantastic conference.
Friday
Zach Leary, the MAPS podcast host and disciple of Bubba Ram Dass, was the first scheduled speaker at our psychedelics conference. While we only knew the information on his one-sheet, which included the term “cognitive libertarian,” we were excited to hear what he had to say about the history of psychedelics.
His presentation was excellent, even for those already familiar with the topic. During a break, we had the honor of briefly chatting with Zach. He was incredibly knowledgeable and chill AF. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that he’s also a talented artist and the son of Timothy Leary’s son.
Overall, meeting Zach was a humbling experience. He is a true expert in the field, yet remains down-to-earth and approachable.
David Rabin from Apollo Neuroscience, gave an energetic talk on his new wearable technology called Apollo. We didn’t take any notes, but we remember the gist – it’s a biofeedback machine that utilizes low frequency sound waves to help patients control how they feel.
We were reminded of some of the technologies from the groundbreaking book Spirit Tech – The Brave New World of Consciousness Hacking and Enlightenment Engineering. Apollo even had a free demonstration booth upstairs in the vendor area, but we were too busy engrossed in conversations with other attendees, discussing fascinating topics like DMT.
If only we had checked out the demonstration, we could have seen the technology firsthand!
Love, Sex and Psychedelics: A Delightful Panel
We stumbled into the panel late, unfortunately missing all the introductions and forgetting our notes, but we were elated to hear from Jay and Cory Fiset, founders of The Connection Experience Psychedelic Retreats.
Their story of finding love after 25 years of marriage was both captivating and inspiring. Jay and Cory’s expertise on psychedelics helped them rejuvenate their love for each other.
Their testimony left us curious and captivated. Jay’s wife, for instance, whose orgasm was only achievable in one way before, now has 8 new methods. The conversation was an eye-opener, leaving us speechless with curiosity, trying to list the remaining seven methods which we found most of the talk to be about!
Shelby Hartman, CEO of Doubleblind Magazine, Talks Mushrooms
Attendees at the Psychedelic Conference were captivated by Shelby Hartman of Doubleblind Magazine’s lively presentation on the topic of mushrooms. As a nationally recognized psychedelic reporter, she delivered in spades with an informative and witty delivery that was enjoyed by all. Not only did she bring great artwork to the table, but she truly cares about the psychedelic community. With her smart and sassy delivery, Hartman proved to be the perfect guide for any fellow psychedelic enthusiast.
Enjoying Lunch and Making New Friends
After being told to pre-order lunch from a QR code menu and eat in the hall during a conference, we were a little unsure of what to expect. To avoid any potential issues with the food, we brought along a cooler filled with healthy, nutritious meals.
As it turned out, we weren’t the only ones with this idea. We met some like-minded individuals who were also eating their own meals and struck up a conversation. We quickly hit it off and even made plans to sample some 2CB together the next day.
Sometimes taking matters into your own hands can lead to unexpected and exciting experiences.
Open Your Heart with Huachuma
After lunch was Mescaline! Ivan Chocron is a Peyote and Huachuma Mescaline Expert. He enlightened us with so many new and exciting facts about Huachuma (San Pedro) and Peyote. Last year we planted a gift 12” piece of Huachuma from AWCO1988 and its growing like crazy. Hearing Ivans talk about the opening of the heart via the sacred plant made us immediately start googling preparation of the ceremonial tea. We can’t wait to experience the healing of Huachuma.
They had to cancel the 5-MEO-DMT talk, but the panel on Veterans Access to Psychedelics was intense. We were moved by Justin Lapree’s tear-jerking story about his traumatic injuries and how healing came to him through magic mushrooms. He started Heroic Path to Light Church, offering free services to vets in a pay-it-forward program. To his left was Nate Coleman, who started NeuIntention to help people awaken their wisdom from within. Derek Goeriz wrapped up the panel with his unusual style of entertainment, a special hat, and some country music that offered a break from the sad stories. Sorry, we missed the feisty female vet who was finishing up her talk. We guess we were probably in the hall talking to somebody about N,N DMT lost track of time.
After being emotionally moved by the stories we heard, we decided to soak up some sun and head outside into the hot desert air. Later that night, our spirits lifted at a private get-together with friends – it was great evening spent catching laughs and smiles!
SATURDAY
Saturday was quite the day! We kicked off our conference at 8:30am and went straight through until 6:30pm – that’s a long time, but it didn’t stop us from enjoying nature. At sunrise, we found ourselves atop South Mountain in Phoenix where we soaked up gorgeous views of the skyline letting its golden rays open up our hearts
Hamilton Morris
We arrived on time for Hamilton Morris‘ presentation, the well-known host of Vice’s show “Hamilton’s Pharmacopia“. He was an absolute professional up there and handled questions like a pro. His extensive knowledge about various substances in their history left us fascinated – he even discussed something Alexander Shulgin synthesized that makes patients hallucinate touch! When asked what his favorite substance is, it seems this expert doesn’t play favorites… except when it comes to DMT which he eventually declared as his top pick. All we can say…this guy certainly lived up to all expectations!
After Hamilton’s speech, things got a bit more ‘heady’ when the local Phoenix doctor chatted – her presentation was definitely an interesting detour into Ketamine: tracing its history and discussing the potential of psychedelic medicine. But even though it may have been educational…the lack of any mention to Dr John C Lilly and his psychedelic work with ketamine made us really uncomfortable!
After the auditorium emptied out, it was a flurry of conversation about DMT. We had an amazing and informative meet-up at Sheraton Hotel over lunch – even better because we were lucky enough to get some one-on-one time with one of the speakers! All put together made for a memorable day full of anticipation regarding this upcoming event that everyone can’t wait to learn more about.
After lunch, the stage was set for an insightful look into the future of psychedelic advocacy and access. Sam Chapman, Oregon’s campaign manager for psilocybin legalization, certainly left no stone unturned as he presented a remarkable mix of videos and speeches; Hamilton Morris level stuff! Melissa Lava discussed Psychedelic Medicine Coalition – her political action committee aims to legalize psychedelics – with heartfelt conviction. It sure felt good listening in on those inspiring conversations about what could be achieved together!
Shane Mauss
Shane Mauss, the psychedelic comedian out of Vegas – you have to hear him! A Better Trip at Area 15 was amazing. He’s a master craftsman when it comes to comedy and he doesn’t shy away from poking fun at some commonly accepted cliches in the psychedelics community. Not only is his live show hilarious but also visually stunning with video DJing by Michael Bernstein adding an extra level of coolness! Mauss has some great bits DMT comedy: AWESOME! So if you’re looking for laughter, connection, and maybe even feeling a little bit offended (it happens!), then check out Las Vegas Area 15 for Shane Mauss latest performance schedule- because trust us: this will be one trippy ride on A Better Trip!
After hearing panelists talking up DMT, a small group of us attendees decided to take things into our own hands – in true ‘set and setting’ fashion. It was almost like fate placed us near a hotel suite and we had a Volcano Vaporizer ready for use; what better time than now? The stories from that evening’s “blast off” were incredible…but we did miss Rick Doblin’s speech so maybe he can expand more later down the line when we see him again in Colorado soon. His podcast gave us great insight though too, it goes without saying how much we appreciate all his hard work!
Sunday
We were feeling the night on our heels when we finally made it to Dr. David Roberson from Blackbox Bio, right as he was enthralling us with his own personal journey of transformation through exploring psychedelics for reducing chronic pain and sensitization. His story truly moved everyone in attendance – by the end there wasn’t a dry eye!
Dr Jon Dean
It was 9:40 and the crowd buzzed with excitement for Dr. Jon Dean – neuroscientist, star of hit documentary “DMT Quest,” and now keynote speaker at this conference! He captivated us all as he delivered an informative yet hilarious lecture on DMT’s latest scientific breakthroughs that could shape our understanding of consciousness. Riveted by his poise, passion, and style unlike any other speaker before him; we were even more amazed when it came time to take questions from the audience–which ranged from thought-provoking to downright bizarre (we’re talking ‘if a woman who has had 1 miscarriage & is bilingual does DMT what language will she speak in hyperspace?!’). His response? A wryly deadpan delivery straight outta The Jetsons era: Beep beep boop boop wha bopp…and just like that it seemed everyone wanted MORE but alas there wasn’t enough clocktime left so offstage he went — mission accomplished!
Due to schedule conflicts we had to leave right after Dr Jon Deans speech. Although leaving early could hardly contain our excitement as we left the Science of Psychedelics Conference armed with new knowledge and inspiration. As psychedelic pioneers, it was inspiring to meet so many passionate explorers of mental states, each with their own unique journey towards understanding the power of psychedelics. Now, we’re counting down the days until MAPS conference, where we can reunite with these kindred spirits and join together in furthering humanity’s understanding of the healing potential psychedelics. We know it will be an unforgettable experience—can’t wait to see what discoveries await us!
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Disclaimer: DMT Clinics does not provide psychoactive or controlled substances. Our company is dedicated to harm reduction, and we strongly advise against any illegal use of controlled substances. There can be serious criminal implications for breaking the law in this way; furthermore, even responsible usage outside a medical setting may lead to deadly health complications. For these reasons it’s vital that you take into consideration your own wellbeing and seek professional advice prior to taking advantage of our services. When choosing a practitioner or service to work with, it is essential that our clients exercise their due diligence and always consult qualified medical professionals before making any decisions. Please understand that while we may provide you with referrals for your convenience, these should be taken as information only—they are not endorsements of the practitioners listed nor do they constitute legal advice in any form. Furthermore, under no circumstances can we condone engaging in illegal activities by referring users to underground psychedelic services.