#158 - Jim Fadiman & Jordan Gruber: The Pre-Science Paradigm-Shifting Case for Microdosing

#158 - Jim Fadiman & Jordan Gruber: The Pre-Science Paradigm-Shifting Case for Microdosing

"Microdosing, like the diminutive hobbits Bilbo and Frodo in The Lord of the Rings, has been able to diversify and develop by not bringing attention to itself; by not worrying about legislation, patent protections, or medical acceptance; and even by not having much concern about current conventional scientific methodologies (some of which are inappropriate for measuring improvements in subjective states)." (From page 279 in "Microdosing for Health, Healing, and Enhanced Performance") THIS conversation is so special, and I feel so much love from Jordan and Jim - I mean in a quiet way where it lives inside their curiosity, their presence and openess, plus what you will hear is based on their decades of research. If you have never heard of microdosing, you are about to of course, but also here is some help from their book, where they for one (out several) thing say that microdosing is "a very small dose of a classic psychedelic (LSD, psilocybin, mescaline) and certain additional substances (including Banisteriopsis caapi, Amanita muscaria, and others) that in higher doses strongly alter consciousness." MEET authors & my guests today: James Fadiman, PhD has been professionally involved with psychedelics for more than sixty years. Dubbed the "Father of Modern Microdosing," he developed the protocols and dose ranges that define the practice today. He holds a BA from Harvard and a PhD in psychology from Stanford, has taught at three universities, and cofounded the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. Jordan Gruber, JD is a former attorney, writer, and editor with a long-time interest in psychology, psychedelics, and human potential. He has written and edited more than a dozen books across widely varying fields and has been close friends with Fadiman since 1990. Here they are together with me talking about their book: "Microdosing for Health, Healing, and Enhanced Performance" from Aeon Books 2025. Join us as we go through themes such as: -Why does the world need this right now? -Can we use alchohol to microdose? -A generation is turning away from alcohol toward microdosing plus the authors say microdosing is already starting to replace alcohol at social events -ADHD medication as stimulants vs. microdosing that is restoring equilibrium so symptoms eventually go away vs. just functioning -Depression & the serotonin myth -Chronic Pain: from being in pain to having pain (when I read the quote I said "I love this" but then when I heard myself say it, I was like...it doesnt sound too good to still have pain, but Jim and Jordan explains very well and we also hear a personal story from Jordan around pain and medication) -We also touch on the connection between microdosing and their earlier work on multiple selves (Your Symphony of Selves)!! so interesting when you are into parts-work & the multimind-model -Should you keep microdosing forever? -What science hasn't caught up to yet -The millennia-long relationship with these plants ("For millennia, microdosing has been one way to become more aware of our relationship with all living beings") -Microdosing is very very popoular BUT its growing popularity has happened without influencers, celebrities or big pharma behind it, which may be exactly why it feels trustworthy -The afterglow from psychedelics and the second-day effect of microdosing -AND very importantly, I think, Jim and Jordans sweet astrological connection! Thank you for listening and share the episode if you feel like it -Mannah LINKS: youtube version: https://youtu.be/ZbRq3MNrPsc [https://youtu.be/ZbRq3MNrPsc] Podimo version: https://podimo.dk/therapeuticastrologypodcast [https://podimo.dk/therapeuticastrologypodcast] Jim: https://www.jamesfadiman.com/ [https://www.jamesfadiman.com/] the book we speak about: https://www.microdosingbook.com/ [https://www.microdosingbook.com/] also the book we speak about: https://spirit.aeonbooks.co.uk/product/microdosing-for-health-healing-and-enhanced-performance/95425 [https://spirit.aeonbooks.co.uk/product/microdosing-for-health-healing-and-enhanced-performance/95425] Jordan Gruber: https://www.instagram.com/jordangruber123/ [https://www.instagram.com/jordangruber123/] & https://jordangruber.com/ [https://jordangruber.com/] MANNAH: https://www.therapeuticastrologer.com/ [https://www.therapeuticastrologer.com/]

#157 - Abbie Rosner - Psychedelics and the Counterculture of Aging

"Long before their appearance in the modern West, psychedelic medicines were understood and revered as portals into sacred space." WELCOME today you will hear about SUCH a progressive and wise theme, when we talk about sacred medicine in older age. In fact it is a revolution— in the role of elders in our society. My guest and author today also write: "What a delight to meet my inquisitive, slightly edgy younger self again! And yet, altering my consciousness in older age, I found the weight of life experience grounded me like an anchor. I knew myself, my mind, my strengths. Years of meditation had taught me how to deal with that old trickster, fear. Now, pot invited me to put on music and dance, dive deep into conversation, and simply ponder life with a joy I'd never known. If that was what happened with cannabis, I couldn't wait to revisit psilocybin." Her name is Abbie Rosner, she is leading a movement of conscious aging, and in the book she shares not only her own experience but more than 30 older psychonauts share how their psychedelic experiences helped them heal old wounds, align with their authentic selves, and experience profound love and forgiveness. Her book is called "Psychedelics and the Counterculture of Aging" and is published in july of 2026 by Inner Traditions. In this interview we adress topics such as: -Why the focus of baby boomers -Aging before and aging now! -Bringing in psychedelics for the benefits for older adults -How it can help prepare transition: "Experiencing this paradox of simultaneously being everything and nothing may be about as close as we mortals can get to the divine. It can also extend a level of comfort to the idea of our own mortality. Some find that moving beyond the boundaries of self is useful for making peace with death." -The shift of consciousness -The experience of being PRESENT -Safety around drugs -and a word that I now love and will use all the time: MULTI-GENERATIONAL COMMUNITIES In the end we touch on the the Leo-Aquarius archetype in Abbies chart that for example show that she will live from a truth that has not yet become conventional which matches the fact that she gives voices to pioneering psychedelic elders. Thank you for being with us, here are some links to look at: LINKS the book: https://www.innertraditions.com/psychedelics-and-the-counterculture-of-aging [https://www.innertraditions.com/psychedelics-and-the-counterculture-of-aging] Abbie: https://www.abbierosner.com/ [https://www.abbierosner.com/] myself: https://www.therapeuticastrologer.com/ [https://www.therapeuticastrologer.com/] youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu7spZDxAAo [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu7spZDxAAo]

#156 - Dr. Cynthia Li - THE MEDICINE OF FLOW - Just One Conscious Awareness Away - QiGong for Health

Dr. Cynthia Li is a Physician, Author, and Integrative Healer and - will I add - an excellent speaker as you will hear in this interview on her brand new book: "The Medicine of Flow: Harmonizing Your Inner State for Effortless Healing". She shares how she was merging with the emptiness, when the book wrote itself into a series of letters to her younger self. Cynthia has a wonderful speaking flow and I hope you will feel a piece of healing, just from listening to this. Here is some of what we touch on in this interview: -Opening to the flow of LIFE -Rapid healing - The understanding of flow and that illness is part of a continuum with healing -Illness is not a gift, but part of life and can show us things -Our energy patterns are connected to our consciousness state -Our RELATIONSHIP to the symptoms -Energy fields and heart-brain coherence -Our Electromagnetic fields -What EMBODIED FLOW is -Playing as one orchestra -The radiance of an energy field -Being synced up and attuned for example when you have clients -What to do before and after clients in terms of energetics -QiGong becoming less and less physical -What happens in healing circles both with need of coherence and prevention of taking on others energy -Flow states -The collective field and communications in sacred places And even more then this. I am so happy you are with us. Go be calm and active at the same time and let ancient wisdome guide and enliven you (If I could put a smiley here I would, but read my many inner smiles) -Mannah LINKS https://www.cynthialimd.com/ [https://www.cynthialimd.com/] https://www.newharbinger.com/9781648487255/the-medicine-of-flow/#nh-book-accessories [https://www.newharbinger.com/9781648487255/the-medicine-of-flow/#nh-book-accessories] https://a.co/d/03PHGl6V [https://a.co/d/03PHGl6V] Mannah https://www.therapeuticastrologer.com/ [https://www.therapeuticastrologer.com/] Youtube of this episode: https://youtu.be/etGn8y8XW_U [https://youtu.be/etGn8y8XW_U]

#155 - Angel Millar - Supernatural Woman and the Male Initiate: Bonded Through Dreams

Quote: "Initiations into esoteric societies prepare—or are intended to prepare—the initiate to think about what is beyond life and even what might lie beyond death, and to consider his actions not in relation to his ambition but in relation to the Divine Will. Indeed, the symbolism of death and self-sacrifice is common to initiation rites." (...) "Often, the initiation rite gives the initiate a new body by making it symbolic or talismanic. Most notably, there is frequently special symbolism that relates to the sexual organs. These are no longer the animal organs but acquire some sacred status." Welcome to a very special conversation with Angel Millar, whose quote appears above. His newest book has just been published!! I will just copy his bio from the publisher, Inner Traditions, as my own rephrasing is going to make it worse I'm sure: Author Bio: Angel Millar is a highly esteemed author and lecturer on spirituality, symbolism, sorcery, and self-transformation. He began studying magic and trance in his early manhood and was initiated into the Illuminates of Thanateros in London at the age of 19. Now residing in New York City, he is a certified consulting hypnotist and the author of "The Three Stages of Initiatic Spirituality", "The Path of the Warrior-Mystic", and "Transcend the Chaos". IN THIS CONVERSATION, we touch on topics such as fundamentalism in esoteric communities, dreams and visions that are more than representations of aspects of the personality, true HUMILITY, how sex and self-transformation can come together, encounters with a supernatural woman, how to FEEL if someone is not for you, even if they say all the right words, and in the end, we find out what Angel really thinks of therapy and how his Capricornian nature points us to what is REAL. Angel has a great cardinal (initiatory) nature, so in the astrology corner at the end, we talk about the fusion of what we can call a whole cardinal cross, in fact. I HOPE you too also feel this interview is evocative and worthy of your further exploration and contemplation. LINKS THE BOOK we speak about: https://www.innertraditions.com/supernatural-woman-and-the-male-initiate [https://www.innertraditions.com/supernatural-woman-and-the-male-initiate] Angel Millar simply go to: https://angelmillar.com/ [https://angelmillar.com/] Mannah: https://www.therapeuticastrologer.com/ [https://www.therapeuticastrologer.com/] the youtube version of this episode: https://youtu.be/j6HU9wiBJcg [https://youtu.be/j6HU9wiBJcg]

#154 - David Stokes: Masquerade At The Crossroads of Good And Evil - Holism and Spirit Work in Mental Health and Addiction

"If patients stay in the system long enough, they learn to control all words and gestures linked to fantastical thinking, delusions, grandiosity, and hallucination. Through hard experience they learn the fruit of their best thinking is not approved of by the professionals involved in their care. They learn Orwellian doublethink, a capacity to believe in two opposing points at the same time. They discover the skill of believing the reality their mind often presents them with, while at the same time fitting in with the actual reality reinforced by mental health workers."(....) "The scale of suffering of our mentally disordered is rarely investigated as a factor of the disconnections between who we are now and those who went before us." David Stokes has written a truly exceptional book, where I feel he says all the things we are not supposed to say - when working in publically funded social work at least. "Masquerade At The Crossroads of Good And Evil - Holism and Spirit Work in Mental Health and Addiction" is published this year, 2026, at Aeon Books. A much needed book!! This is a shorter interview, as the audio was really poor, but I have edited it so it is a lot better for you to listen to now. I'm hoping to meet David again for a follow up. But enjoy this shorter interview on what the Crossroads is, what the Masquerade is, and how to incorporate a holistic approach into social work, not by suggesting anything spiritual to clients, but by meeting their own aspirations. Find the incredible special and thoughtprovoking and caring book here: https://spirit.aeonbooks.com/author/david-stokes/23787 [https://spirit.aeonbooks.com/author/david-stokes/23787] Mannah here: https://www.therapeuticastrologer.com/ [https://www.therapeuticastrologer.com/] youtube version of this interview https://youtu.be/oYd5MxocABE [https://youtu.be/oYd5MxocABE]