RonnySimulacrum

It would be nice to see some folks from here submit something, Poetry and artworks are also fine and can be done via the submissions page.

Thanks for your kind words Halif, Yes many aspects of this story are indeed interesting and very disturbing.

Hey SAB folks This year, EGA is celebrating 20 years of community activism and education in the area of ethnobotanicals with a special anniversary journal. We invite you to share your ethnobotanical and psychedelic knowledge with the Entheogenesis Australis community and beyond! Entheogenesis Australis (EGA) hosts one of the world's longest continuously running and volunteer-led ethnobotanical conferences, spanning two decades. Since 2007, the EGA Journal has been Australia's only regular ethnobotanical Journal, a highly respected publication that normally accompanies major EGA events. This year, for our 20th anniversary, we are releasing a special journal celebrating Australian ethnobotany. All past EGA presenters and authors are invited to contribute, and for the first time, we are also accepting submissions from the public. We love to see folks from this community make a Submission 😃 For More Info Click Here

Hi fine SAB folks. I do not get much time for writing but i did recently finish something many here might be interested in. Thanks to the SAB and EGA crew that help me on this also, full list of credits in the acknowledgement page for the article. It is a three-part series on Melbourne's Forgotten Psychedelic Era, we explore the city’s key role in the early days of psychedelic-assisted therapy, focusing on its historical and cultural context. I hope you enjoy it. Click on the titles below to access each part of the series. Part One: The Rise of Psychedelic Therapy The first section explores the initial optimism surrounding the use of psychedelics in therapy. Melbourne's Newhaven Private Hospital became a hub for this experimental approach, led by psychiatrists like Dr. Lance Howard Whitaker. The section highlights how these substances were seen as revolutionary tools for understanding and treating mental illnesses. It introduces key figures such as Albert Hofmann, who discovered LSD, and Dr. Stanislav Grof, a pioneer in psychedelic psychotherapy. However, as the substances gained popularity, societal and governmental backlash grew, leading to increasing regulation and eventual prohibition. Part Two: Personal Stories and Transformative Potential In Part Two of our recent series on Melbourne's Forgotten Psychedelic Era, we delve into the personal experiences of individuals like Evelyn Harrison, who underwent psilocybin-assisted therapy at Newhaven Private Hospital. Under the care of Dr. William Richards, Evelyn’s journey from severe postnatal depression to personal empowerment highlights the profound impact psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy can have when all the essential elements are in place. Dr. Howard Whitaker is also discussed in relation to Melbourne's first psychedelic trial at Newhaven. Evelyn’s story is a cornerstone of the article, offering a unique glimpse into the transformative potential of psychedelics and providing a rich perspective on Melbourne's psychedelic history. Part Three: The Dark Side and Lessons Learned In the final chapter of our series on Melbourne's Forgotten Psychedelic Era, we delve into the darker aspects of this period, focusing on the involvement of The Family cult. Led by Anne Hamilton-Byrne, the cult infiltrated Newhaven Private Hospital, using LSD to manipulate and control its members. This misuse of psychedelics significantly contributed to the fear and mistrust that eventually led to the prohibition of these substances. This concluding section also reflects on the ethical failures of the era's psychiatric practices, underscoring the importance of learning from these past mistakes as Australia navigates its current psychedelic renaissance. The article explores how these historical events continue to shape modern attitudes toward psychedelic therapy and the need for rigorous ethical standards in contemporary research. I hope you enjoy the articles 😃

While we know of people who have consumed coca leaf and kratom without experiencing harm, a core design principle for the matrix is being risk averse. As Needfulalterego has mentioned, a core risk for opioid and cocaine combinations is of effects masking one another, which can lead to increased dosage and unintended overdose. While it is unlikely for people to lethally overdose with plant material, some people may use the entheogen combination matrix to understand the risk of concentrated plant products. Extracted coca leaf and extracted kratom carry a greater chance of overdose. This is our reasoning for categorising the risk of kratom and coca combinations in this way. If you have any studies or other good sources of info we should use to review this assessment, pass it on.

It's getting cold in Melbourne now, Sub are poping; maybe we need an indoor meet around a fire this winter; anyone got a cool property

Here a much better story - Changing Minds The remarkable story of a woman taking part in Australia's first psychedelic-assisted therapy trial. For Lindy Bok, it's a profound and deeply emotional experience as the treatment helps her confront anxiety around death. https://iview.abc.net.au/video/NC2302Q013S00

Yes, this is a hard one, Psychedelics are no longer fringe topics, and our community is being showcased for good or for bad. We need to be ready for more of this as the TGA decision has the media working on Psychedelics stories left, right and centre. Liam has done a lot of good work for the community, and a couple of us gave an interview for the book (that this chapter was lifted from); sadly, the use of our words fell beyond our control as the media often does. We thought is was a book for plant nerds not the major media spaces, but that life, sadly. Attention is a good and bad thing; even on a bad day I think Liam has a better voice generally for the community than many out there. Liam has volunteered much of the last 10 years of his life trying to help this space, however, he is very much still learning like we all are. This situation could have been better on many front and i not just talking about Liam here, even myself, i made mistakes around this, and need to live with that. It's a balance between trying to show we are good people and we have good gardens and good wellness stories and the media diving in like vultures on our community and gardens. The chapter in question here was Liam chapter was his own story, associated with his work with us, but not a direct part of his role with EGA. At EGA we generally do not do media. We rather focus on making our own content, and self-publishing. This has again made us think hard about the next time we do or will. I support Liam and his work more generally, I feel he is an asset to the community and I know he released a statement on that matter, so I recommend reading that as part of this discussion.

EGA has a special playlist for this Sub mushroom season - Psilocybin mushrooms in Australia: From ID to Therapy Emerging research around psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy, drug law reform, ecological sustainability, harm reduction and mycological research all intersect with the needs and values of our ethnobotanical community. Enjoy this playlist at the myceliating edge of psychedelic fungi. Featuring Dr Vince Polito, Dr Shevaugn Johnson, Dr Symon Beck, journalist Rich Haridy (TBC), mycologist Caine Barlow, Horticultural Science Alistair Mctaggart. Click the below link for all the videos --- About EGA. Entheogenesis Australis is a charitable educational organisation established in 2004. We provide opportunities for critical thinking and knowledge sharing on ethnobotanical plants, fungi, nature, and sustainability. Through our conferences and workshops, we aim to celebrate the culture, art, politics and community around medicine plants in the hope to better wellbeing for humankind and the planet. To find out more about what we do, head over to our organisational website - www.entheogenesis.org Also, head to the conference website for more info - www.gardenstates.org Be sure to stay up to date by joining ethnobotanical our mailing list HERE

I know that people do not read this much copy anymore, but I translate... Free and half-price EGA streaming tickets (why they last) if you actually read the above post...... WE LOVE SAB

I so taking out ambulance gold for the afterparty

----- Garden States Hardship Offer ------ Our community entirely funds EGA, and we've got to cover costs, but we also want the community to be with us for our upcoming conference. Through the generous support of the Nimbin Mardi Grass Protestival and Psychedelic Research in Science and Medicine, we're excited to announce a limited release of free and discounted conference tickets to tell your friends if you like them to attend. If you cannot afford a ticket at full price, we can help at a 50% discount ($75)? If you can’t afford a ticket at 50% off, then the free ticket offer is for you. We trust you will do what is right and posible for your situation. To redeem this offer, please make sure to select an 'Online Saver' ticket. This ticket includes all three days of Livestream content, a digital 2022 EGA Journal and four months' ongoing access to the Livestream content. After selecting an 'Online Saver' ticket, click book now and enter your ticket details on the following screen and your payment details on the screen. On the right of the payment details screen, you will see a field labelled "GIFT CERTIFICATE / PROMOTION CODE." Remember, these discounts are primarily for people experiencing hardship. The hardship code for 50% off this ticket is: 50ONEGA (if you can afford $75) The hardship code for 100% off this ticket is: FREEGA100 (Free Tickets Limited to 50) Kind regards Entheogenesis Australis (EGA) Team - Planting seeds for the earth, body and mind www.entheogenesis.org www.gardenstates.org

----- Garden States Hardship Offer ------ Our community entirely funds EGA, and we've got to cover costs, but we also want the community to be with us for our upcoming conference. Through the generous support of the Nimbin Mardi Grass Protestival and Psychedelic Research in Science and Medicine, we're excited to announce a limited release of free and discounted conference tickets to tell your friends if you like them to attend. If you cannot afford a ticket at full price, we can help at a 50% discount ($75)? If you can’t afford a ticket at 50% off, then the free ticket offer is for you. We trust you will do what is right and posible for your situation. To redeem this offer, please make sure to select an 'Online Saver' ticket. This ticket includes all three days of Livestream content, a digital 2022 EGA Journal and four months' ongoing access to the Livestream content. After selecting an 'Online Saver' ticket, click book now and enter your ticket details on the following screen and your payment details on the screen. On the right of the payment details screen, you will see a field labelled "GIFT CERTIFICATE / PROMOTION CODE." Remember, these discounts are primarily for people experiencing hardship. The hardship code for 50% off this ticket is: 50ONEGA (if you can afford $75) The hardship code for 100% off this ticket is: FREEGA100 (Free Tickets Limited to 50) Kind regards Entheogenesis Australis (EGA) Team - Planting seeds for the earth, body and mind www.entheogenesis.org www.gardenstates.org

View EGA 2022 Garden States Timetable

This is looking amazing, everyone - The prize Pool is here - https://gardenstates.org/ega-raffle/