Psychedelic Punk
It’s funny how you sneak up on yourself sometimes.
As many of you know, I’ve spent the last months helping plan Judaism and the Psychedelic Renaissance: A Portland Gathering, a one-day conference here in Portland on July 10, 2022. In the process, I’ve been doing all the “right” things: Crossing the T’s, dotting the I’s, making sure it’s being organized and promoted in a sober way to convey its gravity and its authority.
In other words, I’ve been trying hard to prove I’m a normal person, someone who follows the rules and knows how to fit in. But it turns out you just can’t keep the punk out.
I only realized this during a recent call with our keynote speaker, Zac Kamenetz. As I rattled off the names and bios of the presenters and panelists, I realized—almost for the first time—that this event wasn't going to support The Establishment: The medicalized, capitalized, highly strictured approach to psychedelic medicine that’s already beginning to dominate the landscape.
Instead, the people we’ve called in are the people on the ground doing the hard work of helping others heal—often without the security of a certificate or a degree, neither of which currently protects these psychedelic guides. They’re trailblazers dedicated to bringing a more connective and community-oriented relationship with these medicines into being.
The Medicalization of Psychedelics: Sustaining a Heart-Led, Compassionate Orientation
If it’s not apparent, I have ambivalence about the current trajectory of the psychedelic medicine revolution. But rather than trying to tear it down, almost without my knowing it I’ve helped to craft a response: This one-day event in July, which brings together some of the leading lights in the intersection of Judaism and psychedelics (not to mention Oregon’s primary role in helping shape the psychedelic landscape).
If you’re in Portland and would like to learn more about the event, go to my website—linked in the first comment—and visit the blog (or sign up for my newsletter, where you’ll find a long post detailing some of the presenters and programs).
Better yet, share it with someone who might be interested in attending. My collaborators and I have put together something truly special, and I’d love to see you there.