💧Should tech CEO’s be guiding the psychedelic movement?

PLUS, East Forest’s new mushroom music documentary

Author

Mary Carreon // Senior Editor
21 Oct

Hi friends, welcome back to The Drop In, DoubleBlind’s psychedelics newsletter. If you’re new here, thanks for checking out our community! We hope this slice of the internet feels a bit more curated, a little less unhinged, and a whole lot groovier than the rest of the World Wide Web.

Today’s featured story is about a controversial tech billionaire who claims psychedelics helped him achieve profound success. Maybe you’ve heard of him? His name is Sam Altman; the guy who co-founded Open AI, the company that created ChatGPT. He’s a hero to some and a villain to others, which begs the question: Did psychedelics help him create good or evil? You can read the story below. 

If you keep browsing, you’ll find stories on musician East Forest’s documentary, Music for Mushrooms; the argument for giving psychedelics to kids; and a new Psilocybe mushroom discovery. 

If you’re not doing anything on October 27, come hang out with us for our Dia de los Muertos workshop where we’ll explore the relationship between mushrooms, death, and the spirit world. It starts at 11:30 am PT! You can register here.

Cosmic blessings to you and yours,

Mary CarreĂłn
Senior Editor

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Talk therapy alone is not enough: feel the healing power of community 

SOUL MEDICINE is a ceremonial psilocybin retreat for deep healing and connection to oneself. During our week together we will take you on a multidimensional journey to heal, remember, explore and grow into your most authentic self.

We are entering into a week-long ceremony that is held in deep reverence to ancestral traditions of the earth. Our safely held container offers you a space to journey into the depths of your inner landscapes, to release any past traumas, pains, and blockages holding you back from living fully.

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If you are ready to embark on this journey use the code: DOUBLEBLIND for an exclusive 5% community discount at checkout. This offer is limited to 3 spots. Reserve your spot here.

Open AI’s Sam Altman Is Jumping Into Psychedelics. But Do We Need Him?

The founder of ChatGPT is working to get LSD and MDMA FDA-approved. But who benefits when tech billionaires drive mental health treatments?

Following a retreat in Mexico, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is suddenly all starry-eyed about psychedelics. Now that he’s “experienced”, he’s taking every tech billionaire’s next natural step: monetization! According to Benzinga, he’s partnering with Journey Colab to develop new FDA-approved psychedelic pharmaceuticals for use in luxury rehab clinics. 

Of course, this is all for the benefit of humanity. You know, just like OpenAI. 

On the one hand, the endorsement of massively influential people like Altman can do wonders for shifting both mainstream cultural perception and laws. This is arguably good. But on the other hand, are tech bros like Altman really the best people to be guiding the psychedelic movement? 

In the venture-capitalist-big-tech vision of the world, all problems can be solved by private corporations. Never mind that these same private corporations perpetuate many of the most pressing issues and inequalities of our time.

Perhaps we should pause for a minute (in the exact opposite way we’re doing with mass adoption of AI) and consider whether imposing corporate ideologies onto the ancient and sacred practice of psychedelic healing will actually yield the best outcome for humanity. 

Psychedelics do not instantly make us better, more whole, or more enlightened people any more than generative AI makes us happier, more creative, or more fulfilled. They are tools and have to be used—and stewarded—wisely.

Our Latest

Psychedelic retreats can be profoundly transformational, but most can’t afford them. Musician and producer East Forest believes music may be the key to democratizing psychedelic work and creating greater accessibility. His new documentary dives deep into the power of music as a psychedelic guide. Get the inside scoop (and screening locations!) here.

Meet Psilocybe niveotropicalis, one of the newest members of the psychedelic mushroom family! Discovered in 2019 by an amateur mycologist, this cute, wavy mushroom joins 200+ known psychedelic mushrooms growing on every continent except Antarctica. Check out our Enthusiast’s Guide to this trippy sub-tropical fungi

In modern Western culture, death is scuttled away and hidden from view. But at what cost? There is profound intimacy, vulnerability, and deep family story in witnessing the death of a loved one. In this heartfelt piece, DoubleBlind contributor Michelle Lhooq reflects on her Grandmother’s passing.

& More Must-Reads

  • Could tripping with our children nurture healthier families? In many cultures, plant medicine is a way of life. Everyone participates, from babies to elders. It makes you wonder… would it work for us? Before rejecting the idea out of hand, read this piece on The Case for Giving Psychedelics to Kids.

  • We all love heart-expanding, visionary experiences of the unified field of eternal love consciousness. However, focusing too narrowly on it can create a tendency towards conflict avoidance in the name of “love and light.”  We can miss some of our greatest growth opportunities. Healthy interpersonal conflict may actually be what the psychedelic community needs most. Read the full story here (and check out the Venn diagram on “Loving Justice”).

  • There are no good or bad “drugs”, according to renowned Integrative Medicine pioneer Dr. Andrew Weil. It’s about how we respect and incorporate them into our lives. Learn more about how he thinks about “drugs” and discover the 3 psychoactive plants he recommends you try in this piece he wrote for DoubleBlind.


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Learn with Us

🍄 Mushroom season is in full swing, and Amanita Muscaria is just poking its spotted head out of the ground… but how much do you really know about the world’s most iconic mushroom? Here’s the full deal on Amanita, Muscimol, and how to use it.

💊 Planning an elevated experience? Here’s what you need to know about combining drugs.

đź’ˇ Mushrooms and Humans are related?! Read about this and 6 more weird mushroom facts here.

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PROTECT: The explosion of interest in plant medicines like Huachuma (San Pedro cactus) has led to a massive increase in illegal harvesting. Now, every single Huachuma species has been put on Peru’s endangered species list.

The Huachuma Collective is raising funds to preserve this sacred medicine and protect its future. The Huachuma Collective is an alliance of curanderos, indigenous leaders, and members of the northern Andean community.

The proceeds from their GoFundMe will help build a wild seed bank, establish a nursery, and start 100,000 San Pedro seeds in Peru. Seed-starting is essential to protecting the genetic diversity of these plants. Support the conservation of Huachuma in Peru here.

ATTEND: Mark your calendars for March 29-30. Chacruna is hosting Psychedelic Culture 2025, an incredible gathering that creates a platform for some of the most critical and overlooked conversations in the psychedelic world: Indigenous Reciprocity & Decolonial Dialogues, Psychedelic Justice, Protection of Sacred Plants & Cultural Traditions, and voices from the Global South

You still have 9 Days to get your early bird tickets!

At DoubleBlind, we believe in reciprocity—the idea that everything in the world is interconnected and that we have a responsibility to uplift a psychedelic ecosystem that centers equity, inclusivity, and healing for all. Through our work, we hope to help our community participate in this effort with us.

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It’s happening Nov 1st-3rd in Vancouver, Canada.

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Latest Youtube Video

The most misunderstood term in mushroom cultivation? Substrate.

We teamed up with North Spore to unpack this nuanced word and help you understand what substrate means at each stage of the mushroom growing cycle.

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