Shows
Awakening LivesS3 E6: Exploring Poetry with Pádraig Ó TuamaPoet and theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama shares his thoughts on reading and writing poetry with Alejandro Rodriguez.
For more information regarding the Spirituality Network, contact us at info@spiritualitynetwork.org or visit our website at Spiritualitynetwork.org!
2025-12-1142 min
Altered MatesEpisode 31: Robert Anton Wilson, Consciousness Change and the 8-Circuit Model of ConsciousnessIn this episode we discuss an interview with one of Alejandro’s heroes and most significant influences, Robert Anton Wilson. We give a brief introduction to Wilson’s life and briefly touch on a few important concepts: reality tunnels, the Copenhagen interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, and attachment theory, before we unpack Leary and Wilson’s 8 Circuit Model of Human Consciousness.
In 2001, Wilson recorded a long-form, 6 hour interview, with Michael Taft, which gave him the opportunity to dive into his various areas of interest, including language & reality, conscious change, and politics & conspiracy theory. The recording is called “Robert Anton Wi...
2025-11-252h 25Altered MatesEpisode 30: Where are my minds? On the Left Brain / Right Brain DivideIn this episode we go on a journey into the two hemispheres of the brain. Using a recent Substack post—an interview Ana Lund conducted with Dr. Pascal Vrticka—as a framing device we explore the ongoing debate concerning hemispheric lateralisation, or in other language: the left brain and the right brain.
Wanting to dispel a few myths about the left brain / right brain divide, we each expected, when we began our research, to maintain our existing position that hemispheric lateralisation is largely oversimplified. And to a certain extent we do maintain this position. But we both ende...
2025-11-042h 29Altered MatesEpisode 29: “We are the Weirdos, mister”: on The CraftThe Craft (1996) directed by Andrew Fleming and written by Peter Filardi, was pivotal in the representation and perhaps the construction of a new kind of witch; of a young, teenage girl with dark makeup, dark clothes and black nail polish, surrounded by red candles, pentagrams and tarot decks. It really was the season of the witch in the late 90s, with Sabrina the Teenage Witch hitting global television screens later in 1996, followed by Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1997 and Charmed in 1998.
Fleming hired Wicca consultant Pat Devin, high priestess of Covenant of the Goddess in developing the fi...
2025-07-161h 46Altered MatesEpisode 28: On SynchronicityIn this episode we examine the phenomena of synchronicity, a term coined by Carl Jung to designate the meaningful coincidence of a psychic and a physical state or event, which have no causal relationship to one another. According to Jung, such synchronistic phenomena occur, for instance, when an inwardly perceived event (dream, vision, premonition, etc.) is seen to have a correspondence in external reality: the inner image of premonition has "come true." Neither the one nor the other coincidence can be explained by causality, but seem to be connected primarily with activated archetypal processes in the unconscious.
...
2025-06-181h 56Altered MatesEpisode 27: On the Borderline (Part Two)This episode is a continuation of our discussion on Borderline Personality Disorder, which is a pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image and affects, and marked impulsivity beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts. Whereas in Episode 26 — On the Borderline, we concern ourselves with the defining BPD, and getting our heads around the diagnostic criteria in the DSM V, in this episode we discuss treatment and causes of the disorder, as well as considerations around its social construction. It should be remembered that a diagnosis of a personality disorder like “borderline” says a lot about t...
2025-06-041h 06Altered MatesEpisode 26: On the Borderline (Part One)In this episode we discuss Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), also referred to as Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD). Somewhat unintentionally Alejandro gives an overview of the TV show Bojack Horseman but this leads to a discussion of the characteristics of BPD using the character of Bojack as an example. We also bring in Anakin Skywalker as another example of a fictional character who may potentially fit the characteristics of someone diagnosed with BPD.
We centre our discussion around a 2006 paper written by Pamela Bjorklund titled, “No man's land: Gender bias and social constructivism in the diagnosis of bo...
2025-05-211h 25Altered MatesEpisode 25: Fear and Loathing in Las VegasIn this episode we go on a savage journey to the heart of the American Dream through an immersion into Hunter S. Thompson and Terry Gilliam’s nightmarish Las Vegas. We discuss Hunter S. Thompson’s 1971 masterwork of “Gonzo” journalism, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and along side it, Terry Gilliam’s wonderful 1998 film adaptation. In our usual way we get fully derailed for a while and just as we seem to be driving our huge Chevy convertible away from Las Vegas, we finally answer that call from our attorney to head straight back in to the belly of the bea...
2025-04-301h 36Altered MatesEpisode 24: MORE Sex Secrets of the Black Magicians EXPOSED!In this episode of the podcast we continue our discussion of the first thirty pages of Ramsey Dukes’ essay on magical thinking; “Sex Secrets of the Black Magicians Exposed”, commonly abbreviated to S.S.O.T.B.M.E.
Dukes’ model of compass directions differentiates between Art, Magic, Religion and Science, and the modes of thinking associated with each direction. In Dukes’ model of the four compass directions Dukes suggests that, “Magic, Art, Religion and Science represent movement towards Wholeness, Beauty, Goodness and Truth respectively.” These compass points, according to Dukes, don't have to conflict with each other; they ca...
2025-04-161h 07Altered MatesEpisode 23: Sex Secrets of the Black Magicians EXPOSED: On Magical ThinkingAccording to Ramsey Dukes, “Magic is a technique by which the human mind attempts to operate upon its world. As such it is similar to Art, Religion and Science, but note that the term ‘its world’ is meant to embrace not only the physical universe but also all phenomena, objective and subjective, which do not respond to direct control.”
In this episode we consider Ramsey Dukes’ essay on magical thinking; “Sex Secrets of the Black Magicians Exposed”, commonly abbreviated to S.S.O.T.B.M.E. Well, that was our intention anyway… it takes us a while to meander...
2025-04-091h 06Altered MatesEpisode 22: Ayahuasca and The FearIn the second episode of season 2 the altered mates continue our discussion of our personal experiences with ayahuasca.
In this episode, Alejandro relates his rather disturbing experience in one particular ceremony from his ayahuasca retreat in Iquitos, Peru in August 2024. Alejandro recounts his evening of existential dread—which he describes at one point as, "the worst feeling I’ve ever felt,” and Tobias offers insight and interpretation in response.
In the later stages of the episode, Tobias considers his intentions going into an upcoming ayahuasca ceremony.
Links
Altered Mates Website
Alte...
2025-03-181h 03Altered MatesEpisode 21: On AyahuascaIn the first episode of season 2 we begin a discussion of some of our most profound and significant personal experiences with ayahuasca over the past ten years. We consider the prospect that ayahuasca might be a “highly evolved conscious entity”, or at the very least, an entity possessing an intelligence and possibly having a message to communicate with humanity.
References
The Temple of the Way of Light
Tobias Penno — How Ayahuasca Offers Psychosocial Wellbeing
Caffyn Jesse — Ecstatic Belonging: A Year on the Medicine Path
Altered Mates
Episode 1 — Challenging Psychedelic Experiences
Episode 6 — F-ing the Ineffable: William Jame...
2025-02-251h 24Altered MatesEpisode 20: Surrender!In this, the final episode of Season 1 of the Altered Mates Podcast, we (Alejandro Tuama and Tobias Penno) discuss what is on the immediate horizon for us both. Tobias gives us a little taste of his PhD—in terms of both the subject matter of his research and the origin story as well—which is in the final stages of submission and approval! And Alejandro talks about his upcoming trip to South America.
Along the way we discuss the concept of “character loops” which Alejandro brings in from the HBO TV Series “Westworld”.
We reflect on how we ca...
2024-10-091h 29Altered MatesEpisode 19: A Glimpse of EternityThis episode of the podcast features Alejandro reading two chapters from his debut novel, A Glimpse of Eternity—published in 2022, and based on his own transformational journey to South America in 2016.
At this stage in the narrative, Alejandro’s alias, “Nick”, has made his way to Iquitos in the Peruvian Amazon. He is joined by his two mates, Stan & Billy, and they have just arrived at an Ayahuasca Healing Centre, named “Way of the Spirit”. Earlier in the novel, Nick undertook two very disappointing ayahuasca ceremonies in The Sacred Valley. He also fell into a downward spiral of anxiety...
2024-09-2559 minAltered MatesEpisode 18: Coming out of the psychedelic closetIt’s not always easy talking to friends and family about psychedelics. But it’s another step from discussing these powerful, life changing, spiritual experiences within the confines of our homes, with those we trust most, to making that announcement in public, to the wider population, who may not be so charitable or understanding.
Hopefully, if enough of us find a way to share our stories, and if we can listen with open hearts and open minds, then maybe we can shift the mindset of the culture at large.
In this episode of the podcast, the...
2024-09-1146 minAltered MatesEpisode 17: The Big Lez Show — Choomah Island 2The Big Lez Show is an animated TV series, that premiered on YouTube in 2012. The show was created by Jarrad Wright, Tom Hollis, and Izak Whear; with Jarrad being the driving creative force of the show.
Choomah Island 2 (2015) — written and animated by Jarrad Wright — is the finale of Season 3 of The Big Lez Show. In this feature length episode of The Big Lez Show, Leslie and his mates fly to Choomah Island to blow up the Choomah’s hive and get rid of their species for good. They also find time to eat some psychedelic mushrooms they find gro...
2024-08-281h 40Altered MatesEpisode 16: On “Cracked: Why Psychiatry is Doing More Harm Than Good”In this episode we use James Davies’ book “Cracked: Why Psychiatry is Doing More Harm Than Good” as a launch pad to discuss some of the glaring issues with psychiatry and its sugar-daddy; the pharmaceutical industry.
The writer, James Davies is psychotherapist with a PhD in Medical and Social Anthropology from the University of Oxford. He is a Senior Lecturer in Social Anthropology and Psychology at the University of Roehampton, London.
Davies acknowledges that as a psychotherapist he could be seen as being biased in favour of the psychotherapeutic approach which can be considered to be in...
2024-08-141h 21Altered MatesEpisode 15: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestIn this episode, we use the film adaptation of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest as a launching point to discuss ideas around psychiatry, psychiatric wards, and the conflict between the individual and the establishment.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was originally a novel, written by Ken Kesey and published in 1962. (Ken Kesey, worked the graveyard shift as an orderly at a mental health facility in Menlo Park, California. He spoke to the patients and witnessed the workings of the institution. He also voluntarily took psychoactive drugs, including mescaline and LSD, as part of Project MK Ult...
2024-07-2457 minAltered MatesEpisode 14: Reflection & IntentionThis episode begins with a discussion of the role of dreams and quickly moves on to our issues with contemporary education in both university and high school contexts. Before long, we settle down into a discussion about Tobias’ intentions for an upcoming ayahuasca ceremony, and consider ideas of discipline and maintaining a clean and unpolluted body.
We venture into some controversial realms; for instance, thinking about whether we can legitimately call psychiatrists “glorified drug-dealers”, and whether prescribing anti-depressant medication might actually be taking autonomy away from people and preventing them from following through in a process that might...
2024-07-031h 02Altered MatesEpisode 13: Confrontation with the Unconscious: Part Two — Psychosis in Jung’s PsychologyIn this episode, we conclude our two-part discussion on Scott Hill’s book, Confrontation with the Unconscious. Last episode we discussed Chapter 7 from Hill’s book, titled “Psychedelic Experience and Psychosis”. Chapter 8, the subject of this episode, concerns itself with an exploration of psychosis in Jungian Psychology.
We altered mates find ourselves now almost at the end of a deep dive into the intersession between psychedelics and psychosis, and at this point is seems to be that what is happening in both psychotic episodes and psychedelic trips are what Scott Hill refers to as a “confrontation with the uncons...
2024-06-121h 19Altered MatesEpisode 12: Confrontation with the Unconscious: Part One — Psychedelic Experience and PsychosisIn this episode we discuss a chapter from Scott Hill’s book, Confrontation with the Unconscious. It was our intention to cover two chapters, but in the end we managed to get through only Chapter 7: Psychedelic Experience and Psychosis.
We try to wrap our heads around useful, working models of psychosis and (attempt to) determine where this troubling and mysterious phenomenon overlaps with the psychedelic experience. In the process we toss around ideas like Washburn’s Ego and the Dynamic Ground; discuss how researchers accidentally induced “ecstatic mystical” experiences and cured a group of alcoholics of their addictio...
2024-05-221h 41Altered MatesEpisode 11: Giving LSD to kids! (…to treat severe childhood schizophrenia)In this episode we discuss a paper written by Gary Fisher concerning some intriguing research that he and some fellow colleagues conducted in the 1960s. This paper and our discussion surrounding it is quite confronting, as it deals with extremely troubled children who were suffering terribly. But even more intriguing than the depths of the psychoses these children were trapped within, was the profound breakthroughs that Fisher and his team were able to facilitate with the help of LSD—to transform the lives of some of these children from total horror into functioning members of society.
But pr...
2024-05-0155 minAltered MatesEpisode 10: Czech, mate! Psychedelic Research in Communist CzechoslovakiaIn this episode we continue our foray into the world of schizophrenia and psychosis. This week we base our discussion around a fascinating paper written by Sarah Marks, titled: “From experimental psychosis to resolving traumatic pasts: Psychedelic Research in Communist Czechoslovakia, 1954‑1974”.
And… while people moving through a schizophrenia or a psychotic break often experience disordered thoughts, we too, experience a certain amount of disorder in our discussion. So we hope that our listeners are possessed of a forgiving temperament and pardon our naive ramblings.
Czech it out.
References:
Sarah Marks (2015)—From experimental psychosis...
2024-04-1051 minAltered MatesEpisode 9: From Pepe Silvia to Geshinka: the curious domains of psychosisIn this episode we explore the mainstream medical understanding of the domains of schizophrenia and psychosis.
In the process we discuss a number of texts including Better Call Saul, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Black Swan and Joker.
According to the Verywell Health website psychosis is a “symptom”, of which signs include: hallucinations, delusions, and agitation; and schizophrenia is a mental health “condition” that can cause psychosis. People living with schizophrenia can experience symptoms of psychosis but not all people experiencing psychosis have schizophrenia.
The writers of the DSM-V suggest that schizophrenia spectrum a...
2024-03-191h 15Altered MatesEpisode 8: Monsters & Masculinity: delving further into the Jungian ShadowIn this episode we continue our exploration of the Jungian shadow in our lives and in literature. The two texts we are primarily concerned with are A Monster Calls and Fight Club. Both began as novels and both were adapted into fine films— Fight Club, especially, is an excellent adaptation and deserving of its popularity.
A Monster Calls (2011), is a novel written by Patrick Ness, developed from an original idea by Siobhan Dowd, who died of breast cancer in 2007. Ness writes of Dowd that she, “had the characters, a premise, and a beginning. What she didn't have, unfort...
2024-02-2745 minAltered MatesEpisode 7: Jung, The Shadow, and A Wizard of EarthseaThe shadow— a concept developed by Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung— refers to the unconscious aspects of one’s personality that are repressed and thus, not integrated into the “conscious” aspect of the self. The confrontation with The Shadow is an important step in the process of Jungian “Individuation”, in which a person faces, integrates and balances different parts of the psyche.
In the Altered Mates family, we find that The Shadow is a useful model to bring to the Psychedelic Experience, to account for the sometimes confronting imagery and insights we often face in those realms.
In this epis...
2024-02-061h 11Altered MatesEpisode 6: F-ing the Ineffable: William James, Mysticism, and the Psychedelic ExperienceIn this episode, the Altered Mates explore the slippery concept of Mysticism.
Our conversation centres around a classic work by pioneering American psychologist and philosopher William James (January 11, 1842–August 26, 1910), and specifically, the 1902 masterwork based on his Gifford Lectures: The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature (public library | free ebook).
The discussion begins with Alejandro describing what he considers to be his first mystical experience at Machu Picchu in 2011, after a four day hike along the Inca Trail, and importantly, a few days after the first two ayahuasca ceremonies of his life.
The re...
2024-01-161h 33Altered MatesEpisode 5: Big Self Energy: Psychedelics & the IFS ModelThis is the second episode of a two part series on our experiences with, and understanding of, the Internal Family Systems (IFS) Model of Mind. If you haven’t listened to the first episode in the series yet, we do recommend stopping there first: Episode 4 — Understanding ourselves through Internal Family Systems.
This episode begins with Dr T. delving deeper into the nuances of the IFS Model, including some of the history of its development, and its application in therapy.
The discussion develops from there — touching on a wide range of topics from the groups of “parts” i...
2024-01-021h 02Altered MatesEpisode 4: Understanding ourselves through Internal Family SystemsInternal Family Systems (IFS) is a model of the mind where the basic assumption is that the human mind can be divided into a number of sub-personalities, known as “parts”. Ideally, each of these sub personalities work in harmony, with a central “Self” leading the system. According to the model, as we grow and develop throughout our lives, our sub-personalities, or “parts”, also grow and develop a complex system of interactions among themselves.
In keeping with our ongoing pursuit of experiences that can help to shape and mould our developing models and philosophies, the Altered Mates sought out a skille...
2023-12-1951 minAltered MatesEpisode 3: ...but take it!Last episode (Episode 2 — “Take it easy, dude…”) we concerned ourselves with the preparation for a high-dose psilocybin mushroom ceremony. This episode focusses on our integration, following that journey.
In coming to terms with our respective “mystical” experiences, we discuss: ego-death; who or what is the intelligence we encounter in high dose breakthrough psychedelic experiences; noetic experiences of connectedness with the great green web of life; and finally, what is it that lies at the centre of the universe.
Please note:
The Altered Mates have been engaging in ceremonial psychedelic use for over 10 years. We have each...
2023-12-0539 minAltered MatesEpisode 2: Take it easy, dude...Episode 2 — “Take it easy, dude…”
In this episode we take seriously, the late, great Terence McKenna’s famous words: “Take it easy, dude… but take it!”
Tune in as we discuss our preparation process for a so-called “hero’s” dose of psilocybin mushrooms, taken in the manner advised by the man himself, as “five dried grams in silent darkness.”
The conversation starts with our reasons for undertaking a high-dose psychedelic journey in the first place.
We discuss how psychedelics can help us to remember something of the sacred when we get lost in the daily grind. W...
2023-11-2148 minAltered MatesEpisode 1: Challenging psychedelic experiencesExperienced psychonautical adventurers will know that the psychedelic experience is not all love and light. For all the beautiful visions, profound insights, and pleasure; it is also possible to expose ourselves to incredible pain, suffering, fear, and confusion.
In the conversation that follows the Altered Mates discuss three particularly challenging experiences from Alejandro’s psychonautical journey. The first with ayahuasca, the second with psilocybin mushrooms, and the third with DMT.
We use these three experiences as a launching point to consider what, as psychedelic practitioners, we can do with such experiences. How can we make se...
2023-10-271h 14