Shows
Ayahuasca Podcast with Sam BelievJason Grechanik - tobacco, cosmovisión, the path of curandero.In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) has a conversation with Jason Grechanik — a curandero, tabacero, and the host of The Universe Within podcast. Jason spent over a decade living in the Peruvian Amazon training in the Shipibo tradition. His work bridges plant medicine, traditional cosmologies, and deep healing practices through tobacco and Ayahuasca.
We touch upon topics of:
Jason’s path to becoming a curandero and his early interest in spirituality and martial arts (00:27–03:39)
The concept of Ayahuasca "calling" and plant consciousness (04:02–06:36)
Tobacco as a master plant and its trad...2025-06-211h 26
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 160 - Jason Shurka - Pyramids, Healing, & the Spiritual BattleHey everybody! Episode 160 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Jason Shurka. Jason is a really interesting guy. He has a great YouTube channel where he speaks about myriad interesting topics such as the Pyramids of Giza, energy/sound/frequency healing, breaking illusions, and a spiritual battle between light and dark forces. We had a very good conversation about these topics that I’m sure will open some new ideas. It was a pleasure and I hope you enjoy. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, check out my Pa...2025-06-111h 20
The Universe Within PodcastEp155 - Tobacco & European Tree Wisdom - Merav Artzi, Jason Grechanik, & Tara MuirgheinHey everybody! Here is a special 155 episode of the show. This episode is an interview that I did with my colleague Merav Artzi and our friend Tara Muirghein of Fire Tree Alchemy. Tara invited us on to speak about our story, our work with connecting to the wisdom of plants, our lineage from the Amazon, how we work with tobacco and trees, and how we have begun to bridge this technology with connecting people with the wisdom of their own indigenous lands and trees. It was lovely to share with Tara, thank you to her for having us on...2025-04-041h 48
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 143 - Paul Hutchinson - Sound of Freedom, Plant Medicines, & Healing Darkness and TraumaHey everybody! Episode 143 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Paul Hutchinson. Paul was introduced to me through a mutual acquaintance. Paul is a really fascinating guy. He was a very successful entrepreneur who was called, literally, to begin to work undercover saving children from child trafficking. He was one of the characters the film Sound of Freedom was based on as well as a producer. Paul and I sat down to speak about his life, his work saving children, notions of trauma and darkness, what it means to be a warrior of light, and h...2024-10-231h 40
Cosmic Triggers with SamPlant Medicine and a New World with Jason GrechanikHello friends! Welcome back to Cosmic Triggers with Sam. Today I had a guest, a very special guest. Jason Grechanik has been one of the fascilitators for the past two tobacco dietas I have attended. Jason is a man who walks with much grace and integrity and I feel honored to have been held in such sacred space in the dieta setting and to also have him share his worldview on todays episode.
Jason has had a deep interest in plants as medicine for many years. After studying various modalities, he has lived, studied, and worked in...2024-10-102h 25
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 142 - Jason Grechanik - Tobacco, Plants, Dreaming & the ImaginationHey everybody! Episode 142 of the show is out. In this episode, I am releasing a podcast where I was interviewed by Shonagh Home. Shonagh was one my podcast a while back and invited me to be on her’s, called The Mushroom’s Apprentice. I really enjoyed speaking with Shonagh and she is a really good interviewer and asked really deep questions. We spoke about my background, plant medicines, ayahuasca and tobacco, trees, the traditional process of dieta, indigenous and Western cosmovisions, dreaming and the imagination, and humanity and the mind in general. I really enjoyed being on her podc...2024-10-091h 46
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 141 - Hans Wilhelm - Consciousness, Meditation, Dimensions & Astral BeingsHey everybody! Episode 141 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Hans Wilhelm. Hans is an author and illustrator who has a really good YouTube channel called Life Explained. He creates short videos where he illustrates spiritual laws of the universe. He does a really good job with his channel and I think it’s really informative and wonderful for both children and adults. We spoke about Hans’ background, the mind, meditation, the Work of Byron Katie, spirituality, consciousness, planets, astral beings, and even aliens! It was a really interesting conversation and I hope you all get...2024-09-251h 46
What Are You Made Of?Bridging Ancient Wisdom with Modern Life: Exploring Plant Medicine with Jason GrechanikMike "C-Roc" welcomes Jason Grechanik, an expert in plant medicine and longtime student of indigenous traditions. Jason has spent over a decade in the Amazon studying and facilitating ayahuasca workshops, learning the wisdom of medicinal plants, and bridging ancient knowledge to modern life. He shares his fascinating journey, including his time living with indigenous tribes and how plant medicine helps people reconnect with their true selves.
Mike "C-Roc" and Jason dive deep into the world of ayahuasca and other plant medicines, discussing their spiritual and healing benefits. They explore the societal disconnection from nature...2024-09-1338 min
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 140 - Matthew Toussaint - Ayahuasca, Apprenticeship, Tradition, & the Art of MedicineHey everybody! Episode 140 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Matthew Toussaint. Matthew came highly recommended to me and I was really glad we could make this podcast happen. Matthew is an anthropologist who came to plant medicines at a young age. It brought him to the Peruvian Amazon where he began a deeper dive and apprenticeship with ayahuasca and a lineage of curanderismo. We spoke about his background, ayahuasca, dieta, apprenticeship, tradition and lineage, myth, tree medicine, martial arts, christianity, imagination, meditation, and other topics. I think this is a really in-depth interview and...2024-09-113h 16
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 139 - Seth Lorinczi - Psychedelics, Punk, & a Post-Holocaust Psychedelic MemoirHey everybody! Episode 139 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Seth Lorinczi. Seth is a writer who recently published a book entitled Death Trip: A Post-Holocaust Psychedelic Memoir. We spoke about his background, his involvement in the punk music scene in Washington D.C. and Portland, psychedelics and ayahuasca, MDMA therapy and how it saved his marriage, his book and journey of identity, ancestral and generational trauma, and many other topics. Seth has a really interesting story and a lot to share and I think you all will gain a lot from this interview. As...2024-08-281h 42
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 138 - Scott Stanley - Ayahuasca, Religious Freedom, Legality & the DEAHey everybody! Episode 138 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Scott Stanley. Scott is the founder of the ayahuasca church, Arizona Yage Assembly (AYA) as well as the North American Association of Visionary Churches (NAAVC). I was interested to bring Scott on to speak about the legal status of plant sacraments in the US. I think Scott is a really good representative in that he has been involved in a legal battle with the US government over religious freedom and actually is suing the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) and seems to be in a good...2024-08-142h 28
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 137 - Marta Fabregat - Tree Medicine, Plants & SomaticsHey everybody! Episode 137 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Marta Fabregat. Marta was recommended to me by a mutual friend, Cathy Coyle. Marta is one of Cathy’s teachers and I trust Cathy’s recommendations so I was sure Marta would have a lot to share, and she did. We spoke about Marta’s background, her working in Ecuador with Huachuma, her past with activism, how that lead her to Ireland, and how she now bridges multiple approaches including somatics into plant medicine work. We spoke about her work with trees and learning directly from t...2024-07-311h 34
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 136 - Max Monge Quineche - Ayahuasca, Shipibo, Psychotherapy, & MythEpisode 136 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Max Monge Quineche. I met Max a couple of years ago in a shared temazcal in the Sacred Valley of Peru. I was impressed by his presence in the space and out and got to know him a bit and learn of his work with ayahuasca and the Shipibo. So it was a pleasure to finally sit down and speak with him on the podcast after a few years time. We spoke about his background and coming to plant medicines at an early age, his challenges, the...2024-07-172h 22
The Mushroom's Apprentice FREEJason Grechanik: A Deep Dive into Dieting Plants • Episode 39 • Free •Jason Grechanik has apprenticed for many years in the Amazon under the instruction of traditional teachers that include maestro Ernesto Garcia Torres. There, he learned the sacred art of plant dieting through his apprenticeship training that included prolonged isolation, and fasting. He was given the blessing to work as Tabaquero until eventually he was given the ability to dispense diets. He is a wealth of information on this subject and he runs dietas in the Sacred Valley of Peru and abroad. He is very well-spoken and shares beautifully on this subject. It was such a pleasure interviewing him.
In the...2024-06-281h 03
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 135 - Tony Moss - Ayahuasca, Music, & MythHey everybody! Episode 135 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Tony Moss. I had known about Tony for a while and, as we spoke about in the show, he came to this plant medicine work over 35 years ago. We sat down and spoke about his life, his career in music, his work with ayahuasca and how that shaped his music into medicine music, his learning with different indigenous traditions, his path in bridging these traditions with Western traditions, and the role of elders. I was really happy to have Tony on to share in his...2024-06-261h 41
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 134 - Shonagh Home - Mushrooms, Faeries, Celts, & LogosHey everybody! Episode 134 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Shonagh Home. I found out that Shonagh is a mutual friend of mine, Cathy Coyle, who I also had on the podcast and have a lot of respect for. So having Shonagh on was a real pleasure. Shonagh recently published a really good book called Poetic Whispers. We spoke about her book as well as her background, her initiation into mushrooms, plant medicines, her study of the Celts, her transmission of poetry, natural law and logic, as well as many other topics. It was a...2024-05-222h 44
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 133 - Greg Wrenn - Author, Ayahuasca, PTSD, & NatureHey everybody! Episode 133 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Greg Wrenn. Greg reached out to me as he’s just published his book, Mothership. It was a pleasure to have Greg on and share about his book, his background, his working with and overcoming PTSD, how he found healing with ayahuasca, and his connection to nature, especially the coral reefs. Greg has a beautiful story and we had a really good conversation about these topics. I trust you all will gain a lot from this episode. As always, to support this podcast, get early ac...2024-05-081h 54
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 132 - Janeth Jaramillo - Ayahuasca, Wachuma, & BuddhismHey everybody! Episode 132 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Janeth Jaramillo. Janeth and I met about 12 years ago when we were both working at the Amazonian ayahuasca center the Temple of the Way of Light. Janeth was the head of the permaculture program. We spoke about that as well as her interest and experience working with ayahuasca, huachuma (San Pedro), and the intersection of plant medicine practices with Buddhism. I really enjoyed catching up with Janeth and having her share. She’s been around this work for a long time and has a lot of...2024-04-242h 12
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 131 - Steve Farrell - Consciousness and A New Universal DreamHey everybody! Episode 131 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Steve Farrell. Steve is an interesting guy who was drawn to his path after a spiritual awakening of sorts. He has had a long collaboration with Neale Donald Walsch who wrote a very popular book called Conversations with God. Steve started a really good online streaming service called Humanity Steam focusing on transformational education collaborating with many luminaries. We sat down and spoke about his past, consciousness, his new book, his education passion, and concepts of spirituality in general. I hope you all gain something...2024-04-101h 22
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 130 - Bronislav Vinogrodsky - Taosim & the Way of ChangeHey everybody! Episode 130 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Bronislav Vinogrodsky. Bronislav is a rally fascinating guy who was introduced to me by mutual family and friends. Bronislav has translated many of the classic Chinese spiritual classics into Russian, including the Tao Te Ching, Yellow Emperor’s Treatise on Medicine, the I-Ching, and many more, and has a real grasp of their deep content and meaning. We spoke about a lot of really interesting topics including these books and their meanings, spirituality, Chinese and plant medicines, tea, mushrooms, and Taoism as a practice. Bronislav ha...2024-03-271h 44
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 129 - Dr. Ron Stotts - Breath, Consciousness, Leadership, & NeurologyHey everybody! Episode 129 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Ron Stotts. Ron has dedicated much of his life to studying the breath and it's effects on health and consciousness. He also has studied neurology as well as having spent many years learning different forms of spiritual practices. Ron has led a really interesting life and it was a pleasure to have him on to share. We spoke about his background, his spiritual practices, breath-work, neurology, plant medicines, gardening, martial arts, and some other topics as well. I think you all will find Ron...2024-03-131h 22
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 128 - Jonathan Robinson - Ecstasy as Medicine: MDMA TherapyHey everybody! Episode 128 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Jonathan Robinson. Jonathan became well-known with his work and books on enlightenment and techniques for happiness. He has spoken to many luminaries including Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Louise L. Hay and many more. Recently he released a book entitled Ecstasy as Medicine: How MDMA Therapy Can Help You Overcome Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression... and Feel More Love. We spoke about his background, this work with technologies to increase well-being, and especially about his book on MDMA. We spoke about the therapeutical use...2024-02-211h 33
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 127 - Christina Allen - The Shamanic Calling & The Andean Qero TraditionHey everybody! Episode 127 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Christina Allen. Christina was recommended to me by a past guest and friend Joan Parisi Wilcox. Joan spoke very highly of Christina and so I was happy to have Christina on the podcast. Christina shared in her story and what led her to her shamanic calling, her time in the early psychedelic movement with the Grateful Dead, her studies as a physicist and her interest and work in consciousness, her time with Alberto Villoldo, and eventually her finding her calling learning from the pacos of...2024-02-072h 31
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 126 - Lila Lieberman - The Five Pillars of Medicine & The Cedar TeachingsHey everybody! Episode 126 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Lila Lieberman. Lila was recommended to me by mutual friends of ours and I was really impressed when I listened to a few of her talks. Lila has had a fascinating life and we sat down and spoke about her journeys through S. America in her youth where she came across the cactus medicine in the desert and ayahuasca in the jungle, her journey back to S. Africa where she learned from the Zulu and Shona, and how her learning deepened and expanded into what...2024-01-102h 07
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 125 - Sacred Tobacco Part 2Hey everybody! Episode 125 of the show is out. This episode is an interview I was on for another podcast called The Way to Change. It was a good interview where I spoke more in depth about tobacco as a medicine, the plant dieta, ayahuasca, and the archetypes of medicine. So I decided to release the interview as Part 2 of my previous episode entitled Sacred Tobacco (episode 4). I hope you all gain something from this episode. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!2023-12-271h 52
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 124 - Kat Courtney - Ayahuasca, San Pedro, & IntegrationHey everybody! Episode 124 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Kat Courtney. Kat has a company called Plant Medicine People and they work with sacred plants like ayahuasca, huachuma, and tobacco. She has been training and learning from these plants for over 20 years. We sat down and spoke about her background, the aforementioned plants, her training, what these plants mean to her, how these plants are worked with, why integration is so important, and many other topics. I feel Kat speaks from a really good place and a place of experiential wisdom, so it was...2023-12-131h 48
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 123 - Dmitry Alexeev - The Gut Microbiome, Intelligence, & PlantsHey everybody! Episode 123 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Dmitry Alexeev. Dmitry is a scientist who specializes in the gut microbiome. The microbiome is a subject I have wanted to cover on this podcast for a while, as it relates to the plants we ingest, our physical and mental health, intelligence, and has a correlation to many indigenous cosmovisions of life and spirits. It was a pleasure to sit down with Dmitry and this was a really fascinating episode delving into this unseen world that is becoming a forefront of science, health, and consciousness...2023-11-293h 06
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 122 - jubbdavid - Whole Brain Functioning, Plants, Consciousness & the MindHey everybody! Episode 122 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend, mentor, and teacher, jubb david. Jubb’s was one of the first people who introduced me and opened my eyes to the world of plants as food, nutrition, medicine, and life-force. I met jubb’s when we were both living in the East Village of New York and where he had a cafe. I would attend his lectures with my friend John Keegan (who I interviewed in episode 60). I was fascinated by jubb’s knowledge, warmth, healing abilities, and insight. Many of the things...2023-11-151h 12
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 121 - Jason Grechanik - An Interview About Plant Medicine from Mi Yuyabo PodcastHey everybody! Episode 121 of the show is out. In this episode, I was interviewed on another podcast called Mi Yuyabo. It was a nice interview and I was happy to share a bit of my background, what brought me to plant medicine, some things I have learned, and going a bit deeper into the world of plants. I hope you all are able to learn something new from this interview and my sharing. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!2023-11-011h 35
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 120 - Jacob Toddson - Nordic & Celtic Traditions & the Wisdom of OdinHey everybody! Episode 120 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Jacob Toddson. Jacob has a really excellent YouTube channel called The Wisdom of Odin where he explores his own journey delving into his wandering the ancient world in search of information pertaining to the religions of the past. Jacob is a photographer by trade and it really shows in the production value of his videos. I was really impressed by his work and his looking into, speaking about, and educating about ancient traditions, especially those of Nordic and Celtic traditions. As this has become part...2023-10-181h 40
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 119 - Rune Hjarnø Rasmussen - Nordic Animism, Myth, & ConnectivityHey everybody! Episode 119 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Rune Hjarnø Rasmussen. Rune was introduced to me by a listener of the podcast. It was serendipitous timing as I had been wanting to bring on guests to speak more about European myth and tradition, especially about Celtic and Nordic traditions. So it was a pleasure to sit down with Rune and have him share in his experience with Nordic animism, myth, his work in general, and also his time with the Brazilian Candomblé tradition. He has a really good YouTube channel as well where he...2023-10-042h 20
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 118 - Larry Pahl - The Pyramids of Giza & Sacred GeometryHey everybody! Episode 118 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Larry Pahl. Larry was introduced to me by a mutual friend who is a fan of Larry’s work. As someone who is deeply interested in ancient cultures, esoteric wisdom, and the interconnectedness of life and cultures, the pyramids of Giza have fascinated me since childhood. Therefore Larry was a wonderful guest to bring on as all of these are his specialty. He has been studying the pyramids of Giza for decades and has made a number of discoveries. I think he does a beautiful jo...2023-09-191h 21
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 117 - Andrew Camargo - Shamanism, The Occult, Alchemy, & Santo DaimeHey everybody! Episode 117 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Andrew Camargo. A friend of Andrew’s, Jude, recommend I interview Andrew a while back as he lives quite close to me. I am grateful for this recommendation as I really enjoyed sitting down with Andrew and having him share in his life story and work. He has an excellent free webinar series about the call of shamanism that is about 16 hours in length and I was very impressed with the knowledge and depth that Andrew goes into. I would highly recommend it. I feel An...2023-08-093h 56
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 116 - Satya - Plant Medicines, Modern Therapy-Ancient Wisdom, & EducationHey everybody! Episode 116 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Satya. Satya’s assistant had reached out me about a year ago but unfortunately I was busy at that time, but serendipitously our paths crossed when I was recently in Portugal running dieta, and as things would have it, it was much nicer to do this interview in person. Satya has a beautiful presence and is doing great work in this field of plant medicines, integration, therapeutics, education, and merging differing modalities into one. I really enjoyed this conversation and getting to know Satya and ha...2023-07-261h 20
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 115 - Josh Schrei - The Emerald Podcast, Animism, & the Psychologizing of SocietyHey everybody! Episode 115 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Josh Schrei. Josh has an excellent podcast called The Emerald. A few episodes were recommended to me and after listening I could see why. Josh speaks excellently on themes such as animism, shamanism, religion, myth, and is a story teller in the truest sense of the word. His podcast is excellently produced and is engaging, informative, thought provoking, and really shows the wisdom that Josh carries in order to produce such a fantastic show. So it was an honor to have him come on my...2023-07-121h 33
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 114 - Joe Moore - Psychedelics Today, Transpersonal Psychology, & DecriminalizationHey everybody! Episode 114 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Joe Moore. I was on Joe’s podcast, Psychedelics Today, about a year ago, so it was a pleasure and honor to have him come on mine. We got into some interesting topics including Joe’s background, his podcast, his work with transpersonal psychology and Stanislav Grof, the emerging psychedelic renaissance, the decriminalization of these medicines, and some of the issues that are being presented and the outlook moving forward It was a really good conversation and gives a lot of insight on these topics from...2023-06-281h 25
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 113 - The Psychologizing of Society & Trauma Culture - A Discussion with Brian James, Adam Aronovich, & Jason GrechanikHey everybody! Episode 113 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friends Brian James and Adam Aronovich. I met both of them when we all worked together at a big plant medicine center in the Peruvian Amazon. I interviewed both of them separately in previous episodes, Brian in episode 30 and Adam in episode 55, so you can check those out for a more in-depth look at them both. I have been impressed with both their abilities to speak out on more mainstream narratives that are happening in the psychedelic and plant-medicine movements. I think there are...2023-06-132h 41
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 112 - Hamilton Souther - Ayahuasca & the Traditional ApprenticeshipHey everybody! Episode 112 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Hamilton Souther. Hamilton is the chairman and founder of Blue Morpho, one of the oldest and most well-respected ayahuasca centers in the Peruvian Amazon. I worked for many years at another one of the pioneering ayahuasca centers, the Temple of the Way of Light, and so I was familiar with Blue Morpho and Hamilton and always heard of people having really deep, profound experiences there. So it was a pleasure to sit down and chat and have Hamilton share in his story, which is an...2023-05-312h 27
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 111 - John Wood - Somatic Therapy, Plant Medicines, Cults, & PresenceHey everybody! Episode 111 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with John Wood. I met John in jiu-jitsu with our mutual friend and teacher Chase Moore, who was also on this podcast. John does somatic therapy work and it was a really fascinating conversation sitting down and learning more about John and his work. We spoke about his story and how he got caught up a bit in a cult and what that taught him, how he learned and grew from that, how somatic therapy came into his life and what it is and how it...2023-05-172h 27
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 110 - Bruno Momeni - Martial Arts, Jiujitsu, & Luta LivreHey everybody! Episode 110 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Bruno Momeni. Bruno is a 1st dan black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Luta Livre. I met Bruno a few years ago and began training with him shortly after. Bruno has a really deep understanding of martial arts and is very creative in his game. I respect him as a teacher and man and am also honored to have received my brown belt from him, and was happy to sit down and have him share in his story. We spoke about the origins...2023-05-031h 53
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 109 - Jerónimo Mazarrasa - ICEERS, Plant Medicine Facilitation & Harm ReductionHey everybody! Episode 109 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Jerónimo Mazarrasa. This is Jerónimo’s second time on this podcast. Jerónimo works for a great organization called ICEERS (International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service). He came on this episode to speak about a new course that ICEERS is offering about harm reduction for facilitators of plant medicines in a non-traditional context. As this plant medicine work expands to the world at large, I think organizations like ICEERS play a crucial role in bridging traditions, bringing awareness and education, and offeri...2023-04-192h 48
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 108 - Melanie Reinhart - Astrology, Chiron, and MythologyHey everybody! Episode 108 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Melanie Reinhart. Melanie was recommended to me by a friend of mine, James Robinson, and I’m really grateful that he did. Melanie is an astrologer and I really enjoyed speaking with her. She has a beautiful voice, presence, and wisdom and I think you all will find this a fascinating conversation. We spoke about her early years and interest in astrology, it’s history, how it fell out of favor in the West, the mythology of astrology, Chiron and its mythology and meaning, how astr...2023-04-052h 40
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 107 - Yukia Sandara - Cosmic Mastery, Star Beings, & GuidanceHey everybody! Episode 107 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Yukia Sandara. I met Yukia recently and felt she had a really interesting story and had something special to share. I was really happy to sit down with her and this conversation exceeded my expectations. In fact I think it was a masterclass in many ways of a lot of different concepts of a spiritual path. We got into some really interesting topics including her growing up in apartheid South Africa, her opening up as a channel in her childhood, communication with star beings, the...2023-03-223h 09
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 106 - Luke Jensen - Plant Medicines, Brain Mapping, War, Veterans, & NeuroplasticityHey everybody! Episode 106 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Luke Jensen. Luke and I practice Brazilian jiu-jitsu together where I met him. Luke is a former Marine and served in Afghanistan. He now works with brain mapping and neurofeedback and is integrating this work with plant medicines. We had a long conversation and got into some really interesting and I think deep topics about war, morality, his work with brain mapping, neuroplasticity, and neurogenesis, the role of masculinity, martial arts, and systems of power. It was a fascinating conversation and I really...2023-03-083h 22
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 105 - Megan & Nicole Michelena - Zenchronicity, Psilocybin, & Masculine & FeminineHey everybody! Episode 105 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Megan & Nicole Michelena from the Zenchronicity Podcast. I really enjoyed sitting down with these two sisters and getting to know their background and work. They have a really beautiful story and we got into that, their work with psilocybin, the legalization movement in Colorado, the archetypes of masculine and feminine and how important they are, and other pertinent issues that we as individuals and as a collective are dealing with during these times. We went almost three hours, which for me, is always a good...2023-02-222h 50
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 104 - Chris Kilham - Medicine Hunter, Bridging Worlds, & Plant MedicinesHey everybody! Episode 104 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Chris Kilham. Chris is also know as the Medicine Hunter and is an author, educator and yogi. He is the founder of Medicine Hunter Inc., and conducts medicinal plant research and sustainable botanical sourcing in over 45 countries. I met Chris a few years ago when I was working at the Amazonian plant medicine center, The Temple of the Way of Light, where Chris came together with his wife Zoe Helen (who I hope to have on in the next few episodes), and brought a group...2023-02-081h 42
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 103 - Joan Parisi Wilcox - Qero: Masters of Living Energy & Andean CosmovisionHey everybody! Episode 103 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Joan Parisi Wilcox. Joan is the author of a very good book that I read, Masters of the Living Energy: The Mystical World of the Q'ero of Peru, when I moved to and became interested in the Andean cosmovision. Joan has spent many years learning from a group of Andean wisdom keepers called the Qero nation. They consider themselves direct descendants of the Incas. They have a beautiful, simple, practical, nature-based cosmovison that I think is very relevant to the time we are living in...2023-01-252h 27
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 102 - Will Pye - Rereleasing Censored Version - Author, Speaker, NonDuality, Philosophy & PlantsThere are many cosmovisions, many ways of looking at life and the nature of reality. Some may hold more true than others, some may hold more true for some and less for others. But being able to see the world in different ways is vital.Science is always changing. What was seen as ‘The Science’ 500 years ago is very different from 400 years ago and very different from today. The Science of 300 years ago is very different from The Science 200 years ago and today. And The Science of today will be very different from The Science of tomor...2023-01-113h 15
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 101 - Sacred Tobacco & Tree Dietas - Interview with Merav Artzi & Jason Grechanik by Angell DeerHey everybody! Episode 101 of the show is out. This was an interview that my friend Angell Deer did for his podcast, The Sanctuary, also the name of his shamanic healing center in upstate New York where my colleague Merav Artzi and myself have been running retreats the last two years. In this interview, Angell interviews Merav and myself on our background stories, our work with tobacco and tree medicines, the process of working with plants in a dieta, what the benefits of this work are, and how the process unfolds on the physical, emotional, and spiritual levels. It was...2022-12-281h 38
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 100 - Mallku Aribalo - Andean Archaeo-Astronomy, Ancient Architecture & Solar InitiationHey everybody! Episode 100 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Mallku Aribalo. I first saw Mallku in an excellent documentary a number of years back called The Revelation of the Pyramids. I was really impressed with his knowledge and when I realized he lived in Cusco I knew he would be a great guest. We got into a lot of topics that really fascinate me such as ancient cultures, Andean cosmovision and the Incas, archaeo-astronomy, the power of the sun and it’s initiatory impact, plant medicines and wachuma, the modern world, relativism and optimism, an...2022-12-142h 33
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 99 - Bettina Fischer - Energy Work, Star Beings & Self Responsibility in a Time of AscensionHey everybody! Episode 99 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Bettina Fischer. Bettina was recommended to me by two friends and colleagues, Marta and Allen, who I also interviewed in episodes 16 and 13 respectively. They both have worked with Bettina and both spoke very highly of her. Bettina describes herself as an energy worker and as a channel. We got into some really fascinating discussions about her life, her work, her journey in spirituality, star beings, ancient civilizations, the changing world, and how she finds the three pillars of self-love, self-responsibility, and self-expression to be vital...2022-11-302h 46
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 98 - Marc Aixalà - Psychedelic Integration: Psychotherapy for Non-Ordinary States of ConsciousnessHey everybody! Episode 98 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Marc Aixalà. Marc is a psychotherapist and has worked in collaboration with a very good organization called ICEERS (International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service). ICEERS worked in collaboration with a large ayahuasca center where I worked for many years (the Temple of the Way of Light) doing research on the therapeutic benefits of ayahuasca. We share a mutual friend, Irene Perez (who I interviewed in episode 36), who was doing the research on the ground for ICEERS. Marc recently published a book called Psychedelic I...2022-11-161h 52
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 97 - Dr. Tomas Frymann - Interbeing, Clinical Psychology, & Psychedelic IntegrationHey everybody! Episode 97 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Tomas Frymann. Tomas was introduced to me by a mutual friend, Michael Kokal, who has a great podcast himself, End of the Road. Tomas is a clinical psychologist who recently completed his doctorate at Columbia University. He has worked as an ayahuasca facilitator, has worked with veterans working with iboga and bufo alvarius, and recently completed a Bwiti initiation in Gabon working with iboga. We spoke about all of these as well as his ideas of Interbeing, inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh. Tomas is...2022-11-021h 56
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 96 - Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza - Microbiology, the Amazon, & Stingless BeesHey everybody! Episode 96 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza. Rosa is a Peruvian-born and USA/Peru-based chemical biologist, storyteller, conservationist, National Geographic Explorer, and artist. It was a pleasure for me to have Rosa on and talk about her ongoing work in the Peruvian Amazon mapping the microbial life of the boiling river near the jungle city of Pucalpa. I think this is really fascinating work as the microbes that can live in such extreme conditions potentially may give rise to a better understanding of life, lead to new m...2022-10-191h 20
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 95 - Ananta Ripa Ajmera - Ayurveda, Yoga, Vedanta & the Art of LifeHey everybody! Episode 95 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Ananta Ripa Ajmera. I was really happy to have Ananta come on the podcast and speak about Ayurveda, yoga, and Vedanta. I had been wanting to have someone come on for a long time to speak about Ayurveda, so Ananta was a great fit. Ayurveda is known as the knowledge or science of life, and it’s an ancient system of holistic health and has a lot to share. It also encompasses aspects of yoga and stems from Vedic thought, and it was great to ha...2022-10-052h 06
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 94 - Seek Connection Podcast Interview - Cosmovision, Plant Medicines, Gnosis & ProphecyHey everybody! Episode 94 of the show is out. This is an interview my friend Samuel did with me on his Seek Connection Podcast. It was a pleasure for me to sit down and catch up with Samuel. We met a number of years ago in a plant-medicine retreat in the Peruvian Amazon. I was honored to be on his third episode and we got into some really interesting topics including cosmovisions, plant medicines, the pandemic, fear, gnosis, and indigenous prophecies. Samuel did a great job with this interview and I think we touched on some really important aspects of...2022-09-211h 57
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 93 - Angell Deer - Shamanism, Forestry, Medicine, & ServiceHey everybody! Episode 93 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Angell Deer. Angell and I met last year when he hosted myself and my colleague, Merav Artzi, where we ran plant-medicine retreats at his wonderful property, The Sanctuary. So I enjoyed being able to sit down with Angell and learn more about his story, what brought him into this work, and what he has to share. He’s had a varied life and has an interesting perspective drawing from his own life experience and having worked in many traditions. I think you’ll get...2022-09-071h 53
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 92 - Linda Christine Adams - Plant Medicines, Indigenous Wisdom Traditions, & HealingHey everybody! Episode 92 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Linda Christine Adams. Linda was recommended to me by a mutual friend of ours, Kylea Taylor, who I interviewed in episode 59. Kylea spoke very highly of Linda as a healer and wisdom keeper so I took her word for it and was very happy to have connected with Linda. Linda has been walking her path of medicine and healing since a young age and has studied many modalities of healing, weaving them together in her practice. We spoke about Acupuncture, Chinese medicine, ayahuasca, dietas, iboga...2022-08-242h 12
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 91 - Cathy Coyle - Druids, Tree Medicines, Mushrooms & Rediscovering Ancestral PathsHey everybody! Episode 91 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Cathy Coyle. My friend and colleague Merav Artzi worked with Cathy a number of years ago and spoke very highly of her. And recently Cathy invited and organized for us to come to Ireland, where she is from, to run a plant dieta there, which was an amazing experience. Cathy is a medicine woman who has worked and trained in varied traditions such as Jungian psychology, druidic knowledge, and master plants. She has a varied background and with this variety has a beautiful...2022-08-102h 06
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 90 - Dr. Alka Patel - Health As a Verb, Allopathic Care, & Holistic MedicineHey everybody! Episode 90 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Alka Patel. Alka was introduced to me and she has a very good TED Talk which I’ll link to below. Alka is a medical doctor and through a series of personal experiences began to see that there were other ways she could better help her patients, thus beginning to incorporate other modalities into a more holistic approach. I think it’s wonderful when any type of doctor is open to learning and broadening their knowledge and I think Alka really embodies this emerging fiel...2022-07-271h 39
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 89 - Leadershipedelics Interview - Plant Medicine, Ancient Cultures, & LeadershipHey everybody! Episode 89 of the show is out. This is an interview I did with my friend Sebastien Fouillade on his podcast Leadershipedelics. I met Sebastien at the plant medicine center the Temple of Way of Light where we worked together on a retreat. So it was great for me to catch up with him again and to be on his new podcast. He did a great job going into some really interesting topics and I was really happy with this interview. Sometimes listeners are asking for more episodes where I share, so this is a great podcast where...2022-07-131h 41
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 88 - Almunis | Alejandra Ortiz - Embodied Voice, Vibration, & MedicineHey everybody! Episode 88 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Alumnis (Alejandra Ortiz). She had been highly recommended to me by a good friend and then recently someone who was dieting with Merav and myself also highly recommended her. Alumnis was also doing a retreat right next door and so it seemed serendipitous. Alumnis is a Colombian teacher who works with the voice. We had a really fascinating conversation about the power of the voice, how it can be opened and truly found, its healing effects, the power of the word, and we touched a...2022-06-291h 11
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 87 - Persia Garland Moen - Plant Medicines, Prophecies, Awareness, & the HeartHey everybody! Episode 87 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Persia Garland Moen. Persia and I have a few mutual friends and we had been meaning to speak for a while so it was nice to finally sit down and have her share. Persia’s journey began in childhood and she has led a very interesting life and has studied many paths. In this episode, we spoke about her background, Tibetan Buddhism, shamanism, ayahuasca, her time with the Qeros of the Peruvian Andes, opening the heart and awareness and the journey that entails. We went ab...2022-06-153h 11
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 86 - José López Sánchez - Ayahuasca, Shipibos, & Master Plant DietasUna nota: para ver las notas del programa en español para este episodio, visite mi sitio web a: https://www.universewithinpodcast.com/podcast/jose-lopez-sanchezHey everybody! Episode 86 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with José López Sánchez. I have known José for a number of years since we both met working together at the Amazonian plant-medicine center the Temple of the Way of Light. I have worked extensively with his sisters and mother as well, Lila, Laura, and Ynes, who I also interviewed in previous episodes (see episodes 56 and 6...2022-06-011h 52
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 85 - Anne-Laure Vincke - Ayahuasca, The Dieta, & The Medicine PathHey everybody! Episode 85 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my new friend Anne-Laure Vincke. Anne-Laure has been involved in the medicine path for many years and I recently met her while she was working at the Shipibo diet and ayahuasca center, Shipibo Rao, José Lopez’s center. It was a pleasure for me to sit down and speak with her and she has a deep experiential knowledge of having worked with a number of different medicines and traditions. We spoke about her history, her work with the Red Path, her time in Ecuador working wit...2022-05-182h 13
Psychedelics TodayPT317 – Jason Grechanik – Ancient Wisdom, Plant Dietas, and The Universe WithinIn this episode of the podcast, Joe interviews Jason Grechanik; a tabaquero running plant dietas, ayahuasca ceremony facilitator, and host of "The Universe Within" podcast. They discuss shamanism, dietas, breathwork, and more! www.psychedelicstoday.com2022-05-101h 38
LeadershipedelicsSeason 2 Ep. 11: Jason Grechanik on the wisdom of plants, ancient cultures, martial arts, ayahuasca, and more...This week we meet with Jason Grechanik. I met Jason 7 years ago when he was a facilitator for ayahuasca ceremonies at the Temple of the Way of Light in the Amazon jungle. I was super impressed then and I’m even more impressed now after our conversation. Jason has such a depth of knowledge. He shares the wisdom he’s gained from his fascination with ancient cultures and what he’s learned from his lifelong journey working with plants as food, nutrition, and medicine. We also talk a bit about martial arts, where he got his di...2022-05-051h 21
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 83 - Stephano Gutierrez Manrique - Wilca, Andean Cosmovision, & Ancestral KnowingUna nota: para ver las notas del programa en español para este episodio, visite mi sitio web a: https://www.universewithinpodcast.com/podcast/stephano-gutierrezHey everybody! Episode 84 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Stephano Gutierrez Manrique. I met Stephano a couple of years ago as we both practice Brazilian Jiu-jitsu in the Sacred Valley of Peru where he lives and works. Stephano works with plant medicines, especially Wuachuma, Wilca, and DMT. He also has a very good knowledge of the Andean cosmovision and we had a really i...2022-05-042h 51
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 83 - Alonso Del Rio - Ayahuasca, Ancestral Wisdom, & The Human BeingUna nota: para ver las notas del programa en español para este episodio, visite mi sitio web a: https://www.universewithinpodcast.com/podcast/alonso-del-rioHey everybody! Episode 83 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Alonso del Rio. I had heard about Alonso for a number of years and two of my friends spoke very highly of him. Alonso is an ayahuasquero who lives and works in the Sacred Valley of Peru and has a medicine center, Ayahuasca Ayllu. He also wrote a very good book called Tawantinsuyo 5.0. I knew Alonso h...2022-04-203h 29
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 82 - A Conversation From Mikeadelic Podcast - Plant Medicines, Principles, Cognitive Liberty, & TruthHey everybody! Episode 82 of the show is out. This is an interview I did a few months ago with my good friend Mike on his show Mikeadelic. It was my third time on his show and I think this was our best interview yet. Mike did a great job leading the conversation and I think we went really deep into topics around plant medicine work, ayahuasca, tobacco, and principles and truth. We got into some of the areas where we have seen the plant medicine community fall short on principles and what could be possible antidotes. I think this w...2022-04-062h 30
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 81 - Jeff Chilton - Mushrooms: The Medicinal, Nutritive & SpiritualHey everybody! Episode 81 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Jeff Chilton. I had been wanting to bring on someone since this podcast’s inception to speak about all of the different uses of mushrooms, from the nutritive, medicinal, and spiritual uses. So when I learned about Jeff and he agreed to come on, I was very happy as he really is the perfect person to speak on mushroom’s behalf. He has been working with mushrooms for nearly fifty years. He owns a company supplying high-quality mushrooms to other companies and has lived, breathed, and...2022-03-233h 06
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 80 - Benito Ramos Vargas - Ayahuasca, Shipibos, & Plant DietasUna nota: para ver las notas del programa en español para este episodio, visite mi sitio web a: https://www.universewithinpodcast.com/podcast/benito-ramosHey everybody! Episode 80 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend, colleague, and teacher, Benito Ramos. Benito is a Shipibo onanya or curandero, a plant doctor from the Amazon rainforest, and also a huesero, a bone doctor. I have known Benito for a number of years and really respect his work as a healer. His Shipibo name is Runin Tsuma, or the great anaconda doctor. Many...2022-03-0958 min
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 79 - Richard Urquia - Ayahuasca, Amazonian Shamanism, & Shipibo TraditionUna nota: para ver las notas del programa en español para este episodio, visite mi sitio web a: https://www.universewithinpodcast.com/podcast/richard-urquiaHey everybody! Episode 79 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend, colleague, and teacher, Richard Urquia. I met Richard a number of years ago whilst working together at the Amazonian plant medicine center, The Temple of the Way of Light. I first worked with Richard's brother Julio and then met Richard. I was very impressed with his humility, good-natured spirit, and desire to s...2022-02-231h 09
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 78 - Ernesto Garcia Torres - Tobacco, Shamanism, & the Path of the CuranderoUna nota: para ver las notas del programa en español para este episodio, visite mi sitio web a: https://www.universewithinpodcast.com/podcast/ernesto-garciaHey everybody! Episode 80 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend and teacher, Ernesto Garcia Torres. I met Ernesto about a decade ago when I began apprenticing and learning from him how to diet and work with plant medicine. I knew from the moment I met him that I would develop a relationship with Ernesto. I saw strength, humility, confidence, and dedication in him that were...2022-02-091h 14
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 77 - Damian Pacaya - Ayahuasca, Healing, & Shipibo CultureUna nota: para ver las notas del programa en español para este episodio, visite mi sitio web a: https://www.universewithinpodcast.com/podcast/damian-pacayaHey everybody! Episode 77 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend, colleague, and teacher, Damian Pacaya. I met Damian many years ago whilst working together at the Amazonian plant medicine center, The Temple of the Way of Light. Damian and I have worked together for many years now and I have seen him grow and deepen his work as a Shipibo onanya, a plant medicine h...2022-01-261h 14
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 76 - Toni Javier Lopez Lopez - Ayahuasca, Amazonian Shamanism, & Shipibo CultureUna nota: para ver las notas del programa en español para este episodio, visite mi sitio web a: https://www.universewithinpodcast.com/podcast/toni-lopezHey everybody! Episode 76 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend, colleague, and teacher, Toni Javier Lopez Lopez. I met Toni whilst working together at the Amazonian plant medicine center, The Temple of the Way of Light. I was immediately impressed by his dedication to the art of healing, his care, and his ability to express and bridge the world of medicine with the thinking m...2022-01-121h 27
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 75 - The Conscious Perspective - Plant Medicine Ceremonies, Tradition, & the SacredHey everybody! Episode 75 of the show is out. This is an interview I did with Gary Haskins on his podcast, The Conscious Perspective. Some of you have asked for some more interviews where I am speaking, so I thought this interview I recently did with Gary would serve that purpose well. In the interview, we talk about sacred plant medicines, their ceremonial uses, the importance of tradition, and what these plants may be pointing towards. I really enjoyed this conversation and I hope you do as well. Check out Gary’s podcast and consider supporting his work if you ca...2021-11-241h 21
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 74 - Samer Mouawad - Shamanism, Ayahuasca, San Pedro & HealingHey everybody! Episode 74 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Samer Mouawad. Samer lives and works in the Sacred Valley of Peru where he works with plant medicines and has a healing practice. I really enjoyed sitting down and talking with Samer. He has a really beautiful presence and is able to speak about many ideas of plant medicines in a very lucid, deep, and simple way. He draws from his own extended experience of working with plants and his interest in consciousness and the human condition. I trust this will be an enlightening conversation...2021-11-172h 21
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 73 - Sondra Hamilton - Herbalism, Plant-Spirit Medicine, and RediscoveryHey everybody! Episode 73 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Sondra Hamilton. I met Sondra in the Sacred Vallery of Peru and saw she had a really good knowledge of plants. I have been wanting to talk about herbalism on this show for a while, so I thought Sondra would be a perfect person to speak about that. She is an herbalist and has studied a number of ancient traditions such as European herbalism, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and a few Native American herbal traditions. It was a pleasure for me to sit down with...2021-11-102h 33
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 72 - Jeremy Narby - Plant Teachers: Ayahuasca, Tobacco, and the Pursuit of KnowledgeHey everybody! Episode 72 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Jeremy Narby. I was familiar with Jeremy for many years ever since the release of his popular book, The Cosmic Serpent. Jeremy recently released a new book, co-written with Rafael Chanchari Pizuri, called Plant Teachers: Ayahuasca, Tobacco, and the Pursuit of Knowledge. It’s a very good read and speaks about two plants that I have worked closely with: ayahuasca and tobacco. There has been a lot of literature released in the last decade about ayahuasca, but very little about tobacco, a plant in some wa...2021-11-031h 28
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 71 - Dr. Eric Zielinski - Essential Oils, Holistic Medicine, & HealthHey everybody! Episode 71 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Eric Zielinski. I was familiar with Eric and his work on essential oils, and he seemed like he would be a really good guest as essential oils is a topic I have wanted to cover for a while now. I really enjoyed this conversation. Eric spoke about essential oils, the different ways we can use them, how to improve our health, and also connection to spirit and what it means to live a fulfilled life. Eric has a beautiful way of expressing himself and...2021-10-271h 53
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 70 - Jerónimo Mazarrasa - ICEERS, Ayahuasca, Reciprocity, Psychedelic Renaissance and BeyondHey everybody! Episode 70 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Jerónimo Mazarrasa. Jerónimo is the Social Innovation Coordinator for ICEERS (International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service). I was familiar with ICEERS as they collaborated with the Temple of the Way of Light, where I have worked, on one of the largest studies on the therapeutic use of ayahuasca. Jerónimo has been involved in this work for a long time and I really enjoyed this conversation. In fact, it is probably one of my favorites in terms of the topics covered, the...2021-10-202h 28
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 69 - Laura Dawn - Psychedelic Leadership, Author, Ayahuasca, Integration & ReciprocityHey everybody! Episode 69 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Laura Dawn. Laura was recommended to me by a few friends and was on my friend Mike's podcast, Mikeadelic, which I really enjoyed. Laura and I sat down and spoke about some really interesting topics including psychedelic leadership, Tibetan mindfulness traditions, division and bridge building, plant medicine integration, and some ideas of reciprocity. I really enjoyed speaking with Lauren as she brings a unique perspective and is able to share her voice very beautifully. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows...2021-10-132h 06
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 68 - Dr. Ido Cohen - Archetypes, The Masculine & Feminine, Polarity, & Plant Medicine IntegrationHey everybody! Episode 68 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Dr. Ido Cohen. Ido came on episode 57 with our mutual friend Deanna Rogers and I thought it would be great to have him back as a solo interview. We got into a lot of really fascinating topics on this episode such as archetypes, the ideas of polarity, how that relates to the masculine and feminine, and how these can be used as integration tools. We touched on a variety of really interesting topics and I really enjoyed this conversation for its breadth and...2021-10-062h 34
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 67 - Paulette Waltz - Ayahuasca, Theta Healing, & A Course in MiraclesHey everybody! Episode 67 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Paulette. Paulette and I met in the Sacred Valley of Peru where she has been residing. It was really a pleasure for me to sit down and catch up with Paulette. We’ve had a similar background and it is always fascinating for me to hear more about people’s stories. Being the interviewer that she is, I think Paulette interviewed me as much as I did her. So we had a really interesting and fluid conversation about her work with plant medicines, Thet...2021-09-293h 42
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 66 - Kunti Trejo - Part 2 - Sacred Frog & Toad Medicines: Kambo & Buffo AlvariusHey everybody! Episode 66 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Kunti. I met Kunti in the Sacred Valley of Peru where she was running a temazcal, a traditional sweat lodge from Mexico. I really enjoy that medicine and connected with Kunti and felt she held a beautiful space. We have gotten to know each other more and have both become more familiar with each other's respective work. It was a pleasure for me to sit down and connect with her. We did a long podcast, my longest yet at close to five hours...2021-09-222h 18The Universe Within PodcastEp. 65 - Kunti Trejo - Part 1 - Temazcal, Sun & Moon DanceHey everybody! Episode 65 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Kunti. I met Kunti in the Sacred Valley of Peru where she was running a temazcal, a traditional sweat lodge from Mexico. I really enjoy that medicine and connected with Kunti and felt she held a beautiful space. We have gotten to know each other more and have both become more familiar with each other's respective work. It was a pleasure for me to sit down and connect with her. We did a long podcast, my longest yet at close to five hours...2021-09-152h 41
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 64 - Benjamin Wati Wara - Shamanism, Ayahuasca, Tobacco, & The BushmenHey everybody! Episode 64 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Ben. Ben and I have had a similar path in life. We've both had a similar quest and interest in spirituality, shamanism, martial arts, and religion. We both have spent time with different cultures learning about various paths of healing and medicine. And we both share a common teacher who works with Amazonian medicine. So I knew we would have a lot to talk about and to share. This was a long podcast and we went into a lot of topics around shamanism...2021-09-083h 31
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 63 - Dr. Jenny Cundari - Naturopathic Doctor, Ayahuasca, & Psychedelic Assisted TherapyHey everybody! Episode 63 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Jenny Cundari. Jenny is a Naturopathic Doctor and works in the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy and integration. Jenny and I met a number of years ago at the Amazon plant medicine center, the Temple of the Way of Light, where she came to explore plant medicines more in-depth. I really enjoyed sitting down and catching up with Jenny, and she has a beautiful way of communicating medicine, holistic health, plant medicines, and therapy in a really cohesive and easy to understand way. She...2021-09-012h 32
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 62 - John Schott - Health, Nutrition, & RewildingHey everybody! Episode 62 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend John Schott. John and I met a number of years back as we shared a mutual teacher, Dr. David Jubbs. John has been on an interesting journey of self-discovery through nutrition, bodywork, and health and wellness. John has done some amazing work in this area and I have a lot of respect for what he has done and how he is able to bring a lot of really varied topics together. It was a pleasure for me to catch up with him and...2021-08-251h 34
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 61 - Alex Ecklin - Martial Arts, Jiu-Jitsu, & The TaoHey everybody! Episode 61 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Alex Ecklin. Alex and I met about a decade ago when we were both students of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the great Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro in New York City. Alex went on to compete, medaling in world championships, teaching under Shaolin, and eventually opening his own school in Brooklyn, and now Manhattan, Masterskya. I have a lot of respect for Alex in how he carries himself, as a jiujitsu practitioner, as a teacher, and as a man. In this conversation, we talked about martial arts...2021-08-181h 42
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 60 - John Keegan - Relationships, Human Interaction, & The NowHey everybody! Episode 60 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend John Keegan. John and I have been friends for a long time and we originally met in an acting class with the great Thomas G. Waites. John went on to take his improvisational skills to the streets to hone the art of meeting and connecting with people. He now teaches the art of connection, conversation, interaction, and relationships to people around the world. In my work, relationships are often one of the main goals people are looking to work on and also carry...2021-08-111h 46
Journey Doses with Ash and Ty#07: A Foot in Both Worlds with Jason GrechanikOur friend and teacher Jason Grechanik is the podcast host of "The Universe Within Podcast", a plant medicine retreat facilitator at The Temple of the Way of Light in the Peruvian Amazon along with being an experienced Tabaquero. Jason has been deep within the work of plant medcines and spirituality for over 10 years and his experience shines through his being like no other. In our conversation we cover things like why society could benefit from experiencing a state of wonder through plant medicines; how and why master plants other than Ayahuasca are revered in the amazonian indiginous cultures; and also...2021-08-101h 40
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 59 - Kylea Taylor - Author, The Ethics of Caring, Psychedelics, & Holotropic BreathworkHey everybody! Episode 59 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Kylea Taylor. Kylea and I met recently when we were both spoke on a panel together. I really liked what she had to say and how she spoke, so I thought she would be a great guest. Kylea works as a marriage and family therapist and developed and teaches InnerEthics, an inner, self-compassionate approach to ethical self-reflection and right relationship with clients. She also draws upon yoga and her time with Stanislav Grof and Jack Kornfield. I really enjoyed this conversation and Kylea has a...2021-07-282h 20
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 58 - Will Pye - Author, Speaker, Non-Duality, Philosophy, & Plant MedicinesHey everybody! Episode 58 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Will Pye. Will and I met many years ago when we both came down as guests to the Amazonian plant medicine center, The Temple of the Way of Light. I found myself in many discussions with Will over meals, and I knew and saw he had a great mind with a lot to share. I was fascinated by his journey of being diagnosed with a brain tumor, and how that was shaping and opening him to see life in unfolding ways. Will has...2021-07-213h 15
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 33 - Jason Grechanik - Interview on Plant Medicines, Ontology, and Personal ExperienceHey everybody! Episode 33 of the show is out. A number of people have been asking me to do some more solo talks so I thought this would be a good episode to release an interview I did recently with my friend Will Spencer on his podcast, The Renaissance of Men. On his podcast, we got into a number of topics including my story, my journey into plant medicine, ontology, and what I have come to learn through a decade of this work. We went pretty deep into some topics so I hope you all will find this interview beneficial...2021-01-273h 19
The Universe Within PodcastEp. 28 - Merav Artzi - Sacred Tobacco, Dietas & HealingHey everybody! Episode 28 of the show is out. In this show, I spoke with my friend and colleague Merav Artzi. I have known and worked with Merav for a number of years. We did the same plant-medicine initiation and training, working with tobacco and tree diets. Merav is a great wealth of knowledge and has a depth of experience working with plant medicines. She runs ceremonies and dietas in the tobacco tradition in which she was trained. I have a lot of respect for Merav and her work. It’s one of the main reasons I decided to join fo...2020-12-231h 45
The Will Spencer PodcastAyahuasca and the Pursuit of Happiness | JASON GRECHANIKThis week on the Renaissance of Men Podcast, I interview the host of the Universe Within Podcast, Jason Grechanik. Jason is a facilitator at the acclaimed Peruvian ayahuasca healing center The Temple of the Way of Light, which is where we met in 2016.
Jason also leads his own tobacco healing ceremonies in Peru’s Sacred Valley and is an experienced martial artist and yoga practitioner.
Naturally we had a lot to talk about. In our engaging three-hour conversation, we discuss:
Jason’s background, and how he arrived at the Temple of the Way of Ligh...2020-12-163h 09
The TruthLover PodcastDeath, Accessing Natures Wisdom and The Great Rebirth - Jason Sadhana Grechanik - TruthLover #32Joining us on today's podcast is Jason Sadhana Grechanik - "My journey through life has led me around the world in search of the questions I have had about life. Early in my 20s I began to develop a keen interest in plants: as food, as nutrition, as life, and as medicine. That curiosity eventually led me to the Amazon where I began to work with plants to learn this traditional way of healing. My experience combines many different modalities of working with plants. The plants of the Amazon and the way in which the indigenous peoples work with...2020-06-261h 14
Genuinely UsefulSitting Up the Whole Time - Jason Sadhana GrechanikAt The Temple of the Way of Light, a traditional Shipibo plant-medicine shamanic healing center in Peru, I sat down with former actor, photographer, Thai boxer Jason Sadhana Grechanik for a deep, thoughtful conversation about traditional plant medicine work. Jason was a facilitator during my recent 23 day, 7 ceremony ayahuasca retreat at the Temple, in the Amazon jungle. Subscribe for new podcast episode Email Notifications HERE “The Temple of the Way of Light is a traditional plant-medicine shamanic healing center located in the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest that offers intensive ayahuasca retreats with female and male Shipibo he...2019-04-151h 32