In this episode, Kyle sits down with Rob Heffernan, an independent researcher and activist. In the show, they talk about churches, Ayahuasca, accessibility and the Psychedelic Liberty Summit by the Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines. Rob is also part of Chacruna’s Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants.  The Council for the Protection of Sacred plants is "an initiative of the Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines that endeavors to advocate for the legality of sacred plant medicines among indigenous peoples and non-indigenous communities, encourage legal harm reduction practices that protect those who use them, educate about conservation of plant species, document relevant legal and social issues, and consult on legal cases including possible litigation. "  3 Key Points: The Psychedelic Liberty Summit is a gathering on legal, cultural, and political issues around the emerging psychedelic renaissance. Accessibility is not just about whether or not people can afford psychedelic therapy, people cant even afford regular therapy, the whole healthcare model is an issue. A lot of churches get a bad name, but really most churches are built around community. Psychedelics can help revitalize churches. Support the show Patreon Leave us a review on iTunes Share us with your friends – favorite podcast, etc Join our Facebook group - Psychedelics Today group – Find the others and create community. Navigating Psychedelics Show Notes   About Rob Rob is a member of the Chacruna Council for protection of sacred plants He is an integrative sound and music practitioner He is involved in the Santo Daime He has been drinking Ayahuasca for over 20 years He began to ponder and ask a lot of questions about involvement with medicine communities Psychedelic Liberty Summit Rob will be hosting a talk on religious exemptions and more There will be speakers of all different initiatives, from decriminalization to indigenous relations There are a lot of investors interested in the psilocybin market The issue is complex because there is this ongoing cultural history of the US and other countries exploiting those cultures and removing resources (oil, medicines, etc) Ayahuasca The first time Rob drank Ayahuasca was back in 2000, where there weren't Ayahuasca retreats going on then People who lived in the area were not familiar with Ayahuasca use People started coming from around the world to use Ayahuasca There are feedback loops between the cities and the forests People typically think integration is what happens afterwards, but really it is also the sacrifice from the start, the preparation, such as a dieta We need to honor what we have learned from the indigenous, and give back Traditional dietas don't involve actually drinking the Ayahuasca, the culture has come a long way Accessibility While these medicines are relatively safe, you can get in trouble using these substances recreationally, there is a role for the therapeutic support It's not just about whether or not people can afford psychedelic therapy, people cant even afford regular therapy, the whole healthcare model is an issue Santo Daime It was founded in the 1930’s in Brazil The reason that the Santo Daime looks more white in the USA is due to the segregation There are all sorts of ways that the Santo Daime may look When Rob first got involved in drinking Ayahuasca, he wasn't sure that he wanted to get involved in the Santo Daime, but he said the container was so strong There are hymns sung, and it's very structured It allows you to really go deep Sometimes it can look like drumming, dancing, and fire, but there is also a style of sitting in silence There is a profound ethical foundation which is really important All of the elements make for a really important container In the traditional form, you do not touch anyone, unless there is a certain circumstance, and a prior consensual agreement, and waivers signed, etc There have been issues