Julie Holland

How psychedelics can transform old age into the most meaningful and joyous time of life • Details the best practices for safe and meaningful journeying in one’s later years • Shares accounts of older adults finding healing, spiritual deepening, joyous intimacy, and peace with mortality through intentional psychedelic journeying • Describes how group psychedelic ceremonies can promote communities of mutual support that are essential for thriving in older life Baby boomers are once again exploring the psychedelic drugs of their youth, but this time to enhance their experience of aging. In this book, Abbie Rosner does a deep dive into what psychedelics can offer us in our later years and their risks and benefits for older adults. Rosner describes pivotal advances in clinical research on psychedelic medicines and scientifically validated best practices to prevent “bad trips.” She also considers the legal and underground avenues that older adults are exploring to access these experiences and the available supports for safe journeying. In compelling personal stories, more than 30 older psychonauts share how their psychedelic experiences helped them heal old wounds, align with their authentic selves, experience profound love and forgiveness, and make peace with their mortality. Many describe how psychedelic journeying has made their older years the happiest, most meaningful time of their lives. Beyond sharing individual stories of expansion and transformation, Rosner shows that these pioneering psychedelic elders are helping us reimagine what older age looks and feels like in our ageist, death-phobic culture. Her work illuminates the evolution—and revolution—of the role of elders in our society.

Una guía sobre los beneficios y desafíos del uso del cannabis en la práctica espiritual • Incluye capítulos de 18 voces autorizadas e influyentes del movimiento cannábico moderno, incluidos Kathleen Harrison, Joan Bello, Hamilton Souther, Steven Hager, Chris Bennett, Dee Dussault, Jeremy Wolff y Roger Christie • Explora el uso de la marihuana en una amplia gama de prácticas espirituales, incluida la meditación, yoga, canto, visualización, chamanismo, ceremonias grupales, trabajo con otros enteógenos y como ayuda creativa Verdaderamente, una medicina para el cuerpo y el alma, uno de los mayores dones del cannabis es su notable potencial para la sanación y el despertar espiritual. En esta guía autorizada, el editor Stephen Gray y otras 17 voces influyentes del movimiento cannábico moderno exploran los beneficios espirituales del cannabis y ofrecen orientación sobre cómo interactuar con la inteligencia de esta planta aliada, compañera y defensora de la humanidad durante milenios. Al explorar la espiritualidad del cannabis en la práctica, los capítulos de Gray examinan las dosis, cepas y métodos de ingesta; el uso del cannabis para abrir canales creativos; cómo realizar ceremonias grupales con cannabis, y las precauciones y contraindicaciones para su consumo. Chris Bennett habla sobre el uso religioso y ritual del cannabis desde los tiempos prebíblicos hasta el presente, Joan Bello sobre la marihuana y la conexión cuerpo-mente, Dee Dussault sobre el ganja yoga, Kathleen Harrison sobre la coevolución de la humanidad con el cannabis, y el chamán cannábico Hamilton Souther sobre cómo trabajar con el espíritu del cannabis. Los colaboradores exploran el futuro espiritual de esta planta aliada, así como el uso ritual del cannabis por parte de los rastafaris de Jamaica y los sadhus de la India. Los capítulos del chamán brasileño de ayahuasca Mariano da Silva y del aprendiz de ayahuasca Francisco presentan conocimientos sobre la combinación de las medicinas sacramentales del cannabis y la ayahuasca. Al revelar el potencial de "la planta del pueblo" para mejorar una amplia variedad de prácticas espirituales, como la meditación, el yoga, el canto, la visualización, el chamanismo, el trabajo espiritual y las exploraciones con otros enteógenos, esta guía muestra cómo el cannabis es un aliado eficaz en el viaje de despertar, probando que es capaz de desbloquear la energía receptiva en todos nosotros para ayudar a sentirnos conectados con la naturaleza, con los demás y con nosotros mismos.

Modern Psychedelics is a judgment-free handbook that compiles contemporary research and ancient knowledge to guide adult readers who are interested in the mindful exploration of these misunderstood, extraordinary, powerful substances.We are currently in the midst of a massive psychedelic resurgence. Medical and academic research teams all over the world have launched studies into the effective use of psychedelics to treat illnesses which modern medicine can't always effectively address, including PTSD, addiction and depression. At the same time, a growing number of adults are interested in experiencing the potentially life-changing insight and perspective that psychedelics reputably provide. But those searching for reliable information for how to take and make meaning from these profound experiences have found little available, until now. Modern Psychedelics covers the history, research, myths, and use of the most popular psychedelics including MDMA, Magic Mushrooms, Ketamine, DMT/5-MeO-DMT, Ayahuasca, LSD, Mescaline/Payote/Huachuma, and Ibogaine/Iboga. In addition, it offers essential information on how to set an intentional journey, the potential benefits of microdosing, how couples can use psychedelics to enhance intimacy and connection, and recommendations for responsible use when working with these extraordinary substances. Accessibly written, and filled with wisdom from many trusted sources, no other book offers the depth of information to mindfully guide you into these amazing alternative experiences.

MALLORY CAMPBELL, a woman in her 50s, is a lottery winner. She rushes home to celebrate with her husband John, but overhears him on the phone. It's obviously his lover. Distraught and totally stunned by John's deceit with a woman she is close to, Mallory is faced with re-evaluating her life's path. Sixteen months later Mallory, now a mid-life single, returns to where she grew up - Appletree Hill in country Victoria. She needs to check on her estranged, sick father, and the family home (Pepper Farm) where her brother, Patrick has taken up residence. Plus, surely a little country air and time with old friends can help her find her spark as well as motivation to throw herself into a future of substance.Arriving with good intentions, her memories of Appletree Hill are heart-aching as she visits her father's nursing home and struggles with the changes at Pepper Farm. Mallory's world is rocked when old family secrets begin to emerge, and grievances aired - she must re-evaluate her past and the childhood she now realizes was based on a lie. We are invested in Mallory's happiness as she navigates family dramas and searches for her own place within a once-familiar environment. When she bumps into Stuart Forbes she is transported on a journey of re-discovery. Their teenage romance had ended in a misunderstanding and they had both gone their separate ways. But, as old feelings begin to stir and heat up, she wonders if this reconnection can inspire her to live with an open heart, with the joy that goes beyond just a full bank account? Or is she clutching at straws?Intrigue and tension build as family dynamics shift, and her ex-husband once again enters her life. Mallory feels as though her friendships and, hopefully, Stuart are all she can rely on. Full Circle is a poignant, compelling story set in a small Australian community of vibrant characters. It deals with friendships (established and new), family frictions and the options we face in later life. It is about one woman's determination to move beyond the past, to re-discover herself, and the transformative power of second-chance love

How to Change Your Body provides an enlightening discourse on the missing piece of the mind-body relationship — our need for social connection. What if symptoms from some of our most common afflictions—everything from depression and anxiety to addiction and PTSD—could be traced back to a disconnection from our bodies?How to Change Your Body explores this provocative question through a rigorous yet playful collection of interviews with scientists, somatic workers, and artists from around the world to uncover the social-emotional aspects of so-called mental illnesses. Saga Briggs is our compassionate guide, pairing peer-reviewed research with moving personal vignettes about her journey away from alcohol dependence to draw a profound link between bodily awareness, social connection, and mental well-being. Interoception, regarded by some as our eighth sense, is fundamental to human health and, Briggs argues, lies at the heart of many techniques shown to improve our relationships to ourselves and others, including psychedelic-assisted therapy, synchronous movement, and energy work.Whether you are facing a mental health diagnosis or simply yearn for a deeper connection to yourself and your community, How to Change Your Body offers a potent antidote to alienation. Through remembering our bodies in all of their intricacy, we can increase our capacity for presence, reconnect with others, and begin to heal.

Inspiring teachings centered on navigating our world’s collective challenges with indigenous wisdom and the power of psychedelics• With contributions from Christopher Bache, Zoe Helene, Dennis McKenna, Martina Hoffmann, The Dank Duchess, Jamie Wheal, Grandmother Maria Alice, and others• Explores the immense healing intelligence of nature, the wisdom of ancient Indigenous prophecies and shamanic practices, the importance of the Divine Feminine for environmental regeneration, and the crucial role of psychedelic and entheogenic plants in initiating transformations of consciousnessExploring the way forward for humanity in the face of unprecedented crisis, more than 25 contributors show how the wisdom of Indigenous peoples and the power of psychedelics can help us enact the radical shift in consciousness necessary to navigate the collapse of the old world order and the birth of a new consciousness.We hear from psychedelic visionaries Christopher Bache, Zoe Helene, Wade Davis, Chris Kilham, Laurel Sugden, and others on the promise of psychedelic medicines for spiritual and healing work. We learn about Indigenous stories to support our transformation from Native American leader Solana Booth, ancestral memory from Grandmother Maria Alice Campos Freire, cannabis’s role in world building from Minelli Eustàcio-Costa, the ritual roots of talking plants from Michael Stuart Ani, and alchemy across the arc of time from shaman Ya’Acov Darling Khan. We also hear from cannabis grower The Dank Duchess; Tyson Yunkaporta, Australian Aboriginal artist and scholar; visionary artist Martina Hoffmann; activist Duane Elgin; Kohenet Rachel Kann, ordained Jewish priestess and ceremonialist; and several other wise leaders for our time. Throughout these profound essays we are reminded of the immense healing intelligence of our plant allies, of the wisdom of shamanic practices, of the importance of the Divine Feminine for environmental regeneration, and of the crucial role of entheogenic plants in initiating transformations of consciousness and healing our world’s collective disconnection from Spirit.

Psychedelics including psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, ayahuasca and peyote are poised to revolutionize mental health and alter the wellness industry forever. Once feared and misunderstood, psychedelics have emerged as one of the most promising therapies of the 21st century. Through cutting-edge research, substances such as MDMA and LSD are being recognized as powerful keys to healing and human improvement, offering solutions for mental health issues including PTSD and depression. Similarly, plant medicines like ayahuasca, peyote, and iboga, used since time immemorial by Indigenous cultures for spiritual purposes, have been shown to promote feelings of empathy, connection, and love for the self, others, and the world around us. But how can everyday people benefit from psychedelics? And will they really transform healthcare as we know it? In Psyched, health journalist Amanda Siebert explores the history, culture, and potential of seven psychedelic substances. She interweaves real-life stories, clinical research, and interviews with the world’s leading psychedelics experts and cultural allies to offer a definitive guide to these cutting-edge treatments.

An old terrace house.A resident ghost eager to reveal secrets. A woman hoping to move on with her life. At last Abigail Croucher can purchase Binalong - after all, the old building in Melbourne was the dream location for her husband's restaurant. But Luca has died. On a whim she buys the cottage next door as well. With the help of her new neighbours and attractive landscape architect Jack Mattingley, Abigail is ready to start afresh. When it appears that her husband wasn't all she had believed him to be, Abigail needs to cleanse the past before she is able to trust her heart - and her future - with anyone again. How could a mature, self-sufficient woman have got it so wrong? Here-After is a story about love and betrayal, about belief and possibility. It is concerned with the notion of 'after-life' - life after heartbreak, after loss and abandonment and grieving, after great change - and the possibilities not just of an 'after-world' but a happy after-life.

A psychiatrist and psychedelic researcher explores the science of connection--why we need it, how we've lost it, and how we might find it again.We are suffering from an epidemic of disconnection that antidepressants and social media can't fix. This state of isolation puts us in "fight or flight mode," deranging sleep, metabolism and libido. What's worse, we're paranoid of others. This kill-or-be-killed framework is not a way to live. But, when we feel safe and loved, we can rest, digest, and repair. We can heal. And it is only in this state of belonging that we can open up to connection with others.In this powerful book, Holland helps us to understand the science of connection as revealed in human experiences from the spiritual to the psychedelic. The key is oxytocin--a neurotransmitter and hormone produced in our bodies that allows us to trust and bond. It fosters attachment between mothers and infants, romantic partners, friends, and even with our pets. There are many ways to reach this state of mental and physical wellbeing that modern medicine has overlooked. The implications for our happiness and health are profound. We can find oneness in meditation, in community, or in awe at the beauty around us. Another option: psychedelic medicines that can catalyze a connection with the self, with nature, or the cosmos. Good Chemistry points us on the right path to forging true and deeper attachments with our own souls, to one another, and even to our planet, helping us heal ourselves and our world.

Truly a medicine for body and soul, one of cannabis’s greatest gifts is its remarkable potential for spiritual healing and awakening. In this authoritative guide, editor Stephen Gray and 17 other influential voices of the modern cannabis movement explore the spiritual benefits of cannabis and offer guidance on how to interact with the intelligence of this plant ally, a companion and supporter of humanity for millennia. Exploring cannabis spirituality in practice, Gray’s chapters examine dosage, strains, and methods of intake; the use of cannabis to open the creative channels; how to conduct group ceremonies with cannabis; and cautions and counterindications for cannabis use. We hear from Chris Bennett on the religious and ritual use of cannabis from pre-biblical times to the present, Joan Bello on marijuana and the body-mind connection, Dee Dussault on ganja yoga, Kathleen Harrison on humanity’s co-evolution with cannabis, and cannabis shaman Hamilton Souther on working with the spirit of cannabis. The contributors explore the spiritual future of this plant ally as well as the ritual use of cannabis by the Rastafarians of Jamaica and the Sadhus of India. The chapters from Brazilian ayahuasca shaman Mariano da Silva and ayahuasca apprentice Francisco present wisdom on comingling the sacramental medicines of cannabis and ayahuasca.

A groundbreaking guide for women of all ages that shows their natural moodiness is a strength, not a weakness As women, we learn from an early age that our moods are a problem, an annoyance to be stuffed away. But our bodies are wiser than we imagine. Moods are a finely tuned feedback system that allows us to be more empathic, intuitive, and aware of our own capabilities. If we deny our emotionality, we deny the breadth of our talents. Yet millions of American women are medicating away their emotions with psychiatric drugs whose effects are more far-reaching than most of us realize. And even if we don't pop a pill, women everywhere are numbing their emotions with food, alcohol, and a host of addictive behaviors that deny the wisdom of our bodies and keep us from addressing the real issues we face. Psychiatrist Julie Holland knows there is a better way. In Moody Bitches, she shares insider information about the drugs we're being offered and the direct link between food and mood, and she offers practical advice on sex, exercise, and sleep strategies, as well as some surprisingly effective natural therapies. In the tradition of Our Bodies, Our Selves, this groundbreaking guide will forge a much needed new path in women's health--and offer women invaluable information on how to live better, and be more balanced, at every stage of life.

"A gem of a memoir . . . Holland takes us for a ride through the psych ER that is at once wild and poignant, a ride that leaves deep tracks in even the healthiest of minds."--Katrina Firlik, M.D., author of Another Day in the Frontal Lobe Julie Holland thought she knew what crazy was. Then she came to Bellevue. For nine eventful years, Dr. Holland was the weekend physician in charge of the psychiatric emergency room at New York City's Bellevue Hospital. In this absorbing memoir, Holland recounts stories from her vast case files that are alternately terrifying, tragically comic, and profoundly moving: the serial killer, the naked man barking like a dog in Times Square, the schizophrenic begging for an injection of club soda to quiet the voices in his head, the subway conductor who helplessly watched a young woman pushed into the path of his train. Writing with uncommon candor, Holland supplies not only a page-turner with all the fast-paced immediacy of a TV medical drama but also a fascinating glimpse into the inner lives of doctors who struggle to maintain perspective in a world where sanity is in the eye of the beholder. Praise for Weekends at Bellevue "An extraordinary insider's look at the typical days and nights of that most extraordinary place, written with a rare combination of toughness, tenderness, and outrageous humor."--Andrew Weil, M.D. "Unforgettable . . . tells a mean story."--New York Daily News "The tension between Holland's] macho swagger and her shame at the harsh way she occasionally treats patients gives this memoir extra intrigue."--Psychology Today "A fascinating portrait . . . Holland is a good storyteller with a dark wit." --New York Post "Equal parts affecting, jaw-dropping, and engrossing."--Booklist