Ep. 168 - Ian McCall - Psychedelics, MMA, & Athlete's Journey Home

Hey everybody! Episode 168 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Ian McCall. I had known about Ian for many years as a mixed martial artist and recently with his advocacy in psychedelics as medicine. I was really happy to have him on to speak about his background, martial arts, his low points in life and the transformation psychedelics had for him, traumatic brain injury, the the organization he created to bring awareness and help people. Ian is a really fascinating guy with a great life’s story and I’m sure you will get much from this conversation. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!This episode is sponsored by La Wayra Ayahuasca retreats. Visit https://ayahuascaincolombia.com to book your retreat or learn more and mention UWP and they will gift you a free body-work session during your stay.To learn more about or contact Ian, visit his website & social media at: https://www.instagram.com/ianmccall & https://athletesjourneyhome.comTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.org To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wIf you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in the Sacred Valley of Peru November 2-30. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik Website: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcastFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Hey everybody! Episode 167 of the show is out. This episode is a podcast I was interviewed on called Cosmic Triggers with Sam. Sam has worked with us in the past and is doing really good work on her podcast. It was a pleasure to sit down with her as she was primarily interested in speaking about politics and the world situation. It can always be a challenging topic that can evoke a lot. I was happy to speak with her and admire her courage to go into difficult topics. I think its an important conversation and hope you all gain from the insights and topics we covered. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universeTo learn more about or contact Jason, visit his websites at: NicotianaRustica.orgTo learn more about or contact Sam, visit her linktree at: https://linktr.ee/cosmictriggerTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wIf you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in-person in the Sacred Valley of Peru November 2. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik Website: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcastFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Hey everybody! In this episode, I spoke with Sam Believ. Sam is an interesting guy. I was recently on his podcast and had him on mine. We spoke about Sam’s past working as an engineer, his depression that eventually led him to ayahuasca or yagé, and how he eventually founded a center in Colombia. We spoke about these things and some of the culture in Colombia around the traditions and uses of yagé. It was a very interesting conversation and I think you all will gain a lot from Sam’s story, his knowledge of yagé and Colombia, and his insights into this medicine. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universeTo learn more about or contact Sam, visit his websites at: https://lawayra.comTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wIf you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in-person in the Sacred Valley of Peru November 2. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcastFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Hey everybody! In this episode, I spoke with Alisa Reimer. Alisa was recommended to me by a listener of the podcast and I knew quickly she would be a great guest. We spoke about her background growing up in East Germany, the influence of her grandmother opening her to the invisible world, her time in Latin America and the influence of learning from indigenous cultures, and her work with sound and being a bridge for different cultures. It was a pleasure to speak with her. I think Alisa has a lot of wisdom to share and trust you all will gain much 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!This episode is sponsored by La Wayra Ayahuasca retreats. Visit https://ayahuascaincolombia.com to book your retreat or learn more and mention UWP and they will gift you a free body-work session during your stay.To learn more about or contact Alisa, visit her websites at: https://www.alisareimer.com and https://soneiro.comTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wIf you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) online beginning August 23 and in-person in the Sacred Valley of Peru November 2. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcastFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Hey everybody! In this episode, I spoke with Michael Amster. Michael is a really interesting guy. He is a medical doctor who has bridged many different spiritual paths together. Through mindfulness he developed a practice to, as he puts it, microdose awe. He co-wrote a book called The Power of Awe which is about just that, the power of awe to positively influence our lives. As someone who works with plant medicines, I also think that this experience of awe is one of, if not the most important, aspects of this work with plants and also at the core of what it means to be a human being. It was a pleasure to have Michael on to share his research and I trust you all will gain much from this interview. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!To learn more about or contact Michael, visit their website at: www.thepowerofawe.comTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.org To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wIf you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in July in Westport, Ireland. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik Website: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcastFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Hey everybody! Episode 164 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Udo Erasmus. Udo is a very fascinating guy. We sat down and spoke of his incredible life, from his childhood fleeing WWII, his journey with psychedelics and religion, his quest into psychology and medicine, his pioneering work with healthy oils, and his journey of inner knowing. We went over 3 hours and I think we easily could do another 3. Udo has a lot of wisdom to share and I trust you all will get much 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!This episode is sponsored by:Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universeLa Wayra Ayahuasca retreats. Visit https://ayahuascaincolombia.com to book your retreat or learn more and mention UWP and they will gift you a free body-work session during your stay.To learn more about or contact Udo, visit his websites at: https://udoerasmus.comTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wIf you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) online beginning August 23 and in-person in the Sacred Valley of Peru November 2. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcastFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Hey everybody! Episode 163 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Marc-John Brown. I met Marc-John a few years back practicing jiu-jitsu together with my friend and teacher Bruno Momeni (who I also interviewed for this podcast). I was impressed with Marc-John’s skill and we realized we were on similar paths. So it was a pleasure to finally sit down and connect and learn more about Marc-John. He shared and spoke about his journey at a young age through South America learning from indigenous earth-based traditions, his wife and her cacao lineage, and how these practices can help us in our modern world. It was a really enjoyable conversation and I trust you all will find Marc-John’s wisdom useful and insightful. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!To learn more about or contact Marc-John, visit his website at: https://www.nativewisdomhub.com or Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcjohnbrownTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wIf you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) online beginning August 23, and in-person in the Sacred Valley of Peru November 2. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcastFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Hey everybody! Episode 162 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Bryan Ardis. Dr. Ardis was recommended to me by a few friends due to his research on the benefits of nicotine. As I work with tobacco as medicine I found his research and ideas to be a great match. I also really respected Dr. Ardis’ stance during COVID, speaking up against tyranny and the lack of science disguised as science. This is a really fascinating conversation about nicotine as medicine which has been much maligned. Nicotine and tobacco are in fact wondrous medicines if used properly and we spoke about a lot of the propaganda behind tobacco, the monopoly of Big Pharma, the COVID pandemic, and his view of the future. This conversation will surely be an eye-opener for many and for others a reminder of a deeper calling. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!To learn more about or contact Dr. Ardis, visit his website at: https://thedrardisshow.comTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.org To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wIf you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in July in Westport, Ireland (SOLD OUT), online beginning August 23, and in-person in the Sacred Valley of Peru November 2. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik Website: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcastFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Hey everybody! Episode 161 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Mariana Mae. Mariana is an artist, cultural bridge and healing arts practitioner that I met through our mutual friend Jessica Begin. I was really impressed by Mariana’s wisdom. We sat down and spoke about her background, her work as an artist, how pottery brought her to the Amazon to learn from the Shipibo people, and how that opened up a gateway to plants and medicine. She has a really interesting story and she weaves these different paths beautifully together. I trust you all will gain much 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!This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universeTo learn more about or contact Mariana, visit her Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/_marianamae/To learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wIf you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in July in Westport, Ireland (SOLD OUT, waitlist), online beginning August 23, and in-person in the Sacred Valley of Peru November 2. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgAlso, Mariana will be co-facilitating the Shipibo Master Plant Dieta in Costa Rica, July 12–22, alongside the Maestros. You can learn more on their website: https://www.yacumama.love/master-plant-dieta2025Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcastFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Hey everybody! In this episode, I spoke with Michael Amster. Michael is a really interesting guy. He is a medical doctor who has bridged many different spiritual paths together. Through mindfulness he developed a practice to, as he puts it, microdose awe. He co-wrote a book called The Power of Awe which is about just that, the power of awe to positively influence our lives. As someone who works with plant medicines, I also think that this experience of awe is one of, if not the most important, aspects of this work with plants and also at the core of what it means to be a human being. It was a pleasure to have Michael on to share his research and I trust you all will gain much from this interview. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universeTo learn more about or contact Michael, visit their website at: www.thepowerofawe.comTo learn more about our work, visit our website:https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wIf you enjoy the show, it would be a big help if you could share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. That would be super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in July in Ireland (SOLD OUT), online beginning August 23, and in-person in the Sacred Valley of Peru November 2. If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcastFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H