Ep. 639 – Psychedelics for Personal Development with Dr. Phil Wolfson & Gagan Levy

Dr. Phil Wolfson offers his seasoned perspective on psychedelics, ketamine assisted therapy, and more in this expansive talk with Raghu Markus and Gagan Levy.Check out these FREE personal & clinical guidelines for use from the Ketamine Research FoundationThis week on Mindrolling, Raghu, Phil, and Gagan discuss:How psychedelics shaped Phil’s worldview in the 1960s and inspired his commitment to social justiceUsing psychedelics as tools for personal growth, healing, and transformationThe importance of set and setting when taking psychedelics recreationally, therapeutically, or ceremoniously Going beyond the ups and downs of psychedelics and finding steady peace through practiceThe persistent anti-depressant effects of Ketamine and its therapeutic promisePhil’s ongoing studies with the Ketamine Research Foundation for phantom limb pain, end-of-life care, and menstrual cycle disordersMind Manifesting: What exactly happens to the brain on psychedelics?Phil’s ‘bottom line’: positive intentions and practical guidelines for Ketamine useAbout Dr. Phil Wolfson:Phil Wolfson MD was Principal Investigator for the MAPS sponsored Phase 2, FDA approved 18-person study of MDMA Assisted Psychotherapy for individuals with significant anxiety due to life threatening illnesses. His clinical practice with ketamine has informed his leadership role in the development of Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy. Phil’s book, The Ketamine Papers, has been published by MAPS and is the seminal work in the burgeoning ketamine arena. Phil is a sixties activist, psychiatrist/psychotherapist, writer, practicing Buddhist and psychonaut who has lived in the Bay Area for 38 years. He is the author of Noe: A Father/Son Song of Love, Life, Illness and Death (2011, North Atlantic Books). He has been awarded five patents for unique herbal medicines. He is a journalist and author of numerous articles on politics, transformation, psychedelics, consciousness and spirit, and was a founding member of the Heffter Research Institute. Phil has taught in the graduate psychology programs at JFK University, CIIS and the UCSF School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. Phil is the founder and CEO of the Ketamine Research Foundation and is committed to making the organization a vibrant contributor to the betterment of human beings through psychedelic psychotherapy."The work needs to be thought of not as a single episode, but as a therapy. Psychedelic psychotherapy is much quicker than conventional psychotherapy for many reasons, but it needs to have a follow-up, continuation, integration, and work with someone to be effective. That's not to say ketamine on its own doesn't have value, it does." – Dr. Phil WolfsonAbout Gagan Levy:Gagan Levy is the Founder/CEO of Guru, an award-winning creative agency dedicated to serving purpose-driven movements, brands, and organizations. They work with impactful brands like Patagonia, Traditional Medicinals, Nalgene, Non-GMO, The Organic Alliance, Bring Change to Mind and many natural products brands, including EO / Everyone Products, OM Mushroom Superfoods, and REBBL. Gagan also serves as Chief Evangelist at MAHA Global, a platform focused on helping businesses adapt to stakeholder needs using data-driven reputation intelligence. As former Co-chair of Social Venture Circle, one of the country’s most prestigious impact investor and social business communities, Gagan leads the way to a next economy that is regenerative, just, and prosperous for all. Gagan Levy is also a current board member to his prolific teacher Ram Dass’ Love Serve Remember Foundation, he has been instrumental in strategizing how to connect the greatest wisdom keepers of our time to a new generation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this rich conversation bridging Zen and Jewish mysticism, Rabbi Rami Shapiro and Raghu Markus navigate nonduality, the shadow, and the living experience of the divine.Grab a copy of Rabbi Rami’s newest book, Zen Mind Jewish Mind, HERE This time on Mindrolling, Raghu and Rabbi Rami discuss:Veering off from traditional Judaism and into Jewish mysticism Nondual awareness as the realm of divine consciousnessGoing beyond the dead word and into the living wordInspiration from Shunryu Suzuki Roshi’s classic Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind and Thich Nhat Hanh’s series on How to LiveKoan: the Zen practice of exhausting the logical mind to provoke direct, intuitive insight into reality and one's own natureRecognizing our own shadow rather than pretending it does not exist Holding multiple truths at once: there is no other, we are all part of a whole, and we do have differencesHow the Kabbalah expresses the name of God in an embodied waySeeing the divine in all humans and everything in front of usSpecial moments with Ram Dass, accepting silence and accepting the moment for what it isAbout Rabbi Rami Shapiro:Rabbi Rami Shapiro is an award-winning author of over two dozen books on religion and spirituality. He received rabbinical ordination from the Hebrew Union College: Jewish Institute of Religion, and holds a PH.D. from Union Graduate School. A congregational rabbi for 20 years, Rabbi Rami currently co–directs One River Wisdom School, blogs at r writes the foundation’s newsletter, Ask Rabbi Rami, and hosts the foundation’s podcast, Explore Spirituality with Rabbi Rami. Rami is also a contributing editor for Spirituality+Health magazine www.spiritualityhealth.com where he writes the advice column Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler. Rami can be reached at https://www.threads.net/@rabbirami"The Jewish meditation practices, the spirituality within Judaism, never or at least rarely gets beyond or slips into the nondual to the extent that you drop the labels, that you drop the tribal. You get Saint Paul saying there is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, in Christ. To me, that's Christ consciousness, that's Buddha mind. When you reach that level of consciousness, all the labels fall away, your sense of separate self is gone.” –Rabbi Rami ShapiroSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dakota Wint meets Raghu beyond the veil of normal perception to explore mysticism, altered states, and the fringe of spirituality.Subscribe to Dakota’s new series, The Flower Heads Show, on your favorite podcast app.This time on Mindrolling, Raghu and Dakota explore:The Aghori people of India and the side of Hinduism a lot of people don't know aboutDr. Robert Svoboda’s trilogy on the Aghori people: At the Left Hand of GodDifferentiating real prayer from performative ritualsFaith and seeing beyond the veil of our normal perception Considering the limits of spirituality and how it is expressed across culturesDissolving polarities and seeing the universality of all beingsTaking wisdom from Ram Dass through his posthumous book, There is No OtherRealizing that wisdom and spirituality does not require travel or psychedelicsDakota’s experience with plant medicine in the Amazonian jungleFaith and remembering the mystery in day-to-day lifeThe eternal light of the Sadhu and reaching enlightened states without substancesYou can find Dakota’s documentary, Aghori: Holy Men Of The Dead, free on YouTube: Click Here To WatchAbout Dakota Wint:Dakota Wint is a documentary filmmaker, vlogger, podcast host, and spiritual teacher from Detroit, Michigan. His films and podcasts revolve around current events, strange spirituality, and taboo traditions. You can subscribe to his podcast, A Place for Humans, HERE. Dakota grew to fame as an internet personality via his popular YouTube channel, Dakota of Earth. Dakota hosts retreats around the world and runs a non-profit focused on cultural and language preservation. Learn more about current happenings on his website“I am just trying to figure out what spirituality is, what the limits of it are, how it expresses itself, are we all talking about the same thing, what can you show me? I go to these places that have these big practices. What do you have to offer? Especially in India, where all these gurus make these big claims, what can you show me? That's what I've been asking myself and anyone I meet.” –Dakota WintSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From Tibetan Buddhism to Bhakti Yoga, Raghu and author Vincent Thibault explore reshaping the mind in our chaotic world.Grab a copy of Vincent’s book: Overflow: A Buddhist Guide to Recovering Sanity in the Age of Information Overload | Vincent ThibaultThis time on Mindrolling, Raghu and Vincent journey through:Vincent’s early exposure to literature and the roots of his interest in Eastern philosophy and contemplative traditionsNavigating digital overwhelm and content overload in the modern ageHow busyness and productivity culture can numb us to collective sufferingParkour: a physical, artistic, and spiritually metaphorical discipline Suffering as a path to transformation and a deeper connection with GodDrawing connections across many different wisdom traditionsPositive attachment versus attachment that traps usThose who inspire the trust of our own pure mindsTibetan Buddhist traditions and the value of learning from multiple teachersRaghu’s lineage of Bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotionThe Tibetan translation of devotion: interested humilityTraining the mind, training the heart, and learning to relate to both inner and outer phenomena Learn more about Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche HERE and check out his book on karmaAbout Vincent Thibault:A man of ideas and actions, an amazed traveller, and a defender of what could be called lucid optimism, Vincent Thibault is a Quebec writer and screenwriter. Vincent’s writing takes on many forms, including fantasy, psychological or adventure novels, comic or dramatic scenarios, travel stories, literary short stories, philosophical essays, and translations of Buddhist texts. While his work is incredibly diverse, it revolves around the same key themes: integrity, the quest for wisdom, the relationship to uncertainty, the reconciliation between tradition and modernity, and the power of benevolence in a noisy and busy world.Check out more of Vincent’s writing on his website which includes both a French and English section. You can also keep up with Vincent on Facebook. “Be it just on the cushion for a few minutes a day, if you find a way to make that switch and see difficulties as opportunities, then you can slowly learn to turn everything into the path of enlightenment.” –Vincent ThibaultSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Continuing their discussion on Tibetan Buddhism and Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's lineage, David Silver and Raghu Markus chat about carrying forward the wisdom of great masters.Check out part 1 of this conversation on Ep. 627 of the Mindrolling Podcast and grab a copy of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche’s memoirs, Blazing Splendor, for a deeper look into his magnificent life. In this episode, Raghu and David chat about:Being guided toward unconditional love, selflessness, and devotion to the Divine MotherThe role of lineage holders and treasure revealers in Tibetan BuddhismTulku Urgyen’s unique style of teachingDeep humility as an essential spiritual practiceHow ‘being here now’ becomes a gateway to embodied wisdomReleasing skepticism and misunderstanding around the concept of a guruHonoring great spiritual masters and transmitting their wisdom across generationsThe powerful film, Tibet: Cry of the Snow LionReaching a state of deathlessness and timeless awarenessStarting our day with compassion for ourselves and others“As soon as I wake up in the morning, I remind myself that nothing exists as it appears. Then I think about sentient beings who want happiness, but experience suffering. I generate compassion for them, determined to help them as much as I can to eliminate their negative emotions.” –The Dalai LamaAbout David Silver:David Silver is the former co-host of the Mindrolling podcast. He is a filmmaker and director, most recently coming out with Brilliant Disguise. Brilliant Disguise tells the unique story of a group of inspired Western spiritual seekers from the 60s, who in meeting the great American teacher, Ram Dass, followed him to India to meet his Guru, Neem Karoli Baba, familiarly known as Maharaj-ji. Two days before he left his body, Maharaj-ji instructed K.C. Tewari to take care of the Westerners, which he did resolutely until the day he died in 1997. Silver’s #1 charting MGM/UA/Warners film, “The Compleat Beatles” is the critically acclaimed biopic movie about history’s most famous band. The term ‘rockumentary’ was first applied to this two-hour movie. Rolling Stone recently described the film as a “masterwork.” Silver’s Warner Brothers’ feature film, “No Nukes” also started the whole trend of music/activism feature documentaries.“‘Be Here Now’ is not only Ram Dass’s precept of just be in the present, it’s saying, ‘Be here now, and you’re everywhere. Be here now, and you’re in wisdom.’ If you’re not here now, you’re veering away from wisdom.” — David SilverSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tracing her path from sharp-minded scholar to seasoned devotee, Mirabai Bush shares intimate stories of her personal evolution and enduring devotion to Maharaj-ji.Check out Mirabai's latest book, Almost Home: Dharma, Social Change, and the Power of LoveIn this episode, Raghu and Mirabai chat about:Mirabai’s leap of faith: leaving her PhD program, going to India, and becoming a devotee of Maharaj-jiThe mystery of timing and how a single moment can quietly change the course of a lifeA silent meditation retreat that unexpectedly prepared Mirabai to meet Maharaj-jiHow one moment with Maharaj-ji expanded Mirabai’s sense of being alive and transformed her inner worldSurrendering control: how Maharaj-ji taught Ram Dass to release the need to manage realityThe sacred symbolism and devotional practice of touching a guru’s feetThe miracle of childbirth and Mirabai’s profound experiences with home birthCheck out Mirabai’s archived podcast series on the Be Here Now Network.About Mirabai Bush:In addition to being one of Love Serve Remember Foundation’s respected board members, Mirabai Bush is a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba and spent time with him in India from 1971 to 1972. Along with Ram Dass, she is the co-author of Compassion in Action: Setting Out on the Path of Service and Walking Each Other Home. Mirabai is Senior Fellow and founder of the Center on Contemplative Mind in Society, which encourages contemplative practice and perspective in American life in order to create a more just, compassionate and reflective society. Mirabai has also worked with Google on a workplace course called ‘Search Inside Yourself’ and with the US Army on a program for chaplains and medics. She is editor of Contemplation Nation: How Ancient Practices are Changing the Way We Live, co-author of Contemplative Practices in Higher Education: Powerful Methods To Transform Teaching and Learning, and author of Working with Mindfulness. Keep up with Mirabai on her website and don’t forget to grab her latest book, Almost Home.“I just fell down at his feet. I never thought I would bow to a guru, but it wasn’t a decision; I was just there. In those first moments, he just expanded my sense of what it could mean to be human, to be on this planet. There is so much more to it than I had thought.” –Mirabai BushSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Raghu Markus is joined by Michael Leach, the first-ever Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer of the White House, for a conversation on how to have faith over fear in the face of uncertainty.Grab a copy of Michael’s book, Faith Over Fear, to learn more about harnessing your own resilience.In this episode, Raghu and Michael take a journey through:Closing the gap between faith and fearSeeing faith as an action rather than a feeling How freedom comes when we loosen our grip on ego, fear, and identitySurrender and choosing presence even when outcomes are unclearThe book The First 90 Days and what culture truly meansMichael’s time working in the White House with the Biden-Harris administrationThe meaningful pivot from our preference to our purposeEnduring and adapting through the many changes we face socially, politically, and personally Breaking down the wall between ‘us’ and ‘them’, taking inspiration from Ram Dass’s There Is No OtherGiving ourselves ‘the fear test’ and looking inward before we judge another personConsidering the cost of unity and choosing listening over labelingForming ourselves so that we are not driven by fear “Whatever you're not changing you’re choosing, but here's the truth about change: it's not secured in a single election or moment of triumph. Democracy is an ongoing experiment, constantly tested by shifts in power, societal challenges, and the choices we make to protect (or erode) progress. It's not about ensuring nothing changes when you leave, it's about ensuring that what truly matters can endure when everything does. The key is not permanence, it's resilience” –Michael LeachAbout Michael Leach:Michael is a nationally respected strategic advisor, public sector leader, and culture builder whose career spans the NFL, national politics, and the White House. He currently serves as CEO & Co-Founder of BridgeTrust Partners, an advisory firm specializing in leadership development, inclusive strategy, and transformative partnerships across industries—from sports and healthcare to tech, media, and government.Michael began his professional journey in the National Football League, serving as Assistant to the Head Coach of the Chicago Bears and later managing Labor Relations at NFL Headquarters, where he played a key role in administering and enforcing the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement. In 2019, he was appointed Chief People Officer and Head of Diversity and Inclusion for the Biden-Harris campaign, helping build the most diverse general election team in U.S. history. He later became the first-ever Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for the White House, serving as Special Assistant to the President. Michael is also now an author! Faith Over Fear, a book on resilience and faith in uncertain times, was released in February 2026. Reach out to Michael via his website, where you can find his social media and contact information as well as learn more about his speaking engagements, career coaching, and more.  “It's really through our surrendering that God does his establishing. God is unable to establish if we don't surrender. If your hands are closed and someone is trying to give you a gift, it's going to be really hard to receive that gift if you don't first open your hands. That's literally the nature of faith. I first have to release what's in my hand in order for God to release what's in his hand.” –Michael LeachSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a world shaped by collective crisis, Raghu Markus and Dr. Thomas Hübl come together to explore inner connection and healing trauma.Interested in learning more about trauma? Grab a copy of Releasing Our Burdens, Thomas’s co-authored book with systemic family therapist Dr. Richard Schwartz, HEREThis time on Mindrolling, Raghu and Thomas discuss:Thomas’s early call to meditation, spirituality, and a life of serviceLiving within a global ecosystem shaped by overlapping crisis dynamicsReturning to ourselves when we are overwhelmed by fear and painUnderstanding how trauma shuts down parts of the self as a survival responseExamining the lasting effects of trauma on both the mind and bodyThe genetic transmission of trauma across generationsThe role of restorative practices in healing trauma and reversing symptomsDigesting trauma instead of becoming stuck in survival patternsCultivating compassion, patience, and trust in the healing processThe power of presence as a foundation for trauma recoveryHow healing even one part of the self creates fertile ground for deeper integrationSpiritual trauma and how it creates a misalignment within our inner and outer livesSupporting one another in reconnecting with our most powerful resource: inner connectionAbout Thomas Hübl PhD:Thomas Hübl, PhD, is a renowned teacher, author, and international facilitator who works within the complexity of systems and cultural change, integrating the core insights of the great wisdom traditions and mysticism with the discoveries of science. Since the early 2000s, he has led large-scale events and courses on the healing of collective trauma. Hübl is the author of Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma—and Our World, and Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds. He is also the co-author of Releasing Our Burdens with Dr. Richard Schwartz. Hübl has served as an advisor and guest faculty for universities and organizations, as a coach for CEOs and organizational leaders, and is currently a visiting scholar at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University. Keep up with Hübl’s upcoming events and livestreams HERE. You can also follow Thomas on Instagram!“What does trauma do? It shuts down a part of ourselves so that we can survive or go through very painful moments better. But the aftereffect, if it’s not being taken care of, is a sense of disconnect from ourselves. So, then we try to fill that hole with all kinds of other stuff that is not authentic to us, that is over consumerism, that is not feeding each other, that is creating all kinds of side effects.” –Thomas Hübl, PhDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Author & human rights lawyer Anu Gupta sits down with Raghu to explore meeting division with “soul force”—the compassionate, spiritual power that lives within us all.Learn more about Anu’s project, Soul Force for the 21st CenturyThis time on Mindrolling, Raghu and Anu have an in-depth conversation on:The precipice of our karma and how past negative actions are coming to a head globallyAnu’s recent work in South Africa with racial healing and dissolving bordersHow Artificial Intelligence lacks ethics and moral virtuesResisting commodification and profit-driven systems through awareness and conscious choiceHow modern society has dulled our innate human capacity to careReturning to our shared primary identity as human beings rather than focusing on what makes us differentBuddhist teachings on interconnectedness and the illusion of separateness Meditation as an antidote for the negative habits that we have stored within ourselvesNavigating Kali Yuga with Bhakti yoga and merging with the divine Finding the divinity in every single human beingKeeping the faith and remembering that uncertainty does not have to be dangerous How small acts of kindness can add up to global changeThe PRISM acronym that Anu discusses in his book, Breaking Bias“Recognize that everything that happens is perfectly designed to open up your eyes, your mind, your heart, to one thing or another that you need in this lifetime.” –Raghu MarkusAbout Anu Gupta:Anu Gupta is a human rights lawyer, scientist, scholar of bias, meditation teacher, and the founder and CEO of BE MORE with Anu, a professional development company that trains corporate, nonprofit, and government leaders to advance inclusion and wellness by breaking bias. He is also the author of Breaking Bias: Where Stereotypes and Prejudices Come From and the Science-Backed Method to Unravel Them(2024), with a foreword from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Check out Anu Gupta on Substack, Linked in, and Instagram. Interested in working directly with Anu? Head over to Bemorewithanu.com to learn more. “It’s really a spiritual power that we all have as human beings, as a spirit in this body suit; it's the loving strength of will to confront injustice and violence without mirroring. That is what we must reinvigorate within ourselves, but also between ourselves. That soul force, to see it with kindness and compassion and when we divert from it, to be able to call ourselves and others back on that path.” –Anu GuptaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reflecting on Ram Dass’s core teachings, Hanuman Dass and Raghu Markus discuss the immense power of love, service, and compassion.Check out There is No Other for more of Ram Dass’s teachings on the path to harmony. Also, stay tuned for the release of Hanuman Dass’s forthcoming book Be Yourself, formed out of his conversations with Ram Dass.This week on Mindrolling, Raghu and Hanuman Dass have a conversation on:Hanuman Dass’s experience growing up in a deeply connected, matriarchal family Living spirituality in everyday life, household puja, and devotional practicesHow karma dictates our lives and puts us right where we are supposed to beHanuman Dass’s relationship with Ram Dass and becoming inspired to serve through food donationThe Upanishads, self-inquiry, and Ram Dass’s perpetual devotion to Maharaj-jiCompassion as the direct road to enlightenmentEmpowering those we help rather than impoverishing them or pitying themReflecting on the dharma of humanity and our shared responsibility to one anotherYou can now watch Bridge of Grace to learn more about KK Sah, a Maharaj-ji devotee and close friend of Ram Dass. Click here to learn more. About Hanuman Dass:Hanuman Dass is the founder of the UK-based charity Go Dharmic (GD). GD’s core mission is global hunger relief, supported by their humanitarian crisis response work and campaigns for environmental action, poverty alleviation, education, and plant-based and organic diets. Hanuman Dass was inspired into service through his relationship with Ram Dass, whom he met in his 20’s. GD's founding ethos is based on the philosophy of Sanatana Dharma. Their mission is to “Love All. Feed All. Serve All.” Check out the GD website for more information and stay in touch with Hanuman Dass on social media. Pick up a copy of this guide to the Hanuman Chalisa created with Hanuman Dass “I feel lightest here, I feel happiest in service and love…drink is nice, you go up and down. Drugs might be nice, you go up and down. But, love is forever, you can stay in that space.” –Hanuman DassSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.