Deep Into the Vine: The Medicine Hunter on Ayahuasca, Shamans, and the Cosmic Experience | Chris Kilham
6/25/202655 min
Chris Kilham — the Medicine Hunter, author of fifteen books, and a man the New York Times once called "part David Attenborough, part Indiana Jones" — returns to Care More Be Better for a third time to go deep into the vine. With 65 shamans and twelve years of ceremony across the Amazon behind him, Chris and host Corinna Bellizzi explore the line between authentic plant medicine and cultural appropriation, the shared visions that gave ayahuasca its old name Telepathine, the three enduring camps of psychedelic culture, and where to actually find a trustworthy ceremony.
Important Note
Ayahuasca contains DMT, a Schedule I substance in the United States. This episode discusses plant medicine in an educational and harm-reduction context. Always consult a qualified medical professional before pursuing any plant medicine experience, and research the legal status in your location through resources such as ICEERS.
Resources
- Chris Kilham on LinkedIn
- Medicine Hunter — medicinehunter.com
- Medicine Hunter on Instagram
- Medicine Hunter on Facebook
- Medicine Hunter on YouTube
- The Ayahuasca Test Pilots Handbook
- Wizard of the Upper Amazon — F. Bruce Lamb
- Cosmic Sister — Zoe Helene
- ICEERS
- Stop the War Within — Gerard Powell, Rythmia (Previous Episode)
- On Building Sustainable Communities — Chris Kilham (Previous Episode)
- The Way of Coffee — Chris Kilham (Previous Episode)
Support the show: caremorebebetter.com/support
Cause partner: Prescott College — prescott.edu
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsChris Kilham· Guest0:00
People get insights of all different kinds in, in ayahuasca ceremonies, and that's the beautiful thing. I mean, sometimes they're mistaken about something, uh, in their formative years that has really derailed them, you know, inhibited their ability to feel joy in their lives, or maybe they feel badly about themselves, that they're not good enough, or whatever can happen to people, and they come out not only relieved of that burden, but also therefore with all of this life energy unleashed to do things that maybe they were afraid to do before, didn't know how to do before, were cautious to do before. And their lives are... I mean, I... The dozens of people I've seen go off in a more heroic direction as a result of ayahuasca ceremonies is deeply touching.
Speaker 20:47
[upbeat music] Welcome to Care More, Be Better- Care more, be better ... a podcast for people like you who care about the social impact of conscious companies and everyday heroes. Hear inspiring stories from those who put people and planet before profit and personal gain. You'll learn how you can make a difference, vote with your dollars, and get involved today. Here's your host, Corinna Bellizzi.
Corinna Bellizzi· Host1:09
Welcome, Regenerators. Each week we explore the intersection of sustainability, justice, and regenerative thinking through conversations with leaders who are working to build a healthier future for people and planet. If you listened to my recent conversation with Shari Powell, the founder of Rhythmia Life,