I recently conducted a fascinating interview with Dr. Lou Lukas, a palliative care physician in Nebraska, for a blog post I wrote for Brain Futures – a non-profit interested in scientific advances related to the brain.
Lukas spoke about the promise of psychedelics for her field – from a very personal perspective. In 2011 she had the opportunity to volunteer in a clinical trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy at Johns Hopkins. After the experience, “I was able to have so much more presence and clarity with patients. I could say with total conviction that, despite the fact that you are dying, all is well. This is part of the natural cycle of things. And actually be of comfort.”
I was excited to talk to Lukas after hearing her comments on the value psychedelics can have as a rite of passage in our society – particularly as we approach the ultimate passage. This is one of the main themes of the book I am now working on, provisionally titled “Into the Mystery – Psychedelics and Meaning-Making Toward the End of Life.”
Every day, it seems, new legislation is being introduced to facilitate access to psychedelic drugs. Their promise is indeed great – but the reality is complex and the risks are real. There is a method and art to navigating non-ordinary states of consciousness. It is inherent in many indigenous cultures – but in Western society it needs to be learned.
That’s why I’m writing this book. So when an individual or family is blindsided by a terminal diagnosis, or someone is curious to round out the wisdom of aging with a larger, transcendent perspective, and they want to explore the possibility of a psychedelic experience, a reliable, balanced resource will be there for them.
If all goes well, when the FDA finally starts legalizing the psychedelic drugs in the pipeline, the book will be ready.
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