James Fadiman is a Harvard-trained psychologist and writer, who is known for his extensive work in the field of psychedelic research. He co-founded, along with Robert Frager, the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, which later became Sofia University, where he was a lecturer in psychedelic studies. Fadiman is author of The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys.
In this episode, we discuss:
– Why he decided to scientifically study the positive effects of LSD
– Why the psychedelic experience is so transformative for so many people
– How the psychedelic experience evaporates boundaries
– The limitations of science
– Fadiman’s experience with Abraham Maslow on an airplane
– The founding of transpersonal psychology
– The potential benefits of “psychedelic therapy”
– How one can have enlightenment without compassion (“false enlightenment”)
– The importance of the Bodhisattva Path
– How accepting our multiple selves can increase understanding and compassion