Ep. 178 - Thomas Hatsis - Psychedelic Mystery Traditions, Witches & Magic

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Hey everybody! Episode 178 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Thomas Hatsis. Thomas’ books were recommended to me a few times and he was introduced to me through a mutual friend, Peter Boghossian. Thomas wrote two very good books that I am familiar with (as well as a number of others) called The Witches Ointment and Psychedelic Mystery Traditions. We spoke about these themes including the foundation of Western mystery traditions, their potential entheogenic roots, plant medicines, magic, witches, and a lot of other really interesting topics. Thomas is doing very good work and I trust you all will gain a lot from his wisdom. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

YouTube: bit.ly/YT-UW

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“Thomas Hatsis is a historian, public speaker, community organizer, host of the Psychedelic Historian YouTube channel, and author of five books in the field of psychedelic history and practice, The Witches Ointment: The Secret History of Psychedelic Magic (2015), Psychedelic Mystery Traditions: Spirit Plants, Magical Practices, Ecstatic States, (2018), Microdosing Magic: A Psychedelic Spellbook (2018), LSD: The Wonderchild: The Golden Age of Psychedelic Research in the 1950s (2021), and Psychedelic Injustice: How Identity Politics Poisons the Psychedelic Renaissance (2025). Since 2015, Hatsis has gone on several countrywide book tours, spoken at a number of conferences, and appeared on three GaiamTV shows. During that time, he also co-founded a vibrant psychedelic society, Psanctum, in Portland, Oregon. Through Psanctum, he hosts a weekly open mic, a monthly integration circle, a monthly Psychedelic Speaker Series, the bimonthly Psychedelic History series, organized two psychedelic conferences, and opened a thrift store, Psanctum Thrift—the first store to raise funds for folks who seek psychedelic-assisted therapy (now legal in Oregon) but have financial barriers. In 2023, Hatsis had the honor of receiving the last thirty-four boxes of the Timothy Leary archive to catalogue, digitize, and preserve.”

To learn more about or contact Thomas, including his books, visit his website at: https://www.thomashatsis.com/

To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:

January 2026: our second Remote Dieta

February 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

July 2026: Westport, Ireland

November 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin

YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

PayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik

Website: https://jasongrechanik.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanik

Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Ep. 176 - Jason Grechanik - Plant Medicine Healing

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Hey everybody! Episode 176 of the show is out. This episode is a podcast I was interviewed on called The Mushroom’s Apprentice hosted by Shonagh Home. I was on Shonagh’s podcast previously and really enjoyed it and was happy to return. Shonagh has a beautiful wisdom and knowledge of this world and beyond and she did a great job picking my brain about plant medicine and healing. We especially spoke about my work with traditional healing via the mediums of tobacco and trees as well as the Celtic wisdom that infuses this work. We also spoke a bit about the world and forces at large. Shonagh always engages in deep conversations and I trust you all will gain from this episode. Consider supporting her podcast and work if you enjoy 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!

YouTube: bit.ly/YT-UW

Rumble: bit.ly/Rum-UW

Apple  :  bit.ly/Appl-UW

Spotify:  bit.ly/Spot-UW

“For many years, Jason has had a deep interest in plants as medicine. After studying various modalities, he has lived, studied, and worked in the Amazon and Andes for more than a decade. He runs plant medicine dietas in Peru and throughout the world, weaving Amazonian tobacco traditions with Celtic tree wisdom. He facilitated ayahuasca retreats for many years at the renowned Temple of the Way of Light. He also hosts a podcast called The Universe Within Podcast. He is married with a son. Jason is an Eagle Scout. In his free time, he enjoys practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (he is a brown belt), spending time in nature and at home, woodworking, riding his motorcycle, and solitude.”

To learn more about or contact Jason, visit his website at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

To learn more about or contact Shonagh, visit her website at: https://shonaghhome.com/

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To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:

November 2025: Sacred Valley of Peru (SOLD OUT)

January 2026: our second Remote Dieta

February 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

July 2026: Westport, Ireland

November 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin

YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

PayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik

Website: https://jasongrechanik.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanik

Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Ep. 175 - Josie Castañeda - Latine Herbalism: Curanderismo, Healing Plants & Folk Traditions

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Hey everybody! Episode 175 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Josie Castañeda. Josie and I share a mutual friend, Ian Darrah, so I was really happy to find that out and to sit down and speak with her. Josie has a really interesting life story that saw her pursue many different paths before returning to her roots. She wrote a beautiful beginners guide to curandersimo drawing upon her different practices and Mexican and Cuban roots. I found it a really good, concise read and was happy to have her share in her story, life experiences and wisdom. She has a lovely energy and I’m sure you all will gain a lot from her wisdom. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

YouTube: bit.ly/YT-UW

Rumble: bit.ly/Rum-UW

Apple  :  bit.ly/Appl-UW

Spotify:  bit.ly/Spot-UW

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/universe

“Iosellev “Josie” Castañeda Morales is a modern-day curandera. At an early age she was introduced to the practice of curanderismo as a way of life. Today, Josie serves her Miami community as a yerbera, one who works with herbs. She shares her knowledge with depth, joy, and clarity.”

To learn more about or contact Josie, including her book, visit her website at: https://www.curanderaremedies.com/

To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

I will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:

November 2025: Sacred Valley of Peru (SOLD OUT)

January 2026: our second Remote Dieta

February 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

July 2026: Westport, Ireland

November 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin

YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

PayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik

Website: https://jasongrechanik.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanik

Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

Ep. 173 - Rael Inshan - The Sacred Mushroom: Amanita Muscaria

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Audio version:

Hey everybody! Episode 173 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Rael Inshan. Rael is an interesting guy who specializes in the amanita muscaria mushroom. I was really happy to have him on to speak about this sacred medicine as its not a topic I have covered much. We spoke about his difficult childhood and how that led him to South America to work with different indigenous medicine traditions. This eventually led him to discover the amanita muscaria mushroom in the woods near him and to begin working with it and to learn, firsthand, it’s benefits. He speaks about the wisdom it has taught him about it’s medicine on the individual level as well as the collective and a vision of a new earth that he feels the mushroom is guiding us towards. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

*Disclaimer*: Amanita muscaria belongs to a family that includes deadly mushrooms. Misidentification can be fatal. The host does not endorse using any wild mushrooms without professional, supervised guidance. Listeners assume all risk and the host bears no liability.

YouTube: bit.ly/YT-UW

Rumble: bit.ly/Rum-UW

Apple  :  bit.ly/Appl-UW

Spotify:  bit.ly/Spot-UW

“Rael Inshaan is a consciousness educator, mushroom forager, and founder of Amanita Warriors—a microdosing company focused on the therapeutic use of Amanita Muscaria. After a difficult upbringing, chronic health issues, and decades of insomnia, Rael turned to psychedelics in search of healing. What followed was a years-long journey of exploration, including more than 1,200 plant medicine ceremonies.His turning point came with Amanita Muscaria—a legal mushroom that helped restore his sleep, support his nervous system, and shift his day-to-day experience of life. Drawing from years of personal experience and a deep shamanic background, Rael now helps others understand the safe use of this often-misunderstood substance and its potential role in emotional health and spiritual wellbeing.Rael speaks to audiences to help overcome trauma, addictions, or psychiatric medication withdrawal, as well as those exploring spiritual paths to wellness. His lived experience makes him relatable to spiritual seekers, skeptics, and anyone questioning mainstream approaches to health and healing.He also brings a unique perspective on faith. Though he explored many spiritual traditions, his journey ultimately led him to Christianity—a shift shaped by years of deep personal searching. He now speaks openly about the concept of spiritual resistance, the role of faith in recovery, and how to cultivate a more conscious, grounded life.Rael is the author of the newly published book The Journey of the Eternal Warrior: Part One – The Beautiful Vision of God’s New Earth, where he shares his personal story and reflections on faith, healing, and spiritual transformation.”

To learn more about or contact Rael, visit his website at: https://www.amanitawarrior.com

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To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

If you enjoy the show, it’s always a big help if you can share it with your own audiences via social media or word of mouth.  If you’re watching on YouTube if you could take a second and Subscribe to the channel and Like the video and if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, Follow the show 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:

November 2025: Sacred Valley of Peru (SOLD OUT)

January 2026: our second Remote Dieta

February 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

July 2026: Westport, Ireland

November 2026: Sacred Valley of Peru

If you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin

YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

PayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik

Website: https://jasongrechanik.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanik

Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Nuno Moreno's Heart's Cave: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound