FINDING SACRED RECIPROCITY IN SCIENTISM: MEDITATIONS FOR THE PSYCHEDELIC RENAISSANCE

Abstract

The psychedelic “renaissance” of clinical research has consistently published promising results, touting these substances’ ability to address a breadth of mental and physical illnesses such as depression and addiction. Still, psychoactive plant medicines and psychedelics have been used in indigenous cultures and clandestine settings, calling attention to the ethics and validity of scientific legitimization. This thesis seeks to attain a holistic understanding of psychedelics’ healing potential and how the incipient success of the renaissance translates to society. After a review of the scientific research, semi-structured interviews with recreational users and key informants of the field reveal ways in which the psychedelic field can both radically transform conceptions of health and exacerbate structural harm. To ensure psychedelic healing is brought to society in equitable ways, my findings support a broader epistemological framework that respects indigenous ways of knowing and supports community-based healing modalities.