82: Benjamin Phelan on Psychedelics & Committing to the Richness of the Inner World

We are delighted to host Benjamin Phelan on this episode of the⁠ ⁠mangu.tv⁠⁠ podcast series. 

Benjamin Phelan is state-licensed in psychedelic-assisted therapy and has been in practice for the past twelve years, working with people from all walks of life. In addition to studies in psychology at Oberlin College, the University of Colorado and Naropa University, he has travelled extensively throughout Asia and South America studying non-Western approaches to mental health and spirituality. His approach combines transpersonal and depth psychology with Eastern and indigenous philosophies. He served as a writer for the documentary “Neurons to Nirvana: Understanding Psychedelic Medicines” and created the content for the AyaGuide personal development app.

Benjamin speaks about his upbringing in Boulder, Colorado, at a time of the Beat poets, Nixon administration and the growing use of psychedelics for cultural change. He shares his first experience with psychedelics and speaks about how it opened up the language of non-human things. He talks about his rediscovery of psychedelics later in life, and how it led him to leave the corporate world and devote his life fully to the exploration of consciousness. 

Giancarlo and Ben discuss the ego and the soul. They talk about the value of therapy and guidance with psychedelics. Ben shares the importance of a daily practice to give a ‘leg up’ to the richness of the interior world. He speaks about scientists’ ability to measure enhanced brain states, found during meditation, prayer and altered states.