An Open Field of Inquiry

On this episode I had the great pleasure of speaking with Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, anthropologist, and pioneer in the field of end-of-life care, Roshi Joan Halifax. One of my previous guests, Raghu Markus, recommended I speak with her as part of the Meditating on Psychedelics series, and so that's where the conversation began.

I think it's fair to say that by the end of our discussion it had expanded out quite a bit to include broader questions about the relationship between contemplation & action, and how the Mahayana emphasis on bodhicitta requires that we integrate our understanding with contemporary issues, of which psychedelics is just one.

Memorable Quotes

"I wouldn't say that I'm ambivalent with regards to hallucinogens, I'd say I'm discerning." - Roshi Joan Halifax

"I have a lot of respect for entheogens. I have more respect for my mind." - Roshi Joan Halifax

"I want to live in a country that loves our children, more than they love our drugs." - Roshi Joan Halifax

Episode Links

• Upaya Institute and Zen Center
• Be Here Now Foundation
• Meditating on Mushrooms w/ Roland Griffiths
• Bodhicitta
• Stanislav Grof
• "The Human Encounter with Death" by Stanislav Grof & Joan Halifax
• William Richards on Erowid
• The Dependent Co-Arising of Psychedelics & Meditation by Vanja Palmers
• John Dunne on Language and Non-Duality

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