Your mind, on mushrooms

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘psychedelic’?

Magic mushrooms, counter-culture, 60s music?

Whatever you think, it’s time to think again.

We all know how important it is to be creative.

Whether it's problem-solving, coming up with a new product, or making a mark on the world, our personal vision of success needs new ideas.

But our thinking can become our own worst enemy.

What if the way forward isn't the state of our business plan but the state of our consciousness?

On this Friday Fireside, we were delighted to welcome Dr David Luke.

He’s an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Greenwich, and he explores how our brains and minds work through the lens of altered states of consciousness.

He’s published over 100 academic papers and ten books, and is also a co-founder and director of Breaking Convention: International Conference on Psychedelic Consciousness.

His research includes altered states of consciousness, especially via psychedelics.

And he’s tested out his theories with top-level, early-career scientists with PhDs in Physics, Maths, Biology, Engineering, and even Nuclear Fluid Dynamics, to see if he could help them with seemingly intractable intellectual challenges.

(Spoiler: he could.)

Why? Because research shows that psychedelics can unlock unparalleled creativity and problem-solving abilities.

But you don't need to take drugs to access the states of mind they trigger.

You can feel more creative, less inhibited, and more connected to yourself, others, and the natural world.

You just need to know how your mind truly works.

This one’s for you if…

You're fascinated by the mysteries of the human mind and consciousness.
You're intrigued by the potential of psychedelics for therapeutic breakthroughs and personal growth.
You're open to exploring non-traditional ways of thinking and problem-solving.
You're curious about the neurological underpinnings of creativity and altered states.

Watch the full video here

Here are nine takeaways from the conversation:

1. You don’t need to drop acid. Promise

Let’s be clear from the start: You don’t need to take drugs to unlock the benefits that altered states can offer.

Various practices like keeping a dream journal and breathwork - “pranayama, kundalini yoga, breath of fire” - can induce profound altered states without the need for external chemical substances.

“Dreams, hypnosis, meditation, dark room chambers, dancing, chanting, all of these things can affect our state of consciousness.

I've seen people who've done loads of ayahuasca do a one-hour session of Holotropic breathing and be absolutely astonished at how much of a breakthrough they can have with breathing in a different way for an hour.

There are many, many ways of getting there which don't require you to ingest any chemicals.”

2. Swimming against the tide can pay off

When what we’re doing feels ahead of its time, it can feel scary. Especially when we’re doing business in a way that isn’t ‘business as usual’.

David has been there. For him, studying psychedelics and altered states was once considered “career suicide.”

But these topics are now gaining mainstream acceptance.

“Psychedelics are a hot topic. And it's great to see the kind of huge sea change that's occurred around the study of psychedelics.”

By staying true to what’s interested him, David has found himself at the forefront of this increased interest as an expert in the field.

3. Your brain defies full explanation

We don’t always think, feel, or do things we fully understand. And we can beat ourselves up when this happens.

But our understanding of the brain and consciousness is still in its infancy, as the brain's complexity continues to baffle us.

“The brain is the most complex object that we know of in the universe, and consciousness has completely defied any kind of full or rational understanding or explanation.”

So maybe it’s okay that parts of us remain a mystery at times - even to ourselves.

4. Break your loops

Ever had a thought, problem, or decision play on repeat in your mind?

You’re not the only one.

“A lot of psychological problems like anxiety, depression, and OCD are to do with negative rumination; getting stuck in these kind of thought loops.”

But psychedelics and altered states can help disrupt negative thought loops and habitual patterns, potentially offering relief.

“Plasticity and divergence can break down those habitual thought patterns, with the potential for new, more positive, beliefs, attitudes and thoughts to emerge. They're habituation interrupters in a way. They can break patterns.”

What might you accomplish if you could access new thinking?

5. Shift to divergent thinking

It’s not just about getting out of thought-loops.

One of the biggest barriers to creativity can be sticking to logic; great for tying shoelaces, not so great for “very tough, theoretical, complex problems.”

Altered states can enhance divergent thinking, helping us to combine ideas and memories in novel ways and even presenting the results in a new way in our minds.

“Where we perhaps need a less linear kind of thinking .. psychedelics seemingly enhance some cognitive functions, but deter this normal, everyday, logical, linear, ‘A follows B’ kind of thinking.”

As Steve Jobs noted, “Creativity is just connecting things,” and divergent thinking means we can connect a wider range of things in new ways.

6. Become it to understand it

It’s that familiar quote, often attributed to Einstein: “We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

Marketing experts recommend creating ‘personas’ for our ideal customers and clients. But what if you took your empathy a step further?

“For indigenous people of Americas .. one of their underlying principles in how you obtain knowledge is, if you want to understand something, you turn into that thing to understand its properties and its principles.

It's a state of hyper-subjectivity. Which is diametrically opposed to our classic, scientific, reductive objectivity, right?”

Such an approach may not give you a totally truthful answer. But study participant, biologist and Entangled Life author Merlin Sheldrake, discovered the answer to a question that had eluded him for three years by ‘becoming’ the fungus he was studying.

Experiencing a profound shift in perspective allows us to view problems or concepts from entirely new angles.

7. Draw on indigenous wisdom

There’s growing interest in indigenous perspectives and the wisdom they hold. But there’s still a long way to go.

Dr Luke believes that psychedelics offer an opportunity for understanding and valuing indigenous wisdom and perspectives, which have been historically dismissed or overlooked.

“I think psychedelics are a brilliant bridge into these worlds, between science and the world of what we might call shamanism or indigenous worldviews and perspectives.”

Drawing on perspectives beyond our own Western focus allows us to tap into a wisdom that’s thousands of years old and see life through a more connected, nature-respecting lens.

8. It’s all about connection

Whether it’s the climate emergency or the loneliness epidemic, it’s clear that feeling more connected leads to better outcomes.

Whether they’re triggered by psychedelics or other means, altered states of consciousness tend to increase the amount of connectivity within the brain, to oneself, and beyond.

“So, altered states can enhance connectivity in a very broad brush way.

People feel more connected to other people, more connected to nature, more connected to the universe, the cosmos at large, and even connected to something divine or spiritual as well.

And they don't have to be hypercharged dives into alternate dimensions. It can be as simple as just spending 10 minutes meditating or doing half an hour's breath work.”

9. The bigger meaning of our work

Our time on this earth is limited, and finding meaning in our lives is a powerful pillar of wellbeing.

For David, a meaningful life involves feeling connected to his work, nature, family, and friends, while striving to have a positive impact on the world.

“I think our career choices and where we choose to put our energy is important.

I do find my work meaningful. Yes, positive potential benefits for mental health, but also the potential benefits of helping people feel more connected to nature, and bringing in indigenous people and their voices in from out of the cold and valuing them.

I think most of that comes through.”

What comes through the work that you do?

Dr David Luke’s knowledge of the brain and the mind - and how the two interplay - is fascinating.

But his insights go far beyond the neuroscience behind different thinking modes. Altered states can trigger deeper self-awareness and connection - to others, to nature, and even to a sense of the cosmos.

His research shows that they can prompt people to reassess their priorities, helping them reorientate towards a more meaningful path, too.

Are you following a more meaningful path? Join our community, dip your toes in with a Masterclass or dive into transformation at one of our life-changing events.