Rick Strassman MD performed the first new human studies with psychedelic drugs in the US in over 20 years. His research involved the powerful naturally-occurring compound, DMT – N,N-dimethyltryptamine. Led to this substance through his earlier study of the pineal gland as a potential biological locus for spiritual experiences, he administered several hundred doses of DMT to approximately 60 volunteers between 1990 and 1995. He wrote about this research in the popular book, DMT: The Spirit Molecule, which has sold over 100,000 copies, has been translated into 12 languages, and is now available as an audio-book. It also inspired an independent documentary by the same name, picked up by Warner Bros distributing in Fall, 2011. With three distinguished collaborators, he co-authored Inner Paths to Outer Space, which looks more carefully at the common "other worlds" experience that volunteers frequently reported during his research.

Since 1996, Dr. Strassman has been exploring models for the DMT effect focusing primarily on the Old Testament concept of prophecy. Prophecy is a spiritual experience which takes into account the apparently external, free-standing nature of the DMT "worlds," in which one's sense of self is highly preserved and interactive. The Old Testament concept of prophecy provides an alternative to other models that borrow more heavily from Eastern religious systems, and those of Latin American shamanism. The notion of prophecy also deals directly with ethical and moral concerns, adding a crucial element to our ability to understand and integrate the content of the psychedelic experience. He is developing these ideas in his next book, The Soul of Prophecy, due to appear in 2013.

Dr. Strassman is currently Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. He is also President and co-founder of the Cottonwood Research Foundation, which is dedicated to consciousness research.

You may purchase DMT: The Spirit Molecule, and Inner Paths to Outer Space directly from the author on this site. Dr. Strassman does his best to answer every e-mail sent to him, so please feel free to make contact.

Kelley provides her patients with the highest quality of confidential treatment in a serene retreat like atmosphere, located in downtown Chicago. She is a licensed clinical social worker in private practice and has treated patients in Santa Monica and Chicago for the past ten years. Kelley is a graduate and Instructor at The Jane Addams College of Social Work at The University of Illinois. She has an eclectic array of experience using a holistic approach. Her areas of expertise include anxiety and panic disorder, agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression by using a short term model called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Kelley also works with patients in longer term treatment to work through trauma, (including rape and sexual abuse) eating disorders, substance abuse, loss and phase of life issues. Kelley is particularly interested in working with women and their partners pre- and post-natal anxiety and depression, and in the area of sexual dysfunction.  Kelley is an action oriented therapist who believes the therapeutic process is a partnership and works with clients to define and ultimately achieve their goals. She uses positive psychology to help people be the best version of themselves.

Geoff Baker is a Sports enterprise and investigative reporter for The Seattle Times who writes a column on sports business.

Brad Warner is an ordained Zen teacher and author of the books There Is No God And He Is Always With You (2013), Sex Sin and Zen (2010), Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate (2009), Sit Down and Shut Up (2007) and Hardcore Zen (2004). He’s also a writer for the Suicide Girls website, bass player for the hardcore punk rock group 0DFx (aka Zero Defex), star of the movies “Shoplifting From American Apparel” and “Zombie Bounty Hunter M.D.,” director of the film “Cleveland’s Screaming!” and former vice president of the US branch of the company founded by the man who created Godzilla.

Born in Hamilton, Ohio in 1964, in 1972, Brad’s family relocated to Nairobi, Kenya. When he returned three years later, nothing about rural Ohio seemed quite the same anymore. In 1982, Brad joined 0DFx, famous for an eighteen-second burst of noise titled “Drop the A-Bomb On Me.” 0DFx recently reunited and has a new CD out.

While still playing hardcore punk, Brad became involved in Zen Buddhism. The realistic, no BS philosophy reminded him of the attitude the punks took towards music. He made it to Japan in 1993 where he began studying the philosophy with an iconoclastic rebel Zen Master named Gudo Nishijima. After a few years, Nishijima decided to make Brad his successor as a teacher of Zen.

WRITING CAREER: Nishijima prevailed upon him to write a book about Buddhism. But Brad knew he couldn’t write anything like the Buddhist books he’d seen. So he published his abrasive, in your face writings about the Dharma as a website. When the website became tremendously popular, he began to think again about putting out a book. So he collated his writing, sent them off, and soon he had a book out. That book sold so fast his publishers could hardly keep up with demand. A second, third and fourth book followed. In the meantime he accepted an offer from the alt.porn website Suicide Girls to write a regular column. He has also published work in the Buddhist magazines Shambhala Sun, Buddhadharma, and Tricycle as well as rock magazines such as Alternative Press, Maximum Rocknroll and Razorcake.

PUBLIC SPEAKING: Since 2004 Brad has spoken in a variety of settings from Zen centers to public libraries, from vocational high schools to university auditoriums. Though Brad’s talks always focus on the Buddhist dharma, the actual topics covered can range from the words of the ancient masters to the finer points of slam dancing, from insights to be found in the depths of marathon meditation sessions to whether Godzilla could beat up Yog the Space Monster. Lively and full of self-effacing humor, Brad prefers to respond to an audience rather than lecture them. The talks themselves tend to be more like brief introductions to free-wheeling and stimulating Q&A sessions. A large sampling of these can be seen on YouTube.

JORGE BALBAS

Jorge Balbás grew up in Madrid, Spain. He moved to the US in 1992 for professional flight training. While working as a commercial pilot and flight instructor in Southern California, he obtained a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics at UCLA in 2000, and a PhD in Mathematics in 2004, also at UCLA. He spent the next three years at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor as a post-doc, and returned to Southern California in 2007 to join the mathematics department at California State University, Northridge, where he is an Associate Professor. Since August of 2015, he works as Associate Director at the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics, located in the UCLA campus.

In 2008, Jorge started competing in triathlon races. Since then, he has completed several olympic distance and long course triathlons, qualifying for the US Age Group Nationals every year since 2011. In July 2010 he swam across the strait of Gibraltar, and has also run the LA marathon in 2014 and 2016. He enjoys bike touring and has traveled over 900 miles along roads in Northern Spain over the last two summers.

FISHER FIFTEEN

When Fisher Fifteen walks into a room, it’s like a preacher has come to give a life changing sermon. He delivers a familiar presence like an old friend you haven’t seen in years. From the first strike of his guitar chord to the last barrage of soaring vocal melodies packaged neatly in a voice that carries a lushness and texture all it’s own. Bringing his vast background of influence and an array of thought-provoking original love songs, He has a way of speaking to your soul just where it is. Always celebrating our differences and yet forging common ground through songs like “Walls”. From his latest release.” I love the way a song takes on a life of her own. Fisher Explains, “She begins to speak to me with chords and words , then concepts and conclusions. If I don’t pay close attention, I won’t be able to complete her thought”.A native son of San Jose ,California, raised on radio of the 70’s and 80’s Fisher has a unique repertoire of covers that may surprise even the most knowledgeable history buff with classic rock anthems to memorable R&B staples. Always giving a new interpretation to an old favorite.

From the coffee house to the coliseum, Fisher can bring his performance to a very intimate place with some tongue & cheek lyrics and improvisational songs. Over the years, Fisher has played across the country,in places like California, Nebraska, Louisiana , the Carolinas, Alaska and Japan. He has shared the stage with such rock acts as P.O.D , and Switchfoot and performed with R&B sensations , ALL 4 ONE ,Drew Seeley, Brian Mcknight and Wayne Brady.

PAT BATTISTINI

The writer/director/editor of over ten short films is a native of Merrillville, Indiana. Pat began his career as an actor at the Player’s Workshop of the Second City in Chicago. He continued working in improvisation and eventually performed in over 500 improv shows. Pat suffered having to work for Club Med in their Entertainment Department in places such as St. Lucia, Thailand and Tahiti. Continuing to have fun in Asia, Pat moved to Tokyo where he collaborated with an all Japanese comedy group for two years performing in the Japanese language.

Only making sense, he moved to Miami after his Tokyo gig, where he started his filmmaking career. Pat finally made his way to Los Angeles in the fall of ’98.

In LA, he has written and produced several short films. His shorts “Sexy Seniors”, “Braggin’ Rights”, and “Three Specials” have all been nominated to at least one film festival as a finalist to their Grand Jury Award. “Lincoln Vs. Bush has been viewed over 81,000 times and has been shown, in controversy, in several other festivals. His short, “Legs To Stand On”, dealing with the disabled, received a Special Recognition Award at the Los Angeles Italian American Film Awards.

Pat’s current project is his most challenging. He shot a period piece short film in the northern mountains of Italy. Not fluent in Italian, Pat decided to shoot the film in the Italian language because he felt his story could only be told using the language of the time.

Pat resides in Santa Clarita with his wife Marnie and his two children, Maggie (10) and Burke (5).

Phil Parlapiano is a versatile musician whose musical journey has followed several unique directions.  Born in New York City and raised by his musical parents, Phil learned to play the piano at the age of 4 from his talented grandmother, who also played mandolin and guitar.  Eventually, the road called to him, leaving to tour with folk singer Joan Baez, becoming her musical director.

Parlapiano followed his musical path as a founding member of The Brothers Figaro.  Signed to Geffen Records after a bidding war, the seminal folk rock duo recorded their critically acclaimed album, “Gypsy Beat.”  This led Phil to a nine year musical directorship with John Prine, who have him the moniker, “Mr. Squeeze,” touring and recording CD’s including the Grammy award winning releases “The Missing Years,” and “Fair and Square,” as well as co-writing “Leave the Lights On” for the CD “Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings.”  Soon after, Phil was asked to play mandolin and accordion on Rod Stewart’s pivotal “Unplugged and Seated” album, which was followed by a one and a half year touring stint with the rock icon.

Phil has continued to write and play with music luminaries as diverse as Liza Minelli and Social Distortion with a little bot of Miley Cyrus and Dave Koz mixed in.  His compositions are featured in dozens of TV shows, including “Heroes,” “Law and Order,” and “Once Upon a Time.”  He has been seen in the blockbuster film, “The Titanic,” and the TV shows, “Happily Divorced,” and “The New Girl.”

The new CD, “The Mordacious Mr Squeeze,” is a new twist on Americana.  Featuring the talents of drummers Lynn Coulter, Herman Mathews and Butch Norton (Lucinda Williams), and bassists Tad Wadhams (Sheryl Crow) and David Sutton (Lucinda Williams), the album also features guitarists Donny Kilpatrick (Rod Stewart), Bruce Watson (Foreigner), Doug Pettibone (John Mayer), Doug Hamblin (Steve Stills) and Chuck Kavooras, who also helped produced the project.  This record was done strictly on tape with no computer, no synthesizers and no drum loops.  Just the sound of two drummers, bass and a few guitars playing, picked up expertly by a ribbon mike. Armed with an UREI 1176, Mr. Squeeze and the Medicine Men planned to re-inject, though not necessarily recreate some of the best neo-afro-redneck blues that one could, in the new millennium.

Phil has dedicated the CD to musical artist, Eric Lowen, who recently lost his battle with ALS and contributes a portion of the proceeds to the foundation.