-Legalize- The Importance of Psilocybin and Psychedelic Science

The Mushrooms pictured above are Psilocybe Subaeruginosa. A piece I have been playing with since early Autumn, the time when these moist wood loving mushrooms begin to grow in the colder climates of Southern Australia.
Through out history these fungi and others like it have been known to induce mystical states, altering human consciousness and sending the explorer deep into other worlds that at first seem beyond what is even possible but mirror the imagination in an oh so peculiar manner.

In say the last 60 years, there has been a resurgence in the use of different psychedelics/entheogens/sacred plants and fungi, this lead in the beginning to scientific research into effects and the possibility of these substances having positive long term effects, not just on an individual but society as a whole, as experienced and reported by the Psychonauts of the time, though this was quickly put a stop to by the authorities and most substances were scheduled and made illegal, stopping any further research and pushing the cultures surrounding the use and exploration of them underground.

So here we are today and there is a renewed investigation into the therapeutic benefits of these substances.
You may have seen or you may have not, the articles on science websites and even in newspapers about this renewed research into Psilocybin and other psychedelic compounds that is showing that they can treat anxiety, depression, PTSD and a list of other illnesses that you can go research right now and look into the possibilities that are ahead of us.

Now the issue, still in most countries, is that these substances are illegal and carry serious legal ramifications for their possession.
Here in Australia they are a Schedule 9: Prohibited Substance. And while that still allows them to be researched, very few Universities in Australia want to touch it. Luckily though we have groups like PRISM here in Australia that are working to change that.
On the other side of the coin, you have individuals wanting to explore and wanting to help themselves whether they suffer from a mental illness and want to heal or simply are interested in exploring their inner world, healing or transforming the parts of themselves they want to better.
Then they’re being penalized for it, for wanting to better themselves.

In 2015 there were on average 8 deaths per day (5 to 6 of them will be men) due to suicide in Australia and 1 in 4 of us will suffer from some kind of mental illness in our lifetime.

In the articles, studies and talks below you will find a range of information about the therapeutic benefits of Psilocybin and other psychedelics, being researched by scientists around the world.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject, whether you agree or not. If you have something to add like more information for others or your own personal experiences please feel free to share.

I am not condoning anyone to go out and eat a bunch of mushrooms willy nilly (some are deadly if you pick the wrong ones), nor any other psychedelic.
They are all very powerful substances and deserve the utmost respect.
I am sharing research on the fringes of science that I think needs to be looked into more thoroughly and doorways need to be opened up to allow those investigations to happen. So please keep this in your mind, talk about it with friends, let’s start a conversation about it and remove the unhealthy stigma attached to psychedelic substances.

My motivation comes from my own personal experiences with Psilocybin and the benefits I have experienced through its use. It has taken me on a journey of self-discovery, and has alleviated my depression and anxiety dramatically, it’s not gone but I feel I can now see and end to it.
If you would like to discuss this with me further I would love to talk about it so please feel free to PM me.

TED Talk - Leading psychopharmacologist Roland Griffiths discloses the ways that psychedelic drugs can be used to create spiritually meaningful, personally transformative experiences for all patients, especially the terminally ill.

A New Understanding – The Science of Psilocybin
A New Understanding: The Science of Psilocybin is a documentary based on Federal Drug Administration approved research with the medicine psilocybin conducted by leading doctors at The Heffter Research Institute at UCLA, New York University, and John's Hopkins University.

http://www.anewunderstanding.org/

Psilocybin and Brain function

https://www.psychologytoday.com/…/psilocybin-and-brain-func…

Magic-mushroom drug lifts depression in first human trial

http://www.nature.com/…/magic-mushroom-drug-lifts-depressio…

Entheogenic Evolution Podcast
Interview with author James W. Jesso about his book, Decomposing the Shadow, a guide to the use of psilocybin mushrooms for personal growth and discovery.

https://www.podomatic.com/…/episo…/2013-03-06T08_24_48-08_00

http://neurosciencenews.com/psilocybin-brain-activity-neur…/

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas…/2016/…/160517083044.htm

http://heffter.org/

http://www.maps.org/

http://neurosciencenews.com/neuroscience-terms/psilocybin/

https://www.doctorportal.com.au/…/psychedelic-drug-researc…/

http://www.sciencedirect.com/…/article/pii/S2215036616300657