In our first gathering on psychedelics, Chris Teague, an expert on psychedelics, and I went through the history, science, and therapeutic realities and possibilities for psychedelics.

At this gathering, we focused on the experience of a psychedelic journey. We reviewed the neuroscience of psychedelics and then focused on the experience of a psychedelic journey. Before the journey: mindset/intentions, setting/location, breath work, diet, etc. During the journey: trust, be open, let go. After the journey: integration through meditation, conversation, writing, therapy.

I’m including the four videos I used during the gathering below, in case you want to watch them at some point.

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My dad, Marlin, and I discuss the war in Iran. How did we get here? Where might this lead?

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My dad and I are going to have more regular conversations about what we are processing, researching, pondering. I will be doing minimal editing on these. Some will be an hour and some may be only 10 minutes. The subtitles are automatically generated, so there will be some mistakes. This one starts with Venezuela and fans out from there.

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The struggle for liberation and equality is now a global struggle.

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Dr. Sanchez brings indigenous wisdom to Still Processing. She urges us to remember that we are all connected.

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This is the first in a series of reflections that I will be having as I (and Chris) finish our work on Israel/Palestine with the RCA.

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We briefly discuss Gaza and then turn to Ann’s history with the church and Christianity. Ann and I are in different places with Christianity and the church. Ann still has affection and hope. I have mostly skepticism. Does liberal Christianity have any chance against conservative Christianity, which we both see as dangerous?

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Cynthia shares her life experience as a Latina who grew up in Holland, MI in the 1980s and 1990s, and her experience making a film about the Latino experience in Holland in the 2020s.

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Lessons on recognizing and fighting tyranny from the likes of Timothy Snyder, Valarie Kaur, Ezra Klein, and more

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Are you curious about consciousness, about mystical experiences, about healing? Psychedelic research and therapy touches on all of these aspects of existence and more! Chris Teague is expert in psychedelic science, research, and therapy. Chris and Josh, host of Still Processing, explain the history of psychedelics, the suppression of psychedelics, the current reemergence of psychedelics, and their potential for healing.

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Sahar Vardi has been resisting the Israeli occupation since she was twelve. Here, she talks openly and candidly about life as a Jewish Israeli, as her country and its principal ally, the United States, create suffering and chaos.

Next gathering: “Psychedelics, Consciousness, and Therapy, with Chris Teague,” Thursday, March 5, 7pm, Port 393, Holland, MI

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Next gathering (no recording will be available): “Critical Race Theory,” with Dr. Rodrigo Serrão, Feb 18 (Wednesday), 7pm, Port 393, Holland, MI

Sarah Leach, journalist, podcaster, Ottawa Impact explainer, has earned the respect and admiration of me and many in our community. She’s smart, brave, and honest. You’ll love this conversation. I am including below some of the graphs that I referenced during the gathering. Thanks for listening.

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Gathering details: “Sarah Leach on the Politics and Culture of SW Michigan,” Thursday, Feb 5, 7pm (6:30pm happy hour), Port 393, Holland, MI

Can we learn to live in reality with all its messiness? Or will we retreat to old dogmas for safety? The death of God (the death of our absolutes about reality) is happening, and it cannot be reversed. And we shouldn’t want to go back. There’s nothing back there for us. We need to move forward.

I’m still working out the kinks on audio and video. My mic was too hot, in general, in this recording. I did what I could to regulate it, but it’s not perfect. The subtitles are likely about 90% accurate. I hope this is helpful.

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Next Gathering details: “Sarah Leach on the Politics and Culture of SW Michigan,” Thursday, Feb 5, 7pm (6:30pm happy hour), Port 393, Holland, MI

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This was my answer to the last question following a screening of my documentary on Israeli apartheid, entitled The Law and the Prophets. It was a Christian conference in Florida, sponsored by the Reformed Church in America, my former employer (though I was still an employee at the time). This was the evening of January 16, 2025, four days before Trump’s second term began.

Next gathering: tomorrow night (Jan 15), “Collapse” with Dr. Steven Bouma-Prediger, 7pm (6pm happy hour), Port 393, Holland, MI

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My dad and I had another conversation today about our tyrannical government, which is killing our fellow citizens with impunity. We also continued are discussion about our relationship with Christianity. It’s a doozy (partially because I was in no mood to mince words). I’ll have more of this conversation tomorrow.

I’m also including these specific actions as outlined by Steve Schmidt, John McCain’s campaign manager in 2008. You can find his Substack here and his full post here.

There are 10 specific actions that should be taken immediately:

* Governor Andy Beshear of the Democratic Governors Association should call an emergency meeting of every Democratic governor, and invite any Republican who remains loyal to the country over their seditious party.

* The governors should make a joint statement and enter into a series of interstate compacts that increase their collective power to oppose the Trump fascists. They should issue a statement of principles, a set of commitments to the American people, and a set of demands towards MAGA.

* The governors should coordinate calling their legislatures into special emergency sessions to pass a series of resolutions that express loyalty to the Constitution, and lay out the case against MAGA and its assault against the American people.

Each state and each legislative body should assert its sovereignty and power in defense of the US Constitution with concrete measures. This includes the full use of every legal power and authority at their disposal from hearings, subpoenas, investigations and full use of the states’ pension funds in the name of preserving American liberty.

* The democratic Senate minority should replace Schumer and his leadership team immediately. This isn’t just a pragmatic imperative. It is a moral one. At this point, the line between collaboration and appeasement is thin and broken. Chuck Schumer serves the cause of MAGA as diligently as does Lindsey Graham and Markwayne Mullin.

* House Democrats should seek to topple the Mike Johnson speakership by cutting whatever deal needs to be cut to make Thomas Massie or Adam Kinzinger the Speaker of the House until the November elections, when a Democratic majority takes command. This is possible. The MAGA majority is down to five seats. Republicans know that they will lose the majority in November. This is the Titanic strategy. All that is required is helping a few Republicans into the early lifeboats. The people who got into early lifeboats on the Titanic had long and happy lives. The ones who didn’t were fished out of the North Atlantic frozen solid and mostly buried in Halifax. It’s a compelling tale when properly presented.

* The Congress must be prepared to use its full Constitutional powers, including the power of inherent contempt and the purse to make the madness stop. This won’t happen until the MAGA majority is deposed.

* MAGA opposition groups should coordinate boycotts of Hilton Hotels, which has punished a hotel franchisee who refused to serve ICE agents by kicking him out of the Hilton franchise. Pain is always the best teacher, and an example must be set. Hilton is an easy target.

* Opposition groups should begin organizing an athlete boycott of the Olympic opening ceremonies, which will include a parade past Trump, which will be reminiscent of the march past Hitler in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. No moral person will participate in the parade. No decent nation will dip their flag to the American fascist behind the desecrated Seal of the President of the United States.

* Opposition groups should urge boycotts of World Cup games in the United States, and urge teams to refuse to play in American stadiums. The matches can take place in Mexico and Canada. Foreign tourists should be asked to stand with the American people by refusing to travel to the United States. Don’t come.

* Opposition groups should begin the process of coordinating national strikes and peaceful civil disobedience campaigns that will bring the United States to a complete standstill until the insanity ceases.

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