Daily Archives: April 2, 2021

Free speech on campus: universities need to create ‘safe but critical’ spaces for debate here’s how they can do it – Yahoo Eurosport UK

Posted: April 2, 2021 at 10:35 am

The issue of free speech in universities continues to plague UK campuses. Earlier this year, the government announced landmark proposals to tackle the issue, including appointing a free speech tsar and giving the Office for Students powers to sanction institutions deemed to be doing too little to promote free speech and academic freedom.

But hot-button issues from perceived transphobia to Islamophobia continue to plague university campuses and its not clear the governments plans will do much to help.

Some of the proposals replicate existing legal requirements on universities. Others, like the proposal to extend free speech requirements to student unions, would have a much bigger impact because it would prevent unions from denying platforms to people with lawful views that they dont like.

But perhaps the biggest consequence of these plans is how theyll affect the sectors reputation. Far from restoring confidence in universities, its likely this intervention will just inflame longstanding moral outrage about universities failing to be bastions of liberal democracy. As we argue in our new book, Freedom of Speech in Universities: Islam, Charities and Counter-terrorism, theres a popular binary narrative that accuses universities and students either of unfairly restricting legitimate free speech, or of giving too much freedom to extremists (particularly Muslim ones).

Indeed, according to a 2019 poll by Theos, the religion and society think tank, 52% of adults think that free speech is under threat in universities, and 29% think that Islamic extremism is common on campus. Neither assumption is accurate. According to the Office for Students, in 2017-18 only a tiny number of referrals (15) were made by English universities to Prevent, the deradicalisation programme. In the same year, out of 62,094 requests for external speakers, only 53 were rejected. High-profile incidents of student no-platforming do not reflect the huge number of speaker events which go ahead every year unimpeded.

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Though free speech isnt in a major crisis on campus, that doesnt mean there arent issues that should be taken seriously. Survey evidence suggests that a significant minority of right-leaning students feel unable to express their views as freely as they would like on campus. As our research shows, there are structural factors which push universities and student unions towards being cautious.

One of those issues is the Prevent Duty, the requirement on universities to identify people at risk of radicalisation into terrorism and to report them to the authorities. Prevent relies on ordinary, untrained people to spot radicalisation. This means that many, particularly those with socially conservative views, are at risk of being wrongly labelled extremists.

A major project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, looks at free speech in relation to Islam and the experiences of Muslims on campus. Led by Alison Scott-Baumann in 2015-18, over half of the 253 students and staff (Muslim and non-Muslim) who were interviewed commented negatively about Prevent or described it as chilling free speech. Some said they needed to self-censor in order to avoid arousing false suspicion of extremism.

Charity law (which affects student unions because theyre considered charities) can also inhibit speech on campus. As student unions have been regulated by the Charity Commission since 2010, the law requires unions to ensure their activities dont risk damaging their reputations. Charity Commission guidance also requires charities, including unions, to be cautious about or even avoid hosting views that, though controversial, might fall well below the criminal threshold.

Our interviews with student union managers in 2016-17 found that some have felt forced to be wary, turning down requests for potentially controversial (though lawful) speakers in fear of breaching charity law. One manager described these charity law requirements as clipping our wings on free speech and making him risk-averse regarding speakers: I say no more than yes these days, its disappointing.

We also found that, while the Charity Commission is generally a light-touch regulator, when it has intervened it has pushed some student unions to avoid controversial speakers. The governments proposal to make student unions subject to the free speech legal requirement fails to address the fact that charity law would continue to push them in the opposite direction.

University managers need to respond to these structural issues. In terms of Prevent specifically, there should be transparent, regular dialogue with Muslim students and staff to help address any concerns about the programme. Managers should also encourage student unions to be bold and host controversial speakers if theyre requested, rather than being unnecessarily cautious.

But beyond this, universities should be far more proactive in creating opportunities for students in all disciplines to engage in rigorous debate about relevant controversial issues. Our book explains how lecturers can create a community of inquiry in the classroom a space for frank debate, where participants agree ground rules at the outset and thus take ownership of the debating process.

Finally, universities need to push back against the damaging narratives that undermine their reputation. This in part means better explaining how theyre handling free speech and difficult debate. Rather than the simplistic choice between more or less free speech, we argue there are in fact four options:

libertarian (where there are no constraints at all on language or content as long as both are lawful);

liberal (where free speech on any topic is upheld as far as lawfully possible, but the most offensive language is avoided);

guarded liberal (where some restrictions may be in place); and,

no-platforming (where particular ideas or speakers are denied a platform).

Universities should take the liberal approach by default, although it might occasionally be reasonable to use different approaches for particularly controversial topics. Either way, by using this model flexibly and transparently in conversations with event organisers, universities can explain which approach they have used and why.

Only through university-led reforms like these can we address the issues chilling speech on campus. The governments sanctions-heavy approach will achieve little apart from fostering more needless outrage.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Alison Scott-Baumann has received funding from AHRC.

Simon Perfect is a Researcher at Theos, the religion and society think tank.

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Free speech on campus: universities need to create 'safe but critical' spaces for debate here's how they can do it - Yahoo Eurosport UK

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Is it free speech or a free-for-all? – The Republic

Posted: at 10:35 am

CNNs Jake Tapper drew quite a reaction with a recent tweet about a British regulatory agency investigating comments made by television personality Piers Morgan.

This is what happens when you live in a country where there is no First Amendment, he wrote. Insanity.

Krishnan Guru-Murthy, a journalist on Britains Channel 4 News, took exception.

Not insanity, he wrote. A democratic choice to have broadcast media regulated with a duty to be fair and duly impartial. It stops TV from taking sides to support or oppose things the way you do in America and upholds a code of standards.

Morgans remarks came in response to Oprah Winfreys interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Morgan said he was skeptical of Markles claim that she had been turned down by people in the royal institution when she asked for help in dealing with thoughts of suicide.

Who did you go to? Morgan demanded. What did they say to you? Im sorry, I dont believe a word she said, Meghan Markle. I wouldnt believe it if she read me a weather report.

Tappers tweet included a link to a Variety story reporting that Britains Office of Communication, better known as Ofcom, had received more than 40,000 complaints about Morgans comments by 2 p.m. the next day.

We have launched an investigation into Mondays episode of Good Morning Britain under our harm and offence rules, an agency spokesperson told the publication.

Like any good champion of free speech, Tapper was beside himself.

Governments should have no role in policing news broadcasts, he wrote. You can tweet Piers what you think of his comments. Thats not what this is about.

Iesha Mae Thomas, social media producer for a country radio station in London, had a different take.

Jake, honey, do your research, she tweeted. Were perfectly fine without a First Amendment. (And Ofcom isnt the government.) Part of the problem, Tapper later acknowledged, could be summed up by the old saw that the United States and Britain are two countries separated by a common language. We use the same words, but those words dont necessarily have the same meaning.

Take the word government.

For Tapper, it seemed obvious that a public agency would be considered an arm of the government. For the British, though, a government is more tied to politics. Its what a prime minister forms after putting together a majority in Parliament. The word is used in a way similar to the way Americans use the word administration.

On its website, Ofcom describes itself as an independent agency funded through fees paid by the companies it regulates. The agency has broad responsibility. It oversees all types of communication, including not just radio and television, but also broadband, telephone services and even mail delivery.

British citizens responding to Tapper suggested that the real insanity was in an American system where news operations broadcast lies with near impunity.

OAN wouldnt last five minutes here, one said, referring to the Donald Trump allies at One America News Network.

Neither would MSNBC, another shot back.

For Guru-Murthy, putting oversight of broadcast news outlets into the hands of a nonpartisan agency only makes sense.

The alternative is TV news that can mislead, manipulate and lie without consequence acting as cheerleaders for politicians, helping grow division and conspiracy theories with the only regulator being the commercial market, he tweeted. To many Brits, thats dangerous and undesirable.

Hyunsu Yim, business reporter for the Korea Herald, said its not just the British who look askance at the American model.

Its really hard to emphasize and get it through to Americans sometimes, he tweeted, but most countries are NOT envious of Americas no-holds-barred approach to freedom which seems like pure chaos to the rest of the world.

To be honest, it sometimes seems that way to Americans.

Kelly Hawes is a columnist for CNHI newspapers in Indiana. Send comments to editorial@therepublic.com.

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Lessons on Free Speech from the Soviet Union – KKOH

Posted: at 10:35 am

I have never been a big fan of Piers Morgan, but I dont understand why he was forced to quit his show.

Piers Morgan recently criticized Prince Harry and Meghan Markles interview with Oprah Winfrey. In response to Morgans comments, more than 41,000 complaints were filed against Morgan to the Office of Communications (Ofcom).

Its pretty ludicrous that talk show hosts cannot express their opinions in a free society. Personally, I think Morgans comments were very negative toward Markle. Morgan was friends with her briefly and doesnt trust her.

That said, commentators should not be fired for criticizing a public figure, even if some of that criticism arose from a personal dislike.

If people dont like what a pundit is saying, they can change the channel. Any government agency that can punish members of the media for their opinions will ultimately protect the powerful and entrenched at the expense of everyone else.

One of the greatest British journalists of the 20th century was Garreth Jones. In the 1930s, Jones was the first to report about a manmade famine that killed almost 10 million people in the former Soviet Union. Most of the casualties were in the Ukraine, where the 1932-33 famine is known as Holodomor.

Other journalists based in Moscow refused to write any story that was critical of the Soviet government.

One such journalist, Walter Duranty, who was based in Moscow for the New York Times, decided to deliberately lie about Jones.

Duranty wrote an article accusing Jones of writing a big scare story.

In the same article, Duranty wrote: In short, conditions are definitely bad in certain sections the Ukraine, North Caucasus and Lower Volga. The rest of the country is on short rations but nothing worse. These conditions are bad, but there is no famine.

While Durantys brand of journalism resulted in him having a nice apartment, a mistress and international prestige, Jones was condemned as a liar.

In 1935, Jones was murdered under mysterious circumstances.

While reporting in Japanese-occupied Manchuria as a foreign correspondent, Jones and a German journalist were captured by a group of thieves. They demanded a ransom. The German journalist was released while Jones was killed.

While the level of Soviet involvement in Jones death is unclear, further investigation indicated that a Chinese contact for Jones and his German colleague loaned them a car to drive into Mongolia.

This Chinese contact is now believed to have been a Soviet NKVD agent.

Jones chose to tell the truth while Duranty publicly attacked Jones character and his reporting.

If we dont oppose the idea of journalists cozying up to powerful people, some of these journalists will eventually give in to the temptation of preserving their status at the expense of exposing the truth.

If Ofcom can take down a journalist as powerful as Morgan, other journalists will fall in line with what the UK government wants.

That is what happened with Duranty in the Soviet Union. There must be zero tolerance for this dangerous dynamic.

In 1990 and 2003, the survivors of the manmade famine and their descendants fought two unsuccessful campaigns to force the Pulitzer Board to revoke Durantys Pulitzer Prize. The New York Times refused to support either campaign.

In 2003, the Pulitzer Prize Board claimed that no clear and convincing evidence of deliberate deceptionwas found in Durantys reporting from 1931. If only it were so.

The New York Times conceded two very important points in 2003 in an official statement regarding Duranty.

First, they pointed out that Durantys cabled dispatches had to pass Soviet censorship, and Stalins propaganda machine was powerful and omnipresent.

In other words, Duranty had to comply with Soviet censorship at all times.

The second concession in that official statement was even more chilling: Since the 1980s, the paper has been publicly acknowledging his failures.

In other words, for decades the New York Times refused to publicly acknowledge Durantys duplicity in the 1930s.

It was only after the publication of Robert Conquests book Harvest of Sorrow in 1986 that the truth could no longer be denied. Although the New York Times has criticized Durantys articles, the paper still refuses to join the campaign to revoke Durantys Pulitzer Prize. For instance, as late as October 2017, Bret Stephens wrote a review in his column about Anne Applebaums book about the Holodomor.

Stephens notes that Durantys coverage of the Soviet Union was extremely misleading, but his column does not suggest that his Pulitzer be revoked.

Stephens then ponders: How many readers, I wonder, are familiar with this history of atrocity and denial, except in a vague way?

For understandable reasons, he chose not to consider the possibility that maybe the reason people know so little about this famine, or the cover-up, is because of Durantys articles in the New York Times denying its very existence.

In her book Red Famine, Anne Applebaum points out that Duranty was not the only one to engage in this deception. Applebaum quoted William Henry Chamberlin, who was correspondent in Moscow for the Christian Science Monitor. Chamberlin explained that any journalist whose articles did not comply with Moscows wishes works under a Sword of Damoclesthe threat of expulsion from the country or of the refusal of permission to re-enter it, which of course amounts to the same thing.

Applebaum also quoted Eugene Lyons, who was the United Press (now United Press International) correspondent in Moscow from 1928-1934:

The truth is that we did not seek corroboration for the simple reason that we entertained no doubts on the subject. There are facts too large to require eyewitness confirmationThere was no more need for investigation to establish the mere existence of the Russian famine than investigation to establish the existence of the American depression. Inside Russia the matter was not disputed.

It is time for the New York Times to demand that Durantys Pulitzer Prize be revoked. Jones and millions of Ukrainians died while Duranty and other journalists benefited from this lie.

While I doubt media censorship in Britain or the United States will ever reach Soviet levels, recent journalistic trends in both countries are highly troubling.

Whether it is the overreaching of Ofcom, or the willful lack of objectivity and accuracy that has become so common in American newsrooms, we must fight for freedom of speech at every opportunity.

Robert Zapesochny is a researcher and writer whose work focuses on foreign affairs, national security and presidential history. He has been published in numerous outlets, including The American Spectator, the Washington Times, and The American Conservative. When hes not writing, Robert works for a medical research company in New York. Read Robert Zapesochnys Reports More Here.

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Lessons on Free Speech from the Soviet Union - KKOH

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Could the Rise of Psychedelics Boost the Retreat Business? | INN – Investing News Network

Posted: at 10:34 am

The psychedelics investment boom continues to gain steam could there soon be avenues to bet on the growing business of psychedelic retreats?

Picture yourself in a serene tropical landscape. Youve packed up your bags to make the trip and now youre listening to the calming words of an expert practitioner whos guiding you through an internal journey to help you better yourself through the effects of psychedelic substances.

This scenario might sound unusual, but its not as outlandish as you might expect. Psychedelic retreats have a niche audience that is on the rise and could be on the verge of wider mainstream growth.

As people become more interested in the potential of unplugging from the stressors of daily life to reconnect with a more spiritual self, the business of psychedelic retreats could have its day in the sun amid the overall renaissance in the psychedelics market.

The Investing News Network (INN) spoke with companies in the psychedelic retreats industry to learn about what goes into setting up a retreat, and whether market participants can expect to see companies focused on this aspect of the business eventually list on the open market.

The stigma surrounding psychedelics as a novel form of medicine is starting to wear off, according to experts, and new companies have had a warm reception in the capital markets.

The business of psychedelic retreats offers its own stigma, such as antiquated notions of paralyzing drug trips in unknown locations in the middle of the jungle. But these are now giving way to a more specialized approach in the pursuit of business standards.

Marik Hazan, CEO of Energia, a psychedelics-focused venture capital firm, told INN the psychedelic retreats space has its own breakdown of subsections.

He described streamlined and standard retreat operations in a more uniform environment, alongside more established adventure trip packages seen in locations such as Latin America.

I think that the majority of the industry right now is focused more on these deep experiences, he said.

The expert added that most retreats offer consumers a couple of psychedelic experiences through stays that are three days to a week long. Hazan pointed to psilocybin and ayahuasca as the main compounds used around the space.

Hazan told INN he is interested in seeing companies use psychedelic compounds at retreats, but also wants to see them combine the use of these drugs with services.

For example, Energia has partnered with the Arcana Armada, which is working to set up interactive narrative therapy through which consumers can participate in microdosed prepared roleplay scenarios.

This type of model offers a glimpse into whats ahead for the flexibility of psychedelic retreats.

People enter the psychedelic retreats business through many paths, but most begin their journey when they experience a retreat for the first time.

Jonathan de Potter, founder of Behold Retreats, told INN he had his own personal misgivings about the psychedelics industry at-large before attending a retreat. But actually going to a psychedelic retreat caused him to reevaluate everything.

His company now sets up events across the world for people looking for private retreats or group experiences. After filling out an application and completing a detailed consultation process, Behold Retreats evaluates users needs; if all parties agree, a location is set and arrangements are made.

Behold Retreats customers can play a big role in shaping their experience, de Potter said. Some people come to us and they want the full Amazon jungle immersion other people are like, I want white walls and I want to be no further than 20 feet away from a latte machine for the entire week.

The executive emphasized that its crucial for those looking to participate in a psychedelic retreat to prepare for the experience as seriously as they prepare for the actual drug trip.

(People) are really excited about going into one of these retreats and having a profound experience, said de Potter. And theres nothing wrong with that, but our neural patterns, our thinking patterns, are decades old and deeply entrenched, so what were actually talking about is rewiring some of those patterns. It can feel like youre a brand-new you at the end of a one week retreat.

Jol Brierre, founder and CEO of Kaivalya Kollectiv, agreed with de Potters warning, saying that using psychedelic substances at a retreat can lead many to an uneven place if not handled properly.

A lot of these people arent taking preparation into consideration, theyre not taking a screening into consideration this person has an experience that they cannot understand and have no faculties to be able to begin to explain, he said.

Kaivalya Kollectiv is set up with locations in Mexico and Costa Rica, Brierre told INN.

The expert is a specialist in psychedelics and plant medicine, including 5-MeO-DMT, a notorious compound commonly found in toads typically located in the Sonoran Desert. Brierre warned that approximately 90 percent of those currently providing it are nowhere near qualified to serve it.

The expert didnt shy away from discussing the potency of experiences that the toad compound can create. He described the trip as a death of the ego within oneself the individuality under which the brain operates is lost for a period of time, leading to what Brierre described as a mystical experience without any proper language to explain it.

According to Brierre, Kaivalya Kollectiv has different price tiers for retreats depending on whether they are for individuals or group efforts. Group retreats on the low end of the scale will range between US$2,000 and US$2,500, while the high end can go to US$4,500. In terms of individual retreats, these can vary between US$5,000 and US$12,000. The expert said the retreats usually last for five days.

The expert admitted that this might sound daunting its a complicated event to analyze for those just starting out with psychedelics.

A good percentage of people have some difficulty unpacking that experience, because it shatters and defies everything they ever thought they knew, he told INN.

Its very common for people to go on a psychedelic retreat, undergo a profound, potentially life-changing experience, and then end up in the same place emotionally a few weeks after the retreat has finished, said de Potter. This is because people make the mistake of seeing plant-based medicine as a one-stop solution for ailments or mental health issues.

As such, de Potter stressed to INN that the work done before a consumer even grabs their passport is just as vital as the work done on location. The executive cautioned anyone expecting a psychedelic retreat to magically cure all their ailments to rethink how they see these drugs.

People are not able to understand what a good retreat looks like, because they dont know what theyre looking for people are skipping the mental and emotional work, said de Potter. Theyre really excited about going into one of these retreats and having a profound experience but our neural patterns, our thinking patterns are decades old and deeply entrenched.

In cautioning against seeing these substances as magical curing drugs, de Potter described plant-based medicine as neutral, meaning user intent will cause different reactions after the consumption of psychedelic substances.

Brierre echoed de Potters sentiment, telling INN that these substances are a catalyst, not a solution.

After a big psychedelic experience, what a lot of these companies arent taking into consideration is that the psychedelics themselves arent the medicine, Brierre said.

A crucial component of making sure new users dont end up lost in a drug trip is the relationship set up with the experts acting as guides through this potentially taxing experience.

Once youve got them there, you can take that time to get comfortable with each other, said Brierre. The person should really feel comfortable and safe with the person whos about to crack them open.

The expert, whos been working with plant medicines for seven years now, explained fears can quickly take over a person once the substances have kicked in.

Psychedelic retreat opportunities began gaining interest and acceptance at the same time as the travel industry largely stopped because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moving forward, Hazan said companies in this space will have to work on improving all their online features and operations to stay ahead of pandemic concerns.

Both Behold Retreats and Kaivalya Kollectiv plan to prioritize private retreats compared to communal group ones due to COVID-19 concerns.

I think COVID has helped us get the word about private retreats out more, Brierre told INN. He said that just before the pandemic took over, Kaivalya Kollectiv was looking to set up between 12 and 15 retreats per year thanks to an uptick in interest.

For his part, Hazan told INN he is concerned about a tourism approach to psychedelic retreats, since they can lead to the reductive use and appropriation of imagery from native communities or other symbols associated with the locations retreats may take place in.

What a lot of people would argue though is much of those practices are not rooted in indigenous methodologies, said Hazan. And a lot of people are reaping the rewards of monetizing things framed as traditions, and packaging it for the more streamlined centers.

Hazan also raised a red flag when it comes to ketamine-based retreat models. Ketamine is addictive, so there needs to be significantly more education on the signs of addiction, he said.

The Behold Retreats executive said he recognizes that the renewed level of interest in retreats is happening against the bigger spotlight for psychedelic medicine. But he is worried about the effect all this attention could have.

Theres a lot more people that are jumping on the bandwagon with, I dont want to say predominantly commercial motives, but they dont necessarily have the skills, said de Potter. The reality is that this is a nascent and unregulated ecosystem.

The industry of psychedelic retreats has a lot going for it, and with psychedelics-focused companies going public in increasing numbers, could investors be on the verge of seeing an entity go public based purely on a psychedelic retreat model?

It seems like anything that has psychedelics in it is able to go public these days, Hazan told INN.

When asked about the possibility of the market seeing companies go public based entirely on a retreat-based business, de Potters answer was emphatic as well.

Why not? I think absolutely, it will happen. Its just a matter of who and when and where and why, he said. And I would really come back to that question of like, why are they listing on the markets?

Dont forget to follow us @INN_LifeSciencefor real-time news updates!

Securities Disclosure: I, Bryan Mc Govern, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.

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These Are the Female Pioneers of Psychedelics – Green Entrepreneur

Posted: at 10:34 am

March31, 20216 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Lets talk about women who were ahead of their time, the curious, the risk-takers. These are women who paid prices they should never have had to. Im humbled to stand upon their shoulders and their work, and I wish I could tell everyone about them. Every person seated next to me on the plane, train, or bypassing me on the sidewalk. But work in psychedelics is not a conversation for everyone. However, for those willing to listen and learn, Id come with my curveballthat were all hallucinating. Our lives are, asSeth Anilexplains it, one big controlled hallucination. What our brains see and process is only part of the picture, unique to each of us. You can see numerous geometric sight tests to prove this concept, but Ill use an everyday one. I had a blue, bright blue face mask on my counter the other day, and every time I passed it, my brain told me it was my phone alighting with a new message. We move too quickly to perceive the whole picture, and we fill in the blanks with expectations, hopes, and learned experiences. Why, then, should enhancing that perception be anything short of miraculousor healing?

In my last article, I discussed the barriers women faced in the industrys history, including the severe prices women like Maria Sabina had to pay for their work. But theres plenty more in addition to Sabina, so lets continue the discussion by spotlighting more women pioneers of psychedelics.

While men in research relied heavily on their wives for support and documentation, Valentina Wasson was often leading rather than assisting.Shefirst introduced R. Gordon Wasson to the world of mushrooms, thoughher husband often receives credit for bringing mushrooms to public attention in America. She then led the excursion that introduced Westerners to Maria Sabina and bravely published the account of her mushroom trip.

Perhaps the most notable of Valentinas contributions was creating a connection between psilocybin and various treatments. It was after she experienced her spiritual healing in Sabinas velada that she proposed psilocybin to treat pain associated withalcoholism, narcotic addiction, and mental disordersand end-of-life care. Later this treatment was reinforced by Laura Huxley, Joan Halifax, and many innovative researchers today.

Valentina Wasson helped build the cultural bridge that would lead to our current and developing understanding of psilocybins therapeutic benefits. Her groundbreaking interview is among many firsthand accounts that fueled psychedelic research.

Part of the pioneers legacy is delivered via documentation. And when it comes to women pioneers in this field, we owe a nod toMabel Dodge Luhan, a wealthy socialite, and the first woman to document a peyote trip. Sure, she had status on her side, yet writing about controversial topics in this eraspecifically as a womantook significant courage. Indeed, the societal consequences for such behavior in Manhattan, 1914 was enough pressure for Mabel to move to Mexico. There, she would start a literary community and continue peyote trips unthreatened by U.S. laws.

Related:Miley Cyrus Says Ayahuasca Changed Her Life

Equally important when it comes to documentation isAdelle Davis, a writer, and leading American nutritionist throughout the 60s and 70s. She was the first woman to publish (although in her pen name, Jane Dunlap) a full-length book on her LSD experiences, Exploring Inner Space (1961). The book covered five LSD experiences under psychiatrist supervision and insisted on the drugs ability to help Davis overcome writers block, improve her mood, and enhance relationships with her family.

Although the food and health industry disagreed with Davis nutritional works, her criticism of and her attachment to LSD as a means to meet God had a profound influence.

Talk about a subject thatll render your airplane seatmate uncomfortablelets discuss psychedelics and death. Not accidental, death mind you, instead a means to add beauty and comfort to the profound unknown. Thats what Laura Huxley helped pioneer by administering LSD to assist the dying. Throughout their marriage, Laura became an integral partner in Aldous Huxleys psychedelic experiments. Upon Aldous final hours, Laura proposed the drug to decrease his anxiety and assist in his transition to the unknown. In the hours leading up to what was referred to by the physicians present as the most beautiful death, Laura gave Aldous 100 micrograms of LSD.

Connected to Laura Huxleys notion of Dying Healthy, is the work of American Zen Buddhist Roshi Joan Halifax, Ph.D. Halifax is known for her work on an LSD research project with terminally-ill cancer patients and a co-authored book, The Human Encounter with Death. Halifax has stated that her work is based on transforming the experiences of clinicians, patients, and the institutions that serve dying people. Throughout her career, Halifax maintains that LSD can help patientschange their views of death. For one patient, in particular, she recounts how, In the end, he was much more accepting of his mortality as his death drew near.

Psychedelics are considerably associated with near-death, paranormal, and inexplicable phenomena that coincide with parapsychology. For mediumEileen Garret, Director of the Parapsychology Foundation, LSDs uses dont stop at death. Garret advocates for LSDs ability in investigating parapsychological phenomena, finding it a very serious method by which one reaches the deep levels of the unconscious self.

As noted, many cultures have used psychedelics for sacred purposes, yet North American culture has dismissed such usage by and large. Thats where we thank Mary Barnard, an American poet best known for her translation of Sapphos works. Barnards insights reinforce the sacred purposes of psychedelic substances. She suggested thatmind-altering plantscould be the origin of the sacred or spiritual, performing as vehicles for a special kind of experience adaptable to the use of most religions that acknowledge an otherworld and permit its exploration. The notion that psychedelics are the basis for imagination and spiritual beliefs paved the way to destigmatization.

All these women have shown us that psychedelics are proven resources for our evolution and treatment. They blazed the trail for our current research as we attempt to disrupt and drive change in the mental health and psychedelics industries. I couldnt be more proud to be a part of the revolution.

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How to Survive a Bad Trip – Green Entrepreneur

Posted: at 10:34 am

Free Book PreviewCannabis Capital

Learn how to get your business funded in the Cannabis economy!

April2, 20215 min read

Tripping can be fun, magical, and even transcendental, but it can also be profoundly sad and challenging, filled with tears and confusion. While some prefer the term challenging to bad, psychedelics can cause repressed memories and emotions to bubble up. You may also get stuck in what psychonauts call a negative thought loop: a seemingly endless cycle of anxiety-ridden thoughts and feelings. Yet luckily, there are steps you can take to mitigate this negative headspace, whether youre tripping with your closest friends, an experienced guide, or on your own. And hopefully, by following these steps, the bad experience will result in cathartic takeaways.

RELATED:Why Do Edibles Make You So Darn High?

While this may sound simple, remembering to breathe and doing so mindfully is your first defense against a bad trip. If things get challenging, focus on your breath and try exhaling for longer than you inhale, noticing tension release. Some people find that holding onto a small object, like a rock or crystal, can help to keep them grounded as they breathe through the tough stuff. You can also try doing some light yoga or meditation if you already have a regular practice. And if youre not too far gone, its a good time to remind yourself that youve taken a psychedelic and this feeling will pass; its all part of the experience.

In psychedelic clinical trials, guides will often advise volunteers to surrender to the experience, especially if its a challenging one. If you feel like youre dying, melting, dissolving, exploding, [or] going crazy, go ahead and embrace it, says Dr. Bill Richards, who helped develop the psychedelic-assisted therapy model practiced today at institutions like Johns Hopkins University. The important thing is to accept the experience rather than to fight it; show compassion and curiosity to these negative thoughts, feelings or experiencesor as clinicians say, trust, let go, be open. Try repeating a mantra while you connect with your breath. You never know, there may be transcendence on the other side.

RELATED:Oregon Just Legalized Psilocybin. What Does This Mean?

Because psychedelics render you more sensitive to your environment, a change in scenery can have a profound impact on your mood. If youre having trouble accepting a difficult experience, theres no rule that says you have to sit with it for the entire duration of your trip. One of the best ways to change the mood is to switch things up, either by moving from one room to another, or by going from indoors to out (or vice versa), if thats an option. It can also help to change the music or the lighting, making you feel like youve transitioned from one destination of your trip to the next. If most of these tricks sound like way too much effort for your state of mind, try just taking off your shoes and touching your feet to the ground. Stand up and walk around barefoot to shift away from that heavy, negative energy and to ground yourself.

Experienced psychonauts know that negative thought loops are a possibility while tripping, and so they prepare activities or distractions to help if they arise. This can be anything you think youll enjoy on psychedelics, like making art or music, or experimenting with different sights, sounds, and textures. The trick is to prepare everything before you start tripping. So set up some art supplies in your kitchen, put out some musical instruments in your living room, place some art or nature books on the coffee table, chop up some fruit, decorate your house with fresh cut flowers or other pretty things to look at, or download some nature documentaries whatever speaks to you. When youre feeling down or stuck during a trip, get up and seek out one of the distractions youve prepared, and your trip will likely take a whole new direction.

RELATED:How Psychedelics Helped Me Find Safety

If youre tripping with other people, dont be afraid to tell them youre struggling. If your friends are also tripping, you dont have to go into too much detail if you think itll bring them down, but you should still reach out. Cuddle up, hold hands, and talk about something else (like how funny your dog is or even the grains in the wood furniture). Human connection or even just physical touch can help lift you out of a negative place. If youre afraid your trip might be dominated by negative feelings or if youd like to work through something particularly tough, you may want to seek out a trip sitter, experienced guide, or psychedelic retreat. It can be beneficial to have someone sober and supportive around, especially if you get confused or scared. If its too hard to breathe through things on your own own, tell your guide or trip sitter, and theyll likely hold your hand and hold space for you. Their presence alone can really help you move through a rough patch.

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Jewish law: May parents waive childrens obligation to mourn for them? – The Jerusalem Post

Posted: at 10:33 am

In popular mindset, the 12-month mourning period (avelut in Hebrew) is about the mourner who is obligated to observe the customs and prohibitions of the period. It might therefore surprise people that Jewish law permits parents to request that their children not observe these prohibitions after the initial 30-day period.The basis for this ruling is a discussion in the Talmud whether a person may demand not to be interred. Jewish law rules that we do not respect this request because the commandment to be buried relates to ones inherent dignity, rooted in being created in Gods image, that cannot be simply waived. In contrast, mourning rituals done for the deceaseds benefit or honor may be waived in ones lifetime. Requests for no eulogies or modest writings on headstones must be respected since they are intended to praise the deceased, who may choose to give up on these honors.

The Talmud, however, did not address questions relating to avelut itself, such as shiva and shloshim, the seven- and 30-day periods of mourning observed for ones immediate relatives. In the 16th century, rabbis Yaakov Reischer and David Oppenheim ruled that we respect the wishes for a person who request that his or her loved ones not observe avelut. The case, perhaps not surprisingly, dealt with someone who was on their death bed in the period immediately before their childs wedding date and wished that the ceremony should still take place. Rabbis Reischer and Oppenheim asserted that mourning rituals are done for the sake of the honor of the deceased and therefore their wishes should be respected.

This ruling, however, was in opposition to the position of Rabbi Moshe Isserles, who followed Rabbi Yaakov Weil (15th century, Germany) in asserting that one could not waive these periods of avelut. This was either because they were concerned that mourning is ultimately for the sake of the mourners, or that these periods are a bona-fide obligation that, whatever their rationale, may not be waived. The generally accepted position affirms that these initial periods of avelut must be observed.

This disagreement was only regarding the shiva and shloshim periods, which are standard in all cases of mourning. What about the extended 12-month period, which exclusively marks the passing of ones mother or father? In this circumstance, Rabbi Weil asserts that parents may waive this requirement since the extended period of mourning is only done out of a sense of honor for them (kibbud av vaem). This position is approved by Rabbi Yoel Sirkes and subsequently by all other decisors, such as rabbis Yehiel Epstein, Chaim Medini, Avraham Danzig, Ovadia Yosef, and many others.

To appreciate the widespread acceptance of the parental ability to waive the 12-month avelut period, it pays to compare it with the various rabbinic positions taken to a similar question. Can a parent request a child not to recite kaddish for them? The mourners kaddish emerged in the 12th century as a form of intercessory prayer that would help atone for the sins of the deceased and reduce their suffering in the afterlife. One might assert the deceased should be able to waive recitation of kaddish since this is for their benefit, like a eulogy. While this conclusion was accepted by a few decisors, including Rabbi Yekutiel Greenwald and Rabbi Feivel Cohen, it was rejected by a significant majority of decisors, for a variety of reasons.

These include: 1) concerns that not reciting kaddish might create the mistaken impression that the children was of illegitimate origins or not actually his seed, thereby impugning on his reputation; 2) the parents potential motivation to want to avoid imposing on the child to regularly attend services; since a child must try to attend synagogue anyway, this is not a sufficient justification; 3) most fundamentally, in light of the great benefit the deceased receives from the kaddish recitation on his behalf, the deceased would certainly regret this decision. Given its spiritual benefits, a person simply does not have the ability to waive such lofty assistance, and therefore children should ignore this request and recite kaddish. As such, one does not see the option of waiving kaddish in contemporary handbooks of halachic literature. Decisors do not respect the potential motivation nor do they think that it is in the best interests of the deceased. This is in contrast with waiving the 12-month avelut requirement, which was widely accepted.

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Interestingly, two prominent legal decisors, rabbis Eliezer Waldenberg and Yosef Elyashiv, innovatively asserted that even if the deceased did not expressly waive the mourning requirement, we can assume that he would in cases when it is clear to the mourners that their parents would have clearly desired for their children to participate in a family celebration, such as the wedding of a grandchild. Not all decisors, including Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky, agree with this suggestion of simply assuming this is the case.

Fascinatingly, one lesser-known scholar, Rabbi Gershon Ephraim Marber (Warsaw/Antwerp, 18721941) suggested that parents should explicitly waive the extended 12-month period so that children will not fail in the difficult obligations imposed in this period, especially when it comes to family celebrations.

Is this a good idea? In the most recent issue of the journal Hakirah, I expound at great length on the wisdom of this suggestion to encourage waiving the avelut requirement. It should be clear, however, that the prerogative of a parent to choose, on their own initiative, to waive avelut for their children after the 30-day mourning period remains entirely acceptable.

The writer is co-dean of the Tikvah Online Academy and a post-doctoral fellow at Bar-Ilan University Law School. His book, A Guide to the Complex: Contemporary Halakhic Debates, received a National Jewish Book Award.

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This Passover, Im contemplating the plague of ageism – Forward

Posted: at 10:33 am

I used to think old people were either cute or sad.

The cute ones were Kirk Douglas or Ruth Bader Ginsburg doing push-ups, and gray-haired couples animatedly talking to each other or walking hand in hand in the park.

The sad ones were stooped, infirm, inept, crotchety, disheveled, occasionally incoherent, and mostly invisible.

I used to laugh when comedians mocked elderly men who still flirt when a pretty girl passes by, and 80-something women who still dress with panache and take pains with their make-up as if they had a prayer of attracting the male gaze. In other words, having absorbed from the world around me its negative stereotypes of seniors, and its cultish adoration of youth, Id succumbed to the plague of ageism.

Since turning 60, then 70, then, incredibly, 80, Ive cringed at age-related stereotypes and raged not just at the dying of the lightDylan Thomas immortal phrase for mortality tremorsbut at the maddening societal attitudes that dismiss my cohort as over the hill has-beens.

In 2017, Americas seniors totaled more than 46 million, a number expected to nearly double over the next 30 years. Yet children and young people are still being indoctrinated with the same disparaging images and demeaning mindsets about age and aging that I grew up with.

Jewish tradition, though more balanced, sends mixed messages. On the one hand, our liturgy and sacred texts constantly refer to elders as repositories of wisdom, compassion, experience, understanding, judgement, and insight. The Torah reminds us that Moses was 80 and Aaron was 83 when they made their demand on Pharaoh, an act of immense courage and chutzpah. The Talmud calls 80 the age of strength. Proverbs describes a hoary head, (gray hair) as a crown of glory, implying that longevity is the reward for a life of righteousness.

On the other hand, we also encounter descriptions in granular detail of the depredations and burdens of agedimmed vision, physical weakness, mental confusionand perplexing paradoxes. Leviticus commands, You must rise up before the aged and honor the face of the older person; you must fear your God, aligning the will of the deity with the dignity of the aged and suggesting that Adonai stands ready to police ageism.

Yet during the High Holy Days, Shema Koleinu has us reciting the Psalmists plea, Do not cast us off in old age; when our strength fails, do not forsake us. Surely, Im not the only one who hears those words as an indirect expression of, dare I say it, the divinitys occasional slide into ageism. Why else would God require an explicit request to not abandon those who are weaker than they once were.

Just as our inherited tradition tries to reconcile these contradictions, so should we tackle the scourge of age-bias and confront the idolatrous worship of youth. We must assume the best (imputing to older people personal value, continuing capacities and aspirations), while accommodating to the worst (the inevitable depletions of age) by providing care and kindness until the end of life. Anything less will be a plague on humanity and a shanda for our people.

This piece was produced in partnership with Jewish Book Councilas a part of a Passover supplement for Dwelling in a Time of Plagues. To download the full Passover supplement, which includes ten authors and ten artists responding to ten modern plagues, please click here.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward.

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It is hard to connect to the Torah as a trans Jew. Here’s why I’m trying anyway. – JTA News – Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Posted: at 10:33 am

This essay originally appeared on Alma, 70 Faces Medias feminist Jewish culture site.

Had you asked me 20 years ago, 10 years ago, even last year (truthfully, last month) if Id ever quote the Torah in a piece I was writing, I probably would have (respectfully and nervously) laughed in your face.

The Torah makes me anxious because I know that it holds the potential to oppress me as a genderqueer trans Jew. And I know it informs so many Jews of their strongly held beliefs, and those beliefs directly oppress me and others. They use the Torah to justify hate and bigotry and embolden some to actively and directly harm people. As Jewish as questioning and challenging everything is, I was never taught to actually do it. So when these particular Jews would weaponize different Torah verses and decide that their one interpretation was the Word of God, that was it for me. Fin. I never questioned it. I just took it at face value. Add the fact that Id never really seen myself reflected in any of the stories Id heard, and I never even saw the purpose of trying to connect to the Torah.

Still, I struggled. As I work at Keshet, a national nonprofit that works for the full equality for LGBTQ Jews and our families in Jewish life, I am constantly faced with the question of how relevant the Torah can be as I run workshops and teach about inclusion as a Jewish value. I point to our poster of Seven Jewish Values for an Inclusive Community and recite my spiel. I have to admit that when I first started teaching this four years ago, I dont know that I truly believed what I was teaching; I hadnt quite internalized it yet. I was in the beginning of my healing journey with Judaism. Id felt so deeply rejected so much of my life that I didnt even know it was possible to connect again to Judaism in an authentic way as a queer and trans person.

One of the values from our poster that continuously stuck out to me and replayed over and over in my head was btzelem Elohim, the notion that we are made in the image of God (or the divine) pulled directly from Genesis. As the poster explains, if we see each person as created in the image of God, we can see the humanity and dignity in all people. True inclusion is built upon this foundation.

This made sense to me, yet I still had a difficult time applying it to myself.

The questions kept coming: Do I even believe in God? If I was made in the image of God, then why do I need to change my body to relieve my dysphoria and see/be/feel myself? Why do I even feel dysphoria? Was I a mistake? Am I broken? If God is real, why do humans suffer? And why do humans suffer at the hands of other Jews?

Over the last few years, Ive been training myself to think outside the binary in more ways than just gender. Ive been rewiring my brain to think in a both/and instead of an either/or kind of way. Either/or stops a conversation, while both/and invites expansion and possibility. If this is true, what else can be true? Is this the only truth? There must be more to the story. Can two things be true at once? Its a lot to hold, and its not always easy.

Ive never been interested in text studies. I didnt want to dig into Torah. It felt like Id be giving too much power and attention to this thing that I kept thinking was my oppressor. Then one day I decided I needed and wanted to push myself on this. I wanted to face the thing that scared me as Id done with so many other aspects of my life.

So with my colleague Rabbi Micah Buck-Yael, a trans person who became a rabbi in part to challenge the patriarchy and help carve space for queer Jews, we started chatting Torah. And I pushed back on every single word they said. I asked them a million questions. Even questions like: What is the Talmud really? What is midrash really? Then we started talking about the moment we are in now: on the precipice of rereading, reimagining and reinterpreting Torah and doing it through a queer lens. There are many queer and trans folks who have been queering the Torah for years, individually and through programs like Svara, while actively working to make queer Jews more visible.

Then it dawned on me: Id been approaching Torah all wrong. Its not an either/or. Its a both/and. Its not either this verse is the law of the land or nothing; instead I get to decide what Torah means to me. I get to choose which meanings resonate with me. And if none do, I get to create my own. If the sages and rabbis get to, why cant I?

Maybe the concept of btzelem Elohim needs an update for those of us who arent sure we believe in God. Because whether or not we believe doesnt change the fact that transness is holiness. I am divine. I find my strength from within and dont need any outside sources, God included, to be my own constant, my own divinity. I was made the way I am because its who I am meant to be. Every move or mistake Ive made, every lesson Ive learned, has made me who I am, and I wouldnt trade any of my experiences to be born any other way.

When Im in Jewish spaces where Im feeling on the fringes, or have moments when Im questioning if I really belong or if anyone really, truly sees me, I can dig within and remember that I exist, therefore I am visible even if only to myself and, ultimately, thats what matters most. I am btzelem Elohim, divine and holy. And the Torah gave me that.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

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Virtually no more Jews left in Iraq, only empty buildings | | AW – The Arab Weekly

Posted: at 10:33 am

BAGHDAD--The death of Dhafer Eliyahu hit Iraq hard, not only because the doctor treated the neediest for free, but because with his passing, only four Jews now remain in the country.

At the Habibiya Jewish cemetery in the capital Baghdad, wedged between the Martyr Monument erected by ex-dictator Saddam Hussein and the restive Shiite stronghold of Sadr City, an aged Muslim man still tends to the graves, but visitors are rare.

The day of Eliyahus burial, it was me who prayed over his grave, the doctors sister said.

There were friends of other faiths who prayed too, each in their own way, she added, refusing to give her name.

To hear Jewish prayer out in the open is rare now in Baghdad, where there is but one synagogue that only opens occasionally and no rabbis.

But Jewish roots in Iraq go back some 2,600 years.

According to biblical tradition, they arrived in 586 BC as prisoners of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II after he destroyed Solomons Temple in Jerusalem.

In Iraq, they wrote the Babylonian Talmud on the very land where the patriarch Abraham was born and where the Garden of Eden is considered by some to have been located, in the heart of the Mesopotamian marshlands.

More than 2,500 years later, in Ottoman-ruled Baghdad, Jews were the second largest community in the city, making up 40 percent of its inhabitants.

Some were very prominent members of society like Sassoon Eskell, Iraqs first ever finance minister in 1920, who made a big impression on British adventurer and writer Gertrude Bell.

Turning point

At the start of the last century, the day of rest and prayer was Saturday, as per the Jewish tradition, not Islams Friday, as it is today.

Today, one prays at home, said a Baghdad resident knowledgeable of the citys Jewish community, who also chose to remain anonymous.

And when people with a Jewish name deal with the administration they will not be well received, he added.

According to Edwin Shuker, a Jew born in Iraq in 1955 and exiled in Britain since he was 16, there are only four Jews with Iraqi nationality who are descendant of Jewish parents left in the country, not including the autonomous Kurdish region.

A turning point for Jewish history in Iraq came with the first pogroms in the mid-20th century. In June 1941, the Farhud pogrom in Baghdad left more than 100 Jews dead, properties looted and homes destroyed.

In 1948, Israel was created amid a war with an Arab military coalition that included Iraq.

Almost all of Iraqs 150,000 Jews went into exile in the ensuing years.

Their identity cards were taken away and replaced by documents that made them targets wherever they showed them.

The majority preferred to sign documents saying they would voluntarily leave and renounce their nationality and property.

Still today, Shuker said, Iraqi law forbids the restoration of their citizenship.

By 1951, 96 percent of the community had left.

Almost all the rest followed after the public hangings of Israeli spies in 1969 by the Baath party, which had just come to power off the back of a coup.

Promotion of Zionism was punishable by death and that legislation has remained unchanged.

Continued haemorrhage

Decades of conflict and instability with the 1980s Iran-Iraq war, the invasion of Kuwait, an international embargo, the 2003 American invasion and the ensuing violence completed the erosion of the Jewish community.

By the end of 2009, only eight members remained, according to a US diplomatic cable.

And the haemorrhage didnt end there.

A jeweller threatened by militiamen who coveted his goldsmiths work went into exile, followed by Amer Moussa Nassim, grand nephew of author and renowned economist Mir Basri, in 2011.

At 38, Nassim told AFP he left Baghdad to finally live a normal life and get married, as the only remaining Jewish women in the city of millions of people were two elderly ladies.

Six months ago, one of the two, known as Sitt (lady in Arabic) Marcelle, a tireless advocate of the community, passed away.

And on March 15, she was followed by Elyahu, aged 61.

Israel, on the other hand, is now home to 219,000 Jews of Iraqi origin.

They left behind in Iraq homes and synagogues, which, up until 2003, were in perfect condition and each owner identifiable, Shuker said.

All it takes is a vote in parliament to return everything to the families.

But today, the buildings still stand empty, padlocked and crumbling from neglect, carrion for war profiteers in a country where corruption and mismanagement reign.

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