#4: Dr. Gerardo Sandoval Exploring the Sacred Power of 5-MeO-DMT

Explicit content warning

05/26/16 • 60 min

In our most recent podcast, Psychedelic Times founder Joe Mattia got to sit down and chat with Dr. Gerardo Sandoval, one of the world’s leading experts on 5-MeO-DMT about his own experiences with the psychedelic, his new book, and the work he’s doing to advance our understanding of this truly transformative substance.

5-MeO-DMT, also known as the God molecule, might be one of the most remarkable substances ever discovered. A naturally occurring tryptamine found in both plant species and the Bufo alvarius toad, 5-MeO-DMT acts directly on serotonin receptors to offer an intense, concentrated, and profoundly mystical experience. As Dr. Martin Ball says:

“The experience is a feeling of total surrender to the direct presence of our union with God. It is readily comparable to Hindu experiences of Moksha or Buddhist experiences of Samadhi and Nirvana, and it may be more profound than experiences attained through meditation alone. Advanced meditators tend to agree that their deepest meditations barely scratch the surface of the depth of the 5-MeO experience.”

Show Notes:

Dr. Sandoval’s introduction to sacred medicine and the spirit molecule. [04:20]
What are DMT and 5 MeO DMT? [10:10]
The differences between DMT and 5 MeO DMT. [14:00]
Preparing yourself for therapeutic and entheogenic 5 MeO DMT experiences. [16:50]
How to integrate entheogenic experiences. [23:20]
Coping with spontaneous reactivations. [25:30]
Overview of the Bufo Alivarius toad. [29:51]
The building of the Toad Sanctuary. [32:30]
Medical contraindications to toad medicine. [38:20]
Combining 5 MeO DMT with ibogaine. [40:15]
The God Molecule. [42:40]
How Dr. Sandoval stays grounded and centered. [45:40]
What kind of outcomes Dr. Sandoval sees. [48:00]
Using 5 MeO DMT to cope with fear of death. [50:00]
Thanks to Torkomji for our intro music!

Show Notes:

Dr. Sandoval’s introduction to sacred medicine and the spirit molecule. [04:20]
What are DMT and 5 MeO DMT? [10:10]
The differences between DMT and 5 MeO DMT. [14:00]
Preparing yourself for therapeutic and entheogenic 5 MeO DMT experiences. [16:50]
How to integrate entheogenic experiences. [23:20]
Coping with spontaneous reactivations. [25:30]
Overview of the Bufo Alivarius toad. [29:51]
The building of the Toad Sanctuary. [32:30]
Medical contraindications to toad medicine. [38:20]
Combining 5 MeO DMT with ibogaine. [40:15]
The God Molecule. [42:40]
How Dr. Sandoval stays grounded and centered. [45:40]
What kind of outcomes Dr. Sandoval sees. [48:00]
Using 5 MeO DMT to cope with fear of death. [50:00]
Thanks to Torkomji for our intro music!

Previous Episode

#3: Javier Prato Spirit Medicine Movie - Exploring the World of Psychedelic Plants

Javier Prato's brewing up something very special. Our third guest on the Psychedelic Times podcast series, Javier is in the later stages of shooting and directing a documentary about psychedelic plants called Spirit Medicine. The feature-length documentary is complete with forays around the world into the lands of indigenous cultures and their psychedelic healing traditions with Ayahuasca, Peyote, Psilocybin Mushrooms and Iboga as well as exclusive interviews with some of the leading figures in the psychedelic movement.

Some of those figures are Dennis McKenna (ethnobotanist), Gabor Mate (clinical psychologist and addiction expert), Claudio Naranjo (psychiatrist and author), Ralph Metzner(psychologist and consciousness researcher), Jordi Riba (pharmacologist), Rick Doblin (founder & executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies—MAPS), David Jay Brown (science writer and consciousness researcher), Daniel Pinchbeck, (author & Journalist), as well as several neuroscientists, shamans and plant medicine practitioners.

Show Notes

- Javier’s introduction to plant medicines [3:00]
- Javier's introduction to ayahuasca and first ayahuasca experience in Peru [4:00]
- Taking ayahuasca with psychologists and shamans [8:18]
- Javier's history with film [10:02]
- Filming, learning, and making connections at the ibogaine conference [11:50]
- The openness of the psychedelic community and benefits of interviewing people [15:15]
- The primacy of content creation in media [18:50]
- Integrating a psychedelic experience [21:18]
- Traveling to Africa for a traditional Bwiti ibogaine ceremony [24:30]
- Development of Spirit Medicine [31:54]
- Interviewing leaders of the psychedelic community like Dennis McKenna [33:10]
- Dr. Eduardo Jovel, ibogaine conservation, and the Ibogaine Conference [34:00]
- Use of ibogaine therapy for addiction treatment [35:55]
- Production of Spirit Medicine and Kickstarter campaign [36:50]
- Attending traditional peyote ceremonies with the Huichol in northern Mexico [38:15]
- Indigenous use of psilocybin and peyote in Mexico [39:05]

Next Episode

#5: IMPORTANT 5-MeO-DMT Episode #4 Update - Dr Gerardo Sandoval

This is a special update to episode #4 with Dr. Gerry.

The topic was 5-MeO-DMT, and since this episode was recorded, there has been a surge in the media around the topic, including the Vice series: Hamilton's Pharmacopeia.

I have been contemplating deleting this episode and have finally come to the decision that the better thing to do, is to record this update, so here it is.

My team and I decided to keep the episode, because a lot of valuable information was covered. We are using this episode to fill in the gaps. Please consider this is a resource before making any decisions to journey with any specific facilitator.