Psychedelic Evolution
The publisher writes: “A comprehensive guide to psilocybin mushrooms and their impact on our psychology, biology, and social development.
How--and why--do psychedelics exist? Did psilocybin catalyze our early human ancestors’ social evolution? And how can an integral understanding of psychedelics quite literally change the world?
In an ambitious and comprehensive look at psilocybin--and how humanity co-evolved alongside mushrooms--Jahan Khamsehzadeh, PhD, explores our historical and ancestral relationship to psychedelics, presents new and exciting research, and explores what psilocybin can mean for us today.
Separated into three sections--Present, Past, and Future--Psilocybin Connection advances our understanding of psychedelics in unexpected and original ways. Khamsehzadeh shares compelling research that suggests that naturally-occurring psychedelics may have played an essential role in our social, cultural, and linguistic evolution. Supported by archaeological evidence, neuroscience, and academic studies, he explores how mushrooms gave rise to art and expression, impacted spiritual experiences, and even catalyzed human brain development.
Blending people’s transformative experiences and the most comprehensive synthesis of psilocybin research to date, Khamsehzadeh’s Psilocybin Connection moves our understanding of the psychedelic mushroom forward toward a fresh, hopeful, and exciting future.”
My book is now available for order.
“This book’s blend of scholarship, erudition, and imagination makes a compelling argument that human evolution, even the enlargement of our brains, has been due in part to psilocybin mushrooms and their effects on perception, cognition, and imagination. [Khamsezadeh’s] scholarly perspective is persuasive, optimistic, and a pleasure to read.”
—JAMES FADIMAN, PhD, microdose researcher and author of The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide
“The Psilocybin Connection: Psychedelics, the Transformation of Consciousness, and Evolution on the Planet-- An Integral Approach,” is now available in paperback, audiobook, and Ebook across several platforms—Amazon, Audible, Google Play, Barnes & Noble, and directly from the distributor (Penguin Random House).
“Psychedelics are for psychiatry and psychology to what the microscope is for biology and the telescope is for astronomy.” ~Stanislav Grof
I have extensive qualifications in this field, both academically and professionally. I hold a PhD in Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness, a Master’s in Consciousness and Transformative Studies, and a Bachelor’s in Philosophy with minors in Psychology, Physics, and Mathematics. My dissertation on psilocybin mushrooms—the most comprehensive text I have found on the subject—was later published as The Psilocybin Connection by North Atlantic Books. It was one of two books recommended in the New York Times when featuring a segment on psilocybin.
Psychedelics have been a central focus of my work for over 25 years. I have read approximately 85 books on the subject and completed eight psychedelic guide trainings in various roles, including student, assistant, content advisor, professor, instructor, mentor, and supervisor. Some of the organizations I have worked with are the California Institute of Integral Studies, the San Francisco Psychedelic Society, Synthesis, and within a Mazatec Mushroom tradition. Most recently, I became a legally licensed minister with the Congregation of Sacred Practices, providing greater legal protection in this field. I also oversee and mentor ministers in the early stages of their practice.
I have facilitated approximately 700 professional psychedelic ceremonies, including work with Atman Retreats to establish legal psilocybin retreats in Jamaica, one of the first of its kind in the world. Beyond facilitation, I have been featured in 100+ podcasts, presented at major conferences—including South by Southwest (SXSW)—and have contributed to multiple published articles. Additionally, I have created several public offerings, such as Developing a Relationship with Sacred Mushrooms and Sex and Psychedelics, each attended by around 500 participants.
Beyond psychedelics, my training in psychological development, consciousness studies, and healing is extensive. I completed a two-year training in Hakomi, a mindfulness-based somatic psychotherapy method, and spent five years in Diamond Heart, an integrative program combining Western psychotherapy with Eastern philosophy. I have also completed seven Tantra-based trainings focused on sexuality. Additionally, I worked for three years in the Public Programs department at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), where I assisted dozens of psycho-spiritual growth programs. If you want to know more, see my About Me page.
“Avoid Gurus. Follow Plants.” ~Terence McKenna
Welcome
“The ability to observe with non-judgement is the highest form of intelligence.” ~J. Krishnamurti
There are two way I engage with psychedelics and evolution. The first is through my private practice where I support clients in overcoming challenges like anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Others arrive at this work for psychological, emotional, and spiritual development. The second is through deep academic research and training which has been my primary focus for almost two decades. Additionally I present and write about psychedelics in the context of both evolution and psychotherapy. I am trained in variety of psychological approaches, such as somatic-psychotherapy and transpersonal psychology. If you want to know more about my private practice, please see my Services page. If you would like to see me present my research, please see my Videos page. If you want to continue your own research, either on psychedelics and/or evolution, please see my Recommended Readings page, which has hundreds of materials.
