IPN Blog
We Are Accepting Submissions
Our blog features monthly thought-provoking art and written psychedelic pieces from our members. The opinions of the authors do not represent those of IPN as an organization. If you are interested in submitting a blog post, please apply to be an IPN member (if you are not already), review the following, and send your submissions to media@intercollegiatepsychedelics.net.
Criteria and Considerations:
Provides a unique or undervalued perspective in the psychedelic space
Written pieces must be no more than ~2000 words
Opinion pieces should be evidence-based with references
Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis
Selected pieces will undergo ~2-3 rounds of peer review before publication.
Full disclosure: The blog coordinator and the ad-hoc review committee for each submission reserves the right to reject a submission outright after the first round of review. This is uncommon but can happen if claims are not well-founded and/or if the submission requires too much editorial work. This is done at the discretion of the review committee.
Ancient Medicine in Modern Practice
Rain gently patters the leaves outside of the forest hut deep within the forest of the ancient Amazon. A shaman humming an alien yet familiar tune hands you a wooden cup containing a deep maroon liquid, a light steam coming off its surface. The smell of wet earth fills your nostrils as the shaman gently places his hand underneath, urging you to drink until your cup is empty. This is your third helping, and you hand it back to him and he begins to fill it again. Your family shakes and rattles bundles of leaves called chakapas, which rhythmically accompany the shaman’s deep encaptivating melody. As you continue to drink, a euphoric sensation blossoms across your body, your abdomen filling with butterflies.
Bridging the Gap Between the Past and Present in the Psychedelic Renaissance
“It was my destiny to join a great experience”- This quote by Herman Hesse welcomed attendees to the 2023 biannual Psychedelic Science Conference hosted by MAPS in Denver, Colorado. Like hundreds of others in the crowd, I was filled with excitement and awe at being present for the world’s largest gathering of psychedelic enthusiasts.
Integrating Psychedelics and Paralysis: Understanding Non-Obvious Risks Before Pursuing Likely Rewards
A setting sun paints the San Diegan marine clouds a pastel palette as onlookers atop a coastal bluff wait for the famous green flash. Down below on the beach two gentlemen anticipate a different flash. Both have exited their wheelchairs for seats on the sand, the beach a purposeful setting for a ritual they’ve practiced before. They’ve ingested psilocybin-containing mushrooms and, while the Pacific Southwest is surely a beautiful natural setting they might aim to reflect into the mindset they’re about to occupy, there is a more profane reason they’ve come to the beach.
IPN Blog Halloween Special: The Dark Side of Psychedelic Use
In this spooky Halloween-themed blog post, we explore some of the most disturbing and shocking cases of psychedelic use gone wrong. From cults to MKUltra, these stories will make you think twice about psychedelic stereotypes!
What is IT?
Psychedelics allow us to move away from this three-dimensional world – a place where we usually only believe what our five senses can perceive, where time plays out in chronological order, where our logical minds usually lead us to answers, and where we usually rely on proof and data over intuition – to a place of logical fallacy, mystery, wonder, magic, dreams, oneness, fullness, and more fantastical ideas.
More Thyme part II
As I continued deeper into NIO-5, my direct experience became akin to watching the falling of leaves. Just as my gaze cannot dictate the spin of falling leaves, I could not dictate movements of my body – yet, I moved forward.
More Thyme part I
As the ship approached NIO-5, the engine was turned off, allowing the ship’s inertia to carry it to the destination on the surface. Despite my best efforts to cultivate psychological poise in the face of this journey, I was occupied with a nervous habit of clicking my teeth together in a repeating pattern: twice on the left, once on the right, and three times altogether.
Can We Heal Without Tripping?
By Evan LaughlinWe know psychedelics can be helpful, but do we need to trip to get the benefits?
