In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) has a conversation with Dennis McKenna, PhD—renowned ethnopharmacologist, author, co-founder of the McKenna Academy, and pioneer in psychedelic research for over 40 years. A central figure in the psychedelic renaissance, Dennis has explored the intersection of plant medicine, indigenous wisdom, and science since the 1970s. We touch upon topics of: Dennis’ early trips to Colombia and the origins of the “La Chorrera” experiment (05:10) The unexpected role of mushrooms in his spiritual awakening (11:50) DMT and the search for orally active psychedelics (15:30) Shifts in his scientific path after the La Chorrera experience (22:20) Conducting biomedical studies with the UDV in Brazil (31:45) Differences between psilocybin and ayahuasca (45:15) The ethics and cultural impact of ayahuasca tourism (49:00) Sustainable ayahuasca cultivation and community economics (53:30) The myth of how indigenous people discovered ayahuasca (59:10) The importance of preserving tradition in modern psychedelic use (1:06:40) The vision for global symbiosis between North and South through plant medicine (1:13:20) Climate change and the message of Gaia through psychedelics (1:17:55) If you would like to attend one of our Ayahuasca retreats go to www.lawayra.com Find more about Dennis McKenna at https://mckenna.academy or on Instagram @dennismckenna_