The Psychedelic Chalice: Tales from the Aussie Underground

Title: The Psychedelic Chalice: Tales from the Aussie Underground

Author: Dale Carruth

Copyright© 2024 – Dale Carruth. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be copied without express permission from the author.

Published by 3 Feathers Books

[email protected]

[email protected]

Cover Art by Dale Carruth

Proofreading and editorial advice:

ISBN: 9780645324952 print

ISBN: 9780645324969 ebook

Subjects: Underground Psychedelic Therapy – Psychedelic Therapy - Healing Trauma – Psychotropic Drugs – Entheogens – Psychedelics – Plant Medicines – MDMA – Psilocybin Mushrooms – Ayahuasca – Iboga – DMT – 5MeODMT - Australia - Underground

First Edition, March 2024.

Printed by Ingram Spark

Legal Disclaimer

The content of this book and all concepts, ideas, facts, historical accounts and other information included in it (all hereafter referred to as this Book) have been provided for educational and entertainment purposes only.

The Publisher and Author and Contributors to this Book make no representations or warranties of any kind about this Book, including (without limitation) representations or warranties as to diagnosis, prevention, treatment or cure of any medical or health condition.

This Book is not designed to replace or take the place of any form of medical advice. This book is not intended to replace the need for independent medical or other professional advice or services, as may be required.

This Book has been compiled from sources deemed reliable, and it is accurate to the best of the knowledge, information and belief of the Publisher and Author. However, the Publisher and Author do not give any warranty or guarantee as to its accuracy and validity, nor as to the outcomes you may experience from following or using any techniques, strategies, examples or information contained in the Book, and cannot be held liable for any errors and/or omissions.

This Book contains general information only, and does not take into account the unique, individual circumstances of any reader. This Book is not intended to replace the need for independent, professional medical or other professional advice and services based on your particular circumstances. Where appropriate and/or necessary, you should consult a suitably qualified healthcare professional including but not limited to your doctor or such other professional advisor before following or using any techniques, strategies, examples or information in this book.

You agree to accept all risks associated with your use of this Book. By using this Book, you acknowledge and agree with the above disclaimers, and that you have no legal cause of action or any other rights against the Publisher or Author of this Book

Other Publications by Dale Carruth and Awards

2022 – Transformations: Healing Trauma with Psychedelic Therapy.

2021 – Beating the Benzo Blues: Getting off Benzodiazepines.

2018 – 2024 -12 Psychedelic Therapy Feature Articles

2000 – 2021 - Some forty feature articles published in various magazines.

2004 – Award; Creative NZ-PEN Manuscript Assessment.

2003 – Award: Creative NZ-PEN Mentorship.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter One: Col Hawk - Ayahuasca and Cactus.

Chapter Two: Skye Cielita Flor - Ayahuasca

Chapter Three: Julian Palmer – Ayahuasca, Cactus, MDMA

Chapter Four: Juliana Wright – Iboga

Chapter Five: Spam Spagnoli – 5Meo-DMT

Chapter Six: Pip – Psilocybin Mushrooms

Chapter Seven: Nick S – Ayahuasca, Iboga, Kambo, San Pedro

Chapter Eight: Yvonne S – Kambo.

Chapter Nine: Alex Korjavine – Kambo, Changa, Ayahuasca, Cactus

Chapter Ten: Dale C - Psilocybin and MDMA.

Conclusion

References

Alienation from nature and the loss of the experience of being part of the living creation is the greatest tragedy of our materialistic era. It is the causative reason for ecological devastation and climate change. Therefore, I attribute absolute highest importance to consciousness-change. I regard psychedelics as catalyzers for this. They are tools which are guiding our perception toward other, deeper, areas of human existence, so that we, again, become aware of our spiritual essence. Psychedelic experiences in a safe setting can help our consciousness open up to this sensation of connection and of being one with nature. LSD and related substances are not drugs in the usual sense, but are part of the sacred substances which have been used for thousands of years in ritual settings. ― Albert Hoffmann

Acknowledgements

I thank Mother Nature for the entheogenic plants, frogs and fungi and for freely bestowing their healing powers upon us.

I thank all the underground facilitators who bravely took part in this book.

I thank my mentors; Julian Palmer and Friederike Meckel Fischer for your ongoing support and advice.

I thank anyone who campaigns for the legalization of psychedelic and entheogenic medicines.

I thank all the podcasters and youtubers who freely provide psychedelic information.

I thank my friend and spiritual sister Donna Ross Tiegan for your ongoing and unwavering friendship and support.

I pay tribute to my traumatised friends who never made it, and my inspirational friends and mentors who have passed on to a better place.

I pay tribute to the psychedelic elders who have paved the way and the people who have been wrongly incarcerated as a result of trying to heal themselves or help others heal with psychedelics and entheogens.

Introduction

The Underground, the very words evoke images of shady characters, dodgy dealers, law breakers, slick operators, and dark web shenanigans – and in this age of the so called, 2nd Psychedelic Renaissance, some may well have vested interests in painting such a sordid picture of Australia’s underground psychedelic healers. But please do understand – it’s only the 2nd psychedelic renaissance for those who actually stopped using them!

Psychedelics were once legal and used with astounding success to heal a host of mental health disorders in the 40s 50s and 60s. After they were demonized and banished by the powers that be - the bravest of apostles, convinced of their immense healing and spiritual benefits, just quietly shut a door on society and carried on. Others, who later experienced their astounding healing benefits, rose up like phoenixes to join them.

Despite the misinformation and controversy that banished psychedelics from mainstream medicine for the past fifty odd years, their healing potential is once again being enthusiastically espoused in the media and research universities around the world are studying them. After years of emphatic resistance, suddenly out of the blue, the land of Oz – Australia, became one of the first countries in the world to legalise MDMA and psilocybin mushrooms for therapeutic use.

Australia is currently in the process of introducing MDMA and psilocybin into legal mainstream medicine for the healing of a multitude of mental health disorders. However, please don’t get too excited as this is looking to be a tightly controlled process, with stringent entry criteria, and an exorbitant cost to potential recipients. One woman I recently spoke to was quoted a staggering $25,000 for a series of three MDMA treatments, including some requisite counselling. This estimate came via Mind Medicine Australia. I’m grateful that MMA rallied vigorously for the legalising of psychedelics on a mandate that espoused them as an urgently needed therapeutic treatment for mental health disorders – but three MDMA sessions, with counselling, costs approximately one-tenth of that in the underground.

Glaringly absent from the mainstream conversations to date, are the voices and wisdom of the experienced underground practitioners who have been administering psychedelic potions to Australians for at least the past twenty-five years. Yes, underground psychedelic therapy is alive and well and has operated, largely with impunity, across Australia for years. So, at this pivotal time, with science and capitalism dominating the dialogue, and the voices of wisdom and experience being ignored, I sensed the real importance of documenting the stories of some of Australia’s underground healers.

While this book constitutes just a small cross section of those involved, it is, in my opinion, a representative sample of the people you are likely to encounter in the Australian psychedelic underground. It includes several practitioners who were present at the inception of the Western ayahuasca movement in Australia, in the mid-90s.

The practitioners, whose stories you are about to read, bring a depth of knowledge and wisdom to the psychedelic conversation that is pretty much essential to informing the way forward. They also constitute some of the real heroes of the psychedelic renaissance, as they have been, (and some still are,) committed to providing much needed healing to the traumatized people lucky enough to find them - despite great legal risk to themselves.

The people who facilitate this healing are variously trained - employing a range of methods, from traditional Peruvian Shamanism, to self-taught, psychotherapeutic and plant-spirit guided. All have conducted this healing within Australia, and represent the vast melting pot of cultures that make up the population: Russian, German, New Zealander, South African, English, Chinese, and Australian.

The space of the Australian underground psychedelic ceremony is vast - both in relation to the medicines administered and the way in which healing is conducted. Ayahuasca, Iboga, 5-MeO-DMT, Psilocybin mushrooms, MDMA, Mescaline Cactus and Kambo - each offer their own unique healing profiles and all are covered in this book.

Note: This book does not attempt to cover indigenous plant medicine practices. While it’s important to acknowledge that they do exist, they remain a largely oral and secretive tradition and hence outside the scope of this book.

Some Australian Plant Medicine History.

Nick Space Tree and Darpan were among the first to start experimenting with Acacia brews in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. While Nick Space Tree has become a bit of a recluse (I’m told), and is unlikely to talk on record - Darpan is still an active and a somewhat iconic figure in the psychedelic community.

Introduced to LSD and mushrooms in the early seventies whilst studying Psychology at Flinders University, he quickly became a psychedelic convert after realising their immense healing potential. He was deeply influenced by the work of Dr Stanislav Grof, a pioneer in the use of psychedelics in Psychiatry, so after graduating with honours he received further training at a Dutch university where he was instructed in the use of MDMA within a therapeutic context. It was not until his mid-forties that Darpan’s interest in ayahuasca was sparked. He was involved in an ayahuasca study group and in 1996, the group ambitiously decided to invite infamous American psychonaut, Terence Mckenna to Australia. Against all expectations, Mckenna agreed, citing an abiding interest to visit, The land of the Acacias.

Mckenna bought with him forbidden fruit from his ethnobotanical garden – including one of Australia’s first ayahuasca vines. His first stop was Byron Bay, where he gave a series of lectures and delivered an unforgettable psychedelic rap at the legendary Beyond the Brain Festival. He then went on to do a lecture tour of the major cities. Terence became firm friends with Darpan and began sending him regular shipments of Hawaiian made Ayahuasca for his personal use. After this initiation, Darpan was inspired to travel to Ecuador, Peru and Brazil to train with a number of Shamans. Meanwhile he began to hold some of Australia’s first ayahuasca ceremonies. He later trained others, passing on his knowledge to those who felt the call. 

Darpan was also the first person in Australia to get arrested for possession of Ayahuasca (DMT) He says that this incident was like a rite of passage. After a year of house arrest and the subsequent court case, the charges were dismissed. He believes that the plant spirits were testing him, guiding the process and ultimately watching over him. When you consider that his legal fees were funded by a wealthy client - and his bail, (set at $350,000) was posted by another - this seems entirely feasible.

Until recently he travelled annually to Europe speaking at conferences and facilitating shamanic retreats. He has pioneered the use of Ayahuasca within a ceremonial context in both Europe and Australia opening new pathways which are now well established.  

Julian Palmer, who’s story features in this book, is another dedicated provider of psychedelic sacraments. Iconic, irreverent, and a lover of controversy, Julian is a vocal public figure in the Australian psychedelic underground. He has written a book, spoken at international entheogenic conferences and festivals, and featured on various television programmes. Following close on Darpan’s heels, he and his mate, Dan Shreiber, (now deceased) surfed the web to gather intel on scared plant potions. They began concocting and trialling different acaciahuasca brews, and later began serving it to groups in 2001. The Ozzie version of ayahuasca, is often referred to as Acaciahuasca because several native DMT containing acacias are used in the brew.

Julian’s motivation to serve the brew was inspired by the positive results he saw in the people who drank it. Serving it freely for seven and a half years, at 3 to 6 gatherings a year - he only began charging in 2009. He also taught others to make the acacia tea and over the years, has helped many Aussie facilitators in a variety of practical ways – myself included.

Of course, there would be no facilitation of Ayahuasca without the Amazonian vine, Banisteriopsis Caapi. The story of the first vine smuggled into Australia is told to me by Col Hawk, whose story also features in this book. A man we will refer to as ‘M’ had gotten his hands on a book about toxic plants from the library when he was still in Primary school. He was fascinated with a section at the back about Amazonian snuff practices. This fascination turned into an obsession and he saved up money from odd jobs. At the tender age of 17, he took himself off to the Amazon and lived with a tribe for a month.

He sampled a few different ayahuasca vines, but the Shamans told him if he was going to smuggle just one, to take the Cielo Vine as it is the best allrounder. So, M bought back an unrooted cutting wrapped in sphagnum moss in his tooth brush container. He raised it in a pot until he could finally get it in the ground in 1996. It grew to a monster, the largest vine anyone has seen. Hundreds of lives have been transformed by it and its clones. M also bought back seeds for a whole range of Mescaline Cactus, that are now the Australian Standard in most entheogenic collectors gardens.

It was around this same time 96/97, that McKenna bought over his vine and John Seed, another psychedelic elder from The Rainforest Alliance, was given a cutting of an Ecuadorian vine by the great Shaman, Cosimera, for saving his rainforest and vine habitat from loggers. It is still thriving in the Northern Rivers and is a vine that has a real psychic component to it, if you properly connect to its ‘agency.’

The group that has really informed the Australian Psychedelic community was the Shaman Australis Forum (SAB.) A pre social media internet forum where people shared information, plants, trip reports and their lives. There is also an associated nursery selling legal plants, herbs and books. They later started meeting in person, forming deep friendships, alliances, and community. A couple of organisations were later birthed from this group.

The first was Entheogenesis Australia (EGA) established in 2004 and according to Hawk one of the best psychedelic hubs in the world. Its conferences attract the legends of psychedelics and plant medicines from around the world, including the likes of Rick Doblin (MAPS), Kathleen Harrison, Dennis McKenna and Graham Hancock. The conferences started in 2010 and were foundational in the establishment of this scene. These conferences were world class and EGA was a dynamic cultural movement with its fair share of politics, unique characters and Australian cultural influences. In 2013, EGA launched a YouTube video channel - Entheo TV - enabling the public free access to the educational material recorded at EGA conferences.

PRISM (Psychedelic Research in Science and Medicine) started in 2010. Then came The Australian Psychedelic Society, that now has chapters in most states. The APS holds regular meetings which include; presentations of psychedelic movies, speakers, information sessions and social meet ups. They also advocate for the legalisation of psychedelics.

So, Australia has an active hub of informed elders who have been self-policing this community for many years. The anecdotal evidence from this community, exploring plant medicines for 20 plus years, is that the benefits are great, and the damage is rare, when using experienced facilitators. There has been very little injury by misadventure.

My previous book; Transformations: Healing Trauma with Psychedelic