A couple of mornings ago, while making my first questionable choice of the day apropos both of these, I scrolled aimlessly through a well-known, short-form, visually rewarding social media platform — when I stumbled across something remarkable. Even our suboptimal decisions can lead to excellent outcomes. I learned that somewhere in the world, despite all the horror and turmoil of our times, there exists an awe-worthy cohort of people dressing themselves in splendour unlike anything I’ve seen on a runway or red carpet. They gather in the San Juan wilderness — to be mushrooms. Or fungi, to be exact. Also for knowledge and connection; but it was the outfits that stopped me in my tracks.

The very existence of the Telluride Mushroom Festival feels like living proof of the healing and expansive potential of psychedelic mushrooms — not only to soothe human distress, but to bring out the best in us: joy, imagination, devotion, play. A defiant celebration of nature’s ability to steady us, ease our aches, and remind us of what’s possible.

(Amazing pictures by Mycosteph)

It’s been happening for 45 years — who knew? One day, I hope to don my finest stuffed stocking and see it for myself. May we never lose sight of how much needs doing to heal and sustain our world. But I’m glad this is how some people spend some of their time. It feels like a sigh of relief and a statement of hope. Thank you to all the participants in the parade for being so silly and so clever.

Amanda Fielding was a 27-year-old art student when she famously drilled a hole in her own head — and filmed it. The short film she made, Heartbeat in the Brain, was shown to a small, invite-only audience. She wasn’t doing it for shock value. This was a self-performed trepanation, done in the belief that it could enhance consciousness and improve blood flow to the brain. Since no doctor would do it, she took matters into her own hands.

You can read more about that moment here - https://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/28/turner.php, in a fascinating and personal interview with the Countess herself.

Known to some as “Lady Mindbender” or the “Crackpot Countess,” it’s tempting to see her as just another eccentric aristocrat pushing boundaries she could afford to push. Rather, Amanda Feilding has become one of the most influential and respected figures in psychedelic science and drug policy reform.

She founded the Beckley Foundation, which has been at the forefront of psychedelic research for over two decades — funding and supporting studies on substances like LSD, psilocybin, and DMT. Her work has helped shift public perception and scientific understanding of these compounds, especially when it comes to treating mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addiction. Beyond research, she’s also been a tireless advocate for evidence-based drug policy, pushing for laws that reflect science rather than stigma.

Michael Pollan calls her “an essential motivating force in this field,” and Robin Carhart-Harris — one of today’s leading psychedelic researchers — has described her as “a national treasure and a real visionary.”

Michael S. Rosenwald dives into her remarkable journey in The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/12/science/amanda-feilding-trepanation-dead.html (paywalled)

Feilding’s legacy reminds us that genuine progress often begins on the fringe — with those bold enough to ask difficult questions and challenge the status quo. If you're enjoying this series, consider subscribing or sharing with someone curious about the future of mental health, psychedelics, and the brave minds helping shape it.

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My name is Jo, I’m an artist. I will be sharing this Substack with B.S, a therapist.

I’ve been thinking about my focus for this research and I’ve settled on this as my central question.

Of course I’m being glib; psychedelic art is only ugly and stressful in my opinion; for some people it is a joy to behold and enjoying/owning/displaying it makes them feel part of a group. This is not the case for me though and I feel people like me* deserve a new psychedelia.

Through this journey it’s my aim to create paintings and artworks relating to mushroom trips that align with my values and aesthetics. I want to communicate visually something of the feeling of peace and connectedness that mushrooms can bring.

*I consider myself a calm, cautious woman with an interest in the mental health benefits of psilocybin.

My first and only experience of magic mushrooms was back in the day when you could buy a jar of liberty caps on a shelf somewhere in Camden. On this day, I'd finished an emotionally fraught shift at work, before heading to a park to meet friends. All tense and uptight, I was not at all in the mood that I found my silly, sweet friends having a lovely tim…

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It is run by a therapist and an artist and documents our research into psychedelics. We are not experts in the field and we do not promote the use of psilocybin.

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