• Ep. 147 - Pervis Urquia - Shipibos, Prayers, & Plant Dietas
    Dec 25 2024

    **Note: this interview is in Shipibo and Spanish. For a version with English subtitles, please view the YouTube version or Spotify video version**

    **Para ver las notas del programa en español, visita: UniverseWithinPodcast.com/podcast/pervis-urquia**

    In episode 147 of the show, I spoke with Pervis Urquia. Pervis was recommended to me by my good friend Claire Bouleau who has been working with him for the last years. It was a pleasure to sit down with Pervis and his translator, Linberg, to speak about his life, his work, ayahuasca, dietas, prayers, God, and Shipibo culture. Pervis has a really beautiful and strong presence and I trust you will gain much from this interview. Thank you Beth Adele for the subtitles. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

    “Pervis Urquia is the seventh child of a large family from the Shipibo community of El Porvenir. His Shipibo name is Niwe, which means Pure Wind. From an early age, he witnessed the healing skills of his uncle Esteban, who used medicinal plants and chanted healing icaros to heal illnesses. In 1990, Pervis was confronted with an unknown disease, and despite seeking a cure in the city with pharmaceutical drugs, he found no improvement. But his luck changed when he met his uncle Cecilio Flores, who provided treatment using traditional medicine and the power of plants, with strict diets after eating plant leaves. He regained his energy and received praise from his uncle, who encouraged him to continue developing his potential and wisdom in the use of plants to cure diseases. His faith was strong practicing the power of prayers. He continues his mission of receiving patients and offering his valuable treatments based on ancestral knowledge of medicinal plants and their connection to the supernatural.”

    To learn more about or contact Pervis, visit his website at: https://www.mokaparinete.org

    To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

    If you enjoy the show, it’s a big help if you can share it via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. This is super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

    For more information about me and my upcoming plant medicine retreats with my colleague Merav Artzi, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

    Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

    Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin

    YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

    PayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik

    Website: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.com

    Instagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

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    2 hrs and 1 min
  • Ep. 146 - Carole Guyett - Sacred Plant Initiations, Herbalism & Pregnancy
    Dec 11 2024

    Hey everybody! Episode 146 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Carole Guyett. Carole was recommend to me by my friend’s Cathy Coyle and Marta Fabregat, both of whom I interviewed, and it was serendipitous as I had just read one of Carole’s books and thought she would be a great guest. Carole is a medicine woman, herbalist, and author among other things. We sat down and had a really fascinating conversation about her background, her work as an herbalist, sacred plants and their ability to teach, Irish mythology, star beings, pregnancy, and other topics as well. I read Carole’s book The Herbalist's Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth and Beyond when my wife was pregnant and I found it to be invaluable. I really appreciate Carole’s body of work and her views of plants and I respect her a lot. I’m sure you all will find this conversation enlightening. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

    This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universe

    “Carole Guyett is a medicine woman, herbalist, priestess, teacher and author. A practitioner of sacred plant medicine since 1986, her work incorporates herbal medicine, flower essences, plant spirit healing, sacred ceremony and shamanic practices. She has dedicated her life to plants, healing and the awakening of consciousness. Carole offers ceremony and transformative learning experiences intended to assist individuals to fulfill their potential and embody their soul’s dream. Her work blends the Celtic tradition with the teachings of the Beauty Way from Turtle Island. She delights in bringing the gifts of the plant world to others, offering teachings and ceremonies both internationally and from her herb centre Derrynagittah in the west of Ireland.

    Carole is author of Sacred Plant Initiations and The Herbalist’s Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth and Beyond. She is founder of the Foundation for Sacred Plant Medicine and the Temple of Plants spiritual community.”

    To learn more about or contact Carole, visit her website at: https://derrynagittah.ie

    To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

    If you enjoy the show, it’s a big help if you can share it via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. This is super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

    For more information about me and my upcoming plant medicine retreats with my colleague Merav Artzi, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

    Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

    Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin

    YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

    PayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik

    Website: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.com

    Instagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

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    1 hr and 56 mins
  • Ep. 145 - Michal Scheffler - Ayahuasca, Bridge-Keeping, & Weaving the Word
    Nov 27 2024

    Hey everybody! Episode 145 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Michal Scheffler. Michal was introduced to me by our mutual friend Marta (who I interviewed in episode 16). Michal has led a very fascinating and full life. He was a DJ for many years and holds two degrees in psychology. His interest in consciousness led him to Latin America and ayahuasca where he spent time with different indigenous groups such as the Huni Kuin, Yawanawa, Shuar, as well as the Santo Daime church. We spoke about this journey and then what led him to other teachers such as the Colombian taitas, Andean traditions, and the Tubu nation of the Colombian Amazon. We spoke about the power of the word, storytelling, his journey into fatherhood, his involvement in the Imago community, and a lot more. I think Michal’s wisdom is very apparent and it comes through his word and presence. I was really happy to sit down and speak with Michal and hear his wisdom and I trust you all will gain much from him as well. Also if you wait until the end, Michal sings one of his songs that came to him when calling in his son, on the Andean-Amazonian story of Origin. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

    “Michal Scheffler (Sanken Koshi) is the founder and leader of IMAGO Community, a spiritual organization formally established in Brazil and USA, yet present across the Americas.

    IMAGO stewards an altar that bridges the ancestral tools and wisdom of the Amazon and Andes into the new time.

    While spending the last 11 years immersed in studying indigenous wisdom traditions, passing through a wide variety of diets and initiations led by the teachers of the jungle and the mountains, he predominantly trained in Brazil and Colombia. The core of his offering is expressed through the weaving of the traditional chants of the Yawanawa nation with the ritual based on the geometry of word, song, story and dance.

    While being guided by the teachings of the Law of Origin, Sanken Koshi has also walked a more formal path of university study. He carries two degrees in psychology and specializes in community building. He has observed that cultivating supportive community provides the integrity to create lasting shifts and benefit the individual process.

    Fascinated by the reprogramming of consciousness, he adds a subtle academic approach to support the evolution and long-term benefits of the individuals and the collective.”

    To learn more about or contact Michal, visit his website at: https://www.imagocommunity.org/

    To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

    If you enjoy the show, it’s a big help if you can share it via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. This is super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

    For more information about me and my upcoming plant medicine retreats with my colleague Merav Artzi, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

    Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

    Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin

    YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

    PayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik

    Website: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.com

    Instagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

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    1 hr and 40 mins
  • Ep. 144 - Jasper Degenaars - Mushrooms, Mycology, & their Ancient Use
    Nov 6 2024

    Hey everybody! Episode 144 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Jasper Degenaars. Jasper was recommended to me by our mutual friend Jeff Chilton (episode 81). Jasper is a mycologist and educator and it was really a pleasure to sit down and speak with Jasper. We got into mycology, a bit of education on mushrooms, their medicinal and spiritual use, the history of mushroom use in ancient cultures around the world, and even the ideas that their use was at the forefront of modern spiritual practices and even advanced the evolution of humans. Jasper has a wealth of knowledge and I think is a kindred spirit on this pursuit of knowledge and wisdom and I really enjoyed this conversation and believe you will as well. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

    This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universe

    “Jasper is a mycologist and educator. With 12+ years of mushroom cultivation experience and over 2500+ students taught since 2019, he illuminates the intricate world of Fungi with passion and expertise. Jasper has co-created over 20+ educational experiences & retreats on top of countless in-person workshops and classes he has taught all over the world. With a penchant for interdisciplinary collaboration, he cultivates diverse communities of learners, empowering them to explore the symbiotic relationship between fungi, people, and their environments.”

    To learn more about or contact Jasper, visit him at: https://fungiacademy.com

    To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

    If you enjoy the show, it’s a big help if you can share it via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. This is super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

    For more information about me and my upcoming plant medicine retreats with my colleague Merav Artzi, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

    Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

    Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin

    YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

    PayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik

    Website: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.com

    Instagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

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    2 hrs and 15 mins
  • Ep. 143 - Paul Hutchinson - Sound of Freedom, Plant Medicines, & Healing Darkness and Trauma
    Oct 23 2024

    Hey everybody! Episode 143 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Paul Hutchinson. Paul was introduced to me through a mutual acquaintance. Paul is a really fascinating guy. He was a very successful entrepreneur who was called, literally, to begin to work undercover saving children from child trafficking. He was one of the characters the film Sound of Freedom was based on as well as a producer. Paul and I sat down to speak about his life, his work saving children, notions of trauma and darkness, what it means to be a warrior of light, and how he has found that working with plant medicines has had a revelatory effect on himself and changed his work to not only patch symptoms, but to get to the root causes of human suffering and ending abuse. I really honor Paul and his work and am sure you all will find this a fascinating conversation. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

    This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universe

    “Paul Hutchinson retired in 2017 from his professional career as a business partner and entrepreneur to focus entirely on rescuing children enslaved in sex trafficking.

    After leading over 70 undercover rescue operations, Paul realized that the only way to end child trafficking was to fight the problems in society that create supply and demand for this heinous crime: abuse, addiction, trauma, broken homes, etc.

    That's when Paul founded Liberating Humanity.”

    To learn more about or contact Paul, visit his website at: https://liberating-humanity.com

    To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

    If you enjoy the show, it’s a big help if you can share it via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. This is super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

    For more information about me and my upcoming plant medicine retreats with my colleague Merav Artzi, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

    Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

    Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin

    YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

    PayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik

    Website: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.com

    Instagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

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    1 hr and 40 mins
  • Ep. 142 - Jason Grechanik - Tobacco, Plants, Dreaming & the Imagination
    Oct 9 2024

    Hey everybody! Episode 142 of the show is out. In this episode, I am releasing a podcast where I was interviewed by Shonagh Home. Shonagh was one my podcast a while back and invited me to be on her’s, called The Mushroom’s Apprentice. I really enjoyed speaking with Shonagh and she is a really good interviewer and asked really deep questions. We spoke about my background, plant medicines, ayahuasca and tobacco, trees, the traditional process of dieta, indigenous and Western cosmovisions, dreaming and the imagination, and humanity and the mind in general. I really enjoyed being on her podcast and I hope you all find this conversation deep and insightful. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

    This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universe

    “For many years, Jason has had a deep interest in plants as medicine. After studying various modalities, he has lived, studied, and worked in the Amazon for the more than a decade. He runs plant medicine dietas there and throughout the world, weaving Amazonian tobacco traditions with Celtic tree wisdom. He facilitated for many years ayahuasca workshops at the Temple of the Way of Light. He also hosts a podcast calledThe Universe Within Podcast. He is married with a son. Jason is also an Eagle Scout. In his free time, he enjoys practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (he is a brown belt), spending time in nature and at home, woodworking, riding his motorcycle.”

    To learn more about his work, visit his website at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

    To listen to The Mushroom’s Apprentice podcast, visit Youtube & Spotify: https://www.youtube.com/@themushroomsapprentice8793 & https://open.spotify.com/show/7n4xvsbELCSmj6flfWxuIA?si=298e8e10cc8340e5

    To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

    If you enjoy the show, it’s a big help if you can share it via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. This is super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

    For more information about me and my upcoming plant medicine retreats with my colleague Merav Artzi, visit my site at: https://www.NicotianaRustica.org

    Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

    Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin

    YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

    PayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik

    Website: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.com

    Instagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

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    1 hr and 46 mins
  • Ep. 141 - Hans Wilhelm - Consciousness, Meditation, Dimensions & Astral Beings
    Sep 25 2024

    Hey everybody! Episode 141 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Hans Wilhelm. Hans is an author and illustrator who has a really good YouTube channel called Life Explained. He creates short videos where he illustrates spiritual laws of the universe. He does a really good job with his channel and I think it’s really informative and wonderful for both children and adults. We spoke about Hans’ background, the mind, meditation, the Work of Byron Katie, spirituality, consciousness, planets, astral beings, and even aliens! It was a really interesting conversation and I hope you all get a lot out of it. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

    This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universe

    “Hans Wilhelm is a mystic, best-selling author and illustrator of over 200 books for all ages – including some together with Byron Katie. His books have sold over 40 million copies and are translated into 30 languages. His YouTube videos are explaining and depicting the spiritual laws of the universe. They are non-denominational and have become an important source of inspiration and help for his over 15 million viewers around the world.”

    To learn more about or contact Hans, visit his website at: https://www.lifeexplained.com/

    To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

    If you enjoy the show, it’s a big help if you can share it via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. This is super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

    For more information about me and my upcoming plant medicine retreats with my colleague Merav Artzi, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org

    Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

    Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin

    YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

    PayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik

    Website: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.com

    Instagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

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    1 hr and 46 mins
  • Ep. 140 - Matthew Toussaint - Ayahuasca, Apprenticeship, Tradition, & the Art of Medicine
    Sep 11 2024

    Hey everybody! Episode 140 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Matthew Toussaint. Matthew came highly recommended to me and I was really glad we could make this podcast happen. Matthew is an anthropologist who came to plant medicines at a young age. It brought him to the Peruvian Amazon where he began a deeper dive and apprenticeship with ayahuasca and a lineage of curanderismo. We spoke about his background, ayahuasca, dieta, apprenticeship, tradition and lineage, myth, tree medicine, martial arts, christianity, imagination, meditation, and other topics. I think this is a really in-depth interview and one of the better and more informative talks you will find about these specific subjects in regards to plant medicines. It’s a testament to Matthew’s work and dedication and I trust you all will gain much from his wisdom. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!

    This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universe

    “Matthew Toussaint is originally from upstate New York. He has a background in Cultural Anthropology, where he conducted original ethnographic research on the emergence of ayahuasca shamanism in Western contexts. He first went to Peru to drink ayahuasca in 2008, and that experience was life-changing.

    For the next six years Matthew continued to deepen his relationship with the plants until he relocated to Peru in 2014. Since then he has worked professionally with plant medicine in a variety of contexts: at two retreat centers, in private groups, and in one-on-one sessions. He teamed up with Maestro Alberto and Casa Del Maestro in 2021.

    Matthew helps coordinate and manage the administration of our retreat programs, translates for guests, supports the guest experience, and serves as an apprentice to Maestro Alberto. He loves the work and is honored to share this medicine with the world.”

    To learn more about or contact Matthew, visit their website at: https://www.casadelmaestromedicina.com/

    To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_w

    If you enjoy the show, it’s a big help if you can share it via social media or word of mouth. And please Subscribe or Follow and if you can go on Apple Podcasts and leave a starred-rating and a short review. This is super helpful with the algorithms and getting this show out to more people. Thank you in advance!

    For more information about me and my upcoming plant medicine retreats with my colleague Merav Artzi, visit my site at: https://www.NicotianaRustica.org

    Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.com

    Patreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithin

    YouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerks

    PayPal, donate: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanik

    Website: https://UniverseWithinPodcast.com

    Instagram: https://instagram.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Facebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcast

    Music: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & https://nahira-ziwa.bandcamp.com & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

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    3 hrs and 17 mins