Psychedelics
Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies
MAPS sponsors research studies on the use of psychedelics for treating PTSD, addiction, and other serious conditions. Their legal efforts are paving the way for the eventual availability of psychedelics as prescription medications. They also sponsor the Psychedelic Science conference.
The leading scientific organization devoted to the study of psychedelics. Many of the important researchers in the field are members.
A huge and invaluable repository of links, media, and reference materials about psychoactive substances.
A Google Plus community with news on psychedelic research from a hard science perspective. Read it here first.
Skepticism
A blog that offers a scientific perspective on alternative medicine. The bloggers are doctors and scientists led by the indefatigable Steven Novella. It’s fascinating reading even if you aren’t particularly interested in the topic.
“The show where we don’t just report on fringe science, spirituality, and claims of the paranormal. When they make the claims, we show up so you don’t have to.” Ross and Carrie are podcasters who do skepticism the right way–from the inside with lots of humor. They’ve attended an exorcism, cleansed their toxins, and converted to the Mormon church. They manage to be fair and respectful no matter how crazy it gets.
“By condensing, we believe. You and I are dreamweavers of the totality.” Click the “Reionize electrons” button to generate a page of random yet strangely authentic New Age jargon. Remember: “The universe is bursting with electromagnetic forces.”
A huge database of individuals who were harmed physically or financially by irrational beliefs. The cases are organized by categories including vaccine denial, conspiracy theories, energy medicine, religious fundamentalism, and many others.
Transcendental Meditation
The venerable discussion forum for TM believers and critics. The quality of the conversation is all over the map, and there’s a lot of personal invective, but you’ll find information here you won’t see anywhere else.
A blog hosted by a group of prominent TM critics.
An excellent documentary about the TM movement. David Sieveking is a young German filmmaker who learned TM on the recommendation of his idol, director David Lynch. The film includes revealing interviews with Lynch and a number of current and former TM movement insiders. The DVD is available on Amazon.com.
An interview with me in Isthmus, Madison’s alternative weekly. The quote under my picture says “I don’t claim to be enlightened.” I said the opposite on NPR (see below).
Geoff Gilpin on The Maharishi Effect
An interview with me on To the Best of Our Knowledge. I did a ton of radio interviews when my memoir came out and this was the only one where the host had actually read the book. Public radio is a national treasure.