͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

Welcome back to HEATED—Emily here, with a dispatch from a recent trip I took to New York City. (Get it?)

The entirety of today’s article is for paid subscribers only, as subscriptions are what keep us afloat. To support this work and never miss a newsletter, become a subscriber today.

Trip balls, save the Earth?

I fell down the rabbit hole of Psychedelics for Climate Action. Then I came back to reality.

Emily Atkin

Jun 19

∙

Preview

READ IN APP

Should we all be this lady? Source: Getty Images.

Personally, when I take mushrooms, the last thing I want to do is think about climate change.

But that’s apparently what I should be doing, according to a new advocacy group. Psychedelics for Climate Action, or PSYCA, argues that the use of mind-altering substances and Indigenous plant medicines—like ayahuasca, psilocybin, ibogaine, ketamine, and LSD—can inspire people to help solve the climate crisis.

PSYCA held its official launch at the Psychedelic Assembly in New York City last month. I decided to attend, because frankly, I’ve been pretty bummed out about the state of the world lately. I figured at the very least, going to this would be fun.

It was—but it was also genuinely thought-provoking. So today, I’m going to tell you how I fell down the rabbit hole of tripping balls for the planet—and how I ultimately came back to reality.

A pile of rocks at the PSYCA launch in New York City on May 28, 2024. Attendees were told to take a rock before entering the main panel room. After the panel, we meditated while holding our rocks. It was nice!

Down the PSYCA rabbit hole

The Psychedelic Assembly is a social club for people who love tripping. Located in relatively soulless Midtown East, the club’s gathering space is cute and quirky—part library, part cafe, part performance-slash-dance-party venue. It’s a nice place to open your mind...