McKenna Academy of Natural Philosophy

a catalytic nexus for the

tran s formation of global consciousness

Founded in 2018 by visionary ethnopharmacologist, Dr. Dennis McKenna, the McKenna Academy of Natural Philosophy will explore modern and tra-ditional practices, ideas and technologies that foster the understanding of nature, consciousness, the cosmos and their interweavings with humanity. The Academy’s mission is to advance a symbiotic and evolutionary partnership with the entire plan-etary community of sentient species. Such an alliance will help catalyze a global transformation of human consciousness, creating a new philosophical and ethical paradigm whose values are in harmony with, rather than in opposition to, the natural order. The McKenna Academy provides a real-world, scalable approach to address today’s most vexing problems.The time is now.

McKenna Academy of Natural Philosophy A Modern Mystery school

Modern science grew out of Natural Philosophy, a fusion of philosophy and science that considers mind and consciousness as inseparable aspects of nature. Before modern science became fragmented into specialized disciplines and restricted to quantitative study, Natural Philosophy acknowledged the limitations of reduc-tionism and embraced complementary ways of understanding derived from intuition, insight, and inspiration. The human mind perceives the world through lenses that no other instrument can simulate. The best tools to polish and clarify those lenses, to inspire and educate mankind in this “new” emergent paradigm, are the Plant Teachers — the sacred psychedelic medicines.

McKennA AcAdeMy will serve As A globAl nexus:

• A center for intellectual inquiry, spiritual and moral development, philosophical discourse, and the exercise of human imagination and curiosity

• Agatheringplaceforthefinestmindstocatalyze,study,understandandadvancetheco-evolutionoflife,mind and consciousness

• An academy, providing a fully-integrated curriculum including spiritual, shamanic, exploratory and medical useofPlantTeachers.Inthisrespect,theMcKennaAcademyisthefirstexperientialmysteryschool—combining plant experiences with rigorous academic inquiry — to exist since antiquity.

Future oF McKennA AcAdeMy

• The McKenna Academy provides a replicable model for the establishment of a “21st century mystery school” that can function as both a template and a seed for future expansion in other regions of the world.

• The Academy will collaborate with committed partners, to develop models of managerial oversight and co-branding. This will ensure that institutions under the Academy’s um- brella implement the highest levels of ethics and governance, and provide investors unparalleled opportunities to achieve lastingfinancial,environmental,andsocialinvestmentreturns.

“…Collaborate with friends and colleagues to manifest

a vision that will transform global consciousness, and help humanity to evolve

toward intelligence, compassion, and wisdom.” ~ Dr. Dennis McKenna

The catalytic nexus — the mystery school — is a place for experimentation and practice, to create new paradigms in wellness and wisdom never seen before, and never more needed than now. Ayahuasca and other sacred psychedelic medicines are the key tools to effect that transformation, accompanied with emerging “sacred technologies.” These traditional plant medicines do not exist in isolation; they are an essential and integral part of the local culture, land, and spiritual traditions of the people. The Academy is a place where we can learn to listen, again, to the lessons of the revered Plant Teachers, that have always taught our species. We still have much to learn from them, poised as we are on the cusp of history’s end, suspended midway in our arduous journey from apes to angels.

Five Key dePArtMents oF the AcAdeMy From the exploration of simple theories to the applicationofthemostcreativetechnologiesforconsciousnessevolution,fivedepartmentswillhelptoorganize diverse programs customized for different audiences — novices to gurus. Publications & Media will ensure outreach to communities on the other side of the planet as well as the local community in Peru. ThesefivedepartmentsestablishapromisingfoundationforglobalevolutionoftheAcademyitself.

RESEARCH &DEVELOPMENT

THERAPEUTICS

EDUCATION

PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA

WELLNESSTOURISM

RESEARCH &DEVELOPMENT

The scope of the research includes Ethnopharmacology & Ethnobotany, Agronomics & Nutrition, Food Science, Mycology & Microbiology, Biopros-pecting & Phytochemical Discovery. It will integrate the best of cutting edge science with traditional plant wisdom, leading to truly empowering, healing medicines. These will reach local and global markets, all within an ethical contextoffairtrade,sustainability,andbenefitsharing.

THERAPEUTICS

EDUCATION

PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA

WELLNESSTOURISM

Retreats catering to wellness tourism such as yoga, integrative medicine and holistic therapy, life coaching, alternative healing, etc. This model developed at the Academy can be replicated in other parts of the world.

Expand and evolve the current ayahuasca retreats to include diverse holistic, mind-body-spirit modalities. Develop specialized retreats for thought lead-ersandpeopleinpositionsofinfluenceincorporate,government,andac-ademic circles. Create customized therapeutic retreats for psychedelic and integrative therapists and their patients, post treatment recovery groups, and individuals seeking alternative, complementary healing.

Small and large conferences and symposia focused on pressing and timely topicsareanothermeanstopropagatethemessagetoinfluentialleaders.Specialized training courses, study abroad and post-graduate programs for psychedelic and integrative therapists can be developed in collaboration with academic institutions active in psychedelic research and developing therapeutic paradigms.

The four branches of the Academy above will have global outreach with an integrated department for Publications & Media. This will include the tradi-tional physical forms of media as well as utilizing and exploring the possibili-ties of the newest, most innovative forms of technologies.

McKenna Academy at Willka T’ika,

Sacred Valley of Peru

The McKenna Academy’s physical home will be situated at Willka T’ika, a globally recognized luxury wellness retreat center located between Machu Picchu and Cusco, ranked #1 TripAdvisor Hotel in the Sacred Valley of Peru.

willKA t’iKA is the perfect venue to create

“a catalytic nexus for the transformation of global consciousness.”

It is one of the “power spots” on the planet for the emerging evolution toward higher consciousness. And because of the unique ancient Lucuma Tree and the powerful Chakra Gardens created by founder Carol Cumes, Willka T’ika is a lens through which this transformative energy becomes focused.

These plant intelligences support and guide us in our indi-vidual and collective evolution toward higher consciousness, transformation and healing.

The Time is Now

“Evolutionary biologists cite one momentous event in history – when the first single-celled organisms virtually wiped each other out due to competition over resources and nearly destroyed life on earth. Then, at the 11th hour, something extraordinary happened. They learned to co- operate and share resources, forming ‘complex co-operative communities’ and thus kick-starting multi-cellular life as we now know it. As a spe-cies, we might well be standing at the threshold of a similar moment.”

– Tyringham Initiative Websiite

As a species, and as individuals, we stand at the threshold of a critical moment in hu-man history, and, perhaps, in the survival and continued evolution of life on earth. Those of us in this community, those who have heard and heeded the message from Gaia’s ambas-sadors, the Plant Teachers, are faced with a daunting responsibility, as well as a great gift.

First, we must wake up to what is happening.

And then we must ‘wise up.’

That is, we must become wise, and express that wisdom in creating a new paradigm, a new understanding of our relationship to Na-ture and to ourselves, a relationship grounded in compassion and symbiosis, rather then competition and dominance.

MCKENNA ACADEMy

WILL BE THE INCUBATOR

THAT NOURISHES

THE EMERgENCE Of

THIS STILL EMBRyONIC

gLOBAL CONSCIOUSNESS.

PlAnt teAchers: the cAtAlysts For chAnge

In the last 25 years global planetary culture has rediscovered Nature’s intelligence in the form of the Plant Teachers, long under stewardship of indigenous peoples, who have always understood their message even when the rest of the world wasn’t listening.

Those who accept this profound gift are discovering healing, compassion, and love; for themselves, for others, for this precious planet, and for all life.

Those who accept and propagate the teachings of plant wisdom are the cutting edge of the catalytic shift in global consciousness that we so desperately need.

PlAnt teAchers: rediscovering PlAnt wisdoM

Scienceandmedicinearefinallybeginningtounderstand:

Theillnessesthatafflictusasindividuals,oursociety,andourspecies,theillnesses that impede our conscious evolution, are all the same.

They are illnesses of the spir it. They are illnesses of the soul.

Andwearerediscoveringthattheremediestotheseafflictionsmayonceagainbefoundinthesacredmedicines,solongvilified,condemned,andprohibited.

Wearefindingthatthemedicinesofthespiritwillbefoundnotinthedemonicspawnofbiopharmaceuticalartifice,butinthesimple,sacred,remediesofnature:leavesandbarks;teasandtinctures;mushroomsandroots;flowersandseeds.

We are rediscovering, again, what our indigenous elders have always known.

Ayahuasca in particular has escaped

from its home in the Amazon and

encircled the world in its tendrils,

offering symbiosis to our troubled

species on behalf of the global com-

munity of life. Increasing numbers of

people, appalled by the corruption

and dysfunction of political and

religious institutions, are accepting

the offer, traveling to the Amazon or

bringing ayahuasca’s wisdom to their

own communities.

Statistics Show: The Time is NowMany opportunities for growth potential exist in a variety of areas. A few examples are listed below.

Peru, wellness & sPirituAl/MysticAl tourisM

• Tourism is the third largest industry in Peru. Growing by 25% annually with ~ 3.5M visitors per year.

• Global wellness tourism is a $494B industry that has grown 12.7% since 2012, a growth rate nearly 50% higher than that of overall global tourism.

• Wellness tourism is estimated to grow by 9.1% annually through 2017, a growth rate that is nearly 50% higher than that of overall global tourism.

• International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service (ICEERS) estimates 900 people/yr drink ayahuasca at one of the most popular retreat centers in Iquitos. TripAdvisor lists 128 centers in the area. If each received half that number (450), that’s 57,600 people/yr visiting Iquitos for ayahuasca.

globAl Food biodiversity: Agriculture - Food - cuisine

• Peruisoneoffiveplacesintheworldwhereagricultureoriginated.Ancestralfarmingtechniquesstillbeing utilized would now be coined “permaculture.” Many permaculture initiatives are being installed in the Sacred Valley — the agricultural center for the Inka.

• About 50% of globally important food crops originated in the Sacred Valley.

• The biodiversity of food crops in Peru is unmatched anywhere in the world.

• The concept of “superfood” originated in Peru with grains such as quinoa and amaranth, and fruits such as camu camu and acai. The world knows these as “superfoods;” while in Peru, they are simply part of local cuisine.

• In terms of potential development of Peruvian superfoods for the global food chain, we’ve barely touched the tip of the iceberg.

• As one of four countries that preserves the coca leaf as legal, internationally recognized companies inPeruarefindingwaystobringthissacredplanttotheworldasabeneficialnutritionalfoodand medicine that honors cultural traditions.

• Peru’s famous world-class cuisine attracted 385K attendees at their 11-day Mistura Food Festival in Lima in 2015.

ESPD50 Shows: The Time is Now.TheEthnopharmacologicSearchforPsychoactiveDrugs(ESPD)wasalandmarkscientificconferenceheldatTyringham Hall in June 2017 in the UK (www.espd50.com). The successful conference demonstrates that there is widespread thirst for impactful conferences on a variety of topics..

• ESPD50 was a small private conference with only 18 presenters and ~60 guests (each paying about $1500). But it was open to the world with the technology of social media.

• Facebook live stream received nearly 284K total views.

• Individual presentations received between 10K and 45K views, live-streamed across more than a dozen social media platforms.

• Topresearchersinthefieldpresentedonthemostsignificantdiscoveriesinethnophar-macology over the last 50 years.

• The ESPD50 Symposium Proceedings, together with the proceedings of the original 1967 conference, has been published as a commemorative collector’s edition. Nearly 500 copies were presold, and nearly all remaining copies sold out after its launch.

• The interactive e-book and website will be available as a digital download for a modest price, placing this information within reach of thousands.

The Academy will host small and large scale conferences and symposiums like the ESPD50.

• Special events will be offered with celebrity guests such as Graham Hancock, Michael Pollan, and Wade Davis.

• Publications & Media Department will further empower events with global outreach and the production of revenue-generating books, videos, ebooks, etc.

• Events hosted by the Academy at Willka T’ika will put the Academy on the screens of millions.Manywillvisittoexperienceitsmagicfirsthand,andcarrytheinspirationtotheir homelands.

Possible future Conferences

the iceers global Ayahuasca conference The last ICEERS conference in Rio Branco in 2016 had about 1000 guests. The next one has already been scheduled for Barcelona in 2019. And, the one after should be held in the Sacred Valley with Willka T’ika as a major site for satellite symposia, ceremonies and Conference special guests.

Agricultural biodiversity, cuisines, and climate change TheSacredValleyisoneofaboutfivesitesontheplanetwhereplantswerefirstdomesticated10-12Kyearsago.Thusitisaperfectlocationforconferencessuchas:

• Agricultural biodiversity and climate change: The global food crisis with celebrity Michael Pollan

• Lost Crops of the Incas: Rediscovering ancient solutions for a changing planet

• Permaculture and sustainable agriculture: Rediscovering the secrets of sustainable agriculture in the Amazon and Andes.

Archeology Given the abundance of stunning archeological sites in the Sacred Valley, another rich area for conferences isarcheology.Possibletopicsinclude:

• Radical Archeology: The real story of the antiquity of human civilzations with celebrity Graham Hancock

• Ancestors of the Inka: Pre-Inka Civilizations in Peru (http://nmai.si.edu/inkaroad/ancestors/beginningsofth-eroad/introduction.html )

• Archeo-astronomy and cosmology (http://www.apulaya.com/en/the-incas-architecture-and-cosmology/ )

ethnomusicology with pioneer Alexandre Tannous would also present mind-opening conferences. (http://peruculturaljourneys.com/journey/ethnomusicology/ )

REVIEW WITH DENNIS

At this critical juncture in human history,

an unparalleled opportunity

has been placed in our hands

for reasons we do not know.

The synchronistic coalescence of

people, plants, and place has granted us

the tools to affect nothing less than

a global transformation in human consciousness.

We stand at the threshold of an evolutionary leap

beyond our wildest dreams & collective imaginations.

It is up to us to seize the day.

The Time is Now!

McKeNNA AcAdeMy OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHy

A catalytic nexus for the transformation of global consciousness

At this critical juncture in human history,

an unparalleled opportunity

has been placed in our hands

for reasons we do not know.

The synchronistic coalescence of

people, plants, and place has granted us

the tools to affect nothing less than

a global transformation in human consciousness.

We stand at the threshold of an evolutionary leap

beyond our wildest dreams & collective imaginations.

It is up to us to seize the day.

The Time is Now!

McKeNNA AcAdeMy OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHy

A catalytic nexus for the transformation of global consciousness