Ayahuasca Chronicles: Exploring Amazonian Traditions and Nature Connectedness with Paloma David and Sam Gandy

Join us to learn about the fascinating history of ayahuasca, from its historical roots in the Amazon to its contemporary global presence. We’ll explore its cultural and spiritual significance and how it fosters a deeper connection between humanity, nature, and consciousness. Learn about the importance of nature-relatedness in psychedelic experiences and how ayahuasca offers a path to healing our collective wounds, leading to more sustainable and harmonious relationships with the planet and each other.

Paloma David was born in Bogotá, Colombia. While pursuing her bachelor’s in Cultural Anthropology at the National University of Colombia, she encountered the perplexing ayahuasca tradition in her home country. Marveled by the effects of the brew on human consciousness, she decided to continue studying ayahuasca by pursuing a Research Masters in Religious Studies at the University of Amsterdam. She has conducted fieldwork research on the contemporary uses of the brew in rainforests, capital cities, and digital settings. Her interests include psychedelic research, the promising therapeutic use of these substances, and their current use in Europe and Latin America. She is currently a Ph.D. student at Radboud University, where she researches the Shifting Perceptions of ayahuasca in Latin America.

Sam Gandy is a Ph.D. ecologist and independent researcher. He has varied experience of working within the psychedelic field, including as a past scientific assistant to the director of the Beckley Foundation and as a research assistant with the Synthesis Institute. His work has also involved science communication, including a past role as a senior science writer for Wavepaths, and he delivers talks in association with Seed Talks and occasional fungi cultivation workshops. A lifelong nature lover, he has a research interest in the capacity of psychedelics to influence human relationships with nature, and is a collaborator with the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, and Onaya Science. His main work focus is within the ecological field focussing on nature recovery, working as Innovation Team Leader for environmental consultancy Ecosulis. Sam is deeply passionate about both the restoration of nature, and the restoration of human connection to it.