Explorer’s Club: Psychedelics, The Gita, and Paths to God with Sylver Quevedo

Join this month’s Explorer’s Club as we delve once again into the profound intersection of psychedelics, science, and spirituality. Led by Professor of Medicine, Sylver Quevedo, we embark on an exploration guided by the timeless teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, illuminating new dimensions of psychedelic experiences.

As Principal Investigator in an FDA trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD and a distinguished medical doctor, Sylver Quevedo unveils the transformative potential of tryptophans to unlock spiritual insights and phenethylamines to foster empathogenic understanding. These substances awaken us to realms beyond our individual selves, and the wisdom of the Gita provides a framework to comprehend and integrate these profound experiences.

Much like Ram Dass’s early use of spiritual texts, particularly the Tibetan Book of the Dead, to navigate his psychedelic journey, Sylver Quevedo offers clarity and profound insights into our collective experiences using the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita. Emphasizing love, devotion (bhakti), wisdom (jnana), and service (seva) as integral facets of the psychedelic resurgence, he invites us to journey together without rigid doctrine or dogma. Join us as we explore the profound implications for spiritual and personal growth in today’s world of psychedelics.

Dr. Silver Quevedo

Sylvestre Quevedo is currently Associate Professor of Medicine at UCSF and a Principal Investigator in the FDA trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.

He earned his medical degree at the Harvard Medical School and a Master of Public Health degree at Harvard School of Public Health. After postdoctoral training in family and community medicine at the University of Arizona, he spent four years developing community health center programs in underserved communities in Colorado, Washington, and California.

He returned to postdoctoral education with studies in law and public policy at the Stanford Law School, followed by internal medicine at Stanford and a fellowship in nephrology and medicine at Stanford University Medical Center, where he was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar.

He was named the Osher Foundation Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he was Director of Clinical Programs at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine. He spent a sabbatical year at Duke University School of Medicine as Associate Professor of Medicine and Consulting Medical Director for Duke Integrative Medicine where he worked at the senior executive level with the Duke University Health System.

He returned to UCSF in the Global Health Sciences group and Department of Medicine and was involved in medical education reform, ambulatory care redesign, international health efforts (East Africa) and public-private partnerships in healthcare. He has advised several health IT start-ups, most recently on bundled care initiatives and value-based purchasing.

Dr. Quevedo has served on national boards and committees of the American Kidney Fund, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, and the American College of Physicians. He is Chairman of the Board of the Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health of Nairobi, Kenya and New York, NY and has been a Visiting Professor with the Aga Khan University in Nairobi, Kenya and the University of Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

A Ram Dass community exploring non-ordinary states of consciousness, (psychedelics), spirituality, and science.

Step into a realm of extraordinary – join these free community gatherings as we delve into pivotal movements within the psychedelic renaissance while paying homage to the enduring legacy of Ram Dass, a trailblazing icon in this field. Our gatherings will include, yet transcend, the conventional discourse on psychedelics as therapy and healing. In addition, we embark on explorations of expanded consciousness, guided by the themes of awe, transcendence, union, and beyond. Journey with us as we navigate psychedelics in the contexts of spirituality, science, and the creativity impulse – a key component for addressing the profound questions that shape both our personal journeys and the world at large. Through a blend of archival talks by Ram Dass, engaging interviews with contemporary visionaries in the field, live audience Q&A sessions, and group discussions, our gatherings serve as catalysts for mutual learning and growth. Join us on this transformative odyssey towards a deeper understanding and collective evolution.”

To register, sign up for the Ram Dass Fellowship, and check “Explorer’s Club Fellowship” button under the Fellowship Group Options. You will be added to the mailing list and will receive monthly invitations to events.