Peruvian Cactus Culture: An interview with Carlo Brescia

Our latest episode of The Mescaline Garden Podcast features Peruvian archaeological expert, filmmaker, storyteller, community builder and occasional San Pedro Curandero, Carlo Brescia.

Carlo shares insights into Peruvian culture and the importance of psychoactive cactus. From San Pedro visions at Chavin de Huánatar, to the San Pedro experience of Carlo’s family – his grandmother, great grandmother, great great grandfather, uncles and cousins. Carlo speaks of a historical, cultural shift away from community towards the individual, a balance of opposites evidenced by Quechuan language and architecture, and the possibility of accessing lost cultural knowledge and initiation to psychedelic traditions via dreams.

Carlo also provides some practical information for people curious about cactus consumption in traditional Peruvian settings, the immense work in serving cactus, the importance of travelling to North Peru and speaking to local people for locating genuine, longstanding cactus traditions.

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