Oli Gen-Bash - The Fungal Insurgency

Support the show: https://www.paypal.me/Truelifepodcast?locale.x=en_US Buy Grow kit: https://modernmushroomcultivation.com/ This Band willl Blow your Mind! Codex Serafini: https://codexserafini.bandcamp.com/album/the-imprecation-of-anima 🎙️🎙️🎙️Oli Genn-Bash Aloha and welcome to a conversation that promises to weave together threads of science, philosophy, and the profound mystery of nature. Today, we’re joined by Oli Gen-Bash—a pioneer in the intersection of human consciousness and the enigmatic world of fungi and plants. With a deep-rooted passion for psychedelic exploration, Oli has not only spoken at groundbreaking events like Breaking Convention and Product Earth, but also cultivated a community of curiosity and collaboration as the Founder of The Fungi Consultant and Head of Mycology at Product Earth. A politics postgraduate with a focus on philosophy, mysticism, and critical thinking, Oli approaches the complexities of human experience with the precision of an analyst and the creativity of a musician. As the co-founder of the University of Kent Canterbury Psychedelics Society—now the longest-running student psychedelic society in the UK—he has helped catalyze a movement of open inquiry and connection, even hosting the inaugural Breaking Convention conference in 2011. Oli’s fascination with mycelium is no mere metaphor; he embodies its principles of interconnection and resource-sharing, bridging diverse perspectives to inspire collaboration and empowerment. Whether he’s exploring the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature, or harmonizing the realms of politics and mysticism, Oli brings a rare blend of analytical rigor and creative innovation to every endeavor. Prepare yourself for a dialogue that traverses the fertile ground where nature, philosophy, and consciousness converge. Let’s dive into the mycelial network of ideas with Oli Gen-Bash. https://thefungiconsultant.com/ http://linkedin.com/in/oli-genn-bash Questions  Mystical Connections & Philosophy 1. Mycelium networks connect and sustain ecosystems, almost like a neural network of the Earth. Do you think humans are meant to emulate this kind of decentralized intelligence in our societies, and what would it take to achieve that level of symbiosis? 2. Mysticism often seeks to dissolve the boundary between self and other. How does your exploration of psychedelics and fungi inform your understanding of individual identity versus collective consciousness? 3. If fungi represent the bridge between life and decay, what do they teach us about the cyclical nature of power, politics, and human institutions? 4. Can the philosophy of mycology—adaptation, interdependence, and mutual exchange—be applied as a blueprint for rethinking global political systems? Psychedelics & Critical Thought 5. In a world increasingly dominated by reductionist thinking, how can the experience of altered states through psychedelics help reintegrate holistic and interconnected perspectives into mainstream thought? 6. As an amateur mycologist and philosopher, what role do you think fungi and psychedelics play in unlocking layers of human cognition that remain inaccessible through conventional methods? 7. Psychedelics are often framed as tools for healing, but could they also serve as catalysts for new forms of governance, ethics, or even human evolution? What might that look like? 8. You’ve spoken about the power of diverse perspectives. How do psychedelic states challenge the limits of analytical thought, and how do they reshape our understanding of logic and reason? Music, Creativity, and Collaboration 9. As a musician, how do you see the rhythms and harmonics of fungal growth reflected in the process of making music, and what can this teach us about the act of creation itself? 10. The act of collaboration mirrors the network-like structure of mycelium. How do you think this principle can be applied in creative spaces, and what have been your most profound moments of collaborative synergy? 11. Music often has the ability to evoke altered states of consciousness. How do you see the interplay between sound, psychedelics, and the mycological world contributing to future innovations in art and healing? Politics, Mysticism, and the Human Condition 12. You have a deep interest in politics and mysticism—fields often seen as opposites. How do you reconcile the mystical, which transcends systems, with the political, which seeks to build and govern them? 13. Fungi thrive in the margins, turning waste into life. What lessons can marginal or subcultural movements teach mainstream society about resilience, adaptability, and flourishing in adversity? 14. Much like mycelium, which operates invisibly yet powerfully, are there unseen forces in human systems—whether cultural, political, or spiritual—that we need to better understand to address global crises? 15. How do you approach the paradox of critical thinking—deconstructing flawed systems—while maintaining the mystic’s embrace of ambiguity and the unknown? Humanity, Psychedelics, and the Future 16. Fungi have existed for over a billion years, outliving countless species and ecosystems. What do you think humanity must learn from their evolutionary story to secure its own survival? 17. If mycelium were to teach a philosophy course for humans, what would be its core principles and how should we integrate them into modern life? 18. As someone who bridges philosophy, science, and mysticism, what do you envision as the next great paradigm shift in how humans relate to plants, fungi, and the natural world? 19. Imagine a future in which humanity fully integrates the wisdom of fungi and psychedelics into its institutions. How do you think our understanding of identity, economy, and spirituality would transform? 20. In your work, have you ever encountered a moment or discovery that felt like a direct conversation with nature itself? If so, what did it reveal about the relationship between the seen and unseen in our universe? Support the show: https://www.paypal.me/Truelifepodcast?locale.x=en_US Check out our YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPzfOaFtA1hF8UhnuvOQnTgKcIYPI9Ni9&si=Jgg9ATGwzhzdmjkg Grow your own: https://modernmushroomcultivation.com/ This Band Will Blow Your Mind: Codex Serafini https://codexserafini.bandcamp.com/album/the-imprecation-of-anima