The Universe Within Podcast

Jason Grechanik
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Apr 1, 2026 • 1h 28min

Ep. 189 - Jason Grechanik - Tobacco, Cosmovisión, & the Path of Curandero

Hey everybody! Episode 189 of the show is out. This episode is a podcast I was interviewed on called Ayahuasca Podcast hosted by Sam Believ. Sam runs an ayahuasca center in Colombia and we’ve gotten to know each-other and I was happy to come on his podcast for an interview. We spoke about a lot of topics in this plant medicine world such as my time in Peru working at an ayahuasca center, my work with tobacco, the idea of cosmovisión, and what the path of apprenticeship entails. Sam did a great job with questions and I hope you gain some insight from this interview. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!If you enjoyed our recent episode with Dr Nathan Bryan and are curious to try Nitric Oxide, as listeners of the show you receive a 10% discount on all orders from their WEBSITE at checkout by using the Coupon code: UNIVERSETo learn more about or contact Jason, visit his website at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo learn more about or contact Sam, visit his website at: https://ayahuascaincolombia.com/To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:June 7-14: Remote Online DietaJune 29-July 5: Practitioner Training, PortugalJuly 10-27: Westport, IrelandNovember 2-30: Sacred Valley of PeruIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H
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Mar 18, 2026 • 1h 56min

Ep. 188 - Marta Wanderlust - Motherhood, Sovereignty & Medicalization of Childbirth, Initiation, Christ & Love

Hey everybody! Episode 188 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with my friend Marta Wanderlust for her second appearance on the podcast—the first was five years ago, back in episode 16. Since then, Marta has become a mother of two, and this conversation centers largely on motherhood and the birthing process. We explore the parallels between birth and plant medicine ceremonies, birth as an initiation and threshold, the medicalization of childbirth and its downsides, and how birth itself can be a path to God. Marta also speaks to the role of Christ and faith, the reclamation of women’s sovereignty, and what that return of power could mean for a society less dependent on institutions and hierarchy. This was a deeply fascinating conversation about life, and Marta’s grounded, experiential wisdom truly shines through. I trust you’ll gain a lot from this one. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!If you enjoyed our recent episode with Dr. Nathan Bryan and are curious to try Nitric Oxide, as listeners of the show, you can receive a 10% discount on all orders from their WEBSITE at checkout by using the Coupon code: UNIVERSETo connect with Marta directly, please email info@martawanderlust.com.To learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:June 7-14: Remote Online DietaJune 29-July 5: Practitioner Training, PortugalJuly 10-27: Westport, IrelandNovember 2-30: Sacred Valley of PeruIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H
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Mar 11, 2026 • 1h 29min

Ep. 187 - Dr. Nathan Bryan - Nitric Oxide: A Molecule for Human Health

Hey everybody! Episode 187 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Nathan Bryan. Dr. Bryan is a doctor who has spent much of his life studying the effects and benefits of the molecule nitric oxide and its relationship to health. We spoke about how he first came to know it, the correlation and potential causation of a lack of nitric oxide in various health conditions, ways to improve endogenous production, the role of the oral microbiome in health, and holistic health in general. It’s a fascinating subject, and Dr. Bryan is doing really good work illuminating this little-known molecule. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms (https://realmushrooms.com) As listeners, enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order at checkout using the Discount code: UNIVERSEIf you're curious about Nitric Oxide, as listeners of the show, you can receive a 10% discount on all orders from N1o1.com at checkout by using the Coupon code: UNIVERSETo learn more about or contact Dr. Bryan, visit his website at: https://n1o1.com/ and YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@DrNathanSBryanNitricOxideTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:June 2026: Remote Online DietaJuly 2026: Westport, IrelandNovember 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H
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Feb 25, 2026 • 2h 16min

Ep. 186 - Luis Eduardo Luna - Plant Doctors, Ayahuasca, Anthropology, & Bridging of Worlds

Hey everybody! Episode 186 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Luis Eduardo Luna. Luis is one of the luminaries in the field of plant medicine as has a career that spans nearly seven decades. He has worked alongside and learned from some of the greats such as Richard Evans Schultes, R. Gordon Wasson, Albert Hoffman, Pablo Amaringo, the McKenna’s, Dolmatoff, and many more. We spoke about his life growing up in Colombia, his early years in a Catholic monastery, how a chance encounter with Terrance McKenna and ingesting yagé changed the course of his life and work, and the extraordinary life he lived and created as one of the pioneers of researching the idea of plant intelligence and how indigenous groups of the Americas used plants to shape their cosmosvisions. It was a fascinating conversation and I was very happy and honored to have Luis on. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!To learn more about or contact Luis Eduardo Luna, visit his website at: https://www.wasiwaska.orgFor informaiton about Luis’ upcoming October seminar, visit: https://www.wasiwaska.org/seminar/amazonia-an-anthropogenic-rainforest-biological-diversity-cultural-plurality-and-indigenous-consciousness-exploration//For information about Luis’ personal collection of Pablo Amaringo’s artwork: visit: https://trueamaringos.comTo see Luis’ documentary Don Emilio y sus Doctorcitos, visit: https://youtu.be/2NJBnCKSjmM?si=5AyqkaJhjkavnhj7To learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:February 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruJune 2026: Remote Online DietaJuly 2026: Westport, IrelandNovember 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H
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Feb 18, 2026 • 1h 40min

Ep. 185 - Dr. Aaron Hartman MD - Health, Functional Medicine, & Disease

Hey everybody! Episode 185 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Aaron Hartman MD. Dr. Hartman has a really grounded and holistic approach to health and I really enjoyed our conversation. We spoke about his background, medical school, his his interest in functional medicine, the journey that he embarked on helping to heal his daughter, diagnosis, chronic disease, environmental toxins, diet, the role of spirit in health, and a lot of other topics. I trust you will gain a lot from Dr. Hartman’s experience and wisdom. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms (https://realmushrooms.com) As listeners, enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order at checkout using the Discount code: UNIVERSETo learn more about or contact Dr. Hartman, visit his website at: https://aaronhartmanmd.comTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.org To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:February 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruJune 2026: Remote Online DietaJuly 2026: Westport, IrelandNovember 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H
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Feb 11, 2026 • 1h 47min

Ep. 184 - Jason Grechanik - Iboga, Tobacco, & Plant Medicines

Hey everybody! Episode 184 of the show is out. This episode is a podcast I was interviewed on called Beyond the Courage hosted by Robert Canis. Robert has a really good podcast about holistic healing and I was happy to join him. We spoke about a lot of different aspects of my path and he also really focused on iboga which is not something I speak much about. It was a good interview and Robert did a great job of picking my mind and going into some subjects I don’t always speak about. Consider supporting his work if you can. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!To learn more about or contact Jason, visit his website at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo learn more about or contact Robert, visit his website at: https://www.beyondthecourage.comTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:January 2026: our second Remote DietaFebruary 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruJuly 2026: Westport, IrelandNovember 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H
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Feb 4, 2026 • 1h 34min

Ep. 183 - Thoryn Stephens - Plant Medicines, Consciousness, AI, Biology & Machines

Hey everybody! Episode 183 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Thoryn Stephens. Thoryn is the CEO and founder of Brain.One which is doing really interesting work in human optimization. We sat down and spoke about his life, how, as a young man, he came across huachuma in Ecuador and how that had a transformative impact on him, various other plant medicines, consciousness, BCI and AI, his work as a molecular biologist, and the future of technology. It was a really interesting conversation, and I think Thoryn has a lot of wisdom and insights to share. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universeTo learn more about or contact Thoryn, visit his website at: https://brain.oneTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.org To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:February 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruJuly 2026: Westport, IrelandNovember 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H
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Jan 28, 2026 • 1h 40min

Ep. 182 - Dr Darren Schmidt DC - Metabolic Health, Nutrition, Detoxification, Parasites, & Medicine

Hey everybody! Episode 182 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Dr Darren Schmidt DC. Dr Schmidt was recommended to me, and I really enjoyed some of his content on YouTube. We sat down and spoke about a variety of topics, including agriculture, nutrition, health, subsidies, detoxification, parasites, RFK, medicine, and a lot else. I think Dr Schmidt is doing great work at sharing more holistic medicine and think and trust you all will gain much from his experience and teachings. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!To learn more about or contact Dr Schmidt, visit his website at: https://thenutritionalhealingcenter.comTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.org To view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:February 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruJune 2026: Remote Online DietaJuly 2026: Westport, IrelandNovember 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H
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Jan 21, 2026 • 2h 1min

Ep. 181 - Simon Borg-Olivier - Yoga: The Flow of Life & Happiness

Hey everybody! Episode 181 of the show is out. In this episode, I spoke with Simon Borg-Olivier. Simon was recommended to me by a listener of the podcast and I was very happy to connect with him. We spoke about his varied life and journey and really focused on his lifelong practice of yoga. Simon has a very nuanced and rooted view of this practice and much more than just sitting on a mat. We spoke about its history, his journey with Pattabhi Jois, Iyengar, and Desikachar, his time in India and China, Qigong, and many other things well. Simon is a great sharer of wisdom and I really enjoyed this conversation and think you will gain much it. Even if you’re not a “yoga” practitioner, Simon has so much wisdom to share. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!This episode is sponsored by Real Mushrooms. As listeners, visit their website to enjoy a discount of 25% off your first order: https://www.realmushrooms.com/universeTo learn more about or contact Simon, visit his website at: https://simonborgolivier.comTo learn more about our work, visit our website: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:February 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruJune 2026: Remote Online DietaJuly 2026: Westport, IrelandNovember 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgIntegration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4HPhotography: Alessandro Sigismondi (featuring Simon Borg-Olivier).
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Jan 14, 2026 • 1h 13min

Ep. 180 - Jason Grechanik - Nature's Pharmacy: Understanding the Power of Plant Medicines

Hey everybody! Episode 180 of the show is out. This episode is a podcast I was interviewed on called Beyond the Pills hosted by Josh Rimany. I was really happy with the interview. It was fairly concise and covered a lot of aspects of my work, predominantly with tobacco and tree medicines. We also spoke about ayahuasca, dieta, and some of Josh’s insights as well. I hope you all gain from this episode. Consider checking out and supporting Josh’s work as well. As always, to support this podcast, get early access to shows, bonus material, and Q&As, check out my Patreon page below. Enjoy!To learn more about or contact Jason, visit his website at: https://NicotianaRustica.orgTo view Josh’s podcast on YouTube, visit: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondThePillsTo view the recent documentary, Sacred Tobacco, about my work, visit: https://youtu.be/KB0JEQALI_wI will be guiding our next plant medicine dietas with my colleague Merav Artzi (who I interviewed in episode 28) in:February 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruJune 2026: Remote Online Dieta July 2026: Westport, IrelandNovember 2026: Sacred Valley of PeruIf you would like more information about joining us and the work I do or about future retreats, visit my site at: https://NicotianaRustica.org Integration/Consultation call: https://jasongrechanik.setmore.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/UniverseWithinYouTube join & perks: https://bit.ly/YTPerksPayPal donation: https://paypal.me/jasongrechanikWebsite: https://jasongrechanik.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/JasonGrechanikFacebook: https://facebook.com/UniverseWithinPodcastMusic: Nuno Moreno: https://m.soundcloud.com/groove_a_zen_sound & Stefan Kasapovski’s Santero Project: https://spoti.fi/3y5Rd4H

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