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Holiday Sale | 30% Off All Books (Dec 1-25) Nourish the mind this season.
The Enchanted State: A Transformative Gathering on Psychedelics and Healing in New Mexico

The Enchanted State: A Transformative Gathering on Psychedelics and Healing in New Mexico

by | August 13, 2025 | Present & Past Events

On September 7, 2025, Santa Fe’s Lensic Performing Arts Center will host The Enchanted State—a visionary one-day gathering exploring the transformative power of psychedelics in mental health, cultural renewal, and spiritual awakening. This groundbreaking event brings together an extraordinary lineup of national and local leaders—from healers and researchers to policymakers, Veterans, and artists—to imagine what the future of psychedelics could look like in New Mexico and beyond.

With confirmed speakers such as Dr. Andrew Weil, integrative medicine pioneer; Doña Eugenia Pineda Casimaro, Mazateca healer and wisdom keeper; and Dr. Anthony Bossis, NYU psychedelic researcher, this gathering offers rare insight into a field that is rapidly reshaping healthcare, therapy, and consciousness studies. From policy conversations with former Senator Kyrsten Sinema and New Mexico Representative Andrea Romero, to reflections from First Responders, Indigenous leaders, and integration experts, the event offers a 360° view of a psychedelic renaissance grounded in community, care, and cultural respect.

Join us as we cross the threshold into new paradigms of wellness, justice, and spiritual possibility.
📍 The Enchanted State
📅 September 7, 2025
🎟️ Tickets and info: lensic.org/events/the-enchanted-state
🌐 More details: liminafoundation.org

Musical offerings from Lorraine Weiss and Friends, dynamic panels, and thought-provoking dialogue will weave together a powerful container for connection and healing. Hosted by the Limina Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to psychedelic education, The Enchanted State aims to support mental wellness and nurture New Mexico’s emerging healing economy.

Review of The Language of Water by Kirkus Reviews

Review of The Language of Water by Kirkus Reviews

by | August 13, 2025 | Reviews

“Traditional methods of storing water can rejuvenate landscapes and protect land from climate change, according to this intricate primer.

Jain and Franses, founders of The Flow Partnership, an NGO that funds small hydrological programs, decry industrial hydrology and agriculture protocols that sequester water in giant reservoirs and deplete groundwater, resulting in dry, impoverished soil and hotter surface temperatures that exacerbate droughts and floods. Instead, they recommend the small-scale, locally controlled systems of water management that farmers have used for centuries. The authors emphasize 

a few simple elements: digging ponds, holes, levees, and dams that prevent rainwater from running off farmland; letting water percolate from these holding structures into the ground, thus recharging aquifers, raising water tables, replenishing wells, and improving soil moisture; and planting trees and other vegetation that release moisture by evapotranspiration through leaf pores, which cools the air and brings rain. (They cite rice paddies in India that lower temperatures by six degrees Celsius through evapotranspiration.) Jain and Franses spotlight many such efforts around the world, including a project in which building small ponds and dams restored flow to seven dried-up rivers in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Aided by well-chosen pictures and diagrams, the authors convey their ideas in lucid prose and intuitive metaphors, as in their comparison of water to money savings: “Water banks must invest in the future by allocating adequate area for holding water and planting trees to achieve profitability (long-term underground water recharge and a continuous water cycle) as well as liquidity (availability of surface water).” They also infuse the book with a lyrical eco-sensibility that celebrates water as the foundation of existence: “The countryside becomes quenched, the fields are like a cell full of renewed energy and bursting with green crops, the air is full of the songs of birds and insects, and there is a full-scale communication of life all around.” The result is a stimulating, hopeful take on humble but profound environmental innovations. 

A revelatory treatise on human-scale water management, full of fascinating information and inspiring insights.”

Read the original review by Kirkus Reviews here.

Language of Water: Ancient Techniques and Community Stories for a Water Secure Future

The Language of Water: Ancient Techniques and Community Stories for a Water Secure Future


The Language of Water addresses climate change and the global water crisis by shifting the existing paradigms around our relationship to water with powerful stories and tangible techniques from communities worldwide who are reviving ancient water holding methods, inviting every human being into a new consciousness around our most precious resource.

“‘Water’ and ‘survival’ are pretty much the same thing, so it’s no wonder that local communities, facing record drought and heat, are taking matters into their own hands. These are stirring stories of the recovery of time-honored techniques that will be desperately important as the climate crisis keeps building.” —Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature

Going beyond simply addressing climate change, The Language of Water addresses how to actively change the climate by learning from communities around the world and their traditional relationships with water. With powerful stories demonstrating tangible, successful water-holding techniques, this book extends an invitation to us all: can we keep the world in balance by learning to speak the language of our most precious resource?

Authors Minni Jain and Philip Franses of The Flow Partnership draw from decades of experience with community-led management of floods and droughts in India, Africa, the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, and other regions of the world to demonstrate, again and again, how rejuvenated groundwater can cool the atmosphere, revive local economies, restore food security, store carbon, and rebalance our planet. This timely book offers new clarity about the actions that can be taken, individually and collectively, to address our climate challenges. In an era when many villages and cities are overdrawing water from aquifers, relying on desalination for drinking water, and breaking the relationship between humans and the water cycle, this crucial work presents a vision for renewal. 

Synergetic Press at Enchanted State by Limina Foundation

Synergetic Press at Enchanted State by Limina Foundation

by | July 7, 2025 | Present & Past Events

A Day of Indigenous Wisdom, Psychedelic Healing,
 and Community

New Mexico, often called the Land of Enchantment, lived up to its name during the Enchanted State Conference—a gathering that was as much a prayer as it was a revolution. In today’s turbulent climate, to come together in dialogue is not only an act of hope but also a radical statement of what is possible when community, wisdom, and vision meet.

Hosted in collaboration with the Limina Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to psychedelic education, the event was designed as a one-day immersion that was both concise and expansive. Its aim was to explore how New Mexico can grow into a sanctuary for healing, consciousness, and community, and how psychedelics can play a transformative role in building a healing economy for the state.

From the beginning, it was clear this would not be a conventional conference. The organizers—Michael Williams, Adele Getty, Ellen Petry Leanse, and Janine Sagert—created something alive: not a series of isolated lectures but a production where storytelling, research, music, film, and lived testimony flowed together like threads of a single tapestry.

Leonard Pickard reads an excerpt from The Rose of Paracelsus, sharing poetic reflections from a life lived on the psychedelic edge.

The day opened with grounding words from Adele Getty and an invocation from Doña Eugenia Pineda Casimiro, a Mazotec healer from the María Sabina lineage and a member of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers. Her blessing, offered in Mazotec and Spanish, carried the weight of ancestral memory and set a sacred tone for the gathering. Doña Eugenia reminded us that healing is strongest when ancient wisdom and modern practices walk hand in hand. Her presence resonated deeply with the spirit of Grandmothers’ Wisdom, one of Synergetic Press’s newest titles, which honors the teachings and prayers of the Grandmothers.

Throughout the day, voices from across disciplines and backgrounds shared their visions. Dr. Andrew Weil reflected on the significance of psychedelics in healing, while Leonard Pickard, Synergetic Press author of The Rose of Paracelsus, made a special appearance. For the New Mexico community, Leonard’s presence was profoundly meaningful—his life and work are deeply entwined with the landscape of the state. He not only presented but also hosted part of the day’s program, weaving together conversations with Larry Leeman (UNM School of Medicine) on group psychedelic therapies, Lieutenant Sarko Gergerian on the needs of first responders, and Brian Hubbard (Americans for Ibogaine) on ibogaine progress in the U.S.

Other presenters included Representative Andrea Romero, who spoke on building a healing economy in New Mexico, Marlena Robbins (Diné, UC Berkeley), who shared a multigenerational Native perspective on psilocybin, and philanthropist Bennett Nemser, PhD, who reflected on funding this field responsibly. Film excerpts such as Shock to Awe and Dying to Know added emotional depth, while cultural voices like Louis Schwartzberg and Mary Cosimano offered meditations on beauty, presence, and integration.

 

Dr. Bia Labate, Dr. Clancy Cavnar, and Ibrahim Gabriell of the Chacruna Institute present the Chacruna Anthology and Dennis McKenna in a heartwarming meet-and-greet with fans celebrating wisdom, connection, and psychedelic culture.

For Synergetic Press, being part of Enchanted State was both an honor and a homecoming. As a pillar of the New Mexico community for more than four decades, Synergetic has published works at the intersection of consciousness, ecology, and culture. At the heart of the conference, we hosted the bookstore, showcasing the voices shaping the psychedelic renaissance and ecological renewal. Our two newest titles—Grandmothers’ Wisdom and The Language of Water—were particularly aligned with the themes of the day. Together, they highlight how opening consciousness and healing the mind naturally lead to ecological awareness and a deeper care for the Earth.

Our team, including founder Deborah Parrish Snyder, was present throughout the gathering, helping to bring together organizations, authors, and visionaries under one roof. For a single day, the walls between disciplines, movements, and perspectives dissolved, and the room was filled with a shared spirit of connection.

The Enchanted State was not just a gathering of ideas—it was a glimpse of what the future could look like when ancestral knowledge and modern science walk side by side. It was a reminder that the path forward must be grounded in reverence, creativity, and love.

As the day closed, there was a collective sense that something had shifted. We had entered into a sacred conversation—one that will continue to echo in New Mexico and beyond.

Synergetic Press was honored to be at the heart of it all, offering books, voices, and presence to support this unfolding future. We left with gratitude, inspiration, and a renewed commitment to building the world we know is possible: one where wisdom, healing, and enchantment guide us forward.

✨ May the enchantment continue.

Forthcoming Publication of Ethnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs [ESPD55]

Forthcoming Publication of Ethnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs [ESPD55]

by | June 9, 2025 | Books, Present & Past Events, Press Releases, Sustainability & Ecology

Exploring ESPD55: The Next Chapter in the Ethnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs

In 2022, the McKenna Academy of Natural Philosophy hosted the third conference of the Ethnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs (ESPD) symposium—ESPD55, marking 55 years since the original landmark conference in 1967 held in San Francisco sponsored by the U.S. Department for Mental Health. The third conference brought together some of the most respected voices in ethnobotany, pharmacology, anthropology, and Indigenous medicine to explore the evolving science and cultural relevance of psychoactive plant medicines.

An essential reference on the research and social impacts shaping the future of psychedelic science.

Synergetic Press is proud to publish the proceedings of the 2022 conference where over thirty papers were presented covering a wide spectrum of topics, including ancient and contemporary uses of psychoactive substances, the intersection of traditional knowledge and modern science, pharmacology, conservation, law and policy, and the cultural and spiritual significance of these compounds.

The conference program was organized into thematic “spheres”—Ethnosphere, Phytosphere, Mycosphere, and Sonosphere—highlighting the diverse ways psychoactive plants, fungi, and even sound have shaped human societies and consciousness. Presentations ranged from archaeological evidence of ancient plant use and indigenous perspectives on coca and ayahuasca, to modern neuroscience, sound as a psychoactive medium, and the evolving legal landscape for psychedelics.

ESPD55 also fostered collaboration between established experts and emerging voices, emphasizing the importance of biocultural conservation, respect for indigenous wisdom, and responsible innovation in psychedelic science. 

With contributions from luminaries like Dennis McKenna, Paul Stamets, David Nutt, Monica Gagliano, Wade Davis, and many more, this publication will serve as a vital resource for researchers, practitioners, and anyone curious about the profound role psychoactive plants play in human health, consciousness, and culture. 

Stay tuned for the release of ESPD55, a co-creation between Synergetic Press and the McKenna Academy for Natural Philosophy

 

Stay in the Loop — Please leave us your contact details, we will send you information about the release of ESPD55 this Summer. 

13 + 5 =

Speakers and Participants in the Ethnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs Conference, hosted by the Mckenna Academy, May 2022

Future Water Association Awards “The Language of Water”

Future Water Association Awards “The Language of Water”

by | June 9, 2025 | Books, Present & Past Events, Sustainability & Ecology

The Future Water Association Honors The Language of Water with Future Water Award

In a powerful acknowledgment of work that bridges science, storytelling, and community-based restoration, the Future Water Association has awarded its prestigious Future Water Award to Minni Jain and Philip Franses for their groundbreaking work presented in The Language of Water.

Held annually, the Future Water Awards celebrate innovation, creativity, and vision in the water sector—recognizing those who are reshaping how we understand and engage with the world’s most precious resource. This year, The Language of Water stood out as an exemplary publication that transcends traditional boundaries of the water industry by weaving together cultural narratives, indigenous wisdom, and tangible community-led solutions for water restoration.

     “Water has its own language, a rhythm and intelligence that flows through all life. This book teaches us to listen.”                     — Future Water Association, 2025

Published by Synergetic Press, The Language of Water is more than a book—it is a movement. Authored by Minni Jain, Director of The Flow Partnership, and Philip Franses, systems thinker and teacher, the work draws from real-life stories across India, Africa, Europe, and beyond. It shares how communities are reviving traditional water-harvesting techniques to bring life back to rivers, soils, and people—healing not only ecosystems, but also the social and spiritual fabric of their environments.

In awarding the book, the Future Water Association commended Jain and Franses for their “courageous and creative approach to communication and cultural storytelling,” underscoring the importance of narrative and education in driving meaningful change in the water sector.

Based in the UK, the Future Water Association is a modern, innovative, not-for-profit organization that represents professionals and suppliers across the water and wastewater industry. For over 30 years, it has acted as the voice of the sector—engaging with government, regulators, and utility providers to influence policy, promote education, and drive innovation. Its annual awards align with World Water Day and aim to shine a light on transformative projects shaping the future of water management.

This year’s award adds another accolade to The Language of Water’s growing recognition as a vital contribution to the global water dialogue. Its pages are filled with deeply moving reflections and hopeful solutions—reminding us that water is not only a technical issue, but also a cultural, emotional, and spiritual one.

“We are honored to receive the Future Water Award. This book is the voice of the waters that still flow inside us all—waiting to be heard, waiting to be healed.”
— Minni Jain & Philip Franses

As the global water crisis intensifies, The Language of Water offers a compelling path forward—inviting readers from all walks of life to reconnect with the element that unites us all. The recognition by the Future Water Association confirms what many already feel: this book is a timely and vital offering, inspiring a new generation of water stewards across the world.

The Language of Water is available from your favorite bookstore or directly from the publisher, Synergetic Press. 

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