Science with a Heart: The Future of Aluna in Spain and Outcomes of Meetings with Dennis McKenna and Pamela Kryskow
We went to the World Ayahuasca Forum in Girona to build a bridge between our project and the international scientific community. Aluna is evolving. Our next step in Spain is not simply holding retreats. It is creating a full-fledged infrastructure where traditional knowledge meets ethnopharmacology, evidence-based medicine, and safety standards.
The primary outcome of the Forum for us consisted of two fundamental meetings:
1. Integration into Global Science (McKenna Academy)
A meeting with the legendary researcher Dennis McKenna opened up prospects for partnership with the ESPD (Ethnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs) initiative. We do not intend to isolate ourselves within our own project. Our goal is to become part of the international dialogue among biologists, physicians, and anthropologists. Tradition provides deep context; science offers clinical tools and the ability to test hypotheses. We want to invest in a long-term professional network that will shape the future of plant medicine.
2. Data Backed by People (Pamela Kryskow)
A conversation with researcher Pamela Kryskow demonstrated the main point: dry medical protocols must always be backed by empathy. Science and the human heart are not enemies, but allies. Over 3,500 people have already gone through ALUNA programs. This is not just a number; it is a massive body of unique human experience. Together with international specialists, we plan to implement a system for the ethical collection of anonymized data (with participants’ informed consent) for honest observation of metrics before, during, and after programs. We want not to «prove ourselves right,» but to transparently research how medicine actually works in order to make this experience as safe as possible.
Note: The mentioned initiatives and areas of cooperation are under discussion. Any use of data for research will be carried out exclusively with informed consent and strict ethical oversight.