Preserving Mexican Culture Through Art and the Practices of Shaman and Poet María Sabina with Paola Castelo

People are yearning for reconnection, and for a variety of reasons, ceremonial rituals and psychedelic sacred plants are something we are continually called back to. My guest today, Paola Castelo, is dedicated to helping others reconnect with Mexican heritage by preserving and amplifying Mexican culture through art on her online platform Vuelta Sur. In this episode, Paola opens up about how her passion for preserving Mexican culture originated, the project she is collaborating on with Fungi Foundation to preserve and honor the life and impact of shaman and poet María Sabina. 

Paola shares and celebrates the rich stories of Mexican culture by collaborating with museums, contemporary artists, and master artisans to showcase their stories and offer global access to their work. Throughout our conversation, she explains the materials and formats of indigenous art and the role of artists in the ancient world. 

Our discussion is focused on the story of María Sabina, a shaman and poet who introduced psilocybin mushrooms to the Western world. Paola breaks down Maria's impact and legacy on future generations and Vuelta Sur's devotion to sharing her lessons and practices. This can be demonstrated through the museum Vuelta Sur is building in collaboration with The Fungi Foundation in Maria's honor, which contains one of the most comprehensive collections of Masoretic records and textiles. She also explains how you can be involved in its creation!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your favorite podcast platform. 

Topics Covered:

• The ways Vuelta Sur preserves and amplifies Mexican culture through art
• How Paola reconnected to her Mexican heritage, ancestry, and roots while living in Canada 
• The significance of Mexican art and culture within the Latin American heritage
• The materials and formats of indigenous art from looms to pottery to textiles
• A background on the shaman and poet María Sabina and how she helped launch Mexican heritage into Western culture 
• Details of the museum that is being built in Maria's honor
• What future generations can learn from María Sabina's legacy 
• The resilience of ceremonial rituals and psychedelic sacred plants
• How you can be involved in the museum 
• Paola’s personal connection to fungi 

Resources Mentioned:

• Use co

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