PT 616 - Karina Bashir on Psychedelics, Islam, and Human Rights

In this engaging episode of the Psychedelics Today podcast, host Joe Moore sits down with Karina Bashir, an attorney working at the intersection of law, business ethics, and psychedelics.

Karina, of counsel with Antithesis Law and an active member of the psychedelic community, shares her unique journey from human rights advocacy into the evolving field of psychedelic law. The conversation explores her presentation at Harvard on psychedelics and monotheistic religions, and her efforts to bridge the gap between Islamic communities and psychedelic-assisted healing.

She discusses the legal frameworks she navigates to support clients in the psychedelic ecosystem, the spiritual depth of Sufism, and the expansive tradition of Islamic philosophy and mysticism.

If you’re intrigued by the intersections of religion, law, and psychedelic healing, this episode offers deep insights and hopeful perspectives.

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📌 Episode Highlights

00:00 – Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:19 – Meeting at the Psychedelic Safety Institute
01:04 – Karina's Legal Work and Background
04:03 – Human Rights and Migration Work
07:30 – Psychedelics as a Human Rights Issue
18:01 – Legal Challenges in the Psychedelic Space
23:03 – Islam and Psychedelics
28:15 – The Fatwa Process and Islamic Scholars
28:57 – Building Momentum in the Muslim Community
29:08 – Islamic Law and Psychedelics
29:30 – Engaging Muslim Scholars and Community
33:45 – Sufism and Islamic Mysticism
35:09 – Access to Psychedelic Medicine for Muslims
36:49 – Positive Responses and Growing Interest
39:17 – Sufism's Rich Traditions and Practices
40:51 – Intersection of Sufism and Psychedelics
44:14 – Islamic Cosmology and Psychedelic Experiences
51:26 – Concluding Thoughts and Future Directions

Attorney, Ethics Advocate, and Program Director at North Star Project

Karina Bashir is an accomplished attorney and thought leader working at the intersection of law, ethics, and psychedelics to support a new paradigm of care and equity. She serves as Of Counsel with Antithesis Law, PC, advising clients on corporate formation, risk mitigation, compliance, and ethical best practices. As Program Director at the North Star Project, she advocates for values-driven growth in the psychedelic field through the development of dynamic ethical guidelines. Karina also sits on the Board of Directors of the Psychedelic Bar Association and serves as a steward of its Religious Use Committee.

Her work also bridges Islamic thought and psychedelic healing, exploring how spiritual traditions—particularly Sufism—can inform modern approaches to wellness and therapeutic care. She is passionate about increasing access and cultural understanding within Muslim communities engaging with psychedelics.

A Fulbright and Gates Cambridge Scholar, Karina holds a JD from UC Berkeley, an MPhil in International Relations from the University of Cambridge, and a BA from the University of Michigan.