Amanda Fielding: Drilling into Consciousness

Medicine—and the mind—have always pushed against the edges of what we think is possible.
And some questions refuse to stay locked inside the skull.

Welcome to The Cadaver’s Lesson, a podcast exploring the strange, fascinating, and unsettling history of medicine. In this episode, we step away from the operating theater and into the realm of consciousness as we examine the life and work of Amanda Fielding—an aristocrat, artist, activist, and one of the most controversial figures in modern psychedelic research.

From her radical self-experimentation with trepanation to her founding of the Beckley Foundation, Fielding’s story sits at the crossroads of neuroscience, art, philosophy, and policy reform. We trace how her belief in expanded consciousness challenged scientific norms, provoked public backlash, and ultimately helped open doors for legitimate, evidence-based psychedelic research.

Along the way, we explore why trepanation re-emerged in countercultural movements, how early psychedelic research was halted by politics rather than data, and how modern science is cautiously revisiting substances once dismissed as taboo. The episode also tackles the stigma surrounding psychedelics, the ethics of self-experimentation, and the tension between personal conviction and scientific rigor.

By examining Amanda Fielding’s legacy, we reflect on how medicine and science evolve—not just through controlled trials, but through bold questions, cultural shifts, and people willing to challenge the boundaries of accepted thought.

New episodes drop Mondays, with companion historical case episodes on Fridays.

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Class is dismissed.

📚 References

The Guardian – Amanda Feilding Interview
Source: Booth, Robert. “‘LSD can reset the brain’: Amanda Feilding on psychedelics, politics and suicide”, The Guardian, 10 February 2019.
URL: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/10/amanda-feilding-lsd-can-reset-the-brain-interview

Beckley Foundation – Amanda Feilding Bio
Source: Beckley Foundation. “Amanda Feilding” (official biography).
URL: https://www.beckleyfoundation.org/amanda-feilding/

John Horgan – Blog Piece
Source: Horgan, John. “Requiem for a Psychedelic Holy Lady” (blog post).
URL: https://johnhorgan.org/blog-1/requiem-for-a-psychedelic-holy-lady

Medical Republic – Feature on Amanda Feilding
Source: “Amanda Feilding: The woman who drilled a hole into her skull”, The Medical Republic.
URL: https://www.medicalrepublic.com.au/amanda-feilding-the-woman-who-drilled-a-hole-into-her-skull/119065