Shaping Fire

When we use cannabis, our whole body fires up! During this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los chats with neuropharmacologist and physiologist Dr. Elizabeth Thompson about the cascade of body systems that light up in the first minute using cannabis, how each system tells of story about the experience of getting high, and how you can use this understanding for your own health and wellness.

We love growing our own flower! And we also love hash! On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los sits down with Conner Terpwizard to discuss what flower characteristics make it good for hashing, how to choose genetics that will result in hash that meets your desires, and how to handle the plant during cultivation and post harvest to create the best hash possible.

While the US continues to struggle in its relationship to cannabis medicine, it sure would be helpful if we could obtain non-THC cannabinoids from more plants than just cannabis. On episode #121 of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los chats with cutting-edge plant biochemist Dr. Paula Berman about the Wooly Umbrella plant, its rare biochemical attributes, successful extraction methods, and the future of non-cannabis cannabinoids from this species.

Now is the time for cultivators to discover energy efficient solutions to growing cannabis. On episode 120 of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los welcomes Evan Mills PhD to talk about the new 2025 update to his groundbreaking 2012 paper on cannabis energy consumption, ways in which cultivators can become more energy efficient, and how entrenched political and economic preference is given to indoor cultivation, making everything more difficult.

Greenhouses continue to increase in popularity as homegrowing expands across the country. On Shaping Fire episode 119, host Shango Los welcomes back OG greenhouse consultant Eric Brandstad to talk about small greenhouses for homegrowers and patients, managing airflow, heat and cold, and how to trick greenhouses out for optimal yield and convenience.

Understanding the role predatory microorganisms can play in cultivation means imagining a future free from chemical insecticides, where pest prevention is deeply rooted in the soil food web. It’s shocking that IPMO hasn’t already spread like wildfire. Let’s light it up! In this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los sits down with acclaimed natural farming pioneer Chris Trump to discuss his groundbreaking work with Indigenous Predatory Microorganisms, and the profound impact it will have on global agriculture, including cannabis. Discover how to introduce target pests to your IMO collection, and scale this potent pest solution for your indoor home grow, greenhouse, or farm.

Psychedelic therapy has become widespread in the US. While many recommend using a guide or “trip sitter,” the vast majority of people simply use psychedelics on their own or with friends. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with psychedelic integration specialist Daniel Shankin about preparing for your psychedelic experience, best practices for tripping by yourself or with friends, and how to integrate the lessons you received during your experience so you can use them in your everyday life.

In groundbreaking new science, for the first time we have a human study showing that 78% of participants found cannabigerol (CBG) more effective at treating their anxiety than their present pharmaceutical, herbal remedy or other therapeutic. During this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los welcomes back Dr. Ethan Russo to discuss the foundations of the study, the mechanics of causing and measuring anxiety in the participants, efficacious CBG dosages, and the remarkable findings that may change the direction of anxiety medication development going forward.

We know that cannabis saves lives. And cannabis makes our lives so much better. But for those working in indoor, scaled cannabis growing environments, cannabis bioaerosols can be deadly. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with Tess Eidem PhD about the new science regarding fungal, bacterial, and viral bioaerosols that are produced in a cultivation environment, their impact on human health, how they are being ignored, and what we can do to make cannabis working environments safer for all of us.

No matter whether you are an experienced or new cannabis cultivator, establishing a new location to cultivate cannabis using regenerative growing techniques deserves some forethought. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with Humboldt County-born regenerative farmer Daniel Stein of Briceland Forest Farm about building soil, placement of structures, using soil inputs found on your property, water sequestration, cover crops and companion planting, animal husbandry and animal fertilizers, and whether or not cannabis crops should be rotated with the vegetables.

Some of the most potent psilocybin mushrooms have proven very difficult to cultivate indoors. These mushrooms love growing on hardwoods. On episode 113 of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with mycologist Christian Kaelin about the attributes and personalities of wood-loving hallucinogenic mushrooms, how to find and wildcraft them, and how to build your own inoculated hardwood chip beds to cultivate them outdoors at home.

Incredible cannabis plants start with soil diversity and thriving microbiology. During this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with microbiologist Michael DiLegge about natural biostimulants, the care and feeding of microbe life in your soil, choosing companion plants to encourage root zone diversity, and an indictment of the 24-hour light cycle theory.

Long Live Landraces! In this delightful introduction to cannabis landrace plant varieties, Shaping Fire host Shango Los talks with Santa Cruz landrace specialist Jade Nectar aka Jeff Nordahl about the differences between landrace, wild and feral varieties of cannabis, their unique attributes that attract connoisseurs, and the importance of conscious landrace breeding techniques and preservation.

Delta-8 THC is everywhere, but the scientific understanding of it is not. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los welcomes back neuroscientist and renown cannabis researcher Dr. Ethan Russo to discuss the medicinal benefits of Delta-8 THC, its history, the challenges of synthesizing clean Delta-8 THC, and the negative impacts that synthetic Delta-8 THC is having throughout the cannabis community.

Brains cells die, and our body has the ability to make new ones. But as we age, the ability to make new brain cells slows, and sometimes even slows so much that dementia arises. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los, talks with cannabinoid researcher Staton Laws about the mechanics of neurogenesis, how cannabis medicine can stimulate the creation of vital neurons, and specific nootropic dosing protocols for those interested in sustaining their brain health and longevity, as well as cannabis patients who are already facing dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

While cannabis is most commonly used to relieve symptoms of ongoing illness, the plant’s resin can also be used to keep the human body in balance over decades, creating long-term wellness. During episode #108 of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with neuroscientist Hunter Land PhD about the biological mechanics of aging, how strengthening the endocannabinoid system can increase your healthspan, and how to develop a cannabinoid strategy to meet your health goals.

Cannabis enthusiasts enjoy using vaporizers for a range of reasons from great taste, to the health benefits for our lungs. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los speaks with engineer and vaporizer devotee Mark Lewis about the attraction so many cannabis users have for flower and oil vaporizers, the pro and cons of technology designs used in contemporary devices, and an array of myths clouding their understanding and use.

Cannabis cultivators expect the plant’s roots to do an essential job, and yet most of us barely know how to treat them nicely. On this week’s episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los welcomes back plant biologist Sarah Lane to discuss root structure in living soil, coco/peat and hydro systems, how roots function, what their various colors may say about their health, how and when to trim them, and best practices for creating a bountiful root system that will support massive growth and yields, including container choice, pH, watering, fertilizers and compost teas.

Mycelium and mycorrhizae are essential parts of the Soil Food Web, and using cultivation methods that support soil fungi can lead to the best cannabis you’ve ever grown. In this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with mycologist Stephanie Garcia about the functions of mycelium and mycorrhizae, some common misunderstandings, and best practices for amendments, pH, watering and transplanting to create and sustain a thriving rhizosphere.

The vast majority of cannabis enthusiasts and patients are also taking some prescription drug or another, and cannabis patients often ask about the potential for drug-drug interaction without ever getting a satisfying answer. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with pharmacologist Jahan Marcu PhD about the complex biology of cannabis interacting with other drugs, how to discern if you may be experiencing an interaction, and some red flag drugs that should be watched closely.