The Future of Psychedelics
We've been getting great feedback from participants in this summer's
Evolver Intensives, our series of teleseminars featuring live calls
with some of today's more important thinkers and inspiring visionaries.
Participants appreciate that the conversations are in-depth and
spontaneous, and give listeners a way to have direct contact with
innovative thought leaders working at the forefront of meaningful
change. At the same time, this new commercial format generates some of
the revenue our company needs to survive, so we can bring you Reality
Sandwich and Evolver.net.
Excited by the possibilities, we're assembling a line up of Evolver
Intensives that kicks off in October and continues at a clip of two a
month into next year. I'll be hosting the next series, "The Future of
Psychedelics: Exploring Their Potential for Insight and Healing." It
will consist of four calls with some of the world's leading researchers
and historians in consciousness-expanding medicines: Graham Hancock,
author of the best-selling Fingerprints of the Gods and Supernatural;
psychedelics researcher and pioneer, Rick Doblin, Ph.D., director of
Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS); spiritual
teacher Satyen Raja; and Amanda Feilding, director of the Beckley
Foundation, the leading British research institution focusing on the
science of drug use and the nature of consciousness.
During this series, among the questions we'll explore are:
• What is the value of the psychedelic experience for people in our society?
• How can we frame this value in a powerful new language that can help
pave the way for more powerful discussion and transformation?
• What are the true dangers of psychedelics? Some people have had "bad
trips." What are the most effective ways to address the psychic and
emotional scars that can accompany the sometimes shocking illuminations
produced by visionary substances? How can you assist someone who is in
the throes of a negative experience?
• While most psychedelics remain illegal in the US, it is possible to
have legal experiences with visionary plant-based psychedelics in South
America, Africa, and elsewhere. How can one find a trusted shaman or
native guide for these explorations?
• What is the connection between psychedelic use and innovations in
fields ranging from art and music to biology and software development?
• What is the connection between psychedelics and the world's mystical traditions, such as Hinduism, Gnosticism, and Qabala?
• Why were psychedelics suppressed and demonized in the past? Are there
reasons to think that our society is prepared to reconsider them today?
If so, what can we do to advance that evolution?
It all starts on October 15. For more information about the series, click here.
I hope you join us!
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- 9-24-09
- Daniel Pinchbeck's blog
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Synchronicity
Mr. Pinchbeck, I apologize for posting a comment that's not relevant to this article in particular, but I knew of no other way to contact you. It is a strange thing when someone experiences synchronicity, but in this case rather than just reveling in it privately, I had to speak up.
That I came across your book 2012:TRoQ would seem to have been a total coincidence - a random trip to Borders looking in a random aisle, the book jumped out at me simply for its title. Come to find out that the ideas within align very closely with my own - ideas that I uncovered without the use of psychedelics.
I mention that difference between us for a reason. In a previous search for material similar to ideas I had intuited (or so I think), I came across Terrence McKenna's "novelty theory", which aligns somewhat with what I call my "Wave Theory".
Then, looking more into McKenna I find out that he too was an advocate and user of psychedelics. Surely this couldn't be a coincidence, too, that the two people whose ideas aligned closest with my own had participated in psychedelic journeys.
Then throughout your book you mention authors who at random times throughout my life I have found to have common thoughts - including Fritjof Capra (whose Tao of Physics I TRIED to read before I was able to understand it) and Rupert Sheldrake, whose idea of morphogenetic fields could also probably be used as theoretical support for my "wave" concept.
All this to say, if I could be so bold to even make the suggestion, that I think you and I could have very meaningful conversations. And actually, I think it may be important that we do. If you, like I do, think synchronicity events suggest that we are supposed to be paying closer attention or engaging at that point. If you have some spare time, I would be honored if you'd take a look at my "Existential Wave Theory" and other philosophical entries at the following address:
http://www.godheval.net/philosophy/
To date, I have found no one able or willing to discuss these things with me - at least not with that same personal level of understanding that I have myself. I suspect that you could, based on what I've read so far of 2012. If you do end up reading anything and would like to have some e-mail discussions, please contact me at my user name at gmail.com.
Thanks, and sorry again for clogging up your blog comments with this.
Visionary ideas