The first World Psychedelic Forum took place in Basel, Switzerland, March 21-24, and the guest of honor was 102 year old Albert Hofmann, the inventor of LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), one of the most potent (and popular) of hallucinogenic substances. Working at Sandoz when he accidentally came across it in 1943, he considered it his “problem child”. I have often wondered what he was looking for?
Mr Hofmann was also the first one to “turn on”, describing his first trip as "an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopic play of colors". Did you catch that “first” trip. My kind o' guy.
At first it was thought LSD could help in psychotherapy, as well as expanding consciousness: the term "psychedelic" is derived from the Greek "psyche" (soul) and "delos" (manifest), therefore, a state in which the soul manifests itself. Unfortunately, between it’s misguided “testing” by the CIA, and the experimental excesses, fueled by Timothy Leary, LSD got a bad reputation that scared establishment. In 1966, it was banned in the US, and in Switzerland in 1973. Medical studies came to a halt.
But last December the Swiss medical authorities announced that they had approved a study to carry out LSD assisted psychotherapy trials on patients suffering from advanced-stage cancer and other terminal illnesses – the first study on humans in 35 years.
With a renewed interest in hallucinogens like LSD, cultural and scientific, the Psychedelic Forum brought together international experts and researchers to debate "the multi-dimensional psychedelic experience with its tremendous potential for expanding consciousness and for self-awareness". I am looking forward to more on this topic.
Also attending: consciousness researcher Stanislav Grof and Carolyn Garcia, wife of the late Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead band).
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