The world of psychedelics, contrary to how some politicians would like to portray it, is often a community of intellectuals, visionaries, scientists, and philosophers whose perspective goes beyond the state of intoxication with such substances. Many of them have had a huge influence on contemporary culture, even if only indirectly, because \u2013 for example \u2013 artists have benefited from their discoveries. In this article, I would like to present \u2013 \u200b\u200bin my opinion \u2013 the most important figures in this \u00ab\u00a0cosmic\u00a0\u00bb universe. I invite you to read!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He is a precursor of psychedelics in modern society. Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann was the creator of LSD. Interestingly, his first encounter with the substance was difficult. Hofmann experienced a real bad trip, writing in his laboratory journal that \u00ab\u00a0a demon possessed him.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, he continued to test LSD on himself, gradually reducing the dose. Eventually, he concluded that he had opened new doors to his perception and began to explore the mysteries of life. His \u00ab\u00a0miracle child,\u00a0\u00bb as he later called it, accompanied him until his death in 2008. Rumor has it that he took this psychedelic for 73 years, not even caring that its possession was illegal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also published extensively. He wrote, among other things, \u00ab\u00a0The Road to Eleusis: The Psychedelic Mysteries,\u00a0\u00bb where he addressed the issue of Greek philosophers and the influence of a substance called kykeon<\/em>, made from ergot, which has psychedelic properties, on them. However, one of his most famous works is \u00ab\u00a0LSD, My Difficult Child,\u00a0\u00bb in which he describes his entire experience with lysergic acid dimethylamine. It’s worth noting that he lived to be 102 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Scientist, writer, and psychedelic researcher. Dr. James Fadiman<\/strong> is particularly interested in the topic of microdosing. He headed the Institute of Noetic Sciences, which combined objective science with subjective inner knowledge (\u00ab\u00a0noetic\u00a0\u00bb comes from the Greek no\u0113sis, referring to intuition). He taught psychology at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He began his adventure with psychedelics with psilocybin in 1961. Later, he experimented with LSD, but when drug policies became stricter, his experiments were severely restricted. This did not stop him completely, however. The introspection he gained from psychoactive substances led him to philosophical research and combining theses on personality from Eastern trends with Western scientific approaches. He was one of the first scientists to recognize the significant role of women in shaping consciousness and philosophy. He is the co-author of, among others, He also wrote the book \u00ab\u00a0Motivation and Personality\u00a0\u00bb and the first comprehensive \u00ab\u00a0Psychedelic Traveler’s Guide.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another researcher focusing on mushrooms \u2013 Paul Stamets<\/strong> \u2013 is an American mycologist and entrepreneur. His main activity is… selling various species of useful (or medicinal) mushrooms. His interest in this field was sparked by his older brother, John. Although he does not hold a professorship, a doctoral degree, or even a master’s degree, his individual research has earned him fame in the mycological community. In recognition of his contributions, he received the \u00ab\u00a0Bioneers\u00a0\u00bb Award from the Collective Heritage Institute and the \u00ab\u00a0Award for Contributions to Amateur Mycology\u00a0\u00bb from the North American Mycological Society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Author of various books, including \u00ab\u00a0Psilocybin Mushrooms and Their Allies.\u00a0\u00bb Moreover, one of the protagonists of the documentary \u00ab\u00a0The Extraordinary World of Mushrooms,\u00a0\u00bb which explores the significant role mushrooms play in human culture and life (and beyond).<\/p>\n\n\n\nJames Fadiman<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Paul Stamets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Terence Kemp McKenna<\/h2>\n\n\n\n