The Future of Psychedelics

For millennia, cultures around the world expanded minds and visions with “teacher plants” – what we commonly know
today as psychedelics. The widespread popularity of LSD during the 1960s awakened the Western psyche to these powerful
substances, ushering in a period of wild experimentation that revolutionized art and music, inspired social movements,
and opened new vistas of possibility for psychotherapy. But a swift backlash from the establishment made psychedelics
illegal, repressing and marginalizing them as “dangerous drugs.”

Today, there is new potential for psychedelics to be reintroduced into mainstream culture, not as drastic catalysts of
social upheaval but as tools that can help people overcome serious problems, explore mystical experiences, find
inspiration, and understand more about consciousness and the brain. Psychedelic research with human subjects is
underway again after a 35-year blockade, thanks to the efforts of non-profit organizations like MAPS
(Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) and the Beckley Foundation. Prominent newspapers and magazines
are giving these substances another look, acknowledging their potential for therapeutic and spiritual breakthroughs if
used with care. At the same time, the worldwide resurgence of interest in indigenous shamanism indicates a deeper
maturity and respect emerging toward these ancient sacraments.

In this Spore, we will explore and discuss the exciting new frontiers for psychedelics in our modern culture, as both
scientifically verified medicines and intentional tools for personal development.