WHAT IS PSYCHEDELIC

Psychedelic relating to or denoting drugs (especially LSD) that produce hallucinations and apparent expansion of consciousness.

DESCRIPTION

Psychedelics have been used in manifold contexts throughout human history: from ancient traditional ways to modern medical research, to home-grown lay use and parties; from treatment, personal growth, and wellbeing to gnostic and heuristic purposes, and ceremonies serving societal needs or religious and environmental functions. Ever-present within the context of the psychedelic experience is how the use of these substances also affects society and vice versa, via the societal environment, norms, and attitudes, with their strongest expression in legislation.

Rather than looking at psychedelics merely as chemical substances, this conference aims to focus on what is “beyond”. We want to explore the context of psychedelic use and its interaction with the psychedelic experience, and to give voice to knowledge and experience gained within multiple frameworks, as we believe that much can be learned by sharing different perspectives.

We will be discussing the position of psychedelics within nature, therapy, culture, and society. Besides, considering the fact that the context of the psychedelic experience is influenced by its purpose, we will take a look at various purposes of the psychedelic experience, discussing them from different points of view:

• Medical treatment
• Self-experience for mental health professionals
• Personal growth and wellbeing
• Creativity purposes
• Spirituality and religion
• Community and societal needs
• Ecology
• Study of consciousness
• Recreational use and entertainment

In order to represent as many different perspectives as possible, the list of speakers will include Western scientists, traditional indigenous experts, drug policy analysts, historians and eyewitnesses of the 1960s, people working with psychedelics in their treatment practice, people working in psychedelic harm-reduction services, and, last but not least, also patients treated by psychedelics as well as lay users of psychedelics.

We will meet to share our diverse perspectives, engage in discussion, explore the potential of psychedelics, learn from each other and look for new prospects for the use of psychedelics in modern society.