Before the current “Renaissance,” the psychedelic counterculture of the 50s and 60s instigated a “revolution” with far-reaching social and political consequences. Moving beyond the narrowly scientific research, we will explore thematic continuities in the literature, music, and art of both psychedelic eras. Our reading list will include emerging voices in the contemporary scene, as well as classic works by authors including Huxley, Leary, McKenna and others.

Alchemy may be defined as the unveiling of the primordial perfection hidden within the heart of appearances. In its most universal sense, alchemy traces the transformations of reality as it unfolds from and returns to this ever-present (yet ever-concealed) origin. In this context, the natural and spiritual aims of alchemy, from gold-making to god-making, reveal themselves as particular applications of a single universal process.