It seems like we are still living in the time of the war on drugs, it seems like a bad tripe. Fortunately, this is rapidly changing. Governments and society at large are embracing psychedelic therapy as a safer and more effective alternative to other modern methods of dealing with psychological problems such as death-related anxiety and severe depression.
We can thank the new wave of psychedelic researchers who are using science to light the way to a more integrated and renewed relationship with these woodsy drugs. Another driving force in the psychedelic science movement is people in many sectors of our society who are having sacred experiences and improving themselves. What are some of the most famous psychedelic trips and how have they impacted our world?
We can thank the new wave of psychedelic researchers who are using science to light the way to a more integrated and renewed relationship with these woodsy drugs. Another driving force in the psychedelic science movement is people in many sectors of our society who are having sacred experiences and improving themselves. What are some of the most famous psychedelic trips and how have they impacted our world?
In this article we will list and comment on a few of the most famous and coolest psychedelic trips. As psychedelic substances become more integrated into the mainstream, we will hear more and more about how LSD, or magic mushrooms, can have a positive impact on people's lives. Both in their personal and professional lives.
However, we cannot forget that the history of psychedelic tripping is as rich and varied as human civilization. From ancient rituals to modern therapeutic practices, these trips have shaped cultures, inspired art, and expanded consciousness in a variety of ways. Here we take a look at some of the most famous psychedelic trips in history and their lasting impact on our world.
However, we cannot forget that the history of psychedelic tripping is as rich and varied as human civilization. From ancient rituals to modern therapeutic practices, these trips have shaped cultures, inspired art, and expanded consciousness in a variety of ways. Here we take a look at some of the most famous psychedelic trips in history and their lasting impact on our world.
Bicycle Day (psychedelic holiday) — Dr. Albert Hofmann
LSD-25 was the 25th element extracted from the ergot fungus in 1938. Only five years later, Hofmann accidentally discovered the intoxicating effects of LSD and organized the first planned LSD trip in history on April 19, 1943. Dr. Hofmann took a small (or so he thought) amount of LSD-25. He was in his laboratory in Switzerland with his assistant Susie when the trip began, and what followed was an intense altered state of consciousness with vivid hallucinations and powerful effects on the mind.
Fearing he had poisoned himself, he asked his assistant to walk him home with his bicycle. When he got home, the effects peaked and he went insane because he thought he was intoxicated. Susie called the doctor, who arrived just after the peak of the experience. The doctor assured him that, other than abnormally dilated pupils, there was nothing physically to worry about. After Hofmann realized there was no cause for concern, he let the experience run its course. He then began to appreciate the epiphanies and the beautiful dance of lights and shapes before his eyes.
Fearing he had poisoned himself, he asked his assistant to walk him home with his bicycle. When he got home, the effects peaked and he went insane because he thought he was intoxicated. Susie called the doctor, who arrived just after the peak of the experience. The doctor assured him that, other than abnormally dilated pupils, there was nothing physically to worry about. After Hofmann realized there was no cause for concern, he let the experience run its course. He then began to appreciate the epiphanies and the beautiful dance of lights and shapes before his eyes.
As the creator of LSD, Albert Hofmann changed the landscape of psychedelic research by creating a powerful and pervasive compound that could provide valuable insight into the user's mind. Shortly after the famous psychedelic trip of the bicycle era, Hofmann's lab developed an LSD-based product and made it available to researchers and health professionals.
The Great Mushroom Journey with Wosson — María Sabina
It was the greatest trip that changed our perception of psychedelics, and it effectively opened magic mushrooms to the public. In this public arena (perhaps too public) we see a traditional shaman, a Mazatec curandero from Mexico, playing a key role in introducing Westerners to the sacred tradition of Velada ceremonies. Velada are healing ceremonies involving the ritual use of psilocybin-containing mushrooms (known as holy children). Ever since the sacred Velada became famous, everyone wanted to see it for themselves. The movement attracted people from all over the world, including figures such as John Lennon of the Beatles and Dr. Albert Hofmann, himself the creator of LSD.
The first person to start the movement was banker Gordon Wasson who was fascinated by mushrooms in 1955, he and his wife Valentina Oavlovna Wasson traveled to Mexico in search of local ritual use of mushrooms. Their research led them to meet Maria Sabina, a healer known for her knowledge of sacred mushrooms and healing ceremonies.
The first person to start the movement was banker Gordon Wasson who was fascinated by mushrooms in 1955, he and his wife Valentina Oavlovna Wasson traveled to Mexico in search of local ritual use of mushrooms. Their research led them to meet Maria Sabina, a healer known for her knowledge of sacred mushrooms and healing ceremonies.
With this, Wasson and his wife became the first Westerners to participate in and document the ritual use of psilocybin mushrooms. He published a famous account of the psychedelic trip in a groundbreaking article entitled «In Search of the Magic Mushroom» in Life magazine in 1957. Wasson's research and advocacy played a crucial role in catalyzing the psychedelic movement. His work inspired subsequent generations of researchers, writers, and spiritual seekers to explore the transformative properties of psychedelic substances and their cultural significance.
Meeting with the Virgin Mary (Queen of the Forest) — Raimundo Irineu Serra
Santo Daime is a century-old organization that conducts religious ceremonies in centers around the world using an entheogenic decoction of ayahuasca, a psychedelic drink with a long history of use by indigenous tribes of the Amazon forest. Santo Daime was created in the 19th century with the mission of spreading the ritual use of the ayahuasca plant to all peoples. Santo Daime is now present in most of the world's most popular countries.
The foundation of the Santo Daime religion began with a series of psychedelic journeys with the sacred drink Ayahuasca. Mestre Irineu was a descendant of African slaves brought to Brazil in the 18th and 19th centuries. His life changed dramatically when he came into contact with the Ayahuasca drink. During one of his first experiences, he had a vision of a beautiful godlike woman who told him to consume the drink every day for a month, using nothing but cassava roots and water.
As he followed the trippy routine towards the end, he developed a close relationship with the Ayahuasca drink and the entity he was communicating with. During this famous psychedelic trip, the goddess told him that she would grant him one wish on the condition that he dedicate his life to spreading the word of Ayahuasca throughout the world. He asked her to put whatever the user wished in the drink, which is why the religion's name is Santo Daime (Daime means «dai-me» in Portuguese).
As he followed the trippy routine towards the end, he developed a close relationship with the Ayahuasca drink and the entity he was communicating with. During this famous psychedelic trip, the goddess told him that she would grant him one wish on the condition that he dedicate his life to spreading the word of Ayahuasca throughout the world. He asked her to put whatever the user wished in the drink, which is why the religion's name is Santo Daime (Daime means «dai-me» in Portuguese).
Nobel laureate's LSD trip — Kary Banks Mullis
Cary Mullis, American biochemist and Nobel Prize winner, famously credited LSD as the inspiration for his groundbreaking discovery of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. In his memoirs, Mullis recounts the transformative and famous psychedelic LSD trip he experienced while driving through northern California, during which he envisioned a new approach to DNA amplification. This visionary insight eventually revolutionized the field of molecular biology. It allowed scientists to reproduce and study DNA sequences with unprecedented precision. Mullis's testimony underscores the profound impact of psychedelics on scientific innovation and creative problem solving. Moreover, Cary Mullis challenged conventional wisdom about consciousness and inspiration in the pursuit of knowledge.
When asked if he would have reached a moment of insight without trying LSD, he replied, «Probably not».
How Santana Hallucinated Through One of Woodstock’s Best Sets —Carlos Santana
Woodstock 1969, Carlos Santana had 12 hours to kill before performing in front of over 400,000 people. His friend Jerry Garcia offers him some LSD. Soon after, Carlos Santana begins to feel like he is soaring, soaring like a bird. Things quickly changed when plans changed and Santana had to perform earlier than expected. This happened in the middle of peak effects. Still, he had to perform during an LSD trip, and the effects were very strong.
What followed was a huge concert that actually took Santana's career to the pinnacle of fame. This event allowed him to become the successful musician that he became. He played Soul Sacrifice while high. He says now that he felt like the fingerboard of his guitar was like a snake, and all he could do was trust that his fingers would somehow remember where to go. The result is a soul-stirring performance, one of Woodstock's most memorable shows and one of the most famous psychedelic journeys.
What followed was a huge concert that actually took Santana's career to the pinnacle of fame. This event allowed him to become the successful musician that he became. He played Soul Sacrifice while high. He says now that he felt like the fingerboard of his guitar was like a snake, and all he could do was trust that his fingers would somehow remember where to go. The result is a soul-stirring performance, one of Woodstock's most memorable shows and one of the most famous psychedelic journeys.
Discovering a new world of tripe — Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley was a visionary, author of «Brave New World» and «The Doors of Perception». He embarked on a lifelong exploration of consciousness, facilitated by psychedelics such as mescaline and LSD. Huxley's eloquent descriptions of his psychedelic experiences, documented in The Doors of Perception, continue to inspire seekers and thinkers alike. He challenged the societal taboos surrounding the use of psychedelics. And he championed their potential as tools for personal and spiritual transformation.
His account of the trip is one of the most beautiful descriptions of something that simply cannot be described. That a literary genius like Aldous Huxley illuminates the psychedelic landscape is a blessing for which we should be grateful. In 1954, he released The Doors of Perception. This book invites the reader to dive into profound insights and opens our eyes to the transformative potential of altered states of consciousness, taking us on his famous psychedelic journey.
His account of the trip is one of the most beautiful descriptions of something that simply cannot be described. That a literary genius like Aldous Huxley illuminates the psychedelic landscape is a blessing for which we should be grateful. In 1954, he released The Doors of Perception. This book invites the reader to dive into profound insights and opens our eyes to the transformative potential of altered states of consciousness, taking us on his famous psychedelic journey.
Conclusion
Each of these figures illustrates the diverse and profound ways in which psychedelic experiences have shaped human history and consciousness. From ancient rituals to modern scientific breakthroughs, psychedelics continue to challenge and expand our understanding of reality. As we navigate the changing landscape of psychedelic research and cultural discourse, we honor the wisdom of those who have traveled before us. In doing so, we are paving the way for a more compassionate, interconnected, and enlightened world.