You can’t pick up a newspaper paper today, watch the news or browse any psychological, transpersonal or addiction journal and not come across some reference to, or scientific article about, psychedelics. We are currently undergoing something of a psychedelic renaissance with even wider acceptance, far more scientific and medical research and excitement around the psychological and mental-health benefits of psychedelics, than occurred...

“The renaissance of interest in Eastern spiritual philosophies, various mystical traditions, meditation, ancient and aboriginal wisdom, as well as the widespread psychedelic experimentation during the stormy 1960s, made it absolutely clear that a comprehensive and cross-culturally valid psychology had to include observations from such areas as mystical states; cosmic consciousness; psychedelic experiences; trance phenomena; creativity; and...

Life can sneak up on all of us. One moment you are in high school dreaming about the pretty girl or cute boy in your science class and imagining a life of success, happiness and maybe wealth or fame. Then one day you wake up when you’re 30 or 40 and you wonder “what the hell happened?” Maybe you hate your job, or you’re in a relationship that is more of a struggle than a joy. Maybe you’ve gained weight, you...

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience” ~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Some people define “spirituality” as going to church and believing in a God. Others may define spirituality along the lines of one of the Eastern non-theistic traditions such as Buddhism, Taoism or Hinduism. Others still, may define spirituality simply as becoming a better person, engaging in...

  “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” (Gandhi) “Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” (Einstein) We tend to (conveniently) convince ourselves that certain animals, below some sort of arbitrarily chosen phylogenetic level, are less conscious,...