4 Groundbreaking Psychonauts!
The use of mind-altering substances has not been undisputed in recent decades. Many people have their own (negative) ideas about it, but will never use these resources themselves. Governments are also dismissive of it, which is why many laws have been enacted that prohibit or restrict the use of psychedelics. This also makes research into the effects difficult. Fortunately, throughout history, there are brave, enterprising, and groundbreaking psychonauts who open our eyes to the possibilities and extraordinary powers of mind-altering drugs.
4 psychonauts who changed the world
Some people don't walk the normal, beaten paths that most of us do. Psychonauts such as Timothy Leary and Terence McKenna were not afraid to use drugs like LSD, ayahuasca and psilocybin. By telling their story and challenging the rigid attitude of politicians, they were able to slowly change mainstream opinion about mind-altering drugs. This allows research to be conducted again and laws to be amended. So their work is very important! Below you can read more about four of these special people.
1. Timothy Leary
Timothy Leary, born in 1920 in America, was a well-known psychologist. He worked as a clinical psychologist at Harvard University in the 1960s. He believed that LSD could be used as a means of achieving breakthroughs in psychological complaints. He felt that both patient and therapist could benefit from the drug. Together with his colleague, he supported the idea that psychology examines the mind and should therefore also be interested in its connection with the body and the environment. Therefore, psychologists should also be interested in how mind-altering drugs affect emotions, perception and cognition.
They conducted experiments with psychedelics to find out if they could be used in therapies. One of the most famous experiments was the Concord Prison experiment. At Concord Prison, Leary gave the inmates group therapy and also administered psilocybin (the therapists also took it to create a sense of belonging, by the way). It turned out that, after release, instead of the expected 64%, only 25% of the inmates returned to prison after 6 months.
Leary's approach was not without controversy. President Nixon thought he was one of the most dangerous men in America. Leary was fired from the university and the police arrested him several times. He did not, however, be silenced and spoke candidly about the special benefits of mind-altering drugs. He has a large number of books to his name.
2. Terence McKenna
Terence McKenna also spoke out loud and clear about psychedelics. He was born in 1946 and died in 2000. He always felt connected to nature. At 16e, he read about the effects of mind-altering drugs and then (in his own words) tried Morning Glory Seeds. He became curious about these resources. He then learned more about shamanism and different religions. McKenna championed the idea that humans can discover their own minds through the use of psychedelics. He also used these himself, from ayahuasca to DMT and magic mushrooms. The potent McKennaii magic mushroom is named after him.
He wrote several books, all of which are well researched and very informative. His most famous book is Food of the Gods. McKenna's fame grew and he gave many lectures, including in the dance and party scene. Unfortunately, he had a very aggressive form of brain cancer and passed away at the age of 53.
3. William S Burroughs
William Burroughs was born in 1914 and was an avid writer. He wrote novels, short stories, short stories and essays during his 40 years in business. One of his best-known books is Junkie: Confessions of an Unredeemed Drug Addict. He was therefore a strong supporter of the use of drugs. The book candidly describes his drug addiction and his attempts to come off heroin. Burroughs was one of the proponents of the use of LSD in psychiatry, writing about his own personal experiences with narcotics and mind-altering drugs. His texts are very detailed and still contribute to our knowledge about the effects of these substances.
In 1951, he accidentally shot his wife to death and he was racked with guilt. This event is what prompted him to write. Burroughs was also very interested in witchcraft, the mystical and the occult. He traveled to the Amazon rainforest, where he wanted to find ayahuasca. He hoped that this drug could help him get rid of his heroin addiction.
