Entheogens and Psychedelics

The Entheogens and Psychedelics course, starting each February, will run for ten weeks and will cover the scientific, cultural and spiritual aspects of psychedelics and entheogens. Students will explore the transpersonal nature of the psychedelic experience, including altered states of consciousness and exceptional experiences, and examine the meanings and implications of these experiences for individuals and communities.

The course will delve into key questions surrounding psychedelics, such as whether they are genuine entheogens and if they provide access to ‘real’ mystical experiences. Additionally, students will study the benefits and risks of transpersonal psychedelic experiences and explore the transpersonal experiences that occur with psychedelics and what can be learned about the neurobiology of transpersonal experience from studying psychedelic experiences.

The course will also examine the cultural and historical contexts in which psychedelics have been used, and the differences in understanding and interpretation of psychedelic experiences across cultures. Additionally, the course will explore the implications of transpersonal psychedelic experiences for our understanding of the nature of reality and the limits of human experience, as well as the differences between the shamanic worldview and the Western worldview.