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DivineMoleculeTalksatTyringham–PartII

ExploringEntheogenicEntityEncounters

Hostedby

AntonJGBiltonatTyringhamHall

May29th–June1st,2017

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CONTENTS

TheTyringhamInitiative–Asummary 3

TyringhamHall–History 4

Objectivesofthesymposium-DrDavidLuke 5

ExploringEntheogenicEntityEncounters–AntonBilton 7

ProgrammeSchedule 12

PresentationSpeakerAbstracts 16

PresentationSpeakerBiographies 26

DiscussantBiographies 33

TeamBiographies 40

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THETYRINGHAMINITIATIVE–ASUMMARY

TheTyringhamInitiativewaslaunchedatTyringhamHallin2015asaworld-classthink-tankfortheevolution,expansionanddeeperunderstandingof‘new-paradigmconsciousness’,renownedinitsenquiryforexploration,innovation,rigourandintegrity.TheInitiativehasoperatedasavirtualplatformforeventsandretreats,bothinitiallyatTyringhamitselfandfrom2017onwards,atotherlocationsaroundtheglobe.ThroughauniqueintegrationofScience,ArtandSpirit,TheTyringhamInitiativecouldbedescribedasa‘MysterySchoolfortheNewRenaissance’,becomingboththeincubatorandthepropagatorfortheideasthatwillenablehumanitytoconfrontthesystemicchallengesofthe21stcentury–fromtheecologicalandsocial,totheeconomic,metaphysicalandthespiritual.Wewouldwelcomeanythoughtsfromtheassembledcompanyaboutpotentialfuturecollaboration.

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TYRINGHAMHALL–HISTORYTyringhamHallwasdesignedbySirJohnSoanein1792forWilliamPraed,renownedbankerandMP.Soaneisregardedasoneofthegreatestarchitectsoftheneo-classicalperiod.Tyringhamwasoneofaseriesofnewcountryhouseshedesignedandthelargestofthenewvillasconstructedwhenhisidiosyncraticstylehadfullymatured.Soanerecordsinhismemoirs“thisvilla,withitsnumerousoffices,greenhouses,hothouses,extensivestabling,agreatbridge,andthegatewayandlodgeswerecompletedandoccupiedintheyear1797,afterhavingengagedalargeproportionofsixofthemosthappyyearsofmylife”.

ThecopperdometothemainhouseandtheFrenchBoiserieswerelatereditions,easilycontrastingwiththepredominatelyGreekstyleoftheoriginalbuilding.Inthe1920’s,thethenowner,FrederickKonig,commissionedSirEdwinLutyenstoconstructthesubstantialoutdoorswimmingpool(nowtheornamentalpond),thebathingpavilion,theTempleofMusicandtheextensivelandscaping.TheTempleofMusicreceivedagoldmedalfordesignaround1934andbothpavilionsareuniquetothiscountry.Toeachsideoftheelegant,roundbasinbetweenthetwoornamentalpondsaretwopillarswithleopardstatues,designedbyWilliamMacmillan.MacmillanalsodesignedthefountaintothefrontelevationofthehousefeaturingDianaandApollo.ThebridgeattheentrancetoTyringham,(althoughnotcurrentlyowned)isGradeIlistedandascheduledAncientMonument.

FollowingKonig’sdeathin1940,TyringhambecameamaternityhomeduringWorldWarIIandwassubsequentlypurchasedbytheAustraliaandNewZealandBankasaweekendclub.In1966,TyringhamHallwassoldtoaTrustheadedbySirMauriceLaingandtheTyringhamNaturopathicClinicwasopenedin1967bySydneyRose-Neil.AntonBiltonpurchasedtheproperty16yearsagoandmadeextensiveimprovementsthroughoutthehousewhichhavebeenenormouslysympathetictotheoriginaldesign.TyringhamHallhasthusbeentransformedbackintotheexcellenthomethatSoaneintended.

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OBJECTIVESOFTHESYMPOSIUM,DrDavidLuke

DMTisasimpleorganicmoleculepresentinanextremelywiderangeofanimalsandprobablyallplants,thoughcuriouslynotfungus–whichintruemycelialstylehasitsownversion(4-HO-DMT).ThatDMTisalsonaturallyoccurringinhumansisnodoubtpartofwhyitissooftenexperientiallyconsideredtobethestrongestandstrangestofallpsychedelics,deliveringhalfofallhighdoseuserstonew,yetcuriouslyfamiliaralienworlds,wheresentientnon-humanbeingsawaittogreetthem–“welcomeback,wemissedyou”.Fewexperiencingthesephenomenareportanythinglessthanthatworldseemingmorerealthanthis.Scienceexplores,charts,navigates,discovers,andincreasinglycomprehendsthephysicalworldbothmacroandmicro,pushingthelimitsofouterspace,yetasleepatthewheelofouroutwardsthrustingvehicle,scantregardisgiventomappinginnerspace–whichisbothwithintheuniverseandourpersonalcontainerofit.Andyetwhatcouldbemoreimportantasascientificresearchquestion(inamaterialisticworld)thanlocating,verifyingandcommunicatingwithbeingsapparentlyfarmoreintelligentandknowledgeablethanweare?Giventhat$100MhasrecentlybeenprovidedtoboosttheSETIresearchproject,wouldn’tweexpectanysuchprojectthatalreadyhashalftheresearchers(inthiscasepsychonauts)reportingpositivecommunications,equallyifnotmoreworthyofinvestigation?Butwherearealltheresearchgrants,whereareallthescientificpapers,whereareallthescientistsandexperts…ah,thereyouare,alltenofyou,welcomeback,wemissedyou!ThequestionofDMTbeings,ofplantsentience,ofinterspeciescommunication,ofdiscarnateconsciousness,ofperhapsevendialoguingwiththedivine,issurelyoneofthemostimportantofallresearchquestions.Itcutstotheheartofthenatureofrealityitself,andtheprecisiontoolforthejobhasbeenavailableformorethan50

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years,buttheacademyhasleftitinthepenciljarinthesecretary’soffice,hidinginplainsight.Sowhatstepsshouldbemadeonourroadtodiscovery?WhatistheroleofDMTinplant-humanco-evolution,andwhatisitsorigin?Canweverifythisotherworldandtheseotherbeings?IstheDMTworldjustdelusional,isourimaginationmoretricksyandinfinitethanwegiveitcreditfor…orarethesebeingssomehowreal?Ifreal,thenwhataretheirintentions,andwhatisourrelationshiptothem?Isittimetoestablishaninter-dimensionalembassy,ortobarricadeourmindsagainst‘theother’?Orarewejustfindinganewwaytodialoguewithour(higher?)s-elf?Inanycasewhatcanbelearnedfromthebeings,fromDMT,fromourstudyofit–anthropologically(fromboththebeingsandtheusers),culturally,psychologically,linguistically,pharmacologically,medically,evolutionarily,heuristically,epistemologically,philosophicallyandwell,actually?…ordoesallthisexplorationjustgeneratemorequestionsthanitanswers,achimericrabbitholemorelabyrinthinethanourcrenulatedbrainwillallowustofathomandmoreobscurethandarkmatter?Maybewewillfindout.

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EXPLORINGENTHEOGENICENTITYENCOUNTERS–AntonBilton

Entities;God's,aliens…they'recertainlynotnewtoushumans.Formillenniamanhasbeenspokentobybeingsandourmajorreligions,misguidedornot,arebasedonthesecommunions.Todaywearetechnologicallyadvancedandcanexaminethesevisitationswithagreaterintensitythanourancestors.Wecancreateexperimentsthatprovokethecommunion,thatallowustoseecorrelationinexperiences,togatherevidence,toasktheentitiesforanswers,toaccesstheirrealmsandtoactontheiradvices.Tomethisisthemostimportantworkwecando.SpendingbillionswithNASAinasearchforextraterrestriallifeseemsalmostwastefulwhenwecanspendfractionsofthatandexperiencealternatesentientpresencesviaalternateconsciousnessexpandingpractisesasourancestorsdid.Forwhatislife?Wedeemabiologicalandmaterialbodyasimperative.Yet,ourconsciousselfmayexistwaybeyonditsoccupationofourbody.Mostpeoplebelievethistobetrue.Onenight,whilsttravellingintheastralandprovokedbyaparticularlysacredmomentofaceremony,wordsofhumblegratitudespontaneouslycameoutofmymouth:"Thankyouformyexistence."Itshockedme.Notmylife;butmy…existence;andIsawthedifference.I'vehadmanyentityexperiences,thefirstwasataverysadanddifficultstageinmylifewhenIwasfifteenyearsold.Itarrived,unprovoked,mid-morningduringaschoolbreakandinaSaul-on-the-road-to-Damascuswaywasthemostprofoundexperienceofmylife.IttriggeredmyinterestinthesemessengersfromtheGodsandsincethenI'vespentmuchofmytimeoutsidemybusinessandfamilyissuesseekingwaystomakecontactwiththem.Sometimesthey'rebenign,sometimesapatheticandsometimesmalevolent.Butperceptionisallandfrequentlywhatoneperceivestobedemonicisalsoone'sgreatestteacher.Tofearlessandbefearlessseemstobethekeytounderstanding.Anexampleofthiswaswhenamonstrous,horned,tenfoottalldemon,

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screameddownatme,hishugemusclesripplingunderhisredandleatheryskin:"You,youfuckinghumans,youreallythinkitgoesyou...thenGod.You'resobloodyarrogant.Letmetellyou;justasanantisaGodtoasingle-cellamoeba,andasadogisaGodtoanant,andasamanisaGodtoadogthenit'sgoesoninmany,manymorelayersfrommanbeforeonereachestheGodhead.Theantcandestroytheamoeba;thedogcanpissallovertheantsnest,themancancutthedog'sthroatandIcanmurderyou.Inthatorder;it'ssosimple.Andyes,attheendthereistheCosmicMind;pureconsciousness,the"God"ofeverythingandweareallOne,butbetweenthatandyoutherearelayersandlayersofwhatyoucallgodsandI'mjustoneofthose.TheancientEgyptians,theGreeks,theRomans,allpagans;theyhaditrightintheirmulti-Godbeliefsbutyou,you'veallgonewaywrongwithyoursingleGodtheory.NowletmeshowyouwhatIdoasarch-destroyer."AndhewhiskedmeoffmyfeetbythescruffoftheneckandflewmeawaythroughaskyofplanetstoseetheShiva-esquechaoshehadwreaked.Wowzers!Anintroductiontotheconceptof"layering"andonethatnotonlyfeltmorerealthanrealbutalsotweakedtheintuitive"truth"buttonthatliesembeddedinone'sgut."Layering";differinglevelsofintelligentbeingswaymoreevolvedthanus.Gods!NotGod.Layersofgods.Somemorepowerfulthanothers.Allmorepowerfulthanus.Yetall,somehow,eventuallyorintheever-presentnow,atonewiththeCosmicmindofall.Whatisitwiththesedemonteachersandtheirsermonsthatmakesthemfeelsoreal?Theirperceivedmalevolenceandourassociatedfearresponseseemspurposefullydesignedtojoltoneoutofegobasedjudgementsandhelponemoveintothefearlesswitnessstate.Ataskofteneasiertheorisedaboutthanachievedinsuchhairycircumstances.

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Whatisitwithallentityencountersthatmakesthemeetingsoprofound?Whetherit'saNearDeathExperience;anAlienAbductionoraninvestigatoryplantmedicine/psychedelictrip,theinteractionwithanalternatesentientpresence,anentity,alwaysknocksone'ssocksoff.Fromtinyflyingfairy-like"nurses",throughtranslucentangels,geometriclight-beings,two-dimensionalfacelessplasticfigures;snakes;vines;jaguars;alienGreys;talkingplay-schooltoys;machineelves;small-mouthhuge-foreheadhumanoids;sexysuccubi;coral-likeplants;skeletalgiants;burningbluelight-sabre-ishflames;totheragingfleshydemonencounteredabove,theseentitiesarepurposeful,sentientandintelligent.Theyknowwhatthey'redoing.Inmyviewthealiensandentitiesweseetodayarethegodsofourancestorsandit'ssolelyourgreaterunderstandingoftechnologythatmakesthedifferenceasthetechnologyoftodayisthemagicofpastyears.JustastheconquistadorswereperceivedasgodsbytheIndianssoalldescriptionsofgodsandaliensliesolelyintheirperceivedomnisciencebytheirobserver.Ifthey'reperceivedasomniscientthenthey'reagod;ifthere'sanynotionofpossiblevulnerabilitythenthey'reanalien.Wecouldspendalldayarguingaboutwhethertheseentitiesexistornot.TheyhavebeenasrealtomeasIamtomyselfwhilstsittingherewritingthispreface.Ofcourse,perhapsthatsenseofmyownrealitymightwellbemisplacedbutthat'sforlaterinthisbookwherewehearideasonthenatureofsubjectiverealityandourownplaceinit.Fornow,let'sgowithflow.Manhasquestedcommunionwithhismakerorhismaker'sminionssincetimeimmemorial.Thereligiousscripturesandhistorybooksarepackedwithentityencounters.There'sprobablynotapersononearthwhohasn'teitherhadorwhoknowssomeonewho'ssensedanentitypresenceofonetypeofanother.They'rehere!Andit'snothingbutourlackofproperfearlessinvestigationintotheirexistenceandpurposethat'sholdingusbackfromfulloncommunion.Nothingthatisbuttheirowncomplicity.

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Aretheybenevolent,malevolent;interested;disinterestedorsimplysharingthestage?Perhapsthey'reusfromthefuture;highlyevolvedhumanswhohavemasteredtimeandspaceandarereturningintimeinanetherealnon-materialformtoinfluenceourdevelopment.Perhapsthey'regodsandangelscarryingouttheirCreator'swishes.Perhapsthey'reasupersophisticatedalternatealienspeciesscientificallyobservingusinthelaboratorywecallearthjustasweobserveoursubspeciesinlaboratoriesandzoos.Perhapstheyarefarmers;tendingthey'reflockbeforeaharvest!Comewhatmay;andgiventhevastnessoftheuniverseitwouldseemchurlishnottoacceptthepossibilityofotherlivingentitiesandthattheirformmaybeasdiversefromoursaswearetosomeofthelivingcreaturesonourownearth.Justcompareoneselftoagiantjellyfishorthetiniestofbacteria.Weareforevertrappedbyoursensesandtheperceivedconfinesofourtemporalandspatialenvironment.Whatifparalleluniversesdoexistandaccessbetweenthoseuniversesandourownhasbeenmasteredbybeingsunconstrainedbymaterialbodies.Ifmatterisjustthepimpernelontheskinofexistencethenimaginethefreedomwhenunconstrainedbyitslimitations.Imaginethefreedomofoperatinginspace,mind-space.So;wherearewenow?Theancientsmadeeveryefforttocommunewiththeseentities;therewasnogreaterworkthandedicatingone'slifeinsacredfocusoncommunionwiththegodsandtheiremissaries.Monotheismhasoutlawedthesepractisesonpainofdeath.

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Reductionistscientismhasridiculedthem.But,toomanypeoplesensethepresences.Whetheritbebydefaultorprayer.Toomanypeopleknowthey'rethereintheshadows.Ourroleistobravelyignitethisprocess,notwithdogmanorjudgementbutwithopenmindedinvestigationlikethegreatexplorersofold.Afterall,surelythoseadventurerswhosailedongalleonsoverthesupposedlyflathorizoninsearchofanewworldcan'tbebraverthanourexperimentalconsciousnessexplorertakingaheroicdoseofintravenousDMToraheartstoppinginjectionofphenobarbitaltoeffecta60secondNDEpriortoresuscitation!Weneedtoexplorethisarena.Weneedtotesteveryconduitandpathwayavailabletous.Weneedtolistentopeoplewhohavecontact,weneedtolookforcorrelationsincommunionsandvisitations.Weneedtobeopenmindedandhopefulnotcynical.Forwhatcanbemoreimportantthancommunionwithalternatesentientintelligencesandseekingdirectionwhenourownintelligenceisleadingustoecologicaldestruction.Theancientsknewthisandcommuneddirectlyforadvice.Wemustresurrectthisprocess,objectivelyandwithreverence,respectandanopenmind.It'sthesethoughtsthatpromptedmetoworkwithDavidandRoryinestablishingthesymposiumonEntheogenicPlantSentienceatTyringham,wheregreatfearlessscientificmindscouldsharetheoriesonwhattheseentitiescouldbeandwheretheymightbecomingfrom.Ihopeyoufindtheexplanationsandideasasstartling,refreshingandmind-blowingasIdid.It'stimetoacceptthatsomething'sgoingon……andthenhumblyaskforhelp.

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PROGRAMMESCHEDULE

MondayMay29th2017

11.00-12.00ArrivalatTyringham

13.00LunchandintroductionfromAntonBilton

14.30FirstPresentation,followedbygroupdiscussion

DrLuisLuna-OnEncounterswithEntitiesintheAyahuascaRealm.APhenomenologicalView

16.30SecondPresentation,followedbygroupdiscussion

DrMichaelWinkelman-VisionaryExperiences,EntitiesandAlienWorlds:ANaturalEvolvedPsychology

20.00Dinner

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TuesdayMay30th,2015

08.30Breakfast

09.30ThirdPresentation,followedbygroupdiscussion

ProfRalphMetzner-Entheogens,RadicalEmpiricismandtheNatureofReality

11.30FourthPresentation,followedbygroupdiscussion

ChrisTimmerman-SubjectiveExperiencesandtheSensedPresencePhenomenoninHumanResearchwithDMT

13.00Lunch

14.30FifthPresentation,followedbygroupdiscussion

DrWilliamRichards-IneffabilityandRevelationontheFrontiersofKnowledge

16.30SixthPresentation,followedbygroupdiscussion

WhitleyStreiber-StoriesfromaLife:aLifetimeofAnomalousandUnexplainedExperiences

20.00Dinner

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WednesdayMay31st,2017

08.30Breakfast

09.30SeventhPresentation,followedbygroupdiscussion

DrAngelaVoss-WhatistheDaimon?AnExplorationoftheOracularIntelligence

11.30EighthPresentation,followedbygroupdiscussion

ProfBernardCarr-MakingSpaceandTimeforMindandPsychedelia

13.00Lunch

14.30NinthPresentation,followedbygroupdiscussion

JamesOroc- Archetypes,Entities,andPast-Lifeencounters;Aquantum-holographicexplanation

16.30TenthPresentation,followedbygroupdiscussion

ProfJeffreyKripal-BiologicalGods:Science(Fiction)andSomeEmergentMythologies

20.00Dinner

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ThursdayJune1st,2017

08.30Breakfast

9.30EleventhPresentation,followedbygroupdiscussion

ProfChrisMBache-LSDandDMTEntityRelation

11.30SummarySession,ledbyDrDavidLuke

13.00Lunch

14.30Departures

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PRESENTATIONSPEAKERABSTRACTS

FirstPresentation–DrLuisLunaOnEncounterswithEntitiesintheAyahuascaRealm.APhenomenologicalViewSeeingandinteractingwithentitiesofvariouskindsisacommonmotifinayahuascareports.BasedonseveraldecadesofpersonalexperienceinavarietyofsettingsIpresenthereaphenomenologicaloverviewofmyownencounterswithsuchentities,aswellassomeideasconcerningtheirpossibleontology.Isuggestentitiestobetheproductoftheinteractionofpersonalandcollectivecreativeimaginationwithsomethingother,intimatelylinkedwiththenaturalworld,immeasurableyetreal,thenatureofwhichwewillperhapsneverfullygrasp.

SecondPresentation–DrMichaelWinkelman

PsychedelicEntitiesandHuman’sEvolvedPsychology:Is“IT”“US?”

Whatarewetomakeofthebeingsthatareoftenexperiencedonpsychedelics?Arethesenoumena,manifestationsofarealtranscendentalultimatereality,oraretheymerelyphenomenaproducedbyourcomplexbrains,butultimatelynothingmorethancomplexdream-likeexperiences?

Weneedtoaccepttheexperiencesofpsychedelicentitieswithoutsubscribingtotheinterpretationsmaderegardingthenatureofthephenomenaanditsultimateontologicalstatus.Acceptingthedataofexperienceprovidesanempiricalfoundationforexaminingthenatureoftheseexperiencesandtheirbasesinhumannaturethroughacross-culturalandmultidisciplinaryexaminationoftheoccurrenceofentityexperiencesandtheirqualities.

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Takingtheseentityexperiencesasdataallowsustoplacetheminacomparativecontextwithsimilarphenomenaofconsciousness.Psychedelicentityexperiencesaresimilartoentityexperiencesmanifestedinmanyothercontextssuchas:religiousandspiritualvisions,includingexperiencesofpossession,spiritallies,guardians,andanimaltransformation;shamanicout-of-bodyexperiencesandarangeofotheranomalousbodyphenomena;experiencesofhaunting,ghostsandapparitions;theencounterswithvariousentitiesconceptualizedasdwarfs,elfs,“littlepeople,”etc.;thephenomenologicalencountersofdreamexperiences;andthephenomenologyandneurophysiologyofmanypsychiatrichallucinations,properlyspeaking.

Mypaperintroducesthisexaminationofpsychedelicentitieswithtwomethods:oneacross-culturalphenomenologyofvisionaryexperiencesofentities;andtwo,areviewoftheneuropsychologyofhumansocialcapacities,aninnatefolkpsychologyofthecognitivecapacitiesofhumansandotherentities,inordertoplacethepropertiesofentityphenomenawithinthecontextofhuman’sinnateprojectiveandinterpretativecapacities.

Whatisreportedaboutpsychedelicentitiesisalsofoundinmanyexperiencesandculturaltraditions,includingobservationsmadeacrossmanycontemplativetraditionsoftheentitiesroutinelyencounteredinadvancedmeditativepractices-orevenineverydaylife!Analyzingpsychedelicinducedentityexperiencesinrelationshiptootherexperiencesofencounteringsentiententitiescanshowthatmuchofwhatoccursunderpsychedelicinfluencesisnotaclassofexperiencesthatisuniquetopsychedelics.Whilewelackadequatephenomenologicaldataforaformalandsystematiccomparisonofvarioussubtypesofentityexperiences,thecasestudyapproachshowstheusefulnessandimportanceofsuchcomparisonsbyrevealingabroadsetofcommonalitiesinvariouskindsofentityexperiences.

Entitiesingeneralmanifestprinciplesofhumans’socialpsychology,butoftenelevatedwithcognitiveandphysicalcapacitiesexceedingourordinaryfaculties.Conceptualizingpsychedelicentity

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experienceswithinthebroadercontextofthehumantendencytoexperiencetheworldashavingsupernaturalentitiesenablesustocreateaframeworktoexaminesimilaritiesamongtheseexperiencesandinrelationtohumancognitivestructuresandtendencies.Theirhuman-likequalitiesplacetheexperienceofpsychedelicentitieswithinthecontextofourevolvedhumanpsychologythatpredisposeustoexperiencehuman-likeentities.

Thecross-culturalmanifestationsofsimilarentityexperiencesindependentofpsychedelicstimuliattesttothishumanexperientialrealityandpointtotheirbiologicalbases.Ournecessitytoadapttoasocialworldinwhichtheinternaldispositionsofothermembersofourspecies—theirperceptions,thoughts,intentions,roles,personalities,evaluationsandemotions—playedacrucialroleinshapinghomininevolution.Theseinnatestructuresmadeusdisposedtointerprettheexternalworldintermsofanimism,spirits,spiritothersandtheirdesires,intentions,dispositions,etc.Inessence,humansevolvedthroughprojectingexpectationsofentitieswithhuman-likequalities,engagingvariousinnateintelligences,modulesandoperatorsthatprovidehumanswithunconsciousprogramsforprocessingdatawithincertainpredeterminedstructuresandassumptions.

Whetherornotpsychedelicentitiesareindependentofourownconsciousness,noumenathatexistindependentofourownexpectationsandprojections,humansarepredisposedtoimagine,projectandultimatelycreatetheexperienceofsuchentities.Whethertheseinnateprojectivetendenciesarethebasisofallpsychedelicentityexperiencesremainstoberesolved.Whatwecanbecertainof,however,isthathumanshaveahighlytunedsetofinnatedispositionstoperceiveentitieswithcapacitiesthatequalorevenexceedourownhighlydevelopedskills.Thisincludesprojectionofexpectationsregardingcognitive,socialandnarrativecapacitiesontoothers,aswellastheinternalizationandincorporationofwhatweperceiveasothers’expectationsregardingourownunderstandingsoftheirbehaviors.

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Comparisonofpsychedelicentityexperiencesandotherphenomenaofentityexperienceswithknownprojectivepropertiesofthehumanmindanditscreativespiritsuggeststhesemaybesomethingonparallelwithgreatcreativeworksoffictionliteratureandthemanifestationsofepicdreams.Psychedelicsnonethelessremainanimportanttoolforexploringtheconditionsoftheseexperiencesofentities.Andsituatingpsychedelicentityexperienceswithinthecontextofthecapacitiesofhumans’innatepsychologydoesnotnecessarilyexplainthesourceofthesephenomenalmanifestations.

ThirdPresentation–ProfRalphMetzner

Entheogens,RadicalEmpiricismandtheNatureofReality

Experienceswithentheogenscanposeachallengetoourworldviewandtoourpersonalunderstandingofthenatureofreality.NativeAmericansandotherindigenouspeoplesspeakaboutgoingona“visionquest”toconnectwiththenaturespiritswhomaybecometheirspiritualteachersandhelpersinanongoingrelationship.Buthowcanyouconnectwithspirits,muchlesslearnfromthem,ifyoudon’tbelievetheyexist?Themodern,orpost-modernworldviewwouldviewspiritbeingsorentitiesas“merelysubjective”,i.e.withoutobjectivereality.Over100yearsagotheAmericanphilosopherWilliamJamessaidthatradicalempiricismwouldnotdismissanyobservationsjustbecausewedon’thaveatheoryormodeltoexplaintheminourcurrentworldview.Forthatreason,Jamesalloweddrugexperiences(withnitrousoxide),mysticalvisions,parapsychologicalorpsi-phenomenaandtelepathiccommunications,intoscienceforconsiderationandfurtherobservations.HHtheDalaiLamahasformulatedasimilarepistemology,byhisnotionof“firstpersonempiricism”–empiricalobservationsmadewithourownsenses.

Thebasicprincipleofempiricismisthatallourtheories,ideasandexplanationshavetobeanchoredsomehowinobservations,notjustinspeculationsandideas,howeveringenious.Explanationsare

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alwaysafunctionofourideasandtheories,andthesearealwayssubjecttorevisionandupdatingwhennewerobservationsaremade.Thehistoryofsciencehasshownthereisaninherentresistancetoacceptingobservationsthatdon’tfitthecurrentlyexistingparadigms.Theobservationsmadebypeopleinmind-expandingdrugstatestendtoberejectedbythemain-streampsychologicalandsocialsciencesbecausetheexistingparadigmscan’taccepttheobservationsmadeincertaindrugstatesasobservations–they’rejust“hallucinations”,andthey’reautomaticallydismissedasmerelydrug-inducedbraindetritus.

ThephenomenologicalattitudeofHusserlandMerleau-Pontyallowsustoescapefromthisdilemmaandgatherobservationsofinternalaswellasexternalphenomena.Wecanholdthetheoreticalexplanationsandspeculationsinabeyanceandcontinuetogathernewobservationsfromrepetitionunderdifferentconditionsandfromotherobservers.

Withtheepistemologyofradicalempiricism,wecanbeobjectiveaboutsubjectiveexperience.Repeatedobservationsofsimilarsituationsbythesameobserverorsimilarobserversgraduallymaketheobservationsless“purelysubjective”andstep-by-stepmoreobjective.Sothebasicformulaofradicalempiricismisobjective=subjectiveplusoneormore.Ifonlyonepersonseessomething,itremainspurelysubjective,likeafantasyoradream.Butifatleastoneotherpersonseesitandcansay“yes,Iseeit”itbecomesalittlebitmoreobjective,andthiscanhaveprofoundlyhealingimplications.Onecouldsaytheschizophrenicishavingunusualperceptionsthatcan’tbeconfirmedorechoedbyanyoneelse.ThiswasthebasisofC.G.Jung’sapproach–hewouldlookforillustrationsinmedievalbooksonalchemythatwouldmatchanidiosyncraticvisionordreamapatientpresented.

Sowhenpeoplespeakabout“entities”or“spirits”or“demons”or“visions”or“hallucinations”wewanttofirstseparatetheobservationsfromthespeculations.Thenwecangatherfurtherobservations–whichmighthavebeenrecordedinvariousbooksorinworksofart,andstarttheprocessofmakingsystematiccomparisons.

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Wealsowanttoseparatestatementsthatareobservations–thingsseenorheardorsensed,fromstatementsthatarecommandsorinjunctionsorentreatiestodothisorthat.Everyindividualhastherighttoassertandpracticesovereigntyoverwhatweallowintoourawareness,andwhethertofollowsomeinnerimpulseorinclination.ThisisthepracticeofwhatBuddhistscall“mindfulness”–beingattentivetothedetailsofourexperienceandwhatactionsorthoughtformswearebeingshown.Ourintuitionsandsubtleinnerperceptionscanbemistakenjustlikeanyouterperceptions–andcanandshouldalwaysbesubjecttorepetitionandrepeatedverification.FourthPresentation-ChrisTimmermanSubjectiveexperiencesandthesensedpresencephenomenoninhumanresearchwithDMT

HumanresearchwithDMTisabletoprovideauniqueopportunitytoanalysetheoccurrenceofextraordinaryexperienceswithincontrolledresearchenvironments.InourstudyweassessedtherichphenomenologyevokedbyDMTanditsdosedependencybyadministeringoneofthreedifferentdosesofintravenousDMTandplaceboto12participants.ResultsregardingthesensedpresencephenomenaandneardeathexperienceswillbepresentedalongwithadetailedviewonthetemporaldynamicsoftheDMTstate.

FifthPresentation–DrWilliamRichards

IneffabilityandRevelationontheFrontiersofKnowledge

Reflectinguponandexaminingthelimitationsoflanguageandcognitioninexpressingsomealternativestatesofconsciousnessonthefrontiersofscienceandtheirnoeticcontent,thispresentationwillsurveythephenomenologyofselectedvisionaryencounters,within

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andbeyondego-awareness.Itwillinquireintotheirorigins,relevanceforpsychologicalandspiritualdevelopment,andimplicationsformedicine,educationandreligion.

SixthPresentation–WhitleyStreiberStoriesfromaLife-alifetimeofanomalousandunexplainedexperiences

WhitleyStrieberdescribesalifetimeofanomalousandunexplainedexperiencesthatcontinueuptothepresentday.

SeventhPresentation–DrAngelaVossWhatistheDaimon?AnExplorationoftheOracularIntelligenceInthispresentation,IwillexplorethehistoryofthedaimonicintelligencethroughitscosmologicalfunctionandroleindivinatorypracticesintheWest,drawingonSocrates,Plutarch,Iamblichus,Ficino,Jung,aswellasmorecontemporaryaccountsandsources.Modernscientificexpressionsofaholisticuniversewherehumanmindspartakeofauniversalconsciousnessorenergyrarelyaddressthedynamicsofdirect,visionaryencounterwithintelligent‘others’,andwhattheseencountersmaymeanonadeeplypersonallevel.Whensuchextraordinaryeventsdooccur,questionsofontologyandprovenanceoftenoverridehermeneuticsasourmodernrationalmindstrytograpplewithimpossiblequestionsregardingthe‘truth’or‘fiction’oftheseseeminglyautonomousentities.Whetherthroughentheogens,dreams,incubation,mediumship,alienvisitationsorreligiousandmagicalritualcontexts,humanbeingshavealwaysgainedinformation,insightordirectionfromthese‘others’manifestinginamyriadofforms,butalwaysexperiencedparadoxicallyasbothwithinandwithoutthehumanpsyche.Ageniusspiritknownthrough

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thecreativeimaginationyetalsosometimesleavingtracesinourworld,theyinhabitaliminalspace,themundusimaginalisasdescribedbyHenryCorbin,andplayavitalroleinmediatingbetweenthehumanandtranscendentrealms.Butwhatdowedowiththeseencountersinanageforwhichthe‘imaginal’–andindeedthemetaphoric—hasbecomereducedtothemerely‘imaginary’,thevisiontothehallucination?Canwerestoreahermeneuticsoftheimpossible,asRiceUniversityprofessorJeffreyKripalsoeloquentlyadvocates?

EighthPresentation–ProfBernardCarr

MakingSpaceandTimeforMindandPsychedelia

Sciencehasbeenremarkablysuccessfulindescribingthematerialworldandclaimstobeclosetoa‘TheoryofEverything’,Curiouslymindandconsciousnessarecompletelyabsentfromthispicture,socanthetheorybeexpandedtoaccommodatethesortofnon-materialrealmsencounteredinpsychicandpsychedelicexperiences?Animportantfeatureoftheseexperiencesisthattheyseemtoinvolvesomeformofcommunalspace,whichisdifferentfromphysicalspacebutsubtlyinteractswithit.Thisextendedreality,whichItermthe‘UniversalStructure’,involveshigherdimensionsandhasahierarchicalstructure,withthephysicalworldbeingalower-dimensionalprojection.Itcanperhapsbeidentifiedwiththehigher-dimensionalspaceofmodernphysics,inwhichthematerialworldisregardedas4-dimensional‘brane’inahigher-dimensional‘bulk’.

NinthPresentation–JamesOroc

Archetypes,Entities,andPast-Lifeencounters:aQuantum-HolographicExplanationInthepagesofTryptaminePalace;5-MeO-DMTandtheSonoranDesert

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Toad,JamesOrocproposesauniquemodelforthetranspersonalexperiencethatincorporatestherecentdiscoveryofBose-EinsteinCondensates-thehighestknownfromofcoherence-inbiology,andtheongoingscientificre-evaluationoftheroleoftheerroneouslynamedQuantumVacuum,orZero-PointFieldinshapingreality.Renamed"TheAkashicField"bythesystems-theoryphilosopherErvinLaszloinrecognitionofitsinformation-carryingcapacity,theZPFisincreasinglypositedtopossesacrystallineandholographicnaturecapableofstoringaninfinitenumberofexperiences-thistalkwillexaminethepossibilitythatallarchetypes,entities,andpast-lifeencountersactuallyresideinthisinfinitequantumseaofsharedinformation,andcanbeaccessedundertherightconditionsbyanyindividualconsciousness.

TenthPresentation–ProfJeffreyKripalBiologicalGods:Science(Fiction)andSomeEmergentMythologies

Thislecturewillfocusonfourtexts:PhilipK.Dick’sVALIS(1981),WhitleyStrieber’sCOMMUNION(1987),KaryMullis’sDANCINGNAKEDINTHEMINDFIELD(2000),andBarbaraEhrenreich’sLIVINGWITHAWILDGOD(2014).Ineachcase,wewillseehowtheauthordescribesadeeplypersonal,life-changingencounterwithwhatanyearlierculturewouldhaverecognizedasadeityordemon.Eachauthorengagestheseearlierreligiousinterpretationsbutfinallymovesoutsideofthemtopositactualinvisiblespeciesintheenvironmentthatinteractwithhumanbeingsattheirownwhimsandfortheirowninterests,perhaps,someoftheauthorsspeculate,to"feedoff"ofhumanemotionortotame,domesticateorevolveusviasexualcommunionandinterspeciessymbiosis.Theresultisanewsetofevolutionarypanpsychisms,eroticvitalismsandbiologicalpolytheismsthatposeachallengetothereigningmaterialismsandprojectiontheoriesofconventionalscienceandthehumanities.

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EleventhPresentation-ProfChristopherM.BacheLSDandDMT:AstudyincontrastsaroundentityencountersIcometothequestionofentityencounterswithagreatdealofexperiencewithLSDandlessexperiencewithDMT.WhatIwouldliketodointhispresentation,therefore,isoutlinethemainfeaturesofmyhistorywithLSD,drawsomepointsofcomparisonbetweenLSDandDMTaroundentityencounters,andsuggestsomepossibleexplanationsforthesharpcontrastsonefindshere.ThenIwanttoopenthediscussiontothosewhohavemoreexperiencewithDMTthanItoseewhatwetogethermightmakeofthesedifferences.Between1979and1999,Iconductedaself-experimentconsistingof73therapeuticallystructuredhighdoseLSDsessions(500-600mcg),afullaccountforthcominginStealingDiamondsfromHeaven.ThejourneythatunfoldeddissolvedmesystematicallyintoprogressivelydeeperlayersofexistencebutcontainedrelativelyfewDMT-likeentityencounters.LotsofBeingbutveryfewbeings.Tosearchforwhythismightbe,Iwillfirstdescribethepatternsthatemergedinmylongjourney:therepeatingcycleofdeathandrebirththatdrewmemethodicallyintopsychic,subtle,andcausallevelsofreality,intoandbeyondarchetypalreality,intoDeepTimeandthebirthoftheFutureHuman,andintoDivineOneness,theFormlessVoid,andDiamondLuminosity.InconsideringwhytheLSDandDMTinterfaceappeartobedifferentaroundentityencounters,Iwilllookat:(1)theroleoflevelsofreality;(2)theroleofmorphicfields;(3)insightsfromparticipatorycosmologyconcerningtheinteractivearenaofpsychedelicdisclosure;and(4)theroleofdeathanddyinginshapingtheLSDinterface.

SummarySession–ledbyDrDavidLuke

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PRESENTATIONSPEAKERBIOGRAPHIES

DrLuisEduardoLunareceivedaPh.D.fromthedepartmentofComparativeReligionatStockholmUniversityin1989andwasnamedDoctorofHumaneLettersbySt.LawrenceUniversityin2002.HewasanAssistantProfessorinAnthropology(1994-1998)attheDepartmentofAnthropologyofSantaCatarinaFederalUniversity(UFSC)inFlorianópolis,Brazil,andretiredfromthedepartmentofModernLanguagesandCommunicationattheHankenSchoolofEconomicsinHelsinkiin2011.HeisaGuggenheimFellow,andaFellowofTheLinneanSociety.LunaisauthorofVegetalismo:ShamanismamongtheMestizoPopulationofthePeruvianAmazon(1986),co-authorwithPabloAmaringoofAyahuascaVisions:TheReligiousIconographyofaPeruvianShaman(1991),andco-authorwithSlawekWojtowicz,RickStrassman,andEdeFrecskaofInnerPathstoOuterSpace:JourneysthroughPsychedelicsandOtherSpiritualTechnologies(2008).Heisalsoco-editorwithStevenF.WhiteofAyahuascaReader:EncounterswiththeAmazon’sSacredVine(2000),withanexpandedsecondeditionpublishedinSeptemberof2016.LunahascuratedartexhibitionsinEurope,LatinAmerica,andtheUnitedStates.HeisdirectorofWasiwaska,aresearchcenterforthestudyofpsychointegratorplants,visionaryart,andconsciousnessinFlorianópolis.DrMichaelJamesWinkelman,Ph.D.(UniversityofCalifornia-Irvine1985)retiredfromtheSchoolofHumanEvolutionandSocialChangeatArizonaStateUniversityin2009.HewasPresidentoftheAnthropologyofConsciousnessandAnthropologyofReligionSectionsoftheAmericanAnthropologicalAssociation.Winkelmanhasengagedincross-culturalandinterdisciplinaryresearchonshamanism,psychedelicsandritualalterationsofconsciousnessfor40years,focusingontheuniversalpatternsofshamanismandidentifyingthe

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associatedbiologicalbases.Shamans,PriestsandWitches(1992)providesacross-culturalexaminationofthenatureofshamanismandmagico-religiouspractitioners.Shamanism:ABiopsychosocialParadigmofConsciousnessandHealing(2010)providesabiogeneticmodelofshamanismthatexplainstheevolutionaryoriginsofspiritualhealinginancientritualcapacities.Thisbiogeneticstructuralapproachtotheevolutionaryoriginsofreligionisexpandedinhisco-authoredSupernaturalasNatural(withJohnBaker,2008).Winkelman’sworkhasshownthatshamanismandpsychedelicshaveadeepintersectioninhumanevolution.Hisresearchandeditedvolumeshavehelpedtodiffuseideasregardinghowthesecapacitiesforalteringconsciousnesscontinuetobeanimportantpartofhumanexperienceandwell-beingtoday(seePsychedelicMedicine[2007]andAlteringConsciousness[2011]).ProfRalphMetzner,Ph.D.isarecognizedpioneerinpsychological,philosophicalandcross-culturalstudiesofconsciousnessanditstransformations.HeattendedTheQueen’sCollege,Oxford,andobtainedhisBAinphilosophyandpsychology.SubsequentlyheobtainedhisPh.D.inClinicalPsychologyatHarvardUniversity,andreceivedapost-doctoralNIMHfellowshipinpharmacologyattheHarvardMedicalSchool.WhileatHarvardhecollaboratedwithTimothyLearyandRichardAlpertinclassicstudiesofpsychedelicsinthe1960s,co-authoredThePsychedelicExperienceandwaseditorofThePsychedelicReview.HisconversationalmemoiroftheHarvardprojectsintheearly1960s,withRamDassandGaryBravo,BirthofaPsychedelicCulture,waspublishedin2010.

HeisapsychotherapistinprivatepracticeintheSFBayAreaandProfessorEmeritusattheCaliforniaInstituteofIntegralStudies,inSanFrancisco,wherehetaughtconsciousnessstudiesandpersonalitytransformationsfor30years.Authorofover100scientificpapersandscholarlyessays,heistheeditorofandcontributortotwocollectionsofessaysonthepharmacology,anthropologyandphenomenologyof

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ayahuasca(TheAyahuascaExperience,2006)andofpsilocybinmushrooms(SacredMushroomofVisions,2004).HealsocompiledandeditedacollectionofessaysandexperienceswiththeempathogenMDMA,entitledThroughtheGatewayoftheHeart(1985,2012).

HisbooksonthepsychologyandphilosophyoftransformationincludeMapsofConsciousness(1971),TheUnfoldingSelf(1998),TheWellofRemembrance(1994)andGreenPsychology(1999).Heisalsothepresidentandco-founderoftheGreenEarthFoundation,dedicatedtohealingandharmonizingtherelationsbetweenhumanityandtheEarth(www.greenearthfound.org).HismostrecentworkisEcologyofConsciousness–TheAlchemyofPersonal,CollectiveandPlanetaryTransformation(RevealPress,2017).

Hismostrecentwritingsonpsychoactive/psychedelicdrugs,bothpublishedbyGreenEarthFoundation,areTheToadandtheJaguar–AFieldReportofUndergroundResearchonaVisionaryMedicine(2013).AndAlliesforAwakening–Guidelinesforproductiveandsafeexperienceswithentheogens(2015).ChristopherTimmermannobtainedaBScinPsychologyinSantiago,ChileandaMScinCognitiveNeuroscienceattheUniversityofBolognainItaly.HeiscurrentlycompletingaPhDinImperialCollegeLondon,leadingaprojectfocusingontheeffectsofDMTinthebrainandhumanconsciousness.Heisinterestedintheuseofmethodsbridgingtherelationshipbetweenthephenomenologyevokedbythepsychedelicexperienceandchangesinbrainactivityusingdiverseneuroimagingtools.DrWilliamA.Richards(Bill)isapsychologistinthePsychiatryDepartmentoftheJohnsHopkinsUniversitySchoolofMedicine,BayviewMedicalCenter,whereheandhiscolleagueshavebeenconductingresearchwithpsilocybinforthepast17years.HehelpedtodesignandteachesinthecertificateprogramattheCenterfor

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PsychedelicTherapyandResearch,basedattheCaliforniaInstituteofIntegralStudiesandregularlyconsultswithuniversitiesandresearchinstitutesastheyimplementnewstudieswithpsychedelicsubstances.Heiscurrentlyimplementingastudywithpsilocybin,designedforprofessionalreligiousleadersfromvaryingreligiousheritagesandisespeciallysupportiveoftheproposeduseofpsilocybininhospiceandpalliativecare.

HisgraduatedegreesincludeM.Div.fromYaleDivinitySchool,S.T.M.(inthepsychologyofreligion)fromAndover-NewtonTheologicalSchoolandPh.D.fromCatholicUniversity,aswellasstudieswithAbrahamMaslowatBrandeisUniversityandwithHanscarlLeuneratGeorg-AugustUniversityinGöttingen,Germany,wherehisinvolvementwithpsychedelicresearchoriginatedin1963.From1967to1977,hepursuedpsychotherapyresearchwithLSD,DPT,MDAandpsilocybinattheMarylandPsychiatricResearchCenter,includingprotocolsdesignedtoinvestigatethepromiseofpsychedelicsubstancesinthetreatmentofalcoholism,severepersonalitydisorders,narcoticaddictionandthepsychologicaldistressassociatedwithterminalcancer,andalsotheiruseintheeducationofreligiousandmental-healthprofessionals.From1977-1981,hewasamemberofthepsychologyfacultyofAntiochUniversityinMaryland.

Hispublicationsbeganin1966with“ImplicationsofLSDandExperimentalMysticism,”coauthoredwithWalterPahnke.Hisbook,SacredKnowledge:PsychedelicsandReligiousExperienceshasrecentlybeenreleasedbyColumbiaUniversityPress.ProfChrisMBacheisauniversityprofessorandauthor.ClassicallytrainedinphilosophyofreligionatUniversityofNotreDame,CambridgeUniversity,andBrownUniversity,herecognizedearlyinhiscareerthatpsychedelicsrepresentedamajorturningpointinWesternphilosophy.Convincedthatthedeepestcontributionstohisdisciplinewouldbemadebyphilosophersspeakingoutofanexperientialratherthanjusttheoreticalbasis,hedividedhislifeinto

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twostreams.Inthepublicarena,hejoinedtheDepartmentofPhilosophyandReligiousStudiesatYoungstownStateUniversityin1978andsettledintothequietrhythmsofacademiclife,teachingundergraduatecoursesinBuddhism,transpersonalstudies,psychologyofreligion,andcomparativemysticismforoverthirtyyears.Meanwhile,inhisprivatelifehebeganin1979atwenty-yearjourneyofdeeppsychedelicexplorationthatwouldbecomethefoundationforhisphilosophicalinquiry.WithhisretirementfromYSUin2015,Chrisisspeakingandwritingmoreopenlyabouthispsychedelichistory,bringingtheshamanicsideofhislifeforward. Chrishasauthored40articlesandthreebookstranslatedintosixlanguages.InLifecycles(1990)hearguedthatthecumulativeempiricalevidenceforreincarnationisnowdecisiveanddevelopedavisionofrebirthbasedonconsciousnessresearch.InDarkNight,EarlyDawn(2000)hedrewuponhispsychedelicsessionstoproposeanexpandedmodelofpsychedelictherapy,arguingthatwhenthedeeppsycheishighlyenergizedinpsychedelictherapy,thehealingthatresultssometimesextendsbeyondtheindividualtothecollectiveunconsciousitself.Healsopresentedhisvisionaryexperienceofanapproachingglobalcrisisandspecificmechanismsinthecollectivepsychethatmightbecapableofchangingthebaselineofhumanconsciousnessinanunexpectedlyshortperiodoftime.ItwasthisworkthatbroughthimtotheCaliforniaInstituteofIntegralStudieswhereheisadjunctfacultyandtotheInstituteofNoeticScienceswherehewasDirectorofTransformativeLearningfrom2000-2002andiscurrentlyaFellow.InTheLivingClassroom(2008),Chriscombinedpersonalaccountsfromhisstudentsandscientificresearchtoexplorethedynamicsofcollectiveconsciousnessintheclassroom,establishingtheoutlineofatruetranspersonalpedagogy.HeisnowcompletingStealingDiamondsfromHeaven,acomprehensiveaccountofhisLSDsessionsbetween1979and1999.Chrisistheproudfatherof3grownchildrenandaVajrayanapractitioner.

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DrAngelaVossisaseniorlecturerintheFacultyofEducationatCanterburyChristChurchUniversity.Shehasalsobeenanastrologerandtarotreaderforoverthirtyyears.AtCCCUshedirectstheMAinMyth,CosmologyandtheSacred,aprogrammethatseekstointegratemythopoeticandcriticalthinkingwithinaframeworkoftransformativelearning,drawingonesotericandwisdomtraditionsaswellascontemporary‘newage’practicesandtheories.Originallytrainedasamusician,herdoctoralresearchwasontheastrologicalmusictherapyoftheRenaissancephilosopherMarsilioFicino.SheistheauthorofMarsilioFicino(2006)andmanychaptersandpapersonmusic,astrology,symbolismandneoplatonicphilosophy.Sheisco-editorofTheImaginalCosmos(2005),SeeingwithDifferentEyes(2008),DaimonicImagination,UncannyIntelligence(2011)andRe-EnchantingtheAcademy(2017).Shewouldcallherselfawalkerbetweentheworlds,inthathervocationistorevitalisescholarshipwiththeintelligenceofintuitionandimagination.ProfBernardCarrisProfessorofMathematicsandAstronomyatQueenMary,UniversityofLondon.Hisprofessionalareaofresearchiscosmologyandastrophysics,andhedidhisPhDwithStephenHawkingatCambridge.Hehasworkedonsuchtopicsastheearlyuniverse,blackholes,darkmatterandtheanthropicprinciple.Hisrecentbooksinclude"UniverseorMultiverse?"and"QuantumBlackHoles".Healsohasalong-standinginterestintherelationshipbetweenphysicsandconsciousness,andinpsychicalresearchsincethissuggeststhattherecanbeadirectinteractionbetweenmindandthephysicalworld.Hearguesthatthealteredstatesofconsciousnessassociatedwithpsychicphenomenaandanomalousexperiencesoftimemayrequireahigher-dimensionalmodelofreality,whichherelatestoideasinmodernphysics.HehasbeenPresidentoftheSocietyforPsychicalResearchandChairmanoftheScientificandMedicalNetwork.

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JamesOrocisajournalist,photographerandartist,borninthesmallSouthPacificnationofAotearoa.Since1998hehasbeenpursuingandreportingonthecuttingedgeofextremesportsinmorethan40countriesaroundtheglobe,hisworkappearinginmagazines,films,andonMTVSports.HehasbeenamemberoftheBurningMancommunitysince1999,andheisalsoinvolvedinthedocumentationandadvancementof“AlternativeCulture.”OrocresidesinNewOrleans.ProfJeffreyJ.KripalholdstheJ.NewtonRayzorChairinPhilosophyandReligiousThoughtatRiceUniversity,wherehechairedtheDepartmentofReligionforeightyearsandhelpedcreatetheGEMProgram,adoctoralconcentrationinthestudyofGnosticism,Esotericism,andMysticismthatisthelargestprogramofitskindintheworld.HeistheAssociateDirectoroftheCenterforTheoryandResearchattheEsalenInstituteinBigSur,California,wherehealsoservesasChairoftheBoard.Jeffistheeditor-in-chiefoftheMacmillanHandbookSeriesonReligion(tenvolumes)andtheauthorofsevenmonographs,including,mostrecently,SecretBody:EroticandEsotericCurrentsintheHistoryofReligions(Chicago,2017)andMutantsandMystics:ScienceFiction,SuperheroComicsandtheParanormal(Chicago,2011).Heispresentlyworkingonathree-volumestudyofparanormalcurrentsinthehistoryofscienceandAmericanmetaphysicalliteraturefortheUniversityofChicagoPresscollectivelyentitledTheSuperStory.Hisfullbodyofworkcanbeseenathttp://kripal.rice.edu/WhitleyStrieberistheauthorofover40books,includingCommunion,theKeyand,mostrecentlywithJeffreyKripal,SuperNatural:aNewVisionoftheUnexplained.Hiswebsite,Unknowncountry.com,exploresthecredibleedgeofscienceandtheunknown,andisthelargestofitskindintheworld.

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DISCUSSANTBIOGRAPHIES

GiancarloCanavesioisanItalianfilmproducer,investmentbanker,andentrepreneur.HeisbestknownasfounderandCEOofMangustaRisk,MangustaProductionsandMangu.tv.Hehasproducedseveralaward-winningfeaturefilmsincludingTheLivingWake,FIX,BeingintheWorld,2012TimeforChange,StarletandNeuronstoNirvana.He'scurrentlyproducingthesoontobereleasedfilmsMonogamyandItsDiscontentsandWeedthePeople.DrRobinCarhart-HarrissuccessfullycoordinatedthefirstclinicalstudyofpsilocybinintheUKandthefirstclinicalstudyofaclassicpsychedelicdrugintheUKforover40years.AfterbeingawardedanMAinPsychoanalysisatBrunelUniversity,London,Carhart-HarriscompletedhisPhDinpsychopharmacologyattheUniversityofBristol.In2009,underthementorshipofProfessorDavidNutt,Carhart-HarrismovedtoImperialCollegeLondontocontinuehisfMRIresearchwiththeclassicpsychedelicdrugpsilocybin(magicmushrooms).OverthelastfouryearsCarhart-Harris&NutthavebuiltupaprogrammeofresearchwithpsychedelicsthatincludesfMRandMEGimagingwithpsilocybin,fMRimagingwithMDMAandsoonanMRC-sponsoredclinicaltrialtoassesstheefficacyofpsilocybinasatreatmentformajordepression.Carhart-HarrishasareviewarticlepublishedinBrainontheneurobiologyofFreudianconstructsandhisworkwithpsilocybinisnowpublishedinPNASandtheBritishJournalofPsychiatrywithseveralotherrelevantpaperstofollow.Carhart-HarrishasbeensupportedbytheBeckleyfoundation(UK)andtheNeuropsychoanalysisFoundation,HeffterFoundationandMAPS(US).

JohnAChavezisanindependentresearcherthathasbeenseekingtounderstandthephysiologicalchangesthatcoincidewitha

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"supernatural"occurrencethatIexperiencedin2013.Iamaformeradmittedmaterialistwhofailedtobelieveanythingoutofmodern,measurablesciencecouldbequantifiedasreal.Inowbelievethatadeeperunderstandingoftheendogenoushuman"hallucinatory"systemcanpossiblyprovideanswerstoveryimportantandprofoundquestions.IholdaB.S.degreefromSanFranciscoStateUniversityinBusinessManagement.

VimalDarpanweaves30yearsofexperienceinmusic,healing,andtheshamanicartstocreateauniquetransmissionthatinspires,enlivensandtransforms.HishomeisinAustraliawhereheisrenownedasateacher,musicianandhealer.BringingpeopletogethertocreateanunambiguousexperienceofourcommonSourceistheintention,whichinspireshiswork.Askillfulblendofceremony,song,meditationandcelebrationarethemeansbywhichheachievesthegoal.Darpanisaspontaneousandengagingspeakerwithanaturalflairforembellishinghistalkswithinterestingstories,anecdotalreferencesandrichpersonalexperience.Hedeliversawealthofinformationwithinacontextwhichinspiresandmotivates.Hispassioniscreatingpositivechangebyinitiatingvisionandawakeningnewperspectives.Darpaniscurrentlyworkingonabookwhichreferenceshismanyyearsofexperienceintheshamanic/healingartsandisavailabletodelivertalks,concerts,seminarsandworkshopsanywhereintheworld.

DrEdeFrecskaisChairmanoftheDepartmentofPsychiatryattheUniversityofDebrecen,Hungary.Hereceivedhismedicaldegreein1977fromtheSemmelweisUniversityinHungary.HethenearnedqualificationsascertifiedpsychologistfromtheDepartmentofPsychologyatLorandEotvosUniversityinBudapest.Dr.FrecskacompletedhisresidencytraininginPsychiatrybothinHungary(1986)andintheUnitedStates(1992).Heisaqualified

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psychopharmacologist(1987)ofinternationalmeritwith17yearsofclinicalandresearchexperienceintheUnitedStates.Duringhisearlyacademicyears,Dr.Frecska’sstudiesweredevotedtoresearchonschizophreniaandaffectiveillness.Hepublishedmorethan50scientificpapersandbookchaptersonthesetopics.Inhisrecentresearchheisengagedinstudiesonpsychointegratorplantsandtechniques.Heisparticularlyinterestedinthephysiologicalroleofendohallucinogencompounds(DMT,5MeO-DMT,andbufotenin).Dr.Frecskaisamemberofseveralprofessionalorganizations(APA,ECNP,CINP),andhasreceivedgrantsandawardsfromavarietyofsources(NARSAD,NIAA).

GuyHarrimangrewupinEngland.Hewenttomedicalschoolattheageof18butdroppedoutandbuiltmusicsynthesizers,laterstudyingElectronicsandbecomingachipdesignerfor23years.HeworkedforSteveJobsatNeXTforfouryears,thensixyearsatdirectorlevelatCisco,aswellas8otherstartups.Guyretiredfromthecorporateworldin2002,andfocusedonteachingyoga,aswellasworkingasatherapist.HemovedfromSiliconValleytoChiangMaiin2008,andbuilthislannayoga.comHealingCenter.

GuyistheinventorofthespiritualtoolcalledtheAjnaLight.Itisauniquedevicewhichhelpspeopleontheirowninnerjourney,nomatterwhattheirpathis.SinceGuydesignedthefirstprototypein2014,asof2017itisestimatedover10,000peoplehavebeenontheAjnaLight.

Usingtheflickereffect,knownsincetheEgyptianTempleSleep,aswellasbrainwaveentrainmentandtheneuro-physiologicalprocessofpulsedmelanopsin(travelingfromtheretinalgangliacells,totheSCNinthehypothalamus,tothethalamo-corticialregionofthebrain,andthentothepinealglandthroughthepinealtractofnerves),theAjnaLightquicklyentrainsdifferentstatesofconsciousness.ItisthoughtthepsychedeliceffectsarecausedbyendogenousDMTgenerationresultingfrompulsedmelanopsin.

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ProfAndrewLeeswasbornonMerseysideandisaProfessorofNeurologyatTheNationalHospital,QueenSquareandUniversityCollegeLondon.HehaswrittentheauthorisedbiographyoftheArsenalandLiverpoolfootballplayerRayKennedywhodevelopedParkinson’sdiseaseinhisearlythirties(RayofHope,Penguin1994)andthatwasmadeintoatelevisiondocumentary,LiverpooltheHurricanePort(RandomHouse2011),TheSilentPlagueAlzheimers(2012Penguin)andWilliamRichardGowers(1845-1915)ExploringtheVictorianBrainabiographyofWilliamGowersjointlywithAnnScottandMervynEadie(OUP2012).HislatestbookMentoredbyaMadman;TheWilliamBurroughsExperiment(NottingHillEditions)explainshisunlikelyassociationwiththeauthorofNakedLunchandhowhefollowedhimintotheColombianAmazontotakeyagéinhiscuriositytofindneurologicalcures.HehasalsowrittenessayspublishedinDublinReviewofBooks,EmptyMirror,TearsintheFenceandScottishReviewofBooks.HeisinthetopthreemosthighlycitedParkinson’sdiseaseresearchersintheworldandincludedinThomsonReuters2015ListoftheWorldsMostScientificMinds.DrDennisMcKennahaspursuedinterdisciplinaryresearchinthestudyofAmazonianethnopharmacologyandplanthallucinogensforover30years.HehasconductedextensiveethnobotanicalfieldworkinthePeruvian,Colombian,andBrazilianAmazon,recentlycompletingafour-yearprojectinvestigatingAmazonianethnomedicinesaspotentialtreatmentsforcognitivedeficits.Hisdoctoralresearch(UniversityofBritishColumbia,1984)focusedontheethnopharmacologyofayahuascaandoo-koo-he,twotryptamine-basedhallucinogensusedbyindigenouspeoplesintheNorthwestAmazon.Dr.McKennacompletedpost-doctoralresearchfellowshipsinneurosciencesintheLaboratoryofClinicalPharmacology,NationalInstituteofMentalHealth(1986-88),andintheDepartmentofNeurology,StanfordUniversitySchoolofMedicine(1988-90).HejoinedShaman

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PharmaceuticalsasDirectorofEthnopharmacologyin1990,andsubsequentlyjoinedAvedaCorporationasSeniorReseachPharmacognosist.HeiscurrentlyAssistantProfessorintheCenterforSpiritualityandHealingattheUniversityofMinnesota,whereheteachescoursesinEthnopharmacology,BotanicalMedicines,andPlantsinHumanAffairs.HeisafoundingboardmemberoftheHeffterResearchInstitute,anon-profitresearchorganizationfocusedonthedevelopmentoftherapeuticapplicationsforpsychedelicmedicines.HewasakeyorganizerandparticipantintheHoascaProject,thefirstbiomedicalinvestigationofayahuascausedsacramentallybytheUDV,aBrazilianreligioussect.Dr.McKennaisauthororco-authorof4booksandover50scientificpapersinpeer-reviewedjournals.

DrJeremyNarby,anthropologistandwriter,grewupinCanadaandSwitzerland,studiedhistoryattheUniversityofCanterbury,receivingadoctorateinanthropologyfromStanfordUniversity.JeremyspentseveralyearslivingwiththeAshanincatribeinthePeruvianAmazon,catalogingindigenoususesofrainforestresources.

Experienceswithayahuascaduringhisresearchinspiredhisfirstbook,TheCosmicSerpent:DNAandtheOriginsofKnowledge.Inthebook,JeremyproposesthatindigenouspeoplehavedevelopedadeepunderstandingofmedicinalplantsandevenDNAitself,throughritualizeduseofayahuasca,atheorydeemedhereticalbymainstreamscience.Jeremyhassincewrittenthreeotherbooks:ShamansThroughTime:500YearsonthePathtoKnowledge(2001),IntelligenceinNature(2005),andPsychotropicMind:TheWorldAccordingtoAyahuasca,Iboga,andShamanism(2010).Helecturesworldwideandsponsorsrainforestexpeditionsforbiologistsandotherscientiststoexamineindigenousknowledgesystemsandtheutilityofayahuascaingainingknowledge.HewasfeaturedinthedocumentaryDMT:TheSpiritMolecule.Since1989,JeremyhasbeenworkingastheAmazonianprojectsdirectorfortheSwissNGO,NouvellePlanète.

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JerryD.Patchen,Houston,TexasAttorneybringsfourdecadesofexperienceandwisdomtothecourtroomasatriallawyerhavinglitigatedcivilandcriminalcasesin25statesandvariousforeignjurisdictions.

Jerry’sworkincludes40yearsofprobonorepresentationoftheNativeAmericanChurch(NAC)onbehalfAmericanIndianstosecureandprotecttheirrightstoreligiousfreedom.ServingasanOfficerintheNAC,herepresentedindividualschargedinvariousstateswithpossessionofPeyote,winningeverycase.HealsorepresentedthePeyotedealersinTexas,whoarelicensedbytheTexasDPSandDEAtodispensePeyotetoIndians.ThroughouthisrepresentationoftheNACJerry,hiswife,Linda,andtheirthreechildrenparticipatedinPeyotemeetingswithNativeAmericaneldersfordecades.

TheUSSupremeCourtinthecaseofOregonvs.Smith,494U.S.872(1990)ruledthatpolicepowerwasparamounttoreligiousfreedomrights.TheSmithcaseoverruleda30yearprecedentthatrequiredtheStatesandFederalGovernmenttobalancetherightofthefreeexerciseofreligionagainstpolicepowerwhilegivinggreatweighttoreligiousfreedomandusingtheleastrestrictivemeans.AdarkcloudhungoverthecontinuedreligioususeofPeyote.JerrycreatedthestrategyofrequestingtheUSCongresstoenacttheReligiousFreedomRestorationAct(RFRA),42USC§2000bb,andtoamendtheAmericanIndianReligiousFreedomAct(AIRFA),42USC§1996toensurecontinuedreligioususeofPeyotebytheNAC.WorkingwithSenatorInouye,JerryprovidedvitalsupportfromTexasDPSandtheTexasAttorneyGeneral’sOfficethatovercametheconcernofvariousSenatorsthattheuseofPeyotecouldnotbeeffectivelyregulated.Forhisefforts,onbehalfofNativeAmericanIndians,JerrywasawardedthedistinguishedLifetimeAchievementAwardbytheStateBarofTexas.

Beginningin1999,hewasonthelegalteamrepresentingtheUniãodoVegetal(UDV),whichsuccessfullysecuredtherightofthe

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UDVtousetheirsacrament,Ayahuasca,intheUSbasedonRFRAcombinedwiththeimpactofAIRFA,Gonzalesv.UniaodoVegetal,546US418(2006).TheSantoDaimeinthecaseofChurchoftheHolyLightoftheQueenv.Mukasey,CV08-3095-PA(2009),usedtheUDVcaseasaprecedenttoobtainafavorablerulingfromanOregonUSDistrictCourt.

JerrywasformerlycounselandafoundingDirectoroftheHeffterResearchInstitutewhichisdedicatedtopromotehighqualityresearchofthemindandtheeffectofmindalteringplantssuchasPeyoteandAyahuasca,andalsosyntheticcompounds.Jerry,withLinda'spresenceandguidance,servesontheBoardofIntegralTransformativePracticeInternational(ITPI),theWasiwaskaAdvisoryBoardandtheyareactivesupportersofEsalenandtheHoustonJungCenter.

DanielPinchbeckisthebestsellingauthorofBreakingOpentheHeadand2012:TheReturnofQuetzalcoatl.Hislatestbook,HowSoonIsNow?,justreleasedfromWatkinsPress,looksattheecologicalcrisisasariteofpassageorinitiationforhumanityanddefinesanewpost-capitalist“operatingsystem”forcivilization.HehaswrittenforTheNewYorkTimesMagazine,RollingStone,Wired,Esquireandmanypublications.HewasafounderofEvolver.netandthewebmagazineRealitySandwich.Heisfeaturedinthe2010documentary,2012:TimeforChange.

PatrickVernonispartownerofGrainLabs,afilmanddocumentaryproductioncompanyandhashimselfbeeninvolvedintheoscarnominateddocumentary'Virunga'amongstothers.Heisalsoaphilanthropistandaninvestorinthewidermarket.CurrentlyheisfundingastudyatImperialthatlookstoexplorewhatishappeninginthebrainwhileapersonisundertheinfluenceofDMTthroughtheuseoffMRIneuroimaging.

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TEAMBIOGRAPHIES

AntonBilton(Host)isaneconomicsgraduatefromTheCityUniversityinLondon.HewasthefounderofTheRavenGroupandhasalsobeenafounderanddirectorofthreeothercompaniesthathavefloatedonAIM.HeiscurrentlyExecutiveDeputyChairmanofRavenRussiaLimited.Outsideofhisworkingenvironment,Anton’sprincipalinterestisalteredstatesofconsciousnessandentheogenicplantsentience.

MaxBaring(Video/AudioDirector)gotintodocumentariesafterstudyingSocialAnthropologyatEdinburghUniversityinthelate1980s,thenstudyingattheCentreforVisualAnthropologyattheUniversityofSouthernCalifornia.MaxreturnedtotheUKin1993andnowhasovertwentyfiveyearsprofessionalexperienceworkingasaproducer,lightingcameraman,directorandeditorintheTVBroadcastindustry.Healsoproducesdigitalmediaforthecorporateandcharitysectors.Max’sworkhasrangedfrommainstreamTVserieslikeGrandDesignsforChannel4andGoldRushforDiscovery,tospecialistobservationdocumentaryseriessuchasITV’sGuardingtheQueen,BBC4’sSyrianSchools(WinneroftheJapanPrize)andtheBBCStoryvilleseriesBarbadosattheRaces.CorporateClientshaveincludedtheForeignandCommonwealthOffice,theCityBridgeTrust,andtheInstituteforStateEffectiveness.

DrDavidLuke(Moderator/Curator)isSeniorLecturerinPsychologyattheUniversityofGreenwichwhereheteachesanundergraduatecourseonthePsychologyofExceptionalHumanExperience.Hisresearchfocusesontranspersonalexperiences,anomalousphenomenaandalteredstatesofconsciousness,especiallyviapsychedelics,having

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publishedmorethan100academicpapersinthisarea,includingfivebooks,mostrecentlyNeurotransmissions:EssaysonPsychedelics(2015)andTalkingwiththeSpirits:EthnographiesfromBetweentheWorlds(2014).DavidisalsodirectoroftheEcology,CosmosandConsciousnesssalonattheInstituteofEcotechnics,London,andisacofounderanddirectorofBreakingConvention:MultidisciplinaryConferenceonPsychedelicConsciousness.HehasstudiedtechniquesofconsciousnessalterationfromSouthAmericatoIndia,fromtheperspectiveofscientists,shamansandShivaites,butincreasinglyhasmorequestionsthananswers.

RorySpowersisanecologicalwriter,campaignerandfilmmakermostrecentlyworkingwithBBCpresenterBruceParryonthefeaturefilmTawai.Rory’slastbook,AYearinGreenTeaandTukTuks,coversthecreationofSamakanda‘Bio-versity’,anecologicallearningcentreinSriLanka.Hispreviousbook,RisingTides,wasahistoryofecologicalthought,criticallyacclaimedbyTheSundayTimes,TheObserverandavarietyofmagazines.In2002,RoryfoundedTheWebofHope,aUKcharityandecologicaleducationresourcehighlightingrolemodelsforsustainability,socialjusticeandpositivechange.PleasevisitRory’sblogatwww.figtreediaries.com

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