Entheogens, Spiritual Emergence, and Madness: Why radical community is vital

What do psychedelics, madness, and spiritual emergence have in common? They all precipitate an isolated experience of reality, one which most other people will not perceive. What else? There are certain types of community that facilitate a powerful opportunity to move through these experiences in a profoundly meaningful fashion. There is a sordid history that precedes our present mental health culture that “treats” divergent experiences of reality in an impersonal, largely chemical, and coercive manner. We’ll examine how we can learn from our past and move toward a more authentic and humane future.

Larry Norris is a doctoral candidate and the co-founder and executive director of ERIE (Entheogenic Research, Integration, and Education) 501(c)3, a community dedicated to the development of entheogenic education and integration models and practices. He is also an adjunct faculty at John F. Kennedy University teaching a course on Paradigms of Consciousness.

Michelle Anne Hobart is an MFT Trainee at Golden Gate Integral Counseling Center, practitioner of energy medicine, and holistic health educator. She holds a BS in Biology, an MA in Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness, finishing her final year in Integral Counseling Psychology, and is a certified Spiritual Emergence Coach.

James Norwood is a doctoral candidate in the clinical psychology program at CIIS and is a principal person involved in Gnosis Retreat Center, a project to provide residence and safe space for those in severe distress. James also is writing his dissertation on the integration of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD.