Charley, like others, stresses that MDMA is not an absolute antidote to suffering, nor is it a replacement for the societal-level transformations needed to address things like global warming and inequity. But as he also notes, “extraordinary times call for extraordinary pleasures.”21 If a critical mass of people begin thinking and acting in new

Another longtime attendee, Rich Orloff (who granted his permission to be named in this book), invited the group to take three deep breaths, and then said a short opening prayer that he had written: I welcome you into my body and soul. I welcome your teachings your inspirations your healings And I welcome my self—all parts of myself that may rise

“Music shapes the sound waves of the room, and when it’s in perfect harmony, your body is vibrating with it and it enables you to go to a different place. It’s not about the drugs—they’re just an opening into oneself. It’s about how deep you can go inside yourself with complete attentional focus on the sound.”

It’s not just the drugs, though, that produce the healing effect. Through Sebastian’s personal psychedelic explorations and field research conducted in more than forty countries, he came to see sound as being just as important as the supplements themselves, if not more so. “In the end, it’s about harmony and acoustics,” he said. “That’s the reason

A crucial first step for enacting societal-level changes, though, is for people simply to feel better about themselves and others—for them not just to be free from infirmity but to enjoy health, what the World Health Organization’s 1948 constitution defined as a state of “complete physical, mental and social well-being.”4 If someone’s well-being is

Poet and author Nicholas Powers, on the other hand, prefers to leave religion out of the equation. He views the magical or supernatural thinking that sometimes accompanies drug trips as a dead end or, at worst, a potential danger. “If you start thinking you’re getting personal messages3 from Huitzilopochtli, Thor, Jesus, or Aphrodite, you may act

Doblin, for one, has not wavered from this original goal. By 2035 he hopes to see licensed legalization of MDMA for adult use, and by 2050 he envisions the drug helping to usher in a “spiritualized humanity”1—one that recognizes and celebrates commonalities and connection, and acts accordingly. “So many of the problems of the world today are

Those who experienced awe were also more likely to report a strong sense of connection with others on the dance floor. According to lead author Martha Newson, a cognitive anthropologist at the University of Kent, the findings suggest that raves are just modern versions of what humans have been doing for at least tens of thousands of years: coming

For some, the dance floor can also satisfy a craving for spirituality and ritual that’s largely lacking in contemporary times. “Raves are this ancient tradition that have been modernized with software and things, but fundamentally, you’re taking a substance and transcending into this communal realm with shamans or guides—DJs—who help you access