Blistering and Monumental - Acid Dreams by M. Lee and B. Shlain

The complete social history of LSD: The CIA, The Sixties and Beyond.

Title: Acid Dreams

Author: Martin A. Lee & Bruce Shlain

“The complete social history of LSD: The CIA, The Sixties and Beyond.”

This book came into my life when…

I was struggling to find information in this area of research and Jade recommended it to me.

Why is this book high vibrational?

Acid Dreams is high vibrational because it is a catalyst for dissolving disinformation surrounding psychedelic use.

We learn about the origins of the “adverse side-effects” which have been pressed through our media at nauseam since the 1960’s.

Reports outlining U.S government and military’s search for a “Truth Drug (TD)” to be used against prisoners of war, enemies of the state and suspected spies demonstrate how much of “official research” was applied with sinister motives to “revolutionise the cloak and trigger trade” and “conquer” the human mind. This undoubtedly impacted the outcome of the trip experiences – reinforcing the importance of set and setting.

Acid Dreams highlights that while many rejoiced in the discovery of LSD-25 and believed that it would revolutionise what they deemed a “sick society”, there were also plenty of hesitations in presenting it into a culture which lacked closeness to God, nature and the practices of shamanism.

Despite experiences of “oceanic bliss” and “self-transcendence”, floating into the universe can be a hellish as well as heavenly ordeal. Both possibilities are rooted in depersonalisation. Most of us feel closely linked to our Ego because we feel it is what defines us and our place in this world. Therefore, something which threatens to dissolve this element can seem deeply distressing and frightening.

If we release our need to control and cling on to the ego – it can be one of the most liberating moments of this human experience; also the most difficult.

The author also describes how other tried to hoard and retain the right to access deeper levels of consciousness and beyond-this-world knowledge for for ruling classes and academic scholar communities, who didn’t want everyone doing “too much of a good thing”.

Hmm… where else have we heard this?  

This book relays ground-breaking research which governing bodies have tried to hide and distort since they began prohibiting psychedelics. Treatment resistant conditions such as alcoholism, depression, disordered eating, Parkinson’s and dementia have shown remarkably positive response to psychedelic treatments such as LSD, psilocybin and ketamine.

Acid Dreams demonstrates how the emergence of LSD sparked a cultural revolution and impacted every corner of life; from art and fashion, to technology and communication. It gives us a base to build our understanding of why they became so heavily policed and prohibited – to protect the fragile position of governing classes and to monopolise public health.

Reader warnings?

While this can provide readers with the language to articulate, understand and integrate their own psychedelic experiences, we don’t recommend this to be used exclusively as a trip preparation manual.

Your journey is entirely your own; adopting any preconception of how it will or should be is likely to cause some tension when moving through the experience. Go with your own flow! We also have some trip tips here to ensure safe and effective use.

Although the authors have undoubtedly conducted extensive and well-rounded research, it’s also from a North American perspective. As with most historical accounts – white, western males take centre stage.

Dr Albert Hofmann, the European scientist who made his mark in history as the “man who discovered LSD-25” in 1940’s has overshadowed women healers and indigenous communities who had been administering their own ergot concoctions (the fungus from which LSD-25 is derived) centuries prior to this.

In three words?

Captivating; monumental; blistering.

Share your favourite high vibrational book buds here.

---

The Grassroots Movement (TGRM) is a community for open exploration of cannabis, psychedelics and the pursuit of high vibrations. Read our mission here.

Our Mission