Abstract

Modern interest in psychedelics has been on the rise as United States legislation has become increasingly flexible. Psychedelics are even being used for therapeutic and medical purposes, with incredibly beneficial results. Michael Pollan’s 2018 book, How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence, concisely connects the modern scientific exploration with the internal exploration experienced himself, as well as the exploration at the hands of the members of the counterculture. Pollan’s work is partially responsible for re-peaking public interest in psychedelics and spirituality. Through analysis of primary and secondary sources, my Independent Study argues that the spiritual exploration and psychedelic use of the members of the counterculture in Haight-Ashbury in the 1960s was unique to the people of the time, and that the experimentation done by the people of the counterculture is evident in their artistic footprint. One of the primary sources that best illustrates this impact in The Oracle, and underground newspaper printed in Haight-Ashbury and circulated nationwide between 1966 and 1968. The distinct artistic collaboration on The Oracle perfectly encapsulates both the aesthetic and thought of the people of the counterculture. In order to fully contextualize my argument along with source analysis, I will be structuring my research around one specific location and three central figures of the psychedelic counterculture. The people around which my research is structured are Dr. Timothy Leary, Ram Dass, and Grace Slick. Dr. Timothy Leary was selected as a central figure because of his leading role in the Harvard Psilocybin Project, as well as his massive amount of writing about psychedelics and spirituality. Dr. Leary is continually referenced in influential primary sources, like the underground newspaper, The Oracle, which was considered a staple of the counterculture. Ram Dass, formerly known as Dr. Richard Alpert, also worked on the Harvard Psilocybin Project, and following his departure from academia, he began his journey to become a guru and spiritual figurehead as well as consciousness-educator. Both Dass and Leary illustrate the connection between psychedelic use and spirituality, as they each created a massive number of resources on the topics. Leary was selected to contextualize the psychedelic movement within the scientific research that was conducted immediately prior to the Summer of Love. Finally, Grace Slick was selected as a subject for a chapter in my research due to her place among the icons of the psychedelic age. Slick, as the lead singer and songwriter for Jefferson Airplane, one of the most influential bands of the 1960s, was responsible for some of the most iconic songs associated with the psychedelic counterculture. All three of these people contextualize psychedelic use and spiritual exploration in Haight-Ashbury in the 1960s in different ways. Leary and Dass’ connection to The Oracle especially, perfectly blends together their psychedelic use, their spiritual exploration, and the unique media that was created in order to share their knowledge.

Advisor

Shaya, Gregory

Department

History

Disciplines

Cultural History | Social History | United States History

Keywords

History, Psychedelics, Spirituality, Counterculture, 1960s, Hippies

Publication Date

2023

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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