Episode 118 (ft. Robert Forte): Beyond the Propaganda: The True History of Psychedelics

About this episode

Robert Forte discusses his extensive research and experiences in the psychedelic movement, including critiques of current practices.

James Fadiman calls Robert Forte, “a major but not well known hero of the psychedelic movement.” A scholar, editor, publisher, professor, researcher of the subject for over 3 decades, Forte has come to some disturbing realizations about the psychedelic renaissance that he helped to start. Huston Smith called his first book, Entheogens and the Future of Religion, “the best single inquiry into the religious significance of chemically occasioned mystical experience that has yet appeared.” Forte was introduced to psychedelics in 1980 by Frank Barron, who initiated Timothy Leary and started the Harvard Psilocybin Project with him. From the University of California Forte was invited to Esalen to study with Stanislav Grof, before going to the University of Chicago to study the history and psychology of religion under Mircea Eliade. Over the years Forte has worked closely with many of the most prominent leaders of the psychedelic movement, including R. G. Wasson, Albert Hofmann, Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner, Alexander Shulgin, Claudio Naranjo, and many others. His early MDMA research in 1981-85 turned on 100s of people to this new medicine. Though this project led to the creation of…

People in this episode

Host: DeeM-Team

Guest: Robert Forte

Topics covered

• psychedelics
• history
• research
• spirituality
• mental health

Keywords

• psychedelics
• MDMA
• ayahuasca
• Timothy Leary
• MAPS

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Harvard Psilocybin Project

Books & works: Entheogens and the Future of Religion, Outside Looking In: Appreciations, Castigations, Reminiscences

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