Robert Forte - Entheogens, the Sacred Use of Psychedelics
Robert is a local here in Santa Cruz and has been a pioneer in the wise and sacred use of psychedelics.
Here are the highlights:
1. Robert was personal friends with Timothy Leary and Albert Hofmann and has been deeply involved in learning about and telling the story of the cultural emergence and significance of psychedelics. His book "Timothy Leary: Outside Looking In" chronicles some of his experiences.
2. He was one of the early underground investigators of MDMA, before it blew up and became a basis of the rave scene. His lab produced pure MDMA which he offered to individuals in secret, to assess it's therapeutic, cultural and spiritual significance. He introduced the substance to hundreds of people including those at renowned medical schools, such as Harvard and the University of Chicago, the President of the American Psychiatric Association and dozens of celebrities, mystics and social scientists.
3. Through his book "Entheogens and the Future of Religion" (he is the editor and contributes some articles) and his ongoing discussions, he maintains a very balanced position on psychedelics, recognizing their value in personal and spiritual development and potential health benefits, but also recognizing that their recreational use can operate as a form of social and political control to immobilize otherwise active groups of individuals.
4. He has the humility and insight of a person who has seen it all, the wisdom and patience from being a parent and the genuine spark of life that comes from having lived fully.
My responses:
1. I was impressed with the way Robert is in no rush to come to conclusions about the things he knows about, an example of 'the more you know, the more you know you don't know'. He is a great storyteller, rich with detail, slow to judge or stereotype and full of empathy.
2. After discussing numerous angles on the use of psychedelics, I found myself looking at a complex landscape free of obvious conclusions, but with a very balanced perspective. I felt like this guy would be one of the people I would choose to help make sense of this issue if public policy was being formulated or if someone I cared about was trying to decide what to do themselves.
3. Re Robert's Astrology: He is at the very beginning of the Pluto in Virgo and more importantly Neptune in Scorpio generation - people who helped to transform consciousness by transcending their own sense of self (Neptune in Scorpio - especially through the use of liquid substances, relating to the Scorpio being a water sign) and by providing tangible paths and processes for change (Pluto in Virgo). His Saturn in Sagittarius conjunct Venus has brought him into proximity with numerous celebrities and cultural icons and catalysed him to become a seminal figure in the consciousness movement.
Conclusions:
1. Robert's work is thoughtful, insightful and provocative. He is humble and unassuming and yet playful and inspiring.
2. Robert is a great source for those who are either considering the use of psychedelics or those who are trying to make sense of their cultural impact.
3. If you get the good fortune to meet him or at least to absorb some of his work, you should jump on it.