One of the most prominent icons of the 1960s counterculture movement was psychologist, lecturer and author Timothy Leary—known for his advocacy of psychedelic drugs and their therapeutic and spiritual benefits. His son, Zach, has had a front-row seat to the ebb and flow of the psychedelic movement’s evolution, and he is now a thought leader in the modern psychedelic space.
Zach Leary will be coming to Athens on Tuesday, Sept. 16 to give a talk at Ciné based on his debut book Your Extraordinary Mind: Psychedelics for the 21st Century and How to Use Them. Hosted by the Athens Psychedelic Society and Athens Uncharted, the night will begin at 7 p.m. with Leary’s presentation, a Q&A and book signings. Then at 8:30 p.m. local psych-tinged bands The Rishis and Skirr will perform, followed by a vinyl set by Holographic Pagan.
The presentation will explore the ups and downs of the psychedelic movement over the past 50 years or so, what Leary describes as “a psychedelic State of the Union and history talk.” He explains that it hasn’t been until the last 15 or 20 years that the movement has matured into something with validity. But he’ll also discuss what inspired him to write his book and which segments hold the most personal importance.
What Leary describes is a piece of the puzzle most relevant to those of us in the United States today, but he says that it’s important to understand that psychedelics have been part of the human story for thousands of years. “Every indigenous culture from every corner of the globe” has used psychedelics as “healing and spiritual growth modalities,” says Leary, so it’s modern culture that has lost the tradition. Most recently in history, government propaganda has vilified related drugs and its users.
“I think one of my biggest surprises is how that narrative is quickly changing, changing kind of faster than I thought it would. There are a lot of people in mainstream medicine, mainstream politics, mainstream drug law reform, mainstream policy reform, mainstream psychiatric institutions, who do see that psychedelics are very valid tools. Seeing the growth of that and seeing how the culture has changed its viewpoint around it, it’s been surprising,” says Leary.
However, the current political climate has taken a strong turn back to conservatism, and it’s too early to see a direct effect on the movement. Cannabis and THC legislation has taken a measurable hit, though, with Georgia’s restrictions tightening.
“As one of my favorite bands, Devo, would say, ‘We’re in a state of Devo, devolution,’ you know, and that is what it is,” says Leary. “As we see some things devolve and fall apart, regress, and so many parts of our population are being demonized, people and places and ideas, but at the same time, there’s the psychedelic revolution. So how it all works together, your guess is as good as mine.”
One thing that is very clear is the numbers. Last year RAND reported that approximately 8 million people aged 18 and older used psilocybin in 2023. Leary says that it’s following the path of cannabis where once the number of users start climbing to those heights, it becomes harder to demonize. Attitudes in the mental health and spiritual growth spaces are changing as well, he adds.
In real time, cultural changes in substance use are unfolding. The National Institute of Drug Abuse reported last year that while 2023 saw historic highs for cannabis and hallucinogen use, alcohol use in ages 19–30 has decreased.
When it comes to psychedelics, Leary says, “If you’re at all curious about psychedelics, even if you’re on the fence, you should come and keep an open mind, and you might learn something and see it in a way that you haven’t seen it before.”
The Athens Psychedelic Society is a social club with the mission to “cultivate a conscious community grounded in shared values that are meaningful to us.” The group holds regular monthly meetings and other social gatherings. To learn more, visit athenspsychedelicsociety.com.
WHO: Zach Leary, The Rishis, Skirr
WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 16, 6 p.m. (doors)
WHERE: Ciné
HOW MUCH: $15
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