“The brethren continued exhorting, prophesying and speaking in tongues until 5 o clock in the morning—the Saviour made his appearance to some, while angels min[i]stered unto others, and it was a pent[e]cost and end[ow]ment indeed, long to be remembered.”1 Joseph Smith’s Journal The Kirtland Temple dedication was a multi-day visionary fest for the early Latter-day […]
The Psychedelic Kirtland Temple Dedication Read More »
For context, this was written for an outlet with a generally LDS audience that ultimately wasn’t published but has some value I think. “I tore myself from Her warm embrace. It was time for me to go. Before I left that place, She placed Her hand on my chest and told me She was always
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What follows is a portion of an initial draft on the subject I’m writing with Robert Beckstead. Feedback is most welcome! Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, and his family had connections to these esoteric forms of religion through the family’s involvement in folk magical practices, the occult, Masonry, and Kabbalistic doctrines.1 Through these, it is
Joseph Smith, Mormonism, and Reincarnation Read More »
As someone who was first introduced to psychedelics through ketamine assisted psychotherapy for depression while an active Latter-day Saint, the nexus of psychedelics and religion is near and dear to my heart. This intersection has also been a source of profound emotional turmoil for me. The mystical revelations I underwent, which I believed brought me
A Real Spiritual High: In Defense of Psychedelic Mysticism Read More »
Read part one here. The Spiritual Leaves the Physical Twenty-three years after Joseph’s death, in a 1867 church conference, George A. Smith (Joseph Smith’s cousin) took up the question of the waning visionary experiences in the years following Joseph’s death and the LDS saints’ subsequent move to Utah. He addressed “the question often arisen among
Psychedelics as a Means of Revelation in Early and Contemporary Mormonism (Part 2) Read More »
This paper was presented at the Forms of Psychedelic Life conference at UC Berkeley (April 14-15, 2023). It’s meant to give an overview of different facets and themes of the use of psychedelics within the Mormon tradition. Many of these themes will be further expanded upon in future posts and papers. (This can also be
Psychedelics as a Means of Revelation in Early and Contemporary Mormonism (Part 1) Read More »
This is a portion of a paper I’ll be presenting at the Forms of Psychedelic Life conference next month on the role of psychedelics in Mormon theology. Preface As a bit of context to the following for the unaware, a recent article makes the case that psychedelics played a significant role in the origin of the Mormon faith. I’ll
Psychedelics as Sacred Objects Read More »