The Psychedelic Renaissance

Think Workshop

Presenter: Stephan Reid

Suitable for: Adults only

Psychedelics are back on the scene, on a scale not witnessed since the 70s. The public is increasingly aware of their potential as medicines, but are there deeper social, political and psychological consequences to the so-called ‘psychedelic renaissance’? Let’s consider the impact of a reintegration of psychedelics into society on our mental health.

Join this session with Stephen Reid, founder of the UK Psychedelic Society, to consider our relationship with the natural world and our capacity to cooperate in an increasingly complex world.

Presenter Bio:

Stephen attained an undergraduate degree in Physics at Oxford, and then a Masters in Complexity Sciences at Bristol. Some time after University he immersed himself in the world of climate activism with the Camp for Climate Action (‘Climate Camp’).
In October 2010, with friends from Climate Camp, he set up UK Uncut. In 2011, he started working for the New Economics Foundation (NEF). He then co-founded the New Economy Organisers Network (NEON).
In the summer of 2011, he had his first major drug experience with MDMA at Glastonbury Festival. A year later, he had his first psychedelic experience with 2C-B at Shambala Festival, which inspired a fascination with psychedelics.
In December 2012, he became the youngest ever board member of Greenpeace UK. A year later he left NEF and started working as a freelance digital consultant/developer for organisations including 38 Degrees, the Labour Party, the Green Party, 350.org, the Living Wage Foundation, Positive Money, SumOfUs, 10:10 and Brandalism.
In 2014, having just returned from Nowhere (the largest of the European Burning Man events), he founded the Psychedelic Society, which continues to be his main project. Since 2017 he has been fascinated with metamodern/Teal thinking. In mid-2018, the Psychedelic Society started making the transition to becoming a Teal organisation.

The Psychedelic Renaissance