League for Spiritual Discovery
Encyclopedia
The League For Spiritual Discovery was a religious organization based around the works of Timothy Leary
, and strove for legal use of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for religious purposes. It was in existence until the end of the 1960s, and eventually closed by Leary. The organization was re-founded in 2006, to continue and expand upon the original work.
(by doing this, he hoped to legalize LSD based on a "freedom of religion" argument). Although The Brotherhood of Eternal Love
would subsequently consider Leary their spiritual leader, The Brotherhood did not evolve out of the League for Spiritual Discovery.
On October 6, 1966, LSD was made Schedule I in the United States
, which essentially makes it illegal to possess, manufacture, or use, and all scientific research programs on the drug were shut down.
During late 1966 and early 1967, Leary toured college campuses to spread the psychedelic gospel by presenting a multi-media performance called "the Death of the Mind" which attempted to artistically replicate the LSD experience. Leary said the League for Spiritual Discovery was limited to 360 members and was already at its membership limit, but he encouraged others to form their own psychedelic
religions. He published a pamphlet in 1967 called Start Your Own Religion to encourage people to do so.
In February 1968, Leary was evicted from the Millbrook
estate, and shortly thereafter moved to California
. He was arrested again on December 26, 1968 in Texas
for possession of marijuana. In 1970, Leary received a ten-year sentence for the marijuana arrest.
During this time period, The League was closed down, and all centers abandoned.
The new League's goal is to create spiritual centers throughout the world, and generate "League Centers" for exploration, art, music, and instruction among members. It also works to enable communication and convergence of all aspects regarding spirituality within the culture of today.
Timothy Leary
Timothy Francis Leary was an American psychologist and writer, known for his advocacy of psychedelic drugs. During a time when drugs like LSD and psilocybin were legal, Leary conducted experiments at Harvard University under the Harvard Psilocybin Project, resulting in the Concord Prison...
, and strove for legal use of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for religious purposes. It was in existence until the end of the 1960s, and eventually closed by Leary. The organization was re-founded in 2006, to continue and expand upon the original work.
History
On September 19, 1966, Leary founded the League for Spiritual Discovery, a religion with LSD as its holy sacramentSacrament
A sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...
(by doing this, he hoped to legalize LSD based on a "freedom of religion" argument). Although The Brotherhood of Eternal Love
The Brotherhood of Eternal Love
The Brotherhood of Eternal Love was an informal organization of psychedelic drug enthusiasts and dealers that operated in the late 1960s. The group was founded in Laguna Beach, California. The group was headquartered in the Mystic Arts bookstore on Pacific Coast Highway...
would subsequently consider Leary their spiritual leader, The Brotherhood did not evolve out of the League for Spiritual Discovery.
On October 6, 1966, LSD was made Schedule I in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, which essentially makes it illegal to possess, manufacture, or use, and all scientific research programs on the drug were shut down.
During late 1966 and early 1967, Leary toured college campuses to spread the psychedelic gospel by presenting a multi-media performance called "the Death of the Mind" which attempted to artistically replicate the LSD experience. Leary said the League for Spiritual Discovery was limited to 360 members and was already at its membership limit, but he encouraged others to form their own psychedelic
Psychedelic drug
A psychedelic substance is a psychoactive drug whose primary action is to alter cognition and perception. Psychedelics are part of a wider class of psychoactive drugs known as hallucinogens, a class that also includes related substances such as dissociatives and deliriants...
religions. He published a pamphlet in 1967 called Start Your Own Religion to encourage people to do so.
In February 1968, Leary was evicted from the Millbrook
Millbrook, New York
Millbrook is a village in Dutchess County, New York, United States. It is often said to be a "low-key version of the Hamptons" and one of the wealthiest towns in New York State. Millbrook's estimated town population was 1,551 in 2008. Millbrook is located in the Hudson Valley, an hour and thirty...
estate, and shortly thereafter moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He was arrested again on December 26, 1968 in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
for possession of marijuana. In 1970, Leary received a ten-year sentence for the marijuana arrest.
During this time period, The League was closed down, and all centers abandoned.
Reborn
In October 2006, The League For Spiritual Discovery was restarted, taking all of the original intents of the prior organization as a foundation, but updating the message and expanding the work.The new League's goal is to create spiritual centers throughout the world, and generate "League Centers" for exploration, art, music, and instruction among members. It also works to enable communication and convergence of all aspects regarding spirituality within the culture of today.
See also
- AyahuascaAyahuascaAyahuasca is any of various psychoactive infusions or decoctions prepared from the Banisteriopsis spp. vine, usually mixed with the leaves of dimethyltryptamine-containing species of shrubs from the Psychotria genus...
- BwitiBwitiBwiti is a West Central African spiritual practice by the forest-dwelling Babongo and Mitsogo people of Gabon, where it is counted as one of the three official religions, and the Fang people of Gabon and Cameroon...
- EntheogenEntheogenAn entheogen , in the strict sense, is a psychoactive substance used in a religious, shamanic, or spiritual context. Historically, entheogens were mostly derived from plant sources and have been used in a variety of traditional religious contexts...
- God in a Pill?God in a Pill?God in a Pill? was a 1966 pamphlet by Meher Baba in which he spoke out strongly against taking illicit drugs like marijuana and LSD, saying they were harmful "physically, mentally, and spiritually."...
- IbogaineIbogaineIbogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive substance found in a number of plants, principally in a member of the Apocynaceae family known as Iboga . A hallucinogen with both psychedelic and dissociative properties, the substance is banned in some countries; in other countries it is being used...
- List of psychedelic drugs
- List of psychedelic plants
- Mystical psychosisMystical psychosisMystical psychosis is a term coined by Arthur J. Deikman in the early 1970’s to characterize first-person accounts of psychotic experiences that are strikingly similar to reports of mystical experiences...
- PeyotePeyoteLophophora williamsii , better known by its common name Peyote , is a small, spineless cactus with psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline.It is native to southwestern Texas and Mexico...
- Psilocybin mushroomPsilocybin mushroomPsilocybin mushrooms are fungi that contain the psychoactive compounds psilocybin and psilocin. There are multiple colloquial terms for psilocybin mushrooms, the most common being shrooms or magic mushrooms....
- Psychedelic experiencePsychedelic experienceThe term "psychedelic experience" is vague – characterized by polyvalence or ambiguity due to its nature – however in modern psychopharmacological science as well as philosophical, psychological, neurological, spiritual-religious and most other ideological discourses it is understood as an altered...
- Psychedelic psychotherapyPsychedelic psychotherapyPsychedelic therapy refers to therapeutic practices involving the use of psychedelic drugs, particularly serotonergic psychedelics such as ergine, LSD, psilocin and DMT...
- Tabernanthe iboga