He then took LSD hundreds of times, but regarded it as a powerful and potentially dangerous psychotropic drug that demanded respect. More important to him than the pleasures of the psychedelic experience was the drug’s value as a revelatory aid for contemplating and understanding what he saw as humanity’s oneness with nature. That perception, of union, which came to Dr. Hofmann as almost a religious epiphany while still a child, directed much of his personal and professional life.

Alive Mind honors Dr. Hofmann’s contributions to science and twentieth century culture. We are pleased to release Hofmann’s Potion, an uncensored history of LSD, from its accidental discovery by Dr. Hofmann to its prohibition by the U.S. government in 1966.

Initially LSD was hailed as a powerful tool to treat alcoholism and drug addiction and to provide a window into schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. While researchers were establishing the medical benefits of LSD, others - like author Aldous Huxley - promoted the drug as a powerful tool for mental exploration and self-understanding. At Harvard, Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner and Ram Dass (then known as Richard Alpert) became popular heroes after the university cancelled their research project into psychedelics.

Featuring interviews with many LSD pioneers, such as Albert Hofmann, Timothy Leary, Aldous & Laura Huxley, Ram Dass, Humphry Osmond, Ralph Metzner, Duncan Blewett, Myron Stolaroff, Abram Hoffer and Stanislav Grof, Hofmann’s Potion is much more than a simple chronicle of the drug’s early days. With its thoughtful interviews, beautiful music and stunning cinematography, it is an invitation to look at LSD - and our world - with a more open, compassionate mind.

Learn more about the DVD here.

More to come soon from the Alive Mind Team