66 Nick Atlas
experimentation among introductory psychology students. Rather, it is to
advocate for a more neutral and thorough presentation of these and other
substances, as well as the ‘non-ordinary’ experiences (Grof, 2000) they
frequently catalyze.
For example, none of the contemporary psychology textbooks
reviewed mention anything about the 1960s countercultural revolution, of
which LSD was an integral part. This cultural shift redefined America and
led to tremendous intercultural exchange, including the Western adoption
of a host of holistic, mind-body and indigenous practices and therapies,
such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness, acupuncture, etc. The investigation
of such practices and their effects on consciousness gave life to and,
unfortunately, has been relegated to transpersonal psychology, which
remains obscure and marginalized among mainstream academic
psychology. The groundbreaking work of Charles Tart (1969) and
Stanislav Grof (1976), for instance, who conducted many years of
empirically-driven, psychedelic-and-related research deserves mention, as
does the work of Ralph Metzner (2005), Roger Walsh (2007), and a host of
other scholars. Future editions of these and other introductory psychology
textbooks might also consider referencing emerging studies on the
significant psychological benefits of psilocybin use amongst terminal
cancer patients (Ross et al., 2016).
Lastly, as Albert Hoffman would likely attest to and as several of the
textbook authors (Coon & Mitterer, 2015; Meyers & DeWall, 2015) hint at
but ultimately avoid, there is extensive literature (e.g., Grof, 1976, 2000;
Metzner, 2005; Tart, 1969) describing the potential of hallucinogens to
induce profound mystical states, psychological healing and psychospiritual
realization—sometimes referred to as ‘exceptional experiences’ (Atlas,
2017; Broad, 2002, 2003; White, 1997). Rather than “Distorting Reality,”
as Pastorino and Doyle-Portillo (2016, p. 163) contend, in some instances
hallucinogens may serve the opposite purpose of clarifying reality and
revealing more of it than we are typically capable of perceiving. Though
hallucinogens are certainly not the only way to alter consciousness and
foster insight, such an admission and subsequent investigations could
ultimately revolutionize the way we approach the study of consciousness.