Presented in partnership with Spirit & Place and IU Presidential Arts & Humanities Program.

In a unique twist on this year’s Spirit & Place theme of NATURE, we invite you hear from author, rabbi, and scholar at the Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality, Jay Michaelson. In the last ten years, the so-called “Psychedelic Renaissance” has brought these once-taboo compounds into the mainstream, with numerous studies showing their effectiveness at treating depression, PTSD, anxiety, and other conditions. And for thousands of years, many of the same compounds were used in indigenous cultures for spiritual awakening and personal transformation. What does therapeutic, spiritual, and recreational psychedelic use look like today? What are the promises and perils of this rapid transformation? With over twenty years of experience as a meditation teacher, professor of religion, activist, and journalist, Dr. Michaelson makes this fascinating topic both accessible and thought-provoking.

Book sales & reception begin at 6PM with a book signing following the presentation. (Presentation begins at 6:30PM.)

*This event is part of Spirit & Place’s Big Tent Talks which launched in 2024 and presents notable and inspirational speakers focused on faith and spirituality.