What was your favourite part of the course? (A memorable class, assignment, or topic?) 

My favorite part of “The Psychedelic Universe: Global Perspectives on Higher Consciousness” was a guest lecture by Ed Visser, an artist who produced a massive number of LSD “blotter sheets” (they were “blank” – without any illegal substances!) in the 1970s and beyond. I had read about him in Erik Davis’s book Blotter and was familiar with his art, so it was incredible to see some of the art in person and have it passed around the room. His perspective was something I could truly only have experienced at the University of Amsterdam, and I was incredibly grateful to have such a unique and powerful experience.

What kind of people did you meet, and what did you learn from them?

The members of the class and the guest speakers all came from a variety of backgrounds, disciplines, and age groups. Having diverse perspectives was extremely important to me, as it allowed me to approach the course from a variety of angles, which allowed me to learn much more than I would have otherwise. Also, before my trip, I’d imagined that I’d spend most of my time after classes exploring the city by myself. Instead, I spent most of the afternoons and evenings with my classmates, whom I immediately made connections with, many of which will be lasting. I really couldn’t have been happier to make such great new friends.

What new perspectives did you gain, and how have you used what you learned after the course? 

I’m directly involved in psychedelic studies from a religious/humanities angle, and I learned so much from the course that I’ll apply in my dissertation work. It was extremely helpful to gain new perspectives from the disciplines of cultural studies, history, neuroscience, history of medicine, film studies, and more. Additionally, the perspectives gained in the course will certainly serve as inspiration when I design my own courses in the future.