**These are live online sessions. If you cannot attend the live session, you can still access the recording, which will be available for a limited time to all students. Each session will be sent out to all participants 48 hours after the live one**
Are you curious about how psychedelics have been interwoven into African life for thousands of years and their continuing role in communities today?
As global interest in psychedelics and plant medicines surges, honouring their deep roots and rich lineages particularly their profound role in African traditions, the world's oldest on record has become essential.
In this newly updated 4-part course, world renowned psychedelic researcher Darren Le Baron will establish the foundations, correct misconceptions, and complete the missing chapters of the psychedelic narrative.
For millennia, indigenous African peoples have utilised psychedelic fungi and plants for personal growth, spiritual connection, and community development. These sacred allies extend beyond healing, they facilitate communication with ancestors, guide divination practices, and help navigate altered states of consciousness. Many communities continue to integrate them into rites of passage, initiation ceremonies, and daily rituals.
Immerse yourself in this timeless treasure trove of ancestral wisdom. Gain insights that will not only transform your understanding of psychedelics but also offer a deeper perspective on life, and your place within it.
It is now time for the Lion to tell his own story!
OVERVIEW
Module 1 - In The Beginning: Origins and Ancient Traditions (5th October)
Psychedelic Creation Stories & Human Origins - Explore indigenous African cosmologies that place psychedelics at the centre of human development and consciousness evolution
Examining the Stoned Ape Theory - Analyse evidence from Africa supporting the theory that psychedelics played a crucial role in human cognitive development
Psychedelic Cave Art, Craft, Dance & Trance - Discover the rich visual language of ancient African rock art depicting mushroom rituals and the embodied practices that have preserved these traditions for millennia
Module 2 - The Mystery Systems: Sacred Knowledge and Initiation (12th October)
Psychedelics and the African Goddess - Uncover the feminine divine principles in African psychedelic traditions and how women have historically been keepers of sacred plant knowledge
From Mushrooms to DMT in Ancient Egypt - Journey through the psychedelic foundations of Kemetic mystery schools and how these substances informed hieroglyphic symbolism and spiritual technologies
Sacred Geometry and Plant Intelligence - Examine how African traditions recognised patterns in nature that revealed the intelligence within psychedelic plants and fungi
Module 3 - Hidden in Plain Sight: Contemporary Indigenous Practices (19th October)
The Geography of a Psychedelic Continent - Map the diverse psychedelic plants across different African regions and how ecological factors shaped distinct ritual practices
Psychedelics in African Spirituality and Practice - Study how traditional healers integrate psychedelics into their practice, including divination techniques, healing ceremonies, and community restoration
Colonisation and Resistance - Understand how indigenous communities preserved their psychedelic knowledge despite historical persecution and ongoing threats to traditional ways of life
Module 4 - The Hereafter: Reclaiming the Future (26th October)
Diaspora Connections - Discover how African psychedelic traditions survived the Middle Passage and continue to inform healing practices throughout the African diaspora
The Psychedelic Renaissance - Position African indigenous knowledge within the global psychedelic revival and why ethical integration of traditional wisdom is essential
Creating Africa's Psychedelic Future - Explore models for indigenous intellectual property protection, ethical research partnerships, and community-based healing centres that honour ancestral traditions