LSD and the Divine Scientist

Best known as the first person to synthesise, ingest, and discover the psychedelic effects of LSD, Albert Hofmann was more than just a chemist. A pioneer in the field of visionary plant research, he was one of the first people to suggest the use of entheogens for psychological healing and spiritual growth. His insights into the consciousness-expanding effects of psychedelics, as well as human nature, the psyche, and the nature of reality, earned him a reputation as a mystical scientist and visionary philosopher.

LSD and the Divine Scientist—Hofmann's last work before his death in 2008 at the age of 102—offers the acclaimed scientist's personal experiences and thoughts on chemistry, the natural sciences, mind-altering drugs, the soul, and the search for happiness and meaning in life. Hofmann explains different methods of pharmaceutical research based on traditional plant medicine and discusses psilocybin, the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms that he discovered. He examines the psychological role of psychoactives, their therapeutic potential, and their use in easing the life-to-death transition.

This book shares a different side of the father of LSD, one known only to his friends and close colleagues. It includes the poetry of this mystical prophet of psychedelic science and explains Hofmann's different methods of pharmaceutical research based on traditional plant medicine.