The Occult Timothy Leary

Explore the esoteric knowledge and experiences of the psychedelic pioneer

• Reveals Leary’s immersion in the Western occult tradition, his Eight Circuit Model of consciousness, and his theories on post-terrestrial human evolution

• Details Leary’s tarot deck by looking at its unique card order, astrological correspondences, and practical uses for divination

• Describes Leary’s encounters with figures such as Ram Dass and Robert Anton Wilson as well as revolutionary groups like the Weather Underground and the Black Panthers

Timothy Leary, American psychologist and countercultural icon, is well known for his advocacy of psychedelic drugs and controversial experiments on human consciousness. What is less well known is his deep interest in Western esotericism, a dimension that Joseph L. Flatley explores in-depth.

Flatley recounts Leary’s early life and career trajectory, highlighting the esoteric influences that informed his occult activities as well as his thoughts on reincarnation and his futuristic views of computers and human evolution. Readers will learn about Leary’s encounters with 20th-century groups and figures like Ram Dass, the Weather Underground, the Black Panthers, and Robert Anton Wilson, all of whom influenced his psychic explorations and the development of his eight-circuit model for understanding altered states of consciousness and the potential for transcendent experiences.

Flatley also details the role of the tarot in Leary’s life and philosophy, showing how Leary created his own version of the deck, which is featured in this book. Flatley then reveals the correspondences between Leary’s deck and his eight-circuit model of consciousness and guides readers on how to use this tarot for divination.