Seeking Transcendence and the Resurgence of Psychedelics

The human desire for transcendence can be achieved through various means such as extreme sports, physical activity, fasting, dance, rhythm, and drumming. This deep desire for transcendence seems to be unique to humans, although some animals also seek altered states of consciousness. There has been a resurgence of interest in the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics for conditions like anxiety, depression, and addiction, which is surprising given the extensive research on psychedelics from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s.