His Final LSD Dose Was At 97 Years Old! “LSD My Problem Child: Reflections on Sacred Drugs, Mysticism & Science,” by Albert Hofmann

Why Read It

Albert Hofmann’s life trajectory was forever altered on April 19th, 1943 when he intentionally ingested 250 micrograms of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), in order to observe the effects and learn about this novel chemical, which he had synthesized as a result of his ongoing scientific research of ergot fungus at Sandoz Pharmaceuticals in Basel, Switzerland. The effects of Hofmann’s trip on that warm, sunny day are still reverberating around the world today. The result of Hofmann’s discovery of LSD and its ensuing effect on human culture is tough to measure. Profound. Irreversible. Remarkable. Unquantifiable.

In the mid-1970’s, well after LSD and the psychedelic revolution had infiltrated every corner of western civilization, Hofmann sat down and wrote LSD: My Problem Child. Hofmann’s book is part historical narrative, part memoir, part philosophical inquiry. He discusses the profound effect of LSD on human consciousness and the wide-ranging therapeutic value of, not only LSD, but psychedelics in general. Hofmann’s scientific yet spiritually insightful narrative challenges materialistic views of reality, echoing the Perennial Philosophy’s quest to unify science and spirituality.

As Hofmann notes throughout the book, modern civilization has caused a separation between the human being and the environment and led to a psychic experience of ego form to arise that is an illusion, and is also the cause of much of our personal suffering and many of our collective troubles. LSD serves to dissolve that false sense of self and allow one to enter glimpses of cosmic, universal consciousness, in which the small sense of individual ego self gives way to a much more expansive and inclusive sense of self that does not harbor so many borders.

This book will be of interest to those interested in the intersection of science and religion, the potential for transformation and growth of human consciousness and the history of the psychedelic revolution in the 20th century.

Overview

“LSD: My Problem Child” by Albert Hofmann presents a factual account of the discovery, development, and impact of LSD, particularly focusing on its profound effects on consciousness and perception. Hofmann, the chemist who first synthesized and experienced LSD, provides a detailed narrative of his experiments, the psychedelic’s initial use in psychiatry, and its eventual cultural and societal influence, notably in the 1960s.

The book offers a unique blend of scientific exploration and philosophical reflection, discussing LSD’s potential for providing insights into the human psyche, inducing spiritual experiences, and facilitating a sense of universal connectedness. Hofmann expresses concerns about the misuse and subsequent stigmatization of LSD, advocating for its controlled use in scientific and therapeutic contexts. Hofmann also reflects with detail on his remarkable interactions with notable towering figures in the psychedelic renaissance, including Timothy Leary, Aldous Huxley, Gordon Wasson, Stanislov Grof and others.

This work is particularly relevant for those interested in spiritual enlightenment, the study of consciousness, and the role of psychedelic medicine in these realms.

Key Takeaways

Discovery and Early Experiments: Albert Hofmann details his accidental discovery of LSD in 1938 and his subsequent self-experiments. He emphasizes the profound and unexpected potency of LSD, even in minute doses, and how these early trials led to both intriguing and disorienting experiences, highlighting the substance’s powerful effect on perception and consciousness.
Connection to Universal Consciousness. Hofmann’s explores LSD’s ability to facilitate experiences of universal consciousness. Through his detailed accounts of LSD experiences, Hofmann touches on themes central to the Perennial Philosophy, such as the sense of oneness with the universe, the dissolution of ego boundaries, and the perception of deeper, underlying realities.
LSD’s Impact on Psychology and Psychiatry: The book delves into LSD’s initial use in psychology and psychiatry as a tool for therapy and its potential to unlock new understanding of mental processes. Hofmann discusses how LSD was initially seen as a promising way to mimic and study psychotic states but later evolved into a therapeutic tool, offering insights into the human psyche.
Personal Philosophical Reflections: Hofmann offers philosophical reflections on the nature of consciousness and reality, influenced by his experiences with LSD. He contemplates the relationship between the external world and internal perception, and how substances like LSD can alter this dynamic, challenging conventional understandings of reality.
Advocacy for Controlled Use and Research: Towards the end of the book, Hofmann advocates for controlled, respectful use of LSD in scientific and therapeutic contexts. He argues for the potential benefits of LSD in exploring consciousness and treating various psychological conditions, urging a reevaluation of its legal and societal status.

Quotes

~ “In the future, I hope that LSD provides to the individual a new worldview, which is in harmony with nature and its laws. I am hopeful about the future evolution of the human species. I am hopeful because I have the impression that more and more human individuals are becoming conscious, and that the creative spirit, which we call “God,” speaks to us through his creation — through the endlessness of the starry sky, through the beauty and wonder of the living individuals of the plant, the animal, and the human kingdoms. We human beings are able to understand this message because we possess the divine gift of consciousness. This connects us to universal mind and gives us divine creativity. Any means that helps to expand our individual consciousness — by opening up and sharpening our inner and outer eyes, in order to understand the divine universal message — will help humanity survive. An understanding of the divine message — in its universal language — would bring an end to the war between the religions of the world.”

~ “I share the belief of many of my contemporaries that the spiritual crisis pervading all spheres of Western industrial society can be remedied only by a change in our worldview. We shall have to shift from the materialistic, dualistic belief that people and their environment are separate, toward a new consciousness of an all-encompassing reality, which embraces the experiencing ego, a reality in which people feel their oneness with animate nature and all of creation. Everything that can contribute to such a fundamental alteration in our perception of reality must therefore command earnest attention. Foremost among such approaches are the various methods of meditation, either in a religious or a secular context, which aim to deepen the consciousness of reality by way of a total mystical experience. Another important, but still controversial, path to the same goal is the use of the consciousness-altering properties of hallucinogenic psychopharmaceuticals.”

~ “It is my desire in this book to give a comprehensive picture of LSD, its origin, its effects, and its dangers, in order to guard against increasing abuse of this extraordinary drug. I hope thereby to emphasize possible uses of LSD that are compatible with its characteristic action. I believe that if people would learn to use LSD’s vision-inducing capability more wisely, under suitable conditions, in medical practice and in conjunction with meditation, then in the future this problem child could become a wonder child.”

~ “In LSD inebriation the accustomed worldview undergoes a deep-seated transformation and disintegration. Connected with this is a loosening or even suspension of the I-you barrier. Patients who are bogged down in an egocentric problem cycle can thereby be helped to release themselves from their fixation and isolation. The result can be an improved rapport with the doctor and a greater susceptibility to psychotherapeutic influence. The enhanced suggestibility under the influence of LSD works toward the same goal.”

~ “What constitutes the essential, characteristic difference between everyday reality and the world picture experienced in LSD inebriation? Ego and the outer world are separated in the normal condition of consciousness, in everyday reality; one stands face-to-face with the outer world; it has become an object. In the LSD state the boundaries between the experiencing self and the outer world more or less disappear, depending on the depth of the inebriation. Feedback between receiver and sender takes place. A portion of the self overflows into the outer world, into objects, which begin to live, to have another, a deeper meaning. This can be perceived as a blessed, or as a demonic transformation imbued with terror, proceeding to a total loss of the trusted ego. In an auspicious case, the new ego feels blissfully united with the objects of the outer world and consequently also with its fellow beings. This experience of deep oneness with the exterior world can even intensify to a feeling of the self being one with the universe. This condition of cosmic consciousness, which under favorable conditions can be evoked by LSD or by another hallucinogen from the group of Mexican sacred drugs, is analogous to spontaneous religious enlightenment, with the unio mystica. In both conditions, which often last only for a timeless moment, a reality is experienced that exposes a gleam of the transcendental reality, in which universe and self, sender and receiver, are one.”