Altered Consciousness Collection: 3 DVD Set Featuring FLicKeR, Hippie Masala, and Hofmann’s Potion
If you are interested in various states of consciousness, you’ll love the 3-DVD set, Altered Consciousness from Alive Mind Media.
This combined set contains three independent documentaries aimed to expand your mind.
This subject matter is not for everyone because some of the DVDs contain scenes of recreational mind-altering substance use, so be forewarned if that type of content offends your sensibilities.
FLicKeR – Based on The 1960’s Dream Machine (Hypnotic Light Device)
FLicKeR is a 75-minute documentary about Brion Gysin, a revolutionary thinker about human consciousness.
Gysin was interested in poetry, calligraphic art, and mysticism and surrounded himself with many of the 20th century’s noted counterculture stars such as his lifelong friend, William Burroughs, Kurt Corbain, and Marianne Faithful.
His major legacy is the Dream Machine, a light source inside a cylinder with special cut-outs so that when a person places their face near the machine with their eyes closed and the machine rotates at exactly the right frequency, an altered state of consciousness is achieved. Many people who had the opportunity to experience the Dream Machine reported seeing colors and shapes while feeling a sense of peace and universal oneness.
FLicKeR features some well known faces, such as Iggy Pop, DJ Spooky, Marianne Faithfull, John Giorno, and lots more. This award-winning documentary questions the real nature of art and human consciousness and the liberation of consciousness so sought after in the 60’s.
The film explores creativity in many ways and simply watching the Dream Machine in the film makes one wish to build or purchase such a machine to experience the astounding reports of those seen in the DVD.
Hippie Masala – The Hippies Search for Enlightenment
Hippie Masala is a 93 minute documentary focusing on those thousands of hippies that traveled East during the 60’s and 70’s seeking enlightenment, an alternative lifestyle, and readily-available mind altering substances.
Many of the hippies who went to India returned to their Western life after a short time. Others remained permanently. Confused by the influx of these counter-culture Westerners dressed in their hippie clothes, the Indian peasants who encountered them believed there must be a tragic drought in the West causing so many poor people to leave their own country.
Whereas, India’s holy men recognized that this generation of people who migrated to their country were seeking spirituality. The Hippie Masala DVD focuses on the stories of some of the hippies who remained and have now aged in their homes in India.
Hofmann’s Potion – History of LSD Effects
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCYZSU0oCXU&w=570&h=461]
“I think that in human evolution it has never been as necessary to have this substance LSD. It is just a tool to turn us into what we are supposed to be.”
–Albert Hofmann
You can take a trip back in time to better understand the facts surrounding the use of LSD and its effects through time.
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is the topic of Hofmann’s Potion, a 56 minute study in the pre-Timothy Leary studies which used LSD to attempt to better understand the mind and how it works.
LSD was actually discovered, quite by accident, in 1943 by Albert Hofmann, a Swiss chemist who was seeking a way to relieve migraine headaches.
LSD was soon thought to be a tool for treating addiction to alcohol and drugs and a helpful treatment for mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. Humphry Osmond, Abram Hoffer and Duncan Blewett were key members of the research team studying in Saskatchewan.
During this same time others, such as Humphry Osmond and Aldous Huxley, began recommending the drug as a means of mind expansion, self-investigation and understanding. Timothy Leary, Ram Dass, and Ralph Metzner soon became Harvard’s self-proclaimed heroes after having their research into psychedelics like LSD canceled.
Albert Hofmanm recently passed away on April 29, 2008 at the age of 102. He was born on January 11, 1906 in Baden, Switzerland. Hofmann was very active up until his death and was actually due to speak at the Eighth World Psychedelic Forum in March of 2008 but was forced to cancel due to poor health.
This documentary is a blend of thoughtful and engaging interviews accompanied by pleasing cinematography and the music in this DVD is very beautiful. Anyone studying or interested in the history of LSD effects or psychedelic agents would find this DVD fascinating.
To learn more about this 3 DVD Series, visit > The Altered Consciousness Collection
