The recent LSD Symposium started with a talk of about 20 minutes by Dr. Albert Hofmann, alchemist extraordinaire and discoverer of the LSD molecule. After being introduced and cheered, the magic started. Uncle Albert is a petite, but relatively unwrinkled 100 year old genius who has no problem in talking (in German, but translated on headphones) for more than 20 minutes without going ahem or ahh and without consulting any written notes.
It's unbelievable.
He feels that the LSD molecule 'called to him' and he tells us that the only reason he discovered it is because he didn't 'work correctly'. In other words, he credits a mistake he made for the discovery, much like Marie Curie and the discovery of Penicillin. His advice to everyone--there is complete silence in the large auditorium--is that it therefore follows that the pursuit of perfection is a useless occupation. Things are just getting better and better.
There's a genuine spirit of love and affection going round as we listen to the old man, realising how privileged we are to be here, how privileged we are to be alive during these times. Its almost too much to bear as Albert finishes off to cheers of 'we love you; and 'thank you'.
I find myself on my feet with the rest of the crowd screaming 'thank you we love you' with tears streaming down my face, but he does remind me of my dad, who I lost only two years ago. He's everyone's father here though, and it makes me feel really weird looking around at all the oldies from all over the world who've come to Basel to pay their respects.
What a trip!
Albert signs off by accepting 100 red roses. I'm amazed at how intently he looks at them, like he's never seen roses before, but I guess it's still all in the moment for him too.
Posted by Schwann on Edge Trends
1 comment:
and some years later here is the movie that came from all that..
http://cognitionfactor.net
Post a Comment