Profs and Pints Baltimore presents: “Understanding Psychedelic Experiences,” with David B. Yaden, associate professor at Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research and co-author of The Varieties of Spiritual Experiences: Twenty-First Century Research and Perspectives.

What happens during a psychedelic experience? How does it compare to other intensely altered states of consciousness, such as those triggered by meditation or dreams, or the "spiritual" experiences that some people report?

Join Professor David Yaden, a leading scholar of psychedelics, as he shares insights from scientific research on them, highlighting key findings from psychology, neuroscience, and psychopharmacology.

Dr. Yaden will explore how these substances produce transformative effects on perception, emotions, and well-being. You’ll learn about recent studies examining the therapeutic potential of psychedelics and their role in triggering profound shifts in consciousness, and about psychedelics’ risks and benefits.

He’ll draw connections between psychedelic experiences and other altered states, citing examples drawn from different cultures throughout history and discussed in his book. (Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.)

Image: Fractal artwork by Gert Buschmann / Creative Commons