3. Psychedelics as Catalysts of Creativity
The infernal subconscious, the fantastic telepathy, and now: the psychedelic muse. In this third instalment of Fey’s Shadow Salon, our Study of the Unseen moves onto the topic of creativity and how it may be sparked by an altered state of consciousness.
Psychedelics have been shown to successfully lead to shifts in modes of thinking and to evoke a range of effects with important implications for creativity. Substances like psilocybin or LSD have played a powerful role in fuelling creativity within the sciences, sparking both inspiration and insight in a range of domains. As it may well be expected that our capacity for innovation and problem-solving will be crucial in the coming, challenge-ridden decades, the question arises: could psychedelics play a helpful role in this undertaking?
In this discussion, we will look at notable examples of psychedelic-induced scientific breakthroughs, how this boost in creativity and problem-solving comes about, why this phenomenon could be significant to the future of humanity, and – finally – how might psychedelics be best utilized if seeking to use them as tools for innovation.
Speaker Bio:
Sam is a PhD ecologist, independent researcher and science communicator. He has a lifelong love of nature, and his work has spanned the ecological and the psychedelic fields. His work as an independent researcher has involved collaborations with a range of academics and institutes including collaborators from the University of Zurich, University of Virginia, University of Greenwich, the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, Onaya Science, Beckley Psytech and the Institute of Noetic Sciences. He has broad research interests, but primary among them is the capacity of psychedelics to influence the human relationship with nature.
Hosted and Curated by:
Fey, a mediator between the otherworldly and the mundane. Outside of the salon, a researcher with interest in philosophy of mind, psychedelic experience and the extraordinary https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ada_Kaluzna2 Past scientific officer at the Beckley Foundation. Community-builder and traveler.
don’t worry if you miss it – we will send you a recording valid for two weeks the next day
Fey’s Shadow Salon – a lecture series where we explore the elusive, chart the intangible, and investigate the invisible. Come around as we initiate the first season of the Salon, the Study of the Unseen, on the eclipse of 3rd March and stay for the ride through labyrinths of the human psyche, from the seven circles of the Jungian unconscious, to the psychedelic fountains of creativity, to the tall peaks of imagination where the ancient Spirits dwell.
1. “Books of Visions”: Jung, Dante, and the Making of the Red Book – 3 Mar 2026
2. The Reality of the Invisible – 2 April 2026
3. Psychedelics as Catalysts of Creativity – 30 April 2026
4. The I Ching Oracle – 28 May 2026
