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@ Cabaret Voltaire
The Psychedelic Salon Zürich
Prof. Dr. David Luke:  Psychedelics and Exceptional Human Experience
Now that the psychedelic renaissance has found its way out of the birth canal and enters its childhood there is an ever-increasing need for psychedelic psychotherapy, integration, sitting, welfare and aftercare. While many therapists and counsellors are well equipped to provide containers and practice for processing the autobiographical material that arises, there a number of unique dimensions to the transpersonal nature of psychedelics that warrant special attention and treatment.
Zürich / Cabaret Voltaire | Spiegelgasse 1Thursday, 9 April 2026, 18-21 h | CHF 20/15
Tickets here

Bicycle Day 2026

Related
Psychedelic Culture 2026
Psychedelic Culture 2026 will explore cutting-edge themes that are largely absent from the mainstream psychedelic conversation, all related to our main initiatives: Indigenous Reciprocity & Decolonial Dialogues, Psychedelic Justice, Protection of Sacred Plants & Cultural Traditions, and voices from the Global South.
San Francisco, CA | Brava Theater Center | Friday 17 – Sunday 19 April 2026

Psychedelic Buddhism: The Practitioner as Artist
This conference aims to deepen your connection to the creative process as a spiritual practice.
Hybrid (in person or online) | New York City | Friday, April 22-  Tuesday, 26 2026

good to see

good to hear

Remembering Country Joe McDonald
Feel Like I’m Fixing to Die Rag
I wasn’t at Woodstock (we wanted to go, but the roads were already gridlocked for miles around), but when I hear Country Joe’s voice, I immediately get goosebumps. Not least because millions are taking to the streets again in the US. And demonstrators in cities across the world are joining them to show their solidarity and to emphasise their own desire for peace and democracy. The New York Times has dedicated an obituary to Country Joe. He called a spade a spade cleverly and with a scathing boldness few other lyricists have achieved before or since. Great thanks are due. (SGS)
Vanguards Records

Fuerza Regida
Marlboro Rojo
FUerza Regida was originally a Californian cover band with Mexican roots. It was founded by Jesús Ortíz Paz (lead singer), Samuel Jáimez (backing vocalist and guitarist), Khrystian Ramos (rhythm guitarist) and José “Pelón” García (sousaphonist); In 2022, Moisés López (tololoche, a type of cello) joined the line-up. Originally known as a norteño band, they later incorporated various subgenres into their music, including ‘corridos tumbados’, of which they are considered pioneers. They combine the traditional storytelling and instrumentation of the Mexican corrido (guitars, brass instruments) with trap music, hip-hop and lyrics that deal with city life, luxury, drugs and resilience.
Rancho Humilde

Chinese American Bear
Magic Number
Chinese American Bear is an American pop duo from Seattle, Washington, consisting of husband and wife Lingbo Anne Tong and Bryce Barsten. They play psychedelic C-pop music with lyrics in Mandarin and English. Tong, a classically trained pianist, studied economics at Princeton and the University of Chicago, whilst Barsten studied art. He was a member of several New York indie bands. Whilst he was learning Mandarin, he and Tong began writing music together for the first time. Unlike Barsten’s previous experiences with other bands, the music he wrote with Tong was more ‘fun’. Tong, on the other hand, says: ‘Bryce drew me into it. It was never my dream to be in a rock band and go on tour with a rock band. Now it is.’“
Moshi Moshi Records

Brontës
Asking for a Friend
Brontës are an alernativ, female fronted band out of Yorkshire. “Asking for a Friend” is the fourth digital single from Brontës’ upcoming debut album, set for release in April. Their First single, “Cognitive Dissonance,” was released on 22 August, a sunny indie rock hit full of catchy guitar licks and classic pop lyricism. Brontës are Eva on vocals and guitar, Amelia on drums and vocals, Erin on guitar and vocals, Katie on bass and vocals. With a brand new look, attitude, and sound, Brontës have reinvented themselves as a four-piece rock-pop band influenced by generations of classic pop music, such as Sabrina Carpenter, Blondie, and the Ronettes.
Last Night From Glasgow

Squarepusher
K2 Central (from the upcoming album Kammerkonzert)
Thomas Russell Jenkinson, known professionally as Squarepusher, is an English electronic musician, record producer, bassist, multi-instrumentalist and DJ whose career started in the nineties. His music spans several genres including drum and bass, IDM, acid techno, jazz fusion, and electroacoustic music. Tom Jenkinson was born and grew up in Chelmsford, Essex, England. The first school he attended exposed him to organ music. He later became interested in house, music, hardcore acid house and techno. Kammerkonzert, out April 10, follows 2024’s Dostrotime and last year’s archival release Stereotype.
Warp Music

goodnews editorial

psychedelic culture is tribal culture 

As a motto “Peace, Love & Happiness” may sound a bit scant; smilies, colourful clothes and nights spent dancing don’t yield enough either. So what else does psychedelic culture want?

In the 1960s and 1970s, yoga and Zen arrived in the West, and with them Buddhism and Hinduism. The post-war generation fervently championed peace. Or they mocked war, like the recently deceased singer-songwriter Country Joe McDonald, who shouted his derision right into the heart of the middle-class via its children. Meanwhile, during their ‘bed-ins’, John Lennon and Yoko Ono invited the media into their hotel room to give peace a chance. We should be doing the same today.

The hippies were influenced by the Vedic principles known as the Yamas and Niyamas—the first two steps on Patanjali’s eightfold yoga path to enlightenment. Yamas and Niyamas govern our interactions with the environment and with ourselves. The Yamas include Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (moderation), and Aparigraha (non-attachment) as ethical pillars for a good and just life. The Niyamas require us to practice Santosha (contentment), Tapas (constant effort), Svadhyaya (self-reflection), and Ishvara Pranidana (trust in a higher power).

These values were frequently discussed as an integral part of yoga classes, as well as among ourselves. The best book on the subject remains *Remember: Be Here Now* by Ram Dass. It helped us bring order to our inner lives, particularly as it did not preach or speak of guilt, but provided practical guidance for daily life. Moreover, we wanted to turn our backs on the city, embrace Mother Earth and live autonomously. Creativity was a top priority. Not just in an artistic sense, but also in terms of ingenuity and getting things done. We wanted to become something like Renaissance women and men – like Leonardo da Vinci, who was said to have been the last person to know everything that was available in terms of knowledge in his time.

We realised that the world had become more complex since then, but we didn’t need much, and certainly didn’t need to get involved in everything. We had a healthy need for harmony and wanted to get on with one another. You could still live in the city and work on that mindset, bake your own bread and do many other things that took you back to your roots. A little bit more every day. Just like today, then?

On 19 April, we celebrate Bicycle Day to mark the discovery of one of the most significant elements of that era, which brought a new and expanded consciousness (as well as one’s fears) within the reach of many: LSD!

For this year’s psychedelic highlight, we’ve teamed up with Eleusis Society and PARAB; you’ll find their programmes via the links. We cyclers at gaiamedia will be meeting up at the former factory gate of Sandoz. You’ll find the exact location by clicking on the address on the top left on bicycleday.ch.

We are looking forward to seeing you!
Yours,

Susanne Seiler

P.S. The next Psychedelic Salon features David Luke. Don’t miss it!

good to read

Clearing the Air. A Hopeful Guide to Solving Climate Change – in 50 Questions and Answers

Hannah Ritchie
With so many conflicting headlines out there, it’s tough to sort fact from fiction when it comes to climate change and the solutions we need for a cleaner future. The first piece of good news is that data scientist Hannah Ritchie is here with the answers and the steps we need to take now. Using simple, clear data, she tackles questions such as, ‘Is it too late?’, ‘Won’t we run out of minerals?’ and ‘Are we too polarised?’. The second piece of good news: the truth is way more hopeful than you might think. We’re at a critical moment for our planet, and getting the facts straight is step one. But even more crucial is feeling hopeful about what we can do next.
Vermilion

Touched by the Presence. From Blondie’s Bowery and Rock and Roll to Magic and the Occult

Gary Lachman
Not many members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are also recognized authorities on the Western inner tradition. Gary Lachman is. In 1978, Blondie released the top-ten hit “(I am Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear.” Gary Lachman (then Gary Valentine) had written the song for his girlfriend after the series of shared dreams and telepathic experiences they had. In this memoir, Lachman recounts how he went from being a successful rock and roller to a writer on consciousness and the Western inner tradition. Moreover, he met them all – from the Ramones, via Patty Smith & the Rolling Stones to Timothy Leary, William Burroughs or Colin Wilson, Lachman digs deep.
Inner Traditions

In the days of my youth, I was told what it means to be a man

Tom Junod
Big Lou Junod dominated every room he entered. He worshipped the sun and the sea, his own bronzed body, Frank Sinatra, and beautiful women. He was a successful traveling handbag salesman who carried himself like a celebrity. Lou could be cruel to Fran, his wife of fifty-nine years, but he loved his youngest son. Tom was a skin-and-bones, nervous boy, devoted to his mother, but Lou sought to turn him into a version of himself. Tom wrestled with Lou’s imposing presence all his life and set off to learn the facts of his father’s life, and why he was the way he was. The stunning secrets he uncovered staggered him and allowed him to finally become his own person.
Random House

Chain of Ideas. The Origins of Our Authoritarian Age

Ibram X Kendi
“White genocide.” The term was coined in 2011 by a French novelist who argued that Black and Brown immigrants were “invading” Europe, brought by shadowy elites to “replace” the White population. From there, politicians and theorists in the United States and elsewhere repackaged it as a story of “globalists” welcoming “migrant criminals” and promoting diversity to take away the jobs, cultures, electoral power, and very lives of White people. Over time, great replacement theory has expanded those under threat to include citizens, men, Jews, Christians, heterosexuals, and ethnic majorities in countries as distinct as Russia, El Salvador, Brazil, Italy, and India, all targeted with the message that they are facing an existential attack that only a strongman can prevent.
Random House

When the Forest Breathes. Renewal and Resilience in the Natural World

Suzanne Simard
Raised in a family of loggers committed to sensible forest stewardship, trailblazing ecologist Simard has watched as timber companies leave forests at higher risk for wildfires, water crises, and plant and animal extinction. But her research has the potential to chart a new course. The forest, she reveals, is a symphony of finely honed cycles of regeneration—from mushrooms breaking down logs to dying elder trees passing their genetic knowledge to younger ones—that hold the key to protecting our forests. Working closely with local Indigenous communities, whose models of responsible forestry have been largely dismissed, Simard examines how we can protect these sacred places for many years to come.
Random House

good to discover

Hystelia
Founded in 2022 by Dr Grace Blest-Hopley, Hystelica conducts ground-breaking research, advocates for change in medical research, and delivers education on the effects of psychedelics on female biology.

good to know

Psilocybin
psychoactive | MedRXiv | March 1
Mental health outcomes following psilocybin sessions within Oregon’s state-regulated model

Ibogaine
psychoactive | New York Times | March 1
Used against trauma all over the world

Relief
psychoactive | Reality Sandwich  March 2
Psychedelics and pain management

Psychedelic Retreats
psychoactive | DoubleBlind | March 4
A critique of the Industry by an insider

Placeholders
psychoactive | BioSpace | March 5
Psychedelics used in lieu of traditional antidepressants

Psilocybin II
psychoactive | New Scientist | March 6
One dose relieves Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) for months

Head shaping
science | Live Science | March 6
An ancient practice finds an explanation.

Healing
culture | Country & Town House | March 6
British landowners are turning to druids and shamans to heal their land

University of Madison-Wisconsin
psychoactive | UW School of Pharmacy | March 9
A professorship for psychedelic science for the eminent researcher Paul Hutson

To stop smoking
psychoactive | JAMA Network | March 10
Psilocybin patch helps more than one with nicotine

Cannabis
psychoactive| Science Direct | March 10
Illegal market recedes as a result of legalisation

Magic mushrooms
psychoactive | Popular Science | March 10
Newly discovered fungus rewrites origins of psilocybe

Transpersonal
psychoactive | NOEMA | March 17
On psychedelic entities

Comparisons
psychoactive | JAMA Network | March 18
Disappointment leads to low scores for psychedelics in unblinded comparative studies

Native boarding schools
culture | High Country News | March 20
Government plans Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Witches
eco | The Conversation | March 20
Ecofeminist symbols for our times

New drugs
psychoactive | The New York Times | March 21
Poisoning people with paper

MDMA
psychoactive | New York Times | March 24
High cost hampers greater number of positive therapy results in Australia

Restoring the brain
psychoactive | UC Berkeley | March 26
Virtual reality and psychedelics help stroke patients regain motor and cognitive function

Long ignored
science | Live Science | March 29
Endometriosis drives a whole body immune response due to inflammation.

Around the moon
science | New York Times | March 30
Going to the moon without landing

good to meet

Plants of the Gods
Part 1 — Ayahuasca and Tobacco Shamanism: an Interview with Ethnobotanist Dr. Glenn Shepard

Transform Drug Policy Foundation
An independent, UK-based charity working nationally and internationally towards a just and effective system of legal regulation for all drugs.

DanceWize
Harm reduction and help for psychedelic, and/or spiritual emergencies at festivals and other peer meetings are a necessity wherever people get together in large numbers.

partner

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