RIP Ann Shulgin
It's sad that we are waving goodbye to the last of the most influential wave of psychedelic pioneers.
The door is almost shut on arguably the most pivotal generation.
Within that period of time, perhaps only a decade or more (maybe even less come to think of it), doors were truly opened and a very unique set of characters walked through them to gift the world with transformational knowledge and opportunities that we may not see again for a long time. This was in a time in history where society and culture was firmly shifted but both embraced the shifts, for a while anyway. Things were different and the things you could do back then you could never dream of doing today. Although now suffocated with red tape and politics, during that time was a space that changed the way we see ourselves, the world and our understanding of both. That was all that was needed, just that small space in time! In this rare and unique window of time, things truly changed. Those changes we are still benefiting from today, particularly in the advancement of understanding psychedelics and their medicinal benefits. When it comes to Sasha and Ann, I don't think there really has been anybody who has offered so much to advancing the discovery, experimentation and scientific understanding of psychedelics.
Amazing to think a couple could create some of the most important literature on the subject of psychedelics, most of it done from the comfort of their own home. That is unheard of today! As far as I'm aware, there's not one scientist involved in modern research who doesn't own a copy of Pihkal and Tihkal. I have read through both and although I'll never understand what some of it means, I recognize the importance and value it has had on the world. Blows me away to think one man and his wife could pave so many roads to so many different areas of interest powered by their personal determination and interests.
As someone born in the nineties, I can't help but to think during Sasha and Ann's time, the world was very much a different place.
I don't want to say 'better' because I think that's too strong and also spurious. What is 'better'? You would have to spend a very long time really doing that question justice and I think you'll always find that idealism soon makes way for facts, some of them you don't want to acknowledge out of bias towards an ideal period in time. There are many things we have today we didn't have back then. But there were also opportunities back then you would never have now and sure, the establishment will tell you that those opportunities shouldn't have happened. It was because things weren't regulated like they are today, it's because there were loopholes and because dealing with the FDA was different etc.
It's fitting that appears to be the case while at the same time, the first few generations of psychedelic pioneers and their work is still the work we are building from today. We have FFMRI, we have PET. We have neuroscience and pharmacology. We have a staunch recognition and grounding in empirical research and research methodology (scared to make the same errors that were made in lots of the sixties research). But we don't have a world where innovation, collaboration and exploration is liberated and that is what sent the message out to the world that this stuff really works! I find it surreal that I have to go back to before I was born, sometimes a good decade or so, just to find out about certain things.
Really shows just how influential those times were the establishment put a stop to.
So glad during that time people like Sasha and Ann helped to transform the world with their offerings!
