Mystic Chemist: The Life of Albert Hofmann and His Discovery of LSD

Description

Authors Dieter A. Hagenbach and Lucius Werthmüller, close friends of Albert Hofma , take readers on a journey through Hofma ’s mystical childhood experiences with nature to his chemistry studies with Nobel Prize wi er Paul Karrer in Zurich through his discoveries of both LSD and psilocybin at Sandoz; to his adventurous expeditions; to his many years of retirement devoted to philosophy of nature. Hagenbach and Werthmüller document Hofma ’s rich social life including interactions with illustrious writers, artists and thinkers including luminaries like Aldous Huxley, Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert (Ram Dass).

Throughout Mystic Chemist, the authors reveal the eventful history of LSD, and they chronicle Hofma ’s groundbreaking work with the drug that was later featured in the 2022 Netflix documentary series, “How to Change Your Mind.” From the start of his experimentations, Hofma  took a positive view towards LSD-assisted psychotherapy in the treatment of illness, and he maintained that mystical experiences and trips to other worlds of consciousness are the best preparation for the very last journey we all must eventually make. Mystic Chemist: The Life of Albert Hofma and His Discovery of LSD contains more than 500 photos, illustrations and drawings as well as a foreword by renowned Czech psychiatrist Stanislav Grof. Author Dieter Hagenback and Lucius Werthmüller, Author Info Dieter Hagenbach was born 1943 in Basel, Switzerland and studied in architecture and the arts at the Academy of Fine Arts, Düsseldorf, Germany.

In 1975 he founded Sphinx publishing house, with works by Joseph Campbell, H.R. Giger, George Gurdjieff, Jean Houston, Timothy Leary, John Lilly, Terence McKe a, Alan Watts, Robert Anton Wilson, among others. From 1977-1986 he was editor of Sphinx magazine and the German language edition of the Brain/Mind Bulletin.

Dieter Hagenbach met Albert Hofma in the mid-1970s and remained his friend until his death. Lucius Werthmüller was born 1958 in Basel, Switzerland. He is a consciousness researcher and parapsychologist.

Since 1991 he has been president of the Basel Psi Association with over 1,200 members, the largest organization in the field of the paranormal and the spiritual in Switzerland, and is editor of the Psi-Info, a magazine. In 2000 he was awarded the “Swiss Foundation for Parapsychology prize. For eight years Lucius was project manager of the “”Basel Psi-Days, a congress with the reputation as the most important public congress on” border areas of science worldwide.

ISBN-13 978-0907791447 Publisher Synergetic Press Publication Date June 1, 2013 Edition Illustrated Binding Paperback Condition New Page Count 408 Pages