A GROUND BREAKING NEW DOCUMENTARY INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE PSYCHEDELIC EXPERIENCE.
CONTEMPLATIONS distills the wisdom in the Australian entheogenic community, visualising deep personal journeys and insights to illuminate important questions about the future of psychedelics in the contemporary world. It is a guide for the uninitiated. A map of altered states of consciousness. A cartography of visions.
A glimpse into the future of psychedelic culture.
DIRECTORS STATEMENT
We are living through a global psychedelic renaissance with increasing mainstream attention on scientific research showing that psychedelic substances have powerful therapeutic potential. From MDMA and psilocybin now being used as effective therapeutic agents for treating trauma and anxiety, KETAMINE and IBOGA are also being used to treat addiction and depression. We can also witness the widespread popularisation of the Amazonian tea AYAHUASCA which many people are taking for spiritual healing.
I’ve been deeply involved in the psychedelic community for over two decades as a facilitator of these medicines and as the prime creator of the DMT smoking blend known as CHANGA. What I often think is missing form the new psychedelic medicine discourse is that for most people the psychedelic experience is typically a self initiation outside of the legal channels of the medical model – and perhaps it always has been.
Unfortunately, there is surprisingly little guidance about how to navigate the experience beyond the typical psychotherapy model. As the taboo around the subject fades we need a more honest discussion about how prepare oneself, create a safe environment and to contextualise and integrate these most powerful and profound experiences in the days and months afterward.
For myself and the people interviewed in this documentary psychedelics are not just therapeutic tools or one-size-fits-all drugs. They are transformative medicines that open people’s minds to exploring the spiritual dimensions and the mysteries of consciousness itself.
They are a portal for deep and meaningful CONTEMPLATIONS.
— Julian Palmer, Director
INTERVIEWEES
INTERVIEWEES
CONTEMPLATIONS distils the wisdom and experience of dozens of thought leaders from within the Australian psychedelic community, focussing on personal ruminations and contemplative thought.
The documents includes first-hand experiences from people’s very first initiatory journeys, powerful revelations, encounters with beyond human entities and visionary experiences that sometimes leave more unanswered questions.
The interview subjects are from all walks of life. They are scientists, academics, psychotherapists, business owners, mothers and people from the corporate world.
CREATIVE TEAM
In order to bring the visionary experiences of our interviews to life, CONTEMPLATIONS worked with talented animators and VFX artists from around the world. Learn more about the creative team that brought these experiences to life.
HOST A SCREENING
Please contact us if you would like to host a screening of CONTEMPLATIONS in your local area.