To make the potential of altered states of consciousness accessible for human development, we need to create a new and responsible culture around psychedelic and mind-altering practices. That is why the INSIGHT Forum opened its doors in February 2024.
Here, we critically examine the science and practice of consciousness from a variety of angles - medical, psychological, philosophical, sociological, economic and many other perspectives - in order to engage in a diverse discourse. Ultimately, we strive for a responsible integration of psychedelic and other mind-altering states into medicine and society, as described by the German philosopher Thomas Metzinger with the term Bewusstseinskultur, a culture of consciousness: “A Bewusstseinskultur is a culture that examines the mental states of its members in an evidence-based way and assesses and cultivates them from an ethical perspective. Of course, building such a culture also requires a better understanding of consciousness itself.”
Accordingly, the aim of the INSIGHT Forum is to provide education, fact-based information and to raise the public discourse on psychedelics and mind-altering experiences to a scientific level. Each event consists of three parts: the Rationale as critical-intellectual, science-oriented discourse, the Transrationale as an experience-based practice such as meditation or breathwork, and Communitas as a space for networking and get-together. Through this combination of activities, we strive to build a new cultural context that supports an ethical practice of altered states of consciousness and the values of a so-called Bewusstseinskultur.
