The Psychedelic Universe

Explore psychedelic consciousness's evolution across history, culture, and religion in this unique two-week summer course.

  • 50 Enrolled
  • Professional
  • Last updated May '25
  • English
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University of Amsterdam
Course Description

This course provides an in-depth exploration of psychedelic consciousness across space, time, and culture. In this two-week summer course, we will analyze the imbrication of psychedelic drugs and human culture. The program starts by exploring the use of psychoactive substances in the mystery cults of the ancient world, moving across indigenous societies and the major world religions into the postwar hippie culture and the later boom in ayahuasca tourism, finally culminating in today’s “Psychedelic Renaissance”.

Special attention is placed on filling in the gaps within the emerging field of psychedelic science, which has neglected the deep historical interconnections between psychedelics, culture, and religion from pre-history to the present day. This program offers learners from various backgrounds something they cannot find anywhere else: a comprehensive examination of psychedelics across time, space, and cultures.

You will learn:

  • What is Bwiti?
  • Roles in Bwiti initiation/treatment
  • Instruments in Bwiti: ngombe, mogongo
  • What is an Nganga
    • Maboundi/Yombo
    • Maboundi/Yombo
  • Sustainability/reciprocity

You will learn:

  • History of the Fang tradition
  • Dissumba vs. Dissumba Fang
  • Ombwiri/Mbumbayano Fang
  • The kambo
  • State of Fang Bwiti in Gabon
  • Impact of Westerners coming to work with the sacred wood

You will learn:

  • History of the Missoko tradition
  • Various branches of Missoko initiation:
    • Miobe/Mioba
    • Ngonde Na Dipuma
    • Sengedia
  • The impact of logging on the tradition
  • What the future of Bwiti could look like in Gabon

You will learn:

  • History of Dissumba
  • Various branches of Dissumba initiation:
    • Abanji/Mabanji
    • Ilombo
    • Ombwiri
    • Ombudi
    • Loro
  • The ngombe (sacred harp)
  • Healing rituals involved in her tradition
  • Training to serve the wood
    • What does it involve?
    • How long does it take?

instructor-image

Tatayo

Instructor

About Instructor

Tatayo (“Fruit of the Wind”) first arrived in Gabon in 1971 at the age of 21 and became a Gabonese citizen. In 1979, he became the first white person to be initiated into the Bwiti Fang tradition in Gabon. In 1994, he was initiated into the Misokko tradition. As a guide for numerous expeditions and missions, including those of National Geographic, the BBC, and others, Tatayo is considered to have “opened the door” to westerners in Gabon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please see below for start and finish dates/times. This course is currently being offered live and dates/times will change throughout the year.

from $1750

to $2500

Enroll

This course includes

  • Modules 4
  • Duration 2 Weeks
  • Skills Professional
  • Language English
  • Availability Cohort
  • Certificate CME

Course Tags

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