They’re launching that effort on July 8th with “Beyond the Narrow Life: A Guide for Psychedelic Integration and Existential Exploration(Synergetic Press 2021),” a book launch party for Darshan, author Dr. Kile Ortigo‘s new book, as well as a “very special evening of lecture by guest interlocutor Dr. Wendy Pots, guided meditation into live music from The Mother Hips’ Greg Loiacono, group discussion and Q&A and mingling at fez at 118 Throckmorton Ave., the former home of the Mill Valley Hat Box, as well as Sundry and Branded Boutique.
The event is co-produced by Psychedelic Sangha, a community group of which Kelley, an assistant professor at the New School in New York City, works with in providing harm reduction and integration via psychedelics at the Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village.
The event officially starts at 7pm, but there will be a special “meet-and-greet” starting at 6pm for those who purchase a signed book with their ticket. Everyone who registers for the event will receive a free preview of the book, which includes the foreword by Dr. Bill Richards, the prologue, and the first chapter.
After signing up, guests will also receive instructions on how to respond to the book’s first Travel Journal prompt. Everyone is invited to share their responses at the event by posting them on a display board for everyone to enjoy.
Loftus and Kelley respectfully ask all attendees to follow the CDC’s guidelines on wearing masks based on your vaccination status and personal comfort level.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Beyond the Narrow Life seeks to ‘thread a needle’ by addressing profound themes elicited by psychospiritual and therapeutic use of psychedelics while avoiding merely ‘preaching to the choir.’ This book explores common topics that emerge during psychedelic journeys by integrating several frameworks, spanning evidence-based cognitive-behavioral therapy, Jungian depth psychology, existential philosophy, compassion and mindfulness practices, comparative mythology, pop culture, film, and scientific understandings of the cosmos. Instead of a dry overview of big ideas, Dr. Ortigo gently guides readers through an awe-inspiring journey that confronts the deeper questions and concerns we all face as humans in this modern time.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kile M. Ortigo, Ph.D., is an award-winning clinical psychologist and founder of the Center for Existential Exploration, which supports people exploring profound questions about identity, meaning, life transitions, and psychospiritual development. He also serves on advisory boards of Psychedelic Support, an online training and clinician directory for legal, psychedelic-informed care, and Project New Day, a non-profit organization providing harm reduction resources for people using psychedelics in their addiction recovery process. For several years, Dr. Ortigo worked at the National Center for PTSD (NC-PTSD) where he collaborated on technology development and implementation projects, ranging from apps like Mindfulness Coach to online programs like webSTAIR. With colleagues at NC-PTSD, NYU, and Harvard, Dr. Ortigo coauthored Treating Survivors of Child Abuse & Interpersonal Trauma: STAIR Narrative Therapy (2nd Edition), which was released in June 2020.
ABOUT THE INTERLOCUTOR
Wendy Pots, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist with expertise in the treatment of complex trauma and personality disorders. She is trained in various traditional techniques and therapies but her interest is in innovations in psychotherapy like mindfulness-based, compassion-focused therapies and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies. Her current interest is in supporting an FDA approval of a phase 1 study of Ayahuasca in the US that recognizes and respects the spiritual work and traditions of indigenous people.
ABOUT THE MUSICIAN
From his first gigs with the legendary The Mother Hips all the way up to his most recent solo album Mystic Traces Greg Loiacono has always been driven by one unwavering desire: to connect. In music, he found a direct conduit to the soul, a miraculous means by which to inspire and unite, and it’s guided him like a compass throughout his remarkable career. Whether Loiacono’s fronting his solo band, producing records, guesting with peers like Phil Lesh or Chris Robinson, or onstage by himself, it’s all part of a never-ending quest to generate and celebrate the magic of shared human experience.