Journeys to the Edge of Consciousness

I didn't know what to expect from this film but I learnt so much. The interviews offered views and opinions I had never considered before, and the film took me into the imaginations of writers like Aldous Huxley, who I greatly admire, and whose version of the future looks to become a truth in how we chose to live and be governed. The animation is superb - stylish, smart and intriguing. A must-watch for all those interested in widening their understanding of what consciousness is.

Having watched many documentaries on the subject of how exogenous substances interact with human consciousness I can say that this documentary takes a very refreshing perspective on this subject which, sadly, is still severely lacking in research. Hopefully this documentary and others like it will help bring this subject further into the mainstream.

The three accounts retold in this documentary are extremely well presented with a beautifully animated visual style and moving score which all work together elevating this beyond just a film, this is an important piece of self education for those thinking about diving into the world of altering consciousness, but equally this is an audio visual piece of art. Enjoy!

In the past few years I watched many different documentaries about the exciting topic of psychoactive substances and the psychedelic revolution we're entering just now. There are many great movies about it, but Journeys to the Edge of Consciousness is by far my favourite one. There are not only some of the wisest people speaking about how psychedelics can release us from the dangerous (thought-)systems we get born and trapped into in our society, but also the amazing artwork and the wonderful stories of some of the greatest psychonauts of the last century in this movie is just mind-blowing.

I can recommend this movie to anyone who's interested in changing this world to a better place through practices that most people in western civilisation would probably call unconventional. We need unconventional thinking and psychedelics open up doors to realms that we rarely can grasp in our modern day-to-day lives.

Please go and buy the movie, it is so worth the few bucks and honors all the hard work that was put into the production of this masterpiece. I hope and believe that this movie can bring us a giant leap forward in the evolution of collective and individual consciousness! A consciousness that is so much needed right now!

I've watched this multiple times now, and every time I feel like I'm discovering something new. The animations are beautiful and compliment the interviews so well. Many of the people who are interviewed I've been following for years, such as Gabor Mate, and it was so interesting to hear things from his perspective. This doc does an amazing job of coming at the concept of psychadelics and consciousness from so many unbiased angles, I think that's why I keep coming back to watching this so often.

I came to this documentary knowing relatively little about the subject except having heard of Watts, Leary and Huxley, but left having really enjoyed both the information presented and the way the film was put together.

The film is broken down in to 3 parts with short excerpts written by Aldous Huxley, Timothy Leary and Alan Watts describing their early psychedelic experiences. These narratives are set to animation that captures both the linear story and the 'journey' they are going through in their heads. All of them experience deep revelations; about themselves, society and the very idea of consciousness and the human mind. After the animation these experiences are then discussed by eminent psychologists, sociologists etc. who discuss both the cultural impact of these experiences on western society, and why, under controlled conditions, that psychedelics could form part of treatment for certain psychological conditions.

That is not to say that this film advocates uncontrolled use of these psychedelics, quite the opposite, and the dangers of doing so are discussed in some detail. However, the conclusion is that shamanic cultures have used psychedelics for millennia, but only under 'guidance', so if we are to use them clinically, we would need to take the same approach.

So these three eminent western figures stumbled across these substances, which were all but forgotten or unknown at the time. They had transcendental experiences that helped kick-start the post-war cultural shift. Ultimately though there was reaction against this shift, and the stigma of these substances being 'drugs', has blocked what could be a new area of treatment for deep rooted psychological illnesses that, until recently, have been considered practically untreatable.

The experts speak passionately and clearly and this is fascinating, but what really makes the documentary is the animation which is incredibly visually arresting. This makes the whole experience of watching the film very enjoyable as well as interesting.