SANCTUM

Events Education Multiple venues 2 dates

History: 10,000 Years of Psychedelic Use

A 90-minute talk tracing 10,000 years of human relationship with psychedelic plants — from ancient ceremony to modern therapy.

A 90-minute talk tracing 10,000 years of human relationship with psychedelic plants — from ancient ceremony to modern therapy.

When 2 dates — see below
Time 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Where Multiple venues — see dates below
Cost Free

Choose a date

Wednesday, June 24, 2026 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM · True Nature Healing Arts | Aspen, CO
Thursday, July 9, 2026 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM · Aspen Shakti | Aspen, CO

About this event

Psychedelics are not a new phenomenon. For thousands of years, cultures across every continent have used plant medicines in ceremony, ritual, and healing — long before the term 'psychedelic' existed. Understanding that history changes everything about how we approach these experiences today.

In this free public talk, SANCTUM founding partner Skippy Mesirow takes us on a journey through the deep human past with these powerful plants. From the mushroom cults of Mesoamerica to the kykeon of ancient Greece, from Native American peyote traditions to the Swiss laboratory of Albert Hofmann, we trace the thread of plant medicine use across millennia — and explore why these traditions were suppressed, and why they're now re-emerging.

This is Part 1 in SANCTUM's free four-part Education Series, offered at community locations across Aspen. No prior knowledge required — just curiosity.

Your speaker

Skippy Mesirow

Skippy Mesirow

Speaker

Skippy Mesirow is the former Mayor of Aspen, Colorado and a founding partner of SANCTUM Aspen. A nationally recognized psychedelic policy advocate, he spearheaded the successful passage of Colorado's Proposition 122 — the Natural Medicine Health Act — which legalized supervised psilocybin services statewide.

Drawing on his decade in elected office, his background in mental health advocacy, and his work building SANCTUM, Skippy speaks with clarity and conviction about the science, history, and future of psychedelic healing. His talks are grounded in evidence and shaped by the stories of real people whose lives have been transformed.

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What you'll leave with

  • A foundational understanding of how psychedelic plants have been used for healing across cultures and millennia
  • Context for evaluating today's psychedelic renaissance — what's new, what's ancient, and what matters
  • Key landmarks in the history of psychedelic suppression and re-emergence
  • A clearer sense of why set, setting, and guidance matter in any psychedelic experience

Join us — it's free

Wednesday, June 24, 2026 · Thursday, July 9, 2026
Multiple venues — see dates below

  • Free admission — open to the public
  • RSVP encouraged as space is limited
  • This event is Part 1 of a 4-part series; each talk stands alone
Rick Doblin TIME 100 World's Most Impactful Health Leaders Recipient
"Psychedelics taught me that meaningful change takes longer than a lifetime—guiding four decades of work to bring psychedelic-assisted therapy into the mainstream and toward a world of net-zero trauma by 2070."
Randal Mays Chairman of Live Nation Entertainment
"My exploration of consciousness, including through legal therapeutic psychedelic work, continues to inform how I invest, partner, and support initiatives focused on human flourishing and societal resilience at scale."
Dave D. CEO, Healthcare Capital Company
"In my SANCTUM experience, I was able to contextualize the source of my PTSD, and find more peace, flow, and harmony in my life. I'm now channeling that peace to raise tens of millions for companies revolutionizing healthcare and wellbeing."
Matthew W. Orthopedic Surgeon and Healthcare Entrepreneur
"Through a combination of guided work and the COURAGE METHOD…I see my patterns for what they are and am working to stop repeating them. I'm now rebuilding myself and my orthopedic practice with more balance and expanding into longevity-focused care."
Kenny Wayne W. Executive and Philanthropist
"Through the SIGNATURE program I faced hard truths - forgiving myself for my alcoholism, rebuilding the relationship with my father, and becoming the father I was always meant to be - and used my rediscovered strength launch a new charity that raises funds for medical causes."
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