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Reading Group: Transcendentalism—Mystics, Misfits, Rogues, and Dissidents

This group meets on Tuesdays, 12–2pm (9/16, 9/30, 10/14, 10/28, 11/11, 12/2) American Transcendentalism emerged in the mid-1800s from New England Unitarianism and European Romanticism. It distinguished itself by rejecting convention, challenging traditional religious doctrines of authority and election, opposing dominant philosophies, discarding genteel literary styles, and defying political complacency regarding slavery, gender inequality, and disenfranchisement. At Harvard, Transcendentalists were seen as mystics, misfits, rogues, and dissidents. Their refusals, however, sparked a social movement based on friendship and collaboration, united by a radical spirituality promising personal renewal and social transformation. This reading group invites participants to explore both sides of that legacy. We'll focus on Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller in the fall, and on figures including Bronson Alcott, Theodore Parker, Orestes Brownson, Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, and Caroline Dall in… Programming Series: Transcendence and Transformation. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Events Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Tuesday, October 14, 2025, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM. Conference Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138.

Reading Group: Esotericism and Alternative Spirituality

Registration is required. This group meets on Tuesdays, Sept. 9 & 23, Oct. 14 & 21, Nov. 4 & 18, 1–3pm Esotericism has long been associated with the ideas of mystery, secrecy, and conspiracy. This is connected to the very etymology of the word, which hints at the possibility of acquiring special, inner knowledge that is different from what ordinary people usually have access to. The elitism that goes with this assumption can take on a political dimension. Insofar as esotericism is identified with the practice of secrecy, fears of clandestine manipulation of society and history arise almost naturally, and questions about its compatibility with the principles of modern democracy are raised. However, strategies of secrecy have also been used to promote the values of progress and democracy, as has been the case during the Enlightenment with the emergence of modern Freemasonry. Despite the relevance of these aspects for the study of esotericism, scholars have been reluctant to include them in their theorizations… Programming Series: Transcendence and Transformation. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Event Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Tuesday, October 14, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM. *Common Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138.

Psychedelic Christianity? A Conversation with Erik Davis and Charles Stang

This event is free and open to the public. No registration is required. As the dialogue between contemporary religion and the psychedelic world deepens, the possibilities of a new “psychedelic Christianity” are emerging. But what exactly does such a surprising conjunction name? How does the reframing of psychedelic experience allow for contemporary Christians to “turn on,” and what sort of pushback is already emerging? What alternate histories does psychedelic Christianity require, whether it’s the reassessment of the hippie Jesus Movement, or the controversial but compelling possibility of psychedelic sacraments in the early Christian church? How might the Christian dimension of transcultural ayahuasca religions from Brazil inflect the question? Join Professor Charles Stang and Dr. Erik Davis for a dynamic discussion of the issues. Programming Series: Spirituality and Psychedelics. Sponsor: Harvard Undergrad Psychedelics Club. Contact: Paul Gillis-Smith, pgillissmith@hds.harvard.edu. Tuesday, October 14, 2025, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM. Room 113, Sever Hall.

Shamanism: The Timeless Religion – a Conversation Between Manvir Singh and Charles Stang

Registration required. Please register to attend on Zoom. Join anthropologist Manvir Singh, PhD, and Professor Charles Stang for a conversation about Singh’s new book, Shamanism: The Timeless Religion (Knopf, 2025), which draws on immersive research with shamans in Indonesia and the Colombian Amazon. Singh explores how shamans use trance, music, and plant medicine to heal, prophesy, and confront life’s uncertainties—and how these ancient practices reveal deep insights into belief, transformation, and the human mind. MANVIR SINGH is an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of California, Davis. He holds a bachelor's degree from Brown University and a PhD in Human Evolutionary Biology from Harvard University. A regular contributor to The New Yorker, his work has also appeared in Wired, Vice, Aeon, The Guardian, and academic journals including Science and Nature Human Behaviour. He has studied Indigenous psychedelic use in Colombia and, since 2014, has researched shamanism and justice among… Programming Series: Psychedelics and the Future of Religion. Spirituality and Psychedelics. Transcendence and Transformation. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Events Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Wednesday, October 15, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM. Zoom. For more info visit cswr.hds.harvard.edu.

Public Research Talk: The Psychedelic Jesus of the American Counterculture, with Erik Davis

Registration is required. Please register to attend in person. Please register to attend on Zoom. Behind today’s growing conversation about psychedelic Christianity lies a largely overlooked figure: Jesus Christ as imagined within the psychedelic counterculture. From recurring appearances in acid visions and underground comics to reinterpretations within esoteric “freak" circles, Jesus was deeply entangled in the era’s spiritual experimentation. For some young people immersed in drug culture, however, Christ became more than a symbol of countercultural spirituality—he opened a path toward the emerging Jesus Movement, a form of Christianity that rejected much (though by no means all) of the psychedelic ethos of intense spiritual experience. Among them was Rick Griffin, one of the most influential illustrators of California psychedelia, whose conversion to Christianity produced a remarkable body of visual work that continues to shape the intersection of faith, art, and underground culture. ERIK DAVIS is an… Programming Series: Transcendence and Transformation. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Events Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Monday, October 20, 2025, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM. Common Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138. For more info visit cswr.hds.harvard.edu.

The Pearl, The Serpent, The Journey Home Celebrating The Pearlsong with Scholarship and Song

Registration is required. Please register to attend in person. Please register to attend on Zoom. The Center for the Study of World Religions invites the Harvard community and beyond to the launch of The Pearlsong. This ancient, mystical poem tells the unforgettable story of a prince who journeys to Egypt, falls asleep, and forgets his mission, only to be awakened by a letter from home. This launch event brings the ancient text to life through scholarly presentations exploring The Pearlsong within the broader traditions of ancient Mediterranean literature, followed by an original musical composition inspired by the poem, performed by CSWR Artist-in-Residence Jane Sheldon. Whether you study ancient texts, love live music, or are simply drawn to stories of spiritual awakening, join us for this unique celebration. Reception to follow. CHARLES STANG joined the Faculty of Divinity in 2008. He specializes in Christianity in late antiquity and the intersection of philosophy and religion in the ancient… Programming Series: Transcendence and Transformation. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Events Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Monday, October 20, 2025, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM. Williams Chapel, Swartz Hall, 45 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138. For more info visit cswr.hds.harvard.edu.

Reading Group: Esotericism and Alternative Spirituality

Registration is required. This group meets on Tuesdays, Sept. 9 & 23, Oct. 14 & 21, Nov. 4 & 18, 1–3pm Esotericism has long been associated with the ideas of mystery, secrecy, and conspiracy. This is connected to the very etymology of the word, which hints at the possibility of acquiring special, inner knowledge that is different from what ordinary people usually have access to. The elitism that goes with this assumption can take on a political dimension. Insofar as esotericism is identified with the practice of secrecy, fears of clandestine manipulation of society and history arise almost naturally, and questions about its compatibility with the principles of modern democracy are raised. However, strategies of secrecy have also been used to promote the values of progress and democracy, as has been the case during the Enlightenment with the emergence of modern Freemasonry. Despite the relevance of these aspects for the study of esotericism, scholars have been reluctant to include them in their theorizations… Programming Series: Transcendence and Transformation. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Event Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Tuesday, October 21, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Conference Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138.

Reading Group: Psychedelics Beyond Psychedelics

Registration is required. This group meets, Wednesdays 3-5, 9/10, 9/24, 10/8, 10/22, 11/5, and 11/19 The Psychedelics Beyond Psychedelics Reading Group invites participants to explore expansive understandings of transcendence, healing, consciousness, and connection that extend beyond the use of psychedelic substances. Through rigorous interdisciplinary inquiry engaging themes such as shamanism, ecological kinship, sound, and childbirth, we will interrogate and reimagine what constitutes the “psychedelic.” Rooted in queer, feminist, ecological, and decolonial efforts, this group offers a collaborative space for exploration and critical questioning. We aim to affirm multiple ways of knowing, deepen our ethical and relational practices, and collectively contribute to defining the evolving field of the Psychedelic Humanities. Facilitators include: LILA GLENN RIMALOVSKI is an MDiv candidate at Harvard Divinity School studying the relationship between eco-spiritual practice and movements for land justice. Her r… Programming Series: Psychedelics and the Future of Religion. Transcendence and Transformation. Spirituality and Psychedelics. Psychedelics and Ethics. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Events Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Conference Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138.

Reading Group: Transcendentalism—Mystics, Misfits, Rogues, and Dissidents

This group meets on Tuesdays, 12–2pm (9/16, 9/30, 10/14, 10/28, 11/11, 12/2) American Transcendentalism emerged in the mid-1800s from New England Unitarianism and European Romanticism. It distinguished itself by rejecting convention, challenging traditional religious doctrines of authority and election, opposing dominant philosophies, discarding genteel literary styles, and defying political complacency regarding slavery, gender inequality, and disenfranchisement. At Harvard, Transcendentalists were seen as mystics, misfits, rogues, and dissidents. Their refusals, however, sparked a social movement based on friendship and collaboration, united by a radical spirituality promising personal renewal and social transformation. This reading group invites participants to explore both sides of that legacy. We'll focus on Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller in the fall, and on figures including Bronson Alcott, Theodore Parker, Orestes Brownson, Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, and Caroline Dall in… Programming Series: Transcendence and Transformation. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Events Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM. Conference Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138.

Wickerwork: On Poetic Translation

This event is free and open to the public. No registration is required. Christian Lehnert, Head of Liturgical Studies at Leipzig and recipient of the 2018 German Prize for Nature Writing and the 2025 Friedrich-Hölderlin-Prize, will present his poems, in discussion with his acclaimed translator Richard Sieburth. “Sieburth creates an intricate music for Lehnert’s crystalline poems. An incandescent experience.” – Rosanna Warren “Sieburth’s latest translational revelation comes in the form of Lehnert’s Wickerwork, the supple, metaphysical weave of which seems to emerge from several lifetimes of looking and reflection” – Peter Cole. Programming Series: Poetry. Sponsor: German Studies: New Perspectives Seminar (Mahindra Humanities Center) and the Center for the Study of World Religions. Thursday, October 30, 2025, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Plimpton Room, Barker Center.

Reading Group: Esotericism and Alternative Spirituality

Registration is required. This group meets on Tuesdays, Sept. 9 & 23, Oct. 14 & 21, Nov. 4 & 18, 1–3pm Esotericism has long been associated with the ideas of mystery, secrecy, and conspiracy. This is connected to the very etymology of the word, which hints at the possibility of acquiring special, inner knowledge that is different from what ordinary people usually have access to. The elitism that goes with this assumption can take on a political dimension. Insofar as esotericism is identified with the practice of secrecy, fears of clandestine manipulation of society and history arise almost naturally, and questions about its compatibility with the principles of modern democracy are raised. However, strategies of secrecy have also been used to promote the values of progress and democracy, as has been the case during the Enlightenment with the emergence of modern Freemasonry. Despite the relevance of these aspects for the study of esotericism, scholars have been reluctant to include them in their theorizations… Programming Series: Transcendence and Transformation. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Event Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Tuesday, November 4, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Conference Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138.

Reading Group: Psychedelics Beyond Psychedelics

Registration is required. This group meets, Wednesdays 3-5, 9/10, 9/24, 10/8, 10/22, 11/5, and 11/19 The Psychedelics Beyond Psychedelics Reading Group invites participants to explore expansive understandings of transcendence, healing, consciousness, and connection that extend beyond the use of psychedelic substances. Through rigorous interdisciplinary inquiry engaging themes such as shamanism, ecological kinship, sound, and childbirth, we will interrogate and reimagine what constitutes the “psychedelic.” Rooted in queer, feminist, ecological, and decolonial efforts, this group offers a collaborative space for exploration and critical questioning. We aim to affirm multiple ways of knowing, deepen our ethical and relational practices, and collectively contribute to defining the evolving field of the Psychedelic Humanities. Facilitators include: LILA GLENN RIMALOVSKI is an MDiv candidate at Harvard Divinity School studying the relationship between eco-spiritual practice and movements for land justice. Her r… Programming Series: Psychedelics and the Future of Religion. Transcendence and Transformation. Spirituality and Psychedelics. Psychedelics and Ethics. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Events Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Conference Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138.

Walking Tour of Harvard’s Psychedelic History

Registration is required. While research on psychedelics is ever present in our contemporary moment, there is a long tradition of interest in psychoactive drugs at Harvard University—from the ethnobotanical studies of the 1940s, to “mind-control” experiments of the 1950s, to the “heyday” of psychedelic research and activism of the 1960s. This walking tour traipses through the history of psychedelics at Harvard—stitching together figures as far back as Ralph Waldo Emerson, to little-known heroes of ‘60s drug culture, to contemporary felons, fugitives, and academics. This tour will be guided by CSWR Psychedelics and Spiritualty Program Leads, JEFFREY BREAU and PAUL GILLIS-SMITH. The tour is also accessible via Spotify, linked here. The tour will cover about 2 miles. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. The tour will convene in front of the CSWR, at 42 Francis Avenue, Cambridge, MA, at 5:00pm, and conclude in Harvard Square at the Kennedy School, at 79 John F Kennedy Street, Cambridge, MA.… Programming Series: Psychedelics and the Future of Religion. Transcendence and Transformation. Psychedelics and Ethics. Spirituality and Psychedelics. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Events Coordinator (617)495-4476. Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM. Center for the Study of World Religions 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA.

Tools and Techniques of Plant Painting and the Visionary Garden

Registration is required. The workshop is limited to 25 participants and requires no prior painting or art experience. Register to attend in person. This hands-on workshop introduces participants to the tools and techniques of botanical painting, drawing on both traditional illustration methods and contemporary artistic interpretations of flora. The session will begin with an overview of materials, composition, and approaches in graphite and watercolor. Participants will then create their own visionary garden or plant being, guided through steps of organization, drawing, and painting. Along the way, examples of visionary, medicinal, and shamanic plants will be presented for inspiration. The workshop will explore how elements such as scale, repetition, and color intensity shape artistic expression. Participants will also consider how a drawing and painting practice can deepen connections with the natural spaces we inhabit and visit. Basic materials will be provided. Participants are welcome to bring their… Programming Series: Transcendence and Transformation. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Events Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Thursday, November 6, 2025, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM. Common Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138. For more info visit cswr.hds.harvard.edu.

Reading Group: Transcendentalism—Mystics, Misfits, Rogues, and Dissidents

This group meets on Tuesdays, 12–2pm (9/16, 9/30, 10/14, 10/28, 11/11, 12/2) American Transcendentalism emerged in the mid-1800s from New England Unitarianism and European Romanticism. It distinguished itself by rejecting convention, challenging traditional religious doctrines of authority and election, opposing dominant philosophies, discarding genteel literary styles, and defying political complacency regarding slavery, gender inequality, and disenfranchisement. At Harvard, Transcendentalists were seen as mystics, misfits, rogues, and dissidents. Their refusals, however, sparked a social movement based on friendship and collaboration, united by a radical spirituality promising personal renewal and social transformation. This reading group invites participants to explore both sides of that legacy. We'll focus on Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller in the fall, and on figures including Bronson Alcott, Theodore Parker, Orestes Brownson, Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, and Caroline Dall in… Programming Series: Transcendence and Transformation. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Events Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Tuesday, November 11, 2025, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM. Conference Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138.

Reading Group: Esotericism and Alternative Spirituality

Registration is required. This group meets on Tuesdays, Sept. 9 & 23, Oct. 14 & 21, Nov. 4 & 18, 1–3pm Esotericism has long been associated with the ideas of mystery, secrecy, and conspiracy. This is connected to the very etymology of the word, which hints at the possibility of acquiring special, inner knowledge that is different from what ordinary people usually have access to. The elitism that goes with this assumption can take on a political dimension. Insofar as esotericism is identified with the practice of secrecy, fears of clandestine manipulation of society and history arise almost naturally, and questions about its compatibility with the principles of modern democracy are raised. However, strategies of secrecy have also been used to promote the values of progress and democracy, as has been the case during the Enlightenment with the emergence of modern Freemasonry. Despite the relevance of these aspects for the study of esotericism, scholars have been reluctant to include them in their theorizations… Programming Series: Transcendence and Transformation. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Event Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Conference Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138.

Reading Group: Psychedelics Beyond Psychedelics

Registration is required. This group meets, Wednesdays 3-5, 9/10, 9/24, 10/8, 10/22, 11/5, and 11/19 The Psychedelics Beyond Psychedelics Reading Group invites participants to explore expansive understandings of transcendence, healing, consciousness, and connection that extend beyond the use of psychedelic substances. Through rigorous interdisciplinary inquiry engaging themes such as shamanism, ecological kinship, sound, and childbirth, we will interrogate and reimagine what constitutes the “psychedelic.” Rooted in queer, feminist, ecological, and decolonial efforts, this group offers a collaborative space for exploration and critical questioning. We aim to affirm multiple ways of knowing, deepen our ethical and relational practices, and collectively contribute to defining the evolving field of the Psychedelic Humanities. Facilitators include: LILA GLENN RIMALOVSKI is an MDiv candidate at Harvard Divinity School studying the relationship between eco-spiritual practice and movements for land justice. Her r… Programming Series: Psychedelics and the Future of Religion. Transcendence and Transformation. Spirituality and Psychedelics. Psychedelics and Ethics. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Events Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Wednesday, November 19, 2025, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Conference Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138.

Public Research Talk: A Magic Still Dwells: Occulture in Contemporary Art

Registration is required. Please register to attend in person. Please register to attend on Zoom. Fifteen years ago, I began to notice the conspicuous presence of esoteric motifs in contemporary art. At first, I was intrigued but also surprised, assuming this was only a passing trend. Over time, however, I came to realize that the phenomenon was more significant and deserving of attention than I had initially thought. The influence of esotericism on modern art—roughly up to the end of the Second World War—has been the subject of serious scholarly research since at least the 1960s. Yet it soon became clear to me that scholars of esotericism and art historians alike were paying insufficient attention to its role in contemporary art. In this lecture, I will share my findings and reflections on this phenomenon, which I believe is essential to understanding the place of esotericism in our societies today. Contemporary art holds considerable cultural and social influence, and examining its relationship with… Programming Series: Transcendence and Transformation. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR, Events Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Monday, December 1, 2025, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM. Common Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA. For more info visit cswr.hds.harvard.edu.

Reading Group: Transcendentalism—Mystics, Misfits, Rogues, and Dissidents

Programming Series: Transcendence and Transformation. Sponsor: Center for the Study of World Religions. Contact: Laurie D. Sedgwick, CSWR Events Coordinator ldsedgwick@hds.harvard.edu. Tuesday, December 2, 2025, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM. Conference Room, CSWR, 42 Francis Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138.