Guest speakers:
William Leonard Pickard
Kat & Alexa Lakey, discussing The Rose from Santa Cruz, and Cusco, Peru
Julian Vayne & Nikki Wyrd, reading from Devon, England
Brother David Steindl-Rast, reading from Gut Aich Priory in Salzburg, Austria
Ben Sessa MD, reading from London, England
Ralf Jeutter, reading from Germany
Julie Holland MD, discussing The Rose from New York City
Ryan Place, reading from Detroit, Michigan
Mark Schunemann. reading from the University of Oxford
Estia from University of Durham (UK), reading from Paris
Jo from University of Durham, reading at Durham, England
Nese Devenot PhD, reading from Case Western University School of Medicine
Bruce Van Dyke, reading from Reno, Nevada
Greg Sams, reading from London, England
PROGRAM NOTES:
Today’s podcast features an introduction to The Rose Of Paracelsus: On Secrets & Sacraments by Leonard Pickard. Rolling Stone once called Pickard “The Acid King”, and his book is being called a modern masterpiece. It tells the story of an international clan of secret LSD chemists. And who better to tell this story than Leonard Pickard, who is now serving two life sentences in a maximum security prison in the United States, having been accused of manufacturing large quantities of acid, billions according to one ex-DEA agent. Over the next two years we will present a reading of this book, along with commentary, by friends of Leonard’s. Today we feature an introduction of The Rose of Paracelsus with a series of readings from various chapters, followed by some commentary on the readings. In the months and years to come, we will be podcasting a reading of this entire book, chapter-by-chapter.
EMAIL address to contact the producers: therose (at) psychedelicsalon (dot) com
The Rose Of Paracelsus: On Secrets & Sacraments
by Leonard Pickard
“The Acid King,” by Reilly Capps
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Awesome. Thanks Leonard and everyone! Whoever put Steindl-Rast on that excerpt is brilliant.
I had a request to post comments I made at Soundcloud at this site:
I want to thank Julian and Nicki at minute 48 for reminding us to be thoughtful and mindful about what is said here because it has real world effects on Leonard.
I listened to the first 50 minutes while walking along the beach at about 7 pm, the sun hadn’t quite set. What struck me was that it had the same physical effects listening to the podcast as it did when I first read those chapters some time ago. The busy beach scene around me seemed to disappear and I was more floating than walking. At the end of excerpt 1, when Crimson is stirring the fire, I found my breath had grown shallow and it felt like the air was being pressed out of me. Similarly, in excerpt 2, I could feel my spine being completely flat against a wall, breathing shallow, and I could see all that was transpiring behind the wall. I am so looking forward to the entire production, so thank you so much to the producers, readers, those leading discussions, and especially to Leonard.
Kat and Alexa have done an amazing job. Light music comes up and down between readings and discussion. There was a barely audible “Ohm” mantra being chanted during some of the second excerpt. The pacing by both Julian and Brother David is slow and perfect and seems instructive to those that would follow them. The discussions are thought provoking and make you consider things that you might not be able to connect on your own. A great example (from Nicki): “the physical macrocosm of the monks meditating on one side of the wall, and the life going with all its rich tapestry with people shouting and drunks swearing and swallows soaring and whistling and children playing and all the other different things that are happening, that is like the divide in the meditators mind between the monkey brain and the still point”.
This podcast is going to be a great experience. I think it is Kat that starts out describing The Rose as a “Labyrinthian Masterpiece” and “provides a unique Contact High, Other than LSD, it is quite possibly the most psychedelic thing you will ever find on paper.” I especially appreciate how all involved approach Leonard with honor, dignity, and great reverence- as it should be. How incredibly fortunate that you were able to get Brother David to do some of the reading- who could have been more perfect for reading the chapter on the San Francisco monastery?
I’ve listened to two segments and the commentary that followed each completely destroyed the mood created by the words of the author. I can tell already this can’t go on. I’ll either order the book or wait until it comes out on Audio.com without the interruptions.
Thank you for introducing me to this book. It would be wonderful to have a review from Terence who, of all people, would recognize the most obscure of references. Amazing that the author, sitting in an Arizona cell without reference to a library or the internet, can bring to mind a haiku by Basho and paint such a scene in the reader’s mind of a licnen encrusted wall separating the carnal life outside from the meditative and calm inside.
I saw, in the first chapter, the two sitting by the fire on Pt. Reyes – a place I know – and was drawn into the scene so nicely . . . and then the commentary blew it away as wind would clear a picture drawn upon the sand. Who in the world thought this was a good idea?
[COMMENT by Lorenzo: I have a different opinion because I found the commentary extremely helpful. Perhaps, if it bothers you that much, you should turn your recorder off when the commentary begins.]
Most amazing,just read it the first time.
Thanks you so much Leonard,Lorenzo and the Rosegarden team.
All love,blessing and liberty to all of you.
Thank you for this. Why is the podcast only 39kbps? is there anyway to upgrade to 64kbps? It would only be around 100MB at 64kbps.
Fantastic job to everyone involved. Pure neck-tingling goosebumpy magic. Sincerest thanks for bringing this to the world.
-B