AFTERGLOW: A Modern Ceremony
Reimagining Ceremonial Space in Contemporary Society
As some of you may already know, friends, collaborators and I have been organizing and faciliting "ceremonial raves" with Psygaia. We've dubbed these AFTERGLOW as a nod to the aftereffects of psychedelic experiences.
AFTERGLOW is a contemporary ceremony where ritual meets celebration and the ancient meets modernity. It’s a space where psychedelic experiences, mindful practice, and communal connection converge, inviting participants to celebrate, honour and intentionally explore altered states of consciousness in community.
Far more than a typical rave, AFTERGLOW represents a response to our the psychedelic renaissance and our collective yearning for meaningful shared experiences in an increasingly disconnected world.
The Ceremonial Experience
Each gathering begins with an opening ritual, creating a container of safety and intention. Participants engage in mindfulness meditation, feeling the rhythm of their breath as the room gradually synchronizes. Gentle breathwork exercises deepen this connection, followed by partner and group dyads where strangers become friends.
The communal dialogue that follows dissolves social barriers, as voices contribute to a tapestry of shared humanity. Through embodied movement practices, participants reconnect with their bodies before the ambient soundscapes gives way to more intense house, techno and experimental music. The opening ceremony serves to transforms a room of individuals into a community ready to celebrate together.
As the ceremonial opening transitions into a rave, the environment comes more alive. The slow moving, immersive visual projections performed live by a visual artist transforms in sync with the shifting music as the DJ begins to deliver higher paced music. Throughout the space, installations offer opportunities for exploration—from professional massage to cacao or non-alcoholic herbal elixirs, interactive art installations and more. Each AFTERGLOW offers different installations depending on what the local community has to offer.
The alcohol-free environment ensures clarity of experience, while trained harm-reduction volunteers remain present throughout, offering support and guidance when needed. As dawn approaches, a short closing ritual helps integrate the night's experiences, sending participants back into the world carrying something of the collective energy generated during the gathering.
Historical & Cultural Context
AFTERGLOW stands on the shoulders of humanity's ceremonial traditions while creating something distinctly contemporary. Our approach bridges ancient wisdom with modern understanding, technological innovation with natural connection.
The lineage of our work can be traced through multiple streams—from the Eleusinian mysteries of ancient Greece, where initiates participated in sacred kykeon ceremonies; to Indigenous traditions worldwide that have maintained ceremonial relationships with psychedelic plants and fungi; to the countercultural experiments of the 1960s, particularly the "Acid Tests" organized by Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, where LSD, art, and community converged in formative explorations.
Unlike these historical precedents however, AFTERGLOW doesn't require allegiance to any particular spiritual doctrine or deity. Instead, we focus on co-creating a container for universal spiritual experiences—moments of profound interconnection and wholeness that transcend cultural boundaries and speak to our shared humanity.
Purpose & Vision
AFTERGLOW addresses a fundamental human need long recognized by cultures worldwide—the need for collective ritual that facilitates transcendence and connection towards transformation and wholeness. In contemporary Western society, this essential element of human experience has largely disappeared, leaving many people spiritually and socially undernourished despite material abundance.
We believe that ceremonial spaces like AFTERGLOW serve multiple vital functions:
They provide safe contexts for consciousness exploration, honouring the critical importance of set and setting in psychedelic experiences.
They foster authentic connection in an age of digital isolation and social fragmentation.
They create opportunities for healing emotional wounds through embodied presence and communal support.
They celebrate human creativity and expression through multisensory artistic experiences
They nurture a sense of belonging to something larger than ourselves—both to a contemporary community and to the ancestral lineage of seekers throughout human history.
Contemporary Relevance
The emergence of AFTERGLOW coincides with what people are calling the "psychedelic renaissance,” which is a period of renewed scientific and cultural interest in the therapeutic and transformative potential of substances long used in ceremonial contexts. As clinical trials demonstrate the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies for conditions ranging from treatment-resistant depression to end-of-life anxiety, society is reexamining its relationship with these powerful compounds.
However, this renaissance faces a critical challenge: the risk of reducing psychedelics to mere pharmaceuticals, divorced from the ceremonial contexts that traditionally surrounded them. The medicalization paradigm, while valuable for legitimizing research, often neglects the importance of community, meaning-making, and cultural relevance in psychedelic experiences.
In today's world of compound crises—mental health epidemics, ecological breakdown, spiritual alienation, and social atomization—the integrative approach of AFTERGLOW offers a holistic response. By creating culturally relevant ceremonial spaces, we acknowledge that healing happens not just at the individual level but within the web of relationships that sustain us.
Safety & Ethics
At the heart of AFTERGLOW is an unwavering commitment to participant wellbeing. Every gathering is designed with care to ensure that all who attend feel safe, supported, and respected. Our safety protocols include:
Trained harm-reduction and support personnel on-site throughout the event.
Designated quiet spaces for those needing rest or sensory reprieve.
Clear consent practices for all interactive and embodied experiences.
Harm reduction resources, education, and supplies.
Zero tolerance for predatory behavior, harassment, or boundary violations.
We recognize the deep ethical complexities surrounding contemporary psychedelic ceremonies—particularly in relation to cultural appropriation. AFTERGLOW engages these challenges with humility and care through Psygaia’s open dialogue with Indigenous knowldedge keepers and education about ceremonial practices.
We hold safety, consent, and inclusion as core values. We stand firmly against cultural appropriation and strive to learn from the traditions that inspire us. We celebrate the innate intelligence of consciousness and intentionally create space for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC community members to feel welcomed, seen, and honored.
Looking Forward
As we stand at this pivotal moment in human history, AFTERGLOW represents more than just a night of celebration—it offers a prototype for the reintegration of meaningful ceremonial experiences into contemporary culture.
Our vision extends beyond events toward cultivating Psygaia as a sustainable ecosystem of practice supported by interdisciplinary theory that can support and guide people throughout their journeys of exploration, healing and growth.
AFTERGLOW participants are not merely consumers of an experience but co-creators of a new cultural paradigm—one that honours the wisdom of the past while embracing the present to create healing possibilities for our collective future.
We invite you to join us in this unfolding story, as we dance at the intersection of ancient wisdom and future possibility, remembering together what it means to be fully human in community with others.
A Psygaia Project
AFTERGLOW is a project of Psygaia, a nonprofit organization dedicated to psychedelic and ecological medicine research, education, community, and support.
AFTERGLOW is not just a night of music, art and dance—it’s part of a movement to reimagine how we gather, heal, and evolve together. If this vision speaks to you, we invite you to be part of it. If interested in contributing to AFTERGLOW or Psygaia in any way, please contact us and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible.
Tickets for AFTERGLOW Denver 2025 are now available.
Reserve your spot and help us co-create a contemporary psychedelic ceremony.
We look forward to being together!
With reverence for all life,
Louis
Super interesting and unique idea! ✨