Who was Terence McKenna? On the surface, he was an author, lecturer, father, son, friend, and lover. Below the surface, he was a well-respected philosopher, ethnobotanist, and famous psychonaut! This was a man of many in regards to all of his accomplishments. He was an extremely sensitive man who used his sensitivity as his superpower during his work.
Due to a sad event of fatal brain cancer, McKenna passed away at the young age of 53. However, he left his mark on the psychedelic community that will remain forever! He was possibly most well-known for his public obsession with mushrooms.
Specifically, magic mushrooms. Many of his lectures consisted of trip reports and the many lessons that were embedded in said trips. He was a phenomenal storyteller that made sure every single word he spoke held a lot of substance and depth. McKenna never wasted a breath!
His years of interest in mycology (scientific study of fungi) led him deeper and deeper down the magic mushroom rabbit hole! His lectures on psychedelic fungi left many speechless as he was the only person at this point of time to come forward, projecting information about the psychedelic realm to the minds of many with such a unique and interesting approach.
This brings us onto our first reason why McKenna was such a f*cking legend. Let’s discuss his extremely peculiar yet romantic relationship with the English language.
McKenna’s way with words
If you have ever heard this man speak, then you know exactly what I am talking about. He had an unmatched enchantment with his choice and organization of words. It is almost as if his mouth was somehow able to keep up with the speed of his train of thought without hesitation. Not only were his whimsical choice of words enjoyable, so was his delivery.
His lectures displayed his authenticity when it came to his love for psychedelics, specifically magic mushrooms. You could feel his sincerity through his tone of voice, choice of words, and by analyzing his body language. McKenna really brought the magic to the conversation about magic mushrooms… Listening to him speak about literally anything was a trip in itself.
No f*cks given
His bravery was not only shown by the ridiculous amount of psychedelics he consumed over the years but it was also shown in his confidence. This man would look a priest straight in the eye and challenge him on his beliefs. He truly didn’t care what others thought as long as he knew his intentions were pure.
He rarely let others mock his intelligence and always knew exactly what to say to get his points across with grace. Perhaps this plays a big part in the respect he gained from those around him, even when the people around him didn’t always agree with his views. Terence knew exactly who he was and why he was put on earth, helping him not give a f*ck because he knew he was on the right path.
Psychedelic Icon
The label ‘psychedelic icon’ is quite ironic when describing Terence McKenna. He spoke about the toxicity that existed in the concept of icons during multiple lectures. He would hate to be called an icon considering his quest to rid of ‘Icons’, but c’mon… He was an icon! He wrote and published loads of books, released films, and brought attention to exciting and relevant topics such as culture, psychedelics, history, aliens, consciousness, and so much more.
Not to mention he brought the discussion of psychedelics to the mainstream. Although he has passed, his impact is still felt today. He was an extremely important individual in the community and played a vital part in the history we share with psychedelics. Normalising open conversation and thinking outside the box was extremely necessary at that point in time, and he was the one on the front line, thinking out loud for us all. He helped bring the psychedelic and science community together more than anyone had previously. Not all heroes wear capes!
Closing thoughts:
This groovy and extremely far out man was way ahead of his time and us psychonauts have a lot to thank him for, even if we don’t necessarily agree with a lot of his views. I don’t agree with a lot of things he says but I still respect his opinions and will always enjoy listening to his intense yet calming lectures.
One thing I hope we can all agree on is: Terence Mckenna was a f*cking legend in the world of psychedelics. He will live on in the hearts of many with his trippy impact that will forever linger.
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RIP, Mr Terence Kemp Mckenna.
November 16th, 1946 – April 3rd, 2000
“If psychedelics don’t ready you for the great beyond, then I don’t know what does.“ -Terence McKenna on death
