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Descending the Mountain
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Descending the Mountain

2021-11-11 · 78 min · ★ 7.0

Documentary

What happens if you give magic mushrooms (psilocibine) to experienced Zen practitioners who have never used drugs? What does that teach us about the mystical experience of oneness with nature? Based on these questions, psychiatrist Franz Vollenweider and Zen master Vanja Palmers set up a legal science experiment in a monastery at the top of Mount Rigi in Switzerland. Exactly 50 years after the magic mushrooms were officially banned, a new story begins in what is now called the “psychedelic renaissance”. While in 2021 most studies with psychedelics mainly focus on their promising medical applications, Frans and Vanja are already going a step further. Can the combination of meditation and psilocibin help humanity get out of the mess we have created on ourselves and the planet with our neo-liberal society?

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Production details

Directors
Maartje Nevejan
Production companies
MAGNETFILM GmbH
Countries
Netherlands, Switzerland
Status
Released

Top Cast

Vanja PalmersHimself
Franz VollenweiderHimself
Sister Theresia RabergerHerself
Dr. Peter GasserHimself

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