Public Figure Profiles

Timothy Leary

Timothy Francis Leary (October 22, 1920 – May 31, 1996) was an American psychologist and writer known for his strong advocacy of psychedelic drugs. Evaluations of Leary are polarized, ranging from bold oracle to publicity hound. He was "a hero of American consciousness", according to Allen Ginsberg, and Tom Robbins called him a "brave neuronaut".As a clinical psychologist at Harvard University, Leary worked on the Harvard Psilocybin Project from 1960 to 1962. He tested the therapeutic effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin, which were still legal in the United States at the time, in the Concord Prison Experiment and the Marsh Chapel Experiment. The scientific legitimacy and ethics of his research were questioned by other Harvard faculty because he took psychedelics along with research subjects and pressured students to join in. However, the claim that Leary pressured unwilling students was denied by one of Leary's students, Robert Thurman. Leary and his colleague, Richard Alpert (who later became known as Ram Dass), were fired from Harvard University in May 1963. Many people of the time only came to know of psychedelics after the Harvard scandal.Leary believed that LSD showed potential for therapeutic use in psychiatry. He used LSD himself and developed a philosophy of mind expansion and personal truth through LSD. After leaving Harvard, he continued to publicly promote the use of psychedelic drugs and became a well-known figure of the counterculture of the 1960s. He popularized catchphrases that promoted his philosophy, such as "turn on, tune in, drop out", "set and setting", and "think for yourself and question authority". He also wrote and spoke frequently about transhumanist concepts of space migration, intelligence increase, and life extension (SMI²LE). Leary developed the eight-circuit model of consciousness in his book Exo-Psychology (1977) and gave lectures, occasionally billing himself as a "performing philosopher".During the 1960s and 1970s, he was arrested 36 times worldwide. President Richard Nixon once described Leary as "the most dangerous man in America".

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Some of their strengths

Timothy Leary has many admirable traits.

Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Practical, Altruistic, Analytical, Inquisitive, Diplomatic, Intellectual, and Innovative.

Intelligent and Inquisitive

According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Timothy Leary is someone who is an intelligent, inquisitive, and imaginative person, who is practical, considerate, kind, and diplomatic in dealings with others. A person who defines themself by their friends and what groups they belong to.

Soulful and Intuitive

Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Timothy Leary well know them as someone who can be graceful, romantic, and reserved, like gentle rain.

Ambitious and Forceful

According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Timothy Leary as someone who is ambitious, hard-working, determined, and intelligent.

A person who has a knack for identifying opportunities, has amazing concentration and focus, who can work independently, who likes starting new things, and who is somewhat of an intellectual.

Inquisitive and Progressive

Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Timothy Leary is someone who is an eternal student who is always interested in learning new things, and who has a desire to shake things up and change things.

They are also someone who is intuitive, imaginative, and an agent of change, and who is always dreaming of life's great possibilities and partnering with people to try to achieve those possibilities.

Justice-seeking and Peaceful

According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Timothy Leary tends to be someone who loves peace and is ready to go to any costs to achieve it. Who has a taste for the good things in life, tends to be a good organizer, has a thirst for knowledge, and who tends to have the respect of friends and acquaintances.

Some of Timothy Leary's challenges

While Timothy Leary has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.

For example, Timothy Leary can be Stubborn, Hesitant, Narcissistic, Rebellious, Emotionally Distant, Impulsive, and Careless.

Hesitant and Narcissistic

One of Timothy Leary's key challenges is that they are someone who can be hesitant and narcissistic.

Relentless and Inflexible

Timothy Leary is someone who can be relentless, obsessive, and inflexible, who can be confrontational with work colleagues, can have difficulty communicating feelings and be somewhat reclusive, and who can be self-destructive, overindulgent, and extravagant.

Pleasure-seeking and Indecisive

Finally, Timothy Leary also can put others first too much, and hem-and-haw too much when making a decision.

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