Anyone interested in psychology, eastern spirituality and reincarnation should head to Izmailovo this week where the 17th International Transpersonal Congress is taking place until Sunday.
Up to a thousand delegates from more than 30 countries are expected, drawn by a series of lectures as well as a disco where you can regress to a previous life. State news agency RIA-Novosti is an information sponsor of the event, and day tickets are being sold for curious Muscovites.
Transpersonal psychology originated in 1960s-era California. It uses psychology to study spiritual experiences such as trance, mysticism and altered states of consciousness.
Apart from the seminars, there are more prosaic events on offer, such as displays of psychedelic art, mass meditations for up to 1,000 participants every morning and the “mystical discotheque,” where the ’80s revival in question may mean the 1880s or the 1780s, as participants claim that they will be able to regress to a previous life.
“There are thousands of cases of children aged between 3 and 5 telling about past lives,” congress President Stanislav Grof said at a news conference Tuesday, the day before the start of the congress. “We try to explain this.”
Born in Prague, Czech Republic, Grof was one of the first to conduct controversial experiments in the 1960s and ’70s studying the effects of psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, on the psyche.
“We are living in a soup of psychology. Every economic system is driven by greed and the fear of loss,” said congress presenter Bernard Lietaer, from the University of California, Berkeley. “No system can explain this. If you want to understand what’s going on, you won’t find it in the Financial Times or the Economist, but maybe here.”
A “Soul of the World” concert will take place on Saturday evening with musicians from all over the world, including a set by the band Tsvety, or Flowers, led by singer Stas Namin, one of the first Soviet rock bands.
The 17th International Transpersonal Conference runs till June 27 at Hotel Izmailovo-Alfa, 71 Izmailovskoye Shosse. Metro Partizanskaya. A one-day ticket costs $135 (4,200 rubles). www.ita2010.com
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.