Fortean Times - A Saucerful of Secrets

The Fortean Times website has posted A Saucerful of Secrets , penned by Andy Roberts, from their current issue. The article explores the connection between the hippie underground in the United Kingdom and the explosion of interest in the UFO phenomenon. Fueled by a burgeoning LSD mystical consciousness, psychedelic music and a conscious rejection of the materialistic values of previous generations, the culture latched onto the UFO phenomenon, viewing it as a harbinger of a radical shift in human consciousness. Sacred sites, especially Glastonbury ("embedded in the public consciousness as a centre of all things strange"), were focal points of sitings, inextricably weaving the phenomenon into a new mythological tapestry blending elements of the holy grail legend, ley lines and other earth power centers, expanded consciousness, and interstellar contact. As the underground was co-opted by marketing forces, the heavy interest in the phenomenon died down and became just another "hip belief to be 'into.'"

Long time readers of psychonaut Terence McKenna, comic book author Grant Morrison, and the literature of UFO encounters will have already noted a connection between the use of psychedelics and UFO spotting and/or contact. I was surprised by the serious interest in the UFO phenomenon expressed by several noted celebrities, including author Barry Gifford, Brian Jones and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, and David Bowie, who actually worked for a UFO magazine at one time. Roberts' article is well worth a look at by those interested in the cultural history of the Summer of Love, the hippie movement, and Fortean phenomenon.

You might have to create an account at the site to view the article.