Sex and Psychedelics: An Afternoon of Talks, Poetry, Screenings & Discussion

Livestream tickets available.

An optional morning yoga class will be included for all ticket holders.
 

About 

“Do we know the treasure lost to us when we bury the information brought to us in altered or expanded states of consciousness? We cannot continue to bury the wisdom of the body- the human body, the body of the earth. Sex and other medicines have so much to teach us...” - Britta Love

The intersection between altered states of consciousness and sexual desire is charged, taboo and highly complex. Yet, it is a thread that has run throughout human history. Across the world, cultures have long bound ecstasy and eros, using trance states as gateways to the divine, from the sacred union rituals of Ancient Egypt to the fields of Glastonbury festival.  

Embodiment, intimacy and intoxication continue to entwine and this thread continues to unfold. 

Increasingly, people are revealing how therapeutic psychedelic experiences have healed their sexual trauma. At the same time, there are growing reports of sexual misconduct in psychedelic spaces, in recreational settings, ceremonies and even therapy rooms.

This summit will draw on both the light and the shadow sides of sex and psychedelics with a series of talks, performance and a screening. 

We’ll discuss this convergence through the lens of culture, art and psychology, and finish the day with a social where you can meet and network with like-minded others.

Talks & Topics

LSD and the Sexual Revolution: From the Counterculture to Modern Sexuality - Alex Dymock

Behind the counterculture lay a much deeper relationship between psychedelics and sex, sitting at the heart of social change. Drawing on archival discoveries and Alex's own research interviews, this talk follows that story from the radical movements of the 1960s and 70s to today's underground communities, exploring how ideas of liberation, intimacy and healing have evolved across generations.

Hallucinogenic Sex Magic Rituals - The Seed Sistas

Join the Seed Sistas for an evocative exploration of the legendary witching herbs, where sacred sexuality, herbal medicine, folklore and plant chemistry converge. Together we'll uncover the mysteries of the flying ointments, the sensual rites of wise women, and the powerful relationship between women's bodies, ecstasy and the plant world, while examining how this ancient knowledge became feared, suppressed and demonised. 

Power and Coercion in Psychedelic Spaces - TBC

XXX

Sex as Transcendence - Ruby Rare

Award-winning sex expert Ruby Rare will discuss possibilities of transcendence through sex. She will explore the delights that can emerge when  the taboo is approached with curiosity and care, opening the space for dialogue about topics that many shy away from. She will question why things are taboo in the first place, and discuss her zine Ladyfister - which is a mix of intimate stories of a forbidden nature, sexual health, queer history and visual art. 

Performance Poetry - Maya Bracknell Watson

Interdisciplinary artist (and living DMT entity) Maya Bracknell Watson will perform live spoken word exploring  eroticism, mysticism and the human experience.

Live typewriter poetry station - Ryan Khan

Guests can share a few words or feelings and receive a personalised poem, written on the spot, to take home. 

Screenings

Clips of surrealist visual media will be screened during the event. The exerts will depict the beauty of human connection, bodies and nature, and draw upon the strange and surreal in their art form. 

Note: this event explores both the healing potential and the risks of sex and psychedelics, including discussion of sexual trauma, power dynamics, and misconduct in psychedelic spaces. We approach these topics with care, but please look after yourself and reach out to our team if you need support during the day.

Speakers

Ruby Rare

Ruby is an award-winning sex and relationships expert with a decade's experience redefining intimacy. She's the author of two books: Sex Ed: A Guide for Adults (Bloomsbury, 2020) and The Non-Monogamy Playbook (Ebury, 2025). Ruby hosted the E4 series Sex Rated, and is Feeld's official Intimacy Expert. In 2025, she worked with BPAS on a successful campaign for abortion reform in England and Wales. She has been featured on the 2026 Diva Power List, celebrating trailblazing queer women and non-binary folks in the public eye.

A dual-heritage, queer, non-monogamous educator, Ruby goes where many practitioners won't. Her work centres the paths less trodden, and the conversations many are still too afraid to have. Driven by a deep belief that shame is the real barrier to connection, she creates spaces to learn, celebrate, and feel more at home in your body: through content creation, books, live events, and everything in between.

The Seed Sistas

The Seed Sistas, Kaz and Fiona, are herbalists, eco-activists, published authors and have a down-to-earth attitude towards plant magic.  After completing BScs in Medical Herbalism and Health Sciences, they developed Sensory Herbalism which is an emergent tradition rooted in chaos, both ancient and evolving.  They cultivate change through their work with social enterprise Sensory Solutions Herbal Evolution, giving talks, writing and developing community medicine gardens.  They explore the cross over of magic and medicine, and the reintroduction of magical practices into clinical herbalism. 

@seed_sistas 

Alex Dymock

Dr Alex Dymock is a Senior Lecturer in Law at Goldsmiths, University of London, whose work sits at the crossroads of sexuality, gender, and drug use. Her research spans criminalised and marginalised sexual desires and practices, the politics of pornography, and the emerging field of sex and psychedelics. She currently leads a British Academy/Leverhulme Trust project examining how people use psychedelics to manage sex-related trauma, having previously led a Wellcome Trust-funded project on the history of sex and drugs. Recent writing includes work on acid feminism and psychonautics, and she writes for Chacruna on the intersections of drug use, sexuality, and the law. She recently guest-curated Higher Love: The Psychedelic Roots of Modern Sexuality at the Museum of Sex.

Maya Bracknell Watson

Maya Bracknell Watson is an interdisciplinary artist, poet, researcher, and professional DMT entity working at the intersection of performance, visual art, psychedelic research, and shamanic practice. Her work explores consciousness, communication, entangled agencies, and relationships across ontological boundaries, investigating both the human and non-human condition.

She lectures on the subjects of psychedelics, language, art, and philosophy, and has performed and exhibited at institutions and festivals internationally including the Tate Britain, Breaking Convention and Oxford university. She is a curator and host at The Last Tuesday Society and co-founder of the DMT Academy.

Ryan Khan

Ryan Khan is a poet, science journalist and researcher in psychedelics and the founder of Poets On The Spot. Through live typewriter poetry, he has written at festivals including Houghton, Loud Places and Into the Burrow, alongside hosting workshops that explore creativity and poetry as a tool for integrating altered-state experiences. Instagram: @poets_on_the_spot

Schedule 

Saturday 24th October
Arrive and Opening: 2pm
Social: 8.30 - 10.30pm

Your Organisers

Kate Dalby

Kate is an event coordinator at the Psychedelic Society. Her research background spans clinical sleep studies, altered states of consciousness, and personalised gene therapies. She currently works applying neuroscience to the arts at the neuroaesthetics lab, Kinda Studios. Working with Onaya Science, she explores how rituals, music, and plant medicines support trauma recovery. Kate brings curiosity and care to the ways we feel, connect, and transform (and will usually be found outside).

@katedalbyy

Martha Allitt

Martha is a co-director of the Psychedelic Society, in which she organises and facilitates a diverse array of events centred around altered states of consciousness and the practices they inspire. She is also a writer and has published numerous blogs and articles about psychedelic science and culture. Martha is currently creating a film about Datura, a hallucinogenic family of nightshade plants that have a fearsome reputation, yet a rich history of use in healing and divination by communities across the globe. 

Outside of her psychedelic work, Martha works with young people as a mentor and educational tutor. She has a long-standing yoga practice, with over 500 hours of yoga teacher training. She enjoys making music and is an avid doodler.

@martha.allitt

Venue

Om Being: a creative movement, sound and community space in Hackney Downs. 

The venue has chairs available for those that require them.

Please reach out if you require concessionary tickets.

REFUNDS POLICY: Please note, we do not arrange refunds or exchanges. When possible we encourage reselling on Ticketswap.

ACCESS:  We do our best to include everyone in our events, regardless of health circumstances. If you have access requirements please email the event organiser directly to discuss. Many facilitators are able to offer reduced ticket prices for those truly unable to afford the ticket price. If this applies to you, do please get in touch with the event organiser.

For PSYCHEDELIC KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES please check out the Psychedelic Society website. 

Our facilitators have agreed to our code of conduct. Learn about our procedure for raising concerns

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