Legendary artists, Allyson and Alex Grey join Chris in conversation around Ram Dass, psychedelics, spirituality, and Entheon—their new visionary art sanctuary & interfaith temple.
Visionary artists, wise psychonauts, and podcasters, Allyson and Alex Grey are co-founders & Ministers of CoSM, the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, a transformational art based non-profit which grew into an interfaith church and thriving artist community. Allyson and Alex are currently in the process of constructing Entheon, a sanctuary for visionary art, and sacred, nondenominational temple and hub for visionary artists and inner-seekers. Allyson and Alex host Sunday Art Church events, fusing creativity and dharma; as well as Full Moon Gatherings, which bring together artists, musicians, wisdom teachers, and free-thinkers to honor our cosmic alignment with nature and the creative forces. For a deep dive into their minds, check out their new podcast, The CoSM Podcast, and for updates on Entheon, CoSM, their art and events, visit their website CoSM.org
Entheon: Visionary Art Sanctuary
Coming in freshly inspired from a pilgrimage through their new visionary art sanctuary and spiritual temple—Entheon (meaning: a place to discover the creator within)—Chris Grosso steeps in heartfelt conversation with legendary transformational artists, psychedelic advocates, and the mystically inclined, Allyson and Alex Grey. To begin, Allyson shares her deep experience with Ram Dass‘ book Be Here Now; before digging into a life-changing 1975 party where Alex infamously opened to his metamorphic first LSD trip.
“Alex came to my end of year school party in 1975 and took LSD in my apartment for the first time, and we never left. That’s really where our spiritual journey began together, and has been going on for 46 years. We’re united in an aim to create an enduring sanctuary of visionary art, to build and create, and to uplift a global community.” – Allyson Grey
“When people come into the presence of objects that seem to mirror their own internal soul-state, then there’s a sense of sacred space that’s not only within, but it’s immersive. That so many people in the world have seen such similar inner-worlds is remarkable. I don’t think there’s an understanding of that yet, but I feel that that’s the origin of temples, that’s the origin of people trying to create sacred art, sacred spaces, sacred music.” – Alex Grey
Allyson & Alex Grey join Raghu for a discussion on Ram Dass, psychedelics, Dzogchen, & art, on Ep. 377 of Mindrolling
Chapel of Sacred Mirrors: Pilgrimage & Journey (14:14)
After sharing reverence for Ram Dass’ heroic journey East to the feet of his Guru—Maharajji (whom Alex describes as “a master of transcendental timing”—to bring the grace of Hanuman back to America; the “punk rock trio” dives into the topics of pilgrimage and journey (inner and outer) in connection with Allyson and Alex’s Chapel of Sacred Mirrors – their non-profit, interfaith church, permanent art display of Alex’s Sacred Mirrors, and namesake of their CoSM Podcast.
“CoSM—it’s a radically welcoming, transdenominational, interfaith art church. That’s what we wanted to make: to create a church of creators. Because our mission is to build an enduring sanctuary of visionary art, so we wanted to make sure we were identifying and cultivating the artisans and the artists that would create a temple of spiritual art.” – Allyson Grey
“We trust the creative arts, to some degree, to supply occasionally an authentic shard of the soul, and of the current moment, the complex crazy moment. Since it has continued to supply that time and time again, that’s why we have faith in that. As a creative force and a creative spirit, I see that going through every tradition. That’s the vital force going through all the traditions—the creative force—always was, always is.” – Alex Grey
Alan Watts shares in-depth about his first two LSD experiences, on Ep. 7 of Being in the Way
Art Church, Full Moon Ceremonies, Community, & Beyond (39:00)
Speaking to the wonderful outpouring of online (hopefully in-person again soon) offerings stemming from CoSM—like their bonding Art Church gatherings, and mystical Full Moon Ceremonies—Allyson and Alex revel in the love of the community which surrounds them and is focused on continuing the visionary and spiritual legacy of CoSM and Entheon. To close, they roll away the podcast by sharing on the benefits of plant medicines and psychedelics.
“The members are a stand for the future of CoSM. The reason why we became a church is because it’s an institution that people can pass on to another generation of people who love it. It’s basically run by the people who love it. So we are cultivating and identifying people who can love it and continue it as we go the way of Ram Dass—out of the picture—but hopefully Entheon and CoSM will be here to serve a beautiful global community that’s flourishing.” – Allyson Grey
“We’re normally locked in the bell jar of our reality. [Psychedelics] open a portal and allow you to see perhaps you weren’t letting God in, it was getting dark in there, really hard, really fucked up, and there was no God. But as we know, God is always there, and it’s just that our mind has created obscurations to seeing your already enlightened presence.” – Alex Grey
Visionary meme artist of Mind Under Matter podcast lore, Ramin Nazer, talks creativity, on Ep. 362 of Mindrolling
