In honor of Timothy Leary’s birthday, we’re bringing you an excerpt from his book Terra II, originally published in the June, 1974 debut issue of High Times.
Poet, psychologist, prophet and psy-phy author, Timothy Leary (now in Vacaville Prison) is easily one of the most vilified and celebrated personalities of the last decade. In his landmark books, High Priest and The Politics of Ecstasy, he explored the resources of the human minds and its awakening through psychedelic substances.
Terra II is the grand culmination of Leary’s research into the human condition. It is a proposal to construct an intergalactic ark of immense proportions, a surrogate earth to carry five thousand volunteers into the center of the universe in an endless voyage of discovery and harmony.
Evidence has been cited that Higher Intelligence probably exists on planets most likely to be located in the direction of Galactic Center. Evidence has also been summarized that life on this planet was probably seeded from organic molecules transported from more advanced planets.
The purpose of life, it has been suggested, is to contact Higher Intelligence.
If either or both of these hypotheses are falsehoods it does not matter. Since they are the most logical and practical and optimistic “falsehoods” available, they should be accepted and acted upon until a more effective hypothesis comes along.
It is necessary to organize the voyage to Galactic Center as a concrete act of visionary love. To demonstrate to our Galactic Parents and ourselves how good we can be. For five thousand people selected from every nationality to live together for eight years to prepare for the voyage will be in itself the greatest achievement of human history. Even if the ship never leaves, a magnificent experiment in human spirituality and practical intelligence will have been conducted.
Author: High Times / High Times
