October 14-16th, 2011
Judson Memorial Church
55 Washington Square South

Horizons is an annual forum for learning about psychedelics in New York City. Its goal is to open a fresh dialogue on their role in medicine, culture, history, spirituality, and creativity. 2011 is its fifth year.

During the 1960s, psychedelics entered worldwide popular culture. Fueled by the wild social dogmas of the era, recreational use become commonplace. Questions about their safety and value for were answered with myths and confusion spread by both their users, proponents, the media and the government.

In recent years, a small group of dedicated researchers and scholars have orchestrated a renaissance in psychedelic research and thought. Horizons brings together the brightest minds and the boldest voices of this movement to share their research, insights, and dreams for the future.

The Venue

Judson Memorial Church is a national landmark historic building on the south side of Washington Square Park. It has a long history of championing progressive politics, social justice, free speech and the arts.

About Horizons Media, Inc.

Horizons Media, Inc. was founded in 2009 as an educational not-for-profit corporation. We are currently in the process of receiving the 501(c)3 designation from the IRS. Horizons is neither a political nor medical organization and neither offers medical advice, nor endorses any political candidates, parties or positions.

Kevin Balktick is the founder and director of Horizons. He is a Brooklyn-based cultural event producer. He has organized a wide range of events including art exhibitions, warehouse parties, street parades, symposia, outdoor festivals and many things in between, and often all at once. Venues have included the city’s streets, churches, lofts & warehouses, colonial-era fortifications, public parks, ferry docks and boats, museums and libraries.

Neal M. Goldsmith, Ph.D. is the presentation curator for Horizons. He is a practicing psychologist working to facilitate spiritual maturation in his clients. His first book, Psychedelic Healing: The Promise of Entheogens for Psychotherapy is being released in late 2010.

James Vasile, Esq. is the general counsel for Horizons. He currently works with the Software Freedom Law Center, a non-profit, pro bono law firm that strives to preserve liberty and speech in the digital world. James holds a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School, where he was a member of the Law Review and a Stone scholar.

Isolde, promised to King Marke in marriage, and her handmaid, Brangäne, are quartered aboard Tristan’s ship being transported to the king’s lands in Cornwall. The opera opens with the voice of a young sailor singing of a “wild Irish maid,” (“West-wärts schweift der Blick”) which Isolde construes to be a mocking reference to herself. In a furious outburst, she wishes the seas to rise up and sink the ship, killing all on board (“Erwache mir wieder, kühne Gewalt”). Her scorn and rage are directed particularly at Tristan, the knight responsible for taking her to Marke, and Isolde sends Brangäne to command Tristan to appear before her (“Befehlen liess’ dem Eigenholde”). Tristan, however, refuses Brangäne’s request, claiming that his place is at the helm. His henchman, Kurwenal, answers more brusquely, saying that Isolde is in no position to command Tristan and reminds Brangäne that Isolde’s previous fiancé, Morold, was killed by Tristan (“Herr Morold zog zu Meere her.”)
Brangäne returns to Isolde to relate these events, and Isolde, in what is termed the “narrative and curse”, sadly tells her of how, following the death of Morold, she happened upon a stranger who called himself Tantris. Tantris was found mortally wounded in a barge (“von einem Kahn, der klein und arm”), Isolde used her healing powers to restore him to health. She discovered during Tantris’ recovery, however, that he was actually Tristan, the murderer of her fiancé. Isolde attempted to kill the man with his own sword as he lay helpless before her. However, Tristan looked not at the sword that would kill him or the hand that wielded the sword, but into her eyes (“Er sah’ mir in die Augen”). His action pierced her heart and she was unable to slay him. Tristan was allowed to leave with the promise never to come back, but he later returned with the intention of marrying Isolde to his uncle, King Marke. Isolde, furious at Tristan’s betrayal, insists that he drink atonement to her, and from her medicine-chest produces a vial to make the drink. Brangäne is shocked to see that it is a lethal poison.