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{{multiple issues|{{COI|date=January 2024}}
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[[File:Alex Grey - COSM 4.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Alex Grey]]'s ''Sacred Mirrors, Christ'' and ''Sophia'' on display]]
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The '''Chapel of Sacred Mirrors''' (CoSM) is a transdenominational church and [[501(c)(3)]] nonprofit organization dedicated to the realization of a shared 1985 vision of the American artists [[Alex Grey|Alex and Allyson Grey]] to build a contemporary public chapel as "a sanctuary for spiritual renewal through contemplation of transformative art".<ref name=":0">"Shades of Grey; The Visions and Art of Alex Grey", 2005. ''The Daily Grail''/ ''Sub Rosa''; "Where Science and Magic, Myth and History meet", Issue 3, pg. 32, Dec 2005.</ref>
The '''Chapel of Sacred Mirrors''' (CoSM) is a transdenominational church and nonprofit organization dedicated to the realization of a shared 1985 vision of the American artists [[Alex Grey|Alex and Allyson Grey]] to build a contemporary public chapel as "a sanctuary for spiritual renewal through contemplation of transformative art".<ref name=":0">{{cite magazine |title=Shades of Grey: The Visions and Art of Alex Grey |date=December 2005 |magazine=Sub Rosa |issue=3 |pages=32–33 |url=https://archive.org/details/SubRosa_Issue3-Spread/mode/2up |via=Archive.org}}</ref>


It was conceived to house Alex Grey's ''Sacred Mirrors'', a series of 21 artworks that examine the body, spirit, and mind. The organization's mission is "building an enduring sanctuary of visionary art to inspire every pilgrim's creative path and embody the values of love and evolutionary wisdom".<ref name="CoSM">
It was conceived as an art gallery to house Alex Grey's ''Sacred Mirrors'', a series of 21 artworks in which Grey examines the human body, symbolic spirit, and aspects of the human mind.<ref name="CoSM">
[http://www.CoSM.org Chapel of Sacred Mirrors]</ref>
{{cite web |url=http://www.CoSM.org/ |title=Chapel of Sacred Mirrors |website=CoSM.org |publisher=CoSM, Chapel of Sacred Mirrors |access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref>
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[[File:Alex Grey - COSM 4.jpg|thumb|''Sacred Mirrors'', ''Christ'' and ''Sophia'' on display]]


== Foundation, 1996–2003 ==
== Foundation, 1996–2003 ==


The Foundation for the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors Ltd. was formed in 1996 as a nonprofit charity to raise awareness and funds for the creation of the Chapel; advisory board members have included [[Deepak Chopra]], [[Ken Wilber]], Mathew Fox, and Marcia Tucker.<ref name=":1">Leland, J., 2002. ''New York Times'', Jan 23, 2002.</ref> In 2003, upon the suggestion of shaman Alex Stark,<ref name="CoSM" /> Alex and Allyson Grey began holding full moon prayer ceremonies in their [[Brooklyn]] home to facilitate the construction of the chapel. Due to noise complaints by neighbors, the Greys' home became unsuitable.
The Foundation for the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors Ltd. was formed in 1996 as a nonprofit charity to raise awareness and funds for the creation of the Chapel. Advisory board members have included [[Deepak Chopra]], [[Ken Wilber]], Mathew Fox, and Marcia Tucker.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |last=Leland |first=John |date=January 23, 2002 |title=At Home With: Alex and Allyson Grey; Tuition and Other Head Trips |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/03/garden/at-home-with-alex-and-allyson-grey-tuition-and-other-head-trips.html |access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> In 2003, upon the suggestion of shaman Alex Stark,<ref name="CoSM" /> Alex and Allyson Grey began holding full moon prayer ceremonies in their [[Brooklyn]] home to facilitate the construction of the chapel.<ref>{{cite book |first=Miquel |last=Cervantes |title=Existentialism and the High Tech Drifter II |year=2021 |publisher=Xiphias Press |page=[https://www.google.com/books/edition/Existentialism_and_the_High_Tech_Drifter/-fI5EAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Chapel+of+Sacred+Mirrors%22+-wikipedia&pg=PT183&printsec=frontcover 183]}}</ref> Due to noise complaints by neighbors, the Greys' home became unsuitable.


== Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, New York City: 2004–2009 ==
== Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, New York City: 2004–2009 ==


Thanks to an outpouring of support from the nascent community that was forming around these gatherings, the first Chapel of Sacred Mirrors opened in a donated space in [[Chelsea, Manhattan|Chelsea]] in the heart of NYC's gallery and nightclub district on the [[September equinox|autumnal equinox]] of 2004.
Supported by the community that formed around these gatherings, the first Chapel of Sacred Mirrors opened in a donated space in [[Chelsea, Manhattan|Chelsea]] in the heart of NYC's gallery and nightclub district on the [[September equinox|autumnal equinox]] of 2004.


Along with the ''Sacred Mirrors'' series, the original chapel also displayed a number of Alex Grey's major works (many of which had been repurchased from collectors for the foundation) including ''Theologue'', ''Net of Being'', ''Cosmic Christ'', and ''Journey of the Wounded Healer'', as well as Allyson Grey's ''Secret Language'' paintings, and occasional exhibitions of fellow visionary artists. With monthly interfaith celebrations that were held on the New and Full moons, and workshops by leaders in the fields or art, science, and religion, the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors quickly became established as a "mecca" of the New York "New Age" community.<ref>Johnson, K., 2008. ''New York Times'' (Art and Design section), Dec 19, 2008.</ref> The use of Alex Grey's artwork on the album covers and stage show of the popular rock group [[Tool (band)|Tool]], album artwork for [[The Beastie Boys]] and [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]],<ref name=":1" /> and as part of a major installation at the [[Burning Man]] festival in 2006, greatly increased Alex Grey's popularity among the youth and [[New Age]] [[counter-culture|counterculture]], The original NYC Chapel of Sacred Mirrors also featured workshops on painting, sacred geometry, and sacred architecture, as well as a series of popular "Entheogenic Salons" that included live painting by Alex and Allyson Grey, along with international electronic music DJs and producers, video artists, dance, and other performances.
Along with the ''Sacred Mirrors'' series, the original chapel displayed a number of Alex Grey's major works (many of which had been repurchased from collectors for the foundation) including ''Theologue'', ''Net of Being'', ''Cosmic Christ'', and ''Journey of the Wounded Healer'', as well as Allyson Grey's ''Secret Language'' paintings and occasional exhibitions of fellow artists. Monthly celebrations held on the New and Full moons, and workshops by notable leaders in the fields or art, science, and religion, established the Chapel as a "mecca" of the New York [[New Age]] community.<ref>{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Ken |date=December 19, 2008 |title=Turning On, Tuning In and Painting the Results |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/20/arts/design/20sacr.html |access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref> Alex Grey's artwork on album covers and stage shows of the rock group [[Tool (band)|Tool]], album artwork for [[The Beastie Boys]] and [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]],<ref name=":1" /> and a major installation at the 2006 [[Burning Man]] festival increased his notability in the [[New Age]] [[counter-culture|counterculture]]. The NYC Chapel of Sacred Mirrors also featured workshops on painting, sacred geometry, and sacred architecture, and a series of popular "Entheogenic Salons" that included live painting by Alex and Allyson Grey and other performances.


== The ''Sacred Mirrors'' and visionary art ==
== The ''Sacred Mirrors'' and visionary art ==


The ''Sacred Mirrors'' series, which were created over a ten-year period between 1979 and 1988, were originally inspired by a lysergic acid diethylamide ([[LSD]]) vision that Alex and Allyson Grey shared in 1976, during which they both experienced the interconnectedness of all beings and things in the form of a "toroidal fountain and drain of self-illuminating love energy, a cellular node or jewel in a network that linked omnidirectionally without end"<ref name="grey98">Grey, A., 1998. ''The Mission of Art'', Shambhala</ref>{{rp|150}} that Alex later named "the Universal Mind Lattice". (Allyson Grey's painting ''Jewel Net of Indra'' was similarly inspired by this shared visionary experience) This series of paintings has been exhibited internationally, and are the subject of the 1990 book ''Sacred Mirrors: The Visionary Art of Alex Grey'', which has been translated into nine languages and sold over 150,000 copies worldwide.{{cn|date=January 2023}}
The 21 painting ''Sacred Mirrors'' series was created over a ten-year period between 1979 and 1988. The series was originally inspired by a lysergic acid diethylamide ([[LSD]]) vision that Alex and Allyson Grey shared in 1976, during which they both claimed to experience the interconnectedness of all beings and things in the form of a "toroidal fountain and drain of self-illuminating love energy, a cellular node or jewel in a network that linked omnidirectionally without end".<ref name="grey98">{{cite book |last=Grey |first=Alex |author-link=Alex Grey |year=1998 |title=The Mission of Art |publisher=Shambhala |isbn=978-1570623967}}</ref>{{rp|150}} Alex later named what he experienced "the Universal Mind Lattice", and Allyson Grey's painting ''Jewel Net of Indra'' was similarly inspired by this shared visionary experience. The ''Sacred Mirrors'' series has been exhibited internationally, and is the subject of the 1990 book ''Sacred Mirrors: The Visionary Art of Alex Grey'', which has been translated into nine languages and sold over 150,000 copies worldwide.{{cn|date=January 2023}}
The subtitle of this book is now believed to be one of the key influences in the naming of a new genre now known as "visionary art".{{citation needed|date=August 2020}} While Alex Grey himself defines visionary art as "the creative expression of glimpses into the sacred unconsciousness"<ref name="grey98" />{{rp|22}} and states that its ultimate purpose is "the mystical experience of spiritual illumination, unity, wisdom, and love".<ref name="grey98" />{{rp|150}} Claiming a lineage that includes the ancient shamanic cave-painters, the 12th century Abbess [[Hildegard of Bingen]], [[Hieronymus Bosch]], and the English mystical painter and writer, [[William Blake]], contemporary visionary art is also characterized by the belief that along with traditional methodologies such as fasting, [[meditation]], [[yoga|yogic exercises]], breath work, and prayer, "vision drugs"<ref name="grey98" />{{rp|121}} such as LSD, [[psilocybin]], [[mescaline]], and [[dimethyltryptamine]] (DMT), can also be utilized as tools by artists seeking mystical visions.
The subtitle of this book is believed to be one of the key influences in the naming of the genre known as "Visionary art".{{citation needed|date=August 2020}} Alex Grey defines visionary art as "the creative expression of glimpses into the sacred unconsciousness"<ref name="grey98" />{{rp|22}} and stated that its purpose is to portray "the mystical experience of spiritual illumination, unity, wisdom, and love".<ref name="grey98" />{{rp|150}} Claiming a lineage that includes the ancient shamanic cave-painters, the 12th century Abbess [[Hildegard of Bingen]], [[Hieronymus Bosch]], and the English mystical painter and writer, [[William Blake]], contemporary visionary art is also characterized by the belief that along with traditional methodologies such as fasting, [[meditation]], [[yoga|yogic exercises]], breath work, and prayer, "vision drugs"<ref name="grey98" />{{rp|121}} such as LSD, [[psilocybin]], [[mescaline]], [[cannabis]], and [[dimethyltryptamine]] (DMT), can also be utilized as tools by artists seeking mystical visions.


Works by painters such as [[Pablo Amaringo]], Alex Grey, [[Ernst Fuchs (artist)|Ernst Fuchs]], and [[Robert Venosa]], who all openly admit the direct influence of consciousness-altering compounds upon their art, have previously been loosely categorized under the more profane category of "psychedelic art". By consciously advocating these compounds as "[[entheogen]]s" (generating-God-within), or plants and drugs that invoke a sense of the numinous or a mystical experience, as opposed to mere "[[psychedelics]]", visionary art claims a sacred and profound nature for these compounds. The fact that Alex Grey credits the inspiration of the ''Sacred Mirrors'' to an LSD experience he mystically shared with his later-wife Allyson makes this series arguably one of the most famous examples of contemporary visionary art. (''Ayahuasca Dreaming'', by the American painter Robert Venosa (1936–2011), is another example.) The inspiration by the Greys to build a Chapel in 1985 is also credited to a shared drug experience, this time on the powerful "empathogen" [[MDMA]].
Works by painters such as [[Pablo Amaringo]], Alex and Allyson Grey, [[Ernst Fuchs (artist)|Ernst Fuchs]], and [[Robert Venosa]], who all openly admit the direct influence of consciousness-altering compounds upon their art, have previously been loosely categorized under the category of "psychedelic art". By consciously advocating these compounds as "[[entheogen]]s" (generating-God-within), or plants and drugs that invoke a sense of the numinous or a mystical experience, as opposed to mere "[[psychedelics]]", visionary art claims a sacred and profound nature for these compounds. The fact that Alex Grey credits the inspiration of the ''Sacred Mirrors'' to an LSD experience he mystically shared with his later-wife Allyson makes this series arguably one of the most famous examples of contemporary visionary art, alone with such works as ''Ayahuasca Dreaming'' by painter Robert Venosa). The inspiration by the Greys to build a Chapel in 1985 is also credited to a shared drug experience, this time while using the "empathogen" [[MDMA]].


Dedicated to fostering interfaith and [[Post-denominational churches|post-denominational]] spiritual understanding, the Greys envision the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors as "a new type of sacred space with both a personal and a planetary perspective … a Chapel of transformative art that aligns the individual self: body, mind, and spirit, through contemplation of the ''Sacred Mirrors''<ref>*Hanna, J., 1998. "Alex Grey Speaks...". ''The Entheogen Review'' 7(4): 17-22, 1998.</ref> … by peeling away our accumulated layers of separateness, showing we are all made of the same miraculous blood, guts, and cosmic dust."<ref name=":0" />
Dedicated to fostering interfaith and [[Post-denominational churches|post-denominational]] spiritual understanding, the Greys envision the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors as "a new type of sacred space with both a personal and a planetary perspective … a Chapel of transformative art that aligns the individual self: body, mind, and spirit, through contemplation of the ''Sacred Mirrors''<ref>{{cite journal |last=Hanna |first=J. |year=1998 |title=Alex Grey Speaks... |journal=The Entheogen Review |volume=7 |number=4 |pages=17–22}}</ref> … by peeling away our accumulated layers of separateness, showing we are all made of the same miraculous blood, guts, and cosmic dust."<ref name=":0" />


== Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, Wappinger, New York; 2009–present ==
== Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, Wappinger, New York; 2009–present ==
[[Image:Alex Grey - COSM 5.jpg|thumb|233px|An Alex Grey artwork viewed in 2007]]
The Greys did not intend the original Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in New York City to be a permanent site, although its popularity amongst the New York 'New Age' community allowed it to survive longer than initially conceived. It operated from the autumnal equinox of 2004 until January 1, 2009.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}


While the original Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in New York City was never intended to be a permanent site, its popularity amongst the New York 'New Age' community allowed it to survive longer than initially conceived, operating from the autumnal equinox of 2004 until January 1, 2009.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}
On September 12, 2008, after a lengthy search for a permanent site, the Foundation for the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors purchased a forty-acre former interfaith center on the Hudson River 65 miles north of New York City in the [[Wheeler Hill Historic District]] in [[Wappinger, New York]]. In November 2008, the organization, recognized as providing an "extraordinary environment for contemplation, and as a center for encouraging the creative spirit", and was granted church status with a permanent 501(c)(3).{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}


⚫
Alex and Allyson Grey live permanently on the grounds, which also house a 10,000-square-foot guesthouse with cafe and gift-shop. The Greys' popular full moon ceremonies have continued uninterrupted at this new location, along with special events, [[permaculture]] courses, and a variety of workshops that have attracted guest presenters such as folk-musician and eco-activist [[Pete Seeger]] and tree-sitter and eco-artist [[Julia Butterfly Hill]].<ref>{{cite web |first=Jennifer |last=La Lima-Ortmuller |date=November 17, 2011 |orig-date=September 22, 2010 |title=Honoring the Divine Feminine: The CoSM Retreat |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-la-limaortmuller/honoring-the-divine-femin_b_733923.html |access-date=June 10, 2013 |website=[[HuffPost]]}}</ref> The Greys' intention to open the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors to representation of all visionary and contemporary sacred art, visiting artists are encouraged to create murals, labyrinths, gardens, and sculptures. These include Kate Raudenbush's ''Altered State'', a two-story domed steel structure first seen at [[Burning Man]] in 2008 that now resides in a meadow on the CoSM grounds.<ref>{{cite news |first=Drew |last=Zeiba |date=June 13, 2018|title=In upstate New York, a DMT-inspired psychedelic temple rises |newspaper=The Architect's Newspaper |url=https://www.archpaper.com/2018/06/psychedelic-art-temple-entheon/ |access-date=2024-01-03}}</ref>
On September 12, 2008, after a lengthy search for a permanent site, the Foundation for the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors purchased a forty-acre former interfaith center on the Hudson River 65 miles north of New York City in the [[Wheeler Hill Historic District]] in [[Wappinger, New York|Wappinger, N.Y.]] . In November 2008, the organization was recognized as providing an extraordinary environment for contemplation, and as a center for encouraging the creative spirit, and was granted church status with a permanent 501(c)(3).{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}


⚫
When the New York City location closed on January 1, 2009, the Greys started the fundraising phase. Their live painting performances have become increasingly popular and included in festivals and special events worldwide, and along with CoSM's own fund-raising events, the Greys have been invited to discuss their art and the building of CoSM at a variety of events ranging from local health and wellness festivals to international symposiums on psychedelic research such as the World Psychedelic Forum, [[Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies|MAPS]]' psychedelic science events, and the transpersonal experience (ITA). In 2013 Alex Grey spoke at [[TedX]] in Hawaii.
⚫
Alex and Allyson Grey live permanently on the grounds, which also house a 10,000-square-foot guesthouse with cafe and gift-shop. The Greys' popular full moon ceremonies have continued uninterrupted at this new location, along with special events, [[permaculture]] courses, and a variety of workshops that have attracted a number of guest presenters including the American folk-musician and eco-activist [[Pete Seeger]], and eco-artist [[Julia Butterfly Hill]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-la-limaortmuller/honoring-the-divine-femin_b_733923.htmlat|title=June 10, 2013|website=[[HuffPost]] |publisher=}}</ref> With the Greys' desire to make the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors open and representative to all visionary and contemporary sacred art, visiting artists are encouraged to create murals, labyrinths, gardens, and sculptures; most notably Kate Raudenbush's ''Altered State'', a two-story domed steel structure first seen at [[Burning Man]] in 2008<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sculpture.org|title=International Sculpture Center - Sculpture.org|website=www.sculpture.org}}</ref> that now resides in a meadow on the CoSM grounds.

⚫
The closing of the New York City location on January 1, 2009 signaled the start of a fundraising phase by Alex and Allyson Grey as their live painting performances have become increasingly popular and included in festivals and special events worldwide. Along with CoSM's own fund-raising events, the Greys are popular speakers who have been invited to present on their art and the building of CoSM at a wide variety of events ranging from local health and wellness festivals to international symposiums on psychedelic research (World Psychedelic Forum, [[Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies|MAPS]]' psychedelic science events) and the transpersonal experience (ITA). In 2013 Alex Grey was invited to present at [[TedX]] in Hawaii. Observers half the couple's age have remarked upon their drive and energy for a project that will take many years to complete.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors' permanent collection of Alex and Allyson Grey's art has currently been placed in storage as fundraising continues. The 2013 [[Kickstarter]] funding campaign for the building of the first exhibition area—to be called Entheon—is the 5th most funded ART project in Kickstarter history, raising close to double its $125,000 goal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/discover/advanced?category_id=1&sort=most_funded|title=Discover » Art » Most Funded — Kickstarter|website=www.kickstarter.com}}</ref> Entheon is scheduled to open in Fall of 2017,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cosm.org/about/index.html |title=About CoSM - CoSM.org |access-date=2014-04-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513025531/http://www.cosm.org/about/index.html |archive-date=2014-05-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref> with the construction of the actual Chapel of Sacred Mirrors projected for 2020.


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite magazine |first=Benjamin M. |last=Adams |date=December 10, 2023 |title=Profound Parallels: The psychedelic art of Allyson Grey explores timeless themes |magazine=[[High Times]] |url=https://hightimes.com/culture/profound-parallels/ |access-date=2024-01-03}}
* {{cite news |first=Noah |last=Eckstein |date=May 23, 2023 |title=A Sanctuary for Psychedelic Art Opens in the Hudson Valley |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/23/arts/design/entheon-chapel-sacred-mirrors.html |access-date=2024-01-03}}
* {{cite magazine |first=Chris |last=Grosso |date=February 12, 2019 |title=Visionary Art, Psychedelics, Tool: The Mystical Life of Alex and Allyson Grey |magazine=[[Revolver (magazine)|Revolver]] |url=https://www.revolvermag.com/culture/visionary-art-psychedelics-tool-mystical-life-alex-and-allyson-grey |access-date=2024-01-03}}
* {{cite magazine |first=Cassady |last=Rosenbaum |date=June 30, 2023 |title=Pilgrims Are Flocking to This Psychedelic Temple |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/alex-grey-allyson-grey-tool-psychedelic-temple-1234780332/ |access-date=2024-01-03}}
* {{cite magazine |first=Nadja |last=Sayej |date=December 15, 2012 |title=Chapel of Sacred Mirrors: Cosmic Creativity, Entheogens, and Psilocybin with Allyson and Alex Grey |magazine=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/5gwezz/chapel-of-sacred-mirrors-cosmic-creativity-entheogens-and-psilocybin-with-allyson-and-alex-grey |access-date=2024-01-03}}


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://cosm.org Official web page]
*{{official|http://cosm.org/}}

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[[Category:Churches in Manhattan]]
[[Category:Churches in Manhattan]]
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[[Category:Wappinger, New York]]
[[Category:Wappinger, New York]]
[[Category:Churches in Dutchess County, New York]]
[[Category:Churches in Dutchess County, New York]]
[[Category:Visionary art]]

Latest revision as of 21:06, 13 January 2024

Alex Grey's Sacred Mirrors, Christ and Sophia on display

The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (CoSM) is a transdenominational church and nonprofit organization dedicated to the realization of a shared 1985 vision of the American artists Alex and Allyson Grey to build a contemporary public chapel as "a sanctuary for spiritual renewal through contemplation of transformative art".[1]

It was conceived as an art gallery to house Alex Grey's Sacred Mirrors, a series of 21 artworks in which Grey examines the human body, symbolic spirit, and aspects of the human mind.[2]

Foundation, 1996–2003[edit]

The Foundation for the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors Ltd. was formed in 1996 as a nonprofit charity to raise awareness and funds for the creation of the Chapel. Advisory board members have included Deepak Chopra, Ken Wilber, Mathew Fox, and Marcia Tucker.[3] In 2003, upon the suggestion of shaman Alex Stark,[2] Alex and Allyson Grey began holding full moon prayer ceremonies in their Brooklyn home to facilitate the construction of the chapel.[4] Due to noise complaints by neighbors, the Greys' home became unsuitable.

Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, New York City: 2004–2009[edit]

Supported by the community that formed around these gatherings, the first Chapel of Sacred Mirrors opened in a donated space in Chelsea in the heart of NYC's gallery and nightclub district on the autumnal equinox of 2004.

Along with the Sacred Mirrors series, the original chapel displayed a number of Alex Grey's major works (many of which had been repurchased from collectors for the foundation) including Theologue, Net of Being, Cosmic Christ, and Journey of the Wounded Healer, as well as Allyson Grey's Secret Language paintings and occasional exhibitions of fellow artists. Monthly celebrations held on the New and Full moons, and workshops by notable leaders in the fields or art, science, and religion, established the Chapel as a "mecca" of the New York New Age community.[5] Alex Grey's artwork on album covers and stage shows of the rock group Tool, album artwork for The Beastie Boys and Nirvana,[3] and a major installation at the 2006 Burning Man festival increased his notability in the New Age counterculture. The NYC Chapel of Sacred Mirrors also featured workshops on painting, sacred geometry, and sacred architecture, and a series of popular "Entheogenic Salons" that included live painting by Alex and Allyson Grey and other performances.

The Sacred Mirrors and visionary art[edit]

The 21 painting Sacred Mirrors series was created over a ten-year period between 1979 and 1988. The series was originally inspired by a lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) vision that Alex and Allyson Grey shared in 1976, during which they both claimed to experience the interconnectedness of all beings and things in the form of a "toroidal fountain and drain of self-illuminating love energy, a cellular node or jewel in a network that linked omnidirectionally without end".[6]: 150  Alex later named what he experienced "the Universal Mind Lattice", and Allyson Grey's painting Jewel Net of Indra was similarly inspired by this shared visionary experience. The Sacred Mirrors series has been exhibited internationally, and is the subject of the 1990 book Sacred Mirrors: The Visionary Art of Alex Grey, which has been translated into nine languages and sold over 150,000 copies worldwide.[citation needed] The subtitle of this book is believed to be one of the key influences in the naming of the genre known as "Visionary art".[citation needed] Alex Grey defines visionary art as "the creative expression of glimpses into the sacred unconsciousness"[6]: 22  and stated that its purpose is to portray "the mystical experience of spiritual illumination, unity, wisdom, and love".[6]: 150  Claiming a lineage that includes the ancient shamanic cave-painters, the 12th century Abbess Hildegard of Bingen, Hieronymus Bosch, and the English mystical painter and writer, William Blake, contemporary visionary art is also characterized by the belief that along with traditional methodologies such as fasting, meditation, yogic exercises, breath work, and prayer, "vision drugs"[6]: 121  such as LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, cannabis, and dimethyltryptamine (DMT), can also be utilized as tools by artists seeking mystical visions.

Works by painters such as Pablo Amaringo, Alex and Allyson Grey, Ernst Fuchs, and Robert Venosa, who all openly admit the direct influence of consciousness-altering compounds upon their art, have previously been loosely categorized under the category of "psychedelic art". By consciously advocating these compounds as "entheogens" (generating-God-within), or plants and drugs that invoke a sense of the numinous or a mystical experience, as opposed to mere "psychedelics", visionary art claims a sacred and profound nature for these compounds. The fact that Alex Grey credits the inspiration of the Sacred Mirrors to an LSD experience he mystically shared with his later-wife Allyson makes this series arguably one of the most famous examples of contemporary visionary art, alone with such works as Ayahuasca Dreaming by painter Robert Venosa). The inspiration by the Greys to build a Chapel in 1985 is also credited to a shared drug experience, this time while using the "empathogen" MDMA.

Dedicated to fostering interfaith and post-denominational spiritual understanding, the Greys envision the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors as "a new type of sacred space with both a personal and a planetary perspective … a Chapel of transformative art that aligns the individual self: body, mind, and spirit, through contemplation of the Sacred Mirrors[7] … by peeling away our accumulated layers of separateness, showing we are all made of the same miraculous blood, guts, and cosmic dust."[1]

Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, Wappinger, New York; 2009–present[edit]

An Alex Grey artwork viewed in 2007

The Greys did not intend the original Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in New York City to be a permanent site, although its popularity amongst the New York 'New Age' community allowed it to survive longer than initially conceived. It operated from the autumnal equinox of 2004 until January 1, 2009.[citation needed]

On September 12, 2008, after a lengthy search for a permanent site, the Foundation for the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors purchased a forty-acre former interfaith center on the Hudson River 65 miles north of New York City in the Wheeler Hill Historic District in Wappinger, New York. In November 2008, the organization, recognized as providing an "extraordinary environment for contemplation, and as a center for encouraging the creative spirit", and was granted church status with a permanent 501(c)(3).[citation needed]

Alex and Allyson Grey live permanently on the grounds, which also house a 10,000-square-foot guesthouse with cafe and gift-shop. The Greys' popular full moon ceremonies have continued uninterrupted at this new location, along with special events, permaculture courses, and a variety of workshops that have attracted guest presenters such as folk-musician and eco-activist Pete Seeger and tree-sitter and eco-artist Julia Butterfly Hill.[8] The Greys' intention to open the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors to representation of all visionary and contemporary sacred art, visiting artists are encouraged to create murals, labyrinths, gardens, and sculptures. These include Kate Raudenbush's Altered State, a two-story domed steel structure first seen at Burning Man in 2008 that now resides in a meadow on the CoSM grounds.[9]

When the New York City location closed on January 1, 2009, the Greys started the fundraising phase. Their live painting performances have become increasingly popular and included in festivals and special events worldwide, and along with CoSM's own fund-raising events, the Greys have been invited to discuss their art and the building of CoSM at a variety of events ranging from local health and wellness festivals to international symposiums on psychedelic research such as the World Psychedelic Forum, MAPS' psychedelic science events, and the transpersonal experience (ITA). In 2013 Alex Grey spoke at TedX in Hawaii.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Shades of Grey: The Visions and Art of Alex Grey". Sub Rosa. No. 3. December 2005. pp. 32–33 – via Archive.org.
  2. ^ a b "Chapel of Sacred Mirrors". CoSM.org. CoSM, Chapel of Sacred Mirrors. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  3. ^ a b Leland, John (January 23, 2002). "At Home With: Alex and Allyson Grey; Tuition and Other Head Trips". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  4. ^ Cervantes, Miquel (2021). Existentialism and the High Tech Drifter II. Xiphias Press. p. 183.
  5. ^ Johnson, Ken (December 19, 2008). "Turning On, Tuning In and Painting the Results". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  6. ^ a b c d Grey, Alex (1998). The Mission of Art. Shambhala. ISBN 978-1570623967.
  7. ^ Hanna, J. (1998). "Alex Grey Speaks...". The Entheogen Review. 7 (4): 17–22.
  8. ^ La Lima-Ortmuller, Jennifer (November 17, 2011) [September 22, 2010]. "Honoring the Divine Feminine: The CoSM Retreat". HuffPost. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  9. ^ Zeiba, Drew (June 13, 2018). "In upstate New York, a DMT-inspired psychedelic temple rises". The Architect's Newspaper. Retrieved 2024-01-03.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

41°34′48″N 73°56′10″W / 41.580°N 73.936°W / 41.580; -73.936

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