Neo-American Church

Where am I? You are at the website of the Neo-American Church, a Psychedelian religious allegiance association founded in 1965 by Art Kleps.* Church doctrine holds the use of psychedelics to be a human right and defines enlightenment as the realization that life is a dream. Kleps was a frequent visitor to and resident of Millbrook, where Timothy Leary and other Psychedelians were given sanctuary by the Mellon Hitchcocks between 1961 and 1968.

*This is a McPozzm answer. Snazzm, you are in a dream and you are the dreamer. Fazzm, it depends. Read more on the Zzms.

Ornate capital em

Millbrook

The story of Millbrook and the founding of the Neo-American Church is told in Kleps’ Millbrook: A Narrative of the Early Years of American Psychedelianism. The 2005 edition is the most up-to-date guide to the principles and practices of the church.

Drawing of the gatehouse at Millbrook

Divine Toad Sweat

Photo of Art Kleps

Collected issues of the house organ, Divine Toad Sweat, 1967-1989. Between 1972 and 1975, Kleps excommunicated Timothy Leary for cometolatry, defined the Zzms, and added a definition of Enlightenment to the principles on which membership is based (see current version): “The psychedelic substances, such as LSD, are sacraments, in that they encourage Enlightenment, which is the realization that life is a dream, and that the externality of relations is an illusion.”

Boo Hoo Bible

The Boo Hoo Bible, or Neo-American Church Catechism and Handbook (1967, 1971) is out of date, but still fun to read.

More

Amusing guru drawing

The History of the Psychedelic Movement Cartoon and Coloring Book (1967); Art Kleps’ Senate testimony (1966); photos, clippings, letters and documents.