The Doors of Perception

The Doors of Perception is a book by Aldous Huxley detailing his experiences when taking mescaline. The title comes from William Blake's 'The Marriage of Heaven and Hell': "If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things through narrow chinks of his cavern." The book takes the form of Huxley’s recollection of a mescaline trip which took place over the course of an afternoon, while under the supervision of Dr. Humphrey Osmond. Huxley recalls the insights he experienced, which range from the ‘purely aesthetic’ to ‘sacramental vision’, and also incorporates reflections on its meaning for art and religion.