Hippies had to develop a whole new language to communicate their daily experiences for which there were no precedents. The counter-culture was so intimately involved with the psychedelic revolution and drugs that many new words found their way into the language. The drugs themselves with such laboratory names as LSD 25, begged for more colorful, descriptive terms. Thus catchy names like Acid, Purple Haze, and Orange Sunshine made the drug sound more appealing. Many of the words passed around among hippies were from other cultures, particularly India. Karma, yoga, ashram, mantra were typical of the exotic words introduced into everyday speech in the '60s. If you're looking for a name, please go to the section on famous hippies.

1-A: Status determined by draft board that you are currently fit and available to serve in the military. 

1-O: See Conscientious Objector. 

4-F: Exemption from military service due to mental or physical disability. 

Acapulco Gold: Legendary Mexican marijuana from the '60s. Today it wouldn't be considered so special, but back then it was great! 

Acid: see LSD. 

Acid Tests: Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters did the first Acid Tests. These were events were everyone dropped acid together for an extraordinary group experience. Tom Wolfe wrote The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test about the adventures of Kesey the Pranksters. 

Activist: A person who participates in protest actions. Anyone involved in a cause, usually political. 

Afterglow: A state of peace that can follow after a psychedelic experience when your mind is still detached from worldly concerns. "He's bathing in the afterglow of his last LSD trip". 

Altamont: Controversial, ill fated rock concert headlined by the Rolling Stones and Jefferson Airplane at Altamont Speedway on Dec.24, 1969. Hells Angels, acting as security, had their hands full as people kept rushing the stage. One man pulled a gun, and the Angels killed him. The film "Gimme Shelter" documenting the concert was used in evidence to clear the Angels. 

Amnesty International: Organization for global human rights founded in Amsterdam in 1961. They monitor the treatment of prisoners around the world, especially "prisoners of conscience". They seek the abolition of the death penalty, torture, and other cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment of those in custody.

Animal Liberation Front: ALF is an organization that rescues animals (like minks) from industrialized farms where they are raised only to provide luxury garments to the rich. ALF has been declared illegal and its participants are being hunted down like terrorists by the FBI and ATF.

Antiwar Movement: The organized resistance by students, veterans and other activists against the draft and Vietnam War in the 1960s and early '70s. Rallies, marches, speeches, teach-ins, sit-ins, slogans, banners, and songs were some of the non-violent tactics used to get the message out. 

Asanas: Sanskrit word. A series of body postures that stretch and tone muscles, increase endurance, and improve flexibility. Along with breathing and meditation they make up the practice of Hatha Yoga.

Ashram: A monastery where monks practice yoga. 

Astral Plane: A dimension of existence beyond the physical world. A place where disembodied spirits dwell. Many attempt to contact the astral plane through meditation or by using psychic energy. 

Babe: Affectionate term for female, now with slightly different meaning. 

Baby: Similar to Babe. 

Bad Acid: Poorly made LSD, probably cut with speed which can cause a bad trip. Some people at Woodstock downed bad acid and the crowd was warned about it, making the term instantly popular. 

Bad Trip: An LSD trip that goes awry. Usually indicated by paranoia, or intense, uncontrollable feelings or rarely suicidal urges. Also used to describe any bad experience. 

Bag: What you're into. Your profession/obsession. What you enjoy. "I hear your bag's nude meditation on acid!" 

Ball: To have sex. "I hear Mountain's been balling your old girlfriend Harmony." 

Ban the Bomb: Slogan calling for the end of nuclear weapons. The hippies were a generation raised in fear of THE BOMB. Trained as children to hide under school desks in air raid drills, they grew up to understand there was no hiding from nuclear war. 

Ban the Bra: Slogan symbolizing the Feminist Movement, women's rights and the sexual liberation of the 60s. 

Bangles: Hippie jewelry. Large, solid bracelets, several are often worn together on arms or legs.

Bandanna: Bandannas are headbands that keep your long hair out of your face. They also mop up the sweat on warm days. And since men don't usually wear berets or other feminine hair restraints, the bandanna does the job.

Basmati Rice: A special aromatic kind of rice from India.

Batik: Material made using the 'lost wax' process to create colorful patterns. Indonesian origin.

Beat Generation: See Beatniks Term coined by Jack Kerouac. 

Beatlemania: Used to describe the virtual hysteria that accompanied the Beatles on their tours. Also refers to the successful marketing of the Beatles, their records and other products. 

Beatniks: Derived from the term "beat", beatniks were the precursors of the hippies. This tribe included authors Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs and others who believed the essence in life is to follow your desires and experience all life has to offer. The beat music scene included jazz, folk and the emerging rock music. Beatniks had hangouts like Greenwich Village in New York when they weren't "On the Road". Beatniks experimented with unusual living arrangements, drugs, and innovative art. Word attributed to Herb Caen, a San Francisco columnist describing the Beat Generation in 1958. 

Beautiful People: Used to describe hippies or cool persons. 

Bean Bag Chair: A big amorphous chair covered with Naugahyde vinyl (or leather or other material)...usually filled with little styrofoam balls. You could sit in it and it would shape itself to you. They were very comfortable and relaxing. 

Be-In: One of the first gatherings of hippies, January 14, 1967 was at the Polo field in Golden Gate Park. It was called "A Gathering of the Tribes." In attendance were the Grateful Dead, the Jefferson Airplane, Timothy Leary, Allen Ginsberg, and thousands of stoned, tripping hippies with painted faces, beads, bells, robes, etc. The Diggers were there giving out free food. There was no big reason to be there, other than to be there, hence a Be-In. An event where you groove on everyone else. 

Bellbottoms: Pants with wide bell shaped legs worn by hippies. Bought as cheap clothing at Army/Navy surplus stores, these were navy issued denim pants for sailors, once they caught on they were popularized to the point that major manufacturers started making them. 

Benzedrine: 'Bennies'..'Pep Pills' 'Uppers'. Prescribed originally as diet pills, these became abused as mood elevators, and by college students studying all night.

Berkeley: City on San Francisco bay where the primary campus of the University of California is located. Berkeley was the origin of the Free Speech movement where the students confronted the University's policies regarding the right to be vocal and politically active on campus property. Berkeley was one of the centers of the protest movement in the 60's. Sproul Plaza was a gathering place for the protests. 

Biodiversity: Ecological concept that a healthy planet requires a diverse range of life forms. Threats to biodiversity are the destruction of rainforests, pollution, overfishing the seas, ozone depletion, etc.

Biomass: The sum total of life within a given ecosystem.

Birkenstocks - These sandals were all the rage in the early 70's. They are shaped to your foot and toes with a fair amount of support. Unfortunately they're not for everyone, as I could never get a pair that felt right for my feet. 

Black Muslim Movement: Black separatist movement advocating racial division and separation from White society. Two of these developed. One was under Elijah Muhammed. Malcolm X was part of this movement and chose to splinter off into a separate movement when he found himself in disagreement with Elijah Muhammed over the approach to separatism, Islam, and religious philosophy. 

Black Panthers: Armed, radical black political action group. Panthers were a response to the victimization of Black people by the white majority. Its leaders were imprisoned on various charges. See Black Power 

Black Power: Attributed to Stokely Carmichael who used it to encourage blacks to attain more political clout. For a time this was a uniting theme among black people in the U.S. It became a rallying cry for action against the racial injustice of the 50s and 60s. Black activists were ready to fight the system. Huey Newton, Bobby Seal, Eldridge Cleaver of the Black Panthers, Stokely Carmichael, Dick Gregory and Angela Davis were leaders in this radical movement. Some advocated revolution and the overthrow of the U.S. government. The Black Power movement struck fear into the heart of America's bigots and all the leaders were soon in jail, sometimes on trumped up charges, sometimes on real crimes. In any case the movement fractured, but the legacy of radical black activism had left its mark on America's psyche. 

Black is Beautiful!: Slogan used to instill pride among black Americans. 

Blacklight: A special purple light that causes certain colored paint to glow brightly in the dark. Found in head shops, they are used to add a psychedelic effect to posters and body paints. 

Blast: A really great party or time. British origin? "We had a blast at the Stones concert!" 

Blotter: A type of LSD on assorted colorful paper, often with funny or unusual designs, cut into small doses. 

Blow: Cocaine. To waste something. "Don't blow your dough on that schwag." 

Blow Your Mind: Surprise you in a mind expanding way by something unbelievable. "She really blew my mind with that head trip." 

Bong: A long cylindrical tube with a bowl, used to smoke marijuana, tobacco or other substances. 

Body Paint: To paint designs, words or slogans on one's body parts. Usually in wild patterns and often in paints that would glow under Blacklight. Body painting wasn't invented in the 60's, it's a very old form of decoration going back to the dawn of man. 

Bogart: To hog a joint while others are waiting. Term refers to Humphrey Bogart, who usually had a cigarette dangling from his mouth. 

Bread: Money. "Hey man, gotta any bread for the groceries?" 

Bring Down: Something or someone that ruins your day, and makes you lose your high. "My ol' man's bringin' me down." 

Bro: Used to describe any male friend. Usually someone you can trust. A spiritual brother. 

Buds: Not beer, but cannabis flowers. 

Bug: To bother someone. "Quit buggin' me!" 

Bummer: A bad thing. 

Bum Trip: See Bad Trip. 

Bunk: Bad drugs (fake not real like bunk doses). 

Bunker: Someone who sells fake drugs, rips people off. 

Burn: To get ripped off. "I got burned on that dope deal". Also to get mad. "I'm all burned up about that dope deal! 

Burn Baby Burn!: Slogan used to describe rioting during Black uprisings in U.S. cities during the civil strife of the late 60s. Detroit, Watts, Chicago, Cleveland and other cities experienced days of rioting and arson. See the The Hippy Timeline for what happened when. 

Burn-out: Too many drugs, unable to handle a situation that has gotten too familiar. Wasted. Feeling of never ending repetition. Inability to function. 

Busted: To get arrested. "Did you hear? Joe got busted for loitering." 

Buzz: Feeling of being high. "Did you catch a buzz from that joint?"

Caftan: A long, loose, brightly colored garment with long or elbow length sleeves from the eastern Mediterranean, similar to a dashiki.

Came Down: When the drug wore off you come down. 

Cannabis: Formal Latin name for marijuana. Two main subspecies are Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica. Indica has wide leaves and is short, while Sativa has narrow leaves and grows taller. Hybrids from both subspecies, blending the best traits, are often grown for commercial purposes. 

Cat: A male person who's hip. Beatnik term adopted by hippies. 

Centering: Figuratively, to find one's balance. To center one's awareness. 

Chakras: Yogic concept. The seven chakras are physical and vibrational energy centers associated with the human body. The first begins at the base of the spine moving to the seventh at the top of the head. It is believed that by raising one's awareness through the practice of Yoga one can transmute the lower energies of the first three chakras into the higher, finer vibrations of the remaining four chakras. 

Chapati: A flat round bread from India, similar to a Mexican Tortilla, used to scoop food, especially when eating with hands.

Charas: Hashish made by extended pressing of marijuana resin by hand, resulting in a black, cylindrical potent piece. 

Chicago 1968: Refers to the protests at the Chicago Democratic Convention where thousands of protesters, reporters and bystanders were caught up in a battle with the police. Mayor Daly took credit for the bloodshed while millions watched on T.V. 

Chicago Seven: The group of organizers of the protests at the Chicago Democratic Convention in 1968. The Chicago Seven included Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Black Panther leader Bobby Seale and Tom Hayden. They were charged with conspiracy and defended by William Kunstler. 

Chick: A girl. 

Choice: Like the FDHA stamp, refers to something of quality. "I got some choice buds for the party" 

City: Following certain words indicating profoundness or a lot of the previous word. "John Coltrane and Miles Davis were at the concert, man it was Jazz City!" 

Civil Rights Movement: Started in the 50's the civil rights movement gathered steam in the early '60s with marches, passive resistance and speeches. Foremost among the leaders were Martin Luther King Jr., Medgar Evers, Jesse Jackson, and Malcolm X. These protests and the non-violent means used were inspiration for the student anti-war protests that were to follow a few years later. 

Clean: After prolonged drug use, a period of abstinence which allows the body to remove all traces of drugs. A drug-free state. "I've been clean for six months now." 

Commune: Word comes from Communist ideology. Used to describe a group of people living together, and the place they live. Communes practice self-sufficiency, often farming the land. 

Conscientious Objector: A draftee could apply for 1-O status if they could prove that serving in the military went against their religious or moral beliefs. With 1-O status your were excused from military duty, but still required to do civilian service. During the Vietnam War, this status was rarely granted. 

Contact High: An altered state of consciousness that people get just being around other people who are doing psychedelic drugs. 

Cool: Groovy, OK, far out. "That's a real cool tie-dye!" 

Cool it: Or Be Cool. Mellow Out. Calm down or stop what you're doing. "Hey can you cool it with the loud music, I'm trying to mellow out." 

Co-op: Cooperative business, usually a health food store run by hippies. Members are part owners and many actively participate in the business. Based on Marxist principles. 

Cop out: Escape from responsibility. "Don't cop out when your bro is in need." 

Cosmic: An idea or person really out there on the edge of comprehension. 

Counterculture: The encompassing word for the hippie movement. Not just a sub-culture, but an entire spectrum of individuals rejecting the values of the dominant society. This term was far more acceptable to everyone than the word "hippies." 

Crash: To stay in someone else's place. To come down off Acid or another intense drug. 

Crash Pad: A place where hippies could hang out, do drugs, sleep, have sex, etc. without having to pay rent. They would come and go, with different people staying there every night. 

Crawdaddy: First magazine to cover the Rock Music scene. Published by Paul Williams, author of Das Energi. Crawdaddy is publishing again! 

Credibility Gap: This phrase was used to describe the public's growing unease with the U.S. government's public statements about the war in Vietnam ("we're winning", "it'll be over soon", etc.) and the increasingly obvious truth (more troops going over, more body bags coming back). 

Cuban Missile Crisis: - When U.S. satellite photos showed Soviet missile bases in Cuba, President Kennedy ordered a naval blockade of Cuba. The tense standoff nearly caused a nuclear war in 1962. 

Da Kine: Term for top quality Hawaiian pakalolo. 

Dahl: A very tasty, spicy Indian lentil stew, usually served with Basmati rice or chapatis.

Dashiki: A very colorful long sleeved African shirt. They pullover your head and have a v-cut below the neck. The dashiki is never tucked into your pants but worn as loose as possible. They are cool in summer. Hippies wore these because they have beautiful and colorful designs with African patterns. They are still very popular with African musicians. 

Day-Glo: Colorful paint that glows in the dark. Popular with psychedelic art on objects and faces, especially during the Electric Kool Aid Acid Tests. 

Dead Heads: Fans of the Grateful Dead. Some dead heads formed a sort of cult that followed the band on tour.

Designer Drugs: Any of a vast number of custom made drugs that are designed to be chemically different from illegal drugs, but similar in effect to those drugs. 

Dharma: Indian word for one's life purpose and work. The principle or law that orders the universe. 

Dharma Bums: Jack Kerouac's book about the beat philosophy's roots in Zen Buddhism. He chronicles his adventures in California and a trip across the country, ending in a reflective stint up on a mountain as a fire lookout. This "rucksack wanderer" sure met some interesting people on his journeys including poet Allen Ginsberg and Buddhist Gary Snyder. This book and "On The Road" inspired many a hippy to take to the road in search of onself. 

Dig: To understand. "Dig it?" To like something. "I really dig the Monkees." 

Diggers: Group that gave away food and clothes in Haight-Asbury. They followed the anti-materialist teachings of the English Diggers who fought against private ownership of land and property. 

Dime Bag: $10 worth of dope. 

Discotheques: Places to go hear rock music and see light shows and dance. Converted to Discos in the mid 70's. 

DMT: Dimethyltryptamine. A very powerful hallucinogen that is smoked in a pipe. It gives short intense trips of a very specific nature. 

Do your own thing!: Be yourself! Do what you want to do. "I got a few acres out in the country where I can do my own thing" 

Don't trust anyone over 30! - Popular saying on buttons in the 60s highlighting the generation gap. 

Dope: Drugs. 

Dose: From the word dosage, a single hit of a drug, especially LSD. If you do too much you overdose. 

Dovetail: A European styled and rolled joint, looks like a bird. 

Downer: Someone or something that brings you down, makes you sad. Derogatory. "It's a downer having Nixon as president!" 

Downers: Any drug used as a depressant-includes Seconal, Phenylbarbitol, and others. 

Draft: The mandatory call to military service for young men. All 18-year-old males are required to register with the Selective Service, which maintains records of your availability to serve in the military. It takes an act of Congress to reinstate the draft. 

Draft Card: Issued by the draft board, it was usually your ticket to Vietnam. Many antiwar protesters and draft dodgers burned their draft cards in public antiwar protests. This activity sent many of them to jail. 

Draft Dodger: Anyone who avoided the Vietnam era compulsory draft either by getting the draft board to declare him undesirable or by fleeing to another country, usually Canada. To be declared undesirable or 4-F, you would have to fail the physical or mental qualifications. Draft dodgers used techniques that ranged from conscientious objector (which rarely worked), to acting gay or pretending to be a junkie. 

Draft Lottery: The current system whereby your birthdate determines your draft eligibility. A number is drawn for every day of the year. If your birthday gets #15, then people born on your birthday will all be15th in line to be called. 

Drag: Bummer, something definitely unenjoyable. "It's a drag that we're outta dope!" 

Drop Acid: To take a dose of LSD. 

Drum Circle: A fun event where hippies get together to play drums or other percussion instruments and dance. These are reminiscent of pagan celebrations of special occasions like rites of passage or harvest. The rhythm of the beat tunes the participant into the group mind. The effect leads to a sense of community and transcendence. In other words it gets you high! Drum circles can be part of a larger event. 

Dude: A cat.

Earth First!: Radical environmental group that uses direct confrontation to save the environment. They are the group that put nails in trees to prevent logging.

Earth Shoe: A shoe especially designed with a "negative heel" (heel lower than the rest) to mimic a footprint in the sand. It was popular fad in the 60s that was supposed make you healthier, but in reality really screwed up your feet! Needless to say the company went out of business.

Easy Rider: 1969 film starring Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson and Dennis Hopper contrasting the freedom loving hippie lifestyle and more conservative American values with an unfortunate, but symbolic outcome. The song 'Born to Be Wild' by Steppenwolf added to the flavor. 

Ego Trip: The whole world revolves around people who are "on an ego trip". 

Electric Kool-Aid: Another term for LSD, coined when the Pranksters combined Kool-Aid and Acid during the Acid Tests of the 1960s. Used in the title of Tom Wolfe's book about Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, "The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test" 

The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test: Tom Wolfe's book about Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters. One of the great books about how LSD invaded America's consciousness, peaking during the Summer of Love. A tribute to Kesey, the Pranksters (including Neal Cassady, Ken Babbs, Mountain Girl and Wavy Gravy), and the whole psychedelic generation. Good insight into how the torch was passed from the Beats to the hippies. It also contrasts Kesey's "up front", experiential movement versus Timothy Leary's experimental, insightful approach to the LSD trip. 

Endangered Species: Any animal, plant or other species that is on the verge of extinction. Since the 1960s hundreds of species have either been placed on the Endangered Species list or have been removed due to extinction.

Enlightenment: Attainment of a higher awareness of the reality beyond the illusion (Maya). 

Environmental Defense Fund: Organization that seeks to prevent pollution through education and coordinated efforts.

E.R.A.: The Equal Rights Amendment. Bans discrimination based upon sex. Still not law. Written in 1921 by suffragist Alice Paul it passed Congress in 1972, was ratified by 35 states, 3 short of the number needed to make it law. 

Fad: A popular craze, a temporary fashion. 

Far Out!: Something wonderful. An expression of glee or approval. Also a way of saying thanks. 

Feds and Heads: A classic dope dealing game. 

Fillmore posters - The Fillmore East and West were concert venues in the 60's that had introuduced some of the biggest rock acts to American audiences including The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, etc. The posters for those concerts are now collectors' items and some are very valuable since the artwork was very psychedelic and symbolic of the times. 

Finger Hash: Potent Black Nepalese hashish formed into finger shapes or charas. 

Flaky: Someone unreliable, untrustworthy. 

Flashback: A spontaneous psychedelic experience that reminds one of a previous trip, but without any drugs. "Every time I climb that mountain I get flashbacks from my acid trip there back in 1969." 

Flip Out: To lose it. To go crazy. "Mike flipped out after his chick Sunshine left." 

Floating: High on drugs. 

Fly: To be high. "Two tokes of that stuff and you're flying!" 

Flower Children: The hippies were called Flower Children because they wore flowers in their hair, on their clothes and painted flowers on everything. 

Flower Power: Term coined in 1965 by Allen Ginsberg at an anti-war rally in Berkeley. It was Ginsberg's way of encouraging a non-violent response to violence protesters encountered. Since hippies were fond of wearing and sharing flowers, Flower Power was the hippie equivalent of the Black Power movement. An extension of the Peace and Love theme, Flower Power assumed that the power of Love would win out over violence and hate. 

Flowers: Cannabis buds. 

Four-Twenty, 4:20: Originally referred to the California penal code for marijuana use. Adopted by heads as the time to light up! It's currently very popular for the name of websites, and it appears regularly in marijuana magazines. 

Freak: To be very excited about something. "He's a VW bus freak". Also to get upset or to be afraid of something - see Freak Out. 

Freak Flag: Long Hair 

Freaks: A descriptive term for hippies. Like the old Freak show in a carnival, hippies were so different and their behaviors so bizarre by ordinary standards they were considered freaks. But really it's an affectionate term used within the hippy community to describe someone really into being themselves, however outlandish that might be.

Freak Out: To go wild over something, or to have a really wild experience. "They all freaked out when he showed up in body paint alone." To get very upset about something or to be very afraid.

Freaky: Something really weird or frightening.

Freedom Fighter: Current Hippie term (late 80's-90's) for a person involved in the political movement to legalize grass. 

Free Love: The idealistic concept embraced by the hippies that Love and sex needn't be bound by convention. People are free to love whomever they please, whenever they please, wherever they please, without attachment or commitment. This was practiced by many hippies and helped spawn the Women's and Gay Liberation Movements. 

Free Speech Movement: Arose in 1964, on the Berkeley campus of the University of California as a result of the administration prohibiting student political activities on campus. Students held rallies on the steps of the Administration building (Sproul Hall) and sit-ins inside demanding freedom of speech. Many students were beaten, arrested, and some are suspended including Mario Savio, the founder of the movement and one of the more outspoken student protesters. Eventually the Berkeley faculty members came up with a proposal to restore free speech and the University Chancellor was replaced. 

Fried: Burned out from doing too much dope.

Fritz the Cat: Cartoonist R. Crumb's fabled feline became famous for appearing in two feature films. 

Fry: To be too high, usually on psychedelic drugs. "I did 300 mikes, I'm frying!" 

Friends of the Earth: An affiliation of international environmental organizations in 63 countries. Friends of the Earth seeks to raise awareness of ecological issues affecting the planet, and provide coordinated solutions to the most pressing problems facing the planet.

Funky: This word was given a new meaning by the hippies. It described clothing that wasn't supposed to go together, but somehow managed to look good. The meaning of the word became more vague, but still meant something with an unusual campy style, like clothes, music, or attitude. Get Funky! 

Fuzz: Another name for the police. Pigs, cops, and 'the man' were other commonly used terms. 

Gay Liberation Movement: An outgrowth of the Sexual Liberation movement that started when NYC police raided a Greenwich Village gay bar in 1968. In the resulting riot 2000 demonstrators battled 400 police with many injuries. 

Generation Gap: Term highlighting the differences in perspective between hippies and their parents. 

Get High: To turn on. To do a drug. To alter your consciousness in a pleasant way. "I got high just listening to Joni sing!" 

Get into it!: Dig it! Go for it! Do it with your whole being. 

Get it together!: Also: Get your shit together. Shape up! 

Get Laid: Have sex. 

Get Real!: Stop dreaming! "Get real man, nobody's gonna get high smokin' banana peels!" 

Getting Off: When a drug takes effect and you start to get high. Also means to enjoy something. "I get off on Jerry's licks." 

Gig: A concert or a job. Something to do. 

Gimme Shelter: Documentary movie about the ill fated Altamont concert. Also a Rolling Stones song about the event. 

Give Peace a Chance: Saying on banners and John Lennon song sung by protesters. 

Go Down: Something happening. "What went down at the protest yesterday?" Also a blow job (oral sex). "She went down on me and I let loose!" 

Going through Changes: To have a transforming experience. A negative experience. "My parents are putting me through changes" 

Go For It!: Do it! 

Gone: Really out of it. Not aware. Asleep. 

Go Straight: To stop using drugs. To get your "act" together. 

Go with the Flow: Taoist philosophy of living in the moment, without struggle, letting things happen as they may. 

Granny Glasses: Small wire framed glasses with round or square colored lenses. Made popular by rock musicians including John Lennon and Jerry Garcia. 

Grass: Marijuana 

Great Society: LBJ's far-reaching economic and social plan begun in the boom years of the early 1960's. It achieved some worthwhile goals including Medicare and other workers benefits. It got sidetracked by the financial burden of the Vietnam War. 

Green: Someone active in the Ecology Movement. A product that respects ecology, using biodegradable substances for example. 

Greenwich Village: Also referred to as "The Village". Home to the Beats in the late 50s, early 60s when the coffeehouse scene was hot. Artists, writers, poets, musicians all were attracted to the area. Later in the 60s, the hippies invaded and the scene moved to the less expensive East Village where institutions like the Fillmore East kept things lively.

Greenpeace: Activist organization founded to fight for the global environment. Greenpeace has the highest profile of environmental groups due to their daring actions especially on the high seas.

Grok: A deep understanding of a concept. From Robert Heinlein's novel Strangers in a Strange Land. 

Groove: A good habit or style. "I'm getting into the groove of doing gigs every week." 

Groovy!: Very pleasing, wonderful. 

Guitar Army: Book/Manifesto written by John Sinclair outlining the counterculture revolution of the Woodstock Nation 

Guru: A teacher, often spiritual, especially in India. 

Haight-Ashbury: The famous intersection in San Francisco near Golden Gate Park where the hippies came in the Summer of Love, and never left! This area was the focus for much of the hippie movement's beginnings and inspiration. 

Hair!: Hit Broadway rock musical famous as much for its nudity as for its music. Famous tunes include 'Aquarius', 'Hair', 'Good Morning Starshine'. 

Hallucination: An altered state of awareness where one perceives a completely different objective reality. More than just visual distortions, the person believes the hallucination to be real. 

Hang Up: A personality quirk resulting from something bothersome that makes your life miserable. "She ignored me! She must be all hung up about my new girlfriend." 

Happening: An event where people get together just to be together, usually involving music. 

Happy Trails!: Have a nice TRIP! Refers to the visual distortions perceived under the influence of LSD.

Hare Krishnas: Religious group which grew during the 60s by recruiting many hippies. Characterized by their chanting, colorful robes, shaven heads and pigtails they could be seen parading through city streets around the country. They worship the Hindu God, Krishna and abstain from meat, hoping to achieve higher consciousness through devotion. 

Hash Bash: The US first and longest running protest for the legalization of Marijuana. (Takes place at the University of Michigan every April 1st). Also a show/contest displaying various types of hashish and marijuana in Amsterdam. 

Hashish: Compressed potent form of marijuana, produced in the Middle East, Himalayan region and Africa. Also known as hash. Process removes resin containing THC from the marijuana plant usually using screens, or hands. 

Hassle: A bother, something that you'd rather not deal with. "Don't hassle me about the rent, I'll get it later." 

Head: Some one who enjoys and does a lot of certain drugs like "pot head" or "acid head". 

Head Shops: (Boutiques) Stores that catered to hippies or the young. Clothes, comics, beads, candles, jewelry and drug paraphernalia were obtainable at these shops. They also made good hang outs. 

Head Trip: To play games with someone's mind. A person or situation that messes with your mind. 

Heavy Metal: Hard, loud rock music, characterized by a heavy beat and thunderous guitars. Term originated with Steppenwolf (heavy metal thunder) in the song "Born to Be Wild". 

Hell No We Won't Go!: Popular chant of draft resisters at demonstrations against the war in Vietnam. 

High: Stoned. An altered state. Pleasantly turned on. 

High Times Magazine: Monthly magazine focused on marijuana and other drugs. A leading proponent of decriminalization of marijuana, and the producer of the annual Cannabis Cup event in Amsterdam.

Hip: Aware of what's going on. Knowledgeable. "I'm hip to what's happening." Something cool or groovy. "Those are the hippest love beads I've ever seen!" 

Hip Huggers: Jeans that rested low on the hips, exposing the navel, especially on a girl wearing a halter-top. 

Hippie: A person who's hip. Hippies did not refer to themselves as such. The term became derogatory but is again fashionable if not entirely complementary. The whole anti-materialist, anti-war, pro peace, pro mind expansion counterculture has been termed the Hippie Movement. San Francisco writer Michael Fallon applied the term "hippie" to the SF counterculture in an article about the Blue Unicorn coffeehouse where LEMAR (Legalize Marijuana) & the Sexual Freedom League meet, & hippie houses. 

Hit: A dose of a drug, like a "hit of acid" or a "hit from the joint" 

Hit and Run: To be at a demonstration or protest and be chased by police while stopping to take a toke, then running off to avoid arrest. 

Hog Farm: This activist, mobile commune once was located on a mountain top near L.A. in the 60s. Later, the Hog Farm went on the road living in a fleet of converted school buses and traveled the country protesting the Vietnam War. At Woodstock '69, the Hog Farm helped feed the assembled multitude, and assisted those having bad trips. After Woodstock, the Hog Farm personnel traveled through Europe to Nepal, and distributed medical supplies to Pakistani flood victims. The Hog Farm's most famous personage, Wavy Gravy, a Merry Prankster, was a founding member. 

Holding: In possession of something, usually dope. "I'm holding a special lid for you." 

Howl: Allen Ginsberg's controversial book of poetry that was declared obscene and banned. Ginsberg won the court case, a landmark for free speech. Ginsberg pioneered a new style of writing and artfully expressed his innermost rage at society's shortcomings. Ginsberg's dramatic reading of this work at coffeehouses in the 50s and 60s enthralled those "angelheaded hipsters" and established his reputation in literary circles. 

Hype: To promote something excessively. "This book sure hypes hippies!"

I Love You Alice B. Toklas: 1968 Peter Sellers' movie where he is a lawyer who falls for a hippie girl who teaches him to mellow out with the help of some marijuana brownies. 

If it feels good do it!: Don't be inhibited, explore what life has in store for you. 

IFIF: International Foundation for Internal Freedom. Founded by Timothy Leary to promote LSD research & publish The Psychedelic Review. 

In: Whatever's trendy at the moment. "Beatle boots and granny glasses are really IN now!" 

Incense: Incense has been used for millennia to provide a ritual cleansing of a room for religious services. Temples and churches are fond of it. Supposedly it drives out the "evil spirits". Most of the incense we use in the west comes from India. When the hippies got going they would buy incense to mask the smell of marijuana. Incense can also assist in meditation by giving your space an exotic feel. Since incense comes in a wonderful assortment of scents you can just use it to add a nice fragrance to your house. 

Jackson State: Two student protesters at Jackson State University (Mississippi) were shot and killed by state police on May 15th, 1970. 

Jeanette Rankin Brigade: A coalition of women's peace groups, who demonstrated against the Vietnam war at the opening of Congress in 1968. 5000 women attended. 

Jesus Freaks: A movement of people who just discovered Jesus and Christianity. They would get together with signs and banners to promote Jesus. Some hippies went this route. Often they were 'false' hippies, who used the hip image to proselytize Christianity. Hippies who were Christians sincerely were also Jesus Freaks...and were cool. 

Joint: A marijuana cigarette. 

Jonesing: When you want something real bad especially drugs. 

Joneser: Someone who wants drugs real bad that he'll rip you off if he has to. 

Junkie: A heroin addict.

Kama Sutra: Tantric Indian guide to enlightenment though sexual union. Lots of sexual positions to help you get there!

Karma: Indian term for fate. You reap what you sow. Our condition in this life is a result of our actions in past lives. We reincarnate until we free ourselves from our Karmic indebtedness. 

Kefir: A yummy yogurt like drink with live cultures, often mixed with fruit. A staple in Health Food stores.

Kent State: University where four students were shot and killed by National Guardsmen during an antiwar protest on May 4, 1970. There is a monument to the students on the Kent State Campus which is still incomplete. Student activists still have an annual memorial gathering on the day of the shootings. 

Key: A kilo of marijuana or other drug.

Kicks: Something you do for fun. Something enjoyable. 

Kif: The Moroccan term for marijuana that hasn't been processed into hashish. Often mixed with tobacco and smoked in a sipsi. 

Kilim: Islamic rug, with colorful geometric patterns, usually made of wool and silk.

Killer: Something really great, powerful, or impressive. "That was sure some killer weed we smoked." 

Kundalini: A form of energy that lies dormant at the base of the spine that is channeled upward through the chakras via yoga. 

Laid Back: Someone relaxed, easygoing. A place that's cool. "I've been to the commune, it's real laid back." 

Lassie: No, not a dog or young girl, but a refreshing, cooling drink from India made with yogurt. Sometimes served cold, sometimes with a touch of rosewater, often with mango or other fruit. A delicious precursor to the smoothie.

Later: Good bye. See you later.

Lay: To have sex, or someone with whom you have sex. "She was a great lay." 

Lay it on me: Give it to me. 

Laugh-In: A popular sixties comedy show with Dan Rowan and Dick Martin as the hosts. Stars included Flip Wilson, Goldie Hawn, Judy Carne and Arte Johnson. Famous for its humor, zaniness, social commentary and frenetic pace and editing. It captured the sixties style and attitude and added it's own set of expressions to the times, like "sock it to me!". 

Lava Lamp - The original is a glass lamp lit from the bottom with an oily liquid inside that rises in colorful amorphous bubbles. These lamps are now enjoying a revival and can be purchased via the net. 

Lemon Pipers: One or more person(s) who puts a hole through a lemon (other fruit can also be used) then inserts a joint at the other end and inhales thereby not only cooling the smoke but giving the smoke a scented flavor. (Rolling papers eventually caught up to this fad and offer a flavored paper commercially). 

Licks: Chops. Groove. A musician's musicianship. The music they make. 

Lid: A bag of grass, usually about an ounce (28 grams). 

Light Shows: A visual performance accompanying music at clubs and concert venues using strobes, film, video, special effects and more recently lasers. First pioneered by Ken Kesey & the Merry Pranksters during the Acid Tests, The Trips Festival and the Fillmore during the 60s. Andy Warhol also put on some famous light shows in NYC. 

Love beads: Love beads were originally made from small seeds. They came in numerous patterns, and were given as gifts between friends or made by the wearer. They were a common sign of friendship. 

Love-In: Like a Be-In it was a reason to get together with other hippies and have fun. Loving everyone and everything was the general theme of the event. 

LSD or LSD25: Lysergic Acid Diethylamide. a rye ergot derivative. First synthesized and absorbed inadvertently by Albert Hoffman of Sandoz Labs, Switzerland in 1938. Extremely hallucinogenic in minute doses, measured in micrograms. Effects can last up to 24 hours depending upon dose. Used in psychotherapy in the 50s and 60s. Researched at Harvard by Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert. Both left Harvard and Leary continued as high priest of the LSD movement. In the 60s acid became the popular way to "trip". An LSD trip is not to be taken lightly. It is a profound soul shaking experience that expands one's perceptions and broadens one's mind. Reactions to LSD, which include physiological and behavioral changes, anxiety, and hallucinations, are influenced by the amount of the drug taken and the user's personality and expectations. 

Lude: A Quaalude, a depressant drug. 

Maintain: To keep one's shit together. "Every since my babe left me I'm finding it hard to 

maintain." 
 

Make Love Not War!: Slogan that sums up the hippie attitude. Appeared on signs and buttons during protests against Vietnam War. 

Man: A dude. The Man is the police. Man! means damn! My Man! means a friend. 

Mandala: A colorful Tibetan Buddhist geometric artwork used to assist meditation.

Mantra: A form of meditation that uses repeated phrase(s) that help to free the yogi from random thoughts by focusing on the phrase. Different mantras have different effects. 

Marinol: Pharmaceutical extract of marijuana, allowed (by U.S. gov't) for those who have prescription for marijuana. 

Mary Jane: Marijuana 

Maui Wowie: The fabulously sweet, potent pot grown on the island of Maui in Hawaii. 

Maya: The veil of materiality and self-delusion that screens us all from the true reality of oneness. 

Meditation: An exercise where one focuses one's attention, relieving stress, allowing contemplation. 

Mellow: Something pleasant and enjoyable. Often used to describe the marijuana high. 

Mellow Yellow: Donovan song that had everyone thinking you could get high smoking banana 

peels. One of the greatest put-ons courtesy of the Berkeley Barb. 
 

Mellow out!: Calm down! Equal to chill out! 

Mescaline: A hallucinogenic alkaloid in the peyote cactus plant, still used for Native American ritual purposes. These cacti are eaten in raw form. Processed mescaline compound was ingested as a pill form. Synthetic mescaline made a brief appearance mixed with chocolate powder and was one of the best highs ever - it made you laugh uncontrollably for hours. Anyone know how to make more? 

Microdot: A type of LSD in a colorful tiny pill. 

Mikes: The number of micrograms as in a dose of LSD.

Military-Industrial Complex: The leading force in the American economy in the 60s. The combination of large American industries with huge defense contracts. Reaps profits from war. Blamed for lobbying Congress to increase military spending, to step up war in Vietnam. In 1960 President Eisenhower warned that the Military-Industrial complex was getting too big and powerful. Today this group of special interests is still determining US foreign policy and keeping the Defense budget ever growing.

Mind Game: When someone tries to control your mind, often by trying to bullshit you. 

Mini-skirt: A very short skirt that usually reveals not only a lot of intimate feminine curves, but much about the personality of the woman wearing it! A controversial symbol of Sexual Liberation because on the one hand women wearing it were touting their sexual freedom, but on the other hand were perpetuating the stereotype of women as a sexual objects. Go figure!

Miso: A salty thick paste, the residue from making soy sauce, popular for making Japanese soups. Supposedly it has healing properties. They say it can lessen the effect of radiation poisoning (who better to know about this than the Japanese?).

Moby Grape: San Francisco band that made great music, but failed commercially. 

Monterey Pop Festival: This was the first rock festival ever. Held in 1967, it showcased a whole new genre of music. Produced by Paul Simon, Johnny Rivers and John Phillips (of the Mamas and Papas) it was an event that almost didn't happen. Disagreement between the producers (who wanted to charge for the concerts) and the musicians (who wanted it to be free) were resolved thanks to impresario Bill Graham. Acts included memorable performances by Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. The event was filmed and is available on video.

More power to you!: Good for you!
 

Movie: The reality we create for ourselves based upon a script we are constantly writing. This concept allows us to take control of the circumstances of our lives by recognizing we are not victims but actors in a play who can change our role whenever we choose. 

Mr. Natural: Cartoonist R. Crumb's popular philosophical character was a spoof of gurus and their followers. 

Munchies: Also known as the raving munchies. The mad craving for food, often sweets that you get after smoking marijuana. It's so effective as an appetite stimulant, that's one of the main reasons it's prescribed by doctors for AIDS patients and those undergoing chemotherapy. 

Naked Lunch: William S. Burroughs' breakthrough autobiographical/Science Fiction book about the Interzone, where drugs, murder, and homosexuality rule. Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac helped Burroughs piece together the stream of consciousness fragments of prose (Kerouac is credited with the title). Considered a landmark work of fiction, it was banned in Boston as obscene until the courts ruled otherwise creating a legal precedent for free speech. Made into an excellent movie by David Cronenburg. 

Napalm: Controversial inflammable defoliant used in Vietnam by U.S. military to clear ground cover and expose enemy. However many civilians including women and children were seriously burned or died when napalm fell from the skies upon their villages.

Nehru Jacket: Very dressy Indian made shirt/jacket with short collar turned up and rounded buttons. Usually made with very fine material, like silk or linen. Became popular around the time the Beatles went to India. 

NEPA: National Environmental Policy Act. In effect since 1970, it mandates that the Federal Government monitor and regulate the quality of the environment. It was followed by the Clean Air and Water Acts. 

Nepalese Temple Balls: Top quality Nepalese hashish shaped into balls. Supposedly used by monks in Buddhist rites. 

Nickel Bag: $5 worth of dope.

No nukes is good nukes!: Popular bumper sticker and banner in the sixties protesting nuclear weapons. 

N.O.W.: National Organization for Women. Started in 1966 this activist organization seeks economic equality, abortion, sexual and reproductive rights for women. They also oppose racism and violence against women. One of its founders and first president was Betty Friedan, author of The Feminine Mystique (1963). NOW is the largest feminist organization in the world. 

Nuggets: Buds

O'd: See Overdose. 

Off the Pigs: Radical slogan used by Black Panthers encouraging confrontation with the police. Literally meant: Kill the Police. 

OM: Also AUM. The cosmic vibration. A very powerful sound. Used as a mantra and in affirmations and blessings. 

OP Art: Optical illusion style of art. Many artists tried this style in various mediums. Geometric patterns that fool the eye with an illusion of three dimensions. This style reached a peak during the hippie era. 

Organic: Something grown and processed without the use of chemical fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, etc. Organic farming methods include mulching, composting, use of natural pest control, crop rotation, etc. More generally something from nature, not man-made.

Orange Sunshine: A type of LSD in the form of a tiny orange barrel, usually containing other adulterants like speed. Also called Orange Barrels. 

Out: Gone, no more left. "Bummer, I'm outta smoke!" 

Out of it: Some one who's out there. Not with it. Asleep. 

Outtasight!: Fantastic! 

Overdose: Take too much of a drug. "Jimi overdosed on life." Also O'd. 

Paisleys - These fractal like patterns appeared on clothes in the sixties and were a popular psychedelic design. 

Pakalolo - Hawaiian marijuana. 

Paraquat: Chemical defoliant supposedly used by Mexico and U.S. governments to eradicate marijuana. Paraquat is very toxic as it contains dioxins which poison the ground and water.

Patchouli - For some reason this is the fragrance most associated with hippies, probably because it masks the smell of marijuana. You can still smell it in most head shops. A very strong earthy, flowery smell, usually found on hippie girls wearing long peasant dresses. Origin - India.

Peak Experience: Refers to any intense personal experience, often drug induced. See Peaking. 

Peaking: Term for reaching the highest high on an LSD trip or other psychedelic experience. 

Peace Symbol: The familiar circle with lines was originally the symbol for nuclear disarmament. Bertrand Russell is credited with creating the symbol in 1958 from the semaphore flag signals for letters N(uclear) and D(isarmament). It first appeared in the anti-nuclear protest of the early sixties, and was used extensively during the anti-war movement as a more generic peace symbol. 

People's Park: In 1969, hippies setup camp on some vacant land near UC Berkeley and called it the People's Park. On Memorial Day, 20,000 appeared with flowers at the park. By July the authorities forcibly removed all the squatters (hurting many) and the park was closed.

PETA: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Activist organization for animal rights. They have staged many dramatic actions to free animals from persecution and experimentation. They've also had many court cases against individuals and companies that abuse animals.

Pigs: Derogatory name for police. 

Pissed-Off: Also Ticked-Off or Pissed. Upset or angry.

Plastic: Something or someone artificial, unreal. "I hate shopping malls, they're so plastic." 

Plateau: The period of maximum effect of a drug, just after the peak, and before coming down. 

Platform Shoes: Raised shoes that were all the rage in the 60s. The first were Dutch klogs, but they soon became higher, more colorful, very fashionable, and even men started wearing them.

Pot: Marijuana. 

Power to the People!: Used by Black Panthers and others to describe the need to change the existing power structure. 

Primo: First quality stuff. "Those buds were primo!"

Psilocybin: A hallucinogen contained in certain mushrooms of the genus psilocybe. Fresh mushrooms can be found in many places around the world, usually popping up in cowpies. Can be eaten raw (after washing), or brewed as tea, or cooked in omelets. The mushrooms are sold over the counter in enlightened countries like Holland. Very popular with the rave set.

Psychedelic: Hallucinatory experience sometimes brought on by altered state of awareness, via drugs like LSD or some other experience or art work. The word originated in correspondence between Aldous Huxley and Humphrey Osmond in the '50s. From Greek, it literally means a substance that reveals the nature of the soul. 

Puna Butter: The smooth, sweet, and strong sinsemilla marijuana grown on the Big Island of Hawaii. 

Purple Haze: A type of LSD, also a famous song by Jimi Hendrix about the drug. 

Purple Micro-Dot: Known for its color and considered the little sister of the legendary Purple Haze! 

Pusher: Someone who sells drugs, usually in reference to hard drugs like heroin.

Put On: A joke on somebody. "Is that story real or are you just putting me on?" 

Quadrophonic: Four channel surround sound first introduced in movie theaters then in home hi-fi systems. Now evolved into Dolby or DBX surround sound.

Question Authority!: Popular button in the sixties encouraging people to challenge the powers that be, particularly the government. 

Rainbow Family: Group of hippy gypsies who meet up once a year for a Rainbow Gathering. During the Gathering they live together and cooperate in a communal setting. They incorporate many American Indian customs in their Gatherings. Local chapters also have events. 

Rainbow Gathering: See Rainbow Family. 

Rainbow People's Party: Movement and political party that grew out from the White Panther Party 

Rainforest Action Network: Founded in 1985, this activist organization focuses on the needs and problems of the Earth's rainforests. It has a good emphasis on educating children to the perils facing our planet.

Rap: To have a friendly discussion. 

Rasta: Rastafarian. Someone who follows the teachings of Marcus Garvey and Haille Sellassie, and worships Jah (God). Rastafarians wear their hair in dreadlocks, and smoke ganja as the sacred herb. Bob Marley was the most famous Rastafarian.

Redstockings: Radical feminist group who published "The Bitch Manifesto." They split from the National Organization of Women (NOW) and sought to raise the consciousness of women. 

Reefer: Old term for marijuana from the 30's-50's. 

Reefer Madness: Term allegedly describing how crazy people get after smoking marijuana. This was typical of the propaganda promoted by the U.S. government following marijuana prohibition. This was also the title of a famous movie purporting to show the dangers of marijuana. Now more of a funny cult film. The poster from the film was very popular in the 60's-70's. 

Resin: The clear sticky liquid marijuana produces to capture pollen. It is very high in THC content. Heating this resin causes it to vaporize the THC, and when inhaled it gets you high. Resin is separated from marijuana to make hashish. Resin is also the term for the dark, coating formed inside pipes used for smoking marijuana and hashish. 

Right On!: Strong agreement, affirmative, yes! Sometimes accompanied by a clenched fist. 

Righteous: Something really great. 

Rip Off: To steal, or have something stolen. "Someone ripped off my last lid!" 

Ripped: Very stoned. "I got really ripped on that Colombian last night!" 

Roach: What remains of joint of marijuana when you smoke it way down. Often saved and smoked later in desperation when you're tapped out. 

Roach Clips: Small devices that hold on to a roach so it can be smoked. 

Rolling Stone Magazine: Music magazine with famous covers of just about everyone in the biz. Stories, reviews, and music calendar make this magazine a must. 

Rush: What you experience as a drug takes effect. A quick change of consciousness that creates a dizzying sensation. "I love it when the Dead jam, what a rush!" 

Samadhi: Derived from Yoga, this term refers to the transcendence of personal ego to attain a state of oneness with true reality. A state of bliss. 

Sandoz: The Swiss drug company that discovered LSD-25 and made it available for psychological therapy. A term for LSD. 

Scam: A plot to defraud people. 

Scene: The locale and the cool people who attend comprise the "scene". A party with an atmosphere you appreciate. 

Schwag: Low quality weed, or just something that sucks in general 

Score: To finally get something highly desired. "Dude, I scored a gram of some killer Nepalese finger hash." 

SCUM: The Society for Cutting Up Men. Founded by feminist Valerie Solanis, the woman who shot Andy Warhol. In 1967, she wrote the SCUM Manifesto, which declared war against men and the male dominated society. 

Screw: To have sex. "We screwed all night". Insult. "Screw you!". 

Screw Magazine: Pioneering Porno Magazine published by Al Goldstein. 

SDS: Students for a Democratic Society. Leftist group that organized many student protests against ROTC on campus, against the draft and the war. Some of the more radical elements formed the Weathermen, who believed in using violent means to get their message across. They were responsible for bombing banks and businesses of the establishment. After an explosion at a Greenwich Village Brownstone killed several Weathermen, the remaining members went underground. 

Self-Determination: The right of any people to determine for themselves who should govern them and how. The U.S. action in Vietnam denied the Vietnamese the right of self-determination. 

Selling Out: To sacrifice one's counter-culture ideals for acceptance by society or material gain. 

Shag: To screw, have sex. (England) 

Shake: Loose leafy (sometimes seedy) marijuana left at the bottom of the bag after the buds have been removed. 

Shit: Dope of one kind or another. Could be called "good shit" or "bad shit", both meaning it's good. 

Shotgun: To reverse the joint in ones mouth and blow the smoke into the mouth of another. 

Sierra Club: Founded in 1892 by conservationists including John Muir, the Sierra Club tries to influence public environmental policy through legislation and lobbying rather than activism.

Silent Majority: President Richard Nixon used this term to describe the majority of Americans who he felt supported the government's policies in Vietnam but weren't as vocal as the minority of protesters. 

Sipsi or Sebsi: A long narrow pipe with a small bowl, made from wood or metal. Used to smoke kif or hashish in Morocco. 

Smashing!: From England, something really cool! 

Smoking Stone: A ceramic styled small stone with an opening at both ends to cool the heat off the weed before inhaling.

Smoothie: A delicious drink, popularized by hippies, usually made with yogurt, fresh fruit, fruit juice, ice cream or milk. Popular additions are bee pollen, protein powder, nutritional yeast, dates, nuts, you name it! 

Skunk: Descriptive term for very strong smelling marijuana. Also a popular hybrid variety of marijuana. 

Sock it to me!: A recurring segment on Laugh-In, a popular sixties comedy show. Richard Nixon appeared on the show turning it into a question, Sock it to me? And we did! 

Soul on Ice: Book written by Eldridge Cleaver, minister of information for the Black Panthers, during his imprisonment, baring his soul. 

Soybeans: One of the best sources of nutrition on the planet. Soy can be made into so many products, and is healthy for the planet because it puts nitrogen into the earth. Soybeans are made into tofu, tempeh, soymilk (great for dairy allergies), TVP (texturized vegetable protein - used in place of meat), soy sauce, miso, printer's ink (biodegradable!), ice "cream", soy oil (the most common type of oil!) even animal feed. The only plant that might have more uses than the soybean is marijuana - believe it or not (higher protein, better oil, great fiber, excellent medicine, etc.)!

Space Cadet: Someone really spaced out on a regular basis. 

Spaced Out: Not all here, possibly stoned. Also Spacey.

Split: To leave the scene. "I gotta split now, or my ol' lady's gonna be pissed." 

Sproul Plaza: Rallying point on the UC Berkeley campus where students gathered to hear music and speeches during the student uprisings of the '60s. In May 1969, Gov. Ronald Reagan ordered the gassing (by helicopter!) and disbursement of students at the plaza, wounding 60 people and setting off 17 days of street fighting where 130 were shot and wounded. Police cordoned off the plaza prior to the gassing, trapping all the students and causing panic. "If it's a blood bath they want, then let it be now." - Ronald Reagan. 

Square: Someone who follows all the rules or is part of the establishment. Something uncool. 

Stash: Your hidden dope supply. "I'll get my stash and meet you at the Be-In." 

Sticks: Small stems from cannabis plant. "That bag was fulla sticks, but the smoke was choice!" 

Stoked: Totally happy about something. 

Stoned: High, from having ingested a drug. Common description of getting high on marijuana. It refers to the mind numbing effects of a drug. 

Stop the War!: The Vietnam War. 

Straight: Some one who doesn't do drugs, or isn't into the "scene". A square. Also when you're drug free (see clean). 

Strawberry Alarm Clock: No, not a fruity timepiece, but a band that recorded one big hit, Incense and Peppermints. 

Strobe lights: Used at parties and rock concerts. These bright flashing lights added a groovy psychedelic effect like flash bulbs going off in sequence. It would freeze the action for a split second, allowing the camera in your mind to record the moment. 

Summer of Love: The summer of 1967 when thousands of young people converged on San Francisco to experience being free. Highlights of that summer included the Monterey Pop Festival which showcased the talents of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, the Jefferson Airplane and many more. The Grateful Dead exploded on the scene and Love-Ins and Be-Ins were excuses for everyone to get high together. 

STP: An extremely long-lasting and potent psychedelic drug. Trips would last three days, and some would never come back. Fortunately, this drug is no longer available. 

Strung out: Feeling really bad because you're out of dope or something else you really want. The mental stress resulting from a craving. 

Student Deferment: Exemption from military service due to high school or college enrollment. This type of deferment was terminated when the draft lottery began. Now students can only get deferments until the end of their current term, or until they graduate high school. 

Synchronous/Synchronicity: When two separate events or thoughts manifest at the same time with a similar meaning. Carl Jung gave much significance to such events and the person(s) who recognize the synchronicity. 

The System: The catchall phrase for the evil power structure that oppresses the masses, controls the economics, and creates war. Refers to capitalism. 

Tab: A hit of Acid

Tamari: A high quality Japanese soy sauce.

Tantra: Yogic sexual practice that seeks to raise awareness by moving energy from the lower to higher chakras through the sexual act. 

Tapped Out: Out of money. "I'd lend you the dough, but I'm all tapped out." 

Tao: "The way". Oriental philosophy taught by Lao Tzu, and adopted by many hippies. "Go with the flow" is the path of least resistance, indicating that you are in synch with the universe.

Teach-In: In the early days of the anti-war movement, college professors held teach-ins where they explained the situation in Vietnam to students who then got active in the movement. In October, 1965, Jerry Rubin and the Vietnam Day Committee staged a 24 hour teach-in at U.C. Berkeley about the escalating war. 

Teeny Boppers: In the 60s, teenagers too young to be hippies, had their own social group. Teeny boppers presented a new market for the media to conquer. They had their own music like the Partridge Family, The Cowsills, The Jackson 5, and The Monkees. Since big business couldn't sell to the hippies, they targeted their commercialism at this new group. Older hippies used this term to describe this younger generation. 

Tempeh: A cultured soy product from Indonesia. It comes in flat blocks and can be served numerous ways. Somewhat of an acquired taste.

Tetrahydrocannabinol: See THC. 

THC: Tetrahydrocannabinol. The active ingredient in marijuana that gets you high. One of several cannabinoids found in marijuana. The percentage of THC in marijuana or hashish usually determines how strong it is. 

Thing: Catch phrase for your obsession or something you enjoy. "Liberating the mind through LSD is Leary's thing." 

Threads: Clothes. 

Ticked Off: Also Teed-Off, Ticked. Pissed-off, upset, angry.

Tie Dye: Colorful abstract artwork usually done on clothing by dying fabric by tying it together. 

Together: All right. O.K. Once you sort out your problems, you're together. "Get it together, man!" 

Toke: A "hit" of marijuana. To smoke marijuana. 

Tolerance: What results from prolonged recent use of drugs requiring one to use more to get the same effect. "I've built up a tolerance to LSD, now I have to take at least 500 mikes to get off." Also something we all need more of, and less intolerance!

Totaled: Completely destroyed. "Bummer! I totaled my car, and I got no insurance!"

Trails: The visual effect usually seen while on a trip when something moves through your field a vision. It seems like multiple images of the moving object as it passes by. 

Travel Agent: Euphemism for an acid dealer. 

Traveler: A person who takes psychedelic drugs. 

Tricky Dick: Nickname for Richard Nixon. He certainly earned it after his dirty tricks in the Watergate scandal. 

Trip: A profound experience. What you experience on LSD or other hallucinogen. A dose of LSD. Can also mean an unusual experience, "That was a trip!" or when someone tries to blow your mind "He's laying a trip on you." 

Trip Out: To get spaced out. To get really stoned. To trip on LSD or other hallucinogen. 

Tripping: What you do on acid. "I'm tripping my brains out" 

Trippy: Something unusual or psychedelic. 

Trips Festival: Stewart Brand produced this LSD party in San Francisco in January, 1966. It was a three day festival of music at Longshoreman's Hall with dancing and a light show that would simulate "an LSD experience without LSD". Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters showed up as this was the most public of the acid tests. The success of this event inspired Bill Graham to start holding these parties on a regular basis at the Fillmore Auditorium. 

"Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out" - Timothy Leary's famous quote encouraging young people to discover their true nature through LSD and drop out of society's program. 

Turn On: Something that excites you. Also to get high. 

Underground: Something anti-establishment, working undercover or hidden. Term applied to newspapers and comic books or other media that was directed towards freaks. These were often small publications that covered the hippy scene including radical politics, sex, drugs and rock and roll. Berkeley Barb, Zap Comix, East Village Other. Also people hiding from the government went "underground".

Uptight: Stressed out, tense. "Hey don't get so uptight, it's no big deal!" 

Unreal: Something unbelievable. 

Vaporizer: Method of smoking cannabis by heating it until the THC vaporizes, without actually burning the marijuana. Most vaporizers consist of a heating element, a glass dome, and a hose to smoke from. 

Velvet Underground: Lou Reed's dark pre-gothic urban band included John Cale and Nico. They explored the underbelly of rock (as opposed to the flower-power movement) with haunting drug songs like "Heroin", and sadomasochism "Venus in Furs".

Vibes: Short for vibrations. Used to describe the overall feeling or mood of a place, person or thing. "I kept puttin' out good vibes, but I still can't get a ride!" 

Vietnam War: The catalyst for the Peace Movement in America. The compulsory draft took students to the killing fields of Southeast Asia who then returned to the U.S. in body bags by the tens of thousands. The insensitive administrations refused to listen to protests and refused to provide a satisfactory explanation for the war. This prolonged the war and eventually the U.S. pulled out leaving their Vietnamese allies to fend for themselves. Make no mistake, the U.S. lost this war, but the government and people are now much more aware of the implications of foreign military involvement and the repercussions of sending young men to their death. 

Vision: A dreamlike inspirational experience or scenario viewed in one's mind. Sometimes happens under the influence of psychedelic drugs. "I had a vision of you flying over the desert." 

Visuals: The hallucinations or visual distortions experienced on a psychedelic trip. 

Wasted: Very stoned to the point where you can't even move. "We got so wasted on those buds we missed the Dead concert!" 

Watergate - The scandal that brought down Nixon. Nixon authorized the burglary of the offices of the Democratic Election Committee at the Watergate complex in Washington. A series of blunders, cover-ups and tape recordings all led to Nixon. He finally resigned before his term was over. 

Way Out: Something so far out there, it's almost unbelievable. 

What's Happenin'?: What's going on? A greeting. "Hey man, what's happenin'? 

Weathermen: An extremely radical group that split off from the SDS. Responsible for several bombings including banks. Their enemy was the establishment, big business and the government. A bomb destroyed their hideout in Greenwich Village, killing several members. The others ran away and hid for decades. 

Weather Underground: Less sexist term the Weathermen used to describe themselves. 

Weed: Marijuana. 

Where it's at!: The place with the happening "scene". "Hey, babe, you're where it's at!" 

White Lightning: Last of the finest Acid available. 

White Panther Party: Founded by John Sinclair from Ann Arbor as a white middle class hippie movement to support the Black Panthers.

Wilderness Society: Founded in 1935, the Wilderness Society has been working to protect forests and endangered plant and wildlife species, conserve biodiversity, and restore ecosystems throughout the world. 

Whole Earth Catalog: Huge catalog for hippies founded, edited and published by Stewart Brand. Contained information, products, business listings, illustrations. Focused on ecology, living off the land, do-it-yourself, alternative everything. A lot of ideas and contacts done with spirit. 

Wicked: Something very good or very effective. 

Window Pane: A potent form of pure LSD in a tiny clear square of gelatin that melts in your mouth! 

Wiped Out: Totally wasted on drugs. Exhausted. 

Wired: Over stimulated by drugs, like amphetamines or caffeine usually resulting in a hypersensitive, extremely alert state of mind. 

Women's Liberation Movement: This movement united women seeking legalized abortion, subsidized childcare, equal pay for equal work, an end to job discrimination, an end to the war in Vietnam, an end to sexism, Lesbian rights, in general an end to the male dominated society. Leaders in the movement were writers Gloria Steinem (who founded Ms. magazine), Betty Friedan, Kate Millet, and Anne Koedt. 

Woodstock Music Festival: A three-day outdoor event in Bethel, NY in 1969 that marked the peak of the flower power/hippie movement. An unprecedented half a million people gathered on Yasgur's Farm to hear the likes of Richie Havens, Ravi Shankar, The Who, Crosby, Still and Nash (in their second public performance), Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and many more. The festival was a paean of cooperation, harmony and peace. There was no violence, but lots of marijuana and LSD. 

Wow!: An exclamation of excitement. "Wow! Did you see what Jimi did with his guitar?" 

Yippies: Group founded by Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin and others in 1968, the Youth International Party for pranksters and activists. They helped organize the protests at the Democratic Convention in Chicago in 1968, which turned into a police riot. The Yippies got arrested and it became the trial of the Chicago 7. The conspiracy charges were dismissed, but some were convicted of lesser offenses. 

Yin-Yang: In Taoist philosophy, Yin represents the passive, female principle and Yang the active, male principle, each balancing the other. 

Yo Yo: A weekend hippie. 

Yoga: Union. 3000 year old Hindu discipline that unites the mind and body, usually through a series of exercises that raise awareness, thus allowing spiritual insight and tranquility. Many different kinds including Hatha (postures), Kundalini (breath), Bhakti (devotion), and Ashtanga (combination). 

Z: An ounce of marijuana (28 grams). 

Zero-Zero: Very high quality Moroccan hashish. 

Zippies: The Zippies were founded by Abbie Hoffman in early '72 as a revolutionary street army of Hippie Anarchist for the Miami Anti-Nixon Republican Convention. Abbie stated when asked about the name change from Yippies to Zippies he stated, "We have gone from A to Z!" Also a new term for Hippies with computers and ravers. Not to be confused with Zippy the Pinhead, a popular underground comic.