Are You A Hippie? - What Does It Mean To Be A Hippie

Catch The PLANE & get INSANE

Before we answer the question "What does it mean to be a hippie",

let's start with the basics...

The Hippie Movement In General

An important but very often overlooked aspect of hippie culture is its roots, the beginning.

The initial idea of the movement

was to unite against a common enemy - The Vietnam War.

That is why hippies are primarily associated with slogans:

"Make love not war"

"Peace and love"

or "All people are one".

Birth Of The Hippies

As it is known, the hippie movement was initiated in the 1960s.

It is generally accepted that it all began in San Francisco on January 14, 1967

during The World's First Human Be-in.

It was then when Harvard psychology professor Timothy Leary - who was expelled - announced the end of "American idols", i.e. money and work.

He announced the beginning

new era - the era of love and a new religion that was nothing but modified Zen Buddhism.

As an LSD eulogist, he added a new "sacrament"

to that religion - LSD.

According to a former psychology teacher,

only the combination of these two elements made it possible to achieve full enlightenment of the mind.

In those times, not only women but also men representing the hippie ideology wore long hair.

It was a sign of freedom but also a demonstration of opposition to the necessity of military service.

The clothes that characterized them were supposed to express a relationship with nature, so they mostly made clothes themselves.

Even before it became fashionable, they were vegetarians, saying that animals are their friends, and they don't eat their friends.

All these beliefs, getting rid of imposed norms and striving to become one with nature created the hippie ideology, which is spread around the world to this day.

Hippie Or A Hipster? Whats's The Difference?

Over time, especially in recent years, the trend of being a hippie has grown with the popularity.

Many people have started to style themselves as "Flower Children",

highliting that they are hippies.

Some certainly went with the flow of general idea, but some still do not see the difference between hipster fashion and hippie lifestyle.

These individuals are called hipsters. They have an airy style, they like nature, they don't eat meat, but they don't really live by the idea that characterizes hippies.

They follow the trends they see on social media, but they've never really been in touch with real hippie culture. Even though they drink herbs, carry crystals, smoke marijuana and meditate, they don't really go deep into the whole idea.

Drugs In Hippie Communities

Timothy Leary, mentioned before - 60's psychedelic hippie guru - encouraged the use of psychedelics to expand consciousness.

Hippies picked up on his catchphrase "Turn on, tune in, drop out".

They began taking LSD, hashish, marijuana, and psilocybin mushrooms.

Common drug use became popular during hippie get-togethers,

but it was not a "must-have" rule in their community.

Over time, however, hard drugs such as heroin and amphetamines began to enjoy increasing popularity among hippies.

What was supposed to spread awareness turned out to be the biggest cause of the movement's defeat, trashing the reputation of hippies around the world...

Ibiza - Hippie Paradise

In the 1970s, hippies began to perceive Ibiza as a paradise, unspoilt by civilization and an oasis still unknown to tourists.

They began to come here to connect with nature in peace.

To this day, you can find many hippie villages on the island, and at their campsites you will usually find "Hippie Markets" with handcrafts.

I had the opportunity to live close by a hippie village for two months and I can confidently say that words cannot describe it.

You have to live the experience yourself

Do You Think You Are A Hippie?

If you want to find out if you follow the hippie idea in your life,

compare yourself to the following features of a real hippie.

1. All human are brothers and the world is big enough to accommodate everyone.

2. I live here and now, no worries about what tomorrow will bring.

3. As a earth child, I walk barefoot, I don't trample on mother nature.

I try to live in harmony with it and understand it.

4. I avoid places that impose rules.

5. I live on the road, I don't have one home, the world is my home.

6. Freedom is the absence of compulsion and the absence of set standards.

7. I do not limit myself with the common rules of the "adult" world.

I live by my own moral criteria.

8. I am characterized by far-reaching freedom of manners.

9. Everyone is my brother and sister.

10. I try to be self-sufficient using the gifts of mother nature.

I farm, I sew clothes, I make everyday equipment myself.

11. I often tangle flowers in my hair.

If you would answer "YES" to most of them, but you can't due to constraints such as where you live, then you are a potential hippie who has yet to unleash your true self.

Let me know in the comment - are you a hippie or a hipster?