Friends of Erowid,

Issue #14 of Erowid Extracts is at the printer and will be shipped out to members in about 10 days. It's a great time to become a member of Erowid Center or to renew your subscription. If you join now, you'll receive one issue immediately and another in early June!

Erowid.org/donations/

We welcome submissions, suggestions, criticisms, or corrections at submissions@erowid.org.

peace,
fire & earth


Visionary Practice: Ritual and Reshaping Consciousness
Jun 13-15 : Ojai CA
http://ojaifoundation.org/Images/Flyers/Visionary06_08.jpg

* with Erik Davis, Dale & Laura Pendell, David Presti, and Jennifer Dumpert *

Traditional spiritual disciplines usually involve a daily practice. Shamanic and visionary traditions often involve "extraordinary" practice. Both approaches use ritual to shape and contain deep changes in consciousness.

This weekend workshop, being led by friends of Erowid, will explore both traditional rites of practice and celebration, as well as contemporary improvisations. What does ritual have to do with theater, or belief, or the structure of the mind? How do we receive rituals from tradition, and how do we create and perform out own?

1. Poster Version of "Visionary Synthesis" Available as Membership Gift
   Erowid.org/donations/incentives_poster_visionary_synthesis.php
   
   The "Visionary Synthesis" design featuring two images of Alexander Shulgin's lab shot by photographer Michael Rauner is now available as a poster, too. For a limited time, 5 posters signed by Dr. Shulgin are available at the Friend level ($75); these signed posters are otherwise a gift option at the Supporting level ($125).
   
   
2. Brugmansia Vault: Cimora
   Erowid.org/plants/brugmansia/brugmansia_writings1.shtml
   
   A short text about a Brugmansia-based psychoactive drink used for shamanic purposes, excerpted from Christian Raetsch's amazing book, The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants.
   
   
3. Chemistry Vault: Diterpenes
   Erowid.org/psychoactives/chemistry/chemistry_writings1.shtml
   
   A brief overview of diterpenes, non-alkaloidal alkaloid natural substances composed of four isoprene groups. From Raetsch's Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants.
   
   
4. Bees / Honey Vault
   Erowid.org/animals/bee/bee.shtml
   
   Honey has been used for millennia to make mead, an alcoholic beverage. It can also reportedly be intoxicating and/or toxic by itself when produced from the nectar or pollen of specific plants.
   
   
5. Honey Info
   Erowid.org/animals/bee/bee_info1.shtml
   
   The fact that honey can be toxic and/or psychoactive has long been known and has been demonstrated throughout the world. From The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants.
   
   
6. Hardware Vault
   Erowid.org/psychoactives/hardware/
   
   A new index for pages related to psychoactive hardware such as bongs, pipes, scales, extraction equipment, etc.
   
   
7. Soporific Sponges and Narcotics as Anesthetics and for Inebriation
   in Antiquity Erowid.org/psychoactives/hardware/hardware_sponge_info1.shtml
   
   At one point in history, the most commonly used sedative that was also used as an anesthetic was the so-called soporific sponge, or sponges infused with psychoactive liquids. Another excerpt from Christian Raetsch's The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants.
   
   
8. Russia Drug Laws & Policy
   Erowid.org/psychoactives/law/countries/law_russia.shtml
   
   Includes small list of Russian-language sources and an english-language translation of the Russian Controlled Substances list.
   
   
9. Drug screening for the courts: The good, the bad and the ugly
   Erowid.org/psychoactives/testing/testing_writings4.shtml
   
   An article looking at common misconceptions, technologies available to the courts, and other considerations regarding forensic drug testing.
   
   
10. Library/Bookstore - four books added, including:
    Erowid.org/library/books/
    
    Tobacco: An Exploration of Its Nature Through ... Homeopathy, by R. Pitt
    Erowid.org/library/books/tobacco_an_exploration.shtml
    
    The Sacred Mushrooms of Mexico, by Brian P. Akers
    Erowid.org/library/books/sacred_mushrooms_mexico.shtml
    
    Nazis on Speed, by Werner Pieper
    Erowid.org/library/books/nazis_on_speed.shtml
    
    
11. The Erowid Review, two reviews added:
    Erowid.org/review/
    
    O Uso Ritual da Ayahuasca, reviewed by M. Fiore / Translated by R. M. Wright
    Erowid.org/library/review/review.php?p=260
    
    Psychedelic Medicine [Volume I], reviewed by Bruce Sewick
    Erowid.org/library/review/review.php?p=261
    
    
12. 224 New Experience Reports
    Erowid.org/experiences/exp.cgi?DateRange&Y1=2008&M1=04&D1=15&M2=05&D2=28
    
    One of the top rated experiences published was:
    "Suggestive of Mild Serotonin Syndrome" (MAOI & DXM), by Karita Tähti
    Erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=66673
    
    

For a more complete listing of What's New at Erowid go to:
Erowid.org/new.php

Conducts laboratory testing of street Ecstasy tablets.

Between Apr 15 and May 28, five new testing results were posted:
http://ecstasydata.org/viewtablet.php?ID=1677,1678,1679,1675,1674

An additional eight DEA testing results were posted:
http://ecstasydata.org/viewtablet.php?ID=1676,1673,1672,1667,1668,1669,1670,1671

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Erowid.org/donations/

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