Over 300 mushroom stones have been found throughout
Mesoamerica, some dating as far back as 1000 B.C. The mushroom stone above
was found in the Guatemalan highlands and was one of the first to be discovered.
Photograph reprinted courtesy of Wasson Library, Harvard Botanical Museum.
INTRODUCTION
"Psychedelics" are substances with the
ability to expand human awareness beyond our normal modes of perception.
The family of psychedelics includes plants, such as psilocybe mushrooms,
that have been used in "shamanistic" settings for thousands of years, as
well as recently developed synthetic compounds, like LSD and ecstasy.
Psychedelics may be the most amazing
substances known to humanity. Some are so potent that just 1/10,000th of
a gram can send one on a journey beyond time and space, beyond life and
death. Here the psychedelic voyager can unlock and experience the collective
evolutionary consciousness of billions of years past and an infinite future.
He can transcend the body, the personality, and view his mind from undreamed-of
perspectives. He can experience supersensory and extrasensory perception,
choose from an infinite variety of "realities," and permanently change
his experience of life.
I am writing this book because in this
primitive time of political power struggles and the "war on drugs," most
information on psychedelics that reaches the public is negatively biased
and erroneous. There is a lack of accurate information available regarding:
the history of psychedelics, how they are consumed, dosage levels, effects
and experiences produced, and whether they are safe.
I've tried to focus on the less common
psychedelics and on combinations, while also discussing more familiar substances
such as LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA. In my 18 years as a psychedelic user
and researcher I have found only a few references to some of the more exotic
psychedelics, frequently incomplete and written by people who had not experienced
them first hand. The information presented here draws upon my research,
as well as extensive personal experience with these substances, and involvement
in communities where they are used. There are many things I have not attempted
to cover in these few pages, and I recommend the reader to the following
books:
THE PSYCHEDELIC EXPERIENCE -
This is the premier "tripping guide" which is useful to anyone trying to
understand the states of mind produced by psychedelics. It is the most
thorough description I have seen of the changes and experiences one is
likely to go through on a psychedelic voyage. However, this book is an
adaptation of an Eastern spiritual text, and may seem esoteric and difficult
to understand for those not familiar with the states it describes.
PLANTS OF THE GODS -
This gives a brief overview on the history of several plant psychedelics
that have been used since ancient times. Having a long term perspective
on the use of psychedelics can give one a better understanding of how these
substances have affected human societies. Many people today don't even
know that psychedelics existed before the Sixties and that the last 30
years are just the latest paragraph in psychedelic history.
FOOD OF GODS - Author
Terence McKenna eloquently expounds his theories on the role of psychoactive
plant use throughout human evolution. His theories are startling yet well
grounded and offer a comprehensive view of the relationship between humans
and mind-altering plants.
Other books are listed in the various
chapters, as well as the bibliography which also lists sources for the
books that are in print.
I consider my research a work in process,
by no means definitive or complete. With psychedelics we are taking our
first steps into a realm of infinite possibilities, like the first amphibians
stepping on dry land, or a more accurate metaphor, like the first humans
leaving earth's atmosphere and venturing into space. I believe there will
come a day when humanity recognizes psychedelics as the universal medicine,
ambrosia of the heavens, and keys to higher intelligence.
There are numerous other methods for
entering altered states being toted about, from meditation and yoga to
brain machines and virtual reality. I've tried many of these methods, enjoy
them, and have found them most valuable used with psychedelics.
But to compare the experience of these methods on their own to the experience
of psychedelics is like comparing a candle to the sun. Other methods don't
even approach the realm of liquid, flowing, digital dreams which can be
accessed by psychedelics like DMT!
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