The McKenna Brothers and the Birth of the Psychedelic Movement: A Review of The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss

The McKenna Brothers and the Birth of the Psychedelic Movement: A Review of The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss

The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss is autobiography, family history, adventure tale, and mystical discourse all in one.

Shamanism: Essential Reading

Shamanism: Essential Reading

With the rising resurgence of shamanism, often as a curiosity or a way to make money, there seem to be an equally growing number of books flooding the market, making it more and more difficult to find reliable scholarly studies of the topic.

Annual Causes of Death in America

Annual Causes of Death in America

One look at the leading causes of death in America should alert any thinking being to the idea that something truly is amiss with drug laws worldwide. These statistics show us what the real health dangers in our society are and bring in to question the government’s policies on drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

Ethnobotanical Tools in the Ancient Near East

Ethnobotanical Tools in the Ancient Near East

Based on significant amounts of archaeological and artistic evidence, it seems very likely that early civilizations in the area of the Fertile Crescent employed Datura, Cannabis, Claviceps, Mandragora, Nymphaea, Vitis, and possibly Papaver as medicaments and ritual entheogens.

Plants as Teachers for Mestizo Shamans of Iquitos, Peru

Plants as Teachers for Mestizo Shamans of Iquitos, Peru

In the city of Iquitos and its vicinity there is even today a rich tradition of folk medicine. Practitioners, some of whom qualify as shamans, make an important contribution to the psychosomatic health of the inhabitants of this area. Among them there are those called uegetalistas or plant specialists and who use a series of plants called doctores or plant teachers.


Recent Articles

Psychedelic Science 2013 – April 18-23, 2013, Oakland California

Psychedelic Science 2013 – April 18-23, 2013, Oakland California

Psychedelic Science 2013 presents the worldʼs leading psychedelic research in a three-track conference and multiple workshops over five days. More than 65 speakers from at least 11 countries will share their latest research. The conference will explore results and findings in three concurrent tracks: (1) Clinical/Scientific, (2) Interdisciplinary, and (3) Ayahuasca.

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The McKenna Brothers and the Birth of the Psychedelic Movement: A Review of The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss

The McKenna Brothers and the Birth of the Psychedelic Movement: A Review of The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss

The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss is autobiography, family history, adventure tale, and mystical discourse all in one.

read more

When Santa was a Mushroom: Amanita muscaria and the Origins of Christmas

When Santa was a Mushroom: Amanita muscaria and the Origins of Christmas

What can the local practices of tribes in Siberia tell us about why we exchange gifts around solstice time, stash them under pine trees decorated with red and white ornaments, and sing songs about flying reindeer? It turns out that the origins of Christmas may be bound up with the famous red and white mushroom, Amanita muscaria!

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The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss – The Tale of Dennis and Terence McKenna

The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss – The Tale of Dennis and Terence McKenna

Less than two years ago, Dennis McKenna set out to write The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss, the story of his life with his brother, Terence, the eloquent, elfin bard of the psychedelic underground. That book has just been published!

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Entoptic Imagery and Altered States of Consciousness

Entoptic Imagery and Altered States of Consciousness

Entoptic images are visual effects which originate within the visual processing system of the observer. The term ‘entoptic’ comes from the Greek for ‘within vision’, indicating that the images come from anywhere within the optic system, between the eye itself and the neural cortex where signals from the optic nerve are interpreted. Since it originates within the visual system, entoptic imagery can only be seen by the observer.

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Timeline of Religions

Timeline of Religions

Please enjoy and contribute to this ever-evolving timeline of the development of the spirituality and religions of earth through time and space.

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Timeline of Entheogen Use

Timeline of Entheogen Use

Please enjoy and contribute to this constantly evolving timeline of entheogen and plant medicine use through time and space.

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Shamanism: Essential Reading

Shamanism: Essential Reading

With the rising resurgence of shamanism, often as a curiosity or a way to make money, there seem to be an equally growing number of books flooding the market, making it more and more difficult to find reliable scholarly studies of the topic.

read more

Cannabis in the Media: Film Perspectives on the Least Illicit Schedule I Drug

Cannabis in the Media: Film Perspectives on the Least Illicit Schedule I Drug

Is there any illegal substance in America that has been subject to more media distortion than Cannabis sativa, the infamous marijuana? With so much information about Cannabis sativa available online as well as in film and television, we must ask, “Do narrative media sources accurately portray the context in which people use Cannabis, the market surrounding its use, and the effects of this herb?” While there are literally hundreds of films that feature casual Cannabis use, to get to the heart of this question I’ve selected two films and a television series with plots centered on the use, manufacturing, and sale of Cannabis sativa in the United States.

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Psilocybin in the Media: Myths and Misconceptions

Psilocybin in the Media: Myths and Misconceptions

Film culture is one of extremes: often, factual accuracy is sacrificed for the sake of comedy, dramatic tension, or artistic license. This is especially evident in areas over which cultural prejudices cast a shadow, such as the use of psychedelics. Over the past ten years, the bulk of news stories relating to psilocybin mushrooms have actually been positive coverage of the alkaloid’s medical and psychiatric potential, yet good news rarely makes an exciting story for a movie.

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