The Ayahuasca Experience: A Sourcebook on the Sacred Vine of Spirits

An exploration of the chemical, biological, psychological, and experiential dimensions of ayahuasca • Details the scientific discovery of ayahuasca’s sophisticated psychoactive delivery system in the brain and body and its potential applications in medicine and psychology • Includes contributions from Dennis J. McKenna, Ph.D., J. C. Callaway, Ph.D., and Charles S. Grob, M.D., on the ethnopharmacology, psychology, phytochemistry, and neuropharmacology of ayahuasca • Provides 24 firsthand accounts of ayahuasca experiences and resulting life changes Widely recognized by anthropologists as the most powerful and widespread shamanic hallucinogen, ayahuasca has been used by native Indian and mestizo shamans in Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador for healing and divination for thousands of years. Made from the Amazonian vine Banisteriopsis caapi and the DMT-laden leaf of Psychotria viridis, ayahuasca is regarded as the embodiment of intelligent plant beings who can offer spiritual teachings and healing knowledge to those who respectfully engage with them. Many Western-trained physicians and psychologists now acknowledge that ayahuasca allows access to spiritual dimensions of consciousness, otherworldly realms and beings, and visionary experiences indistinguishable from classic religious mysticism. With contributions from leading psychoactive scholars Dennis J. McKenna, Ph.D., Charles S. Grob, M.D., and J. C. Calloway, Ph.D., on the ethnopharmacology, psychology, phytochemistry, and neuropharmacology of ayahuasca, Ralph Metzner provides a comprehensive exploration of the chemical, biological, psychological, and experiential dimensions of this Amazonian hallucinogen. He includes more than 20 firsthand accounts from people who have participated in ayahuasca rituals and experienced major life changes as a result. He details the scientific discovery of ayahuasca’s sophisticated psychoactive delivery system in the brain and body as well as the deep psychological impact of this potent entheogen. He concludes with his own findings on ayahuasca, including its applications in medicine and psychology, and compares the worldview revealed by ayahuasca visions to that of modern cultures.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Amazonian Vine of Visions Ralph Metzner, Ph.D. 1. Ayahuasca: An Ethnopharmacologic History Dennis J. McKenna, Ph.D. 2. The Psychology of Ayahuasca Charles S. Grob, M.D. 3. Phytochemistry and Neuropharmacology of Ayahuasca J. C. Callaway, Ph.D. 4. The Experience of Ayahuasca: Teachings of the Amazonian Plant Spirits Initiation into Ancient Lineage of Visionary Healers Raoul Adamson We Are Experiencing the Joyful Phenomenon of Re-creation Cristina Santos Having So Recently Experienced My Death, It Felt Miraculous to Be Alive Stefan C. Breaking from the Bondage of the Mind Kate S. A Vision of Sekhmet Ganesha The Pieces of My Life Fell Together in a More Meaningful Pattern Ava S. Knowledge Was Graciously Invoked in Me by the Plant Teacher Oregon T. Here Began a Series of Teachings about the Nature of the Heart Joseph S. A Vision of the Fabric That Is Woven by Us All Caroline S. Ethereal Serpents Held Me in Thrall Shyloh Ravenswood I Was Exploring Being with Greenness Pamela C. Liquid Plum’r for the Soul I. M. Lovetree The Plant Spirits Help Me to Heal Myself and Others Eugenia G. The Great Serpentine Dance of Life Raimundo D. A Most Palpably Buddhist-like Experience Renata S. Journey to the Emerald Forest Richard N. The Long, Multifaceted Journey of Jewish Experience Abraham L. Teaching the Body Its Relationship to the Spirit Wahtola H. Ancient Augury of My Resurrection Barry F. An Entirely New World of Spirit Beings Frank Owings Death and Rebirth in Santo Daime Madalena Fonseca Nature Has Embraced Me, Blown the Breath of Life into Me Stefan C. The Buddha, the Christ, and the Queen of the Jungle Ganesha Agony and Rapture with Santo Daime Raoul Adamson 5. Conclusions, Reflections, and Speculations Ralph Metzner, Ph.D. Notes on Contributors

About the Author :
Ralph Metzner (1936–2019) obtained his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Harvard University, where he collaborated with Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert on psychedelic research. He was Professor Emeritus at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco and president and co-founder of the Green Earth Foundation. Dr. Metzner is the author of numerous books, including Overtones and Undercurrents, Searching for the Philosophers’ Stone, and Green Psychology.

Review :
“The Ayahuasca Experience is a most valuable resource, encompassing the history, psychology, spirituality, scientific understanding, and raw experience of the Amazonian ‘vine of the spirits’ now entwining itself into the Western psyche. Metzner’s work is particularly recommended to those first encountering ayahuasca, who require an authoritative, user-friendly guide to the mysterious terrains opened by this traditional, sacred medicine.” “Thought provoking, wide ranging, and well reasoned, Metzner’s collection of essays and self-reports contains an extraordinarily wide representation of subjective effects of, and scientific findings regarding, ayahuasca in the modern West. It provides ideas for future research and is essential for beginners and veterans in the field.” “Ralph Metzner, world-famous pioneer of psychedelic research and consciousness explorer, brings together a masterful collection of writings exploring the nature of this extraordinary sacred potion, from its chemical and biological properties and psychological effects to its enormous healing and spiritual potential. This book will be an inspiration for lay audiences and a treasure trove of information for scholars studying consciousness and the human psyche.” “The Ayahuasca Experience is a classic in the enthogenic literature genre.”