About the Book
A personal narrative and guide to the safe, responsible use of MDMA for personal healing and social transformation
• Details the author’s 50 years of responsible experimentation with mind-altering substances and how Ecstasy has helped him become a better therapist
• Explains how he and his wife found Ecstasy to be the key to renewing and enriching their lives and marriage as they entered their senior years
• Describes what the experience actually feels like and provides protocols for the safe, responsible, recreational, and celebrational use of MDMA for individuals and groups
In a world that keeps us separate from each other, MDMA is the chemical of connection. Aptly known in popular culture as “Ecstasy,” MDMA helps us rediscover our own true loving nature, often obscured by the traumas of life. On its way to becoming a prescription medication due to groundbreaking research on its use to treat PTSD, Ecstasy can offer benefits for all adult life stages, from 20-somethings to seniors.
In this memoir and guide to safe use, Charles Wininger, a licensed psychoanalyst and mental health counselor, details the countless ways that Ecstasy has helped him become a better therapist and husband. He recounts his coming of age in the 1960s counterculture, his 50 years of responsible experimentation with mind-altering substances, and his immersion in the new psychedelic renaissance. He explains how he and his wife found Ecstasy to be the key to renewing and enriching their lives as they entered their senior years. It also strengthened the bonds of their marriage.
Countering the fearful propaganda that surrounds this drug, Wininger describes what the experience actually feels like and explores the value of Ecstasy and similar substances for helping psychologically healthy individuals live a more “optimal” life. He provides protocols for the responsible, recreational, and celebrational use of MDMA, including how to perfect the experience, maximize the benefits and minimize the risks, and how it may not be for everyone. He reveals how MDMA has revitalized his marriage, both erotically and emotionally, and describes how pleasure, fun, and joy can be profound bonding and transformative experiences.
Revealing MDMA’s versatility when it comes to bringing lasting renewal, pleasure, and inspiration to one’s life, Wininger shows that recognizing the transformative power of happiness-inducing experiences can be the first step on the path to healing.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments
PROLOGUE Stop, Drop, and Roll
1 “Roll” Models
2 The Journey from Me to We
3 Innocent Criminals
4 Higher Education
5 Listening to Ecstasy
6 Finding the Others . . . in the Wild East
7 Senior High
8 A Guide to the Responsible Recreational Use of MDMA
EPILOGUE
Come Out to Play
Resources
Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the Author :
Charles Wininger, LP, LMHC is a licensed psychoanalyst and mental health counselor specializing in relationships and communication skills. Recognized as “The Love Doctor” by the New York Times and Newsday, he’s been treating couples and individuals in his Manhattan and Brooklyn offices for 30 years. He sits on the board of advisors of the Psychedelic Education and Continuing Care Program at the Center for Optimal Living in New York. He lives with his wife in Brooklyn.
Review :
"Wininger's book can throw open cosmic windows in even the most mundane reader"
“A deeply personal story from a therapist who is done hiding in the chemical closet. Wininger says, ‘I’ve lived through it all, and now it all lives through me.’ In modeling responsible recreational MDMA use, he not only heals the shame that binds him, he helps to heal us all.”
“Reading Wininger’s book, Listening to Ecstasy, is like a lovely conversation with a joyful, liberated person. . . . He and his wife are having enough fun in their seventies to rid aging of its anxieties.”
“Listening to Ecstasy shows how Charley and his wife Shelley have used MDMA as an inspiring teacher and friend to enhance their marriage, build a loving community of fellow travelers, and continually nurture a connection to the joys of life. A true and touching story, Listening to Ecstasy demonstrates how MDMA can be a unique life-enhancing opportunity for healthy people across their entire adult lifespan. It’s filled with great tips for the responsible recreational and celebrational use of MDMA and how it can be used to enrich one’s spiritual journey during these tumultuous times.”
“Listening to Ecstasy tells the story of Charley Wininger’s relationship with MDMA, a chemical of connection, and how it helped him evolve as a therapist, husband, and human. In this love poem to MDMA, Charley personalizes a substance that many only know through research reports of MDMA’s tremendous healing potential. As a trusted elder in the psychedelic community, he shares his wisdom about how to maximize the lifeenhancing potential of MDMA while minimizing risk. In coming out of the closet as a ‘responsible recreational drug user,’ he ‘roll’ models the courage to live authentically. He challenges prohibition and the demonization of drugs, arguing for personal liberation. He argues for our right to decide on the chemistry and cognitive liberty within, rather than be at the mercy of the forces of social control. Wininger also shows us how, at any age, we can live ecstatically, sexually, and joyfully, balancing and celebrating life and having extraordinary and serious fun along the way. Finally, Charley invites us to join him and his welcoming psychedelic community in connection and love. This delightful book left me feeling inspired to create a more fulfilling life and feeling hopeful for humanity.” Andrew Tatarsky, Ph.D., founder and
“Whether you’re just curious about the benefits of MDMA or an experienced ‘traveler,’ you’ll be thoroughly engaged by Charley Wininger’s life-affirming, love-affirming memoir of how MDMA opened his heart and mind, inspired his second marriage, and regularly rejuvenates his spirit. Filled with tenderness toward the human condition and useful information on the skillful use of this amazing molecule, the book is about more than just the benefits of MDMA. Listening to Ecstasy is about how to ward off the forces of fear and pessimism so you can fully embrace the precious experience of life.”
“Bravo, Charley, for advocating a substance that offers life-enhancing results to those of adult age, including us seniors. Thank you and your beloved for your candor on the journey toward healing through MDMA, empowering you as a healer in service to others.”
“Wise. Flirtatious. Adventurous. Wininger’s memoir, Listening to Ecstasy, eschews psychedelic clichés and does the writer’s work of wringing lessons from life. The transforming love of his wife Shelley and their chemical exploration show the rewards of authenticity. It is a fun, wondrous read.”
“Listening to Ecstasy is not only an ode of appreciation to MDMA but a love letter to life itself. Disarmingly authentic and heartfelt, Charley has given us a guided tour of his own spiritual journey with MDMA, paired with practical knowledge and a blueprint for living life to its fullest.”
“A heartfelt storyteller and adventurous guide, Charley Wininger reveals to both the experienced user and the neophyte how responsible use of MDMA can open up one’s life. Read this book if you’re curious about what can happen after listening to Ecstasy.”
“Wininger describes what the experience actually feels like and explores the value of Ecstasy and similar substances for helping psychologically healthy individuals live a more “optimal” life. He provides protocols for the responsible, recreational, and celebrational use of MDMA, including how to perfect the experience, maximize the benefits and minimize the risks, and how it may not be for everyone.”
