num_pages: 272
description: A compilation of writings on the chemical, biological, psychological &amp; experiential dimensions of Ayahuasca. Includes 24 1sthand accounts of Ayahuasca experiences &amp; resulting life changes, including contributions from J.C. Callaway, Charles S. Grob &amp; Dennis J. McKenna. Discusses the medical &amp; psychological applications of Ayahuasca. Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic Amazonian plant mixture that has been used for 100s, perhaps 1000s, of years by native Indian &amp; mestizo shamans in Peru, Colombia &amp; Ecuador for healing &amp; divination. Many Western-trained physicians &amp; psychologists have acknowledged that this substance can allow access to spiritual dimensions of consciousness, even mystical experiences indistinguishable from classic religious mysticism. In Sacred Vine of Spirits: Ayahuasca Ralph Metzner, a pioneer in the study of consciousness, has assembled a group of authoritative contributors who provide an exploration of the chemical, biological, psychological &amp; experiential dimensions of ayahuasca. He has more than 20 1sthand accounts from Westerners who have used ayahuasca &amp; also presents the history, psychology &amp; chemistry of ayahuasca from leading scholars in the field of psychoactive research. He concludes with his own findings on ayahuasca, including its applications in medicine &amp; psychology, comparing the worldview revealed by ayahuasca visions to that of Western cultures.
language: English
title: Sacred Vine of Spirits: Ayahuasca
titlecomplete: Sacred Vine of Spirits: Ayahuasca
genres: Medicine, Anthropology, Spirituality, Plants, Biology, Science, Religion, Psychology, Nonfiction
ratings_count: 199
publisher: Park Street Press (Rochester, VT)