The New Psychedelic Revolution: The Genesis of the Visionary Age

(Paperback)

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A bold exploration of modern psychedelic culture, its history, and future

Examines 3 modern psy-culture architects: chemist Alexander Sasha Shulgin, mycologist-philosopher Terence McKenna, and visionary artist Alex Grey

Investigates the use of microdosing in extreme sports, the psy-trance festival experience, and the relationship between the ego, entheogens, and toxicity

Presents a History of Visionary Art, from its roots in prehistory, to Ernst Fuchs and the Vienna School of the Fantastic, to contemporary psychedelic art

After the dismantling of a major acid laboratory in 2001 dramatically reduced the world supply of LSD, the psychedelic revolution of the 1960s appeared to have finally run its course. But the opposite has actually proven to be true, and a psychedelic renaissance is rapidly emerging with the rise in popularity of transformational festivals like Burning Man and BOOM!, the return to positive media coverage of the potential benefits of entheogens, and the growing number of celebrities willing to admit the benefits of their own personal use. Along with the return of university research, the revival of psychedelic philosophy, and the increasing popularity of visionary art, these new developments signify the beginning of a worldwide psychedelic cultural revolution more integrated into the mainstream than the counterculture uprising of the 1960s.

In his latest book, James Oroc defines the borders of 21st-century psychedelic culture through the influence of its three main architects-- chemist Alexander Shulgin, mycologist Terence McKenna, and visionary artist Alex Grey--before illustrating a number of facets of this Second Psychedelic Revolution, including the use of microdosing in extreme sports, the tech-savvy psychedelic community that has arisen around transformational festivals, and the relationship between the ego, entheogens, and toxicity. This volume also presents for the first time a History of Visionary Art that explains its importance to the emergence of visionary culture.

Exploring the practical role of entheogens in our selfish and fast-paced modern world, the author explains how psychedelics are powerful tools to examine the ego and the shadow via the transpersonal experience. Asserting that a cultural adoption of the entheogenic perspective is the best chance that our society has to survive, he then proposes that our ongoing psychedelic revolution--now a century old since the first synthesis of a psychedelic in 1918--offers the potential for the birth of a new Visionary Age.

Reviews

Fantastic job on resurrecting psychedelic philosophy!! Huxley and Hofmann are smiling. * Alex Grey, artist and author of Sacred Mirrors and Net of Being *
Compelling, adventurous, and visionary, this book is packed with fascinating and useful information and inspiration. James Oroc is a fine storyteller as he leads us through a twisty tale that is part personal odyssey, part well-researched ramble through the past and present of psychedelic art and culture, and part love letter to humanity and our potential for awakening to the wonder and beauty of life. * Stephen Gray, author of Cannabis and Spirituality *
James Orocs book is a timely reminder to translate our psychedelic visionary insights into action: to make our minds manifest. Oroc proposes that we can create the future we want to live. * Casey William Hardison, writer, former LSD chemist, and cognitive liberty activist *
An important and fascinating book for anyone interested in the bold psychedelic visionaries whose work and legacies will continue to shape and be felt by our culture for generations to come. Oroc explores the practical application of psychedelics in the modern world and advocates the immense value that they bring. * Alex Seymour, author of Psychedelic Marine *
"The New Psychedelic Revolution is the most comprehensive book covering emerging psychedelic culture, from the interaction entheogens, to visionary art and psychedelic culture. Its definitely worth the read, and I can assure that youll gain insights are hard to find elsewhere without direct experience!" * Allana Kali, Spiral Nature *

Author Bio

James Oroc, the author of Tryptamine Palace, is an accomplished extreme-sports journalist, photographer, and contributor to the MAPS Journal and Reality Sandwich. He travels the world speaking at entheogenic conferences and transformational festivals. When not traveling, he lives in both the Dominican Republic and New Orleans.