Sacred Mushroom of Visions: A Sourcebook on the Psilocybin Mushroom

(Paperback)

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Description

Teonanacatl was the name given to the visionary mushrooms used in ancient Mesoamerican shamanic ceremonies mushrooms that contain psilocybin the psychoactive agent identified by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann the discoverer of LSD. The rediscovery of these visionary mushrooms by the Mazatec healer Maria Sabina and mycologist R. Gordon Wasson ignited a worldwide mushroom culture that inspired the consciousness revolution of the 1960s. This book describes in vivid detail the consciousness-expanding experiences of psychoactive mushroom users - from artists to psychologists - and the healing visionary inspiration they received. It provides firsthand accounts of studies performed in the controversial Harvard Psilocybin Project including the Concord Prison study and the Good Friday study. It also details how psilocybin has been used since the 1960s in psychotherapy prisoner rehabilitation the enhancement of creativity and the induction of mystical experiences and is being studied as a treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Ralph Metzner Ph.D. who studied psychology and psychopharmacology at Harvard University was part of the Psilocybin Research Project with Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert (later Ram Dass). He lives in Sonoma California.

Reviews

"A compilation of scientific information, historical lore, and experiential reports about the magical psilocybe mushrooms. . . . It is sure to be treasured for years to come." * Andrew Weil, M.D., author of The Natural Mind: A New Way of Looking at Drugs and the Higher Consciou *
"An outstanding comprehensive gathering of vital information from the psychedelic world." * Myron Stolaroff, author of The Secret Chief and From Thanatos to Eros *
". . . this book is a must-have for entheogen and mushroom lovers alike." * Heads, Vol 6 Issue 07 *
"One gets the impression when finishing the Sacred Mushroom of Visions that the many dimensions of psilocybin offer humanity a truly wonderful gift; for personal experience, for scientific research, and as a light through which the environment discourse of the modern age can be shone. If you have an interest, indeed a belief, in entheogenic, empathogenic, (as many of the narratives elude to) shamanism, or simply mycology, then this book is a must for your shelf." * Psychedelic Press, UK, March 2010 *

Author Bio

Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., who studied psychology and psychopharmacology at Harvard University, was part of the Psilocybin Research Project with Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert (later Ram Dass). He lives in Sonoma, California.