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"Marijuana Medicine" - by Christian Ratsch

A comprehensive survey of the therapeutic, historical, and cultural uses of cannabis in traditions around the world.

• The most complete visual record of cannabis culture ever published.
• Christian Ratsch is one of the world's foremost ethnopharmacologists and is the current president of the German Society for Ethnomedicine.

Marijuana Medicine explores the role of hemp in medicinal systems spanning the globe. Cannabis has accompanied the development of human culture from its very beginnings and can be found in the healing traditions of cultures throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Even today it is an important part of many Asian healing traditions: in Ayurveda cannabis is praised for its tonic and aphrodisiac qualities and in traditional Chinese medicine it is cited as a superb antidepressant. It also remains a significant part of the healing and visionary traditions of Latin American curanderos and Brazilian, Nepalese, and Indian folk medicine. Modern research has confirmed the effectiveness of marijuana's application in treating such diseases as asthma and glaucoma. Christian Ratsch profiles the medicinal, historical, and cultural uses of cannabis in each of these societies and medical systems, providing remedies and recipes for those interested in how cannabis can be used to treat specific conditions. 

About the Author(s) of Marijuana Medicine

Christian Ratsch is a world-renowned anthropologist and ethnopharmacologist.  A specialist in the cultural use of natural products, Ratsch has conducted fieldwork in many areas of the globe.  He is the author of numerous books, three of which--Gateway to Inner Space, The Dictionary of Sacred and Magical Plants, and Plants of Love--have been translated into English. He is currently serving as the president of the German Society for Ethnomedicine. 
Praise for Marijuana Medicine

"The historical, medicinal, cultural, and visionary uses of marijuana (Cannabis sativa) in Africa, Asia, India, Europe, and the Americas is discussed in this visual tribute to a versatile plant. The dialog is clear and engaging, yet maintains a scientific approach. Complete with very good photography, this has to be the most complete pictorial and informative presentation of Cannabis." - American Herb Association

"Ratsch has produced a masterful overview, filled with an enormous scholarship." - The Book Reader

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Paperback
Price: $24.99
"Moksha" - by Aldous Huxley
Selected writings from the author of Brave New World and The Doors of Perception on the role of psychedelics in society.

• Includes letters and lectures by Huxley never published elsewhere. 

In May 1953 Aldous Huxley took four-tenths of a gram of mescaline. The mystical and transcendent experience that followed set him off on an exploration that was to produce a revolutionary body of work about the inner reaches of the human mind. Huxley was decades ahead of his time in his anticipation of the dangers modern culture was creating through explosive population increase, headlong technological advance, and militant nationalism, and he saw psychedelics as the greatest means at our disposal to "remind adults that the real world is very different from the misshapen universe they have created for themselves by means of their culture-conditioned prejudices." Much of Huxley's writings following his 1953 mescaline experiment can be seen as his attempt to reveal the power of these substances to awaken a sense of the sacred in people living in a technological society hostile to mystical revelations. 

Moksha, a Sanskrit word meaning "liberation," is a collection of the prophetic and visionary writings of Aldous Huxley. It includes selections from his acclaimed novels Brave New World and Island, both of which envision societies centered around the use of psychedelics as stabilizing forces, as well as pieces from The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell, his famous works on consciousness expansion.

About the Author(s) of Moksha

Michael Horowitz and Cynthia Palmer are the directors of the Fitz Hugh Ludlow Memorial Library in San Francisco, the only library in the world exclusively devoted to the literature of mind-altering drugs. Michael Horowitz was Timothy Leary's archivist and is coauthor of The High Times Encyclopedia of Recreational Drugs. Palmer and Horowitz live in northern California.

Praise for Moksha

"Moksha is more than a book about psychedelics--although it may well be the most intelligent, well-rounded one of its kind. It is also another chance to spend hours in Huxley's fascinating company as he talks about art, literature, religion, psychology, and ecology." - Los Angeles Times


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Paperback
Price: $12.49
"Mystery of Manna" - by Daniel Merkur
Compelling evidence that the early Jews and Christians used psychedelics as part of their religious rites. Reveals the Bible's disguised references to this tradition and explores the idea that psychedelics have played a role in nearly all religious traditions. When Moses fed manna to the Israelites, he told them that after eating the miraculous bread they would see the glory of God. And indeed they did: "They looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of Yahveh appeared in a cloud."

In The Mystery of Manna, religious historian Dan Merkur provides compelling evidence that this was the Israelites' initiation into a psychedelic mystery cult that induced spiritual visions through bread containing ergot--a psychoactive fungus containing the same chemicals from which LSD is made. Citing biblical material, as well as later Jewish and Christian writings, Merkur reveals the existence of an unbroken tradition of Western psychedelic sacraments, from Moses and manna to Jesus and the Eucharist. Most important, Merkur shows that this was not a heretical tradition, but instead part of a normal, Bible-based spirituality, a continuation of the ancient tradition of visionary mysticism.
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Paperback
Price: $16.99
"Mysticism & the New Physics" by Michael Talbott
Mystics and "idealist" have always propounded the idea that the world is an illusion. Now quantum physics is putting forward theories that reinforce this belief. Until recently, the empirical approach of physicists such as Newton has taught us that the world exists with or without human consciousness to observe it. But we can never be totally objective about reality. The human mind, with all its preconceived notions, and prejudices, always intrudes, even in the most scientific of experiments, making true objectivity impossible to achieve. The new physics state that reality is combination of the laws of the physical world, quantifiable and unequivocable, and the subjective viewpoint of the observer. This "omnijective view" of the universe challenges all our most deeply held scientific beliefs and could radically change the way we view reality in the future. As our constructs are amended to this shift in approach, we can anticipate monumental changes in Western thought.
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Paperback
Price: $14.99
"One River" - by Wade Davis
Davis, a compelling writer and intrepid ethnobotanist best known for The Serpent and the Rainbow (1987), proves himself a master of synthesis in this engrossing history of plant exploration in the Amazon. He alternates between accounts of his amazing adventures in the field and rich descriptions of remote Indian tribes and their plant-based cosmologies, tales of conquering Spaniards and missionaries, and dynamic portraits of his mentors: the pioneering genius Richard Evans Schultes, the "world's leading authority on hallucinogenic plants," and Timothy Plowman, another inspired plant expert and fearless traveler. Davis pays particular attention to Schultes' groundbreaking field research into the uses of such sacred plants as peyote, coca, yage, and the San Isidro mushroom, as well as his seminal work with rubber plants and arrow and dart poisons. But as he works back and forth in time, a terrible paradox arises: just as outsiders such as Schultes and Plowman began to recognize the tremendous sophistication of Indian knowledge about the medicinal and spiritual properties of plants, the Amazon jungle came under assault. Davis, acute and articulate, both marvels at the subtleties of nature and the inventiveness of human beings and bemoans the tragedy of cultural conquest and rampant industrialization.
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Paperback
Price: $17.99
"Plant Intoxicants" - by Baron Ernst von Bibra
Psychoactive plants were the object of a pioneering study published in Germany in 1855: this was one of the first books to examine the effects of the world's major stimulants, and here appears in a fine reprint which will refresh new audiences with its blend of travelogue, botanical and physiological detail.

Baron Ernst von Bibra drew upon his own travel experiences as well as writings of his predecessors to examine the cultivation, preparation, and consumption of the world's major stimulants and inebriants. He devotes a full chapter to each of 17 plants, ranging from coffee and tea, through tobacco and hashish, to powerful narcotics and hallucinogens such as opium and fly agaric. Witty, engaging, and intellectually open.
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Paperback
Price: $16.99
"Plants of the Gods" - by Schultes, Richard Evans
Three scientific titans join forces to completely revise this classic text on the ritual uses of psychoactive plants. They provide a fascinating testimony of these "Plant of the Gods," tracing their uses throughout the world and their significance in shaping culture and history. In the traditions of every culture plants have been highly valued for their nourishing, healing, and transformative properties. The most powerful of these plants, which are known to transport the human mind into dimensions of consciousness, have always been regarded as sacred. The authors detail the uses of hallucinogens in sacred shamanic rites while providing lucid explanations of the biochemistry of these plants and the cultural prayers, songs, and dances associated with them. The text is lavishly illustrated with 400 rare photographs of plants, people, ceremonies, and art related to the ritual use of the world's sacred psychoactive flora.

A specialist in the cultural use of psychoactive plants, Chrisian Ratsch is the author of numerous books, including Marijuana Medicine, The Dictionary of Sacred and Magical Plants, and the massive tome The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants. A resident of Germany, his is currently serving as the president of the German Society for Ethnomedicine. Richard Evans Schultes (1915-2001) was a Jeffrey Professor of Biology and Director of the Botanical Museum at Harvard University (Emeritus). Albert Hoffman , discoverer of LSD, is a retired research biochemist who lives in Switzerland.
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Paperback
Price: $29.99
"Ploughing the Clouds" by Wilson
Plant Powers, Poisons and Herbcraft" The Rig Veda, written in India about 1500 BC, praises a holy plant called Soma (or "magic mushroom"), which is sacrificed and consumed, granting the drinker an experience of enlightenment and ecstasy. In Ploughing the Clouds Peter Lamborn Wilson investigates the probability of a Soma cult in ancient Ireland, tracing clues in Irish (and other Celtic) lore. By comparing Celtic folktales, romances,epics and topographic lore with the Rig Veda, he uncovers the Irish branch of the great Indo-European tradition of psychedelic shamanism, and even reconstructs some of its secret rituals. He uses this comparative material to illuminate the deep meaning of the Soma-function in all cultures: the entheogenic origin of "poetic frenzy", the link between intoxication and inspiration.
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Paperback
Price: $14.99
"Powerful Medicines" - by Jerry Avorn
Profiteeering pharmaceutical companies and the FDA have met their match in Dr. Jerry Avorn, a Harvard Medical school researcher and clinician. In Powerful Medicines, he brilliantly combines patient vignettes, scientific critique, and statistics to create a risk/benefit balance for prescription drugs. His premise: "Every drug is a triangle with three faces--representing the healing it can bring, the hazards it can inflict and the economic impact of each."

Avorn's gifts as a writer are apparent in the prologue, an edgy account of the mismanaged medications of several stroke patients. He then details the intellectual history of drug assessment and benefits, including the biblical food police in the Book of Daniel, the deer in the headlights Estrogen debacle and the current infatuation with Ginseng and other alternative medicines. Turning from benefits to risks, Avorn examines diet pills, Viagra, cold medicines and diabetes drugs with comparisons the decisions of Dr. Fautus--who makes life-changing bargains between safety and effectiveness. Other insightful chapters offer views of prescription drug economies, and comparative healthcare around the globe. 

The final chapters create an insightful template for emerging public policy. Throughout, Avorn pulls at common threads: the line between personal and public responsibility, the perils of drug promotion, and the marketplace that usurps the role of scientific evidence in selecting treatments. Anyone looking for a quick muckraking read will be disappointed. But Avorn's views, literate and complex, will frame the debate on prescription drugs for years to come. --Barbara Mackoff
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Paperback
Price: $15.99
"Psychedelic Sacrament" - by Dan Merkur, PhD

In The Mystery of Manna, religious historian Dan Merkur provided compelling evidence that the miraculous bread that God fed the Israelites in the wilderness was psychedelic, made from bread containing ergot--the psychoactive fungus containing the same chemicals from which LSD is made. Many religious authorities over the centuries have secretly known the identity and experience of manna and have left a rich record of their involvement with this sacred substance.

In The Psychedelic Sacrament, Manna's companion work, Dan Merkur elucidates a body of Jewish and Christian writings especially devoted to this tradition of visionary mysticism. He discusses the specific teachings of Philo of Alexandria, Rabbi Moses Maimonides, and St. Bernard of Clairvaux that refer to special meditations designed to be performed while partaking of the "psychedelic sacrament." These meditations combine the revelatory power of psychedelics with the rational exercise of the mind, enabling the seeker to achieve a qualitatively enhanced state of religious transcendence. The Psychedelic Sacrament sheds new light on the use of psychedelics in the Western mystery tradition and deepens our understanding of the human desire for divine union.

About the Author(s) of The Psychedelic Sacrament

Dan Merkur, Ph.D., has taught at Syracuse University and Auburn Theological Seminary. His research focuses on the varieties of religious experience in historical, cross-cultural, and psychoanalytical perspectives. He is the author of many books, including The Mystery of Manna, Powers Which We Do Not Know, Gnosis, and The Ecstatic Imagination. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.


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Paperback
Price: $12.99
"Psychedelics Encyclopedia" - by Peter Stafford
Psychedelic drugs have been disparaged, exalted, politicized, romanticized, and outlawed. This extraordinary volume covers the history of their development and the controversies surrounding them, including the important role played by such figures as Timothy Leary, Richard Nixon, and the CIA in politicizing their use. For LSD, peyote, marijuana, and a variety of drugs both natural and manufactured, the history, botany, chemistry, form of preparation, and distinct mental and physical effect on the user are detailed. Wisely, this book neither defends nor denigrates the use of these substances but presents well-organized and thoroughly researched information on a controversial subject. An excellent reference source for scientific and social research, this book is highly recommended.
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Paperback
Price: $38.99
"Return of Quetzalcoatl" - by Daniel Pinchbeck
NOW ON SALE!

"Pinchbeck, journalist and author of the drug-riddled psychonaut investigation Breaking Open the Head, set out to create an 'extravagant thought experiment' centering around the Mayan prophecy that 2012 will bring about the end of the world as we know it, 'the conclusion of a vast evolutionary cycle, and the potential gateway to a higher level of manifestation.'
 
More specifically, Pinchbeck's claim is that we are in the final stages of a fundamental global shift from a society based on materiality to one based on spirituality. Intermittently fascinating, especially in his autobiographical interludes, Pinchbeck tackles Stonehenge and the Burning Man festival, crop circles and globalization, modern hallucinogens and the ancient prophesy of the Plumed Serpent featured in his subtitle.
 
His description of difficult-to-translate experiences, like his experimentation with a little-known hallucinogenic drug called dripropyltryptamine (DPT), are striking for their lucidity: 'For several weeks after taking DPT, I picked up flickering hypnagogic imagery when I closed my eyes at night ... In one scene, I entered a column of fire rising from the center of Stonehenge again and again, feeling myself pleasantly annihilated by the flames each time.'
 
Pinchbeck's teleological exploration can overwhelm, and his meandering focus can frustrate, but as a thought experiment, Pinchbeck's exotic epic is a paradigm-buster capable of forcing the most cynical reader outside her comfort zone." Publishers Weekly
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Hardcover
Regular Price: $26.99
On Sale For: $4.99
"Sacred Mushroom of Visions" - by Ralph Metzner, PhD

Teonanácatl 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 describes how the use of the psilocybe mushroom spread from the mountains of Mexico into North America, Asia, and Europe by seekers of consciousness-expanding experiences. 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).

About the Author(s) of Sacred Mushroom of Visions: Teonanácatl
 
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 is the author of Green Psychology and coauthor of The Psychedelic Experience. He lives in Sonoma, California.
Praise for Sacred Mushroom of Visions: Teonanácatl

"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 Consciousness and Spontaneous Healing

"An outstanding comprehensive gathering of vital information from the psychedelic world." - Myron Stolaroff, author of The Secret Chief and From Thanatos to Eros


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Paperback
Price: $16.99
"Sacred Vine of Spirits: Ayahuasca" - by Ralph Metzner, PhD

Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic Amazonian plant mixture that has been used for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years by native Indian and mestizo shamans in Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador for healing and divination. Many Western-trained physicians and 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, and experiential dimensions of ayahuasca. He begins with more than 20 firsthand accounts from Westerners who have used ayahuasca and then presents the history, psychology, and 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 and psychology, and compares the worldview revealed by ayahuasca visions to that of Western cultures.

About the Author(s) of Sacred Vine of Spirits: Ayahuasca

Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist and professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He studied psychology and psychopharmacology at Harvard University and was part of the Psilocybin Research Project with Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert (later Ram Dass). He is the author of Green Psychology, coauthor of The Psychedelic Experience, and editor of Sacred Mushroom of Visions: Teonanácatl. He lives in Sonoma, California.

Praise for Sacred Vine of Spirits: Ayahuasca

"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 consciousneess and the human psyche." - Stanislav Grof, M.D., author of LSD Psychotherapy, Psychology of the Future, and The Cosmic Game


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Paperback
Price: $16.99
"Shamanic Experience" by Kenneth Meadows
Motivated by the spirit rather than the intellect, shamanism extends conscious awareness and awakens dormant potential for spiritual wisdom, healing, and personal growth. Shamanic Experience offers a unique opportunity for the Western reader to access the domain of the collective soul through an experiential learning program based on the distillation of shamanic wisdom from cultures and traditions around the world.

Nineteen practical exercises allow readers to discover their aura, develop shamanic breath, energize power centers, develop relationships with power animals, and engage in a Vision Quest. The lessons of Shamanic Experience culminate with a trance-state journey induced by the rhythmic drumming sessions recorded on the accompanying CD.

About the Author of Shamanic Wisdom
Kenneth Meadows (1925-2003) is internationally respected for his work in adapting shamanic wisdom to contemporary culture. A best selling author and co-founder of the Faculty of Shamanics in England.
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Paperback
Price: $19.99
"Shamanic Wisdom of the Huichol" - by Tom Pinkson, PhD

The author integrates his apprenticeship with Huichol shamans into his inspiring work with terminally ill children and their families.  "The Shamanic Wisdom of the Huichol" is the gripping autobiographical account of Tom Pinkson's decade-long immersion in the shamanic traditions of the Huichol tribe of north central Mexico, who have retained their ancient way of life more thoroughly than other indigenous groups, and are known primarily for the use of peyote in their spiritual traditions. Pinkson has successfully integrated their teachings into his work with terminally ill children and their families. His book is a heart-felt record of a personal search for a clearer understanding of the true self. This book was formerly titled "Flowers of Wiricuta."

About the Author(s) of The Shamanic Wisdom of the Huichol

Tom Soloway Pinkson, Ph.D., is a practicing psychologist, consultant, teacher, public speaker and high-performance coach to business executives and health professionals. He lives in San Rafael, California.

Praise for The Shamanic Wisdom of the Huichol

"Pinkson is one of those rare individuals who walks his talk, whose life is built on helping others, loving and forgiving, and a determination to trust and listen to the inner voice within him."  
From the foreword by Gerald Jampolsky, M.D. 

"In twenty-five years of studying shamanism, I have seldom enjoyed a book as much as this."
Stephen Larsen, Ph.D.  
Coauthor of Fire in the Mind

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Paperback
Price: $18.99
"Shamanism & Tantra in the Himalayas" - by Shahi
The scientific, factual, and succinct data and information listed in Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas exhibits a sense of point blank poignancy and excitement as it reveals the lush mental and psychic worlds that developed in the cultures of regions within the Himalayan landscapes. The facts serve as foundation for the knowledge presented in monologues, essays, and dialogues between the three authors and various shamen (and women!!). What Christian Ratsch goes on to reveal about the effects of the Jesuit virus within the Social and Spiritual realities of people living in the Himalayan region is astonishing.

Oh, and the pictures. Yes, the pictures. The photographs and dense illustrations really exist beyond words. Even without words, and for the pictures and art alone, this book is worth the somewhat hefty price. And it is encyclopedic. The authors take the time to explain various facets and concepts of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Shamanism from the point of view of at least three different religious sects of the region. Also one can find numerous listings of uses and preparations for hallucinogenic ritual plants and fungi from the region, along with prayers to Ganesha and verbatim accounts of animal sacrifice rituals performed in cemeteries. They even have the "Smoking Recipe for the Ceremony of Conjuring the Dead." Can you possibly think of anything more useful than that?
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Hardcover
Price: $49.99
"Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse
This classic novel of self-discovery has inspired generations of seekers. With parallels to the enlightenment of the Buddha, Hesse’s Siddhartha is the story of a young Brahmn’s quest for the ultimate reality. His quest takes him from the extremes of indulgent sensuality to the rigors of ascetism and self-denial. At last he learns that wisdom cannot be taught–it must come from one’s own experience and inner struggle. Steeped in the tenets of both psychoanalysis and Eastern mysticism, Siddhartha presents a strikingly original view of man and culture, and the arduous process of self-discovery that leads to reconciliation, harmony and peace.
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Paperback
Price: $5.99
"Soma : The Divine Hallucinogen" - by Spess, David
A recent theory by David Spess proposes that the Soma plant is Nymphaea (water lilies and the lotus plant) deserves attention. Spess begins with the fact that India has thelargest variety of water lily and lotus plants in the world, and that some of these were known as Soma and called so in Sanskrit texts. The psychoactivity of these plants is discussed. Certain indigenous varieties of the plants are known to be visionary and auditory entheogens when properly processed. In particular, the flowers of Nymphaea induce ecstatic states as well.

Interestingly, the Rig Veda indicates that the deity Indra is initially stimulated, and then sent into entheogenic states by different preparations of Soma, which is a well known property of libations created from both water lily and lotus plants. Another aspect of the evidence provided is the medicinal properties of the plants, which is a key component in the description of Soma found in the Rig Veda. As described earlier, the hymns in the Rig Veda specifically speak of Soma's incredible rejuvenating and healing powers.
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Hardcover
Price: $27.99
"Spagyrics - Alchemical Preparations" - by Junius
The practice of spagyrics is the application of ancient alchemical working methods to the preparation of tinctures, essences, and other products from medicinal plants. While ordinary tinctures and infusions use only a part of the great curative potential of plants, spagyric methods “open” medicinal plants completely to reveal their more powerful healing properties.
 
Drawing on the rich imagery and symbolism of ancient source materials, Manfred M. Junius describes these methods in great detail, showing readers how to prepare plant remedies alchemically for their own use as well as imparting a knowledge of the ideological world in which alchemistic and hermetic thought flowered. Spagyrics includes the Plant Magistery of Paracelsus and the Life Elixir recipe of Andreas Libavius among its historic techniques as well as a wealth of scientific information that demonstrates the greater efficacy of alchemical methods of plant essence extraction.
 
This classic source text preserves the nearly forgotten but highly valuable methods of this true hermetic art for preparing natural remedies.
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Paperback
Price: $18.99