RE: "Mushrooms, Shamanism & Lore Among the Indigenous Mazatecs of Mexico" - An Intimate Talk with Kathleen Harrison
It pops up where lightning has struck!? How cool is that!
I learned a lot from this. So sharing some psychedelics with the west was a conscious decision made by certain tribes and individuals with those tribes? They felt the time had come?
I am not very experienced with these kinds of plants or any substance other than the one which has become closer to legalized as of recent. I am very interested in the psychedelic experience though, since I have had a few with said plant, or even just from music and nature. I read the Doors of Perception, never got around to reading any McCenna. I believe that all of the effects that we experience from drugs can be replicated without them with certain thoughts and focus, meditation etc. but I am certain some of these tribes have a deep understanding of reality that we are missing. Are there any fun informative books that you think I might like?
I know, the lightening mushroom is awesome!!
I believe it was a decision made by Maria Sabina to invite the first westerners into ceremony with mushrooms, and a westerner in that ceremony then spread it to others, and attracted others to come to the Mazatec shamans.
I'd recommend The Psychedelic Experience by Timothy Leary and Be Here Now by Ram Dass :-) I loved the opening to Be Here Now because Ram Dass talks about the topic you mention, that state of consciousness that he reached from psychedelics could also be accessed through meditation.
Thanks, I want to learn methods to recreate those experiences without any substances. I can already hold on to a good high for weeks or months after I smoke, and conjure one up from good music in a natural setting, it'd be nice to learn how to navigate a bit further.
I might write about my own experience with this in the future.
I'd love to read a post about your experience with this journey in the future!
Thanks! For now I'm focusing on a series called "Optimism at the End of the World", not sure when and how to fit it in but you are always welcome!