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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 19 of 19. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Quintal on November 30, 2006, at 14:26:33
I've just started reading Benny Shanon's 'The Antipodes of the Mind - Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca Experience'. After having a quick flick through I'm pleased to say I think I've finally found a refreshingly meaty and substantial work to counter the usual drivel written about the Ayahuasca experience and hallucinogens in general.
It seems extraordinarily detailed - for example I've just found a table in the back of the book listing the frequency with which certain visions (snakes, jaguars, landscapes, jewelled cities etc) occur. Looking at the book reviews over on Amazon it seems my first impressions are correct - other readers have said the same thing. There are no negative comments, only five star ratings by every reviewer. Looks set to slowly become a classic in Ayahuasca literature.
Benny Shannon is Professor of Psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Can anyone tell me how to link an Amazon webpage using the book's title?
Q
Posted by Quintal on November 30, 2006, at 18:32:37
In reply to My latest book: 'The Antipodes of the Mind', posted by Quintal on November 30, 2006, at 14:26:33
OK, I happened to come accross Dr.Bob's webpage explaining how to link to Amazon using double quotes. Here goes: "The Antipodes of the Mind, Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca Experience"
Q
Posted by Quintal on November 30, 2006, at 18:33:09
In reply to Re: My latest book: 'The Antipodes of the Mind' » Quintal, posted by Quintal on November 30, 2006, at 18:32:37
Didn't work...........
Posted by Quintal on November 30, 2006, at 18:45:30
In reply to Re: My latest book: 'The Antipodes of the Mind' » Quintal, posted by Quintal on November 30, 2006, at 18:33:09
Right........ I see now where I went wrong. I need to put it in *double* double quotes like this: "The Antipodes of the Mind: Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca Experience".
Fingers crossed........
Posted by Quintal on November 30, 2006, at 18:47:53
In reply to Re: My latest book: 'The Antipodes of the Mind' » Quintal, posted by Quintal on November 30, 2006, at 18:45:30
Yay, whoa!!!!!!!!!!! Whoooooooeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!
Q
Posted by karen_kay on December 1, 2006, at 6:04:13
In reply to Re: My latest book: 'The Antipodes of the Mind' » Quintal, posted by Quintal on November 30, 2006, at 18:47:53
glad you figured it out. i think it took me aobut 2 months to do it right!
Posted by Quintal on December 1, 2006, at 10:35:58
In reply to Re: My latest book: 'The Antipodes of the Mind', posted by karen_kay on December 1, 2006, at 6:04:13
Posted by zmg on December 1, 2006, at 12:14:58
In reply to My latest book: 'The Antipodes of the Mind', posted by Quintal on November 30, 2006, at 14:26:33
Now I'm going to have to start my xmass list over again! ;)
My reading list is a *tad* out of date:
"The Oxford Companion to the Mind" (a great book just to pick up and read)
"Pihkal" (Alexander Shulgin, interesting book no matter what your disposition!)
"Tihkal" (Shulgin, I think this one started to feel like a chemical road-trip, but I kept it for completeness)
I'll have to check my books at home (I read more technical/computer related books now) but I think those are the stand-outs with the rest being more general (PDR, medical or encyclopedic drug-reference).
Posted by Quintal on December 1, 2006, at 15:51:42
In reply to Psycho-Babble book club ... » Quintal, posted by zmg on December 1, 2006, at 12:14:58
My recent reading list:
"Intoxication"; a scholarly yet easy-going book on - you guessed it - of all kinds of intoxicants past, present and future.
"Breaking Open the Head"; an excellent introduction to the subject of hallucinogens and entheogens.
"The Encyclopaedia of Psychoactive Substances"; self explanatory.
"The Shadow of the Wind"; slightly surreal Spanish novel centred around a cemetery for forgotten books. Hard to describe but thoroughly enjoyable.
"Auschwitz"; as the title suggests this is a book about the notorious Nazi concentration camp. Thoroughly researched, broad and far reaching. It leaves the reader to make any judgement about what happened there.
"Shade: Neil Jordan" another slightly trippy novel narrated from the perspective of the ghost (shade) of an Irish 1950s film star (that's the best description I can give off the top of my head). Beautifully written and touching. Thought provoking in places.
"A Woman in Berlin"; a fascinating counter point to the Diary of Anne Frank and other Holocaust survivor autobiography. The journal of an anonymous German lady as she struggles to rebuild her life and identity in the aftermath of World War II.
"The Diary of Anne Frank" I missed this one at school and was curious. Turned out to be a very rewarding read. Wish I'd read it when I was younger.
"The Pursuit of Oblivion" meticulously researched and insightful book about the history of drug use, abuse and addiction - the pursuit of oblivion - throughout history. An entertaining can't-put-down read.
"An Intimate History of Humanity" a deep philosophical work on the emotional history of human beings.
"The Noonday Demon" modern classic on depression and serious mental illness.
"Remember Me" touching fictional bio of Winnie, daughter of a schizophrenic mother through her traumatic childhood and later into life as she moves between institutions and living on the streets.
"Hidden Depths: the story of hypnosis"; self explanatory.
"The seven Daughters of Eve"; tracing the genetic ancestors of everyone alive today back to one of seven ancient women via mitochondria DNA.
"Great Sex Guide"; self explanatory.
"The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying"; the book that introduced me to Tibetan Buddhism and the spiritual path.
There are many more in my mini library. I'll have a look.
I've been looking at Pihkal and Tihkal. I hear there are some interesting recipes to be gleaned from Pihkal in particular ;-)
Q
Posted by Quintal on December 1, 2006, at 20:29:29
In reply to Re: Psycho-Babble book club ... » zmg, posted by Quintal on December 1, 2006, at 15:51:42
The 'Intoxication' link on the last page is wrong - should actualy be this link: "Intoxication: The Universal Drive for Mind-Altering Substances "
Q
Posted by Declan on December 2, 2006, at 0:52:17
In reply to My latest book: 'The Antipodes of the Mind', posted by Quintal on November 30, 2006, at 14:26:33
Posted by Quintal on December 2, 2006, at 9:13:40
In reply to !!!Snakes, Jaguars and Jewelled Cities!!! (nm), posted by Declan on December 2, 2006, at 0:52:17
You've never seen anything like this on other hallucinogens?
Posted by Declan on December 2, 2006, at 13:46:47
In reply to Re: !!!Snakes, Jaguars and Jewelled Cities!!! » Declan, posted by Quintal on December 2, 2006, at 9:13:40
Well, yes and no.
I've certainly never seen any elves and all that elvish nonsense annoys me, perhaps because for me it was the flattening of the visual field and the emergence of patterns under the influence of which things, especially in the peripheral vision, start to morph.
Jewelled cities sounds very likely. Snakes and jaguars less so.
Although once I took DMT and kinda felt, when I came back to myself, that I had become part of a green crystal.But what I really meant was how much I would like to go to South America and see those things, and just how cool they sounded.
Posted by Quintal on December 2, 2006, at 14:25:52
In reply to Re: !!!Snakes, Jaguars and Jewelled Cities!!! » Quintal, posted by Declan on December 2, 2006, at 13:46:47
Why the prejudice against elves Declan? I have no opinion on elves as such, but I have met them myself them while hallucinating on Ambien so I understand where Terrence McKenna is coming from.
Snakes and Jaguars are the most predominant of all the creatures seen on Ayahuasca. I think the effects of pure DMT are different from when it is taken as part of them Ayahuasca brew. Have you read "DMT: The Spirit Molecule"? I have just bought it and flicked through it briefly. There seem to be quite a lot of descriptions of clowns and merry-go-rounds from pure DMT trips.
I'm just cheating on my "Antipodes of the Mind" book by reading "The Psychedelic Experience: a manual based on the Tibetan book of the dead" by Timothy Leary. Dubious though it sounds, there seem to be many references to and explanations of that flattening of the visual field and emergence of patterns you speak of.
It sounds as though you may be suited to an Ayahuasca ritual Declan. I suppose it may help heal mood/anxiety problems etc?
My initial plans for attending an Ayahuasca ritual in Peru fell through, but now I am considering going to this retreat along with a friend who suggested it to me who has similar problems: http://www.bluemorphotours.com/default.asp
Q
Posted by zmg on December 2, 2006, at 22:07:04
In reply to Ayahuasca DMT » Declan, posted by Quintal on December 2, 2006, at 14:25:52
Okay, I've flipped through the remains of my meager library and come up with 2 useful reference guides and one interesting book on entheogen (the last).
"The Practitioners Guide to Psychoactive Drugs"
"Drugs and Behavior (William A. McKim)"
"Pharmacotheon"
Posted by Quintal on December 3, 2006, at 21:41:38
In reply to Re: Ayahuasca DMT, posted by zmg on December 2, 2006, at 22:07:04
Thanks for those zmg, I'm impressed. I'll try and add them to my Amazon order of "Pihkal" before it ships and get free postage :-)
I've mostly been using "The BMA Guide to Medicines and Drugs". It's very good but quite basic and I've needed to look elsewhere for info on more obscure meds like MAOIs.
One other book good book on the subject of entheogens I have is "Plants of the Gods".
Q
Posted by zmg on December 3, 2006, at 21:56:45
In reply to Entheogens and Psychopharmacology » zmg, posted by Quintal on December 3, 2006, at 21:41:38
See, this is how I know we are twins. I've read "Plants of the Gods". Nice pictures and interesting read. I just don't have it any more (I get rid of books every time I move or want to 'clean up').
My all time favorite reference books: "2007 Physicians Desk Reference" (obviously the year changes, last I own I think was 1995) and of course "The Merck Index".
Mostly I used to read neurophysiology and psychology ("Jean Piaget", love his developmental psychology!)
Posted by Quintal on December 3, 2006, at 22:47:05
In reply to Re: Entheogens and Psychopharmacology » Quintal, posted by zmg on December 3, 2006, at 21:56:45
>See, this is how I know we are twins
;-)
>I just don't have it any more (I get rid of books every time I move or want to 'clean up').
I'm going to have to get rid of some of mine when I move and it's going to be hard to choose.
I think I'm going to have to order "The Merck Index" too. I'm always checking the back of food cartons to see the additives etc. It would be good to have an all-in-one book full of monographs.
We did Jean Piaget in psychology if I remember rightly. I'll have to look him up again in my notes.
Have you ever taken an entheogen/hallucinogen yourself Zach?
Q
Posted by zmg on December 4, 2006, at 1:07:42
In reply to Re: Entheogens and Psychopharmacology » zmg, posted by Quintal on December 3, 2006, at 22:47:05
I'm afraid I've lead a less then model life.
:-)
FWIW Merck is a lot better then just food additives. I used it for researching just about anything chemical, specifically psychotropic. Its a great compliment to the PDR (which I bought thrift and a year or so out of date for quite cheap) for finding out interesting things about the chemicals that surround us.
This is the end of the thread.
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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