Breaking Open the Head: A Visionary Journey from Cynicism to Shamanism
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Author Description
A new 'The Doors of Perception' for the 21st century? A visionary journey from cynicism to shamanism by a brilliant young US writer. Daniel Pinchbeck was an essentially sane and rational person, living the life of a sophisticated urbanite. But one disenchanted day he felt he'd exhausted the shallow aspirations of the contemporary scene. So he went on a quest.And he went all the way: to West Africa to test Iboga, a psychedelic herb which can cause such profound insight that one dose equals twenty years of psychoanalysis; to the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert where cutting-edge technology meets radical self-exploration; to Mexico and to the Amazon where shamanic traditions are practised daily.Sceptical but curious, following in the footsteps of Aldous Huxley and Terence McKenna, Daniel Pinchbeck guides his readers on an astonishing journey around the world and through the mind. Are you brave enough to suspend your post-modern cynicism and break open the head with him?
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
Can the deliberate use of shamanic substances and rituals bridge the gap between modern secular cynicism and a deeper, transcendent understanding of human consciousness? Daniel Pinchbeck, a journalist and urban intellectual, documents his personal transition from a detached, skeptical worldview to an active participant in indigenous and neo-shamanic practices. By synthesizing his own experiences with historical context and philosophical inquiry, he argues that these ancient technologies of the mind offer a necessary corrective to the limitations of contemporary rationalism.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- First-hand accounts of experiences with Iboga in West Africa and various shamanic rituals in the Amazon and Mexico.
- An exploration of the intersection between modern technology, counter-culture festivals like Burning Man, and ancient spiritual traditions.
- A critical examination of the influence of thinkers such as Aldous Huxley and Terence McKenna on the modern psychedelic movement.
- A philosophical framework for understanding the role of altered states of consciousness in human history and personal development.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
The work is regarded as a significant, if polarizing, contribution to the literature of modern psychedelic exploration, often compared to the seminal writings of the mid-20th century. Its dense, experiential narrative style suggests an intended audience of readers interested in the intersection of anthropology, consciousness studies, and the counter-culture movement.
Page Count:
336
Publication Date:
2004-01-01
Publisher:
Flamingo
ISBN-10:
0007149611
ISBN-13:
9780007149612
History
Non-Fiction
Psychology
Spirituality
Memoir
Travel
Religion
Adventure
Hypnotism
Psychology
Shamanism
Biography Autobiography
Psychedelics
Mind & Body
Social History
Entheogens & Visionary Substances
Anthropology
Spirituality
Social Science
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