Terence McKenna

The title of this chapter was not chosen lightly. It brings two highly controversial terms together in a novel combination and, in so doing, attempts to call attention to a specific phenomenon in contemporary religion, namely the religious use of psychoactive substances as means of access to spiritual insights about the true nature of reality. The question of why, and in what sense(s), this type of religion should be understood as a form of "esotericism" will be addressed below; but something must be said at the outset about the adjective "entheogenic" and its implications. The substantive entheogen was coined in 1979 by a group of ethnobotanists and scholars of mythology who were concerned with finding a terminology that would acknowledge the ritual use of psychoactive plants reported from a variety of traditional religious contexts, while avoiding the questionable meanings and connotations of current terms, notably "hallucinogens" and "psychedelics". 1 As suggested by its roots in Greek etymology (ε '΄ νθεος), natural or artificial substances can be called entheogens (adjective: entheogenic) if they generate, or bring about, unusual states of consciousness in which those who use them are believed to be "filled", "possessed" or "inspired" by some kind of divine entity, presence or force. 2 While the altered states in question are pharmacologically induced, such religious interpretations of them are obviously products of culture.

Since the synergistic mechanism integral to ayahuasca became known, ayahuasca analogues—botanical fusions said to simulate an “ayahuasca effect”, also called anahuasca, pharmahuasca, and acaciahuasca—have been explored in various world regional contexts beyond the Amazon. This chapter contributes to the study of ayahuasca analogues through its attention to Australian developments. Specifically, it will address the phenomenon of changa, a “smokable ayahuasca” sometimes referred to as “aussiewaska” and also promoted as an “intelligent DMT” blend. Changa is an Australian smoking blend typically involving B. caapi or other sources of β-carboline alkaloids infused with DMT alkaloids extracted from local species of Acacia along with a variety of other herbs. Pioneers and users have typically championed the authentically Australian botanical characteristics of these blends, especially given that Golden Wattle, a common name for Acacia, is Australia's national floral emblem. Others have speculated about the role of Acacia in the religious and cultural life of Australia's precolonial indigenous population. Since the 1990s, the consumption of changa has evolved from private events and workshops at local ethnobotanical symposia (notably Entheogenesis Australis), to seasonal dance music and global visionary arts festivals. In a variety of ritual and festive contexts, changa has been ab/used for entheogenic (spiritual) or recreational (pleasure) purposes. The chapter will address how these usages position changa vis-a-vis ayahuasca, covering the spiritual/recreational, individual/subcultural and local/global dimensions of changa.

En este trabajo, se intenta desvirtuar las teorías al respecto de los elementos nocivos de los alucinógenos. Similarmente, se indica el grado de antigüedad del uso de las plantas alucinatorias, al remontarse a tiempos "prehistóricos" e incluso prehumanos. El uso ritual y ceremonial de dichos preparados botánicos, en un ambiente de relatos mitológicos y estrategias meditativas, se enfoca como un medio de lograr estados altos de conciencia e incluso de acceder a parámetros de la mente previamente definidos. Los efectos curativos y los mecanismos de acción farmacológica de algunos de los psicodélicos son discutidos, al igual que su simbolismo y contexto antropológico. Se argumenta a través del trabajo que el consumo ritualizado y retóricamente modulado de alucinógenos creó una importante presión selectiva en la evolución de la mente humana moderna. Se exploran resultantemente alternativos discursos y perspectivas, de manera oscilatoria y polifónica, que nos acercan heurísticamente a un entendimiento más sofisticado y exhaustivo de la naturaleza humana. Palabras clave: alucinógenos, ecodélicos, chamanismo, evolución de la conciencia, metabolitos secundarios, nicho cognitivo, mitología, ritual, meditación.

Psychedelic drugs are some of the most powerful tools in the world for personal healing and psychological growth. Research at major medical centers over the past few years have shown remarkable results in the treatment of conditions such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety. Psychedelic drugs provide a path of treatment that is often more effective and rapid than other methods, and with many fewer side effects than pharmaceutical options. This paper will be focusing on hallucinogens such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and psilocybin and entheogens such as ayahuasca and ibogaine.

DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine) is a powerful tryptamine that has experienced growing appeal in the last decade, independent from ayahuasca, the Amazonian visionary brew in which it is an integral ingredient. Investigating user reports available from literary and online sources, this chapter focuses on the gnosis potency associated with the DMT "breakthrough" experience. I explore the parameters of the tryptaminal state and, in particular, the extraordinary paragnosis associated with the DMT event, perceived contact with "entities," and the transmission of visual language. As the reports discussed illustrate, for milieus of the disenchanted, among other entheogens, DMT is venerated as a gift that enables connection to a reality (nature, the universe, divinity) from which modern humanity is imagined to have grown alienated. Through an exploration of the legacy of principal actors, including Terence McKenna, Jonathan Ott, Jim DeKorne, and Nick Sand, the chapter navigates the significance of DMT in modern Western esotericism.

The notion that the ancient Maya used astronomical and/or astrological observations to prophesy that December 21, 2012, will bring physical catastrophes, a radical transformation of human consciousness, or other changes to effect the beginning of a "New Age" is an unanticipated and unintentional consequence of speculation about ancient Maya cosmology by credentialed academic scholars. The 2012 phenomenon (Sitler 2006) has also grown as a result of its interpretation through the lens of speculative metaphysics by individuals with both academic and nonacademic backgrounds .
This article provides a historical review of key
ideas and authors who contributed to the emergence
of mythology about 2012.

Festivals are the critical cultural hubs of the global psytrance movement, where on any day in 2010 major events attracting between 1,000 and 40,000 people are transpiring somewhere in the world. This chapter charts the complex transformational character of psytrance with particular attention to its festivals. While recent scholars seek to understand participation in electronic dance music cultures (including psytrance) as something of a rite of passage experience enabling transition from "preliminal" to "postliminal" conditions (in the schematic of Arnold Van Gennep and Victor Turner), and popular discourse credits an effi cacy to dance events reckoned as sites for self-transcendence, social transformation and/or the transmission of values, psytrance possesses a liminality that is protracted and a transition that is complex. It is this kind of hyper-liminality that appears to fuel the cultural movement of psytrance, its super-abundant festal life enervating the lifestyles of its participants. The psytrance festival is a sophisticated realm. While a liminalised world with an unpredictable telos, a domain of excess and risk, the psytrance festival is also a context for conscious ritualising in response to perceived crises of self and world-an arena of ethical consumerism and disciplinary action. As the multitudinous hub of this liminal culture, then, the festival provides the performative staging ground for diverse sacrifi cial logics and ideas of the sacred around which such logics orbit. Through specifi c attention to my research experience at festivals in Italy (Sonica), Australia (Rainbow Serpent) and Portugal (Boom), beginning with a discussion of psychedelic ritualisation (or indeed entheogenic liminalisation), this chapter investigates the hyper characteristics of liminality in the present.

The notion that December 21, 2012 will bring physical catastrophes, a transformation of consciousness, or even a New Age is an unanticipated and unintentional consequence of early speculation by credentialed academic experts. It has grown as a result of its subsequent interpretation through the lens of speculative, counterculture metaphysics by individuals with both academic and non-academic backgrounds. This article provides a historical review of the most significant contributions to the emergence of the 2012 phenomenon.

O]nly a mass idealistic fashion within Youth Dance Culture, swelling up from the gene-pool itself and now planet-wide, can produce the sufficiently colossal fractal mutation in Humanity's lifestyle necessary for it to survive and go on to rave among the stars.

As well as being among the first recorded Westerners to explore ayahuasca, both Terence McKenna and William Burroughs were proponents of what McKenna has termed ‘the syntactical nature of reality’: the notion that the world is made of words and symbols, and that decoding and manipulating of these symbols will lead to observable changes in reality. This led Burroughs and his collaborator Brion Gysin to experiment with the cut-up technique, pioneered as a means of writing avant-garde poetry by Tristan Tzara, but becoming a method of divination and sympathetic magic in the hands of Burroughs and Gysin. This paper argues that Burroughs and McKenna both display an almost Kabbalistic sense of the textual nature of perceived reality, but draw fundamentally different conclusions from this shared perspective.

This paper will try outline the role and reverberation that Terence McKenna has had in the
Psychedelic community from the Cultural Revolution of the late Sixties to the ongoing
Psychedelic Renaissance. Moreover, it will discuss his unquestionable influence not only on
the investigations pursued by the leading figures of scientific world, but also on the collective
perception of such a controversial and misunderstood topic.

This paper explores the significance of documented orb flows of the Ravne Tunnels, Visoko Bosnia, focusing on the theory that the orbs may be energy messages from 'the other side', consciously announcing a recently aligned universe.

This possibility is based upon research conducted by Julia Lincoln and Judith Mann in energetic photographic imaging sessions combined with the Twin Earth theory of Terence McKenna. Lincoln and Mann's focus is on exploring the orb images that contribute to the energy matrix of the Ravne Tunnels, particularly through its M5 Megalith. M5, the largest Ravne megalith discovered so far, is estimated to weigh more than 100 tons and rests on the tunnel complex floor just centimeters above a flowing water table.

In this essay, I examine digital culture as the manifestation of a networked, planetary human society. By employing the methodology of cultural historian William Irwin Thompson and mathematician Ralph Abraham, I examine three core characteristics of the new digital culture as the manifestation of a new socio-cultural consciousness. This new culture, I argue, is exemplified in its planetization of society through communication networks, its new relationship to time and space, and its retrieval of mythological consciousness. The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate that the complexity, interdependence, and new modes of thinking in digital culture is best understood through the hermeneutics of the imagination.

Did the ancient Maya know what was in store for the world of the 21st century? Was there something they knew-yello be revealed-about the fale ofhllmankind? An afllrmative answer is al the beart of what has come to be known as the "20ll phenomenon"" -·a polythetic set of romantic beliefs that derive from eclectic assertions about the ancient Maya calendar woven into a diffuse mythology with specific relevance to contemporary issues. It offers to some a new mythology for our time to allay the angst that accompanies rapid technological, social, political, and environmental change and provide motivation for action, both internal (in a psychological or spiritual sense) and external (in a social and political sense). It has gained momentum because of its Significant tie-ins with pop culture and the mysteries of UFOs, ETs, magic, and metaphysics. TItis paper includes the fullest historical account so far of the emergence of the 2012 phenomenon.

Art is not, the manifestation of some mysterious idea of beauty or God; it is not a game in which man lets off his excess of stored-up energy; it is not the expression of man's emotions by external signs; it is not the production of pleasing objects; and, above all, it is not pleasure; but it is a means of union among men, joining them together in the same feelings, and indispensable for the life and progress toward well-being of individuals and of humanity. According to Tolstoy's definition of art, our duty as artists is for the welfare and unity of humanity. This essay considers the duty of the artist, according to individual, social and ecological needs and definitions. Firstly it shall explore flaws in how artists define themselves by considering corruption within the art world. Then by reinstating the artist's shamanic function, one considers alternate standards to define a successful artist by: the artist's ability to heal, compared to innovate. Finally I consider the sustainability of an artist's concern for legacy and socially ostracized lifestyle, in the face of radical social change. Geologist have now come to the disconcerting realization that human beings have so altered the planet, that we have ushered in a new epoch: 'Anthropocene-the Age of Man' (Kolbert, 2012). The population is spreading like bacteria; driven with materialistic greed, humans are parasites on the earth. Are these rapidly evolving technologies; that are changing social habits, brain chemistry and cultural and moral values of human beings, mirrored with the same kind of progress in our spiritual growth? As a species we are becoming more connected, yet more individualistic. Enslaved and conditioned by our screens, we are weakened and day dreaming, taking in more information in a day than our ancestors did in a lifetime. Are we advancing into a new more intelligent species, in control of its own evolution? Or are we becoming lifeless from unrelenting over saturated and nullified imagery? More aware of the world out there, yet more deceived. Caught between destruction and distraction we have bred a generation of super consumers, with reduced attention spans and demanding appetites. Encouraged from childhood to broadcast our opinions, whilst obscured by narcissistic profiles. Simultaneously, the Internet has given the masses freedom of information and an empowering voice. A generation of 'keyboard warriors " are aware that the seemingly unshakeable systems of hierarchy operate primarily as a business. The art world is also a business, both corrupted and insular. Can the artist, aloof and exempt from the system, sleep easy anymore? Is it time that we reconsidered the function of the artist and redefined our aims, audience and politics. In evolution, the most adaptable creatures survive. We are intelligent enough to recognize that the hyper-masculine nature of modern culture – exalting individuality and applauding the pursuit of happiness over the demise of the whole – will, if unchanged, lead to our extinction. The question is whether human kind will be wise enough to cast off this inherently conditioned

In the course, we examine the modes by which higher dimensions have been envisioned in literature in terms of both space and time. Rather than mere fantasy, the concept of higher-dimensional hyperspace has taken on new significance with recent advances in modern physics and the prospect of multiple dimensions coexisting alongside our own. In light of this, we will consider how these new possibilities about the natures of space and time have fascinated mathematicians, philosophers, and artists alike. How does thinking through the implications of higher dimensions affect how we interpret these literary worlds — and our own reality?

We will explore a range of questions, such as: Do dreams and other altered states of consciousness provide access to different information about reality than our waking consciousness perceives? What are the limits of science and rationality? Can souls exist beyond death in the fourth dimension? Is time travel possible? Do parallel universes exist? If everything we know is based on our experience, how can we contemplate things outside of our experience?

Physicalism is the ontological position which asserts that reality consists only of what can be observed by means of the outer senses or can be shown to exist by the investigations of physicists. If physical reality does not comprise the whole of what is real then it is possible to accept the truths of physics while asserting the falsity of physicalism.  This article claims that physicalism is false because it is possible to directly observe a non-physical reality by the use of DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine). It is not necessary to prove by argument the existence of an objective, non-physical reality because there is one which can be observed directly by anyone.

Our hominin ancestors inevitably encountered and likely ingested psychedelic mushrooms throughout their evolutionary history. This assertion is supported by current understanding of: early hominins’ paleodiet and paleoecology; primate phylogeny of mycophagical and self-medicative behaviors; and the biogeography of psilocybin-containing fungi. These lines of evidence indicate mushrooms (including bioactive species) have been a relevant resource since the Pliocene, when hominins intensified exploitation of forest floor foods. Psilocybin and similar psychedelics that primarily target the serotonin 2A receptor subtype stimulate an active coping strategy response that may provide an enhanced capacity for adaptive changes through a flexible and associative mode of cognition. Such psychedelics also alter emotional processing, self-regulation, and social behavior, often having enduring effects on individual and group well-being and sociality. A homeostatic and drug instrumentalization perspective suggests that incidental inclusion of psychedelics in the diet of hominins, and their eventual addition to rituals and institutions of early humans could have conferred selective advantages. Hominin evolution occurred in an ever-changing, and at times quickly changing, environmental landscape and entailed advancement into a socio-cognitive niche, i.e., the development of a socially interdependent lifeway based on reasoning, cooperative communication, and social learning. In this context, psychedelics’ effects in enhancing sociality, imagination, eloquence, and suggestibility may have increased adaptability and fitness. We present interdisciplinary evidence for a model of psychedelic instrumentalization focused on four interrelated instrumentalization goals: management of psychological distress and treatment of health problems; enhanced social interaction and interpersonal relations; facilitation of collective ritual and religious activities; and enhanced group decision-making. The socio-cognitive niche was simultaneously a selection pressure and an adaptive response, and was partially constructed by hominins through their activities and their choices. Therefore, the evolutionary scenario put forward suggests that integration of psilocybin into ancient diet, communal practice, and proto-religious activity may have enhanced hominin response to the socio-cognitive niche, while also aiding in its creation. In particular, the interpersonal and prosocial effects of psilocybin may have mediated the expansion of social bonding mechanisms such as laughter, music, storytelling, and religion, imposing a systematic bias on the selective environment that favored selection for prosociality in our lineage.

In this essay I will explain the difference
between cult value and exhibition value, and the notion of the ‘aura’, as discussed by Walter
Benjamin (1955:791-811) in his essay The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. I will
lead this into discussions of the concept of simulacrum, with references to the works of Michael
Camille (1996:31-46), in his essay, Simulacrum, and Jean Baudrillard’s Selected Writings (1988:166
184), using a visual example to illustrate the ideas discussed. I will go on to discuss the postmodern
notion of the ‘real’, referring to Kevin Hart (2004:47-66) in his essay Postmodern experience. Then I
will discuss how postmodern strategies have become irrelevant in context to Baudrillard’s theories
on simulacra.

Der Physikalismus ist die ontologische Behauptung, daß die Wirklichkeit nur aus dem besteht, was durch die äußeren Sinne beobachtet werden kann oder durch die Untersuchungen der Physiker gezeigt werden kann. Wenn die physikalische Realität nicht das Ganze umfasst, was real ist, dann ist es möglich, sowohl Wahrheiten der Physik zu akzeptieren als auch die Feststellung zu machen, dass Physikalismus falsch ist. Dieser Aufsatz behauptet, dass der Physikalismus falsch sei, weil es möglich sei, eine nicht-physikalische Realität durch die Verwendung von DMT (N,N-Dimethyltryptamin) direkt zu beobachten. Es ist nicht notwendig, durch die Argumentation die Existenz einer objektiven, nicht-physischen Realität zu beweisen, weil es eine gibt, die direkt von jedermann beobachtet werden kann.

Opinion remains divided in the library and education professions regarding the value of the publicly available World Wide Web as an appropriate source to find materials and conduct research. Analysis of over 700 citations in a bibliography of the late twentieth century visionary philosopher and eschatologist Terence McKenna reveals that half the periodical articles and two-thirds of material in other media could not be found using the traditional bibliographic research infrastructure of bibliographic databases, library catalogs, and commercial bookseller lists. Instead, it was necessary to use search engines, online auction sites, online booksellers and file sharing networks (like Google, eBay, Amazon and Grokster), none of which are currently recognized or taught as venues for locating information for scholarly purposes.

Within a corporation, information technology (IT) departments may frequently handle sensitive information about customers and are in a particularly unique position to collectively decide upon information governance policies and practices. Individualists deny that there can be a group agency in a robust sense that can warrant ascriptions of moral agency. We argue that McKenna's individualist thesis does not take into account collectives that have the control and knowledge conditions that warrant ascriptions of moral agency, such as those of well-formed IT departments. Collectives, including corporations and IT departments, can be responsive to morally relevant reasons, such as utile maximization and can be moral agents.

Dieser Artikel  versteht sich als an eine Annäherung an eine Metaphysik,  die eine theistische und  idealistische Auffassung von Realität einschließt, wobei ‚Realität‘ nicht nur die physikalische Welt umfasst (die Welt, die durch Sehen und Berühren wahrnehmbar ist), sondern auch eine Welt (oder möglicherwiese viele Welten), die nicht-materielle intelligente Wesen enthält, was auch Wissenskörper einschließt, die Naturwissenschaften ausmachen. Innerhalb dieses konzeptuellen Rahmens diskutiert dieser Artikel die Natur des menschlichen Bewusstseins, die Beziehung der DMT-Entitäten zu Menschen, und er endet mit einem kurzen Blick auf Roboter, UFOs und das Phänomen der außerirdischen Entführung.