The Antipodes of the Mind: Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca ExperienceThis is a pioneering cognitive psychological study of Ayahuasca, a plant-based Amazonian psychotropic brew. Benny Shanon presents a comprehensive charting of the various facets of the special state of mind induced by Ayahuasca, and analyzes them from a cognitive psychological perspective. He also presents some philosophical reflections. Empirically, the research presented in this book is based on the systematic recording of the author's extensive experiences with the brew and on the interviewing of a large number of informants: indigenous people, shamans, members of different religious sects using Ayahuasca, and travellers. In addition to its being the most thorough study of the Ayahuasca experience to date, the book lays the theoretical foundations for the psychological study of non-ordinary states of consciousness in general. |
Contents
Prologue | 1 |
Preliminaries | 11 |
General Background | 13 |
Theoretical Foundations | 30 |
Methodology and General Structure | 41 |
The Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca Experience | 53 |
Atmosphere and General Effects | 55 |
OpenEye Visualizations | 69 |
Time | 226 |
Meaning and Semantics | 242 |
Consciousness II | 256 |
Light | 273 |
Theoretical Issues | 285 |
Stages and Order | 287 |
Contextual Considerations | 305 |
Cognitive Parameters | 331 |
A Structural Typology of Ayahuasca Visualizations | 86 |
Interaction and Narration | 99 |
The Contents of Visions | 113 |
The Themes of Visions | 141 |
Ideas Insights and Reflections | 160 |
NonVisual Perceptions | 181 |
Consciousness I | 194 |
Transformations | 210 |
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The Antipodes of the Mind: Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca ... Benny Shanon Limited preview - 2002 |
Common terms and phrases
Amaringo Amazonian Amerindian ancient Egypt animals anthropological literature appear appreciate associated Ayahuasca drinker Ayahuasca experience Ayahuasca induces Ayahuasca inebriation Ayahuasca sessions Ayahuasca visions brew Cashinahua characterized cognitive cognitive psychology cognitive-psychological colours common consciousness contexts of Ayahuasca culture dance defined discussion Divine domain dreams effect of Ayahuasca Entheogens eternal experience with Ayahuasca experienced eyes felt figures further geometric hallucination Hallucinogens huasca human iconic memory images indigenous individual informants insights interaction intoxication involve jaguars light manifest meaning meaningful mescaline mind mystical nature non-ordinary normally noted objects one's paranormal particular patterns perception person perspective pertaining phenomenological phenomenon phosphenes Polari powerful present previous chapter psychoactive psychological question reality realm recounted referred reflections regarded Reichel-Dolmatoff reported rituals Santo Daime scenes seen semantic sense serpents shaman Shanon specific spiritual structural study of Ayahuasca super-categories synaesthesia temporal theoretical topic transformation types União do Vegetal various visual