Breaking Open the Head

I just finished Breaking Open the Head by Daniel Pinchbeck, and I can honestly say it is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read.  It is at once a history of the psychedelic movement, an exploration of shamanism, and an autobiographical spiritual narrative recounting the author's own mind-boggling experiences.  I found myself underlining entire chunks of the book, as there were so many rich ideas which were either brand new to me or else entirely affirming of my own suspicions and views.  I think I will leave it there, as it's far too brilliant and complex a book to sum up in just a few words, and I am frankly still digesting it.  I will say that I did discover two of Pinchbeck's other projects, Reality Sandwich and Evolver, and have been delightedly poking around those two sites recently.  Have a look. 

Comments

[Zelda Devon]

Yes! Huge fan of this book. Seems like there's some alternate truth out there simply attainable by imbibing crushed vine sludge in the middle of the Amazon.

[Jesse Bransford]

I highly recommend work by Terrence McKenna, anything by him really. It's the 'next step'. Also a great anthropologist on shamanism, Michael Taussig...The 'alternate truth' in the middle of the Amazon referred to in the previous comment is REAL!!!!