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Summary: A fun book to read
Review: An easy to read and interesting story on ayahuasca and the authors experiences in south america. A great follow up book would be DMT the spirit molecule.
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Summary: the first sparks dawn in the vast darkness of reason
Review: Ayahuasca is not a "drug" in the traditional sense, it is an orally activated dose of naturally occuring dimethyltryptamine. Your brain produces this same substance naturally and uses it to transmit information, although the way this works is still largely unexplored. The ayahuasqueros's of the Amazon use this same substance to gain a deeper perception of the world around them. There presently exists in humankind a chasm between those who "know" and those who understand that they do not know. Those who know are limited by the structures of reason they have erected in order to feel safer in the vastly paradoxical wonder that is life. The same structures that provide illusory safety, sadly, often blind them to the Truth. What is a human being? Do you know? If a thing has a name, does that mean we understand what it is? Perhaps J. Narby has begun to bridge the gap for those who seek only within rigid constraints. Perhaps these houses will begin to crumble and those in them will begin to see that they were always safe, they were always home, there is only boundless wonder waiting in all directions. I recommend this book, but beyond the first steps of investigation and research; I recommend imbibing, immersing, and including yourself in the place that has always been your home.
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Summary: Chills & Thrills
Review: First of all, a disclaimer. I'm not an academic (my only brush with science came with biology, chemistry and physics classes in high school and then with a couple semesters of physical and cultural anthropology in college) so I cannot speak to the science in this book. However, I am compelled to write this because as Narby was making his connections between DNA and serpents, I had to stop reading as a chill overtook me. For those of you who have read the book, you'll understand the next set of references. I put the book down and I looked at my right arm. On my right bicep is a black graphic tattoo that I designed, incorporating the Christian cross, the sun and Ouroboros. On the inside of the same arm is a tattoo of entwined twin snakes doubling as the handle of a dagger. To this day, I have never been able to sufficiently answer what compelled me to draw these tattoos and get them done. They are the only tattoos I have. I should also say that I got these tattoos about a year or two of heavy LSD, psilocybin mushroom and MDMA (which affects levels of seratonin in human biochemistry) use. Coincidence? Probably but this book opens that question up for a very personal debate. Hence, the 5 star rating.
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Summary: An insightful book that leads us back to the planet.
Review: I found this to be one of the most exciting books I have ever read. Not because of the science or the shaman perspective but because it leads us out of the clouds and back to the planet we live on to learn fundamental truths about life. The appreciation and love of our planet and all its species is crucial to our continued existence and Dr. Narby certainly whets our interest with his fascinating hypotheses. Perhaps, if God created everything and God is in us and all around us, God and DNA may be synonymous. And how wonderful it would be for us to feel that God actually has such a close physical association with us instead of being a separate being living in a far off realm. This book brings a number of important ideas and concepts together to attempt the creation of a whole meaning. Wonderful read!!!
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Summary: Cosmic Serpent: DNA And The Origins of Knowledge
Review: I have always been conflicted with the theory of evolution. It seems rational, but speciously so. It ignores consciousness, which is senior to science. Surely, any theory that purports to map out the arrow of life must account for our ability to know that we know. Without bringing theology or Creationism, God forbid (pun intended) into the equation, Narby explains a viewpoint that puts sentinent life onto center stage. Weaving together intuition and rationlism, Narby allowed me to dispell my conflict and realize that LIFE is consciousness and is the driving force behind "evolutionary" progress. Sounds corny, I know, but read it with an open mind and see if your views don't change, even a bit.
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Summary: Cosmic Serpent: DNA And The Origins of Knowledge
Review: I have always been conflicted with the theory of evolution. It seems rational, but speciously so. It ignores consciousness, which is senior to science. Surely, any theory that purports to map out the arrow of life must account for our ability to know that we know. Without bringing theology or Creationism, God forbid (pun intended) into the equation, Narby explains a viewpoint that puts sentinent life onto center stage. Weaving together intuition and rationlism, Narby allowed me to dispell my conflict and realize that LIFE is consciousness and is the driving force behind "evolutionary" progress. Sounds corny, I know, but read it with an open mind and see if your views don't change, even a bit.
Rating: 
Summary: Visionary Shamanic Trance
Review: I have not read this book yet, but I intend to do so immediately, as the information herein pertains greatly to the visions I see when I am in a multidimensional trance state. I see a lot of ignorance here from a lot of people claiming to be rational and intelligent people. What they do not realize is that they are completely unaware of universal truths, that they have not penetrated deeply into the nature of reality, existence, themselves, their spirit, and their connection to all that is. To you people I say that you are missing out on life, in a profound way, you could have ecstatic love, tantric sex, magical experiences, learn the nature of truth & buddahessence. I invite you to open yourselves and your minds, and to not be so judgmental of beings who have actually explored more of life.
I am not a shaman, in this life - as I have had no initiations by a shaman, but I can say that I have had all the same serpentine visions these ayahuasqueros from South America describe, and honestly, the serpent energy connects to the rising of the Kundalini (connection to Tantrism) connects to the activation of all chakras, connects to DNA, connects to Merkabic fields, multidimensional orgasm, electricity/connection... The visions I've had of serpents have looked something like the numbers you see in the Matrix, as they move across the field of vision, where everything you see becomes numbers, except instead of moving from top to bottom, they horizontally, from left to right, and from right to left, back and forth, interweaving green serpentine intertwining row after row, with little red dots undulating.. That is literally what i see every time now. It is the vision I see when I am connected/aligned in pure multidimensional awareness. I have also been met by two rattlesnakes when I was on ayahuasca, in the flesh (they weren't just visions) and let me tell you, I was SCARED.
All I can say is that there is a lot of truth & credibility to the experience of serpents in visionary states - and whether that relates to DNA chains intertwining is anyone's interpretation. I can say that I've read the stories of some indigenous shamans and they say that while in a visionary state you can communicate with plant spirits (which is true) because when you are in an interconnected state, you have access to all the information of the forest - it's just there, immediately, at your fingertips, you just have to become one with the intelligence of the plant spirits.... (which is what ayahuasca does for an ayahuasquero)
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Summary: An Intimate Journalists Journey
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and found the writing easy to get along with as its written in narrative form that. Anthropologist Jeremy Narby steps off the plane and into Amazonian country. Here he tries the commonplace hallucinagenic ayahuasca. This plant gives Narby incredible insight into the human soul, body and nature of life. The author then gives his experience in as much detail as he could remember, then passing along the rest of his trip with conversations and whatnot. From here, he sets out to write his book. Although the author does sort of jump to conclusions that the double serpents he sees all over ancient mythology is the double helix of DNA (i.e. the medical symbol caduceus). Although in some cases I tend to agree with his point of view, and I find much of the ancient symbols of the past to correlate strongly with our modern psychology, mathematical sciences and biology. However, in his search, he does not let go of the idea, which may or not not help his cause. The book would have received 5 stars, if he stayed on top of his subject. He began with hallucinagenics in the Amazon, then to DNA, then neurology and smoking ingredients. He writes humbly knowing what he believes wont be taken to heart very lightly. There are no answers in this book, however many questions, pertinent questions no less, which makes this such a valuble and enjoyable book. Definately reccomended. Fans of Joseph Campbell may really enjoy this one.
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Summary: Remarkable work!
Review: I won't drone on about this book. After reading a few of the reviews though, I am compelled to counter the offerings of the PHD'd "scientific" bacilli who are always the first to call foul when some courageous and objective peer offers a creative alternative to the tiresome, wornout, self-indulgent, ego blown,
rational-bound, dull, Western traditionalist mumbo-jumbo that these knuckle heads love to perpetuate. I am an artist/musician and my sense of validity or truth comes more from an intention to extract beauty from a thing rather than take account of "good research". If you are an academic fat head, then pass on this fine work and keep your constipated "thoughts" to yourself. Don't try to trample out every spark of genius that emerges from the bog of scientific thought. So there....put that in your tenured pipe and smoke it.
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Summary: Good questions, but inconclusive
Review: Jeremy Narby's argument is that when shaman's drink hallucinogenic brews, their consciousness sinks to the molecular level, and literally communicates with DNA, the basic building block of life. DNA appears to shamans, and others who drink these magic brews, as serpents. This is why, Narby claims, serpents loom large in ancient cultures around the world. It is also how shamans get their expert knowledge of plants. When shamans say that the spirit in the plants tell them how to concoct life-saving remedies, they mean what they say. In hallucinogenic trances, the plants speak. Narby goes onto to speculate that the world is one vast communication network among strands of DNA. You don't have to buy the DNA-communication theory to enjoy this book. It is written in an engaging, personal, first person narrative style. It shows how science works, how "eureka moments" occur when one is relaxed and thinking about other things. Maybe his theory is totally off-base, but even so, big ideas like this one often spur research in different, interesting directions. We are only as good as our questions, and Narby's question is a great one: What if the shamans are right?
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