Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #69202 in Books
• Published on: 1994-06-21
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Synopsis
A thoroughly revised edition of the much-sought-after early work by Terence and Dennis McKenna that looks at shamanism, altered states of consciousness, and the organic unity of the King Wen sequence of the I Ching.

Customer Reviews

A voyage of discovery
To start this review it is worth noting when this book was first published - 1975.
At this time the young, adventurous, scientific minded Mckenna brothers recalled their voyage of discovery. Through the use of hallucinogens they experienced thoughtful insights into shamanism, schizophrenia, the holographic nature of nature, and finally and maybe most memorably - they formulated a mathematical principle using the I-Ching that maps the history of 'Novelty'.

A great read, that will lead the reader on a voyage of their own.

Further study: The Timewave theory has since been scrutinised by expert mathematians:

Matthew Watkins found errors in the theory:
http://www.fourmilab.ch/rpkp/autopsy.html

John Sheliak worked with Watkins objection and found that the theory could be corrected, and indeed it became even more accurate!
http://www.levity.com/eschaton/sheliak/

Hmm...
It's hard to say just exactly what this book is about. Best to give it 3 stars and sit on the fence.

As for you, dear reader of my review, I think you should contemplate the purchase of this tome only when strongly recommended by someone you dearly trust, and if mind-altering drugs are a topic you are interested in researching deeply.

I'm sorry I cannot be more helpful, except to say that it is obvious the authors are themselves lost in the entire narrative, somewhere between LSD and Mescaline.

Oh, one more thing to add. I don't know if it's just this edition or what, but every single page of this book has somewhere in the margin a wavey line that is meant to represent brain activity. It's a really annoying decoration that hinders my enjoyment of the read.

recommended reading before 2012
this book comprises 3 parts: an investigation into shamanism, schizophrenia and the holographic principles of memory; scientific psychedelic experimentation in the Amazon of such theories; and finally relating ancient Chinese principles (the I Ching) to novelty throughout the universe.
An amazing book filled with mind-blowing theories and frequent genius insights... the authors are incredibly intelligent whether you take their inspirational thoughts at face value or not.
Highly recommended.