12 Life-Changing Books That Will Transform How You See Psychedelics
Psychedelics is the vast field that connects spirituality, self-understanding, neuroscience, and a journey of hallucination. Although these incredible healing drugs faced a long period of illegal status, as researchers working on it, many states are now starting to decriminalize psychedelics. Authors from all across the world have written psychedelic books on its remarkable healing journey. Several books on LSD and psilocybin usage and effect have been done by famous writers.
12 Transforming Psychedelic Reading List You must Know
Here are the list of psychedelic healing literature or books about psychedelics that you must read
Perception's Doors by Aldous Huxley
The author of the critically acclaimed book Brave New World, Aldous Huxley, is well known throughout the world for his broad knowledge and creative storytelling. It's infamously difficult to describe a psychedelic experience, but Aldous was the best at it. Aldous elaborates on his mescaline-induced psychedelic experience and considers the profound ways in which psychedelic-induced mystical insights might advance science, the arts, and religion. This is one of the groundbreaking psychedelic books as it involves a brief exposition of a stream of consciousness full of vivid imagery and thought-provoking concepts.
2. LSD, My Problem Child written by Dr. Albert Hofmann
In 1938, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann made the well-known discovery of LSD when he was employed at a pharmaceutical laboratory. But it wasn't until 1943 that he purposely overdosed himself at work before making the journey home, which is celebrated as Bicycle Day every April 19. Hofmann describes what transpired next in this timeless work: psychedelics clashed with psychology and psychiatry, grew into the counterculture, and crashed into prohibition. This is undoubtedly a tale worth going over again in detail, from Basel, Switzerland, to Mexico and beyond.
3. Mike Jay's book Psychonauts: Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind
Psychedelics research was done on the self for the majority of human history rather than on study subjects. In one of his psychedelic books, Mike Jay explores the early years of contemporary study on psychedelics. Along the way, he reveals the significant impact that psychoactive substances—from peyote to nitrous to bhang—had on prominent figures like Robert Graves, W.B. Yeats, and Sigmund Freud—and consequently, on popular culture.
4. Entheogens and the Future of Religion by Robert Forte
Albert Hofmann, R. Gordon Wasson, Jack Kornfield, Terence McKenna, the Shulgins, and Rick Strassman are just a few of the well-known figures in this diverse volume. The authors present a strong argument for psychedelic research from a scientific and theological perspective in this psychedelic healing literature. This psychedelic book examines the morality of this kind of research before making the case that in order to properly comprehend the possibilities of entheogenic psychedelics, academic and religious freedom are necessary.
5. How to Change Your Mind: The New Science of Psychedelics written by Michael Pollan
In his fascinating history of psychedelics, Michael Pollan paints a vivid picture of the new generation of scientists who are captivated by the potential consequences of these substances. A report from what may very well be the future of human consciousness is titled "How to Change Your Mind." Researchers, scientists, and physicians believed that a psychological revolution might be imminent when LSD was initially found in the 1940s. However, because of the harsh reaction against the counterculture in the 1960s, any additional study was prohibited. Michael Pollan has written a fascinating spin on the history of psychedelics. “How to change your mind” is one of those books on LSD and psilocybin that must be present in your psychedelic reading list.
6. Geoff Rickly's Someone Who Isn't Me
Fans of Rickly's post-hardcore band Thursday might also enjoy his gripping psychedelic healing literature, which combines elements of recovery lit and psychedelic literature in a reworking of the Divine Comedy. Geoff, the main character in Rickly's autofiction, uses ibogaine therapy in Mexico to overcome a crippling heroin addiction.
7. James Fadiman, The Psychedelics Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys
Fadiman examines the most recent and underappreciated studies on the psychotherapeutic benefits of using visionary drugs for heightened self-awareness and a variety of severe medical conditions. One such study examines the causes and outcomes of psychedelic use among hundreds of professionals and students. He discloses novel applications for LSD and other psychedelics, such as the use of incredibly tiny dosages to enhance emotional equilibrium and cognitive performance. Since the 1960s, Fadiman has been engaged in research and books about psychedelics. This is one of those psychedelic books that involve the discussion about the short-term and long-term impacts of using psychedelics for therapeutic (moderate dose), spiritual (high dose), and problem-solving (low dose) objectives.
8. Virginia Haze and Dr. K. Mandrake's book The Psilocybin Mushroom Bible: The Complete Guide to Growing and Using Magic Mushrooms
This is another incredible psychedelic books guiding you a complete way to grow psilocybin mushrooms. Understanding psychedelics involves more than just examining their molecular composition. The best ways to grow plants like psilocybin mushrooms are also being studied. Dr. K. Mandrake, a mushroom botanist, provides a detailed explanation of how to cultivate and prepare mushrooms for human consumption. With beautiful photos by fellow mushroom grower Virginia Haze, the aim is a thorough manual on how to produce mushrooms responsibly on your own.
9. The Human Biocomputer's Programming and Metaprogramming by John C. Lilly
It is one of those psychedelic books that connects technology and our brain’s functions in a unique way. The writer used the metaphor that our minds are computers that run programs that have been intentionally or inadvertently encoded into us, either meticulously or haphazardly. The writer describes psychedelic experience as a "metaprogrammer, that recode old painful memories or programs out of our brain, that is not beneficial for us. The practical, tech-savvy neuro-hackers out there love this psychedelic healing literature.
10. Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures, by Merlin Sheldrake
Merlin Sheldrake delves into the fascinating and neglected domain of fungi in this engrossing journey. A mind-altering voyage into this secret world of life, Entangled Life demonstrates how important fungi are to comprehending both the planet we live on and our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It makes less sense without fungus as we understand more about them. Fungi have affected human history by providing us with bread, alcohol, and life-saving medications. Their hallucinogenic qualities have also influenced cultures from ancient times and have lately been demonstrated to help treat a variety of mental conditions.
11. DMT: Dr. Rick Strassman's The Spirit Molecule
Ayahuasca trips are caused by the chemical component DMT, which is also found naturally in the human body and in the skin and eggs of some toads. Because of the deeply spiritual nature of the psychedelic effects that DMT tends to create, Dr. Strassman named it "the spirit molecule." This is one of the remarkable psychedelic books that includes DMT self-experiences. Strassman relates his own clinical study on DMT to beliefs that are consistent with the DMT experience, such as angels, the seventh chakra, and experiences of alien abduction. The science and enigma surrounding N,N-dimethyltryptamine are fascinatingly examined.
12. Timothy Leary's book The Psychedelic Experience: A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead
This preparation is based on content from The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Additionally, the writers contribute significantly to the interpretation of The Tibetan Book of the Dead. They demonstrate that it cares about the live rather than the dead. The manual's final section offers guidance on how to have a real psychedelic session while taking the necessary precautions.
It is considered as a detailed book about psychedelic experiences. The authors conducted a series of LSD and other psychedelic drug studies at Harvard University before the experiments were halted due to spectacular national media coverage that unjustly focused on students' interest in the drugs. The authors have since carried on with their work without the support of academic institutions.
Haven’t Read These Masterpieces!
It is recommended to read some of these remarkable life-changing books to understand the journey of psychedelic therapy. If you are interested in psychedelic treatment or planning to be a therapist, you must include psychedelic books to read in your weekend schedule.
