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The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications
The most comprehensive guide to the botany, history, distribution, and cultivation of all known psychoactive plants
• Examines 414 psychoactive plants and related substances
• Explores how using psychoactive plants in a culturally sanctioned context can produce important insights into the nature of reality
• Contains 797 color photographs and 645 black-and-white illustrations
In the traditions of every culture, plants have been highly valued for their nourishing, healing, and transformative properties. The most powerful plants--those known to transport the human mind into other dimensions of consciousness--have traditionally been regarded as sacred. In The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants Christian Rätsch details the botany, history, distribution, cultivation, and preparation and dosage of more than 400 psychoactive plants. He discusses their ritual and medicinal usage, cultural artifacts made from these plants, and works of art that either represent or have been inspired by them. The author begins with 168 of the most well-known psychoactives--such as cannabis, datura, and papaver--then presents 133 lesser known substances as well as additional plants known as “legal highs,” plants known only from mythological contexts and literature, and plant products that include substances such as ayahuasca, incense, and soma. The text is lavishly illustrated with 797 color photographs--many of which are from the author’s extensive fieldwork around the world--showing the people, ceremonies, and art related to the ritual use of the world’s sacred psychoactives.
• Examines 414 psychoactive plants and related substances
• Explores how using psychoactive plants in a culturally sanctioned context can produce important insights into the nature of reality
• Contains 797 color photographs and 645 black-and-white illustrations
In the traditions of every culture, plants have been highly valued for their nourishing, healing, and transformative properties. The most powerful plants--those known to transport the human mind into other dimensions of consciousness--have traditionally been regarded as sacred. In The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants Christian Rätsch details the botany, history, distribution, cultivation, and preparation and dosage of more than 400 psychoactive plants. He discusses their ritual and medicinal usage, cultural artifacts made from these plants, and works of art that either represent or have been inspired by them. The author begins with 168 of the most well-known psychoactives--such as cannabis, datura, and papaver--then presents 133 lesser known substances as well as additional plants known as “legal highs,” plants known only from mythological contexts and literature, and plant products that include substances such as ayahuasca, incense, and soma. The text is lavishly illustrated with 797 color photographs--many of which are from the author’s extensive fieldwork around the world--showing the people, ceremonies, and art related to the ritual use of the world’s sacred psychoactives.
944 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
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2176 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 1, 2008
My favorite quote from the book: "Only plants had consciousness. Animals got it from them." - Dale Pendell.
Most people never come to understand that the purpose of using plants to alter your perception is to open your mind and gain knowledge. This book shows us that our need for plants goes beyond the basics: food, clothes, and shelter. It reminds us of our deep evolutionary, emotional, and physical bond with plants. A must for anyone interested in psychoactive plants, anthropology, or just plants in general.
Most people never come to understand that the purpose of using plants to alter your perception is to open your mind and gain knowledge. This book shows us that our need for plants goes beyond the basics: food, clothes, and shelter. It reminds us of our deep evolutionary, emotional, and physical bond with plants. A must for anyone interested in psychoactive plants, anthropology, or just plants in general.
March 27, 2011
The best drug book I've seen since Shulgin's PIKHAL, hands down. Beautifully illustrated. A new canon!
April 22, 2012
completely exhaustive volume. if it grows and it alters brain chemistry it's included. boggles the mind
October 4, 2019
It is as advertised. Great resource!
September 3, 2015
This very large, very dense book has thorough descriptions of uses, chemical properties, features, and applications of psychoactive plants throughout the world -- I had no idea there were so many psychoactive plants (included are ones such as tobacco, tea, coffee, cocoa, etc. -- i.e., any plant with minimal or intense psychoactive properties, but many of the plants have shamanic and/or healing uses as well).
February 16, 2020
an excellent reference book.
October 14, 2021
Your not going to find many books like this!
Every Psychoactive plant in one place! Tried to get through as many as I can so far, I'll be trying as many more in the future.
But I love has with all the facts and history about each plant there is also the folklore which is shared.
Never expected it to be so informative and enjoyable to pick up and read randomly!
ENJOY!
Every Psychoactive plant in one place! Tried to get through as many as I can so far, I'll be trying as many more in the future.
But I love has with all the facts and history about each plant there is also the folklore which is shared.
Never expected it to be so informative and enjoyable to pick up and read randomly!
ENJOY!
February 5, 2008
comprehensive & interesting. Don't experiment in powerful realms you can't respect. Respect plant medicine. why? read this and see.
December 25, 2008
Amazing reference manual. Highly recommended to all aspiring herbalist, entheogen enthusiasts, and full-blown psychonauts alike. If you can find it under $100, grab it!
March 1, 2011
This was selected as an Outstanding Reference Source for 2006. For the complete list, go to http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rus...
November 26, 2013
Outstanding resource.
June 5, 2023
Disclaimer: I have not read this cover to cover and do not use anything of the sort, so I can't judge how accurate or reliable this book is.
But it's such a treasure of fascinating information. The author actually feels people *should* be using drugs(/herbs/mushrooms/etc), because it's apparently necessary for a shift in general human consciousness regarding the environment. He assumes nasty politicians would be better people if they'd smoked some weed. I'm not entirely convinced of this but I don't need to be to appreciate this gem. This book is huge and stuffed full of wonderful factoids and pictures and chemical drawings and history and quotes and myths and pictures and petroglyphs and oh my!
Only downside it is hard and heavy - if it was soft and cuddly I'd never let it go <3
But it's such a treasure of fascinating information. The author actually feels people *should* be using drugs(/herbs/mushrooms/etc), because it's apparently necessary for a shift in general human consciousness regarding the environment. He assumes nasty politicians would be better people if they'd smoked some weed. I'm not entirely convinced of this but I don't need to be to appreciate this gem. This book is huge and stuffed full of wonderful factoids and pictures and chemical drawings and history and quotes and myths and pictures and petroglyphs and oh my!
Only downside it is hard and heavy - if it was soft and cuddly I'd never let it go <3
September 14, 2024
Truly an exhaustive catalogue of every known enthogen on Earth. Each entry is treated equally, even the lesser-known species are only a few sentences shorter than the most popularized. The print is difficult to read, it is structured in narrow columns with a font size slightly larger than standard footnotes, and there are few visual aids. This type of publishment is best for ethnobotanists, advanced readers, and eccentrics; due to the inclusion of highly specific, obscure species that average field guides never mention. I chose the word "catalogue" instead of "encyclopedia" because encyclopedias usually have more than a single paragraph worth of information in their entries. This is not a half-baked amateur trip storybook, much of it is available nowhere else.
January 26, 2025
Ein beeindruckender Mensch ist er wirklich, Christian Rätsch. Der Umfang dieser Enzyklopädie lässt einen staunen, übrigens gibt es auch einen zweiten Teil. Gut gegliedert, eine spannende Mischung aus wissenschaftlichen, historischen und kulturgeschichtlichen Infos. Für alle Interessierten ein tolles Standardwerk.
November 8, 2019
Unverzichtbares Standardwerk eines jeden Psychonauten und Ethnobotanikers.
December 6, 2020
or: how to get high on every continent.
October 24, 2021
This book is the Grand Grimoire of psychoactive plants. A must-have.
April 3, 2022
Essential text in the growing library of mind medicines.
March 13, 2023
For what it's worth my top three books on psychoactive substances are The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants by Ratsch, Food of the Gods by Mckenna and The Drug Users Bible by Trott.
March 24, 2024
totally biased, but I love it.
August 7, 2024
Expensive and hard to find. Worth the cost though if you can find it to buy.
March 20, 2025
can't say I read through this. Parked after 50 pages or so. This is a 2000+ pages enciclopedia to consult when having a random urge to learn the history and culture of psychoactive plants.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews