What are you reading?

[DoW]

Just started reading this on my kindle this morning.

It is the start of a long line of spiritual/psychoactive substance books im gonna read. Some others
DMT: The Spirit Molocule
The Doors of Perception
The Tibetan Book of the Dead (I just grabbed the penguin translation)
Be Here Now
Be Love Now

This year I want to look into myself and figure out how I can change my lifestyle so I can control my anxiety and depression without the help of pharmaceuticals

drink lots of beer.

[UncleEbinezer]

drink lots of beer.

:hereitisyousentimentalbastard  So true.

[Lifeboy]

[kellerb]

just got Keith Richards: Life and Clive Barker: Abarat 3, thanks to a b&n gift card I've been sitting on since christmas.  Stoked for some reading-centric days

[JPhishman]

Just finished Bukowski's "Post Office" this weekend. It was a bit dark and depressing for my taste, if amusing at times.


Started this one up right away and I'm loving it about 100 pages in....

[ph92]

Just finished Bukowski's "Post Office" this weekend. It was a bit dark and depressing for my taste, if amusing at times.


Started this one up right away and I'm loving it about 100 pages in....

There is a whole chapter about Leary in LSD: My problem child... I think I might read that for more depth

[mbw]

Infinite Jest is probably the best book I've ever read. 

Broom of the System is good too.

I remember that McCain piece, it was great, doesn't change the fact that he was replaced by a cylon in 2004.

:-o Might have to add that to my queue...

def.  thanks for the recommendation faux and hicks!  ordered the ink on paper version.

heh, ditto... i need a beach book because by the time i go i'll be done with the two i'm reading now...

thanks!

finally started diggin into this beast.   :-o

[Mr. Natural]

Just finished Bukowski's "Post Office" this weekend. It was a bit dark and depressing for my taste, if amusing at times.


Started this one up right away and I'm loving it about 100 pages in....

There is a whole chapter about Leary in LSD: My problem child... I think I might read that for more depth

I'd been curious about Andy Weil's role in the "Harvard Drug Scandal" when I started this one.
Oddly enough, as I began ruminating, I starting seeing Weil's entire career as an imitation of Ram Dass'. RD travels India searching for spirtual masters, AW goes to South America to peruse the Amazon basin for shamen; BE HERE NOW vs. THE NATURAL MIND; the beards; bringing Eastern practices into the contemporary American health scene. It's just that AW has that profit motive a little harder than RD.
And maybe I'm a bit prejudiced by Lattin's BookTV reading (I thought he came across a bit weasle-y), but i thought it was poor taste to introduce Leary into the book via the tragedy of his 35th birthday.

[Mr. Natural]

Just started reading this on my kindle this morning.

It is the start of a long line of spiritual/psychoactive substance books im gonna read. Some others
DMT: The Spirit Molocule
The Doors of Perception
The Tibetan Book of the Dead (I just grabbed the penguin translation)
Be Here Now
Be Love Now
This year I want to look into myself and figure out how I can change my lifestyle so I can control my anxiety and depression without the help of pharmaceuticals

Just my opinion, but I expected more from Hoffman's book. Granted, he's a chemist, so writing for laymen isn't exactly his forte - I was just expecting him to have a lot more to say about a lot more things. Having said that, his perspective is so unique there's really no room for me to complain.
I've only read three of these all the way thorugh (started TBD, skimmed over SPIRIT MOLECULE a few times), but I'd be willing to talk your ear off (and listen, of course) about any of them. As for controlling anxiety & depression, meditiation works best for me* (with psych's as an adjunct), but if psychedelics agree with you more, I'd recommend two contemporary books after you finish those classics: THE PSYCHEDELIC EXPLORER'S GUIDE by James Fadiman and PSYCHEDELIC HEALING by Neal Goldsmith. And if you want to run an honest-to-goodness psychedelic session, THE SECRET CHIEF REVEALED by Myron Stolaroff describes how a psych therapist ran his [underground] sessions after these molecules were taken away from professionals. What I've read of that one really laid it all out. You can read it in it's entirety on deoxy.org.
* also, listening to Ram Dass lectures (there are tons online). He's my #1 homeboy. He went psychology > psychedelics > yoga; and I went psychedelics > psychology > yoga, so he makes a lot of sense to me.

[ph92]

Just started reading this on my kindle this morning.

It is the start of a long line of spiritual/psychoactive substance books im gonna read. Some others
DMT: The Spirit Molocule
The Doors of Perception
The Tibetan Book of the Dead (I just grabbed the penguin translation)
Be Here Now
Be Love Now
This year I want to look into myself and figure out how I can change my lifestyle so I can control my anxiety and depression without the help of pharmaceuticals

Just my opinion, but I expected more from Hoffman's book. Granted, he's a chemist, so writing for laymen isn't exactly his forte - I was just expecting him to have a lot more to say about a lot more things. Having said that, his perspective is so unique there's really no room for me to complain.
I've only read three of these all the way thorugh (started TBD, skimmed over SPIRIT MOLECULE a few times), but I'd be willing to talk your ear off (and listen, of course) about any of them. As for controlling anxiety & depression, meditiation works best for me* (with psych's as an adjunct), but if psychedelics agree with you more, I'd recommend two contemporary books after you finish those classics: THE PSYCHEDELIC EXPLORER'S GUIDE by James Fadiman and PSYCHEDELIC HEALING by Neal Goldsmith. And if you want to run an honest-to-goodness psychedelic session, THE SECRET CHIEF REVEALED by Myron Stolaroff describes how a psych therapist ran his [underground] sessions after these molecules were taken away from professionals. What I've read of that one really laid it all out. You can read it in it's entirety on deoxy.org.
* also, listening to Ram Dass lectures (there are tons online). He's my #1 homeboy. He went psychology > psychedelics > yoga; and I went psychedelics > psychology > yoga, so he makes a lot of sense to me.

Yeah, it seems more of like a big overview on the topic, he touches on like every aspect of his discovery and how it effected the world. And actually The Psychedelic Expolorer's Guide is on my list (well on my amazon list). I will add those others.

Ram Dass has a book, I cant remember what its called but its a guide on how to meditate in many different styles. I might pick that one up as well. And its not that I'm against meditating or anything its just I am kinda sorta busy, also I need to control my ADD better before I can really peruse that path. And also, I do really enjoy psychedelics :-D, but it is not the only thing I do to gain spiritual enlightenment.

[rowjimmy]

Just started reading this on my kindle this morning.

It is the start of a long line of spiritual/psychoactive substance books im gonna read. Some others
DMT: The Spirit Molocule
The Doors of Perception
The Tibetan Book of the Dead (I just grabbed the penguin translation)
Be Here Now
Be Love Now
This year I want to look into myself and figure out how I can change my lifestyle so I can control my anxiety and depression without the help of pharmaceuticals

Just my opinion, but I expected more from Hoffman's book. Granted, he's a chemist, so writing for laymen isn't exactly his forte - I was just expecting him to have a lot more to say about a lot more things. Having said that, his perspective is so unique there's really no room for me to complain.
I've only read three of these all the way thorugh (started TBD, skimmed over SPIRIT MOLECULE a few times), but I'd be willing to talk your ear off (and listen, of course) about any of them. As for controlling anxiety & depression, meditiation works best for me* (with psych's as an adjunct), but if psychedelics agree with you more, I'd recommend two contemporary books after you finish those classics: THE PSYCHEDELIC EXPLORER'S GUIDE by James Fadiman and PSYCHEDELIC HEALING by Neal Goldsmith. And if you want to run an honest-to-goodness psychedelic session, THE SECRET CHIEF REVEALED by Myron Stolaroff describes how a psych therapist ran his [underground] sessions after these molecules were taken away from professionals. What I've read of that one really laid it all out. You can read it in it's entirety on deoxy.org.
* also, listening to Ram Dass lectures (there are tons online). He's my #1 homeboy. He went psychology > psychedelics > yoga; and I went psychedelics > psychology > yoga, so he makes a lot of sense to me.

Yeah, it seems more of like a big overview on the topic, he touches on like every aspect of his discovery and how it effected the world. And actually The Psychedelic Expolorer's Guide is on my list (well on my amazon list). I will add those others.

Ram Dass has a book, I cant remember what its called but its a guide on how to meditate in many different styles. I might pick that one up as well. And its not that I'm against meditating or anything its just I am kinda sorta busy, also I need to control my ADD better before I can really peruse that path. And also, I do really enjoy psychedelics :-D, but it is not the only thing I do to gain spiritual enlightenment.

Meditation can help control your ADD.
Trust me.

[ph92]

Just started reading this on my kindle this morning.

It is the start of a long line of spiritual/psychoactive substance books im gonna read. Some others
DMT: The Spirit Molocule
The Doors of Perception
The Tibetan Book of the Dead (I just grabbed the penguin translation)
Be Here Now
Be Love Now
This year I want to look into myself and figure out how I can change my lifestyle so I can control my anxiety and depression without the help of pharmaceuticals

Just my opinion, but I expected more from Hoffman's book. Granted, he's a chemist, so writing for laymen isn't exactly his forte - I was just expecting him to have a lot more to say about a lot more things. Having said that, his perspective is so unique there's really no room for me to complain.
I've only read three of these all the way thorugh (started TBD, skimmed over SPIRIT MOLECULE a few times), but I'd be willing to talk your ear off (and listen, of course) about any of them. As for controlling anxiety & depression, meditiation works best for me* (with psych's as an adjunct), but if psychedelics agree with you more, I'd recommend two contemporary books after you finish those classics: THE PSYCHEDELIC EXPLORER'S GUIDE by James Fadiman and PSYCHEDELIC HEALING by Neal Goldsmith. And if you want to run an honest-to-goodness psychedelic session, THE SECRET CHIEF REVEALED by Myron Stolaroff describes how a psych therapist ran his [underground] sessions after these molecules were taken away from professionals. What I've read of that one really laid it all out. You can read it in it's entirety on deoxy.org.
* also, listening to Ram Dass lectures (there are tons online). He's my #1 homeboy. He went psychology > psychedelics > yoga; and I went psychedelics > psychology > yoga, so he makes a lot of sense to me.

Yeah, it seems more of like a big overview on the topic, he touches on like every aspect of his discovery and how it effected the world. And actually The Psychedelic Expolorer's Guide is on my list (well on my amazon list). I will add those others.

Ram Dass has a book, I cant remember what its called but its a guide on how to meditate in many different styles. I might pick that one up as well. And its not that I'm against meditating or anything its just I am kinda sorta busy, also I need to control my ADD better before I can really peruse that path. And also, I do really enjoy psychedelics :-D, but it is not the only thing I do to gain spiritual enlightenment.

Meditation can help control your ADD.
Trust me.

I just always assumed the oppisite since you kinda just sit there with a blank mind for a while, thats really hard for me. Then again I'm sure there are other methods of meditation haha.

Is there a certain kind you know of?

[rowjimmy]

Just started reading this on my kindle this morning.

It is the start of a long line of spiritual/psychoactive substance books im gonna read. Some others
DMT: The Spirit Molocule
The Doors of Perception
The Tibetan Book of the Dead (I just grabbed the penguin translation)
Be Here Now
Be Love Now
This year I want to look into myself and figure out how I can change my lifestyle so I can control my anxiety and depression without the help of pharmaceuticals

Just my opinion, but I expected more from Hoffman's book. Granted, he's a chemist, so writing for laymen isn't exactly his forte - I was just expecting him to have a lot more to say about a lot more things. Having said that, his perspective is so unique there's really no room for me to complain.
I've only read three of these all the way thorugh (started TBD, skimmed over SPIRIT MOLECULE a few times), but I'd be willing to talk your ear off (and listen, of course) about any of them. As for controlling anxiety & depression, meditiation works best for me* (with psych's as an adjunct), but if psychedelics agree with you more, I'd recommend two contemporary books after you finish those classics: THE PSYCHEDELIC EXPLORER'S GUIDE by James Fadiman and PSYCHEDELIC HEALING by Neal Goldsmith. And if you want to run an honest-to-goodness psychedelic session, THE SECRET CHIEF REVEALED by Myron Stolaroff describes how a psych therapist ran his [underground] sessions after these molecules were taken away from professionals. What I've read of that one really laid it all out. You can read it in it's entirety on deoxy.org.
* also, listening to Ram Dass lectures (there are tons online). He's my #1 homeboy. He went psychology > psychedelics > yoga; and I went psychedelics > psychology > yoga, so he makes a lot of sense to me.

Yeah, it seems more of like a big overview on the topic, he touches on like every aspect of his discovery and how it effected the world. And actually The Psychedelic Expolorer's Guide is on my list (well on my amazon list). I will add those others.

Ram Dass has a book, I cant remember what its called but its a guide on how to meditate in many different styles. I might pick that one up as well. And its not that I'm against meditating or anything its just I am kinda sorta busy, also I need to control my ADD better before I can really peruse that path. And also, I do really enjoy psychedelics :-D, but it is not the only thing I do to gain spiritual enlightenment.

Meditation can help control your ADD.
Trust me.

I just always assumed the oppisite since you kinda just sit there with a blank mind for a while, thats really hard for me. Then again I'm sure there are other methods of meditation haha.

Is there a certain kind you know of?

Mr. Natural is the guy to ask but I've used meditation and yoga to get myself centered at times and I'm definitely a classic adhd case.

[Mr. Natural]

Just started reading this on my kindle this morning.

It is the start of a long line of spiritual/psychoactive substance books im gonna read. Some others
DMT: The Spirit Molocule
The Doors of Perception
The Tibetan Book of the Dead (I just grabbed the penguin translation)
Be Here Now
Be Love Now
This year I want to look into myself and figure out how I can change my lifestyle so I can control my anxiety and depression without the help of pharmaceuticals

Just my opinion, but I expected more from Hoffman's book. Granted, he's a chemist, so writing for laymen isn't exactly his forte - I was just expecting him to have a lot more to say about a lot more things. Having said that, his perspective is so unique there's really no room for me to complain.
I've only read three of these all the way thorugh (started TBD, skimmed over SPIRIT MOLECULE a few times), but I'd be willing to talk your ear off (and listen, of course) about any of them. As for controlling anxiety & depression, meditiation works best for me* (with psych's as an adjunct), but if psychedelics agree with you more, I'd recommend two contemporary books after you finish those classics: THE PSYCHEDELIC EXPLORER'S GUIDE by James Fadiman and PSYCHEDELIC HEALING by Neal Goldsmith. And if you want to run an honest-to-goodness psychedelic session, THE SECRET CHIEF REVEALED by Myron Stolaroff describes how a psych therapist ran his [underground] sessions after these molecules were taken away from professionals. What I've read of that one really laid it all out. You can read it in it's entirety on deoxy.org.
* also, listening to Ram Dass lectures (there are tons online). He's my #1 homeboy. He went psychology > psychedelics > yoga; and I went psychedelics > psychology > yoga, so he makes a lot of sense to me.

Yeah, it seems more of like a big overview on the topic, he touches on like every aspect of his discovery and how it effected the world. And actually The Psychedelic Expolorer's Guide is on my list (well on my amazon list). I will add those others.

Ram Dass has a book, I cant remember what its called but its a guide on how to meditate in many different styles. I might pick that one up as well. And its not that I'm against meditating or anything its just I am kinda sorta busy, also I need to control my ADD better before I can really peruse that path. And also, I do really enjoy psychedelics :-D, but it is not the only thing I do to gain spiritual enlightenment.

That book is called JOURNEY TO AWAKENING. It's cool, and available in audiobook format. Actually, that's how I got my practice started back in '07*. Totally written for beginners. There aren't a lot of specific styles in it, mainly Vipassana, but that will give you plenty to work with, I'm sure. My advice, should you feel so inclined ask for it, is to start small. And break rules. I remember starting off with 4-minute sits, talking with my son & wife, listening to music, smoking & reading - all of which were specifically designated no-nos. I waited until I felt drawn to sit silent, or not read, or whatever - instead of refraining from any of those things because I 'should'. Most yogic philosophers will agree that the best authority is yourself and your own experience - teachers can be great, but ultimately you'll be checking in with yourself. What doesn't work today will be just what the doctor ordered tomorrow, and vice versa. Some will fade in & out several times.
And there are meditations for walking, eating, breathing, sitting, all sorts of things.
Per ADD - If you go in trying to 'defeat' it, I don't know how successful you'll be. But if you go in ready to just observe it (and yourself reacting to it) i.e. hang out with it, you'll start to notice some amazing shit. RD talks about how he's never gotten rid of a single one of his neuroses, but now he's able to invite them for tea & pleasantries, which is how I feel about my own anxieties. Most of the time.
As for sitting there with a blank mind, you'll find that's actually the opposite of what meditation is.
* a whole other story

p.s. How do you use psych's to gain spiritual enlightenment? I'm just curious. I have a few of my own procedures/environments/etc., but I'm interested to know some of your methods.
p.p.s. If I come across like I'm trying to convince you I'm an expert or telling you what to do (or worse, telling you to do what I do/did) - please call me out on that shit. Blech!

[ph92]

Just started reading this on my kindle this morning.

It is the start of a long line of spiritual/psychoactive substance books im gonna read. Some others
DMT: The Spirit Molocule
The Doors of Perception
The Tibetan Book of the Dead (I just grabbed the penguin translation)
Be Here Now
Be Love Now
This year I want to look into myself and figure out how I can change my lifestyle so I can control my anxiety and depression without the help of pharmaceuticals

Just my opinion, but I expected more from Hoffman's book. Granted, he's a chemist, so writing for laymen isn't exactly his forte - I was just expecting him to have a lot more to say about a lot more things. Having said that, his perspective is so unique there's really no room for me to complain.
I've only read three of these all the way thorugh (started TBD, skimmed over SPIRIT MOLECULE a few times), but I'd be willing to talk your ear off (and listen, of course) about any of them. As for controlling anxiety & depression, meditiation works best for me* (with psych's as an adjunct), but if psychedelics agree with you more, I'd recommend two contemporary books after you finish those classics: THE PSYCHEDELIC EXPLORER'S GUIDE by James Fadiman and PSYCHEDELIC HEALING by Neal Goldsmith. And if you want to run an honest-to-goodness psychedelic session, THE SECRET CHIEF REVEALED by Myron Stolaroff describes how a psych therapist ran his [underground] sessions after these molecules were taken away from professionals. What I've read of that one really laid it all out. You can read it in it's entirety on deoxy.org.
* also, listening to Ram Dass lectures (there are tons online). He's my #1 homeboy. He went psychology > psychedelics > yoga; and I went psychedelics > psychology > yoga, so he makes a lot of sense to me.

Yeah, it seems more of like a big overview on the topic, he touches on like every aspect of his discovery and how it effected the world. And actually The Psychedelic Expolorer's Guide is on my list (well on my amazon list). I will add those others.

Ram Dass has a book, I cant remember what its called but its a guide on how to meditate in many different styles. I might pick that one up as well. And its not that I'm against meditating or anything its just I am kinda sorta busy, also I need to control my ADD better before I can really peruse that path. And also, I do really enjoy psychedelics :-D, but it is not the only thing I do to gain spiritual enlightenment.

That book is called JOURNEY TO AWAKENING. It's cool, and available in audiobook format. Actually, that's how I got my practice started back in '07*. Totally written for beginners. There aren't a lot of specific styles in it, mainly Vipassana, but that will give you plenty to work with, I'm sure. My advice, should you feel so inclined ask for it, is to start small. And break rules. I remember starting off with 4-minute sits, talking with my son & wife, listening to music, smoking & reading - all of which were specifically designated no-nos. I waited until I felt drawn to sit silent, or not read, or whatever - instead of refraining from any of those things because I 'should'. Most yogic philosophers will agree that the best authority is yourself and your own experience - teachers can be great, but ultimately you'll be checking in with yourself. What doesn't work today will be just what the doctor ordered tomorrow, and vice versa. Some will fade in & out several times.
And there are meditations for walking, eating, breathing, sitting, all sorts of things.
Per ADD - If you go in trying to 'defeat' it, I don't know how successful you'll be. But if you go in ready to just observe it (and yourself reacting to it) i.e. hang out with it, you'll start to notice some amazing shit. RD talks about how he's never gotten rid of a single one of his neuroses, but now he's able to invite them for tea & pleasantries, which is how I feel about my own anxieties. Most of the time.
As for sitting there with a blank mind, you'll find that's actually the opposite of what meditation is.
* a whole other story

p.s. How do you use psych's to gain spiritual enlightenment? I'm just curious. I have a few of my own procedures/environments/etc., but I'm interested to know some of your methods.
p.p.s. If I come across like I'm trying to convince you I'm an expert or telling you what to do (or worse, telling you to do what I do/did) - please call me out on that shit. Blech!

Lets take this to PM...