“An essential read for those interested in the expanding field of psychedelic research for therapeutic and spiritual uses, this volume lands at a crucial time during the reemergence of psychedelic research as we approach the mainstream, scientific acceptance of psychedelic psychotherapy and the reintegration of the legal use of psychedelics into Western culture.” –Rick Doblin, PhD, founder of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies

“Accurate, comprehensive, and powerful: if you want to understand the responsible use of psychedelics and feel its pulse, this book is for you.” –William A. Richards, author of Sacred Knowledge: Psychedelics and Religious Experience

“Don Lattin has done compassionate service by bringing together the current work on the profound potential of psychedelics to treat addiction, fear of death, and physical and mental struggles.” –Mirabai Bush, senior fellow, Center for Contemplative Mind in Society

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE — WOUNDED WARRIOR

How two therapists used MDMA to help an emotionally destroyed veteran of the war in Iraq. Features Nigel McCourry and Michael and Annie Mithoefer.

CHAPTER TWO — CHEMISTRY

Examines the rise and fall of above-ground psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Features Sasha and Ann Shulgin, Leo Zeff and George Greer.

CHAPTER THREE — SPIRITUS CONTRA SPIRITUM

Can the use of drugs like MDMA and psilocybin free people from addiction to other drugs like alcohol and nicotine and heroin. Features researchers Michael Bogenschutz and Matthew Johnson, and two of their research subjects: recovering alcoholic Carroll Carlson and former nicotine addict Gordon McGlothlin.

CHAPTER FOUR — PSYCHEDELIC SPIRITUALITY

How psychedelic drug research is helping us understand the nature of religious experience, and how other consciousness explorers have begun experimenting with microdosing. Features researchers Bob Jesse, Bill Richards, Roland Griffiths and Rick Strassman, along with research subjects Stephen Warres, Lila Diaboha and the Rev. Mike Young.

CHAPTER FIVE — SCIENCE OF MIND

How does the rapidly developing field of cognitive neuroscience explain the mysteries of psychedelic spirituality? Features Swiss researchers Franz Vollenweider and Katrin Preller, Amanda Feilding of the British based Beckley Foundation, and Dieter Hagenbach, the biographer of Albert Hofmann.

CHAPTER SIX — DYING WITH CONSCIOUSNESS

One of the nation’s leading clinical trials uses psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to treat the anxiety and depression that can accompany the diagnosis of a life-threatening ill- ness. Features therapists Mary Cosimano, Anthony Bossis and Stephen Ross, along with donor/therapist T. Cody Swift and cancer patients Judith Goedeke and Richard Cone.

CHAPTER SEVEN — PSYCHEDELIC MEDICINE

Rick Doblin, the founder of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) hopes to begin the new era by cornering the market on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. Dave Nichols, the veteran psychedelic chemist and president of the Heffter Research Institute, has more modest goals for the psilocybin research his organization is sponsoring. Also, features donor/filmmaker Robert Barnhart.

CHAPTER EIGHT — MDMA ON THE MOUNTAINTOP

Andy Gold, an attorney with cancer, and John Saul, a yacht broker with an equally terrifying disease, sat together on “the tripping couch” of the cozy psychedelic psychotherapy center, talking about life, death, and Ecstasy. An in-depth look at one study conducted by researchers Phil Wolfson and Julane Andries, and two other volunteer subjects, Nikki Dohn and Wendy Donner.

CHAPTER NINE — FALSE STARTS AND DASHED HOPES

Features a critique of the medical model and the current research strategy through pro- files of psychedelic veterans Ralph Metzner and Richard Yensen, who admit they and their brethren made their own share of mistakes along the way.

CHAPTER TEN — MINDSETS AND MINEFIELDS

Charles Grob and Alicia Danforth at UCLA talk about their work with MDMA and young adults with autism—and their fears about the wrong people getting into this emerging field.

CHAPTER ELEVEN — VINE OF THE SOUL

First of two ayahuasca chapters begins with the story of Kyle Nolan, a teenager who died during a vision quest offered by an unscrupulous shaman. Features Dennis McKenna and Kathleen Harrison, along with researcher Jessica Nielson and a U.S. Marine vet who went to Peru to heal his Gulf War trauma.

CHAPTER TWELVE — INTO THE JUNGLE

An account of the author’s ayahuasca adventures in Brazil and the wilds of Northern California. Includes a profile of Hawaiian couple who have taken ayahuasca in a myriad of ways.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN — IBOGAINE AT THE CROSSROADS

A psychedelic center in Mexico illustrates how U.S. drug policies force some North Americans to seek addiction therapy and spiritual healing south of the border. Features clinic founder Martin Polanco, nurse Paige Guion and two heroin addicts, Collin and Carson.

CONCLUSION — BACK TO THE FUTURE

Looking into the past and future with Stanislav Grof, James Fadiman, and the mysterious Captain Al Hubbard.

EPILOGUE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

REFERENCES

BIBLIOGRAPHY