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When Plants Dream

Ayahuasca, Amazonian Shamanism, and the Global Psychedelic Renaissance

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When Plants Dream

By: Daniel Pinchbeck, Sophia Rokhlin
Narrated by: Aaron Shedlock, Lauren Ezzo
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Ayahuasca is a powerful tool for transformation, that more and more Westerners are flocking to drink in a quest for greater self-knowledge, healing and reconnection with the natural world. This formerly esoteric, little-known brew is now a growth industry. But why?

Ayahuasca is a psychoactive tea that has a long history of ritual use among indigenous groups of the Upper Amazon. Made from the ayahuasca vine and the leaves of a shrub, ayahuasca is associated with healing in collective ceremonies and in more intimate contexts, generally under the direction of specialist – an ayahuasquero. These are experienced practitioners who guide the ceremony and the ‘drinkers’ experience.

Ayahuasca has gained significant popularity these days in cities around the world. Ceremonies happen nightly and Hollywood stars, Wall Street players and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs now drink the brew. Why? What effect might ayahuasca be having on our culture? Could it be the LSD of our time? Does the brew, which seems to inspire environmental action, simplified lifestyles and more communitarian behaviour, act as an antidote to frenzied consumerist culture?

In When Plants Dream, Pinchbeck and Rokhlin explore the economic, social, political, cultural and environmental impact that ayahuasca is having on society. Part 1 covers the background; what ayahuasca is, where it is found, and its cultural origins. Part 2 explores the role and practices of the ayahuasquero in both Amazonian and Western cultures. Part 3 examines the medicinal plants of the Amazon, looking particularly at the ingredients in ayahuasca and their therapeutic qualities, covering the most up-to-date biomedical research, psychedelic science and psychopharmacology. Part 4 looks more closely at how ayahuasca is perceived and used today, covering law, the drug wars, media and money. Lastly in Part 5 Pinchbeck and Rokhlin question the future of ayahuasca. When Plants Dream is the first book of its kind to look at the science and expanding culture of ayahuasca, from its historical use to its appropriation by the West and the impact it is having on cultures beyond the Amazon. Alternative & Complementary Medicine Herbal Remedies Other Religions, Practices & Sacred Texts Personal Development Personal Success Shamanism
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Great book about the effects and experiences of psychedelics - long and quite wordy but an excellent book.

educational, enlightening, illuminating

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essential information for ayahuasca curious folks. doing one's homework before taking the daring leap seems like a good idea to me.

good overview & situational status report

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A journey with the grandmother vine before I prepare for my first ceremony. Really enjoyed this book.

Great book. Informative guide to aya. Would recomm

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The male and female narrators read as if they are parodying a dorky newscaster. It just sort of ruins the story.

Horrible narration

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Wish i’d known you go he was before buying this.

If you are the company you keep shame on you Rokhlin.

Pinchbeck is vile human

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