In the 1960s; Americans combined psychedelics with Buddhist meditation to achieve direct experience through altered states of consciousness. As some practitioners became more committed to Buddhism; they abandoned the use of psychedelics in favor of stricter mental discipline; but others carried on with the experiment; advancing a fascinating alchemy called psychedelic Buddhism. Many think exploration with psychedelics in Buddhism faded with the revolutionary spirit of the sixties; but the underground practice has evolved into a brand of religiosity as eclectic and challenging as the era that created it. Altered States combines interviews with well-known figures in American Buddhism and psychedelic spirituality―including Lama Surya Das; Erik Davis; Geoffrey Shugen Arnold Sensei; Rick Strassman; and Charles Tart―and personal stories of everyday practitioners to define a distinctly American religious phenomenon. The nuanced perspective that emerges; grounded in a detailed history of psychedelic religious experience; adds critical depth to debates over the controlled use of psychedelics and drug-induced mysticism. The book also opens new paths of inquiry into such issues as re-enchantment; the limits of rationality; the biochemical and psychosocial basis of altered states of consciousness; and the nature of subjectivity.
#1902919 in Books Ingramcontent 2015-12-08Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.90 x .50 x 5.90l; .76 #File Name: 0231165994264 pagesMormonism and American Politics Religion Culture and Public Life
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Just another poly sci text book.By June NewberyNothing new or remarkable here. It's really just a College text book. The cover photo of Harry and Mitt is misleading since there's little about the feud between this Liberal Nevada Democrat and Right Wing Conservative Boston elite Governor contained in the book.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The BEST book on Mormonism I’ve read this year (2016)By David L. LaughlinThe BEST book on Mormonism I’ve read this year (2016) -- well-organized; well-written; and most importantly very readable chapters from a variety of knowledgeable authors from a diverse background who through-out the volume maintained a high quality of both research and writing for each individual study. Mormonism and American Politics' provides the reader with a high value collection of thought-provoking case studies from Joseph Smith's presidential bid to George and Mitt Romney’s bid for presidency to California’s Prop 8; with 226 pages of context this volume offers the reader the best single collection of essays available today on Mormonism and American politics.
