Description
Ayahuasca Religions includes two essays commenting on aspects of the bibliography. The first presents a profile of these religious groups, including their history and expansion, and a general assessment of the principal characteristics, tendencies, and perspectives evident in the literature about them. The second essay summarizes the most important studies of human subjects in the context of Santo Daime, Unio do Vegetal and Barquinha, evaluating their results, contributions, and limitations. The essay also offers some preliminary anthropological reflections on biomedical research of ayahuasca.Three researchers located in different cities (Beatriz Caiuby Labate in São Paulo, Rafael Guimarães dos Santos in Barcelona, and Isabel Santana de Rose in Florianapolis, Brazil) worked in a virtual research group for a year to compile a list of bibliographical references on Santo Daime, Barquinha, UDV and urban ayahuasqueiros, including the specialized academic literature as well as esoteric and experiential writings produced by participants of these churches. Ayahuasca Religions presents the results of that collaboration.
Endorsements
“This material should be of great interest to all who are interested in these unusual religious movements which are based on a powerful plant hallucinogen, with strong healing, therapeutic, and spiritually significant effects. A wonderful resource and contribution.”
— Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., author of Ayahuasca: Sacred Vine of Spirits
“Ayahuasca is a complex topic, and most articles on this topic have been published in obscure sources, over hundreds of years and in many different languages. This book promises to offer a comprehensive guide to the world’s disparate literature on ayahuasca religions, and with commentary that is not from a North American/European perspective, which is much needed for this interesting and emergent phenomenon from South America. ”
– Jace Callaway, Ph.D., Departments of Neurobiology and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kuopio, Finland
“Bia Labate and colleagues have compiled a comprehensive review of the world anthropological and clinical literature on ayahuasca. For investigators interested in exploring the fascinating field of ayahuasca studies, this book is a valuable source for our current understanding of the effects of this mysterious vine. ”
– Charles Grob, M.D., editor of Hallucinogens: A Reader and co-editor (with Roger Walsh) of Higher Wisdom: Eminent Elders Explore the Continuing Impact of Psychedelics
