Customer Reviews

Cosmic Serpent

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Very interesting book. Anthropologists tend to project their own world views on the people they "observe." This book, which is basically a "story" - demonstrates how one Anthropologist, through his experiences in South America, has his own LAE (life altering experience) which enables him to examine his OWN culture...and its assumptions/metaphors. As a "Native" person, who went through the "mainstream" education system and wrestled with the hubris and fragmentation (let's disect everything!)...it was a pleasant breath of four winds' air to see him face up to his own field's shortcomings. I recommend the book.

Jeremy Narby's argument is that when shaman's drink hallucinogenic brews, their consciousness sinks to the molecular level, and literally communicates with DNA, the basic building block of life. DNA appears to shamans, and others who drink these magic brews, as serpents. This is why, Narby claims, serpents loom large in ancient cultures around the world. It is also how shamans get their expert knowledge of plants. When shamans say that the spirit in the plants tell them how to concoct life-saving remedies, they mean what they say. In hallucinogenic trances, the plants speak. Narby goes onto to speculate that the world is one vast communication network among strands of DNA. You don't have to buy the DNA-communication theory to enjoy this book. It is written in an engaging, personal, first person narrative style. It shows how science works, how "eureka moments" occur when one is relaxed and thinking about other things. Maybe his theory is totally off-base, but even so, big ideas like this one often spur research in different, interesting directions. We are only as good as our questions, and Narby's question is a great one: What if the shamans are right?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and found the writing easy to get along with as its written in narrative form that. Anthropologist Jeremy Narby steps off the plane and into Amazonian country. Here he tries the commonplace hallucinagenic ayahuasca. This plant gives Narby incredible insight into the human soul, body and nature of life. The author then gives his experience in as much detail as he could remember, then passing along the rest of his trip with conversations and whatnot. From here, he sets out to write his book. Although the author does sort of jump to conclusions that the double serpents he sees all over ancient mythology is the double helix of DNA (i.e. the medical symbol caduceus). Although in some cases I tend to agree with his point of view, and I find much of the ancient symbols of the past to correlate strongly with our modern psychology, mathematical sciences and biology. However, in his search, he does not let go of the idea, which may or not not help his cause. The book would have received 5 stars, if he stayed on top of his subject. He began with hallucinagenics in the Amazon, then to DNA, then neurology and smoking ingredients. He writes humbly knowing what he believes wont be taken to heart very lightly. There are no answers in this book, however many questions, pertinent questions no less, which makes this such a valuble and enjoyable book. Definately reccomended. Fans of Joseph Campbell may really enjoy this one.

This is a very interesting story by an author with great credentials who seems very sincere. However, his argument that indigenous people truly understood the structure of DNA and gained this knowledge from what the plants told them was not convincing. There were some interesting connections, but I found that Mr. Narby tended to read a lot into his findings. At certain points, I was even annoyed by the leaps in logic and hasty conclusions.

On a more positive note, the story itself is interesting and underlying concept for the book intriguing and thought provoking. When I shifted gears to thinking of this as very speculative and following it like ficition I found it more interesting. While I believe the author was sincere in his attempt to rely the facts, I think he got very caught up in his theory and tended to see proof for it where in fact the evidence was less than certain.

This book is certainly not a scientific treatise. It is a good story that raises some interesting issues about shamanism and the validity of information gained from altered states of consciousness. It raises interesting epistemological questions and certainly entertains, but I found it to be light in terms of making a good arguments for the central premise of the book.

Author, Jeremy Narby leaps between science and mysticism on his quest to explain how several millennia ago Stone-Age hunters living in the Peruvian rainforest learned the botanical properties and the chemistry of plants. Dr. Narby, a Canadian-born scientist, lived two years with the Ashaninca people in the jungles of the Pichis Valley in Peru. Early in his work with the Ashaninca, Dr Narby perceived an enigma. He writes, "These extremely practical and frank people, living almost autonomously in the Amazonian forest, insisted that their extensive botanical knowledge came from plant-induced hallucinations." For Dr. Narby, the hallucinatory origin of botany contradicts two fundamental principles of Western knowledge. First hallucinations cannot be the source of real information, because to consider them as such is the definition of psychosis. Western knowledge considers hallucinations to be at best illusions, at worst morbid phenomena. Second plants do not communicate like human beings. Scientific theories of communication consider that only human beings use abstract symbols like words and pictures and that plants do not relay information in the form of mental images. Dr. Narby said that he often asked Carlos (interpreter) to explain the origin of place names, and Carlos would invariably reply that nature itself had communicated them to the shaman during their hallucinations. Throughout Western Amazonia people drink ayahuasca. (hallucinogenic drug) Carlos said, "That is how nature talks, because in nature, there is God, and God talks to us in our visions. When a shaman drinks his plant brew, the spirits present themselves to him and explain everything." Narby observes that in the jungles of Peru are people without electron microscopes who seem to know about the molecular properties of plants and the art of combining them, and when one asks them how they know these things, they say their knowledge comes directly from hallucinogenic plants, themselves. He says, "I was staggered by their familiarity with a reality that turned me upside down and of which I was totally ignorant." For example, hunters in the Amazonian rainforests developed a muscle-paralyzing substance, curare, as a blow-gun poison. He explains that in the case of curare, a chance discovery seems improbable because... "there are forty types of curares in the Amazon, made from seventy plant species. The kind used in modern medicine comes from the Western Amazon. To produce it, it is necessary to combine several plants and boil them for seventy-two hours, while avoiding the fragrant but deadly vapors emitted by the broth. The final product is a paste that is inactive unless injected under the skin. If swallowed, it has no effect."  Narby experienced two drug-induced hallucinations the memories of which motivated him ten years later (when the hot-topic, ethno-biology, was highlighted at the Rio Earth Conference), to develop the hypotheses explored in The Cosmic Serpent: Plants reveal their own properties Indians get molecularly verifiable information from drug-induced hallucinations. His research propels him along a most intricate and twisted path, and one that will fascinate readers who appreciate science as well as those of us who read about spirituality and the occult. Dr. Norby finds that shamans insist with disarming consistency the world over on the existence of animate essences (or spirits,) which are common to all life forms. The interpreter, Carlos, referred to invisible beings, called maninkari, who are found in animals, plants, mountains, streams, lakes, and certain crystals, and who are sources of knowledge. The spirits materialize when the shaman ingests tobacco and ayahuasca. Aboriginal shamans of Australia reach conclusions similar to those of Amazonian shamans, without the use of psychoactive plants, by working mainly with their dreams. Dr. Narby doggedly pursues the facts although the research takes him into areas that science hesitates to explore. Areas, he calls "blind spots." He gathers evidence to conclude that shamans know about the hidden unity of nature precisely because they have access to the reality of molecular biology! I hope to tweak your curiosity with the following intriguing phrases lifted from the text of The Cosmic Serpent: I know that any living soul, or any dead one, is like radio waves flying around in the air. That means that you do not see them, but they are there, like radio waves. Once you turn on the radio, you can pick them up.. The Shaman is simply a guide, who conducts the initiate to the spirits. The initiate picks up the information revealed by the spirits and does what he or she wants with it. Rationalism separates things to understand them. But its fragmented disciplines have limited perspectives and blind spots. And as any driver knows, it is important to pay attention to blind spots, because they can contain vital information. To reach a fuller understanding of reality, science will have to shift its gaze. Could shamanism help science to focus differently? True reality is more complex than our eyes lead us to believe.  This is perhaps one of the most important things I learned during this investigation: We see what we believe, and not just the contrary; and to change what we see, it is sometimes necessary to change what we believe. Shamans every where speak a secret language, the language of all nature which allows them to communicate with the spirits.

Jeremy Narby has made a breakthrough of epic proportions. I am not some new age fruitcake - I have a degree in biochemistry and have studied extensively in the areas of genetics, physics, and the properties of light. This book is a MUST READ for anyone even slightly concerned with finding the truth. If you do not have a scientific background, do not worry. Narby has written this book so that anyone can understand it (I estimate that 5-10 % of the information might require additional research by those with no scientific background). I find myself incorporating the theories of Cosmic Serpent into basically all other apects of study, including the Bible, Chaos Theory, the Kaballah, Sacred Geometry, and other religious beliefs from all over the world. I have read many books, and I consider Cosmic Serpent to be one of the most important books of our time, or any time, for that matter. I hope there is a follow up soon.

I found this to be one of the most exciting books I have ever read. Not because of the science or the shaman perspective but because it leads us out of the clouds and back to the planet we live on to learn fundamental truths about life. The appreciation and love of our planet and all its species is crucial to our continued existence and Dr. Narby certainly whets our interest with his fascinating hypotheses. Perhaps, if God created everything and God is in us and all around us, God and DNA may be synonymous. And how wonderful it would be for us to feel that God actually has such a close physical association with us instead of being a separate being living in a far off realm. This book brings a number of important ideas and concepts together to attempt the creation of a whole meaning. Wonderful read!!!

In "The Cosmic Serpent", Jeremy Narby shares both his mental & physical journey concerning shamanism & the biochemical, neurological, and pharmacological information understood by the shamans of various "indigenous" peoples of the Amazon. This is truly an amazing journey!

Through his travels & research, Narby realizes that the Amazon forest can be likened to a huge pharmacy - and that the "natives" would have to have some form of biochemical/neurological/pharmacological knowledge & insight in order to combine & create their various "medicines". But how could they obtain such knowledge without all of the "fancy" scientific tools we have here in "civilization"?

Narby finds his answer after spending time with a well-respected shaman in the Amazon - the knowledge is imparted to them while in a hallucinogenic trance brought on by a brew called ayahuasca, which Narby decides to try for himself, resulting in some really intense insights into mind, body, and soul.

It's the author's hypothesis that shamans, with the aid of ayahuasca, are able to take their consciousness down to the molecular level, which allows them access to biomolecular information. But, because of the scientific tendancy toward rationalism, no research is considered to understand this further.

One of the most interesting parts of this book for me was the discussion concerning DNA & its' possible link to the double serpents/double helix revered in many indigenous societies - are they already aware of what we know about DNA? Could they know even more?

I recently saw a documentary re: an anthropological find where several statues were found that showed 2 serpents. From these statues, the scientists determined that this ancient civilization worshipped a snake or serpent God. After reading this book, I had to wonder if maybe they're wrong...

Overall, I found this to be an interesting, thought provoking, page-turning read. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in spirituality, shamanism, anthropology, & the biological sciences - it has a lot to offer!

I have always been conflicted with the theory of evolution. It seems rational, but speciously so. It ignores consciousness, which is senior to science. Surely, any theory that purports to map out the arrow of life must account for our ability to know that we know. Without bringing theology or Creationism, God forbid (pun intended) into the equation, Narby explains a viewpoint that puts sentinent life onto center stage. Weaving together intuition and rationlism, Narby allowed me to dispell my conflict and realize that LIFE is consciousness and is the driving force behind "evolutionary" progress. Sounds corny, I know, but read it with an open mind and see if your views don't change, even a bit.

I love to read books that move outside the flow of conventional thought; books that excite the imagination. Narby's passion for his subject is evident; you can almost hear him go Aha! at points in the narrative. Whether you end up agreeing or disagreeing with his remarkable conclusions, you are guaranteed to re-examine some of the most basic concepts that underlie the methods of Western science, and the conclusions those methods inescapably, and perhaps not always correctly, lead to.