Get High Now (without drugs) [Paperback]

James Nestor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 2009

Get High Now is an illustrated, mind-blowing magic carpet ride of more than 175 ways to alter human perception and consciousnesswithout drugs or alcohol. Culled from science, physiology, spiritual practices, and the audio visual arts, these "all natural" highs playfully and safely explore the mind-body connection to entertaining and illuminating effect. Accessible and well-researched, each entry introduces concepts such as lucid dreaming, optical and auditory illusions, controlled breathing, meditation, time compression, and physical and mental exercises, explaining the ways in which they affect our minds and bodies and how to do them. Readers follow the author and his "HighLab" testing team through mind-bending and sometimes hilarious investigations, such as how to lull the mind into hallucinatory states with audio loops; why multiple bee stings lead to euphoric states; what cheeses to eat to induce psychedelic lucid dreams; how to control your breathing to create an out-of-body experience; and many more. Including solo, tandem, and group highs, Get High Now features hundreds of ways to calm or stimulate the senses and open new windows to experiencing the world.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

James Nestor has written for Dwell, the San Francisco Chronicle, NPR's Marketplace, Outside, and Salon. He lives in San Francisco.

Product Details

• Paperback: 267 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; First Printing edition (September 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811867137
• ISBN-13: 978-0811867139
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #56 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Recovery > Drug Dependency

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than I expected, September 9, 2009

By 

Louise (Venice, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Get High Now (without drugs) (Paperback)

I got a copy of this thinking it would look cool on my coffee table and honestly, it's more than just a pretty cover. It's hysterical! Kinda reminds me of the Worst Case Scenario books -- when they first came out, before they were overdone. The techniques, seriously, really do work for a quick, legal, mid-day energy boost (some of them higher than others). I work from home and have found myself trying a few of these "tricks" to get a little inspiration and creativity. It's like I'm tapping into some kind of weird energy. The website is a great design ([...]) with audio and video highs and I'm downloading the iPhone app. Great for writers, creatives, non-religious spiritualists, yoga fans or 20-something guys who like to snicker at the cover. Oh, and it does look really cool on my coffee table.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tapping Into Our Senses, October 27, 2009

By 

Larry Underwood "Author - St Louis Cardinals ... (Scottsdale, AZ) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Get High Now (without drugs) (Paperback)

James Nestor has compiled over 175 ways to get high, without the expense, legal ramifications and/or risk to your health that comes from the doing the other stuff. Ironically, alcohol & tobacco are the most dangerous drugs known to man, yet they're legal. Add a little processed sugar to the mix and you'll be dead before you know it; at least you avoided criminal prosecution.

Seriously, this is quite an engaging resource for tapping into our senses, to produce natural highs; and they really work. I just tried the "hypnagogic induction" and I inadvertently created the most incredible lucid dream I've ever had; filled with amazingly detailed designs that would make Peter Max proud. The good news is, it's completely safe and cost-free during these tough economic times. No wonder this thing's selling like crazy.

Not all of Nestor's suggestions are for everyone, of course. Personally, I can't imagine eating or smoking ants to get a buzz, or looking for that dopamine high if I happen to get repeatedly stung by bees. Thanks, but no thanks.

However, this book comes highly recommended for anyone trying to get the most out of their natural states. The brain really is a marvelous device and it functions best when no outside chemicals are introduced into the mix; hear that, kids?

Nestor has unlocked the keys to our imagination; but this "Twilight Zone" won't freak you out.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Groovy, December 31, 2009

By 

Julie Clayton "Julie Clayton ~New Consciousne... (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Get High Now (without drugs) (Paperback)

Middle-aged and silver-streaked hippies definitely notice this title and I can state from personal experience that it arouses curiosity. (It's true that the more things change, the more they remain the same.) The cover jacket describes Get High Now as containing "over 175 sensory trips and tricks for visual stimulation, compressing time, lucid dreaming, meditation, and more." And indeed it does. Some of them are more mundane, such as self-hypnosis and some are quite bizarre, such as sungazing; many are quick and simple and can be done almost anywhere. The author has compiled these methods from many eras and sources around the world, and with a group of volunteers, tested all of those that have no undesired effects, which the majority of these entries are. There are a few methods that the author does not recommend but has included for their intrigue--anthropological oddities, he calls them.

Although it is unlikely that I would sit down and "read" this book, it makes a great travel book, bathroom book, or for reading any time you have a few minutes to spare. It could also be fun to experiment with some of these methods in groups. Get High Now also offers an audio-visual web component if you want to expand your repertoire. I love this book just because it stimulates perception and thought processes--like having a portable jungle gym for your mind on hand. Groovy.