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Inner Paths to Outer Space: Journeys to Alien Worlds through Psychedelics and Other Spiritual Technologies [Paperback]

Rick Strassman MD , Slawek Wojtowicz , Luis Eduardo Luna , Ede Frecska
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)

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Book Description

March 27, 2008
An investigation into experiences of other realms of existence and contact with otherworldly beings

• Examines how contact with alien life-forms can be obtained through the “inner space” dimensions of our minds

• Presents evidence that other worlds experienced through consciousness-altering technologies are often as real as those perceived with our five senses

• Correlates science fiction’s imaginal realms with psychedelic research

For thousands of years, voyagers of inner space--spiritual seekers, shamans, and psychoactive drug users--have returned from their inner imaginal travels reporting encounters with alien intelligences. Inner Paths to Outer Space presents an innovative examination of how we can reach these other dimensions of existence and contact otherworldly beings. Based on their more than 60 combined years of research into the function of the brain, the authors reveal how psychoactive substances such as DMT allow the brain to bypass our five basic senses to unlock a multidimensional realm of existence where otherworldly communication occurs. They contend that our centuries-old search for alien life-forms has been misdirected and that the alien worlds reflected in visionary science fiction actually mirror the inner space world of our minds. The authors show that these “alien” worlds encountered through altered states of human awareness, either through the use of psychedelics or other methods, possess a sense of reality as great as, or greater than, those of the ordinary awareness perceived by our five senses.


Frequently Bought Together

Inner Paths to Outer Space: Journeys to Alien Worlds through Psychedelics and Other Spiritual Technologies + DMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor's Revolutionary Research into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical Experiences + The Shaman & Ayahuasca: Journeys to Sacred Realms
Price for all three: $37.45

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Those who regularly navigate the hyperspatial landscape that some have called the ‘tryptamine dimension’ have long suspected that the portals to inner and outer space may be one and the same. This book, a collaboration of the most cutting-edge shaman/neuroscientists working in this field, boldly explores this concept in a stunning tour de force.” (Dennis McKenna, Ph.D., coauthor with Terence McKenna of The Invisible Landscape)

“The profoundest inquiries into the nature of reality and the mystery of consciousness are made possible by the psychedelics and other spiritual technologies explored in this astonishing, groundbreaking, and utterly revolutionary book. Written by the maestros of the field, it is exactly the right book at exactly the right time. I found it gripping, thought-provoking, incredibly informative, and--on top of all that--a hugely enjoyable read.” (Graham Hancock, author of Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind and Fingerprints of the Gods)

"This highly unusual book, Inner Paths to Outer Space, takes readers on a journey through the world of psychedelic drugs and other obscure paths to reach into our consciousness and then out of ourselves to journey to places unknown." (WomensRadio)

"This book is a stellar overview of the latest in psychedelic theory. . . . Having this book is like getting your hands on the hottest underground philosophy book. It dares to link science and religion directly--not some wishy washy pseudo-theory, but hard evidence linking science and religion via psychedelics. . . . High recommended!" (David Kerr, reviewer, May 08)

" . . . this book raises many fundamental questions about the nature of reality that have barely been asked in the scientific community, let alone answered, and I strongly urge all researchers of consciousness to read it." (David Luke, The Beckley Foundation, Oxford, UK, March 2009)

"This book is an eye and mind opening exploration into a field that has been forced underground. The four writers give unique insights into the traditions of shamanism and psychedelic drug use. Taking a scholarly approach without being dry or in any way biased, Inner Paths to Outer Space succeeds on many levels." (Chard Currie, New Dawn, No. 114, May-June 2009)

"Medical clinicians to literary scholars should read this book. . . . This work is so interesting that it is difficult to stop experiencing it. It leaves the perceiver wanting more as the subjects of this text are of quintessential importance to the human psyche. This book should be the paradigm for texts concerned with mystical themes; as it is not delimiting, and all of its authors do not pejoratively misrepresent transcendent human themes." (Dr. Ron Shane, reviewer, July 2009)

"A remarkably interesting work, Inner Paths to Outer Space has pulled together a collection of threads into a theoretically grounded framework and although many of the ideas are, admittedly, speculative, the authors field an extremely well-structured argument. An important read for anyone with an interest in sci-fi, shamanism, and psychedelic consciousness and a great addition to the literature." (Psychedelic Press, UK, Feb 2010)

“Outside of its more fantastic claims, Inner Paths to Outer Space is valuable for explaining the human propensity for spirituality on basic, cellular level. The drive to experience the mysterious springs at the heart of all great religious traditions, and delight in the mystery is revealed in the passion the authors have for their subject and in the beautiful visionary art the book also showcases. Highly recommended.” (Leni Hester, BBI Media: Witches & Pagans, September 2011)

From the Back Cover

VISIONARY PLANTS / PSYCHOLOGY              

“Those who regularly navigate the hyperspatial landscape that some have called the ‘tryptamine dimension’ have long suspected that the portals to inner and outer space may be one and the same. This book, a collaboration of the most cutting-edge shaman/neuroscientists working in this field, boldly explores this concept in a stunning tour de force.”
--Dennis McKenna, Ph.D., coauthor with Terence McKenna of The Invisible Landscape

“The profoundest inquiries into the nature of reality and the mystery of consciousness are made possible by the psychedelics and other spiritual technologies explored in this astonishing, groundbreaking, and utterly revolutionary book. Written by the maestros of the field, it is exactly the right book at exactly the right time. I found it gripping, thought-provoking, incredibly informative, and--on top of all that--a hugely enjoyable read.”
--Graham Hancock, author of Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind and Fingerprints of the Gods

For thousands of years, voyagers of inner space--spiritual seekers, shamans, and psychoactive drug users--have returned from their inner travels reporting encounters with alien intelligences. Inner Paths to Outer Space presents an innovative examination of how we can reach these other dimensions of existence and contact otherworldly beings. Based on their more than sixty combined years of research into the function of the brain, the authors reveal how psychoactive substances such as DMT allow the brain to bypass our five basic senses to unlock a multidimensional realm of existence where otherworldly communication occurs. They contend that our centuries-old search for alien life-forms has been misdirected and that the alien worlds reflected in visionary science fiction actually mirror the inner space world of our minds. The authors show that “alien” worlds encountered through altered states of human awareness, either through the use of psychedelics or other methods, possess a sense of reality as great as, or greater than, those of the ordinary awareness perceived by our five senses.

RICK STRASSMAN, M.D., is clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and the author of DMT: The Spirit Molecule. SLAWEK WOJTOWICZ, M.D., is a medical oncologist working in the pharmaceutical industry in Edison, New Jersey, a science-fiction illustrator, and the author of Daydreaming. LUIS EDUARDO LUNA, Ph.D., is coauthor (with Pablo Amaringo) of Ayahuasca Visions and director of Wasiwaska: Research Centre for the Study of Psychointegrator Plants, Visionary Arts and Consciousness in Florianópolis, Brazil. EDE FRECSKA, M.D., is chief of psychiatry at the National Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Budapest, Hungary, and a contributing author to Psychedelic Medicine.


Product Details

  • Paperback: 376 pages
  • Publisher: Park Street Press; Original edition (March 27, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 159477224X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1594772245
  • Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.9 x 9.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,775 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Anyone who reads this book will learn more than they expected to about the topic. Shane Mitchell  |  10 reviewers made a similar statement
Take a strong enough dose and scientific materialism will just melt away! Halifax Student Account  |  1 reviewer made a similar statement
I have read all three books featuring Mr. Strassman's writtings and found all very enlightening. Gilbert R. Steel  |  1 reviewer made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
96 of 97 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars At The Forefront of Human Thought May 6, 2008
Format:Paperback
This book is a stellar overview of the latest in psychedelic theory. Rick Strassman gives an excellent summary of the current research and ideas behind DMT. One thing I was disappointed that he did not address: Strassman notes that both psilocin and DMT are nearly identical molecules. What significance does this have? I would have liked to see his musings on that topic.

Having this book is like getting your hands on the hottest underground philosophy book. It dares to link science and religion directly - not some wishy washy pseudo-theory, but hard evidence linking science and religion via psychedelics. It really is amazing how unknown this is to the average person - even those with a deep interest in these subjects. Yet here it is, brazenly laid out, for anyone with an inquisitive mind to pick up and learn.

I highly recommend this book if you want a cutting edge, no holds barred discussion on what psychedelics might mean to humanity. There is no waving dismissal of psychedelic users as "druggies" or scoffing at the notion there might be more to these substances than just "getting high". The authors are quite up front as to what is scientifically proven, and what is personal speculation. Nevertheless, imagination is set loose to roam free in this book, and the insights and hypotheses inside are scrumptious food for thought. The art is also quite nice and colorful.

5/5, Highly recommended!
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35 of 36 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Transcending our Understanding of Consciousness July 28, 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is not your typical "stoner type" purporting the transcendent information that can be rendered from the adventures that are experienced when utilizing the ontological (as I like to call them) technologies of entheogens; some may be relieved, but do not get comfortable yet, because what this is, is your SCHOLARLY and EXPERT types purporting the transcendent information that can be rendered from the adventures that are experienced when utilizing the ontological technologies of entheogens. I have to say that I am elated to see scholars that actually utilize theirs credentials to go against the grain of the Establishment and pursue something that is novel and innovative, rather than adhering fervently to what they have been spoon fed from textbooks; it is indeed those individuals that push the paradigm of what is conventional, and that fringe screams the taboos that shatter the virgin ears of those drones that wish to adhere to what they have been assigned-the ideological war begins.

This book is not all about drug induced altered states of consciousness; it digs down deep into the ontology of the human race and what it means to be sentient beings. The book itself should be considered as an essential piece of literature for developing a canon on this subject. The previous statement may cause some religious right wing fundamentalist to go ape-sh**, but this book has such a high level of ontological (a term I use to replace spiritual) resonance that it cannot be denied that level of vindication. This is beyond cogent in the defense of altered states of consciousness; the philosophical depth of this book is transcendent of measurement.

The book is presented in parts and is obviously a joint effort. The initial section is a series of chapters that is an overview of Strassman's scientific work from the FEDERALLY (yeah, Big Brother authorized it) sanctioned experiments with dimethyltryptamine, and his perspective on the nature of DMT. The second phase is a collection of chapters that brings forward an anthropological perspective of DMT and its use in indigenous tribes from Luis Eduardo Luna derived form his decades of studies with the substance, or substances containing it. Luna gives a detailed list of expectations and executions all deduced from his experience, after which he goes into a pontification of magic mushrooms. The third section of the book is navigated by Ede Freska which is, by my interpretation, the spear tip of book. His beginnings are that of the prototypical Eastside/Westside pitting that we see in similar subject matter of this stature that also interlaces the ideological turf war of Science vs. Intuition. Then he walks you through the study of plant consciousness (which I found really intriguing) and alludes to the level of consciousness in animals as well. Freska also delves into the Sitchin and von Daniken ancient astronaut theories and other perspective of the "gods" with a new perspective that I believe is quite tenable with the correlations of modern mythology and that of the archaic period. Lastly, we are introduced to Slawek Wojtowicz and he brings forward perspectives on past life regressions and draws forth interpretations of reality by utilizing our very fortuitously prophetic science-fiction.

It bewilders me that science has been tweaking the chemicals of the brain utilizing pharmaceuticals and society accepts this due to the "experts-and-corporations-know-best" attitude, which obviously by now is insidious, but when one inquires to use a natural plant that our human culture has been experiencing for thousands of years, possibly eons, in his/her own home to journey on an introspective panorama of his/her psyche then we must sound the alarms and release the hounds!

The one thing that should be served as a caveat is that if you have no experiential overlap here then you will think all of this is quite devoid of any credibility, especially when you get to the section of Strassman's portion of the book called "Subjective Effects". LOL! If you have never experienced any of this you will be like "WTF?!"

By far, the most prudent aspect of this book is the fact that scholars are coming out of the closet in support of the profound information that can be extracted from these very surreal, but real, experiences.

The book itself is a trip, but without the DMT.

* The book also has three intermissions about every third of it that has a collection of some very eccentric and abstract art (of which I will be purchasing some copies of).
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107 of 123 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Nothing new here September 22, 2008
Format:Paperback
After reading Strassman's DMT The Spirit Molecule I was very excited for this book to come out. I expected him to go deeper into his theories about what it means for humans to naturally produce DMT in our brains, among phenomenons possibly related to the chemical, but instead he only reiterated what was in his previous publication. It seemed like the entire book was a sophmoric introduction to the psychedelic experience rather than a progression of new ideas in reference to the experience. The one chapter that had anything to say about psilocybe mushrooms simply copy and pasted reports from the popular drug information site Erowid. I was looking for insight and new possibilities, not trip reports and introductions to already well known entheogens. I felt led on by this book and was incredibly disappointed at the entire lack of any new material whatsoever. Unfortunately, the only positive comment I can give about this book is that it contained some fascinating artwork, but it seems necessary to note that was not the main purpose of this book at all. All in all, if you're new to the psychedelic scene entirely, this is a good introduction, but for most this volume will provide no more than a sense of regret at wasting your money on it. If you really feel the need to get this, I suggest flipping through it in a bookstore first before commiting to it because otherwise you will almost surely be disappointed.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book!
Excellent book, Im about halfway through, If you enjoyed reading The Spirit Molecule, you will definitely enjoy this. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Joey McCashland
3.0 out of 5 stars Good not great!
Not enough first hand experiences ,over all pretty informative,if this is a subject that interests you ..buy this book or not!:)
Published 2 months ago by R. Lein
5.0 out of 5 stars everything good
everything good and shipped fast, thanks. you should shorten your required amount of words it wastes time. thanks anyways! need one more word
Published 3 months ago by marshall
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Purchase.
I have to write about 13 more words to end this review. Now that Im down to 1 Im done.
Published 4 months ago by andy thomas
3.0 out of 5 stars Inner Paths to OUter Space: Journeys to Ale\ien Worlds through....
Not enough emphasis on the light beings that the subjects encountered. Too much emphasis on the drugs for my tastes.
Published 4 months ago by Bruce Burton
2.0 out of 5 stars Too off topic
There were a few chapters in this book that just went on and on and on about scientific mumbo jumbo and nothing really in regards to the title of the book itself! Read more
Published 5 months ago by Nicholas Wallingford
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is absolutely wonderful. BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE to this...
Everyone should read the book Left In The Dark- the biological origins of our fall from grace, by Tony Wright and Graham Gynn immediately. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Gushtunkinflupped
5.0 out of 5 stars awesome
what a wonderful world that we have the right to study deeper into the human psyche....even though herbs and power plants haven't been legalized for deeper understanding in this... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Greg A. Merrick
3.0 out of 5 stars Wanders a bit, not what I expected.
Since the book is written by 3 M.D.s and 1 PH.D I was interested to read this book. Parts of the book wander and speculate more like a science fiction novel, but there is so much... Read more
Published 20 months ago by kavanava
2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting in some regards but not worth the time to read
This book will give you a good idea of what a psychedelic trip entails. It will also tell you how to prepare for such a trip. What it lacks is accessiblity and focus. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Donald Wile
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