Thursday, May 4, 2023

Henry Miller

 



“To move forward clinging to the past is like dragging a ball and chain. The prisoner is not the one who has committed a crime, but the one who clings to his crime and lives it over and over. We are all guilty of crime, the great crime of not living life to the full. But we are all potentially free. We can stop thinking of what we have failed to do and do whatever lies within our power."

~ Henry Miller




Thursday, October 17, 2019

Knife Buyer's Guide



Knife Buyer's Guide at Cabela's


Knife Buyer's Guide

Author: David Mead
Whether you’re hunting, camping, butchering or just going about your everyday business, the right knife makes life much easier. But which knife is the right one? Simply typing in the word “knife” into an Internet search and hitting enter pulls up an overwhelming amount of options. Heck, even narrowing it down and typing something as specific as “skinning knife” leaves you with seemingly countless choices. But don’t worry – this buyer’s guide will help you whittle down the choices so you can pick the exact knife you need.
Knives by Application

Boning – Should have a thin blade 5" to 6½" in length. You’ll want a fairly stiff blade for boning out big game, while a flexible blade is preferred for turkeys or upland birds.
Skinning – Generally short with a deep drop, limiting the area of impact. Ideal for working in tight areas when caping an animal.
Slicing – Have a narrow, thin blade, usually 8" to 12" in overall length and are effective when cutting ultrathin slices of meat. The more flexible the blade, the easier cutting thin slices is. Specialty slicers have a curved or scimitar-style tip to assist in tight spots, like between the wing and breast of birds.
Everyday-Carry (EDC) – Should be small and light. However, if your knife is excessively small, some of the tasks you run into throughout the day may be too much for it to handle. A knife with a 3" blade is often a good balance between compactness and functionality, but this may not be perfect for everyone. Consider what you do most on a daily basis when deciding which EDC to purchase.
Tactical – Designed for self-defense, but many can double as EDC knives. They are typically dark in color to aid in concealment. Easy-to-conceal folding-blade tactical knives generally have assisted opening for fast access. Deep-pocket clips that mount close to the end of the handle are often used so little knife is visible when it’s clipped to a pocket. Fixed-blade knives are harder to conceal and carry, but they’re stronger and provide instant access.
Replaceable-blade – With these knives, you’ll never have to sharpen a blade again. The blades are dispensable and replacements are relatively inexpensive, so when one blade becomes dull, you simply change it out for one that’s razor sharp. These are used for many applications, from skinning to slicing.
Fixed vs. folding blade – Fixed-blade knives are stronger, while folding blades are more compact and thus easier to carry.
Blade Materials

Blades are made of a wide variety of materials, and each has its own advantages. There is upside and downside to every material. Here is a breakdown of the most common materials you’ll encounter when shopping for the ideal blade.

Crucible – Developed by Crucible Steel for the cutlery industry and known as the pinnacle of knife-making metals. It’s tempered for hardness, making it excellent at holding an edge. Also, it’s extremely corrosion-resistant, ensuring it will last for years, but fairly hard to sharpen.
High-carbon steel – Also called cutlery steel. Holds an excellent edge and is easy to sharpen. A higher carbon content means increased blade hardness. The downsides to high-carbon steel are that it’s somewhat brittle, has a tendency to rust and reacts to both acids and alkalis, causing it to discolor. The discoloration doesn’t affect its performance.
Stainless steel – Excellent if you want a blade that doesn’t discolor, but this alloy is a real chore to sharpen once it loses its edge. However, the extreme hardness does help the blade hold its original edge longer.
Titanium – Good for all-purpose knives. Lightweight, durable and retains sharpness longer than steel. Relatively easy to sharpen. Titanium-coated knives or knives with titanium edges don’t have the same quality as those made purely of titanium or titanium alloys. Since sharpening removes metal, titanium-coated blades have a shorter life span.
Ceramic – Lightweight, hard, dense space-age material that is stronger than steel, but far more brittle. Ceramic blades hold an edge significantly longer than steel and can be manufactured into much thinner blades, which makes cutting considerably easier. They are best used for slicing and should never be used for chopping due to their brittleness. Unlike steel, their hardness makes them impervious to chemical reactions with either acidic or alkaline foods. Diamond hones are used for sharpening and repairing chips.
Construction
A blade’s hardness is determined by using a Rockwell machine that forces a small penetrator into the metal’s surface. The depth of penetration is correlated to an A, B or C scale reading called the Rockwell hardness scale. A higher number is assigned to harder steel that allows less penetration. Blade steels are measured on the "C" scale (Rc) and range from Rc 55-60. In comparison, a diamond will range in the 80s on the Rockwell "C".

Stainless steel bears a number of industry designations, generally with a number such as 154 or 420, followed by alpha characters like CM or HC. The numerical value indicates the amount of each element used, and the letters reveal the alloys that were used. 154CM is a high-carbon, high-alloy stainless steel made with 1.05% carbon, 0.5% manganese, 0.4% - 0.55% Molybdenum and 14.0% chromium. Therefore, the 154 indicates 1% carbon, 0.5% manganese and 0.4% molybdenum. The CM indicates chromium. This grade of steel is widely used by top specialty-knife makers. The chart below compares the most common blade materials in terms of hardness, corrosion resistance and edge quality.

chart

Forged – Typically high quality and recommended for most applications. A prominent bolster between handle and blade will usually identify a forged knife, although a few are made without a bolster. They are usually heavier, better balanced and easier to keep sharp. Also, with care, they can last for generations.
Stamped – Cut or stamped out of flat metal stock. They don’t undergo the numerous steps associated with forging and are thus lighter in weight and usually not as well balanced. Since the metal is not as dense as a forged knife, stamped knives won’t hold their edge as well.
Sintering – An innovative process that results in all the durability, flexibility and light weight of titanium, plus the incredible edge retention of ceramic materials. Unlike ceramic blades, sintered titanium knives can be resharpened with standard sharpening stones. Some forged knives have parts that are manufactured separately and sintered together to form a knife of good quality at a lower cost than forged knives.
Blade TypesParts of a knife

Spear point – Symmetrical geometry on its point and down the blade give it two identical edges.
Trailing point – Cut upward, higher than the spine of the blade. Excellent for skinning and caping.
Sheepsfoot – Has a blunt, rounded tip and straight cutting edge. The lack of a traditional point reduces the chances of accidental punctures. Great for cutting around inflatable watercraft, livestock and during emergencies.
Drop point – Largely popular. Common and especially useful in EDC knives. It has a lowered point that provides control and adds tip strength.
Clip point – Similar to the drop point. An excellent all-around knife. It has a lowered tip with a long belly area that punctures well and is great for slicing.
Tanto point –Specializes in piercing. It has a thick point that absorbs impact well.
Gut hook – Used for skinning and field dressing. The hook is used to split the skin, unzipping the animal.
Saw blade – Has a toothed edge that cuts when force is applied and a back-and-forth cutting motion is employed. Used to cut
 through hard material such as bone or wood.
Saw blade – Curved tip reduces possibility of punctures when working in tight areas. Good all-purpose blade.

Edges

Plain – A sharpened edge with no serrations or teeth – sometimes referred to as a smooth edge. Excellent for slicing, control, and accuracy. Produces clean cuts.
Serrated – A more aggressive, saw-like cutting edge. Although they produce unrefined cuts, serrated blades retain their ability to cut long after straight blades have lost their edge.

Blade Grinds
Parts of a knife
Hollow – Produces an extremely thin edge that is excellent for slicing. Many hunting knives use this grind.
Chisel – Only ground on one side. This creates an extremely sharp knife. However, it isn’t symmetrical, forcing the knife to curve when slicing, thus making accuracy difficult.
Sabre – Leaves a fairly thick edge that is ultrastrong, making it excellent for chopping.
Flat –Excellent at slicing yet strong enough to chop. Ideal for kitchen cutlery.
Convex – Essentially the opposite of a hollow grind. This leaves a lot of steel behind the edge, making it extremely strong – excellent for jobs that require a lot of force.
Blade Finishes

There seems to be countless blade finishes on the market, all with unique names. The purposes for blade finishes range from purely cosmetic to rust resistance to friction reduction. Below are the most popular coatings. Many finishes fit into one of these categories even though they may have a different, brand-specific name.

Black electroplating – A nonreflective coating bonded to steel using an electrostatic process. It reduces the steel’s reflectivity.
Teflon® – Slick and cuts better because of reduced friction.
Satin – Has a medium luster. Shows fine buffing lines with two directional finishes that better display the bevels of a blade.  Used for cosmetic purposes.
Black-coated – Gives the blade a dark matte finish. This helps with concealment. Also ups a knife’s corrosion resistance.

Lock and Joint Mechanisms

Lockback – Similar to a fixed-blade knife, though still not as rigid.  When opened, this blade locks into position, giving it more strength and stability.
Slip joint ­­– Blade doesn’t lock. Rather, it’s held in place by a spring device that allows the blade to fold when a certain amount of pressure is applied.
Frame and liner locks – Can be opened easily with one hand. Most often used on folding tactical knives.

Handle Materials

Wood – Offers an excellent grip but requires regular care. Keep it out of water and rub occasionally with mineral oil.
Plastic – May become somewhat brittle in time and can be slippery in the hand. Plastic-impregnated wood has properties similar to wood but requires less care and lasts longer.
Synthetics (G10, Kraton, Micrarta, polymide, etc.) – Provide phenomenal grip and comfort, plus they last longer than natural materials.
Metal – Fairly indestructible when used for handle material. Can be slippery or firm – many knives have a patterned metal grip, which provides a solid grasp in all conditions.
Blade Finishes

There seems to be countless blade finishes on the market, all with unique names. The purposes for blade finishes range from purely cosmetic to rust resistance to friction reduction. Below are the most popular coatings. Many finishes fit into one of these categories even though they may have a different, brand-specific name.

Black electroplating – A nonreflective coating bonded to steel using an electrostatic process. It reduces the steel’s reflectivity.
Teflon® – Slick and cuts better because of reduced friction.
Satin – Has a medium luster. Shows fine buffing lines with two directional finishes that better display the bevels of a blade.  Used for cosmetic purposes.
Black-coated – Gives the blade a dark matte finish. This helps with concealment. Also ups a knife’s corrosion resistance.

Lock and Joint Mechanisms

Lockback – Similar to a fixed-blade knife, though still not as rigid.  When opened, this blade locks into position, giving it more strength and stability.
Slip joint ­­– Blade doesn’t lock. Rather, it’s held in place by a spring device that allows the blade to fold when a certain amount of pressure is applied.
Frame and liner locks – Can be opened easily with one hand. Most often used on folding tactical knives.

Handle Materials

Wood – Offers an excellent grip but requires regular care. Keep it out of water and rub occasionally with mineral oil.
Plastic – May become somewhat brittle in time and can be slippery in the hand. Plastic-impregnated wood has properties similar to wood but requires less care and lasts longer.
Synthetics (G10, Kraton, Micrarta, polymide, etc.) – Provide phenomenal grip and comfort, plus they last longer than natural materials.
Metal – Fairly indestructible when used for handle material. Can be slippery or firm – many knives have a patterned metal grip, which provides a solid grasp in all conditions.








Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Alexander Shulgin was a pioneer in Psychedelic Medicine



  Sasha Shulgin was the grandfather of this track of investigation in America:

Advances in Psychedelic Medicine: State-of-the-Art Therapeutic Applications


edited by Michael J. Winkelman, Ben Sessa MD








More than a decade ago, the U.S. government lifted its ban on all testing of psychedelic substances. Winkelman and Sessa now provide updated scientific research and applications of these substances, now moving into approved categories of medicine. The text is an up-to-date assessment of the latest advances in the field of psychedelic medicine, covering the use of LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, ayahuasca, and other substances to augment psychotherapies for a range of disorders. It discusses medical and psychiatric concerns, clinical efficacy and safety, ethical considerations, and neuroscience findings regarding the psychedelic compounds.



Topics covered include an overview of psychiatric applications of psychedelics; treatments for addictions and depressive disorders; effects of psychedelics on inflammation and neuroplasticity; evidence for clinical applications of DMT, ayahuasca, and cannabidiol; psychedelic treatment of sociopathic disorders; microdosing psychedelics; training psychedelic therapists; and community-based harm reduction approaches to managing psychedelic crises.











Mazatec Mushroom Usage: Notes on Approach, Setting and Species for Curious Psilonauts 


 Sam Gandy











“There is a world beyond ours, a world that is far away, nearby and invisible. And there is where God lives, where the dead live, the spirits and the saints, a world where everything has already happened and everything is known. This world talks. It has a language of its own. I report what it says. The sacred mushroom takes me by the hand and brings me to the world where everything is known. It is they, the sacred mushrooms, that speak in a way I can understand. I ask them and they answer me. When I return from the trip that I have taken with them, I tell what they have told me and what they have shown me.”
 – Maria Sabina



http://realitysandwich.com/323749/mazatec-mushroom-usage-notes-on-approach-setting-and-species-for-curious-psilonauts/



The approach used in modern therapeutic psilocybin sessions can be summarised as “trust, surrender, let go”. Expanding on this, Dr William Richards (senior Johns Hopkins psychedelic researcher at Johns Hopkins) offers the following insight:

“The same force that takes you deep within will, of its own impetus, return you safely to the everyday world,” the manual offers at one point. Guides are instructed to remind subjects that they’ll never be left alone and not to worry about their bodies while journeying, since they will be monitored. If you feel like you’re “dying, melting, dissolving, exploding, going crazy etc.—go ahead, embrace it: Climb staircases, open doors, explore paths, fly over landscapes.” And if you confront anything frightening, “look the monster in the eye and move towards it. . . . Dig in your heels; ask, ‘What are you doing in my mind?’ Or, ‘What can I learn from you?’ Look for the darkest corner in the basement, and shine your light there.”1

This approach has been successfully applied in therapeutic psilocybin sessions at Johns Hopkins, N.Y.U. and Imperial College London and other institutions exploring the therapeutic potential of psilocybin, and appears to buffer against the adverse reactions sometimes associated with recreational use of psilocybin. The recommended setting is a comfortable room with subdued lighting, with the participant lying down wearing eyeshades on a bed or sofa, listening to playlist of carefully selected, predominantly instrumental music (avoiding human vocals) playing through headphones, ensuring comfort and encouraging the experiencer to focus inwards. The lyrical narrative of human vocals is avoided as they tend to be emotive and powerfully influence people’s experiences in certain ways. This approach has its merits and the results of some of the modern studies speak for themselves.2,3,4,5,6 However, this is a stark divergence from the approach employed by Mazatec curanderos, or shamans.

Several indigenous groups in Mexico are known to practice the ceremonial use of Psilocybe mushrooms, or what they refer to as los Santos NiƱos (“the Little Saints”) or nti si tho (“the little ones who spring forth”): the Nahuatls in the states of Mexico, Morelos and Puebla; the Matlazincs in the state of Mexico; the Totonacs in the state of Veracruz; and the Mazatecs, Mixes, Zapotecs and Chatins in the state of Oaxaca.7 Of these, the epicentre of usage in Mexico can be considered among the Mazatec, who are considered to possess the greatest knowledge of mushroom lore. They employ mushrooms for problem solving, physical, psychological and spiritual healing, and seeking lost or stolen objects.

Ancient tradition calls for fasting prior to ingesting mushrooms, with the exception of fruit and water if necessary. Alcohol and other drugs are avoided before and after the ceremony, or velada. One is recommend to bathe prior to the experience and wear clean white or brightly coloured clothing, while black is avoided. Powdered San Pedro (Nicotiana rustica) tobacco may be used alongside the mushrooms, applied topically to the wrists and forearms by the shaman as a tonic for the body. The tobacco is believed to have magical and remedial qualities, and is also used as an offering on the altar. Sexual abstinence is usually recommended for several days before and after a ceremony, and pork tends to be avoided during this time.

Communion with the mushroom is to be approached with humility and respect, but not fear. One should remain calm and be prepared for mental turbulence that can accompany entry into the bemushroomed realms. It is good to remain silent and speak as little as possible, at least in the beginning phase of the mushroom velada. Excessive talking can detract from the focus and energy of the experience, so conversations are reserved for later. Only the mushroom imbibers should be present, and overall, the fewer the better, as too many people may taint the atmosphere.

A single species of Psilocybe is employed in a given ceremony, and mixing of different species is avoided. Mushrooms are cleansed in copal smoke prior to ingestion, and are consumed fresh, in pairs on an empty stomach. People are encouraged to take their time to chew the mushrooms thoroughly, which allows one’s system to adjust to the experience. Unsweetened cacao is often consumed alongside the mushrooms, this being a custom practiced by the Aztec as part of their mushroom ceremonies, and according to some it greatly intensifies the visionary aspect of the mushroom. Following consumption of the mushrooms, candles are blown out, and total darkness descends. Mazatec shamans may chant and perform bodywork on participants during the velada with their hands. 


Natalia blessing mushrooms in copal smoke. Credit: Christopher Casuse

Unlike the clinical therapeutic approach, the shaman ingests psilocybin alongside their patients. At the present time, patients are only permitted 1-3 psilocybin sessions in a research study context, whereas in the traditional Mazatec context, people have the option of repeated and regular sessions. The Mazatec often consume mushrooms in family groups, which is rare outside the traditional context of the velada.

The Mazatec velada setting is usually in the shaman’s home, in a room with an altar. Sessions take place during the night, often in darkness, or sometimes with candle light. This is to minimise distractions and focus the mind. A velada may begin in pitch darkness, to ensure that visions are bright and clear (an approach that well-known psilonaut Terrence McKenna also recommended), with candles lit at a later time. The presence of candles is important…beeswax candles are favoured by the Mazatec. Candle flames serve as a neutral and absorbing focal point for a tried and tested means of anchoring awareness in the present. Candle flames have been employed in this context by many cultures and traditions, such as in yogic Trataka meditation, Buddhist Kasina meditation and in Jewish ceremonies going back many centuries. The night is recognized as the time most conducive to visionary insights and deep inner work. Despite regional, cultural and linguistic differences between various indigenous groups, this setting and timing is a shared common element.

In the context of a Mazatec mushroom velada, the focal point of the setting is a traditional altar, comprising a table adorned with images of religious figures, local cultural deities, candles, flowers and saints. The syncretic nature of the post-Colombian Mazatec tradition made it easy for them to assimilate Christian imagery into their rituals following the Spanish invasion and the spread of Catholicism that accompanied it. Psilonauts are encouraged to focus on the candles and images, with sustained attention and avoiding “falling” into the trance, maintaining their intention on invoking the sacred. The typical Western approach, where people close their eyes and allow the music to guide them, has been described by Mazatec elder shaman Natalia Martinez as a “lazy approach”, which does not allow the full potential of the mushroom to manifest.

Of course, some Westerners may not be comfortable with pictures of religious figures, but an altar can be tailored to one’s personal resonance. For example, those with a more pantheistic perspective maybe prefer natural objects, such as shells, crystals, pine cones, flowers or feathers.


Mazatec style altar.

For those training with her, Natalia offers a full dinner plate of derrumbe (“landslide”) mushrooms (P. caerulescens) and encourages experiencers to maintain awareness throughout the experience. This is deemed an invaluable exercise in training one’s perception, in order that one can navigate their experience with a clear and centred mind, and allow one to work with what the mushroom presents to an undistracted mind. This is considered an essential part of the training for those who wish to provide mushroom veladas themselves. One sits erect on a small stool before the altar, maintaining awareness and open-eyed focus on the candles and images on the altar while remaining present. The altar acts as an anchor, providing a powerful means for orientating the experience and navigating challenging content when necessary. Natalia has been doing this work up to three times a week, for the past 40 years, and has amazing energy for an 87 year old woman.

Consuming mushrooms in the Mazatec setting can result in powerful experiences and openings, and this approach may yield a very distinct set of experiences from that of the Western therapeutic approach. Consumed regularly and consistently, weekly in some cases, the practice results in a set of progressive and deepening experiences, with each building upon the previous. Working with mushrooms in this way is considered by some to constitute a form of theurgy. In the US, taking mushrooms in this traditional manner means it may qualify as a sacred plant tradition, which would be protected under the Religious Freedom Act.

The Mazatec and other indigenous Psilocybe using groups tend to take the view that different species of mushroom have different qualities or their own ‘signature’. Some are revered more than others or used for specific purposes. This view is shared by ethnobotanist Kathleen Harrison, who has worked extensively with the Mazatec and various Psilocybe species, and is commonly echoed by experienced growers and psilonauts. In the context of indigenous mushroom usage, the more potent species tend to be revered more highly. There are 53 known species of Psilocybe mushrooms in Mexico, with around a third of these used ceremonially. Only a handful of species are frequently employed in veladas. Of these, the most important and commonly used species are P. caerulescens, P. mexicana, P. cubensis, P. zapotecorum and P. hoogshagenii.7 In the Aztec language Nahuatl the umbrella term teotlaquilnanĆ”catl (“divine mushroom that describes or paints”) is applied across species.

The Mazatec hold P. caerulescens, known as the landslide or derrumbemushroom, in particularly high regard. This species is thought to have likely been used by the Aztecs in their rituals, as documented by 16th century Spanish chronicler Bernardino de SahagĆŗn, and referred to as teonanĆ”catl (“flesh of the gods”). It was this species through which R. Gordon Wasson and Tim Leary had their seminal introductions to psilocybin. It is revered for its potency and its fuerza or force, the mushrooms produce a strong, physically medicinal effect, sometimes experienced as deep waves of warmth and energy in the body.

P. zapotecorum is another highly regarded and potent species, another derrumbe mushroom, known as badao zoo (“drunken mushroom”) by the Zapotec Indians. It is held on par with P. caerulescens by the Mazatec, but is a species held in particularly high esteem by the Zapotecs, from which its name is derived, and it appears to have a long history of usage among them.

P. mexicana, known as pajaritos (“little bird”) is another highly revered species used by a number of Mexican indigenous groups, it being the mushroom from which the great chemist Albert Hofmann first extracted and identified psilocybin and psilocin. It was also the most cherished species of the Mazatec shaman Maria Sabina, responsible for introducing psilocybin mushrooms to the Western world. The Mazatec say of this species ‘que suave’ (‘how smooth’). The Zapotec give this mushroom to their children as they view it as the friendliest and most forgiving. It is known by many different names among the various indigenous Mexican groups that use it, referred to as nize (“little bird”) by the Mazatec.

Another species of note is P. hoogshagenii, which is employed shamanically by the Mixe and Zapotec, and it is known by a variety of different names. In Spanish, it is referred to as los niƱos or los Chamaquitos (“the little boys”) as pajaritos de monte (“little birds of the woods”) by the Mazatec, and atka:t (“judge”) by the Mixe, who deem it a very wise mushroom, sought after by shamans faced with an important philosophical decision. It is interesting to note that this species (in particular P. hoogshagenii var. convexa) is highly revered by psilonauts that have grown it. It is slow to fruit, but is said to be as easy (if not easier) to cultivate than the more widely known P. cubensis. It was originally assigned the species name ‘semperviva’ which translates as ‘undying’, due to its highly resilient and tenacious nature and its ability to produce many flushes of highly potent mushrooms over many months.

P. cubensis, the San Isidro mushroom was made famous by the McKenna brothers. It has a pan-tropical distribution, growing throughout tropical and subtropical zones of the world, having spread alongside cattle farming as it grows on bovine dung. It is easily cultivated and fruits abundantly, and as a result has been cultivated worldwide. In Mexico, P. cubensis is used widely by a number of different indigenous groups, and is a dependable ally, fruiting abundantly and possessing a long growing season. It is known as di-shi-tjo-le-ra-ja (“divine mushroom of manure”) by the Mazatec. It is certainly not one of the more revered species however, and among Mexican Psilocybe-using groups is widely considered to occupy the lowest rung of the ladder of shamanic mushroom preference. Perhaps this is due to its non-native status (having being brought in with Spanish cattle), its habit of growing on dung, or its lower potency or different experiential qualities compared to other species.

San Isidro is the patron saint of the fields, farming and labour (this mushroom thriving in farmland), and some Mazatec will consume this mushroom prior to building a house or tilling a new field, or prior to embarking on some important work to give them clarity and luck. However, not all shamans will work with P. cubensis, including Maria Sabina, who never worked with it in her veladas.8However, Mestizo charlatan shamans have been known to use P. cubensis in ceremonies as a means of generating income from tourists. In 1988, Terrence McKenna had an experience with P. cubensis that was so harrowing that he swore off heroic mushroom doses altogether.9 Psilonauts with extensive experience of the different species almost universally hold the view that those revered by shamans surpass P. cubensis in experiential qualities. This species with its universal accessibility, has been profoundly important, extending its mycelial tendrils into the brains of so many members of our species, but there is more to the Psilocybe mushroom world than it alone.

The Mazatec have over 500+ years of experience of working with mushrooms and far deeper knowledge of their phenomenology and application in healing than Westerners, who are comparative newcomers to the mushroom. There is much to be learned from the Mazatec shamans, and the loss of their knowledge would be a tragedy. Due to the advent of modern medicine however, the increasing domination of Western civilisation in Mazatecan lands, and the subsequent erosion of their cultural traditions, very few of the younger generation of Mazatec are interested in pursuing healing work using mushrooms. The traditional Mazatecan shamanic approach to working with the mushroom may soon become extinct, so we ought to prioritise the preservation and transmission of their knowledge.



References
Pollan, M. (2015, February 9th) The Trip Treatment. Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/09/trip-treatment
Carhart-Harris, R.L., Bolstridge, M., Day, C.M.J., Rucker J., Watts, R., Erritzoe, D.E., Kaelen, M., Giribaldi, B., Bloomfield, M., Pilling, S., Rickard, J.A., Forbes, B., Feilding, A., Taylor, D., Curran, H.V., Nutt, D.J. (2018) Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six month follow-up. Psychopharmacology, 235(2): 399-408.
Griffiths, R.R., Johnson, M.W., Carducci, M.A., Umbricht, A., Richards, W.A., Richards, B.D., Cosimano, M.P., Klinedinst, M. A. (2016). Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized doubleblind trial. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 30(12): 1181–1197.
Griffiths, R.R., Johnson, M.W., Richards, W.A., Richards, B. ., Jesse, R., MacLean, K.A., Barrett, F.S., Cosimano, M.P., Klinedinst, M. A. (2017). Psilocybin-occasioned mystical-type experience in combination with meditation and other spiritual practices produces enduring positive changes in psychological functioning and in trait measures of prosocial attitudes and behaviours. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 32(1): 49-69.
Griffiths, R. R., Richards, W. A., McCann, U., & Jesse, R. (2006). Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance. Psychopharmacology, 187(3): 268–283.
Ross, S., Bossis, A., Guss, J., Agin-Liebes, G., Malone, T., Cohen, B., Mennenga, S.E., Belser, A., Kalliontzi, K., Babb, J., Su, Z., Corby, P., Schmidt, B.L. (2016) Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 30(12): 1165–1180.
GuzmƔn, G. (2008) Hallucinogenic Mushrooms in Mexico: An Overview. Economic Botany, 62(3): 404-412.
Schultes, R.E., Hofmann, A., RƤtsch, C. (2001) Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing, and Hallucinogenic Powers. Rochester, Vermont, USA: Healing Arts Press.
McKenna, D. (2012) The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss. Clearwater, Minnesota, USA: North Star Press of St. Cloud.





AUTHOR


twitter website

PhD ecologist and writer, with a passion for nature and psychedelics.





Source: 


http://realitysandwich.com/323749/mazatec-mushroom-usage-notes-on-approach-setting-and-species-for-curious-psilonauts/



 

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Be Happy



Uploaded on Jul 1, 2011

Is happiness a skill? Modern neuroscientific research and the wisdom of ancient contemplative traditions converge in suggesting that happiness is the product of skills that can be enhanced through training and such training exemplifies how transforming the mind can change the brain. 

Kent Berridge, Richie Davidson, and Daniel Gilbert speak at the Aspen Ideas Festival
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Leonard Cohen: Hallelujah


Leonard Cohen Credit Dominique Issermann

  Leonard Cohen: Darkness and Praise

The email from the boy began: “Did anything inspire you to create Hallelujah?"

Later that same winter day the reply arrived: 
“I wanted to stand with those who clearly see God’s holy broken world for what it is, and still find the courage or the heart to praise it. You don’t always get what you want. You’re not always up for the challenge. But in this case — it was given to me. For which I am deeply grateful.”
The question came from the author's son, who was preparing to present the hymn to his fifth-grade class. The boy required a clarification about its meaning. The answer came from the author of the song, Leonard Cohen.
Cohen lived in a weather of wisdom, which he created by seeking it rather than by finding it. He swam in beauty, because in its transience he aspired to discern a glimpse of eternity.
There was always a trace of philosophy in his sensuality.
He managed to combine a sense of absurdity with a sense of significance, a genuine feat.
He was a friend of melancholy but an enemy of gloom, and a renegade enamored of tradition.
Leonard was, above all, in his music and in his poems and in his tone of life, the lyrical advocate of the finite and the flawed.
Leonard sang always as a sinner. He refused to describe sin as a failure or a disqualification. Sin was a condition of life. 

“Even though it all went wrong/ I’ll stand before the Lord of song/ With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah!”
The singer’s faults do not expel him from the divine presence. Instead they confer a mortal integrity upon his exclamation of praise. 

He is the inadequate man, the lowly man, the hurt man who has given hurt, insisting modestly but stubbornly upon his right to a sacred exaltation.

“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”  

He once told an interviewer that those words were the closest he came to a credo.  

The teaching could not be more plain: fix the crack, lose the light.
  
Here is a passage on frivolity by a great rabbi in Prague at the end of the 16th century:

“Man was born for toil, since his perfection is always being actualized but is never actual,” 
he observed in an essay on frivolity.
“And insofar as he attains perfection, something is missing in him.  In such a being, 
perfection is a shortcoming and a lack.”

Leonard Cohen was the poet laureate of the lack, the psalmist of the privation, who made imperfection gorgeous.



Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/14/opinion/my-friend-leonard-cohen-darkness-and-praise.html?ribbon-ad-idx=3&src=trending



Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Living with a sense of purpose in life




Conclusion:

A sense of purpose in life also gives you this considerable advantage:
"People with a sense of purpose in life have a lower risk of death and cardiovascular disease."

The conclusions come from over 136,000 people who took part in 10 different studies.

Participants in the studies were mostly from the US and Japan.


The US studies asked people:
  • how useful they felt to others,
  • about their sense of purpose, and
  • the meaning they got out of life.


The Japanese studies asked people about ‘ikigai’ or whether their life was worth living.

The participants, whose average age was 67, were tracked for around 7 years.

During that time almost 20,000 died.
 
But, amongst those with a strong sense of purpose or high ‘ikigai’, the risk of death was one-fifth lower.

Despite the link between sense of purpose and health being so intuitive, scientists are not sure of the mechanism.

Sense of purpose is likely to improve health by strengthening the body against stress.

It is also likely to be linked to healthier behaviours.

Dr. Alan Rozanski, one of the study’s authors, said:
“Of note, having a strong sense of life purpose has long been postulated to be an important dimension of life, providing people with a sense of vitality motivation and resilience.
Nevertheless, the medical implications of living with a high or low sense of life purpose have only recently caught the attention of investigators.
The current findings are important because they may open up new potential interventions for helping people to promote their health and sense of well-being.”

This research on links between sense of purpose in life and longevity is getting stronger all the time:
  • “A 2009 study of 1,238 elderly people found that those with a sense of purpose lived longer.
  • A 2010 study of 900 older adults found that those with a greater sense of purpose were much less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Survey data often links a sense of purpose in life with increased happiness.
No matter what your age, then, it’s worth thinking about what gives your life meaning.”



Read More:

Find out what kinds of things people say give their lives meaning.
Here’s an exercise for increasing meaningfulness
And a study finding that feeling you belong increases the sense of meaning.

The study was published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine (Cohen et al., 2015).




A sense of purpose in life
Link: http://www.spring.org.uk/2015/12/here-is-why-a-sense-of-purpose-in-life-is-important-for-health

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Mindful Awareness

UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center

Mindfulness is making the news these days. It has been depicted in the media primarily as a tool to hone attention, to cultivate sensory awareness, and to keep us in the present moment.

Developing these tools takes effort and determination, but why is it we can sometimes be mindful without really even trying? Perhaps we were naturally mindful at points in life before we ever learned what mindfulness was. Maybe we feel naturally connected, present, and at ease in nature. Or we become mindful while talking authentically with a friend, or in the midst of music, art, or athletic activity.

Mindfulness is not only a meditation technique, but also a state of being. This state is available to anyone; it is a natural human capacity. Mindfulness practice, as a tool, is tremendously helpful to cultivate this awareness, and the state can arise at any moment. Mindfulness is also connected to a set of powerful outcomes: happiness, emotional regulation, compassion, altruism, and kindness.

We encourage you to attend an array of offerings to cultivate the moment-to-moment awareness, which is the foundation of our practice.



 Link: http://marc.ucla.edu/

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy can help prevent recurrence of depression.


Review finds mindfulness-based cognitive therapy can help prevent recurrence of depression.

Friday, January 15, 2016

Positive Psychology News

Forbes
The powerful idea behind positive psychology is that we can accomplish our aims most effectively by exercising and building on our strengths, not just by shoring up our vulnerabilities. Reducing boredom on the job won't create a fulfilling career ...
 
Irish Times
Tal Ben-Shahar is a best-selling author, academic and entrepreneur in the field of positive psychology. In 2006, his course on positive psychology became the most popular class at Harvard University. Since then he has cofounded Potentialife, a year ...
 
Newswire
(Newswire.net -- January 4, 2016) -- Recent research in positive psychology shows happiness is more than a mood or a feeling—it's a skill. A new app called Feed Your Happy, launching today, helps people practice techniques to reprogram negative ...
 
Santa Maria Sun
Delta High School's Free Holiday Store, stocked with clothing, opened for two


Self Improvement

Victorville Daily Press
The Today's Woman Foundation is hosting a transformational workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Sun View Plaza, 13010 Hesperia Road in Victorville. The event will be facilitated by Cindy M. Bostick, a certified transformative coach and “Best Year ...
Harvard Business Review
We examined roughly 7,000 self-assessments, and focused on a group of questions that measured a “proving” versus “improving” orientation. For instance, we asked people what happened the last time they were given negative feedback – did they challenge ...
Idaho State Journal
Specifically, Idaho State is focused on improving an offense that's sixth in the conference in scoring at 73.5 points per game and 11th in field goal percentage (41.5). Sac State doesn't have any glaring weaknesses like North Dakota did, and the ...
The Globe and Mail
Don't tell me about self-improvement. I've been improving myself for decades. I have dieted, exercised, made to-do lists and then lost them. I have striven to be more efficient and productive, waste less time, watch more TED talks, tidy my desk, write ...