Psychoactive Plants and Psychic People: Does Psilocybin Really Cause Psi?

A lecture by Dr David Luke

The traditional use of psychoactive plants as sacramentals in spiritual and magical rituals has continued for thousands of years. The use of these powerful psychoactive substances has long been reported to induce ostensibly paranormal phenomena such as clairvoyance, telepathy and precognition, and they have traditionally been used expressly for these and other psychic effects the world over by the indigenous groups who use them. The question arises of whether these phenomena are genuine are not, and the evidence is reviewed here for the first time in decades. Regardless of the outcome of this review, however, the known chemistry of these plants can at least teach us something about the neurobiology of paranormal-like experiences, if not of genuine paranormal phenomena.

Dr. David Luke lectures in psychology at several London universities and is a writer and researcher with a special interest in parapsychology and altered states of consciousness. He has studied techniques of consciousness alteration from South America to India, from the perspective of scientists, shamans and Shivaites. He lives life on the edge, of Shoreditch.

Register to tell a friend about this lecture.

Comments

If you would like to comment about this lecture, please register here.

©2003-2006 Niminim Limited. Created by

Any ad revenue is entirely reinvested into the Lecture List's operating fund