'Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge' by Terence McKenna explores the history of human interaction with medicinal and shamanic plants, delving into their transformative effects on knowledge-seeking and consciousness. McKenna advocates for a new perspective on psychedelics, emphasizing wonder, mystery, and discovery. He presents a compelling case for the role of psychedelic plants in spiritual consciousness evolution and human language development, highlighting their impact on societal structures and individual and collective consciousness.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is intricate and philosophical, combining research findings with personal insights in a compelling manner.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative delves into the historical and cultural significance of psychedelics, particularly focusing on how they may have shaped human consciousness and societal structures.

Setting:

The setting spans historical contexts of human culture and modern reflections on these practices in relation to cosmic understanding.

Pacing:

The pacing fluctuates between deeply informative sections and more engaging storytelling, which may affect the reading experience.

Until relatively recently, the practices of Mangi and her remote Amazonian tribe were typical of religious practice everywhere. Only in the last several millennia have theology and ritual graduated to...

Genres:

Topics:

psychedelic mushrooms

human evolution

cognitive development

societal structures

matriarchal vs patriarchal cultures

psychedelic experiences

spirituality and consciousness

psychedelic exploration

Notes:

Terence McKenna proposed that psychedelic mushrooms played a significant role in human cognitive evolution.

He suggested that the relationship between the universe's density and complexity reveals a pattern of exponential growth.

McKenna referenced a matriarchal society from Greek culture that lived without war or poverty for about a thousand years.

He believed that the mushroom allows humans to see reality more clearly, fostering harmony with nature and each other.

McKenna's theory includes the idea of a 'Tree of Knowledge' being represented by the mushroom.

Various cultures throughout history have predicted a significant universal event during the current decade.

He discussed the impact of drug use on human culture and evolution, contrasting psychedelic use with alcohol and grain fermentation.

McKenna argued that the suppression of psychedelic substances is linked to societal violence and a disconnection from nature.

He presented a fractal view of time, suggesting repeating cycles in the universe and human consciousness.

Ultimately, McKenna advocated for a return to cooperative cultures influenced by psychedelic experiences.

From The Publisher:

An exploration of humans' symbiotic relationships with plants and chemicals presents information on prehistoric partnership societies, the roles of spices and spirits in the rise of dominator societies; and the politics of tobacco, tea, coffee, opium, and alcohol.

Why, as a species, are humans so fascinated by altered states of consciousness? Can altered states reveal something to us about our origins and our place in nature? In Food of the Gods, ethnobotanist Terence McKenna's research on man's ancient relationship with chemicals opens a doorway to the divine, and perhaps a solution for saving our troubled world. McKenna provides a revisionist look at the historical role of drugs in the East and the West, from ancient spice, sugar, and rum trades to marijuana, cocaine, synthetics, and even television-illustrating the human desire for the "food of the gods" and the powerful potential to replace abuse of illegal drugs with a shamanic understanding, insistence on community, reverence for nature, and increased self-awareness.

Praise for Food of the Gods

"Deserves to be the modern classic on mind-altering drugs and hallucinogens."-The Washington Post

"Terence McKenna is the most important-and most entertaining-visionary scholar in America."-Tom Robbins

"The culture's foremost spokesperson for the psychedelic experience . . . Those who know and enjoy Joseph Campbell's work will almost certainly appreciate McKenna."-L.A. Weekly

"An eloquent proposal for recovering something vital-a sense of the sacred, the transcendent, the Absolute-before it's too late."-Larry Dossey, M.D., author of Meaning & Medicine, Recovering the Soul, and Space, Time & Machine

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About the Author:

Terence McKenna, author and explorer, has traveled the world to work and live with shamans. He has added to their shared knowledge of rituals his own efforts to preserve the plants used in these ceremonies. Coauthor of The Invisible Landscape…

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Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge

Terence McKenna