Rainforest Medicine | Free Book
The book is illustrated with unique botanical and cultural drawings by Secoya elder and traditional healer Agustin Payaguaje and horticulturalist Thomas Y. Wang as well as by the author himself. Payaguaje shares his sincere imaginal view into the spiritual life of the Secoya; plates of petroglyphs from the sacred valley of Cotundo relate to an ancient language, and other illustrations show traditional Secoya ayahuasca symbols and indigenous origin myths. Two color sections showcase photos of the plants and people of the region, and include plates of previously unpublished full-color paintings by Pablo Cesar Amaringo (1938-2009), an acclaimed Peruvian artist renowned for his intricate, colorful depictions of his visions from drinking the entheogenic plant brew, ayahuasca ("vine of the soul" in Quechua languages).
Today the once-dense mysterious rainforest realms are under assault as the indiscriminate colonial frontier of resource extraction moves across the region; as the forest disappears, the traditional human legacy of sustainable utilization of this rich ecosystem is also being buried under modern realities. With over 20 years experience of ground-level environmental and cultural conservation, author Jonathon Miller Weisberger's commitment to preserving the fascinating, unfathomably precious relics of the indigenous legacy shines through. Chief among these treasures is the "shimmering" "golden" plant-medicine science of ayahuasca or yajé, a rainforest vine that was popularized in the 1950s by Western travelers such as William Burroughs and Alan Ginsberg. It has been sampled, reviled, and celebrated by outsiders ever since.
Currently sought after by many in the industrialized West for its powerful psychotropic and life-transforming effects, this sacred brew is often imbibed by visitors to the upper Amazon and curious seekers in faraway venues, sometimes with little to no working knowledge of its principles and precepts. Perceiving that there is an evident need for in-depth information on ayahuasca if it is to be used beyond its traditional context for healing and spiritual illumination in the future, Miller Weisberger focuses on the fundamental knowledge and practices that guide the use of ayahuasca in indigenous cultures. Weaving first-person narrative with anthropological and ethnobotanical information, Rainforest Medicine aims to preserve both the record and ongoing reality of ayahuasca's unique tradition and, of course, the priceless forest that gave birth to these sacred vines. Featuring words from Amazonian shamans--the living torchbearers of these sophisticated spiritual practices--the book stands as testimony to this sacred plant medicine's power in shaping and healing individuals, communities, and nature alike.
In The Press
"People interested in indigenous uses of ayahuasca will enjoy reading
this book. Author JMW shares what he has seen, heard and
experienced during long years spent with indigenous Amazonian people.
He discusses the dangers of sorcery even for those who do not believe
in it, as well as the importance of keeping quiet about one's visions.
He also discusses a jaguar-centered world view, in which jaguar
embodies energy, and energy makes up the universe. JMW shares
nugget after nugget of Secoya wisdom about how to work with rainforest
medicines. This book is personal rather than academic, and its
approach is "kaleidoscopic", but it is packed with knowledge,
experience and respect for indigenous cultures. I will recommend it to
friends."
—Jeremy Narby, author of The Cosmic Serpent, Anthropologist
"Rainforest Medicine is a remarkable
account from a scholar and experiential adventurer who has devoted
more than twenty years of his life, much of the time in the field, to
the study of physical and metaphysical realms where plants, nature,
and the human imagination merge in the mind of the shaman, the true
wizards of the upper Amazon." —Wade Davis, author of
One River and Into the Silence, Explorer-in-Residence at
the National Geographic Society
"Rainforest Medicine offers valuable insights into deepening our understanding of the
natural world and thereby rediscovering ancient ways of thought that
can guide us toward healthy living."
—Andrew Weil, M.D., author
of Spontaneous Happiness: A New Path to Emotional Well-Being
"Jonathon Miller Weisberger, or 'Sparrow' as called by
his friends, has been dedicated to the preservation of biodiversity,
indigenous cultures, and indigenous knowledge in the Northwest Amazon
for over twenty years! His commitment is one fueled by passion,
a deep understanding of why all humanity needs the rainforest and a
profound respect for traditional ways of knowing. In this book
Jonathon shares the spiritual perspectives of healers and traditional
elders as well as his own body of experiences, alongside a compilation
of the identities and uses of two-hundred-and-one Amazonian medicines.
This books jumps off the bookshelf and urges readers to connect
straight to the living heart of the rainforest itself. This book
undeniably will be appreciated by researchers of Amazonian topics for
years to come, as well as anyone concerned about saving the rainforest
and being an ally to its peoples."
—Dennis McKenna, Ph.D.,
ethnopharmacologist, author of
The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss: My Life with Terrence
McKenna
"Rainforest Medicine carries a timeless
message, one that makes evident our essential need—which is to
reconnect with nature. This book is an instrument of positive
transformation. Highly recommended."
—Graham Hancock, author of
Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers of Mankind
"Rainforest Medicine teaches us a great
deal. While holding true to adventure, the journey goes deep into the
earth consciousness where the real medicine for all life exists.
Weisberger is one of the great ethnobotanists of our time. Even more
so, he is without a doubt one of the finest ambassadors for our
planet. His story of the Upper Amazon with its amazing medicine
plants, people, and oral traditions leaves you wanting to do
something—anything—to save this amazing place. He has a gift for
evoking a sense of place and purpose, and the characters he meets come
alive on the page. There is little doubt in my mind that
Rainforest Medicine is a masterpiece and sets a new standard in
ethnobotany and conservation."
—Michael Cottingham, director of
Voyage Botanica School of Botanical Medicine
Praise for Jonathon Miller Weisberger's work
• "[C]ourageous and innovative work. [He is] working to
preserve ancient botanical wisdom, not on some dusty bookshelf, but in
the hearts of indigenous youths and in the forest itself. This is a
bold and crucial step in these times."
—Robert Hass, former
United States poet laureate
• "Presided over by a most
benevolent array of plant energies and animal intelligences, leafing
and leaping spirits ... like a dark heart of the wave on the sloping
strand in wilderness and wonder."
—David Abram, author of
The Spell of the Sensuous
• "Jonathon Miller
Weisberger—a 'young Schultes'—is a master with the plants.... He helps
you listen to their myriad voices, each a wise voice singing a
different part in Nature's chorus."
—Bill Pfeiffer, Sacred Earth
Network
- Title: Rainforest Medicine | Free Book
- Author: Steven
- Created at : 2024-10-24 18:07:30
- Updated at : 2024-10-27 00:04:34
- Link: https://novels-ebooks.techidaily.com/1132881-9781583946237-rainforest-medicine/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.