Breaking Open the Head: A Psychedelic Journey into the Heart of Contemporary Shamanism

We can now speak of an entheogenic renaissance and this book is part of the growing literature of that movement. "Breaking Open the Head" is an autobiographical account in which the author details his transformation from a cynical Manhattan atheist to an entheogenic psychonaut. Along the way, the writer introduces us to the various psychedelics in use, their effects and cultural history (i.e how they have been used throughout history &/or at present).One element that differentiates this book from other psychedelic accounts is Pinchbeck raises criticisms of capitalism, often viathe voice of Walter Benjamin. We are all under the spell of capital. We are hypnotised by commercials and advertising jingles. We are told, by the powers that be, that capitalism is "natural", that we have arrived at some kind of Hegelian "End of History", in which capitalism has won and any attempts to imagine a different scenario, a different form of global exchange, is empty utopianism. Unfortunately, many of us have accepted this fabrication. And so it is, that the rainforest continues to be depleted, many people in Third World countries live in poverty (thanks to multinational corporations and the politics of debt played by such organizations as the World Bank); spirituallyempty we, in the post-industrial capitalist countries, greedily seek to fill our spiritual emptiness with things, commodities. We consume more and more, yet still cannot fill the emptiness. We're like rats on a turnwheel.Psychedelics MAY be PART of the antidote to all of this.Through psychedelics we are awakened from our trance and can see the world from a completely different perspective. Psychedelics spark creativity. It has been said that Silicon Valley (where I work by the way) would not exist if it were not for acid. That may be an exaggeration, but only in part. Numerous luminaries in the field of computer science sought/seek inspiration through psychedelic visions. What's more, psychedelics reveal a broader (not necessarily HIGHER) reality. As biological organisms, our brains have specialized (at least this is my opinion) and have closed out many parts of the larger reality that exists. In our everyday existence, We stare out at the world through a narrow chink and conclude that is all there is.All this may sound incredible to those who have never experiencedthe states entrained by psychedelics. Many believe that psychedelics are a means of escaping reality. It is possible, like all things, that they could be used to that end. However,for the escapist, psychedelics would not be the drug of choice. The reason for this being that psychedelics are AMPLIFIERS, not sedatives. If you were to use them as a means to escape some phenomenon, that phenomenon would more than likely end up in your trip amplified to the nth power!I am happy that through his book an anti-capitalist orientation has been introduced into the psychedelic context. While it is true that psychedelics have more or less defied being co-opted by capitalism (indeed there is a "war on drugs" campaign), there could be in the future an attempt to "integrate" psychedelics into capitalism. We have seen how the "New Age" is, for the most part, a marketing scheme. We have learned how paranormal talents, such as remote viewing, were tested by the CIA for use in spying. Should we break through this period of "anti-drug hysteria", one can well imagine that psychedelics could be coopted for capitalist use.We, instead, should use psychedelics as a means of breaking free of the capitalist mindset, envisioning other possible socio-economic systems, and re-associating with the broader reality that exists (which some call the "spirit world").

Many interesting and intelligent books and articles relating to psychedelics are available, including plant guides, histories and trip reports. Daniel Pinchbeck's "Breaking Open the Head" is a rare find, not only in the "genre" but in all of contemporary literature: a truly sophisticated yet very readable, beautifully wrought, intellectual treatise on a complex and deeply important subject. No small part of Pinchbeck's brilliance is his voice. Personal and endearingly unpretentious, he doles out enlightenment in tasty and entertaining doses.With plenty of first (and second) hand descriptions of various entheogenic experiences, the book will satisfy hardcore psychonauts seeking validation or information, as well as wannabes seeking vicarious trip thrills. But interspersed throughout are brief, pithy observations on anthropological, sociological, religious, cultural, artistic, literary and philosophical viewpoints and phenomena which offer brilliant insights into the current state of human affairs (how we got to where we are) and suggest logical but unlikely scenarios for freeing ourselves and unleashing our potential.Descriptions of his work as "anti-capitalist" are arguably accurate but a tad simplistic. Pinchbeck's illuminating light is shined not on the sociopolitical aspect of capitalism but rather on the sociopsychological materialism which has trapped citizens of the "developed" world en masse in its web of illusive pleasure reality.Unlike lesser writers who might pass off some of the more obscure references as their own, Pinchbeck is quick to attribute his influences and sources, affording us a glimpse into his own intellectual and psychological development, which adds depth to his psychedelic journey.This is a wonderful book for fans of shamanism and psychedelics, and is the PERFECT gift for martini-swilling swanks who scoff at the "irresponsibility" of their more explorative friends. Like the work of McKenna and Huxley and Huston Smith, it is more evidence that psychedelics appear to sharpen the brain, rather than fry it.

This book was largely the author's personal experiences with psychedelics and his own theories drawn from those. He is a good writer and gives detailed descriptions of his experiences and how they changed his view of reality. He also spends time discussing some of the history of well-known writers and icons of the field. I actually thought this was a bit of a weakness of the book, as I have personally read much of that material previously and found myself skimming past it. If you haven't read it in other books, though, it would serve as a good overview and he references some interesting books that I was not that familiar with. He also described an experience with DPT, which was enough to convince me not to ever try that drug.

Great book, recommend it.

The book is fun to read but looses steam eventually. Deeper experiences are not listed, such as those found by Terence Mckenna or Robert Anson Wilson

Great book really entertaining and informative. It does shed light on topics otherwise pretty obscure with stunning clarity. Totally worth reading

A few months ago I ended up having this book reccomended to me by three seperate and completely independent sources within the space of about a week. This having been the case I felt inclined to put what I had been reading at the time on hold and get my hands on a copy. A decision that I did not come to regret. I have learned to be somewhat wary of anything that looks as though it might end up being a 'Journey of Discovery' or 'Quest for Spiritual Enlightenment' book, as too often have I found myself presented with the naive and ill-informed waftings of some overprivelaged Tarquin condescending to the rest of the human species because they got to spend a couple of years flapping around on a beach somewhere, and everybody else didn't. Within about two paragraphs of 'Breaking Open The Head' however, I realised that this was not to be such a book. The authors' writing style is lucid, illustrative and snappy, with all waft and unnecessary rambling kept to a bare minimum. The chapters alternate between those which describe key events in Pinchbecks' faltering path towards personal and spiritual gnosis, and those which serve to elucidate the issues raised with detailed background information; placing his own growing enthusiasm for entheobotany against a rich background of interdisciplinary research. Ultimately Pinchbeck proposes an extremely good, if not completely irrefutable argument not just for the preservation of shamanic communities in order that we might learn from their mind-bogglingly comprehensive undertanding of all things pertaining to life and existence, but for the stunted, disenchanted children of Western Consumer Culture to perhaps begin rediscovering the sources of this knowledge. The shamans' world view is fundamentally far more flexible than that of the developed world which has pushed such practices to the point of extinction. One way or another such wisdom as mankind has lived alongside since the dawn of time must surely persevere.

Amazing book, exactly what it says in the description, the only downside I could pick is it is a bit wordy at some points, with obscure words being used. Other than that it’s great.