Enzyklopädie der Psychoaktiven Pflanzen

by Christian Rätsch, Albert Hofmann (Preface)

Fast jeder Mensch in fast jeder Kultur nimmt täglich eine oder mehrere psychoaktive Pflanzen zu sich. Egal ob es sich um einen Amazonasindianer oder um einen Mitteleuropäer handelt. Gerade in der westlichen Welt ist der Gebrauch psychoaktiver Pflanzenprodukte sehr weit verbreitet. Aber wer denkt beim morgendlichen Kaffee, bei der ersten Zigarette, beim nachmittäglichen Wein oder beim Bier zum Fernsehen daran, daß diese Produkte aus psychoaktiven Pflanzen bestehen? Dieses Buch ist ein wichtiges Werk, das nach dem heutigen Stand der wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnis die Welt der psychoaktiven Pflanzen systematisch erschließt. Alle wichtigen Pflanzen werden in Monographien dargestellt. Dabei werden alle relevanten Informationen zu Botanik, Geschichte, Aussehen, Anbaumethoden, Zubereitungsformen, Dosierungen, rituellen und medizinischen Verwendungen, Inhaltsstoffen, Wirkungen, Marktformen und Vorschriften gegeben.

Was sind psychoaktive Pflanzen
Der Gebrauch psychoaktiver Pflanzen
Die Erforschung psychoaktiver Pflanzen
Die Angst vor psychoaktiven Pflanzen
Psychoaktive Pflanzen als kulturschaffende Faktoren
Alle Gattungen und Arten von A-Z
Wenig erforschte psychoaktive Pflanzen
Angeblich psychoaktive Pflanzen
Psychoaktive Pilze
Kombinationspräparate
Pflanzenwirkstoffe und Neurotransmitter

Genres: Science, Drugs, Reference, Nonfiction, Nature, Plants, Health

941 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite quote from the book: "Only plants had consciousness. Animals got it from them." - Dale Pendell.
Most people never come to understand that the purpose of using plants to alter your perception is to open your mind and gain knowledge. This book shows us that our need for plants goes beyond the basics: food, clothes, and shelter. It reminds us of our deep evolutionary, emotional, and physical bond with plants. A must for anyone interested in psychoactive plants, anthropology, or just plants in general.

[Nick Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best drug book I've seen since Shulgin's PIKHAL, hands down. Beautifully illustrated. A new canon!

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

completely exhaustive volume. if it grows and it alters brain chemistry it's included. boggles the mind

[ar · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is as advertised. Great resource!

[Terry Newberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This very large, very dense book has thorough descriptions of uses, chemical properties, features, and applications of psychoactive plants throughout the world -- I had no idea there were so many psychoactive plants (included are ones such as tobacco, tea, coffee, cocoa, etc. -- i.e., any plant with minimal or intense psychoactive properties, but many of the plants have shamanic and/or healing uses as well).

[Adam Zuniga · Rating 5 out of 5]

an excellent reference book.

[WIZE FOoL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Your not going to find many books like this!
Every Psychoactive plant in one place! Tried to get through as many as I can so far, I'll be trying as many more in the future.
But I love has with all the facts and history about each plant there is also the folklore which is shared.
Never expected it to be so informative and enjoyable to pick up and read randomly!
ENJOY!

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

comprehensive & interesting. Don't experiment in powerful realms you can't respect. Respect plant medicine. why? read this and see.

[Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing reference manual. Highly recommended to all aspiring herbalist, entheogen enthusiasts, and full-blown psychonauts alike. If you can find it under $100, grab it!

[RUSA CODES · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was selected as an Outstanding Reference Source for 2006. For the complete list, go to http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rus...

[Evan Mantri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding resource.

[Stefanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I have not read this cover to cover and do not use anything of the sort, so I can't judge how accurate or reliable this book is.
But it's such a treasure of fascinating information. The author actually feels people *should* be using drugs(/herbs/mushrooms/etc), because it's apparently necessary for a shift in general human consciousness regarding the environment. He assumes nasty politicians would be better people if they'd smoked some weed. I'm not entirely convinced of this but I don't need to be to appreciate this gem. This book is huge and stuffed full of wonderful factoids and pictures and chemical drawings and history and quotes and myths and pictures and petroglyphs and oh my!
Only downside it is hard and heavy - if it was soft and cuddly I'd never let it go <3

[Calahan Knapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truly an exhaustive catalogue of every known enthogen on Earth. Each entry is treated equally, even the lesser-known species are only a few sentences shorter than the most popularized. The print is difficult to read, it is structured in narrow columns with a font size slightly larger than standard footnotes, and there are few visual aids. This type of publishment is best for ethnobotanists, advanced readers, and eccentrics; due to the inclusion of highly specific, obscure species that average field guides never mention. I chose the word "catalogue" instead of "encyclopedia" because encyclopedias usually have more than a single paragraph worth of information in their entries. This is not a half-baked amateur trip storybook, much of it is available nowhere else.

[S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein beeindruckender Mensch ist er wirklich, Christian Rätsch. Der Umfang dieser Enzyklopädie lässt einen staunen, übrigens gibt es auch einen zweiten Teil. Gut gegliedert, eine spannende Mischung aus wissenschaftlichen, historischen und kulturgeschichtlichen Infos. Für alle Interessierten ein tolles Standardwerk.

[palastbrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unverzichtbares Standardwerk eines jeden Psychonauten und Ethnobotanikers.

[Chgehrig · Rating 5 out of 5]

or: how to get high on every continent.

[Gabrielle C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the Grand Grimoire of psychoactive plants. A must-have.

[Isham Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential text in the growing library of mind medicines.

[Oliver Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

For what it's worth my top three books on psychoactive substances are The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants by Ratsch, Food of the Gods by Mckenna and The Drug Users Bible by Trott.

[Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

totally biased, but I love it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Expensive and hard to find. Worth the cost though if you can find it to buy.

[Silvano Paternoster · Rating 3 out of 5]

can't say I read through this. Parked after 50 pages or so. This is a 2000+ pages enciclopedia to consult when having a random urge to learn the history and culture of psychoactive plants.

[Richard Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating.