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Tryptamine Palace: 5-MeO-DMT and the Sonoran Desert Toad
A journey from Burning Man to the Akashic Field that suggest how 5-MeO-DMT triggers the human capacity for higher knowledge through direct contact with the zero-point field
• Examines Bufo alvarius toad venom, which contains the potent natural psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT, and explores its entheogenic use
• Proposes a new connection between the findings of modern physics and the knowledge held by shamans and religious sages for millennia
The venom from Bufo alvarius, an unusual toad found in the Sonoran desert, contains 5-MeO-DMT, a potent natural chemical similar in effect to the more common entheogen DMT. The venom can be dried into a powder, which some researchers speculate was used ceremonially by Amerindian shamans. When smoked it prompts an instantaneous break with the physical world that causes out-of-body experiences completely removed from the conventional dimensions of reality.
In Tryptamine Palace, James Oroc shares his personal experiences with 5-MeODMT, which led to a complete transformation of his understanding of himself and of the very fabric of reality. Driven to comprehend the transformational properties of this substance, Oroc combined extensive studies of physics and philosophy with the epiphanies he gained from his time at Burning Man. He discovered that ingesting tryptamines unlocked a fundamental human capacity for higher knowledge through direct contact with the zero-point field of modern physics, known to the ancients as the Akashic Field. In the quantum world of nonlocal interactions, the line between the physical and the mental dissolves. 5-MeO-DMT, Oroc argues, can act as a means to awaken the remarkable capacities of the human soul as well as restore experiential mystical spirituality to Western civilization.
• Examines Bufo alvarius toad venom, which contains the potent natural psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT, and explores its entheogenic use
• Proposes a new connection between the findings of modern physics and the knowledge held by shamans and religious sages for millennia
The venom from Bufo alvarius, an unusual toad found in the Sonoran desert, contains 5-MeO-DMT, a potent natural chemical similar in effect to the more common entheogen DMT. The venom can be dried into a powder, which some researchers speculate was used ceremonially by Amerindian shamans. When smoked it prompts an instantaneous break with the physical world that causes out-of-body experiences completely removed from the conventional dimensions of reality.
In Tryptamine Palace, James Oroc shares his personal experiences with 5-MeODMT, which led to a complete transformation of his understanding of himself and of the very fabric of reality. Driven to comprehend the transformational properties of this substance, Oroc combined extensive studies of physics and philosophy with the epiphanies he gained from his time at Burning Man. He discovered that ingesting tryptamines unlocked a fundamental human capacity for higher knowledge through direct contact with the zero-point field of modern physics, known to the ancients as the Akashic Field. In the quantum world of nonlocal interactions, the line between the physical and the mental dissolves. 5-MeO-DMT, Oroc argues, can act as a means to awaken the remarkable capacities of the human soul as well as restore experiential mystical spirituality to Western civilization.
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 21, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 6, 2017
In opposition to reviews claiming that the author is deluded by megalomanic thinking, I think this book deserves an applauding review! The first couple hundred pages flew by, the parts about physics and descriptions of 5-MeO-DMT were a fascinating read and well-described, but most enjoyable I found reading about authors personal stories. On one hand Oroc's unwillingness to take a proper stance behind the science he is integrating to the toad experience to is frustrating, on the other his vulnerability and openness are the key carrying elements of the book. The book is little longer than necessary, and the end was slightly dragging, but overall a great read for anyone interested un 5-Me0-DMT.
September 12, 2018
I liked this book a bit but not enough for 3 stars. The author sounds sincere about his experiences and gets 2 stars for this and the extensive resource list he provides for those who would want to follow up on his research. I may do but I don't intend to try and duplicate his experience with Tryptamines. He admits near the end of the text that the chances are very poor that you can expect to have a similar experience. Therein lies my knock on the thesis of this book and premise of the author.
Thesis: (I believe) that DMT [a tryptamine drug] is effectively a "gateway" to another dimension [p.84]
Oroc says that he was a confirmed rationalist, materialist of the scientific tradition; agnostic or atheist, he doesn't distinguish but supposedly he didn't believe in a god. Whether he intends for this to add weight to his ultimate "conversion" or not is unclear. But it is clear from his writing that he never had a clue in the first place about what science is and is not. To be fair, I never felt that his ignorance was a deliberate ploy but I will say that there are lots of charlatans that use this ploy. They can get away with it because so many people who think that they are "scientific" or rationalists are as ill-informed as Oroc. I know many individuals, supposedly educated in a science from university that either never intended to embrace science (religious deniers) or simply never grasped the essence of the method.
In Oroc's case, he demonstrates his lack of grasp in Chapter 5, where he provides his understanding of the Quantum Realm. He doesn't understand that physics is an inquiry into the unknown just as much as the less reductionist disciplines. His world view is crushed by the notion that Newtonian physics wasn't 100% correct. But perfect knowledge does not exist, Mr. Oroc! He regurgitates the well-founded distrust for University/Industrial science. Blah-blah-blah. Like mystical inquiry, it is a human undertaking and subject to all the foibles we bring to the table.
In Chapter 6 he takes the Zero point field as the 100% proven replacement paradigm (see above re: perfect knowledge). The problem for his interpretations is that he takes the noodlings of theoretical physicists (Feynman, Bohr and others) as facts. His faith in the new zero-point field paradigm stems entirely from a mathematical resolution (Reuda, Haisch and Puthoff=RHP) of their zero-point math with Newton's formulation. Theories are not proofs! Ignoring that proofs don't exist, the kinds of work that Oroc takes as proof, are not even theories but rather hypotheses, awaiting tests. To my knowledge, the experimental tests remain to be done. Even if a few tests have, or do eventually, confirm the RHP hypothesis perfect knowledge doesn't exist. Repeated confirmations of all aspects of their new paradigm are a long way off. It would be premature to class RHP as theory.
To conclude, the author decides to take on the skeptics. His distaste for Dawkins in particular is a bit sophomoric. Most of all he demonstrates that he is not intellectually up to the challenge. He states (p. 220) "There is no way of proving any of this [this being his thesis above] one way or the other." This statement is the essence of intellectual childhood; hiding behind an unprovable straw man. A good or great practitioner of inquiry would never hide behind such a statement. The goal is to ask useful questions...questions posed in a way that a test is possible, however rudimentary the answer might be. Anything else is just not useful-navel gazing, time-wasting. Oroc then solidly nails himself on the cross (from my perspective and to use a lovely analogy ;-) with statement that confirms he is an intellectual infant. "These are just my ideas and my experiences, and the 'hypothesis that best fits the given evidence' for me." The method is simple and it doesn't work that way. You don't fit an hypothesis to evidence. Evidence is sought to test a specific hypothesis. If evidence "fits" an hypothesis, you haven't proven it (again, no perfect knowledge).
Ultimately, his experiment has an unknown sample size that is more than one (probably about a dozen) and only one confirming result. The rest falsify his thesis. How can that make any sense?
In the end Oroc (or whatever his real name is) relies too much on words of wisdom? from others to make his argument. This is a common "research" strategy among the folks that need to have revered or sacred texts to make their world. I remain unconvinced by the argument (such as it is) and not compelled to abandon all reality. The more I think about it the more I become convinced that he really only erected the "I was once an atheist just like you" façade to try and add weight to a pretty light argument.
Thesis: (I believe) that DMT [a tryptamine drug] is effectively a "gateway" to another dimension [p.84]
Oroc says that he was a confirmed rationalist, materialist of the scientific tradition; agnostic or atheist, he doesn't distinguish but supposedly he didn't believe in a god. Whether he intends for this to add weight to his ultimate "conversion" or not is unclear. But it is clear from his writing that he never had a clue in the first place about what science is and is not. To be fair, I never felt that his ignorance was a deliberate ploy but I will say that there are lots of charlatans that use this ploy. They can get away with it because so many people who think that they are "scientific" or rationalists are as ill-informed as Oroc. I know many individuals, supposedly educated in a science from university that either never intended to embrace science (religious deniers) or simply never grasped the essence of the method.
In Oroc's case, he demonstrates his lack of grasp in Chapter 5, where he provides his understanding of the Quantum Realm. He doesn't understand that physics is an inquiry into the unknown just as much as the less reductionist disciplines. His world view is crushed by the notion that Newtonian physics wasn't 100% correct. But perfect knowledge does not exist, Mr. Oroc! He regurgitates the well-founded distrust for University/Industrial science. Blah-blah-blah. Like mystical inquiry, it is a human undertaking and subject to all the foibles we bring to the table.
In Chapter 6 he takes the Zero point field as the 100% proven replacement paradigm (see above re: perfect knowledge). The problem for his interpretations is that he takes the noodlings of theoretical physicists (Feynman, Bohr and others) as facts. His faith in the new zero-point field paradigm stems entirely from a mathematical resolution (Reuda, Haisch and Puthoff=RHP) of their zero-point math with Newton's formulation. Theories are not proofs! Ignoring that proofs don't exist, the kinds of work that Oroc takes as proof, are not even theories but rather hypotheses, awaiting tests. To my knowledge, the experimental tests remain to be done. Even if a few tests have, or do eventually, confirm the RHP hypothesis perfect knowledge doesn't exist. Repeated confirmations of all aspects of their new paradigm are a long way off. It would be premature to class RHP as theory.
To conclude, the author decides to take on the skeptics. His distaste for Dawkins in particular is a bit sophomoric. Most of all he demonstrates that he is not intellectually up to the challenge. He states (p. 220) "There is no way of proving any of this [this being his thesis above] one way or the other." This statement is the essence of intellectual childhood; hiding behind an unprovable straw man. A good or great practitioner of inquiry would never hide behind such a statement. The goal is to ask useful questions...questions posed in a way that a test is possible, however rudimentary the answer might be. Anything else is just not useful-navel gazing, time-wasting. Oroc then solidly nails himself on the cross (from my perspective and to use a lovely analogy ;-) with statement that confirms he is an intellectual infant. "These are just my ideas and my experiences, and the 'hypothesis that best fits the given evidence' for me." The method is simple and it doesn't work that way. You don't fit an hypothesis to evidence. Evidence is sought to test a specific hypothesis. If evidence "fits" an hypothesis, you haven't proven it (again, no perfect knowledge).
Ultimately, his experiment has an unknown sample size that is more than one (probably about a dozen) and only one confirming result. The rest falsify his thesis. How can that make any sense?
In the end Oroc (or whatever his real name is) relies too much on words of wisdom? from others to make his argument. This is a common "research" strategy among the folks that need to have revered or sacred texts to make their world. I remain unconvinced by the argument (such as it is) and not compelled to abandon all reality. The more I think about it the more I become convinced that he really only erected the "I was once an atheist just like you" façade to try and add weight to a pretty light argument.
February 25, 2014
Tryptamine Palace tries to accomplish too much and ends up being all over the place. It's a fun read with some wild 'trip reports' on Oroc's candidate for the 'spirit molecule', 5-MeO-DMT, and even wilder theories on 'Life, Universe and Everything' based on a combination of quantum physics and Eastern mysticism. Oroc just isn't a great writer, period. He does a decent job of copy-pasting and quote collecting, so if you're looking for something more in-depth on any of the subjects he covers, it's probably a good idea to go straight to the source, be that Huxley's essays, Lynne McTaggart's The Field or Sogyal Rinpoche's Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. In light of author's huge ego and Messiah complex, it's pretty ironic he joins ranks with Leary-bashers. I personally believe Oroc's experiences are true, it's too bad the overall impression of his spiritual transformation is tarred by his lack of humility and illusions of grandeur.
December 17, 2020
Fascinating look into the enthyogen 5-MeO-DMT.
The vaped drug releases you from your ego and you experience the true nature of reality..the fact that we are all made of light. Furthermore we are specks of light that are emited bythe all pervading consciousness that might be called God.
A very insightful book with quantum physics proving all along that mind/consciosness exists seperate from matter.
The vaped drug releases you from your ego and you experience the true nature of reality..the fact that we are all made of light. Furthermore we are specks of light that are emited bythe all pervading consciousness that might be called God.
A very insightful book with quantum physics proving all along that mind/consciosness exists seperate from matter.
May 19, 2016
Quite a lot of ego for someone who is coming back from the "ground of all being" with Big Enlightenment.
June 3, 2021
I hopeful attempt to explain the unexplainable.
Contains personal stories of 5-Meo-DMT experiences together with some metaphysical explanations of the experiences.
Some quotes I liked...
One of the most difficult things about the tryptamine experience is that the more you believe in the veracity of your own experience, the more difficult so-called normal reality becomes.
It should also be noted that different people experience different levels of entheogenic effect due to their own personal intellectual and spiritual development. Not everyone will have a full mystical experience from smoking 5-MeO-DMT.
After you smoke it and breathe out, try to stay in the light. If you get out of the light, there will be all kinds of creatures and strange things that will want to distract you and talk to you. But if you stay in the light as long as you can, then it will take you all the way.” This has certainly proven to be my experience, and I pass this advice on to every novice who asks me about 5-MeO-DMT.
but you should also note that the easiest way to get to the highest realms is by having no expectations. Maintain a dignified presence but, if at all possible, create an air of humor around the proceedings. Such a lack of tension, in my experience, leads to more loving and joyful journeys for the majority of participants involved.
It was as if I was being told: “You have followed the great road, and this is the reward for your diligence—these are the wonders you will be shown. Everything in your life has led up to this one moment. You are following the most sacred of paths, and if you are fortunate, you will realize a timeless truth—one that can only be experienced, not explained. Words just cheapen it, because it really just is, and you can become One-with-That. Now you must relax and let go—into the light. And that which can be so difficult on the rocketship of pure 5-MeO-DMT is as light and easy as a cloud on the grace of nature’s gift from the venomous toad.”
I now believe that we are all unrealized gods, trapped in the illusion of mortality.
The best things can’t be told: the second best are misunderstood.
Contains personal stories of 5-Meo-DMT experiences together with some metaphysical explanations of the experiences.
Some quotes I liked...
One of the most difficult things about the tryptamine experience is that the more you believe in the veracity of your own experience, the more difficult so-called normal reality becomes.
It should also be noted that different people experience different levels of entheogenic effect due to their own personal intellectual and spiritual development. Not everyone will have a full mystical experience from smoking 5-MeO-DMT.
After you smoke it and breathe out, try to stay in the light. If you get out of the light, there will be all kinds of creatures and strange things that will want to distract you and talk to you. But if you stay in the light as long as you can, then it will take you all the way.” This has certainly proven to be my experience, and I pass this advice on to every novice who asks me about 5-MeO-DMT.
but you should also note that the easiest way to get to the highest realms is by having no expectations. Maintain a dignified presence but, if at all possible, create an air of humor around the proceedings. Such a lack of tension, in my experience, leads to more loving and joyful journeys for the majority of participants involved.
It was as if I was being told: “You have followed the great road, and this is the reward for your diligence—these are the wonders you will be shown. Everything in your life has led up to this one moment. You are following the most sacred of paths, and if you are fortunate, you will realize a timeless truth—one that can only be experienced, not explained. Words just cheapen it, because it really just is, and you can become One-with-That. Now you must relax and let go—into the light. And that which can be so difficult on the rocketship of pure 5-MeO-DMT is as light and easy as a cloud on the grace of nature’s gift from the venomous toad.”
I now believe that we are all unrealized gods, trapped in the illusion of mortality.
The best things can’t be told: the second best are misunderstood.
January 8, 2021
James Oroc's heartfelt exploration of his experiences ingesting 5-MEO DMT are balanced by a thorough examination of the science of consciousness and quantum physics behind his experience. Far from a collection of "tripping accounts," Oroc is in search of not only the meaning behind his experiences but the reason for them. I think he'd be the first to admit that he's come up short, but readers are greatly rewarded for the thrill of the journey. This is a book that will leave you with more questions than answers, which I think was exactly James' aim in writing Trypatamine Palace.
I was saddened to learn while reading this book that James died in a tragic paragliding accident last September in Eureka, California. You can find some of his talks in various podcasts on your platform of choice.
I was saddened to learn while reading this book that James died in a tragic paragliding accident last September in Eureka, California. You can find some of his talks in various podcasts on your platform of choice.
April 4, 2021
I quit halfway through. The first part of the book was interesting - included history of 5-Meo-DMT use and description of hiis experiences. He lost me on his extensive attempt to prove the primacy of consciousness via a questionable interpretation/application of quantum physics. In particular, I think he misinterprets the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle - so any case built on this misinterpretation is uninteresting to me.
November 19, 2020
It is a really good book.
5-Meo-DMT is not so known as DMT, and its effect seems way more powerful (sometimes dangerous too... never tried, maybe never will), but it is a substance that should be studied with urgente scientific and official approach... if our governments were not idiots.
Let´s pray and have some hope :P
5-Meo-DMT is not so known as DMT, and its effect seems way more powerful (sometimes dangerous too... never tried, maybe never will), but it is a substance that should be studied with urgente scientific and official approach... if our governments were not idiots.
Let´s pray and have some hope :P
December 28, 2021
the author links his personal mystic experiences with the modern quantum physics findings.
The universe is a living cosmic mind, everything is an interconnected network.
I skipped most of this material and focused on his personal trip reports with the bufo toad.
He described his good, bad trips, burning man festival.
The universe is a living cosmic mind, everything is an interconnected network.
I skipped most of this material and focused on his personal trip reports with the bufo toad.
He described his good, bad trips, burning man festival.
January 11, 2021
It's a crazy book, and I love it.
The underlying message is a really positive one.
Left me feeling challenged and inspired to be a better force for change in the world we live in.
The underlying message is a really positive one.
Left me feeling challenged and inspired to be a better force for change in the world we live in.
April 3, 2022
Fascinating account of the increasingly popular psychedelic 5MEO.
January 26, 2015
Wow! This book really took me by surprise. I thought it would just be some bloke getting off his head smoking toad venom, which it is. But it's also so much more than that. The author seems highly educated and has really done his homework. He almost has me (a hard line atheist) believing in the possibility of a God but not in the sense that is commonly thought of. It's worth mentioning that the author was also a hard line atheist before trying 5-MeO-DMT. I guess the only way to truly find out would be to take the plunge myself which I can't see happening anytime soon. Facinating read!
October 1, 2015
Wow!
Great story. Brave guy. Intelligent analysis. A very creative thinker. I am looking forward to his next thought provoking treatise.
Great story. Brave guy. Intelligent analysis. A very creative thinker. I am looking forward to his next thought provoking treatise.
Want to read
August 6, 2017Recommended by Joe Rogan on his "Joe Rogan Experience" podcast.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews