Pharmakon - Drugs and the Imagination

Ranging across both published and anecdotal evidence, Pharmakon traces thestory of drug use as a means of self-exploration. By examining apparentlysimple questions such as 'what is a drug?', Pharmakon deconstructs andreconstructs the idea of drug experience. Experiences that the authorbelieves are fundamental to the process of self-actualisation and learning.Julian Vayne has written on a number of esotericsubjects (witchcraft, the tarot and the sociology of contemporary Paganism).This book is aimed at both the general reader and those who are interestedin the use of drugs in a spiritual context.Delving into areas as diverse as philosophy and neurochemistry, this is abook that in both style and content seeks to invent a new understanding ofdrugs in culture.From Mandrake Speaks #100'A well researched and informative look at a variety of popular andnot-so-well-known drugs. He deals with how they interact with our minds andbodies both chemically and psychologically, and how we perceive substanceson a personal and society-wide scale. The similarities discussed betweensome drug experiences and some mental illnesses may lead to differentviewpoints on both. Liberally sprinkled with folklore and anecdotes,Pharmakon examines the use of drugs in self-exploration, employing aknowledgeable, yet down-to-earth approach that's interesting and readable.'