Soma: The Divine Hallucinogen
Author: David L Spess
The definitive work on the ancient Hindu soma rituals mentioned in the Vedas and debated by scholars for decades.
• The first book to identify the mysterious soma plant.
• A breakthrough book that reenvisions the role of psychoactive plants in religion.
Soma has been shrouded in mystery for centuries. It is simultaneously a sacred hallucinogenic plant used in secret rituals, a personified God, and an important cosmological principle. Summarizing all previous research on the subject, David Spess goes far beyond his predecessors and shows that soma provides an important key to the understanding of the earliest systemized methods of medicine, psychology, magic, rejuvenation, longevity, and alchemy. Most significant is that his intensive research provides the most compelling case yet for actual identification of the plants that served as the basis for the divine hallucinogen Nelumbo nucifera, the sacred lotus of India, as well as some members of the Nymphaea genus.
With the renewed interest in the ritual use of psychoactive substances, shamanism, psychic phenomena, and alternative modalities of healing, Soma provides a much needed bridge between Eastern and Western esoteric traditions. Contained within the enigmatic verses about soma in the Rig Veda is a secret about ourselves and the nature of our relationship to the world and cosmos. Soma makes this knowledge available to us once again.
American Herb Association
This book comes highly recommended by Dr. Willard Johnson-my college professor of religious studies-and I second the vote for anyone interested in history, plant drugs, and the origins of Eastern Religion.
What People Are Saying
Joan Halifax
A noteworthy addition to the research on hallucinogens. (Joan Halifax, author of The Fruitful Darkness and Shamanic Voices)
Wendy Doniger
By far the most thorough survey of both the botanical and the psycho-spiritual aspects of the soma plant that I've ever seen. All I can do is congratulate the author. (Wendy Doniger, coauthor of Soma: The Divine Mushroom of Immortality)
Oscar Ichazo
Soma brilliantly completes the enquiry on the scientific and botanical aspects, as well as the anthropological and cultural development, of this very important subject. A magnificent book destined to become a classic. (Oscar Ichazo, author of Psychocalisthenics and Between Metaphysica and Protoanalysis)
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The Cox-2 Connection: Natural Breakthrough Treatment for Arthritis, Alzheimer's and Cancer
Author: James B LaVall
All of us have experienced, at one time or another, the temporary inflammation and pain of a minor injury. But those who suffer from chronic inflammation—whether the result of an injury or a biological disorder--and its coincidental pain are all too aware of the frequently crippling and debilitating effects of these conditions.
In The Cox-2 Connection, pharmacist and naturalist James B. LaValle shares a thorough overview of treatment options for a variety of disorders for which inflammation is a primary symptom—from osteoarthritis, bursitis, and fibromyalgia to rheumatoid arthritis, gout and dysbiosis. He clearly explains the physiological mechanism that leads to inflammation and pain and includes an in-depth section on pain-management strategies useful for anyone who is experiencing this discomfort, whether temporary or chronic.
Cox-2—or cyclooxygenase-2—is the key enzyme responsible for the body's inflammation and pain response in conditions such as arthritis and bursitis, and it is also linked to the inflammation that may play a significant role in the progression of Alzheimer's and cancer. The Cox-2 Connection, however, goes further than other pain management books by dealing with not only the synthetic, anti-inflammatory Cox-2 inhibitors, such as Celebrex and Vioxx, but also with their natural counterparts that have been used for thousands of years by people all over the world. The author thoughtfully evaluates the effectiveness of these inhibitors as well as their side effects and presents exciting new studies that indicate their possible role in preventing Alzheimer's and cancer.
The Cox-2 Connection is an essential and timely reference for anyone trying to understand and manage inflammation and pain and make sense of the exploding availability and potential of ways to deal with them.
Table of Contents:
The Cox-2 Connection
Natural Breakthrough Treatment for Arthritis, Alzheimer's, & Cancer
Preface
Part 1: The Problem and Treatment
1. An Overview of Inflammation
2. Understanding Your Anatomy: Muscles, Joints, and Bones
3. Common Inflammatory Disorders and Causes
4. Cox-2 Inhibitors: A Revolution in the Treatment of Inflammation
5. The Cox-2 Connection in Alzheimer's and Cancer
Part 2: What You Can Do
6. Natural Cox-2 Inhibitors and Other Natural Remedies
7. Current Treatment Options
8. A Smorgasbord of Ways to Manage Your Pain
Resources
Notes
Index
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