David Luke synthesizes scientific research on extraordinary experience occurring under the influence of psychedelics, including neuroscientific, psychological, parapsychological, anthropological, and transpersonal perspectives

David Luke, Otherworlds: Psychedelics and Exceptional Human Experience, Muswell Hill Press, 2017.


Synthesizes scientific research on extraordinary experience occurring under the influence of psychedelics, including neuroscientific, psychological, parapsychological, anthropological, and transpersonal perspectives.

What is the evidence that psi experiences are experienced more frequently in non-ordinary states of consciousness? David Luke addresses this question, which is beyond the scope of materialist science, with a synthesis of scientific research on anomalous experiences occurring under the influence of psychedelics from the perspective of neuroscience, psychology, parapsychology, anthropology, and transpersonal studies. This is a comprehensive exploration of chemically mediated extra ordinary human experiences, including synesthesia, extra-dimensional percepts, out-of-body-experiences, near-death experiences, entity encounter experiences, sleep paralysis, mediumship, clairvoyance, telepathy, and precognition. The author explores the implications for our understanding of consciousness and areas for further research.


Scientist and psychonaut David Luke weaves personal experience and scientific research in this comprehensive exploration of chemically mediated extra ordinary human experiences.


“Emphasizing parapsychological aspects of the psychedelic experience, Luke’s new book fills in a fascinating and previously neglected lacuna in the burgeoning field of human studies with these compounds. ” – Rick Strassman, PhD


“A psychedelic Indiana Jones. ” – Matt Colborn, PhD


“David Luke’s delightful one-liner about his book is that it’s ‘about weird people in weird places taking weird substances doing weird things and, importantly, having weird experiences’ . . . On reflection, it’s much more profound than that . . . So weird reader, forge ahead without fear. ” – Dean Radin, PhD


“In his fascinating book David plunges into this controversial topic and gives the backstory, the front story, and possible ways forward to bring paranormal and psychedelic research together, and further our understanding of both. ” – Dennis J. McKenna, PhD


“A remarkable collection and a necessary one. This body of research illuminates aspects of psychedelic experiences usually obscured or denied in the medical and clinical research and sensationalized in the popular press. ” – James Fadiman, PhD


“A real Dr Gonzo. ” – Will Self


David Luke - Exploring Exceptional Human Experience on Psychedelics: Ayahuasca, Telepathine and Parapsychology

The Amazonian sacramental decoction, ayahuasca (containing an alkaloid once called telepathine by Westerners), has been used by indigenous shamans and healers for several millennia. Apparently, for the explicit purposes of accessing altered states conducive to clairvoyance, precognition, telepathy, out-of-body travel, psychic diagnosis, psychic healing, and spirit communication. It has been argued that the endogenous neurochemicals present in this brew also play a primary neurological role in the occurrence of spontaneous parapsychological phenomena. However, although the neurobiological, anthropological and phenomenological evidence for this hypothesis is promising, the experimental parapsychological evidence to date is scant, poorly controlled, and inconclusive. Consequently, a recent parapsychological field study conducted in South America aimed to test the hypothesis that the ingestion of ayahuasca can increase performance on a task designed to measure precognition – the supposed ability to predict the future without recourse to any prior knowledge. The methods used and the results of this research project are discussed, along with the implications for neuroscience, medicine, parapsychology, philosophy of mind and psychedelic research.

The Mind Altering Science conference was organized by The OPEN Foundation on 23 and 24 October 2010 at the University of Amsterdam. With researchers and therapists from a wide variety of academic disciplines, this event was dedicated to the exploration of a broad range of subjects. From addiction treatment to psychotherapy with the aid of psychedelics, from the neurobiology of ayahuasca to the social, ritual and legal implications of its use, and from human psychopharmacology research and the exploration of exceptional mind states to new views on the legalization of psychedelic substances.
For more information see:
openfoundation.nl
mindalteringscience.com

https://vimeo.com/34531317 part 1
https://vimeo.com/34532248 part 2


Dr. David Luke is Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Greenwich and has studied techniques of consciousness alteration from South America to India, from the perspective of scientists, shamans, and Shivaites.