"When you leave the beaten path of civilization, you enter the world of primal and mysterious forces--and encounter wonders you never thought possible. This is the territory of the shaman. To learn the secrets of shamanism, Jos�e Luis Stevens has traveled to the remote and wild places where the oldest human spiritual practice still exists in its purest form. With Encounters with Power, this respected teacher invites you to experience his journeys...

When world renowned Buddhist writer Stephen Batchelor turned 60, he took a sabbatical from his teaching and turned his attention to solitude, a practice integral to the meditative traditions he has long studied and taught. He aimed to venture more deeply into solitude, discovering its full extent and depth. This beautiful literary collage documents his multifaceted explorations. Spending time in remote places, appreciating and making art, practicing...

A survey of ideas associated with shamanism and pharmacology, reporting on the authors' journey to the Upper Amazon Basin in early 1971 on a mission to locate sources of organic tryptamines and to explore the physical interaction of mind and brain and its potential for manipulation through hallucinogenic drugs.