Soma: The Divine Hallucinogen: Amazon.co.uk: David Spess: Books

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Publication Date: July 1999

This book provides, for the first time, an accurate identification of the mysterious elixir soma and its religious and ritual use as given in the RgVedic hymns. Soma summarises all previous research on this subject, and the author goes far beyond his predecessors to show that soma provides an important key to the understanding of the earliest methods of medicine, psychology, magic, rejuvenation, longevity, and alchemy. With renewed interest in the ritual use of psychoactive substances, shamanism, psychic phenomena and alternative modalities of healing, this book is of great importance and provides a much needed bridge between Eastern and Western esoteric traditions.

#outer_postBodyPS { display: none; } #psGradient { display: none; } #psPlaceHolder { display: none; } #psExpand { display: none; } This book provides, for the first time, an accurate identification of the mysterious elixir soma and its religious and ritual use as given in the RgVedic hymns. Soma summarises all previous research on this subject, and the author goes far beyond his predecessors to show that soma provides an important key to the understanding of the earliest methods of medicine, psychology, magic, rejuvenation, longevity, and alchemy. With renewed interest in the ritual use of psychoactive substances, shamanism, psychic phenomena and alternative modalities of healing, this book is of great importance and provides a much needed bridge between Eastern and Western esoteric traditions.

Product details

Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Inner Traditions Bear and Company (July 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0892817313
ISBN-13: 978-0892817313
Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 2.2 x 15.2 cm

Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,685,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Review

A noteworthy addition to the research on hallucinogens. -- Joan Halifax, author of The Fruitful Darkness and Shamanic Voices

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

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

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. -- American Herb Association, Vol 16:4

About the Author

David Spess has a master's degree in microbiology/mycology and studied Sanskrit at the Naropa Institute. David has traveled throughout India and the Middle East researching this book. He was formerly a research mycologist for the FDA and has taught at the University of Colorado. He lives in New Mexico.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy Journey to Other Planets 6 Sep 2000

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

This is a fine but flawed book. Anyone with any interest in the identity of soma will have to read this book, together with two further publications promised by Spess in the bibliography. However, much fascinating historical information and speculation is spoiled by the presence of theosophical Mumbo Jumbo such as references to 'cosmic energies that operate within the universe' and frequent references to 'the paranormal'. No doubt I'll have to wait a few incarnations until that all becomes real to me. In addition there is a complete absence of any pharmacology of Spess's chosen candidates for Soma which would have helped with assessing Spess's claim to have found the true identity of Soma, though one of his pending publications promises to deal with this. This book does not match the book description... It definitely does not 'summarize all previous research on the subject'. Of the two other major contenders in identifying homa/soma Gordon Wasson gets only two brief mentions and Flattery and Schwartz are not even referenced. See Flattery and Schwartz themselves as appended to 'The Staten Island Project' for some interesting history of the Soma debate. Another problem with Spess's book is that everthing hermetic, alchemical and mystical comes from the soma sacrifice. While I do not doubt that Spess has made the most intensive study to date of the the Vedas and other relevant scriptures and has more fascinating revelations to come, his insistence that all roads lead to Soma eventually just becomes tiresome. Still, hats off to Mr Spess for a fascinating read that leaves more questions unanswered than answered, more revelations to come, a few hints and tips for the cognoscenti who can read between the lines and bibliographical references and leads enough to keep entheogen hunters busy for the rest of their lives and maybe a few to come.

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Amazon.com: 3.0 out of 5 stars 9 reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Review from Peter T. Furst, Ph.D., University of Penn. 20 Sep 2000

By Peter T. Furst - Published on Amazon.com

Format:Hardcover

In this meticulously researched, always scholarly but eminently readable study of Soma, the "elixir of immortality" and enlightenment of ancient India, David Spess takes us on a fascinating intellectual and spiritual journey way beyond Wasson's narrowly focused case for Amanita muscaria, the inebriating fly agaric mushroom of ecstatic Siberian shamanism. In a book thankfully free of both scientific and New Age jargon Spess presents convincing evidence that Soma's devotees knew of many different kinds and even colors of soma drinks with different associations and purposes, so that soma botany and taxonomy cannot be reduced to a single sacred plant species. A valuable contribution to both historical ethnobotany and comparative religion----and a good read.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy Journey to Other Planets 8 Sep 2000

By dzango - Published on Amazon.com

Format:Hardcover

This is a fine but flawed book. Anyone with any interest in the identity of soma will have to read this book, together with two further publications promised by Spess in the bibliography. However, much fascinating historical information and speculation is spoiled by the presence of theosophical Mumbo Jumbo such as references to 'cosmic energies that operate within the universe' and frequent references to 'the paranormal'. No doubt I'll have to wait a few incarnations until that all becomes real to me. In addition there is a complete absence of any pharmacology of Spess's chosen candidates for Soma which would have helped with assessing Spess's claim to have found the true identity of Soma, though one of his pending publications promises to deal with this. This book does not match the book description... It definitely does not 'summarize all previous research on the subject'. Of the two other major contenders in identifying homa/soma Gordon Wasson gets only two brief mentions and Flattery and Schwartz are not even referenced. See Flattery and Schwartz themselves, as appended to 'The Staten Island Project', for some interesting history of the Soma debate.I suspect that this book, much delayed in publication, is a cut down version of that originally intended, coming in at 200 pages versus the advertised 400, the balance of information being due in Spess's promised publications. Another problem with Spess's book is that everthing hermetic, alchemical and mystical comes from the soma sacrifice. While I do not doubt that Spess has made the most intensive study to date of the the Vedas and other relevant scriptures and has more fascinating revelations to come, his insistence that all roads lead to Soma eventually just becomes tiresome. Still, hats off to Mr Spess for a fascinating read that leaves more questions unanswered than answered, more revelations to come, a few hints and tips for the cognoscenti who can read between the lines and bibliographical references and leads enough to keep entheogen hunters busy for the rest of their lives and maybe a few to come. musonius@hotmail.com

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I eagerly await the next book by this Authur 5 Sep 2000

By "thirteenthfairy" - Published on Amazon.com

Format:Hardcover

In this book the Author David Spess, makes the suggestion that reports of extended life spans achieved by the ancients, were not mistakes of time calculation, translation mistakes or myth, but a true record. He suggests that in the not too distant past humanity had access to a powerful plant or plants which they were able to use to heal or to rejeuvenate. One reviewer, Willard Johnson, refers to this as a daring thesis, and well it may seem to some.

Prior to reading this book I had encountered enough references of like nature to enable me to have formed similar conclusions. This is one of the reasons I purchased the book. unfortunately some of the references I came across, and which particularly interested me, are not quoted in the book. Anyone who is curious as a result of reading this book can be assured that there is certainly more information to be found. Mr Spess seems to be of the opinion that the psychoactive qualities of the plant are instrumental in increasing the power of the mind, therefore enabling spontaneous healing and rejeuvenation to occur. Mr Spess does, I feel, get overly euphoric about his conclusions in this regard and rambles on, sometimes for pages at a time, during which he has the unfortunate tendency to proffer his personal conclusions as fact. That he should be excited by this topic is understandable, but the lack of objectivity is sometimes annoying. I feel he would do better to provide more examples of the original materials from which he is quoting.

From the reading I have done I have formed the conclusion that the soma rejeuvenation procedure was a somewhat more radical experience than the three day Soma Holiday described by Mr Spess. The accounts that I found describe and period of preparatory fasting and special diet, Collection of the plant at a particular time of year, the construction of a special sterile,light proof isolation chamber, dramatic physical consequences, and the need for months of intensive care for the process to be complete. Under these conditions death would not seem an unlikely outcome.

In seems to me that advanced powers of mind control would be required to overcome the fear of the procedure. If the drug produced frightening hallucinations then it may have been important to have become accustomed to this before undertaking the full procedure.

I've had a good rave but believe me there is more to say. Please read the book, and the sequel. I will definitely be giving this book to my daughter to read as an accompaniment to her studies of "Brave New World".

Soma: The Divine Hallucinogen [Hardcover]

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