Yoga News 75 - 04/2012

Special Dossier Topic: Consciousness, plant drugs and yoga – a topic between intoxication and taboos

Plants are an important part of nature and can enrich human existence in many ways - whether as food, as a medicine in the classical sense or by feeding our consciousness with their energy. Patanjali already listed them as a means by which the mysterious Siddhis can be attained. What experiences one can have with the help of plants, what lies behind the famous Soma of the Vedas and how today's yogis feel about herbal intoxicants are the subject of our dossier this time.

Yoga & Plants
What is meant by yogic use of plants and psychoactive substances?

The intoxication of healing
On dealing with psychoactive plants in a ritual context. By Friedrich & Irene Rehrnbeck.

Smoking weed to enlightenment?
A sensitive and yet legitimate topic – the use of psychoactive substances. What do yoga teachers and spiritual teachers think about this and What experiences do you have yourself? Interviews: Doris Iding.

Catalysts for the soul
Bypassing the filters of perception: a portrait of some entheogenic plants. By Joe Romanski.

Shiva and his Sadhus
hemp is inseparably linked with the great god Shiva in India. Which Role the plant plays in the Shiva cult and how the Sadhus consume. By Doris Iding.

The secret of the Soma plant
Based on his extensive studies of original Vedic source texts and his knowledge of Ayurveda and plants, David Frawley illuminating impulses for discussion about the legendary Soma plant at.

The Otherworld, the Door Opener and I
The Longing for a mystical world that was almost lost, to which we may have had access to as children, sends us to the Search – a search that also includes experiences with psychoactive plants can belong. By Doris Iding.

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Book recommendations on the dossier topic