Ibogaine is a psychoactive chemical found in the Tabernanthe iboga plant. It has both hallucinogenic and dissociative properties, which means it produces both hallucinations and feelings of detachment. Ibogaine-containing brews have been used in rituals in the African spiritual tradition of Bwiti – this is a tradition practised by the Fang people of Gabon and it…
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Sufism is the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. Its focus tends to be on the mystical, first-hand, direct experience of God called dhawq or “tasting”, rather than on doctrine or authority. Sufism began as an ascetic discipline. An ascetic person is characterised by their rigorous self-discipline and self-control; they will abstain from all forms of indulgence – money,…
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Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? UFOs, Area 51, the Illuminati, 9/11, New World Order, ‘chemtrails’, the moon landing – there are conspiracies about all of them and many people believe them. I’m not really interested in debunking all of these specific conspiracy theories. Since I don’t think there’s a shred of evidence for…
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Cave paintings indicate a huge turning point in the evolution of the human race. They indicate the emergence of creativity and imagination. The origins of art distinguished us from all other animals and it reflects a radical change in our consciousness – it’s when we started using symbols and images to represent our experiences. Jared…
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Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was born in England but later migrated to America. His two pamphlets Common Sense (1776) and The American Crisis (1776-83) would be highly influential at the beginning of the American Revolution. Common Sense supported America’s independence from England, while The American Crisis inspired the Army which was to fight for that independence. But Paine also…
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