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@BanyenBooksSoundVancouver converses with Jeremy Narby on his book 'Plant Teachers: Ayahuasca, Tobacco, and the Pursuit of Knowledge'. banyen.com/item/gzKvR2TDU-rm0...
'Plant Teachers' explores the convergence of science and shamanism and is co-authored with Rafael Chanchari Pizuri, traditional healer and elder of the indigenous Shawi people. “The dose makes the poison,” says an old adage, reminding us that substances have the potential to heal or to harm, depending on their use. Although Western medicine treats tobacco as a harmful addictive drug, it is considered medicinal by indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest. In its unadulterated form, it holds a central place in their repertoire of traditional medicines. Along with ayahuasca, tobacco forms a part of treatments designed to heal the body, stimulate the mind, and inspire the soul with visions. In Plant Teachers, anthropologist Jeremy Narby and traditional healer Rafael Chanchari Pizuri hold a cross-cultural dialogue that explores the similarities between ayahuasca and tobacco, the role of these plants in indigenous cultures, and the hidden truths they reveal about nature. Juxtaposing and synthesizing two worldviews, Plant Teachers invites readers on a wide-ranging journey through anthropology, botany, and biochemistry, while raising tantalizing questions about the relationship between science and other ways of knowing.
Banyen Books is Canada's most comprehensive bookstore specializing in spirituality and healing. Located in Vancouver, Canada, since 1970, Banyen is open for in-person browsing as well as web & mail orders. Visit www.banyen.com for books, products, and upcoming events.
Jeremy Narby, PhD is an anthropologist who has worked for the last 30 years raising funds and advocating for indigenous Amazonian initiatives such as land titling, bilingual and intercultural education programmes and sustainable forestry and fish farming, on the understanding that tropical rainforest is best protected by its indigenous inhabitants. He holds a doctorate from Stanford University, is the projects director for the Swiss NGO Nouvelle Planète, and the author of several important books about shamanic and western/scientific knowledge systems, including 'Intelligence In Nature' and 'The Cosmic Serpent'.
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