Dmt by Rick Strassman M.D. (2000, Paperback)

This book was not at all what I expected. I'm now thankful for that. I began this book hoping (probably like most entheogen-enthusiasts) for an authoritative, glowing affirmation of the power of entheogens to expand our consciousness and improve our society, and a rallying call to drag this socially criminalized taboo back under the clinical microscope for scrutiny. 24 hours later, I put the book down- truly amazed at the ride I had just taken. First and foremost, the subject matter is extraordinary- clinical investigations using high doses of intravenous DMT. (WOW!) Owing to this fact alone, much of this book reads like out-of-this-world fiction, which is highly entertaining and immersive, and because of the incredible improbability of the research's existence in the context of the omnipresent "Drug War" and an increasingly oppressive government, following Dr. Strassman's progression from the historical and personal seeds of interest, through the labyrinth of paralyzing bureaucracy, and ultimately out the tip of a syringe into a volunteer's arm leading to mind-blowing highs and the resultant repercussions... this format of a journey added immensely to the book's readability and ability to pull the reader in. Finally, this book is above all things honest. While it's clear that Dr. Strassman began as a bit of an idealist (as does the reader, no doubt), he objectively assesses events as they unfold and ultimately leads the reader to his critical and forward-thinking understandings about entheogens and the potential for renewal of clinical studies, especially those with tangibly positive ramifications. I enjoyed this book thoroughly, and it caused me to critically evaluate my own preconceptions about clinical psychedelic research. The only disappointment I had was that Dr. Strassman fell far short of providing convincing evidence that DMT is indeed the "Spirit Molecule." While his theories are reasonable and testable, there was little in the form of evidence supporting his connections between DMT and the pineal, and ultimately DMT and the "mystical experience" which seems to overcome individuals during periods of intense bodily stress (such as at death) or during intense introspection, such as cultivated by religious/meditative practice. Considering the title of the book and my assumption that the brunt of it was dedicated to purely scientific elucidation of Dr. Strassman's theories (indeed I had a hard time stomaching the "new-agey" feel of the words "spirit molecule" interchanged indiscriminately with "DMT" throughout the book, especially since it was made clear in the first few chapters that the pineal/DMT/"spirit" molecule theory was interesting but unproven)- you can see by my five-star rating that the book as a whole was enough to allow me to forgive Dr. Strassman for his overt convictions. In short: a great read. Highly recommended. PEACE!

Really interesting book that sheds light on the naturally occurring (endogenous) psychedelic, DMT, that is inside every human beings brain.

The spiritual seekers of truth will certainly appreciate this research by Dr Strassman. What if we would excavate the ingredient of spirituality embedded in every human that is responsible for several phenomena, such as OBE?

Strassman explains that we humans possess a certain molecule, called DMT, that is found to play the main role in the spiritual arena. Strassman tested several patients by injecting a small amount of DMT in them and the result was surprising. Many patients experienced vivid sensory images, mild hallucinations, and a few had OBE's. Important to mention is also the fact that DMT is produced naturally in our system.

The research the book displays is important for a few reasons. First of all, we begin to understand that spirituality has much more to do with chemicals than conceived notions. Second discovery is that while we learn to tap in to the world of "spirits", we embark on a real spiritual journey, which requires a humble mind.

Thus to sum uo, this book is scientifically spiritual and a great book to posssess for anyone interested examining the spiritual field.

very cool book. Interesting but will probally never run across the elucid molecule in my life exept of course when sleeping

very quick delivery, very good condition, i would do business with these peeps over and over anytime.

full of information. i learned alot. a book to read if you interested in knowing more in depth detail about the spirit molecule.