Ayahuasca Healing in the Peruvian Amazon: Where Science Meets Spirit
Indigenous
psychedelic traditions suffer badly when taken out of their cultural and
spiritual contexts. The scientific approach seeks to reduce sacred medicines to
pills that can produce predictable effects (preferably non-psychedelic) for
anyone who can pay for them. This is neither
necessary nor desirable, as the case of ayahuasca
makes clear - its unpleasantness is inseparable from its curative power, and it
must be administered by experienced practitioners in a ritual setting to live
up to its potential.
Jolane Abrams spent 15 years in and around the
laboratory before switching gears to work with ayahuasca
in the Peruvian Amazon. Since 2006, she has spent several months a year there
studying with a master healer (curandero), learning
"the science" - the accumulated spiritual and cultural wisdom to
which ayahuasca allows access. She hopes to help
others reconcile the rational with the mystical aspects of ayahuasca
healing.
Black Dogs,
Traditional Witchcraft, Cunning Men, Fairy Hills, Holloways, Ancient Yews, Holy
Wells, Hauntings, Giant Hares, Stone Circles and more......These are some of
the subjects to be discussed in our August Moot.
Louise Hodgson has been involved with working magickal
practices for most of her adult life (A.A. and TOPY among others). One of her
biggest influences, however, has been the Landscape. She has written a book in
which she shares her enthusiasm – ‘Secret places
of West Dorset’ which has proved to be a best-seller. Having been published
in October 2011, it is now about to be re-printed.
Louise will be our speaker for August.
Sunday September 9th : Adrian Rooke – Druidry
Adrian is a
popular member of the Dobunni Druid Grove in Bristol
and will be speaking about his experiences in druidry
and the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.
Sunday October 14th:
Philip Heselton – The Life of Gerald Gardner
Most Pagans will have heard of Gerald Gardner, but what is the truth about this enigmatic individual who claimed to have been initiated into the 'witch cult' in the New Forest in 1939. Philip Heselton has investigated Gardner's life in great detail and will provide insights, including photographs never before seen, into this fascinating character. Philip is the author of a new biography of Gardner, entitled 'Witchfather', and copies will be available for sale at his talk. http://www.thoth.co.uk/thoth-books-coming-soon.html
Sunday November 11th:
Afternoon & evening special event!
‘ACADEMY
23’ comes to The Western Lands!
by Emma Doeve & Matthew
Levi Stevens of WhollyBooks
A Presentation
of Spoken Word, Soundtrack, Slides and Short Films
Featuring:
Matthew Levi Stevens: an informal
reminiscence, drawing on his various published articles ‘The Forgotten Agent’, ‘The
Magical Universe of William S. Burroughs’, ‘A Moving Target: Encounters with William S. Burroughs’, ‘On ‘Playback’ as Magical Weapon’ and ‘A Report from The Final Academy’
Emma Doeve: ‘On Drawing The
Wild Boys’, illustrated with a slide-show of recent visual work
In
addition Charlotte Rogers will be
reading from the work of Cabell McLean,
companion & assistant to William S.
Burroughs during his Naropa years
There will also be a selection of Short
Films and Soundtrack material, including original music from Act of Faith, De Straatslijper, DJ Raoul, ElectroRev,
Joe Ambrose/Islamic Digger No.1, The Plague Doctors, Testing Vault
A range
of WhollyBooks limited edition titles will also be
available: the just released ‘Academy 23’
– an ‘unofficial’ celebration of William S. Burroughs & The Final Academy –
also the chapbooks ‘The Magical Universe of
William S. Burroughs’ ‘Apprentice to
an Apprentice: The Perilous Passage of Terry Wilson’ and ‘Last Rites’ – as well as postcard
reproductions of original artwork.
For
further information, please see:
www.whollybooks.wordpress.com