Tripping: An Anthology of True-Life Psychedelic Adventures

625 Pages·2000·4.11 MB·English

by  Charles Hayes

Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Epigraph
Preface

PART I - Introduction
The Psychedelic [in] Society: A Brief Cultural History of Tripping
Basic Features of the Psychedelic Experience
Methodology and Perspectives Used in the Making of This Book

PART II - The Narratives
Aaron
Alice Dee
Anne Waldman
Brendan
Bruce Eisner
Carl
Charles Hayes (author of this book)
Charlie
Clark Heinrich
Daniel
Dennis
Fiona
George
Gregory
Henry Bass
Herbie Greene
Jack
James
Jarl
Jason
Jeremy
John Perry Barlow
Julian
Kate Coleman
Keely Stahl
Keith
Kenny
Kevin
Lena
Leonard Gibson
Leonard Mercado
Malcolm
Marcel
Mark
Mark Fischer
Matthew S. Kent
Megan
Paul Devereux
Peter
Philip Cooper
Reverend Marianne
Robert Bell
Robert Charles Wilson
Ruth
Sarah
Stephen Kessler
Steve Silberman
Steven Martin Cohen
Terry
Tim Page

PART III - A Conversation with Terence McKenna
A Conversation with Terence McKenna
Appendix: A Concise Index of Psychedelic Substances
Notes
Bibliography and Resources
Acknowledgements
Index
Praise for Tripping “A fascinating journey through the wonders and terrors of
psychedelic life.”—Elle
“Balancing seriousness with a great sense of adventure, this terrifically engaging
compendium avoids all of the expected cultural and psychological cliches.
Hayes has not only assembled a group of highly literate testimonies, but has
placed them in a broader historical, social, and religious context. Hayes clearly
intends to demystify the use of psychedelics.”—Publishers Weekly
“Both informative and highly moving. A responsible approach to documenting
profound experiences with drugs.”—The Lancet
“Intriguing. Traverses the lines between reality and expanded consciousness,
detailing how psychotropics affect the creative process and their underlying
chemical and psysiological effects. The narratives are informative, cautionary,
hilarious and spooky.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“Hayes is such a bristling and intelligent writer that one almost wishes he had
written the whole book himself. In the McKenna interview, and in Hayes’s
introduction, the free flow od ideas about these verboten substances and their
anthropological/psychological possibilities is exhilarating.”—The Oxford
American
“Hayes has done his research well. His introductory chapters are riveting,
unique, and challenge many of the commonly held beliefs about psychotropic
drug use.”—Santa Fe New Mexican
“A brilliant collection without a dud in the lot. Hayes is a superior editor
precisely because he understands that generic conventions are no more than a
scaffolding for creation. Accordingly, he has included only those [stories] that
possess the greatest novelty—in the best Terence McKenna sense of the word.
Speaking of McKenna, the cherry on this cake is a new ‘conversation’ with
Terence. In the rich treasury of KcKenna interviews, this one stands out as one
of the most panoramic. Hayes, besides being a fine editor and interviewer, is a
scholar in his own right. With its many and various virtues, Tripping will appeal
to all kinds of readers, from researchers to sensation-seekers.”
—Relix
“An excellent travel guide that demystifies the shrill and longstanding
propaganda of the Drug Enforcement Agency, Nancy Reagan, and the
Hollywood studio system.”—Flaunt
“For seriously treating what is often characterized as nihilistic and destructive
enterainment, [Tripping] deserves its place in the literature of psychoactive
substances. The concluding conversation with Terence McKenna is entirely
fitting.”—Booklist
“Readers will find a sequence of first-person narratives (a form at least as old as
The Canterbury Tales) that presents, in kaleidoscopic fashion, the last thirty
years as refracted through the prism of a drug experience.” —Chronicle of
Higher Education
“This exciting book is a must-read for anyone with a love of, interest in, or
disdain for psychedelic substances.”—Boulder Weekly
“A trip in itself, and one of the most entertaining and informative explorations of
psychedelics I’ve read. This splendid work is a great addition to the literature of
psychedelia.”
—John Horgan, author of The End of Science and Rational Mysticism
“A brave book. The reader can dip in most anywhere and find something to
wonder, gasp, or at least smile at.”
—Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
“A classic in the growing body of contemporary psychedelic literature. For the
experienced, Tripping is a harvest of inspiring moments and a reminiscence of
one’s own deeply shape-shifting journeys. For the uninitiated, it is a profound
glimpse into the hidden world of the subconscious and a provocation for wider
acceptance of the usefulness of psychedelic states.”—Journal of Drug Education
and Awareness
“Here are the voyages of the Starship Psychonaut. A fascinating guide in every
aspect of the psychedelic experience: in turns informative, exhilarating and truly
embarrassing.”—Bizarre (U.K.)
“A book that every politician should be made to sit down and read.”
—Weed World (U.K.)
“Too far out not to be true. A great read.”—Heads (Canada)
“Exciting and very personal tales about the transforming effects of drugs. A feast
of recognition and inspiration.”—Soft Secrets (Holland)
“We can theorize about psychedelics till the cow patties come home, but there’s
nothing as poignant, perplexing, and funny as a well-told trip report. Charles
Hayes has gathered together some great ones. Tripping is instructive, hilarious
and—let’s face it—enticing. I loved it.”—R.U. Sirius, founder of Mondo 2000

“A mind-blowing collection of first-person psychonautical voyages. Hayes is a
gifted writer whose edgy style accurately conveys the various nuances of the
psychedelic experience. Highly recommend.”
—The Entheogen Review
“Tripping courageously tackles both the positive and negative aspects of
psychedelic experiences. No matter what section you read, each entry is
compelling, descriptive, and most enlightening.”
—Magical Blend
“A fascinating journey through the folklore of post-modern psychedelia.”
—Trip: the Journal of Psychedelic Culture
“A valuable addition to anyone’s library of books on mind-altering substances. I
would also recommend it to those who may not have partaken themselves and
may not even want to do so, but who are wondering what the fuss is
about.”—Morbid Curiosity
“For the future investigator attempting to understand the range of subjective
experiences and social contexts for psychedelic use at the end of the twentieth
century, Tripping should prove to be an invaluable source of information.”
—Charles Grob, M.D., UCLA Medical Center
“This volume will tell you more about the potentialities and dangers of
psychedelic usage than any of the previous anthologies.”
—Peter Stafford, author of Psychedelics Encyclopedia
“There probably does not exist in print such a complete coverage of the various
kinds of experiences possible.”
—Albert Hofmann Foundation
“Exhilarating and alarming. Does more to capture the ‘heaven and hell’ aspects
of the psychedelic experience than any other book of our generation.”
—Rick Strassman, M.D., author of DMT: The Spirit Molecule
“A fascinating collection of accounts from behind the veil. Can we really put
into words that of which we can not speak? The best efforts so far can be found
here.”
—Karl Jansen, M.D., Ph.D., author of Ketamine: Dreams and Realities
“This richly rewarding book takes the reader into uncharted domains of
consciousness and creativity. The stories told, the reflections given reveal the
phenomenal landscapes of innerspace.”
—Jean Houston, Ph.D., author of A Mystic Life
“An important contribution to countercultural history.”
—Paul Krassner, author of Psychedelic Trips for the Mind
“Here’s life from the trenches of consciousness, psychedelic style. Tripping
presents a dipperful of dreams as seen and recounted by the users of
hallucinogens. It may not be 1968, but you’d never know it after reading this
diarylike collection. Things are as psychedelic as ever, and here’s why.”
—Thomas Lyttle, author of Psychedelics Reimagined
“Along with serious essays, [Tripping] takes an objective, well-rounded look at
altered states.”—State Press (Arizona)
“Tripping goes way beyond the ‘party drug’ pictures and dips you into the realms
of the subconscious and self-discovery.”
—Babylon Travel Magazine (Website)
“In many respects, the success of Hayes’ work is that it allows readers to
experience what happens in psychotropic-influenced minds without having to
use illegal drugs. Hayes’ refusal to advocate brings a respectability to the book
that is valuable for a topic like this.”
—Block Island Times
“Each of these stories is well written, and the entire volume is put together in
such a way as to allow the ‘happy’ stories to counter-balance the heavy stuff.
The true grace of this book, though, becomes evident once the reader starts to
see that the people sharing these stories have all been intrinsically changed by
the psychedelic experience. We are allowed to see the moments in these lives
where a decision was made, a direction chosen, a path started, that makes these
people who they are today. For the vast majority, it was positive; for a few,
hellish. But for a good number, it was not only life-changing, but life-saving. On
the whole, this nicely balanced compendium of psychedelic experiences is a
must-have for anyone truly interested in the power of psychedelic compounds
and their ability to alter the course of a broad spectrum of lives in our society
today.”—The Vaults of Erowid (Website)
“Finely written and verbally rich, even lyrical . . . belongs to the elite of
psychedelic literature.”
—Uskonnontutkija Religionsforskaren (Finland)
“This collection of psychedelic traveler’s tales definitely stands out. As a profile
of popular or underground psychedelic culture, this is solid gold.”—Entheos:
The Journal of Psychedelic Spirituality
TRIPPING
Charles Hayes (b. 1955) has been a writer/editor for a variety of businesses and
organizations, a communications manager for a marketing firm, and a journalist
whose work has appeared in The Oxford American, Tikkun, Shaman’s Drum, The
Journal of Drug Education and Awareness, Trip, Cannabis Quebec, High Times,
Heads, The Earth Times, and E magazine. A resident of Westchester County,
New York, Charles can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected] and at
his Website, www.psychedelicadventures.com.