You Are? *
You Are?
Ayahuasca, is often referred to as the brew of souls and Banisteriopsis caapi as the ancestor's vine. As in, it puts you in touch with the ancestors. Which are, of course, dead people... As Terence McKenna points out (reprinted from Scotto the Incongruous): "...f you press a shaman, if you say, 'Well, what exactly is a helping spirit?' They say, 'Well, a helping spirit is an ancestor.' You say, 'You mean to tell me that those are dead people in there?' They say, 'Well, yes, ancestor, dead person. You didn't know about ancestors apparently. This is what happens to people who die.' And you say, 'My God, is it possible that what we're breaking into here is an ecology of souls?' That these are not extraterrestrials from Zenebelganooby or Zeta Reticula Beta. These are the dear departed. And they exist in a realm which, for want of a better word, let's call eternity. And somehow this drug, or whatever it is, is allowing me to see across the veil." #terencemckenna #ayahuasca #dmt #dmttrip #dimethyltriptamine #banisteriopsiscaapi #psilocybe #psilocybin #technopagan #octopus #higherconsciousness #consciousnessshift #newreligion #hippiespirit #archaicrevival #newpaths #deathmeditation #morbidthoughts #itsallgravybaby #thetruthisoutthere #octonation #terencemckennaquote #cemetery_nation
Cephalopod humor. (Is there a word for when two creatures will, if given the chance, eat one another? As adults? Crabs and octopus come to mind…) #technopagan #octopus #octopusmessiah #octonation #marinescience #psilocybe #cephalopods #marinescience #marinememes #octopusmemes #octopusart #summerreading #reeftank #dmttrip #psychedelicsociety #psychedelic #psychedelicart #deepthoughts #marinehumor #findmytribe #octopusesgarden #beachreads #octopusesofinstagram
119 quid — I know I’m worth it but come on, now! A place called ErgodeBooks in Texas is selling a new, first edition of The Techno Pagan Octopus Messiah (red book, as pictured) for £119.52! Which is ridiculous because you can get a brand new 20th anniversary edition, with new material, the ending I originally wanted, the legal exposure I was once so keen to avoid, and with a fantastic new, blue cover for the low, low price of £9.99! And digital for £4.99. Seriously, so much work went into the blue edition I cringe when people tell me they bought the red one. For a full report as to the difference between the two, please do head to my bio and click on Author’s Note. THIS IS NOT THE MATRIX: TAKE THE BLUE PILL! #summerreading #holidayreading #indiatraveljournal #traveller #hippietrail #dmttrip #psychedelic #terencemckenna #terencemckennaworld #psychedelicart #rishikeshdiaries #vedniketan #astraltravel #psychonaut #egyptianmagic #astralplane #beachreads #memoir #nonfictionnovel #fivestarreviews #hippiespirits #realyoga #findmytribe #octopus #octonation #technopagan
It’s been awhile since I did the whole spoken word thing. Legend has it I won my first 9 poetry slams across Britain then failed in the first round of Nationals because why? Because I did my *&(%ing Terence McKenna DMT poem, didn’t I? And posh horse people do not, it turns out, vote positively for Terence McKenna DMT poems, esp those performed barefoot by some dreadlocked Californian hippi freak off the plane from India! Still, chuffed (which is British for “stoked”, like a fire) to be able to to put that poem (which is the prologue to the Techno Pagan Octopus Messiah, yes my ridiculous re-released memoi/travelogue/psychedelic/spiritual/supernova, which the critics agree: does not suck!) But please do check it out: free off the site and a fun listen. #technopagan #octopus #messiah #consciousnessshift #psychedelicart #terencemckenna #dmt #dmttrip #astraltravel #pyramidsofgiza #hindumythology #rishikeshyoga #indiatravel #traveljournal #spokenwordpoetry #jaipurgems #osho #wildwildcountry #hippiespirits #londonpoetryscene #beachreading #summerreading #holidayreading #authorsofinstagram
I am loving the Terence McKenna revival going on right now: hearing his name mentioned on Joe Rogan, hearing something he said pop up in conversation (and not just by me), his brother Dennis’ speaking tour, now Michael Pollan has a book out on psychedelics where he does DMT — Michael Pollan for chrissakes — my MOM reads Michael Pollan (no offense to either, they’re both wonderful). So I’m glad to add my voice to the chorus with the re-released of my travellogue The Techno Pagan Octopus Messiah. It’s a great summer read and I hope I do justice to meeting the man himself! #technopagan #octopus #messiah #consciousnessshift #psychedelicart #terencemckenna #dmt #dmttrip #astraltravel #pyramidsofgiza #hindumythology #rishikeshyoga #indiatravel #traveljournal #spokenwordpoetry #jaipurgems #osho #wildwildcountry #hippiespirits #londonpoetryscene #beachreading #summerreading #holidayreading #authorsofinstagram
I remember Terence saying about the self-transforming-elf-machines he encountered on DMT: “It is not subtle: these things mob you like badly trained Rottweilers.” And I remember thinking: an inhabited dimension accessed by a powerful hallucinogen produced not only throughout nature but IN MY OWN BODY? Really? REALLY? (slaps forearm several times) Show me… Happily at the same conference, Terence not only detailed “the way to get off on DMT” (which you can find on the McKenna RIP page on my bio) but I was offered it completely coincidentally by a stranger a day later. I’m writing about my time with Terence at Esalen now, in my upcoming book, Californian. But for now, please do check out the aftermath: a true life, non-fiction novel and excellent summer read: The Techno Pagan Octopus Messiah. Enjoy! #technopagan #octopus #terencemckenna #dmt #consciousnessshift #higherself #thirdeyeawakening #pyramidsofgiza #astraltravel #hippiespirits #dimethyltryptamine #psychedelic #mysticism #vedicwisdom #shivanataraj #rishikesh #yoga #yogainspiration #osho #authorsofinstagram #burningman #octonation #bookstagram #bookclub #octopuslove #summerreading #beachreading #indiatraveldiaries

banner, blog & wildlife photos © Ian Winn

octopus photos courtesy of Roy Caldwell