In 'The Toad and the Jaguar,' Ralph Metzner takes readers on a transformative journey through the mystical landscapes of shamanic healing and consciousness exploration. This captivating narrative intertwines the adventures of two powerful animal spirits—the wise toad and the enigmatic jaguar—who reveal profound truths about the mind, nature, and the universe. Through vivid storytelling and deep insights, Metzner invites us to reconnect with our inner selves and the natural world. As the characters navigate challenges and revelations, readers are compelled to question their own perceptions of reality. This thought-provoking tale is a mesmerizing blend of mythology, spirituality, and personal growth that promises to inspire and challenge your worldview.
By Ralph Metzner
Published: 2013
"In the dance of existence, we are both the toad and the jaguar, navigating the shadows and the light, learning that true wisdom lies in embracing all aspects of our being."
ABOUT THE BOOK In this monograph the author relates findings from more than 30 years of experiences and observations with Bufo alvarius and 5-methoxy-dimethyltryptamine, in various user groups and individuals, both in the US and in Europe. The term underground is used in referring to the explorations with these substances, in the sense that they were hidden - out of respect for the restrictions and prohibitions of mainstream culture. These are ethnographic field reports, first-hand observations from an underground sub-culture, accompanied by the experiences of a selected number of participant-observers. It is important to recognize that in research with these and other so-called psychedelic or entheogenic substances, one cannot limit the observations and reflections solely to their physical and psychological effects. As most of the people cited here emphasize, the experiences with these substances at times can go far beyond their physical and psychological effects into the deepest and highest dimensions of our existence, both the cosmic and the spiritual. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., received his undergraduate degree at Oxford University and his doctorate in clinical psychology at Harvard University, where he was also the recipient of an NIMH Post-doctoral Fellowship in psychopharmacology at the Harvard Medical School. He collaborated with Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert in the studies of psychedelic drugs and co-authored The Psychedelic Experience. He is a psychotherapist and Professor Emeritus at the California Institute of Integral Studies, where he taught for 30 years. He has a life-long interest in the many different realms of consciousness and its modifications. He is the author of The Well of Remembrance, The Unfolding Self, Green Psychology, Birth of a Psychedelic Culture (with Ram Dass); editor of two collections of essays on ayahuasca and on psilocybe mushrooms; and author of a new series of seven books on The Ecology of Consciousness.
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“In the dance of existence, we are both the toad and the jaguar, navigating the shadows and the light, learning that true wisdom lies in embracing all aspects of our being.”
The Toad and the Jaguar
By Ralph Metzner
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Ralph Metzner (1936-2022) was an influential author, psychologist, and researcher known for his extensive work in the fields of consciousness and psychedelics. He was a key figure in the counterculture movement of the 1960s, contributing to the understanding of transformative experiences through his writings. Notable works include 'The Ecology of Consciousness,' 'The Psychedelic Experience,' and 'Trance, Ritual, and Transformation.' Metzner's writing style is characterized by its integrative approach, weaving together psychology, spirituality, and ecological consciousness to explore the depths of human experience.
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