New Book Out Today!
Dear Friends and Readers,
This is Your Mind on Plants goes on sale today!
It’s a relatively short book that explores three important psychoactive compounds produced by plants and used extensively by humans: opium, caffeine, and mescaline-- a downer, an upper, and what I think of as an outer—a psychedelic. As you know, I’ve long been fascinated by the human engagement with plants, and the desires they’ve evolved to gratify. One of those human desires is the desire to change consciousness, which is universal. Why do we have it? What is it good for? And how have plants figured out how to produce molecules with the power to change our minds?
In many ways the book is a reconsideration of the whole notion of what a drug is. My premise is that, with the fading of the drug war, we have an opportunity to begin a much more fruitful, and honest, conversation about these remarkable substances and their role in our lives. Whether a drug is illegal or not is one of the least interesting things to be said about it.
So how do these molecules benefit us and our species, and how, or in what contexts, do they hurt us? And if the drug war is ending, what does the peace look like? How do we best fold these remarkable molecules into our lives and culture? What can indigenous cultures teach us about the wise use of psychedelics?
I’ve been addressing these questions (and many more) over the last few days, in conversation with Tim Ferriss, Joe Rogan, and on Weekend All Things Considered. This morning (Tuesday), I’ll be interviewed by George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America during the 8:00 am hour. And don’t forget that you can join me for one of my virtual events this week and next. All of the details are on my website.
How to Change Your Mind is available now from your favorite bookseller:
I hope you get to read it. And if you do, please let me know what you think.
All best,
Michael