The Psilocybin Connection - by Jahan Khamsehzadeh (Paperback)

About the Book

"A comprehensive guide to psilocybin mushrooms and their impact on our psychology, biology, and social development"--

Book Synopsis

A comprehensive guide to psilocybin mushrooms and their impact on our psychology, biology, and social development.

How--and why--do psychedelics exist? Did psilocybin catalyze our early human ancestors' social evolution? And how can an integral understanding of psychedelics quite literally change the world?

In an ambitious and comprehensive look at psilocybin--and an inside look at how humanity co-evolved alongside "magic" mushrooms--Jahan Khamsehzadeh, PhD, explores our historical and ancestral relationship to psychedelics and presents new and exciting research about what psilocybin can mean for us today.

Separated into three sections--Present, Past, and Future--The Psilocybin Connection advances our understanding of psychedelics in unexpected and original ways. Khamsehzadeh shares compelling research that suggests how naturally occurring psychedelics may have played an essential role in humanity's social, cultural, and linguistic evolution. Supported by archaeological evidence, neuroscience, and academic studies, he explores how mushrooms gave rise to art and expression, impacted spiritual experiences, and even spurred human brain development.

Blending the most comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of psilocybin research with stories of his own and others' psychedelic awakenings, Khamsehzadeh moves our understanding of the psychedelic mushroom forward toward a fresh, hopeful, and exciting future.

Review Quotes

"This book's blend of scholarship, erudition, and imagination makes a compelling argument that huan evolution, even the enlargement of our brains, has been due in part to psilocybin mushrooms and their effects on perception, cognition, and imagination. [Khamsezadeh's] scholarly perspective is persuasive, optimistic, and a pleasure to read."
--JAMES FADIMAN, PhD, microdose researcher and author of The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide

"The Psilocybin Connection explores how the psychedelic renaissance impacts lives across the planet. Khamsezadeh compiles compelling scientific research, provocative theories, and bold visions for the evolutionary role of psychedelics. Reading this book will expand your mind without any chemical compounds. And it just might inspire you to engage the territory yourself."
--ADAM B. LEONARD, coauthor of Integral Life Practice

"Having been trained in both worlds, Dr. Khamsehzadeh weaves psychedelic Western cultural history with Indigenous wisdom traditions. This book demonstrates a clear integration of passion, scholarship, and a healthy dose of wonder--an elixir for those seeking to connect with the mystery that's woven into not only our human lives but also the very fabric of the cosmos."
--KILE ORTIGO, PhD, author of Beyond the Narrow Life

"This book is the single most comprehensive on the subject of psilocybin mushrooms that I've come across in twenty-plus years of exploring the subject. Regardless of your level of knowledge or experience, [this] book is accessible, inviting, inspiring, and incredibly informative. This will be my go-to recommendation when anyone asks me any question about the history, use, science, or potential of psilocybin mushrooms."
--MICHAEL ROESSLEIN, MS, FDN-P, holistic health and wellness educator and founder of Inaura

"The perfect story for anyone trying to more deeply understand the role of psychedelics in human civilization, myth, and the future of human evolution--absolutely brilliant!"
--MATT MCKIBBIN, cofounder of the CryptoPsychedelic Summit and founder of DecentraNet

"Khamsehzadeh offers a comprehensive overview of sacred mushrooms and psilocybin, their history, and their meaningful place in our lives as a species.
The Psilocybin Connection reads like a transmission anchored in the historical, philosophical, and societal facets of sacred mushrooms and psilocybin, while bringing us closer to [the author's] personal views on life, existence, and the transcendent."
--FRANCOISE BOURZAT, author of Consciousness Medicine

"A unique overview of the rare knowledge that can be obtained through deep inner journeys, reflective meditations, and a careful study of the science and history of the sacred mushroom. Rooted in a foundation of humanistic and transpersonal psychology, Khamsehzadeh weaves together a beautiful alchemical tapestry--overflowing with treasured revelations and valuable psychological insights. Most highly recommended."
--DAVID JAY BROWN, author of The New Science of Psychedelics

About the Author

JAHAN KHAMSEHZADEH, Ph.D., completed his dissertation on psychedelics in the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Doctorate program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). He earned his master's in Consciousness and Transformative Studies from John F. Kennedy University and his bachelor's from the University of Arizona with a major in philosophy and minors in both physics and psychology. Aside from his academic work, Jahan has undergone several multiyear trainings, including working with the Mazatec mushroom tradition, and is a graduate of Hakomi Comprehensive Somatic-Psychotherapy Program. He assisted the Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy Certificate training at CIIS for two years and mentored for a year at the Center for Consciousness Medicine comprehensive guide training. He also works as a facilitator for legal psilocybin mushrooms ceremonies in Jamaica with Atman Retreats and serves as an advisor to psychedelic-focused organizations. Jahan leads a free monthly public online group called "Developing a Relationship with Sacred Mushrooms" with the San Francisco Psychedelic Society. You can learn more about his work and services at www.PsychedelicEvolution.org.