…DNA and the Origins of Knowledge
Synopsis from the book cover:
While living among Peruvian Indians, anthropologist Jeremy Narby became intrigued by their claim that their phenomenal knowledge of plants and biochemistry was communicated to them directly while under the influence of hallucinogens.
Despite his initial scepticism, Narby found himself engaged in an increasingly obsessive personal quest. The evidence he collected – on subjects as diverse as molecular biology, shamanism, neurology and ancient mythology – Led inexorably to the conclusion that the Indians’ claims were literally true: to a consciousness prepared with drugs, specific biochemical knowledge could indeed be directly transmitted through DNA itself Narby demonstrates that indigenous and ancient peoples, from the Aborigines to the Egyptians, have known for millennia about the double helix structure – something conventional science only discovered in 1953.
Review:
The book starts off with Jeremy describing his placement in the Peruvian Amazon’s Pichis Valley. He was there for a two-year period of fieldwork to enable him to get a doctorate in anthropology. Whilst there he was persuaded to take the hallucinogenic brew, the main ingredient of which, is tobacco. He describes the experience he had whilst under the influence of the brew and also his discussions with the indigenous people.
A few years later his work which involved promoting community development in Third World countries led him to attend the ‘Earth Summit’ in Rio. It was this event that caused him to notice a dilemma; the hallucinatory knowledge is confirmed and used by the pharmaceutical industry but it cannot be discussed because it contradicts the logic of Western knowledge. He saw this as an enigma and a blind spot for science and decided to make a detailed investigation of the subject.
His investigations covered the science of DNA. He explains how he thought that the ‘Double Helix’ (DNA) correlated with the snake imagery that he saw in his hallucinatory state and also with the many historical mentions of snakes in other cultures. His investigations led him to believe that people who drank the hallucinogenic concoction could defocolize their consciousness and connect with the network of DNA based life. He leaves it with the reader to decide whether or not his theory is correct.
I found the book very interesting. The book provides lots of references and notes and gives a comprehensive bibliography which allows for further exploration of the different subjects within the book.
All the truths we might have access to, if only we had a more open mind. This book seems quite a fascinating read
To find the truths we really do have to keep our mind open
This book sounds very interesting Cherie…. Jeremy Narby’s adventures with the drugs brings to mind…. Dr. Timothy Leary… who experimented with LSD in the 60’s… i believe that he ended up in jail… but i’m not sure of that part… it was a fun read….peter:)
I am not familiar with the works of Dr. Timothy Leary but the book does touch on experiments with LSD. It also mentions that using plant substances in their natural form has an entirely different effect than if they had been modified some way.
I don’t have quite the scientific mind as you, Cherry, but I still find this most fascinating. WOW.
This one is quite an easy book to read but there is a lot of scope for exploring the subject further.
Hmmmm – what do most reviews say about it?
That depends on which review site you visit…
The double helix of DNA was foreshadowed by the staff of Caduceus carried by Hermes. The caduceus is also the symbol of medicine and has been for a long time.
Your synopsis of the book reminds me of the books written by Dr Lyall Watson.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyall_watson
I had not thought about Hermes and his staff, but I was aware that the caduceus is the symbol of medicine. It is also used as the symbol of trade which is probably down to Hermes too? I know the symbolism is inside the doors of the Bank of England.
I read Lyall Watson’s Supernature when it first came out, I still dip into it from time to time
Out of curiosity I took it out of the bookcase before I replied to this thread. The bookmark was in the chapter called Transcendence on the pages that are discussing the effects of LSD…
Maybe it is time I got round to reading some of his other books.
PS: After I finished replying here I logged into my Statcounter page and noticed that someone had visited my Blog by searching for Jeremy Narby. When I clicked on the search link I noticed that the Blog you linked to in ‘your post’ where I sent you a follow up link was near the top of the list…
Then I noticed who the author of the blog was…
I think we must be reading each others minds!!
Should we not recall that people who take hallucinogenic drugs tend to, eh… hallucinate?
There is an incredible market for books based on pseudo-scientific guff. People are so desperate for things to be other than they really are.
Drawing helical things before the double helix was discovered is hardly an amazing insight or presight. Helical things are all over the place in nature, which is kind of why the double helix is helical.
The authors curiosity was piqued by the fact that the indigenous people had an extensive knowledge of plants and medicinal cures. They explained they gained the knowledge whilst under the influence of the hallucinogen.
The book is not presented as a thesis, it is presented as a theory which combines his studies in anthropology and also scientific experiments in other areas. It is left for the reader to decide if they agree with the theory or not and it provides lots of further reading for anyone who cares to explore the subject further.
As the helical things, nature and the universe is full of spirals…