Rick Strassman, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, and author of DMT: The Spirit Molecule : "Thought-provoking, wide-ranging, and well-reasoned, Metzner's collection of essays and self-reports contains the widest representation of subjective effects and scientific information on ayahuasca in the modern West. It provides ideas for future research and is essential for beginners and veterans of the field."

Book Description
A compilation of writings on the chemical, biological, psychological, and experiential dimensions of Ayahuasca
Includes 24 firsthand accounts of Ayahuasca experiences and resulting life changes, including contributions from J. C. Callaway, Charles S. Grob, and Dennis J. McKenna
Discusses the medical and psychological applications of Ayahuasca.
Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic Amazonian plant mixture that has been used for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years by native Indian and mestizo shamans in Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador for healing and divination. Many Western-trained physicians and psychologists have acknowledged that this substance can allow access to spiritual dimensions of consciousness, even mystical experiences indistinguishable from classic religious mysticism.
In Sacred Vine of Spirits: Ayahuasca Ralph Metzner, a pioneer in the study of consciousness, has assembled a group of authoritative contributors who provide an exploration of the chemical, biological, psychological, and experiential dimensions of ayahuasca. He begins with more than 20 firsthand accounts from Westerners who have used ayahuasca and then presents the history, psychology, and chemistry of ayahuasca from leading scholars in the field of psychoactive research. He concludes with his own findings on ayahuasca, including its applications in medicine and psychology, and compares the worldview revealed by ayahuasca visions to that of Western cultures.