DMT and the Soul of Prophecy

Taking on the puzzle of understanding human consciousness is one of the greatest endeavors imaginable. Great philosophers and scientists have spent their entire lives searching for the source of consciousness and though they may have provided some interesting theories or ideas, none have succeeded in a definitive explanation. As though understanding human consciousness wasn’t challenging enough, some researchers take it further and try to understand or explain the meaning of the spiritual experience found in human consciousness.

N, N-Dimethyltryptamine, also known as DMT is a tryptamine molecule which can be found in most plants and animals. Not only is it a compound that is found endogenously in humans, it is also sought out by psychonauts as a means to experience the divine or to better understand or explain the spiritual experience. Many people smoke DMT in its pure form to experience a short hallucinatory “trip,” which seems to transport them into another reality where they see beings and have sensations or spiritual experiences that seem alien to the user. Across the history of humanity, people and cultures around the world have also devised ways to extend this experience in teas steeped in DMT rich plants, which extend the experience for hours.

DMT is illegal in most countries and is a schedule I substance in the United States. Because of this scheduling, researchers have been unable to study the effects of DMT in lab settings to better understand its spiritual effects on individuals. It wasn’t until 1990 when Dr. Strassman led a Federal Government-approved and funded clinical research team at the University of New Mexico to study the effects of DMT on human research patients. Dr. Strassman published his research and his personal reflections in his first book DMT: The Spirit Molecule which has since then become a documentary with the same name.

Since Dr. Strassman’s first research on DMT, he has continued to explore the relationship between the DMT experience and the spiritual or religious experience. His reflections also led him to write his newest book DMT and the Soul of Prophecy: A New Science of Spiritual Revelation in the Hebrew Bible.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Rick Strassman who is the author of DMT: The Spirit Molecule and DMT and the Soul of Prophecy. Dr. Strassman has been instrumental to the body of research conducted on psychedelics. His unique perspective on the psychedelic experience has provided inspiration to millions to explore their consciousness, and he continues research to better understand how psychoactive compounds shed light on how we experience the spiritual aspects of consciousness.

In his newest book, Dr. Strassman discusses and takes us on a journey through the Hebrew Bible and shows us the relationship between DMT and various prophetic states which occur frequently throughout history.