The Road to Eleusis

Unveiling the Secret of the Mysteries

By: R. Gordon Wasson, Albert Hofmann

Narrated by: David Bendena

Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

The secretive Mysteries conducted at Eleusis in Greece for nearly two millennia have long puzzled scholars with strange accounts of initiates experiencing otherworldly journeys. In this groundbreaking work, three experts - a mycologist, a chemist, and a historian - argue persuasively that the sacred potion given to participants in the course of the ritual contained a psychoactive entheogen. The authors then expand the discussion to show that natural psychedelic agents have been used in spiritual rituals across history and cultures.

Although controversial when first published in 1978, the book’s hypothesis has become more widely accepted in recent years, as knowledge of ethnobotany has deepened. The authors have played critical roles in the modern rediscovery of entheogens, and The Road to Eleusis presents an authoritative exposition of their views. The book’s themes of the universality of experiential religion, the suppression of that knowledge by exploitative forces, and the use of psychedelics to reconcile the human and natural worlds make it a fascinating and timely listen. This 30th anniversary edition includes an appreciative preface by religious scholar Huston Smith and an updated exploration of the chemical evidence by Peter Webster.

©2008 The R. Gordon Wasson Estate (P)2021 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Finally some science

A cogent and updated report of an issue with increasing relevance in our time and politics.

REALITY SHIFTING LITERATURE!!!!

This book is a monumental missing piece of our human heritage. The words begin to dissolve the ground under your feet, as if every foundation of our reality is an illusion. If you’re on a journey to find true consciousness, this book will help you get started. Must read

Snakes

Life’s long journey deserves a book like this to remember our sacrament was the purpose of it all. So thankful to be able to listen to this when ever I need.

A great book

A very enjoyable and informative book to read as we are in a new Entheogenic revolution 🍄

Amazing

Explains so much about how the mysteries progressed through the centuries and we need to get back to that

Great Thesis!

Very interesting and well argued thesis. Great interdisciplinary research from absolutely brilliant minds, particularly in the classical tradition. The narrator, who was great, is not suited for academic or scientific research, but would be great fir crime, adventure or horror. This book is a seminal classic in the field. Don’t miss it.

informative

Excellent on many fronts from ancient history to interesting theory on ritual and methods

outstanding analysis

being able to construct a narrative around one of histories closest guarded secrets is pretty wonderful and very eye opening. wish more people would absorb this information open-mindedly.

really?

Mispronunciations left right and center. w.t.h?! hard to focus on the body of information.
BUY THE HARDCOPY!!

When you have a problem, every problem looks ...

Well, let me start by stating that when you hit the appendix they will admit most of their ~1970s ideas didn't pan out, but they are looking for ways to move this forward.

The sum up is they did amazing work in Central America researching mushroom use in religion, where they had lots of physical evidence and oral history to back them up. They then, after being told by the experts in the field that it wasn't the same with the Eleusinian mysteries, decided to just apply the same conclusions to Greece with no physical evidence and only weak parallels found in mythology.

It's an interesting idea, but you'll find a lot of "god of the gaps" type thinking with lack of evidence for other ideas is used as evidence for their hypothesis.

And, to come back to the start, the update added at the end is basically, "None of this turned out to have any evidence, and over time evidence has weighted against it, but we still have mushroom inspired hope."