After almost a complete extinction of Siona shamans and their rituals in the second half of the 20th century, yaje performances have reemerged in recent decades among this Western Tukanoan group of Colombia’s northwest Amazon Basin. The revitalization of yaje rituals among the Siona is part of a larger process throughout Latin America in which shamanism has come to be associated with ecological preservation, traditional medicine, ethnic identity, and community well-being (Conklin 2002; Ulloa 2005). In the lowland region of Putumayo State in Colombia, shamanic yaje rituals play a central role in the complex field of negotiations between indigenous communities, the state, nongovernmental organizations, extractive industries, and the diverse armed groups (paramilitaries, drug traffickers, military, and guerrillas)(Carrizosa 2015). In addition, Siona taitas, the current designation for low-land ayahuasca shamans, currently receive important recognition for their participation in contemporary shamanic networks in the Colombian high-lands as well as in several countries in the Americas and Europe (Caicedo Fernandez 2013).

This article outlines three historical periods of yaje use among the Siona: (1) the colonial period in which the shamanic role transformed into that of the powerful cacique curaca despite repression; (2) the first half of the 20thcentury that resulted in near extermination of shamans and yaje rituals; and (3) the revitalization of shamanism and reincorporation of the shaman and yaje rituals into the political process. It examines the factors that have contributed to the current revitalization, arguing that, unlike vegetalismo in Peru(Gow 1994) or the folk healing (curanderismo) system in Colombian popular culture (Taussig 1980), current Siona yaje shamanism has deep roots in their autochthonous practices and strategies to resist colonial control, although contemporary practices also reflect the discourse, aesthetics, expectations,and demands of the larger society that have arisen in the last 30 years

"Inner Paths to Outer Space" http://www.rickstrassman...&id=53&Itemid=55

Abstract
The basic message in the book, ”Inner paths to outer space: Journeys to Alien Worlds through
Psychedelics and Other Spiritual Technics”, written by Rick Strassman et al, is that psychedelics
might make possible instantaneous remote communications with distant parts of the Universe. The
objection would be that light velocity sets stringent limits on classical communications. In TGD
framework this argument does not apply. In this article a model for remote mental interactions
is constructed using basic notions of TGD inspired quantum biology such as magnetic body, dark
photons and Zero Energy Ontology.
Further, both psychedelics and DNA contain aromatic rings. Each base-pair would contain
1+2+1+1=5 (two rings from sugars) aromatic rings and longer DNA sequences would define larger
conscious entities. Of course, all proteins contain these aromatic rings possibly integrating by flux
tube connections to larger conscious entities. In this picture it would not be surprising of the basic
information molecules would also involve aromatic rings.

Another Nexian recently introduced me to Crime Pays but Botany Doesn't, a great channel on youtube for anyone interested in plant science. It's pretty cool watching this guy name and talk about so many plants off the top of his head. If you have any interest in learning how to identify plants or just in botany/ecology in general, he's got a small library of free pdf's with all the books he taught himself with. There's a few texts in there specifically about psychedelic plants and ethnobotany as well.


Tony Santoro's School of Biological Sciences

Happy 420