Shamans, Mediums and Chinese Buddhism: a Brief Reconnaissance

On mediums with negative phase velocity: a brief overview

Several issues relating to oppositely directed phase velocity and power flow are reviewed. A necessary condition for the occurrence of this phenomenon in isotropic dielectric–magnetic mediums is presented. Ramifications for aberration–free lenses, homogenization approaches, and complex mediums are discussed.

Stories in Between: Narratives and Mediums @ Play

Shamans, Religion, Soma and the Ṛgveda

1. Writer G. Hancock follows R. G. Wasson’s researches into the use of a hallucinogenic or, as the newer term is, entheogenic drug from the mushroom amanita muscaria (= fly agaric) and indologists S. Kamrisch and W. Doniger O’ Flaherty (1986): they all think that this mushroom was the soma potion, so amply celebrated in the RV (=Ṛgveda). He then concludes that “an ancient hallucinogenic cult ex...

The Psychological Health of Shamans:

T H E P s Y C H O L O G ~ ~ L HEALTH of spiritual practitioners has long been a point of contention, both in the culture at large and among researchers such as anthropologists, religious scholars, and especially mental health profcssionals. William James wrestled with this issue in The Varictics 01 Rcligiou Expcricncc, and almost a century later the debate continues (Lukoff. Lu, and Turner; Wal...

Bronchographic Contrast Mediums.

In a study of 102 bronchograms for purposes of comparing the contrast medium Visciodol(R) (a mixture of iodized peanut oil and powdered sulfanilamide) with Iodochlorol(R) (an iodized poppyseed oil), it was observed that Visciodol is more readily administered, produces better bronchograms with less alveolar filling and clears from the lungs far more rapidly and completely than does Iodochlorol. ...