Overview

• Includes a brief history of the ancient roots of psychedelics, their rediscovery by the counterculture, and their contemporary use in treating trauma and mental illness • Offers the “Human Promise” program blending spiritual and philosophical tools and practices with psychedelics for self-actualization • Explores today’s regulatory environment, the role of AI, and the influence of the Information Age on psychedelic culture Despite an unsettled legal landscape, the promise and potential of psychedelics continue to be at the forefront of thinking and research in the United States and around the world. What medicinal and therapeutic properties do the substances of MDMA, psilocybin, LSD, ibogaine, ayahuasca, and ketamine possess, and how can they help us to grow as individuals and as a culture? Dr. Carlos Warter, with input from mental health counselor Arthur Lawida, explores these questions to offer a guide to psychedelics that blends history, contemporary context, and tools and practices to help readers realize self-actualization. Warter considers the history of psychedelics from North American peyote rituals to the counterculture of the 1960s and the psychedelic renaissance, exploring how the public perception of psychedelics has changed with an increasing acceptance of their therapeutic value. Moving toward the Human Promise of enlightenment, this book explains how psychedelics can be used in a transpersonal context for sustainable growth and self-discovery. It suggests tools and practices that can round out a program of self-development, including Pilates, Feldenkrais work, neurofeedback systems, and virtual reality. Readers will also learn how AI and information technology are changing the psychedelic and human-development landscape to help with deep healing and spiritual awakening.

Full Product Details

Author:   Carlos Warter ,  Arthur Lawida ,  James Fadiman, Ph.D. ,  Ryan Paige
Publisher:   Simon & Schuster
Imprint:   Simon & Schuster Audio
Edition:   Unabridged
ISBN:  

9781668175729

ISBN 10:   166817572
Publication Date:   23 June 2026
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Downloadable audio file
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Not yet available  
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Table of Contents

Foreword by James Fadiman, PhD Acknowledgments Preface: The Why and How of This Book Introduction: The Road Map to the Human Promise PART 1 AWAKENING WITH PSYCHEDELICS 1 What Is the Human Promise? The Eidos of Entelechia 2 Cross-Cultural Uses of Psychedelics as Sacraments From Kykeon of the Eleusinian Mysteries to Peyote in Navajo Country 3 The Psychedelic Experience Journeys on Notable Entheogens 4 Spiritual and Philosophical Resources for Inner Exploration Direct Experience of Higher States of Consciousness 5 Personal Sovereignty and the Pyramid of Healing We Are Unique Beings Yet One Consciousness PART 2 PSYCHEDELICS IN PSYCHOLOGY 6 Recent History of Psychedelics Counterculture to Mainstream Medicine 7 Psychological Therapies Remembering the Essential Nature of the Mind 8 Nontraditional Therapies On the Pathway to Fulfillment 9 Understanding Psychedelics and the Brain Neuroplasticity, the Frontal Lobe, and Tech Devices 10 Body-Centered Therapies Personal Transformation Through Movement, Body Awareness, and Physical Fitness 11 Treating Trauma and Mental Illness with Psychedelic Therapy Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, and Addiction PART 3 THE FUTURE OF PSYCHEDELIC USE IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY 12 Ethical and Safety Considerations Maintaining Equilibrium while Reaching Catharsis 13 The Legal and Regulatory Landscape Navigating Treatment Protocols with a Changing Government 14 Artificial Intelligence and the Information Age Balancing the Possibilities with the Risks Conclusion: Embracing Universal Human Values References Index About the Authors

Reviews

“Dr. Carlos Warter and Arthur Lawida have produced a tour de force that elegantly synthesizes the renaissance in psychedelic medicine with rigorous scholarship and clinical sophistication. Their Human Promise program represents a paradigm shift in how we conceptualize human potential—moving beyond conventional therapeutic models to embrace what the data increasingly supports: that psychedelics, properly integrated, may be psychiatry’s most promising frontier. This book brilliantly navigates the intersection of neuroscience, consciousness studies, and emerging technologies with the intellectual rigor our field demands and the visionary thinking that readers and our patients deserve.” * Anna Yusim, MD, psychiatrist, executive coach, and best-selling author of Fulfilled * “Psychedelics and Human Potential is a masterful synthesis of more than fifty years of Dr. Carlos Warter’s pioneering work in the field of consciousness and psychedelics. With deep insight, Dr. Warter explores how these substances can catalyze both personal healing and the fulfillment of the Human Promise. This book is essential reading for anyone serious about integrating psychedelics into a journey of growth, transformation, and the realization of our highest potential.” * Rick Doblin, PhD, founder and president of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies * “Carlos Warter is a true ‘psychedelic elder’ who shares in this book a wealth of wisdom gained over a lifetime investigating these powerful, mystical medicines.” * Abbie Rosner, author of Psychedelics and the Counterculture of Aging *

Author Information

Carlos Warter, MD, PhD, has been a pioneer in spiritual regenerative psychiatry, integrative medicine, and psychedelic therapy since the 1970s. The author of more than 24 books, he is a practicing physician and founder of the World Health Foundation for Development and Peace. His work is now called the Human Promise and is delivered in series of retreats over a three-year curriculum. He lives in Southern California. Arthur Lawida, MS, is a mental health counselor, executive business coach, and 30-year student of Dr. Warter applying his techniques. He lives near San Diego, California.

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