OPEN Foundation

Day: 18 July 2017

From rau to sacred plants: Transfigurations of shamanic agency among the Siona Indians of Colombia

July 18, 2017 / Anthropology, Mystical experiences, Papers, Religious studies / By /

Abstract

Translations of the native notion of shamanic agency of the Siona Indians of Colombia is explored throughout different historical and social contexts. The polysemic concept rau is central to the shaman’s capacity for establishing relations of exchange and negotiation with humans and non-humans. As the embodiment of his power, it fits within a semantic field that conveys the waxing and waning of life cycles. Sharing a series of qualities with the Melanesian concept of mana, rau should be understood as a social phenomenon whose use and meaning has transfigured through time and space. However, unlike the globalization of new mana, the important notion of Siona shamanic agency has been substituted by representations of the ritual substance of yajé as key symbol for power and knowledge as Siona rituals have been revitalized in their dialogue with the ethnic identity movement and the neo-shamanic network that associates sacred plants with primordial knowledge and agency.
Langdon, E. J. (2017). From rau to sacred plants: Transfigurations of shamanic agency among the Siona Indians of Colombia. Social Compass, 64(3), 343-359. 10.1177/0037768617713654
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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: An Integrated Overview of the Neurobiological Rationale for Pharmacology

July 18, 2017 / Anxiety disorders / PTSD, Neuroscience, Other substances, Papers, Psychiatry, Psychology, Psychopharmacology / By / , , , ,

Abstract

Thirty years of research on the biology of posttraumatic stress disorder now provides a foundation for hypotheses related to the mechanisms underlying the pharmacotherapy of this disorder. Only two medications, sertraline and paroxetine, are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of PTSD. Although these medications are somewhat effective, other treatment mechanisms must be explored to address the unmet need for effective treatment. This article provides a concise summary of advances in our understanding of the neurobiology of PTSD and novel approaches to pharmacotherapy.
Kelmendi, B., Adams, T. G., Southwick, S., Abdallah, C. G., & Krystal, J. H. (2017). Posttraumatic stress disorder: An integrated overview of the neurobiological rationale for pharmacology. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice. 10.1111/cpsp.12202
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30 April - Q&A with Rick Strassman

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