Mushrooms, Myth & Mithras: The Drug Cult That Civilized Europe

By Carl A.P. Ruck

This illustrated book traces the history of an unlikely force in the shaping of Western civilization: the use of psychedelic mushrooms, namely by a secret society called the cult of Mithras. Nero was the first emperor to be initiated by the group's "magical dinners," and most of his successors embraced the ritual as a source of spiritual transcendence. The cult was officially banned after the Conversion, but aspects of their rituals were assimilated or co-opted by Christianity, and the brotherhoods persist today as secret societies such as the Freemasons. This is a fascinating exploration of a powerful force kept behind the scenes for thousands of years.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0872864707
• ISBN13: 9780872864702
• Release Date: July 2011
• Publisher: City Lights Books
• Length: 290 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.3" x 7.9"