What is it that attracts shamans, mystics, and other visionaries to the experience of altered states? It is the fact that some wisdom cannot be accessed through ordinary consciousness alone, proposes Daniel Pinchbeck. On Reality 2.: Shamans, Psychedelics, and the Next Step in Evolution, this trailblazer of nonordinary reality shares a firsthand account of his quest for a ""system upgrade"" for human society. Join this 21st-century explorer and philosopher-journalist for an intriguing investigation of: - Shamanic cultures from the Americas to the Amazon, and the urgent messages they have for Western society - The 212 phenomenon and the possibility of a new realization of time and space for humankind - Crop circles?de-bunked hoax or legitimate transmissions from galactic intelligence? - The potential of plant medicines such as iboga and ayahuasca to help address the spiritual crisis of our postmodern world - Startling theories of Terence McKenna, Jos? Arg?elles, and other pioneers in the furthest realms of human consciousness Is our culture poised for the next leap in human evolution? How is technology changing us? Are we in the midst of a global ""quickening"" that will transform our individual and collective consciousness?and are heavy psychedelics required to participate? Daniel Pinchbeck tackles these questions and more in this fascinating glimpse into a hopeful?and mind expanding?future."