Review: Liquid Light: Ayahuasca Spirituality and the Santo Daime Tradition, by G. William Barnard
Nova Religio The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions August 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1525/nr.2023.27.1.137 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Book review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Key findings | The review describes Barnard's "Liquid Light" as an autoethnography of the Santo Daime religion, written by an academic who self-identifies as a member of the tradition. It situates the book within broader debates over legal religious use of ayahuasca in the United States, noting that Santo Daime and Uniao do Vegetal have obtained religious exemptions while other groups remain in litigation. |
Abstract
Book Review| August 01 2023 Review: Liquid Light: Ayahuasca Spirituality and the Santo Daime Tradition, by G. William Barnard Liquid Light: Ayahuasca Spirituality and the Santo Daime Tradition. By G. William Barnard. Columbia University Press, 2022. 384 pages. $140.00 hardcover; $35.00 softcover; ebook available. Tarryl Janik Tarryl Janik University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Nova Religio (2023) 27 (1): 137–138. https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.2023.27.1.137 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Tarryl Janik; Review: Liquid Light: Ayahuasca Spirituality and the Santo Daime Tradition, by G. William Barnard. Nova Religio 1 August 2023; 27 (1): 137–138. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.2023.27.1.137 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentNova Religio Search Ayahuasca, a brown sludgy mixture that contains DMT (N-Dimethyltryptamine), is known to foment hallucinogenic experiences when consumed. Deriving from Amazonia, ayahuasca and ayahuasca shamanism are popular commodities, not just in the United States, but worldwide. Although it is illegal in many countries, a number of groups are fighting to use it legally for religious purposes in the United States, such as Soul Quest Church of Mother Earth and the Arizona Yage Assembly. While Soul Quest and the Arizona Yage Assembly are still in the middle of complicated court cases with the U.S. government, other groups, such as Santo Daime and Uniao do Vegetal, have had some success in achieving religious exemption. Santo Daime is the focus of Liquid Light. The author, G. William Barnard, is not only an academic, but also self-identifies as a Santo Daime member. This makes this autoethnography about the Santo Daime religion both fascinating and... You do not currently have access to this content.