Media Type : Book | Rating : 5.0 out of 10 | Read on : May 28^th, 2004

Released : June 2000 | New & Used Book Price : $30 & $15

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This book is mostly based on the ancient texts which are not present today in a physical form other than references in current books, such as this one. The book focuses on the concept of a plant being used as a hallucination agent to generate hallucination within a being and come up with thoughts and ideas which would otherwise be, without such a hallucination, very difficult to even imagine about. The book takes on, indirectly, the major religions and ideas in the world today, dating back all the way to the start of humanity itself. Spess tells us his views, showing us a connection he thinks is vital to the origin of religion itself, and how this “Soma” plant was responsible for causing the priests and noble people in the past to gain extra-ordinary powers and see angels and perform miracles.

The book indirectly indicates that the religion was directly affected by these plants, with all the priests [also called Prophets by some today and in the previous ages] using these plants [by either inhaling them or eating them through different mixtures] to be hallucinated and see things and think about the world in an entirely different manner. There are detailed steps as to how the priests used these plants to prepare for ceremonies and to prepare the ceremonies, and how these plants were called different names throughout different religions. The basic analogies of these plants in different religious books and ideas is discussed also, giving the reader some concept as to how these plants were viewed and how majority of the terms and conditions and many famous books were simply references to the Soma plant.

The book is, however, mostly based on ancient textbooks that are not present, as mentioned above, in written form today in their original excerpt. The author uses references which talk about these ancient texts, and uses these as being the majority of his evidences. However, Spess used several dozen references besides ancient books, references that you can today check out at the libraries to verify the accuracy of the information. The whole book portrays all the information about Soma and its importance and effects in a very narrative manner repeatedly, telling us how the priests and tribes used to prepare these plants and then use them for ceremonies.

The book fails however, in my opinion, to go into a concrete reason and evidence as to why these plants were used and whether these plants were the main reason people came up with the concept of religion. Many people will find this book to be the book of their lives, giving them the answers to some questions such as the origins of religions and the background behind prophets and their powers to see god and angels. For other people, this book will leave a lot of questions, though not the books intended purpose, hoping for more evidence and more explanation of this bizarre yet very true reason.