Daniel Pinchbeck is an American author. His books include ''
Breaking Open the Head: A Psychedelic Journey into the Heart of Contemporary Shamanism'', ''2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl'' , and ''Notes from the Edge Times''. He is a co-founder of the web magazine ''Reality Sandwich'' and of the website Evolver.net, and edited the North Atlantic Books publishing imprint Evolver Editions. He was featured in the 2010 documentary ''2012: Time for Change'', directed by Joao Amorim and produced by Mangusta Films. He is the founder of the think tank Center for Planetary Culture, which produced the Regenerative Society Wiki.
Family and background
Pinchbeck’s father, Peter Pinchbeck, was an abstract painter, and his mother, writer and editor
Joyce Johnson, was a member of the
Beat Generation who dated
Jack Kerouac as ''
On the Road'' at the time was published in 1957 (chronicled in Johnson's book, ''
Minor Characters
''Minor Characters: A Beat Memoir'' (1983) is a memoir by Joyce Johnson documenting her time with Jack Kerouac. The book also tells the story of the women of the Beat Generation, the "minor characters" of its title.
The book won a National Bo ...
'').
Works and activities
Pinchbeck was a founder of the 1990s
literary magazine ''
Open City
In war, an open city is a settlement which has announced it has abandoned all defensive efforts, generally in the event of the imminent capture of the city to avoid destruction. Once a city has declared itself open the opposing military will be ...
'' with fellow writers
Thomas Beller
Thomas Beller (born May 23, 1965) is an American author and editor.
Early life
Born and raised in New York City, Beller has remained a resident of his native city, which often features in his stories. He is the son of documentary filmmaker Hava ...
and
Robert Bingham. He has written for many publications, including ''
Esquire'', ''
The New York Times Magazine
''The New York Times Magazine'' is an American Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times''. It features articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors. ...
'',
''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...
'',
and ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
''. In 1994 he was chosen by ''The New York Times Magazine'' as one of "Thirty Under Thirty" destined to change our culture through his work with ''Open City''.
He has been a regular columnist for a number of magazines, including ''
Dazed & Confused''.
In ''Breaking Open the Head'', Pinchbeck explored
shamanism via ceremonies with tribal groups such as the
Bwiti
Bwiti is a spiritual discipline of the forest-dwelling Punu people and Mitsogo peoples of Gabon (where it is recognized as one of three official religions) and by the Fang people of Gabon and Cameroon. Modern Bwiti incorporates animism, ancest ...
of
Gabon
Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the nort ...
, who eat
iboga, and the
Secoya people
The Secoya (also known as Angotero, Encabellado, Huajoya, Piojé, Siekopai) are an indigenous peoples living in the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazon. They speak the Secoya language Pai Coca, which is part of the Western Tucanoan language group. In ...
in the
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...
ean
Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
, who take the psychedelic
tryptamine
Tryptamine is an indolamine metabolite of the essential amino acid, tryptophan. The chemical structure is defined by an indole ─ a fused benzene and pyrrole ring, and a 2-aminoethyl group at the second carbon (third aromatic atom, with the f ...
brew
ayahuasca
AyahuascaPronounced as in the UK and in the US. Also occasionally known in English as ''ayaguasca'' ( Spanish-derived), ''aioasca'' (Brazilian Portuguese-derived), or as ''yagé'', pronounced or . Etymologically, all forms but ''yagé'' desce ...
in their ceremonies.
He also attended the
Burning Man festival in
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
,
and looked at use of psychedelic substances in a de-sacralized modern context. Philosophically influenced by the work of
anthroposophist
Anthroposophy is a spiritualist movement founded in the early 20th century by the esotericist Rudolf Steiner that postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world, accessible to human experience. Followers ...
Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner (27 or 25 February 1861 – 30 March 1925) was an Austrian occultist, social reformer, architect, esotericist, and claimed clairvoyant. Steiner gained initial recognition at the end of the nineteenth century as ...
,
through his direct experience and research Pinchbeck developed the hypothesis that shamanic and mystical views of
reality
Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within a system, as opposed to that which is only imaginary. The term is also used to refer to the ontological status of things, indicating their existence. In physical terms, r ...
have validity, and that the modern world had forfeited an understanding of
intuitive
Intuition is the ability to acquire knowledge without recourse to conscious reasoning. Different fields use the word "intuition" in very different ways, including but not limited to: direct access to unconscious knowledge; unconscious cognition; ...
aspects of being in its pursuit of rational
materialism.
Drawing heavily, and somewhat controversially, from material shared on the Breaking Open the Head forums, Pinchbeck's second volume, ''2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl'', chronicles
Mayan
Mayan most commonly refers to:
* Maya peoples, various indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica and northern Central America
* Maya civilization, pre-Columbian culture of Mesoamerica and northern Central America
* Mayan languages, language family spoken ...
and
Hopi prophecies,
and follows Pinchbeck's travels and travails as he responds to leads, both physical and intellectual, he receives via this forum. Examining the nature of
prophecy
In religion, a prophecy is a message that has been communicated to a person (typically called a '' prophet'') by a supernatural entity. Prophecies are a feature of many cultures and belief systems and usually contain divine will or law, or pr ...
during this period, Pinchbeck investigates the New Age hypothesis of
Terence McKenna
Terence Kemp McKenna (November 16, 1946 – April 3, 2000) was an American ethnobotanist and mystic who advocated the responsible use of naturally occurring psychedelic plants. He spoke and wrote about a variety of subjects, including ...
that humanity is experiencing an accelerated process of
global consciousness transformation, leading to a new understanding of time and space. The book details the
psi
Psi, PSI or Ψ may refer to:
Alphabetic letters
* Psi (Greek) (Ψ, ψ), the 23rd letter of the Greek alphabet
* Psi (Cyrillic) (Ѱ, ѱ), letter of the early Cyrillic alphabet, adopted from Greek
Arts and entertainment
* "Psi" as an abbreviatio ...
or
extra-sensory perception
Extrasensory perception or ESP, also called sixth sense, is a claimed paranormal ability pertaining to reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses, but sensed with the mind. The term was adopted by Duke Universi ...
research of
Dean Radin
Dean Radin (; born February 29, 1952) investigates phenomena in parapsychology. Following a bachelor and master's degree in electrical engineering and a PhD in educational psychology Radin worked at Bell Labs, as a researcher at Princeton Universi ...
, the theories of Terence McKenna, the phenomena of
crop circles, and a visit to calendar reform advocate
José Argüelles
José Argüelles (; born Joseph Anthony Argüelles; January 24, 1939 – March 23, 2011) was an American New Age author and artist. He was the co-founder, along with Lloydine Argüelles, of the Planet Art Network and the Foundation for the Law of ...
. Pinchbeck concludes with an account of receiving a transmission of prophetic material from the
Mesoamerican
Mesoamerica is a historical region and cultural area in southern North America and most of Central America. It extends from approximately central Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica. Withi ...
deity Quetzalcoatl,.
This claim was enough to get the book dropped by its planned publisher, delaying its release for the greater part of a year. While acknowledging that the validity of such an experience is unknown, Pinchbeck describes how a voice identifying itself as Quetzalcoatl began speaking to him during a 2004 trip to the Amazon. At the time, he was participating in the ceremonies of
Santo Daime
Santo Daime () is a syncretic religion founded in the 1930s in the Brazilian Amazonian state of Acre by Raimundo Irineu Serra, known as Mestre Irineu. Santo Daime incorporates elements of several religious or spiritual traditions including Folk ...
, a Brazilian religion that includes sacramental use of ayahuasca. Through its references to 2012 and the
Maya calendar
The Maya calendar is a system of calendars used in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and in many modern communities in the Guatemalan highlands, Veracruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas, Mexico.
The essentials of the Maya calendar are based upon a system which had ...
in the context of New Age beliefs, Pinchbeck's book has contributed to
Mayanism
Mayanism is a non-codified eclectic collection of New Age beliefs, influenced in part by Pre-Columbian Maya mythology and some folk beliefs of the modern Maya peoples.
Contemporary Mayanism places less emphasis on contacts between the ancient ...
.
In May 2007, Pinchbeck launched ''Reality Sandwich''. He is the executive producer of Postmodern Times, a series of web videos presented on the iClips Network, and co-founder of Evolver.net, an
online social network
A social network is a social structure made up of a set of social actors (such as individuals or organizations), sets of dyadic ties, and other social interactions between actors. The social network perspective provides a set of methods for a ...
.
His life and work are featured in the documentary ''2012: Time for Change'', featuring interviews with
Sting,
David Lynch,
Barbara Marx Hubbard
Barbara Marx Hubbard (born Barbara Marx; December 22, 1929 – April 10, 2019) was an American futurist, author, and public speaker. She is credited with the concepts of "The Synergy Engine" and the "birthing" of humanity.
Early life and educa ...
, and others.
In August 2013, Pinchbeck became the host of ''Mind Shift'', a new talk show, filmed in New York City, produced by Gaiam TV.
Pinchbeck's ''How Soon Is Now?'' (2017) explores the idea that the ecological crisis is a rite of passage or initiation for humanity collectively, forcing us to reach the next level of our consciousness as a species. The book outlines the changes to our technical infrastructure - agriculture, energy, industry - and our social, political, and economic system that Pinchbeck believes necessary to avoid the worst consequences of global warming and species extinction.
On October 22, 2017, Pinchbeck published a lengthy essay on Facebook that responded to accusations that he is a sexual predator that emerged through the
#metoo movement. Pinchbeck conceded to many of the things he was accused of and sought to explain them in terms of his childhood traumas.
Appearances and interviews
In a 1973 article about the ''
Wacky Packs'' parodies of consumer packaging, seven-year-old Pinchbeck told a reporter for ''New York Magazine'', "I think they're bringing out the truth about foods."
On 14 December 2006, Pinchbeck appeared on the television program ''
The Colbert Report
''The Colbert Report'' ( ) is an American late-night talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert that aired four days a week on Comedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December 18, 2014, for 1,447 episodes. The show fo ...
'' to discuss his book, ''2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl''.
Pinchbeck was featured in the 2006 video ''Entheogen: Awakening the Divine Within'', a documentary about rediscovering an
enchanted cosmos in the modern world.
Pinchbeck was also featured in the 2008 video ''2012: Science or Superstition'', a documentary describing how much of what we are hearing is science and how much is superstition.
He interviewed
Alejandro Jodorowsky
Alejandro Jodorowsky Prullansky (; born 17 February 1929) is a Chilean-French avant-garde filmmaker.
Best known for his 1970s films ''El Topo'' and '' The Holy Mountain'', Jodorowsky has been "venerated by cult cinema enthusiasts" for his work ...
for the German/French art television network
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plu ...
in a very personal discussion, spending a night together in France, continuing the interview in different locations like in a park and in a hotel.
Pinchbeck appears in the
documentary film
A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in te ...
''
2012: Time for Change'', directed by João G. Amorim, which was released in October 2010.
He also appeared in the
documentary film
A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in te ...
''
Electronic Awakening'', directed by AC Johner, released in 2011.
Pinchbeck appeared on ''
The Joe Rogan Experience
''The Joe Rogan Experience'' is a podcast hosted by American comedian, presenter, and UFC color commentator Joe Rogan. It launched on December 24, 2009, on YouTube by Rogan and comedian Brian Redban, who was its sole co-host and producer unti ...
''
podcast
A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. For example, an episodic series of digital audio or video files that a user can download to a personal device to listen to at a time of their choosin ...
, recorded on 8 September 2011.
Books and publications
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References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pinchbeck, Daniel
1966 births
Living people
Wesleyan University alumni
American male journalists
New Age writers
American spiritual writers
Jewish American writers
American psychedelic drug advocates
Psychedelic drug researchers
2012 phenomenon believers
Nautilus Book Award winners
21st-century American Jews
fr:Hamilton Morris