Then (1971), True Hallucinations
The La Chorrera Experiment: What Actually Happened
The McKenna brothers attempted to 'bond' psilocybin into the human neural harmala system through a specific vocalization technique during a high-dose mushroom session. Dennis experienced a dramatic breakdown; Terence believed something extraordinary had occurred.
partially-confirmed
Dennis McKenna's 2012 memoir (The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss) provides his retrospective account: he underwent what he now believes was a drug-induced psychosis that lasted several weeks. The 'experiment' as Terence described it produced no replicable effect and no verifiable change in their biochemistry. What it produced was the Timewave theory and the mushroom monologue that became the foundation of Terence's public career. Dennis has spoken with admiration and skepticism about his brother's interpretation in equal measure.
Sources
- McKenna, True Hallucinations (1993)
- D. McKenna, The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss (2012)
- Torres, J. Psychedelic Studies (2019)