I am writing to you that I might bring to your attention the existence of my book, “Deep Spirit & Great Heart: Living In Marijuana Consciousness,” a passionate work of art and culture in and of itself, and in order to explore the possibility of my being interviewed on the subject matter my book, and the larger social, political and cultural issues it raises in relation to America’s drug policies. Additionally, I believe your readers would find it most interesting to learn how I approach the teaching drug education in my classes at Columbia College Chicago where I am a Professor of Liberal Education, for my teaching is of a most educational, provocative and creative nature.

My intended audience is both marijuana aficionados as well as the general public. For although my book takes a celebratory stance in relation to marijuana if this plant teacher is used in a disciplined manner and it is afforded the respect it deserves as a food of the gods, at the same time, it is composed in such a manner as to also appeal to a general audience in order to enlarge the public policy dialogue on marijuana.

A first-person account, of thoughtful, healing, sensuous and provocative journeys into the earthly and spiritual aspects of awakened existence and being while under the influence of cannabis sativa. Captured in words by Ganja and given to Louis to be the journal keeper, we read of a plant teacher used to reveal multiple realms of consciousness and to make of life a rapturous experience. Journal entries relating insights into life’s challenges and possibilities and that describe a joyous daily existence, awareness of eternal truths, ecological wakefulness, sexual ecstasy and spiritual enlightenment are to be found as we read of Ganja’s travels into the land of “Great Spirit & Deep Heart.”

Highly crafted tales of respectful and disciplined use of marijuana reveal “heaven” to be neither destination nor place, but a state of consciousness. Written in such a manner to appeal to both marijuana aficionados and to the general public, it is intended to promote dialogue on the role of marijuana in contemporary culture within the context of access to divergent and alternative views that serve to take to task the oppressive and dysfunctional “Say No Or Say Nothing,” societal dictum imposed by the drug war establishment being essential to the spirit and practice of freedom of expression and enlightened discourse on mind expansion and spiritual development.

Book Title: Deep Spirit & Great Heart: Living In Marijuana ConsciousnessISBN: 1-4010-3854-9 www.xlibris.com/DeepSpiritGreatHeart

To Order: www.xlibris.com/DeepSpiritGreatHeart www.amazon.com (search by author or title) www.borders.com (search by author or title) www.barnesandnoble.com (search by author or title)

Louis Silverstein is a Professor of Liberal Education at Columbia College Chicago where he teaches courses in Peace Studies, Dying & Death, Education, Culture & Society and Drugs & Culture (forthcoming). His studies, theoretical and experiential, of transformative consciousness and alternative realities have been of long duration, encompassing four decades-1960’s to the present, and have taken him to settings throughout the U.S. and to Jamaica, Costa Rica, Canada and numerous European Countries.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

L.S.

Louis Silverstein, Ph.D.Dept. of Liberal EducationColumbia College Chicago600 S. Michigan AvenueChicago, IL. 60605312-344-7634312-344-8061 (fax)[email protected]://home.earthlink.net/~louis7s