Opium: A Journey Through Time.

Opium is one of the most evocative words in the English language. It is derived from the ancient Greek word for the sap of the poppy pod (‘opion’) but in its long history it has changed from being seen as a Gift from the Gods to the Scourge of Modern Society and yet paradoxically both statements are true. Opium and its derivatives are, it seems, all things to all men and have been for thousands of years. Its story goes back five thousand years or more and has its origins in the beginnings of human society and there seems little doubt that opium will be there to help relieve the suffering, and indeed be the cause in certain cases, when civilization itself comes to an end.

How can such a small, fragile flower be responsible for both relieving and causing so much suffering to humanity? To try and address this question this book investigates that complex relationship.

Colin Shearing had a deeply religious upbringing. After attending Theological College he relocated to Hong Kong to do missionary work and became a choirmaster. During the next five years he travelled extensively in the Far East making a study of their religions. In 1970 he relocated to Delhi in India where he joined The Theosophical Society and studied Astrology, Raja Yoga and other esoteric sciences. He travelled around India working as a foreign correspondent for a news agency for the next seven years.