Fully Symbolic Creatures
[Verse 1]
After 6 million years of boredom
The evolutionary ascent of our species from the last common ancestor with the chimpanzee
Something extraordinary happened to us
Less than 100,000 years ago, which by the way is long after we'd become anatomically modern
It was a kind of emergence into consciousness
[Chorus]
We became fully symbolic creatures
Fully symbolic creatures
And we became fully symbolic creatures
Fully symbolic creatures
[Verse 2]
And this great change is being defined as the single most important step forward in the evolution of human behavior
Is intimately associated with the emergence of the great and transcendent rock and cave art
All around the world
All around the world
Over the last 30 years, researchers have suggested an intriguing and radical possibility which is that this emergence into consciousness was triggered by our ancestors encounters with visionary plants
[Chorus]
And we became fully symbolic creatures
Fully symbolic creatures
And we became fully symbolic creatures
Fully symbolic creatures
[Verse 3]
If you analyze the cave art, there are so many details that make it clear that this was an art of altered states of consciousness, of visions
Of visions
Plants like the amanita muscaria mushroom or psilocybin mushrooms
Appear to have been directly connected with this sudden and radical change
[Chorus]
And we became fully symbolic creatures
Fully symbolic creatures
And we became fully symbolic creatures
Fully symbolic creatures
[Chorus]
And we became fully symbolic creatures
Fully symbolic creatures
And we became fully symbolic creatures
Fully symbolic creatures
[Outro]
Visionary plants
And the beginning of Shamanism
Visionary plants
And the beginning of Shamanism
Visionary plants
And the beginning of Shamanism
Visionary plants
And the beginning of Shamanism