A friend sent me a link to this article by Mariana Caplan and I thought it worth sharing. I met Mariana last fall during the Sofia panel. One of the variations we spoke about (off-camera) that might fit into several on the list is the use of drugs for “spiritual experiences.” Such approaches go by many euphemisms like “medicine journey” but they are high-risk ventures, especially when done in remote areas of other countries. I know several people who’s lives where royally messed up by such a trip.
A key aspect of depth and integration is clearing the subtle bodies of energetic debris. Intense, distorted experiences and violent physical reactions are the antithesis of this.
Difficult astral entanglement and a very messed up energy body? There’s nothing spiritual about it.
Davidya
Last Updated on June 25, 2023 by Davidya
hmmmmmmm. thanks Davidya, but I think this is more of a social context then just stating that medicine plants have no value.
after all, shamanic healing and medicine plants have been active for thousands and thousands of years.
in our western culture, we are not after knowledge of our self, but mostly we are after a “good feeling”. we might get a glimpse, or an “ah-ha” moment, and we want to wring everything out of it, so we can “get something for us”.
the same kind of negative effects can be seen in too much meditation, if done to soon, or not with the correct understanding.
I do see your point that this can be very dangerous, and I know of at least two folks who had very negative experiences. I have thought of doing this myself in the past, but it just did not feel right. did not miss anything. might have taken me many more years of meditation, but sooner or later we see what we need to see. cheers
Hi ZP
Didn’t say no value – I said dangerous and the value is not in the context it’s being given in. Drug tourism is not spiritual and while they may had some trappings of “tradition”, most of the “shamans” are entrepreneurs, not religious leaders. The religeous leaders have spoken against this.
Another example of this – there are hundreds of wandering sadhus in the Himalayas who spend their time stoned on pot. They claim it is “traditional” but the Vedas warn against such things.
I can also note that you have it backwards. It will take many more years of meditation to recover from such. I’ve seen this with a number of people.
Finally, I would note that the use of the term “medicine” in this context is entirely marketing. There is nothing medical about it. The makers are mixing chemistry for a style of drug high, just like a drug lab down the street. This is nothing to do with traditional.
Good point – It is like using a nuclear bomb to push in a thumbtack. It makes sense in a materialistic society that even enlightenment can be purchased and ingested, but it doesn’t work that way, and never has. Drugs can be useful to treat a whole host of conditions, but ignorance is not one of them.
“ignorance isn’t one of them” – good one. Thanks, Jim
Thanks for spreading the word along with me, Davidya.
If I might mention… regarding that little series of four articles you mentioned in your main post, my fave is the one written by a fellow nerd. (Like you and me, Davidya, and maybe some of your readers here, like that witty Jim.)
Sam researched before-and-after, in some detail, about the aura of a woman who has been involved in ayahuasca-tinged spiritual seeking.
Maybe worth a look, and worth sharing if any of your friends are considering this sort of “tourism.”
Agreed, Rose. Good to have an example that wasn’t a promoter.
To be fair, I have known people who where messed up by meditating too much. But this ungroundedness was easily corrected. If a person became cultish about their relationship with the group or practice, then some psychological healing may have been necessary. Even the best can become a problem without moderation.
However – by comparison, I’ve know several who’s lives where royally messed up by a drug trip. Recovery was much more involved. In one case, there was no real recovery. And everyone I’ve known with a drug history took much longer to get clear.
The key detail to understand with any approach – where is it designed to take you? A truly spiritual practice will bring you to pure being, pure consciousness.
Chasing experiences will just bring experiences. It will not bring liberation.
Have you ever had such an experience? I experimented with psychedelic mushrooms quite a bit and it lead me to spirituality. After these experiences, i knew that there was something beyond our “normal” life.
I had my last “trip” two years ago in which there was the “experience” of pure consciousness. I realized that there is only this, whatever name you want to give it.
I never took it again after that, because i know that there is only This, whether on these substances or not.
But i also agree with you. I know too many people which life´s were ruined by these things. In an ayahuasca facebook group, there are people who had hundreds of trips and never touched upon universal conciousness. It seems to me that they are very stuck in their experiences.
But nevertheless, I probably would not comment here, without these substances.
Hi Daniel
I have not used psychedelics in this lifetime. What I share is from the experience of many others I know. Rick Archer of BATGAP also speaks of such experiences opening the door to spirituality for him. He then took up meditation.
So yes, we come to it many ways. Hopefully, we realize the higher path and let that go as you’ve done.
It’s an issue in spiritual circles as well – people using practices to chase experiences. Some of those practices can also damage the energy physiology.
Hey David,
Damage the energy physiology got my curious. Since this last experience, I hear a high pitched sound, which can get very intemse during meditation. I got very sensitive to light and I can see static movement.
Is this something to worry about?
Hi Daniel
No. Barring ear damage and given the other details, you’re likely experiencing the world becoming. The world around us is becoming in every moment. That can be experienced a number of different ways, including felt vibration, a high pitched tone, and liveliness in what we previously saw as still.
I would take the view that this is just one way of experiencing it and not get attached to the experiences. You want to stay grounded and integrate, not get distracted by side effects. 🙂
Turns out I shared this article several years prior…
https://davidya.ca/2012/02/06/10-spiritually-transmitted-diseases/