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A thread about psychedelics

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onewheelwizzard:

--- Quote from: RedLion on 06 Jun 2008, 13:41 ---The effects of LSD are generally uniformly positive for me, as cliche as the phrase "mind-expanding" is, that's really the best way to describe it. However, I meditate often and intensely, if meditation can ever be described as such, and I prefer to reach those heightened states of awareness, insight and clarity (mindfulness) through the power of my mind, rather than relying on outside substances.

--- End quote ---

From the point of view of a psychedelic advocate, I would say that applying a meditative approach to the use of a psychedelic would likely be a benefit to both aspects of the resulting experience, and that treating psychedelics as a tool for expanding the limits of one's meditative practice, rather than as a crutch to be avoided, could potentially be rewarding.  (I know that Tibetan monks have participated in experiments with MDMA and LSD before, with neutral-to-positive results.)

However, from the more general point of view of a person who pursues spiritual consciousness, I would say that being an active meditator is probably a much more important factor than using drugs, and that if eschewing drug use is working for you, it's probably a good choice.  Possibly not the only good choice, but a good choice.

Edit: aside to öde, since I already mentioned it in this post ... there are several reasons why MDMA can be seen as a spiritual substance, but it kind of relies on the user intending it for spiritual use first and foremost.  For instance, it helps with meditation because it blurs the distinction between mind and body, which is a fairly universal aspect of spiritual experience in some form or another and so lends itself really well to spiritual practice.  I've never devoted an entire MDMA session to meditation, but I have meditated while under its influence, and the two definitely enhance each other.

KharBevNor:

--- Quote from: Trollstormur on 06 Jun 2008, 13:46 ---i'm headed to a local art/music camping festival called Aesthetic Evolution here in a couple weeks and I'll probably get a light fry going on while I'm there. It's mostly electronic music so I dunno how I'm gonna really enjoy myself.

--- End quote ---

Double drop ecstacy every three or four hours. Put enough E in me and I'll dance to a dripping tap.

Much fun as I've had with psychedelic drugs (which I would generally split into two groups: 'ritual' ie Salvia Divinorum, Psilocybin, Mescaline and Peyote and 'recreational' ie MDMA/E, Ketamine*, Marijuana) I do feel it would be remiss if at some point in this thread we did not mention the fact that, though yes they can bring much joy and revelation, they can, though admittedly much more rarely, and almost always as a result of blatant abuse, also drive you absolutely batshit insane.


*Though I would personally hesitate to call Ketamine 'recreational' as the first and only time I ever took it I thought I died, easily my second worst drug experience: I don't think anything is ever going to top dramamine.

onewheelwizzard:

--- Quote from: KharBevNor on 06 Jun 2008, 14:59 ---I do feel it would be remiss if at some point in this thread we did not mention the fact that, though yes they can bring much joy and revelation, they can, though admittedly much more rarely, and almost always as a result of blatant abuse, also drive you absolutely batshit insane.

--- End quote ---

Yeah, this basically sums it up.  Personality disorders can be either healed or worsened under the influence of psychedelics, depending on how the trip is approached, handled, and supported.  Disorders like PSTD, OCD, and anxiety disorders can be treated successfully by psychedelic therapists, but anyone who has any tendencies towards a personality disorder and ends up abusing the drug in a scenario that makes for an extremely negative experience is probably not going to come away from it unscathed.

My personal experiences with bad trips is that they are opportunities for healing if approached correctly.  I actually had a friend go batshit insane on a psychedelic drug once while I was trip-sitting him (I'd stayed sober due to an impending exam).  I feel absolutely sure that if the two of us had not handled the experience the way we did, he would've spent at least a few days in a mental hospital, if not a matter of weeks or months ... in a nutshell, he manifested an entirely separate personality, a la Fight Club and we had to deal with it somehow.  It was only by virtue of the two of us having been very close friends and seasoned tripping companions that we were able to work his life out so that it made sense and he could direct his actions without feeling like he was in competition with himself (it was pretty serious, he was using two different voices, sets of mannerisms, and for that matter wrestling with himself physically, and even going so far as to put his hands around my neck as if to strangle me, just short of actually cutting off my airflow).  The way it worked out, it actually became a healing experience for him and he's now significantly MORE sane than he had been beforehand.  (I keep using the word "healing," I think it's the most accurate for what I'm trying to say ... "psychological recovery" would be the scientific term, I guess, but I don't like it.)

Talking about psychedelics without mentioning the risks of abuse, though, is like teaching a driving class without bothering to mention that you shouldn't drive if you've been drinking, and to extend the metaphor, a certain number of people are spiritual alcoholics.

Thaes:
The topic of this thread fascinates me greatly. Drugs and their effect on society have always been somewhat of a mystery for me, since media only talks about drug abuse and criminality related to drugs, without mentioning the people who use psychedelics and still remain (or become even more) functional members of their society. Of course, the greatest reason for this is the lack of studies made on the subject, studies which could very well show that, instead of drugs ruining one´s life on that instant, they can also result in fascinating sensations like those experienced by onewheelwizzard.

SilentJ:
Okay maybe somebody can clear this up for me.  I've heard recently that Salvia is legal in the state of Maryland, so I'm assuming it's also legal elsewhere.  I was in Ocean City a few days ago and I saw a few neon signs that appeared to say "Salvia sold here!" so it looks like it is.

Is it legal here/elsewhere?  Also I hear it does some wild shit to a person.  The first explanation I got was "it's this weird-ass drug that makes you think you're the floor or some shit."

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