Brilliant! I have had a strong disinclination to join my psychotherapeutic peers on the psychedelic bandwagon. Now you've given me reasons for my resistance. Thank you.
I've always returned offers to indulge in drugs with a (possible) Carl Jung quote: beware of unearned wisdom. I never meant to say so in a churlish or nose-turned-up way (though it comes off that way) but it was a sense that I would be rolling the dice, as well as a distaste for 'cheat codes'. To fill out your gaming analogy, I think it is not even the power or level-ups that let you defeat the final boss but the habituation inside the world of the game to a point of mastery (observance, discipline, thought and action, perhaps). In my favorite game series (Dark Souls - a game notoriously cheat code free and difficult), the final installment ends with a fight against none other than yourself, for the soul of man.
P.S. this also reminds me of Keats in Nightingale: "I will fly to thee, not charioted by Bacchus and his pards, but on the viewless wings of Poesy". Of course even Poesy may abandon you in the end, so even Keats should have ultimately turned to prayer until his brow sweat blood.
Not saying you’re wrong or anything, just an additional perspective from my experience: Psychedelics can be an important access point for some people. When they’ve experienced violence and abuse tangled up with religious practice/language, being told to find their sustainable healing through religious practice and self-denial would be somewhat impossible at first, maybe even damaging. Sometimes we need to step away and detangle — a process that can take years and years — and psychedelics can be a pivotal tool in that, especially when it comes to recalibrating a damaged nervous system. Stepping away from religion as I knew it arguably saved my life (not trying to use that as a trump card, it’s just my actual experience). My journey had to be kind of backwards. Only now can I once again entertain the idea of a God — a God that doesn’t suffocate me entirely — and psychedelics helped me with that. Not saying that psychedelics ought to replace religion or spirituality, but I think they can be an access point, and an infinitely creative God isn’t offended by that.
I can see this. On the other hand, I would worry that the enchantment I arrived at would be the evil kind; that is, in my psychedelic state I would invite in spirits that meant me harm but found that out too late.
Fully understood and valid. My experience was using very low doses for the purposes of getting my brain and body to talk to each other. it was more medicinal for the nervous system than it was for the “experience“
I can confirm that deep meditation accesses the same state as ketamine.
Brilliant! I have had a strong disinclination to join my psychotherapeutic peers on the psychedelic bandwagon. Now you've given me reasons for my resistance. Thank you.
Incredible!
I've always returned offers to indulge in drugs with a (possible) Carl Jung quote: beware of unearned wisdom. I never meant to say so in a churlish or nose-turned-up way (though it comes off that way) but it was a sense that I would be rolling the dice, as well as a distaste for 'cheat codes'. To fill out your gaming analogy, I think it is not even the power or level-ups that let you defeat the final boss but the habituation inside the world of the game to a point of mastery (observance, discipline, thought and action, perhaps). In my favorite game series (Dark Souls - a game notoriously cheat code free and difficult), the final installment ends with a fight against none other than yourself, for the soul of man.
P.S. this also reminds me of Keats in Nightingale: "I will fly to thee, not charioted by Bacchus and his pards, but on the viewless wings of Poesy". Of course even Poesy may abandon you in the end, so even Keats should have ultimately turned to prayer until his brow sweat blood.
There is no hangover with love, either. No DTs.
Not saying you’re wrong or anything, just an additional perspective from my experience: Psychedelics can be an important access point for some people. When they’ve experienced violence and abuse tangled up with religious practice/language, being told to find their sustainable healing through religious practice and self-denial would be somewhat impossible at first, maybe even damaging. Sometimes we need to step away and detangle — a process that can take years and years — and psychedelics can be a pivotal tool in that, especially when it comes to recalibrating a damaged nervous system. Stepping away from religion as I knew it arguably saved my life (not trying to use that as a trump card, it’s just my actual experience). My journey had to be kind of backwards. Only now can I once again entertain the idea of a God — a God that doesn’t suffocate me entirely — and psychedelics helped me with that. Not saying that psychedelics ought to replace religion or spirituality, but I think they can be an access point, and an infinitely creative God isn’t offended by that.
I can see this. On the other hand, I would worry that the enchantment I arrived at would be the evil kind; that is, in my psychedelic state I would invite in spirits that meant me harm but found that out too late.
Fully understood and valid. My experience was using very low doses for the purposes of getting my brain and body to talk to each other. it was more medicinal for the nervous system than it was for the “experience“