Psychadelics, etc.

The use of psychadelics and other mind-altering substances is taboo in most religious traditions in the U.S. and controversial even in the pagan community. The reasons are numerous & complex. One of the biggest arguments against their use is the fact that many hallucinogens are illegal in this country & have been the subject of a massive propaganda campaign to deny their usefulness and ruin their reputation as a source of inspiration and/or wisdom. They have also been characterized as extremely dangerous with high potential for abuse and little or no benefit. This is not entirely bad, but an incomplete viewpoint. Psychadelic substances, also known as entheogens (literally, "god-containing") are powerful and sometimes dangerous. Some, such as datura, are literally poisonous and can cause long-term damage. There is also the ever-present possibility of a user disconnecting from physical reality and behaving in a way that is dangerous to themselves or to others (thinking one can fly, for instance, can lead to a rude awakening). Our culture also lacks the ancient traditions often associated with these substances in tribal or shamanic cultures. The Tungans in Siberia, for example, used Fly Agar mushrooms occasionally, and the use was not limited to the shaman. But they had a tradition that encompassed the experiences obtained by such use and both the user and those around him/ her knew how to deal with the experience. My one experience with Fly Agar, on the other hand, was confusing to me and to my "sitter," though not dangerous or frightening. I had no shaman to guide me through the first time and so I was blundering in the dark, so to speak. The point I'm trying to make is, not everyone who is interested in shamanism should be ingesting every entheogen they can get their hands on. It does not always lead to greater wisdom; it can in fact lead to greater confusion if one is not prepared to sort out and make sense of the experience. And there is the factor of dependence. Entheogens are almost never addictive, at least not physically. But I have known people who became psychologically addicted to the apparent escapism provided by "tripping." And I have known shamanic pracitioners who were bound to the entheogens in their practice; that is to say, they did not know how to engage the spirits or explore other realms without the use of mushrooms, LSD, etc. That is not the purpose of these substances. They are teachers, not hand-holders. A strong psychadelic experience in the right context can show us the mountaintops, but that does not make one a mountain climber. We must learn on our own how to reach those peaks through our practice. When the entheogens are no longer necessary, they have done their job. I have lots more to say on the subject, but I will take a break here and re-visit later.
Dream well,
Chancy