I thought about posting cryptic messages around campus, to find likeminded people.
But I realize that this way of going about it, is also pretty risky because of trust issues.
I guess that is one of the problems:

Networking is very much necessary, but everyone who does it, puts himself on the line.

so what if you try to network with people that are not solely interested in psychedelics but say exploration of consciousness? Something less illegal. And once you get to meet the people you can test out the territory, see if you think they are trustworthy?

Screenings of The Spirit Molecule, BBC drug related documentaries, drug related movies ... If you watch Dexter, his trust issues and the need (and problems) to connect resonate with me when applying it to a likeminded peepz. Risks are almost as big too.

That poster seems cryptic enough!!!



Don't think that stuff like this happens around here. I think the only piece of psychedelic culture can be found in the goa scene.

I was actually thinking about this the other day. Exactly what Enoon said, I was thinking of starting a "club" (loosely based term here) that would be all about expanding consciousness in all of it's various ways. Then it would cut down the population pool of like-minded people to a handful instead of say, the whole university. But I was also thinking of combining your viral adverts, like you mentioned obliguhl, in the form of conspicuously placed stickers. Maybe in hopes to just spark people's interest in expanding their own mind with or without the "club" aspect.

But obliguhl, when you mention the goa scene...like as in Goa, India?

...or the goa trance movement? hahah

-Peace, Love and Light

I wasn't talking about going to stuff like that but creating a stuff like that All you need is someone with a projector (student clubs or so) and you with a selected movie.

yeah, make a discussion group after screening the movies, talk to people, sounds like a good way to get to know others.

also I dont see why it is a risk to meet others, its not like you have to tell them you extract illegal drugs in the first talk or something, first get the feeling of people, and open up gradually and once trust is gained.

Book a conference room and give a talk. Present it as an evening of educated discussion on the topics of ethnobotany, philosophy and social change. The more you sound like an intelligent, political, pop-academic symposium, and the less like a gang of smelly hippy drug-pushers, the better your chances. Be Terence McKenna, not Tim Leary.

I like the idea of getting a group together...

And endlessness is definitely right that there is no reason why admitting that you're interested in or have partaken in psychedelics should get you in trouble.

When I'm testing the waters with someone, I usually name-drop ayahuasca. If they even know what ayahuasca is, then you're good, and if they don't, then you can usually wave it off as a shamanic potion used in the Amazon. Then if they're interested in shamanic potions from the Amazon, they will generally make that known. Ayahuasca also benefits from not having the same social stigma as mushrooms or LSD.
I've had people who have never touched booze or weed tell me they want to take ayahuasca, after the subject piqued their interest and they did some more research. Just from a mention.

Obliguhl, I don't know how socially outgoing you are, but if you are a positive outward example of someone who is knowledgable about psychedelics, people will come to you. If you put yourself out there as an active, friendly, responsible person who knows about these things, people will come. If you don't work hard in school, smell/look funny and keep to yourself, this will not be so... a lot of early contempt I once had for psychedelics came from a bad example amongst my peers, whereas a good example of a psychedelics user helped me get rid of that contempt later in life.

Be a mentor! You'd be surprised by how many normal-seeming people are interested in these things, but have been too scared to ever let that show and/or try them.

^
completely agree

This is a subject I have been thinking about for some time.

I think as entheogen users we should hold ourselves to a higher standard than the non-entheogen using community at large.

If we are impeccable with our words and actions and accurate with our information; we can, we will, we must stand as shining examples of what an evolved human being can be.

I believe that is one of the repercussions inherent with using these substances. As a keeper of the medicine you are entrusted with the duty of representing that medicine to your community.

If you can tell the layperson that you use ayahuasca and why honestly in words they can understand and give them true accurate verifiable information; they won't argue with you, they won't close off, they will do this really strange thing that's completely out of character for the average human being, they will pay attention.

When you have their attention, if what they see is a healthy and successful person; if you stand luminous as the warrior you truly are shining the light of wisdom impeccably through their ego's fragile gaze. Maybe, just maybe, you can change someone's mind... and that is the greatest gift you could ever give them.

-Namaste

I really don't think coming at people with a holier-than-thou attitude of mystic guru-ism will achieve much in the way of results, shining warrior of righteousness or no. We live in a very cynical culture and nobody sane is going to want to hear about how awesomely enlightened and spiritually superior you may believe yourself to be. Speak intelligently and make a cogent, rational case for the use of psychedelics, and present yourself as an object lesson in the worthiness of their use (e.g. don't look like how The Man expects you to look; the psychedelic agenda is more important than dreadlocks and piercings) and people will give up their time to hear you and engage the issue.

Realise also that much of the impetus for face-to-face meetings is diminished by the internet, which allows people to do exactly what we're doing now - sitting safely in our homes, conversing fairly anonymously and with total deniability and access to all the information and most of the substances at the click of a button. Why bother with meatspace at all, where 200 people in a room discussing extraction teks could warrant a raid by overzealous police?

I believe accusing others of having a holier than thou attitude is an ego defense mechanism against feelings of insecurity and inferiority based on deep seeded shame and guilt, but I'm a psychology major I'm supposed to think that . I apologize if my use of metaphor was not received the way it was intended. For the record I don't believe I am better than anyone else, I do however believe I can act impeccably in my own life and live as an evolved human being, and that all human beings have the capacity to do the same.

I never claimed to be holy or a guru. These are the type of misconceptions I was hoping to avoid. I was merely saying that if you look at me and see that I am a healthy, happy, well adjusted valuable member of society, who is both honest and intelligent when it comes to such murky topics as "drugs" and I tell you yes I use ayahuasca and that it's safe and natural and related to endogenous compounds and yada yada, and give you accurate information that your books and internet connection verify later, maybe you will change your reactionary thinking and see that I'm not just some holier-than-thou up my own arse drug eating hippy, but a compassionate and caring human being sincerely hoping to help others.

And while many will lurk in the anonymous shadow's of the interweb, I'll be out there in the meatspace using my credentials and impeccable example to continue pushing forward the agenda for these medicines I feel are so valuable and important at this juncture in history. I also believe there are others who will do the same.

You may say I'm a dreamer... but I'm not the only one

It was specifically the 'shining the light of wisdom' line that irked me, though my post does come off slightly more accusatory than planned. Apologies. Let me explain why the tone at the end of your post, the the 'W' word especially, sets me off...

My steadfast belief is that psychedelics users should avoid any and all claims to righteousness, wisdom, spiritual clarity or anything of that sort: if possible display the evidence of those things in your character, sure, but never talk about them unsolicited. Even the term 'entheogen' is too ideologically loaded to be of any benefit to legitimisation efforts. It's too big, too weird, too troublesome in its implications. It sounds like snake oil and makes the users of it seem arrogant.

I believe psychedelics have their greatest chance at acceptance (in my country at least) if perceived not as world-changing, spirit-reforming, humanity-saving medicines of the spirit, but as a simple, harmless hobby pursued for nothing more than personal edification, and exactly what that entails is nobody's business.

Some people train-spot, some people fish, some people go on walks in the countryside, I take psilocybin. I'm not going to say that my hobby grants me greater wisdom than other peoples' hobbies grant them. I don't necessarily believe the potential benefits of psychedelics are unique, as to claim that they are implies the denigration of all those other pursuits and their adherents, and would be the extremist politics of a deservedly fringe idiot. I can only aver that my hobby is of value to myself alone, and that inhibiting my right to access that value is unjust.

Claims of psychedelics being 'the greatest gift', shattering other people's egos, etc. I see as arrogant guruism. One should not operate under the assumption that everybody is sick, nor that psychedelics will hold any benefit for them.

Walking around considering yourself an impeccable example isn't going to win you many worthwhile followers either, I imagine.

Ah see this is where the miscommunication stems.

I believe psilocybin is a serious powerful psychological tool, not to be compared with taking a walk or going fishing.

I believe these things are medicines and should be treated as such. Not saving the world, not the end all cure all, but serious pharmacological tools that should be handled by those qualified to use them. I am thus pursuing qualifications to further research into that area. I'll let my accomplishments speak toward how much of an example I am, but I will always strive to be impeccable in my every action because I need to be taken seriously if anyone is going to take my ideas seriously. Dr. Strassman is a good example of the path I'm trying to follow. Leaving his theories out of it, he was impeccable (without fault/blame) throughout his educational career and in jumping through all the hoops he had to in order to re-open human psychedelic research in the US.

Again, I'm not a guru. I don't want followers. I want to further the legitimacy of psychedelic chemicals as psychotheraputic tools. I'm sorry the words and metaphors I used provoked such negative reactions in you and I'm glad your hobby works out well for you; I hope you are experiencing the healing benefits these medicines provide. I however do not feel you are going to accomplish much toward furthering the cause for the legitimate use of these substances.

The funny part is if you look closely we are both arguing the exact same point from the beginning and this is all just ego wars akin to intellectual masturbation...

was it good for you?

sorry for highjacking your thread obli

It's not masturbation for me. I'm not sure what that makes it...

Seriously though composing those posts greatly clarified my thinking on the issue of the presentation of psychedelics. I have come to genuinely believe that (again, regarding the situation in my country) there is more to be gained politically from downplaying the effects of psychedelics than praising them.

Maybe these substances can be of use in the fields of psychology, of religion, of culture and engineering and banking and whatever else, additions to the toolbox of whichever sect believes it can capitalise upon them best. However I don't think this will open the door to full-scale legal reform and the kind of groundswell of popular support that I'm hoping for; the kind of widescale reform that makes, say, a once-demonised and highly illegal drug like cannabis into the now-largely-decriminalised, oft-preferred inebriant of the middle classes.

Of course cannabis may be milder than psilocybin, but legally the two drugs have been grouped. Being afforded medicinal status has helped the pot cause somewhat, but it is regular people growing, smoking and dealing their own stuff that has led to saturation of society and the softening of popular opinion towards the substance and its users. All because smoking dope came to be seen as little more than a personal hobby, not greatly different from a walk in the park.

If psychedelics were viewed so casually, would politicians be able to profit from their prohibition? No chance. So why not drop the lofty claims of guaranteed wisdom, life-changing insight and shamanic specialness? The initiated already know, the uninitiated don't want to hear it, and the prohibitionist rulers profit all the while from the status quo.

Perhaps my contribution to the struggle won't be as significant as that of a psychologist, but we fight this fight where and how we choose to. My choice is to portray psychedelics usage as no more noteworthy than the nature of my chromosomes, the colour of my skin or the direction of my sexual interests: all integral to my being, all of absolutely no importance to the laws that rule me.

Back when I studied psychology I used to give powerpoint presentations about "Transpersonal psychology". I could tell who was paying more attention than average and in some cases, 2 or 3 students would come to talk about the works of Stanislav Grof. The rest is obvious.

Note: I dont "believe" in Transpersonal psychology, but I think is a good way to talk about psychedelics in an academic environment.

Now we are in 2011, and I think mentioning the work of the Heffter Research Institute in USA and Zurich is even more interesting yet less subtle.

I'm happy that such a fruitful discussion developed and its also in no way irrelevant

About the topic: I have difficulties downplaying psychedelics, because of the impact they have on me. Also, it would be very dishonest and manipulative to do so. These substances DO change lives and DO offer wisdom.

But there is a difference between arrogance and wisdom.
Do psychonauts who claim to know all really got a clue? How can you ever be not a noob when it comes to psychs? So i guess the right way is to tell the whole truth.

..and if im not fully healed, how can i say i am? How can i be a "shining example" ?
I can't ..but still i refuse to fake it so i can be seen as someone i'm not.

The whole idea of holding a speech is appealing, even though i hate doing them. I'm also not very social. But there is something about it..

Also, I agree with Laban Shrewsbury III in all that about:



Anyway... I really think that psychedelics offer an amazing experience and can help people in several aspects. But I wished that the psychedelic community would stop projecting their own fantasies and expectations onto others. It all depends on the context. Assassins can take psychedelics and love it... socio-paths, paedophiles, all sorts of insane people... and that's it. Actually, I think this is the only culture that believes psychedelics have everything to do with peace, love, unity and respect... and all that thanks to the hippies.

The fact is that psychedelics have to do with both Eros and Thanatos.
psychedelics can, have and will also be used for evil purposes and for that I am happy, because I like balance. But whatever, sometimes I forget people on psychedelic forums are tripping ballz and I remember when I used to believe I was an angel lol. I guess people have to deal with their own shit and figure things out by themselves.

The only thing I know is that I have a sort of obsession about the legalization of drugs. Almost everyday I think about what could I possibly do to help the cause as much as I can. I have 2 youtube channels, I give talks about the potential in Clinical Rehab of certain psychs, I annoy some psychiatrists every now and them with the curriculum of Strassman, Grof and Vollenweider. I try to support (not with money) all organizations in favour of total legalization. I try to spread the word. And I really dont know why I do it. I guess I find psychedelics so delicious and wonderful that Id like more people to not miss out them. Or maybe my life has found meaning in psychedelics, or maybe I just want to see the world burn (haha j/k). The only thing I know is that I would give my fucking life in an instant if that would make drugs legal tomorrow morning. That is how bad I want this to happen.