I wasn't exactly sure which subforum to post this article in, but I feel like this one is appropriate because the article describes different methods of utilizing psychedelics.

I thought this article would be appropriate to post here at The Nexus because I see a lot of people (myself included at times) leaning towards the elitist mindset that this article describes. I feel like the author makes some very intelligent points about the validity of recreational psychedelic use, from a viewpoint that I had hardly even considered before reading this.

Sacredness is in the Eye of the Beholder

nice article and regrettably all to true

especially this part i found strikingly in line with my thought on the subject.

I felt the same way about that segment, expandaneum.

i can see how this can be true, but i don't necessarily agree with it. if being 'sacred' implies being more cautious and intelligent prior to usage, then i think there is definite place for that in the world of entheogens, especially with regards to drug interactions, such as those with certain meds and ayahuasca which can be potentially fatal.


i also think there is a lot to learn from cultures in the amazon who have successfully used the vine and dmt containing plants for thousands of years in the arts of healing, war, hunting, spiritual practices, etc. especially when one contrasts that with the history and use of psychadelics in the west. if a shaman is a model of behavior in the tribe, then a harvard employed Phd professor should have been in the west, and many believe his actions are ultimately what led to schedule 1 psychadelics. thousands of years of usage against the western 60's.


i think the analogy of communion wafers is poor too because a wafer doesn't profoundly alter brain chemistry in ways that can be harmful when not in the proper setting. eat all the wafers you want and feel god inside of you as a result, but you will never dissociate from such actions.


another example that comes to mind is the manner in which the mazatecs in mexico used salvia, quidding rather than smoking enhanced extracts. while i don't know first hand, i would have a hard time believing that these people were filming themselves jumping through windows amongst other genuinely unintelligent behavior. while i'm not saying that smoking salvia doesn't have positive benefits, i just see a trend, this non-sacred use and aforementioned behavior in the west yet again placed another plant in illegal status in certain states.


while these plants probably don't have a built in, specific use, in my opinion its probably best to follow their usage traditionally rather than in a non-sacred manner. the former tends to have positive, healing effects, the latter tends to get plants and substances banned. although i think what may be best is dropping words like sacred which tend to automatically put people off, instead replacing with something like 'intelligent' or 'cautious' use.

inaniel, I understand where you are coming from, but I feel like you are equating recreational use with irresponsible use. I feel obliged to acknowledge the fact that there are certainly a large number of people who use psychedelics recreationaly, but in a responsible and educated manner. I don't believe that the author was referring to caution and intelligence when he used the word "sacred". I got the impression that he was referring to people who use psychedelics strictly for spiritual purposes, like myself, but also feel that it is the only way to use them appropriately and respectfully. I don't think it would make any sense to replace the word "sacred" with the words "cautious" and "intelligent" in this context, because they have such tremendously different meanings and implications.

The author probably could have come up with a more accurate analogy than that of the communion wafer, I will give you that. Although I could go into how the communion wafer is an example of the ways in which the traditions and rituals of organized religion can significantly alter a person's brain chemistry and cause serious harm to their psyche to the point that they begin to dissociate from reality and reason... But I'd like to stay on topic rather than open that can of worms.

I read years ago that there are 3 different types of user:

The hard drug user, recreational user and the experimental user.

Recreational users are generally the most fun to be around, . They tend to haphazardly take a little bit of this, maybe a bit of that.... Comedic hyginks are common. Things occasionally go horribly wrong.

Experimental users talk about responsible use, use words like entheogen, say things like "set and setting", generally well-read on their drugs, and will have a scientific and/or spiritual curiosity. Almost everyone at the nexus, I'd hazard to say, certainly falls into the "experimental user" classification.

It's healthy for us experimental users to not be too judgmental. Also, it's fun to party sometimes.