I think that the group needs to organize, set up a formal webpage, and create some sort of membership. I think that a goal of the group should be to create a legitimate spiritual (but not necessarily religious) tradition with defined beliefs and practices that people could find protection from the law under (a la Native American Church or Uniao do Vegetal). I've seriously written essays (my friends and I trade essays when we have an idea) on the need for an organization like this, and I have some rough drafts written up if anyone is interested in reading them. I don't want to attach a file, as I very strongly emphasize anonymity when I browse, but I will post a post with the writing copied to it.

You are completely right to suggest that this project needs to move forward. I'm not too sure about the church idea. It has been brought up a couple of times now and the consensus has always been that we'd like to see the use of psychedelics legalized in a broader context. Also, legalisation is a global goal - The Nexus is an international forum, in fact the admin is located in the netherlands. I'm not saying that a new entheogenic church or religious group wouldn't be able to garner some support, but most people here seem to favor the scientific approach.

I would very much appreciate your ideas on the CEL and of course your help in getting it started and running.

I currently see the project more or less evolving into some sort of lobby group for friends of psychedelic plants and substances. Kinda sharing recent developments and commenting on them. Perhaps we could somehow raise funds to do comments on these recent developments via press releases. But for this, a website needs to exist. Press Release submissions cost between 20- several hundred $ a piece depending on reach.

I agree with the sentiment that psychedelics should be legalized within a larger context. I did not clarify it very well, but I think that seeking religious exemption would be exploiting a loophole in the system, and would be one step in a much longer journey. I would want the "church" to be absolutely secular, and to include psychotherapy as a "spiritual path" that is approved. Imagine how nice it would be if you could buy/sign up for a membership, receive an identification card that clearly states you are a member of a group, and then be immune from prosecution (within a certain context)? Psychedelic research could finally take place without interference from law enforcement. Now, I wouldn't want this membership to be super easy to get. I think there should be some sort of testing to determine whether the person in question is some sort of yolotard or a human being legitimately interested in psychedelic exploration.

On the subject of the internationalness of this forum, the US is the narco-capital of the world. We consume 50% of the worlds recreational drugs, and our narco-beurocracy has driven the international "war on drugs". If we can win a battle here, then we have immense power elsewhere.

I think an advocacy group could be useful too, but I feel like that is a much longer journey than peaceful defiance.

Have you ever heard of the brotherhood of eternal love? They were a group in the 1960s that believed that psychedelics could initiate a cultural revolution that would bring us into a new era. Their method of operation (basically a commercial drug-empire) was flawed, but I agree with their ideology to a certain extent. Not everyone is cut out for self exploration. Is there a way we could incorporate this sort of ideology into the group? Maybe an decentralized infrastructure aimed at creating local chapters so that like-minded people can congregate and proliferate certain ideals?

And when it comes to funding this, we could try crowdfunding. I don't know if social causes have been funded like this before, but hey, these are pretty revolutionary ideas anyways, right? There are many prominent figures we could contact to help raise awareness for an advocacy group, but I think we need to be organized to some degree first.

It's a nice vision. Easier said than done though. The distinction between lifestyle and religion is important from a legal standpoint if you are seeking religious freedom.

Here are three threads which might be of interest to you john:

https://www.dmt-nexus.me....aspx?g=posts&t=2670
https://www.dmt-nexus.me....aspx?g=posts&t=2262
https://www.dmt-nexus.me....aspx?g=posts&t=9895

Perhaps you could get in touch with some of the posters (even though most of them are inactive as of 2013) once you come out of the new members forum.



I wouldn't say that this is wishfull thinking as the US still pulls a lot of weight. BUT narc laws got tougher in some parts of Europe.... while the US starts to legalize cannabis, tourists are forbidden to smoke in coffeshops in the netherlands and magic mushrooms are banned too. In France, even caapi is banned. Germany does not have a real medical cannabis program and banned Salvia in 2008 (quick to ban new things). I'm sceptical, but i still fully support your attempts to start a psychedelic church - do it! Even if it "only" garners some attention and helps to legitimize the use of psychedelics, it'll be worth it.

Well, let me comment on the above statement. Even though tourists are officially banned from coffeeshops in the NL, in many places government officials have made it clear that they do not intend to comply with the new laws. So I don't know how much has changed. In regards to the magic mushrooms, they were made illegal after one guy had a freak out and killed and dismembered a dog on the streets of Amsterdam. Psilocybe Mexicana Sclerotia is still legal, so yet again, it's been a dynamic change, not a tightening of laws. I can't comment on the situation in Germany and France though. (I'm a dual citizen, US/NL).

I really think that the first step in all of this is creating a real life chapter with the objective of discussing psychedelics and even taking psychedelics together. I'll talk to my friends and see what I can do, but I don't know how much help I can be. I live in a super conservative area without much open minded entheogenic pursuit. I do regularly (once to twice a month) visit a part of the US that is much more lenient. I have quite a few friends there who use psychedelics of all sorts, but I don't know how many of them use them in a spiritual manner.

I still can't respond to threads within the CEL subforum, so I'll keep throwing my ideas up here until a mod "releases me" (I don't mean to be a dillhole about being new on the forum, I'm just really excited to be a part of this )

On the subject of the CEL being an advocacy group: after much thought and looking over threads and considering feedback I've gotten, I think an advocacy group is the right place to start. There should be an emphasis on harm reduction, and I think that this group should not advocate for psychedelic use in general (there are a lot of yolotards out there, and people do get hurt with an alarming degree of regularity), but for "responsible" psychedelic use. We should come up with a running definition of what "responsible" is (spiritual uses, personal development, psychotherapy, etc.). Trying to discourage the more bacchanalian uses of psychedelics should give us some degree of legitimacy.

Of course! I'm not against the "hedonistic" use of psychedelics as long as it is done with respect. Still, the focus has to be on spreading the word about other usees which are beneficial - even in the eyes of anti-drug people. I once read a comment from a cluster headache sufferer who said that he'd rather have brain surgery than to try an illegal drug. It is quite sad that this stigma effects the life of so many people in such a negative way.

Well you've got my vote for promotion because your engagement is admirable and needed.