SnozzleBerry wrote:Hey JohnGriggsII, welcome to the Nexus
If it's not too much to ask, as you are a new member with only two posts, would you mind sharing some of what you would like to contribute in this thread so we can get a feel for you? We can always make threads out of posts or move your posts into relevant threads in the CEL section after you do this.
The reason I ask is that we generally don't promote people based on requests, but rather demonstrated actions/attitude. Posting your ideas/thoughts/rough drafts to this thread would go a long way in demonstrating where you are coming from, and would also allow you to share the relevant material you seem so interested in sharing. I'd really love to take a look at the stuff you are talking about, as the brief insight you've given to your perspective seems in-line with my own thoughts and the role of CEL.
Please feel free to post any of the material in this thread, and I will be happy to move it to the appropriate places upon your promotion
Again, welcome to the forum...it's great to have you here
Thanks for the warm welcome
Basically, 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 in the strictest sense) 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 there is a good place to put 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.
On a completely different note, there was a thread I saw that talked about having issues with egocentricity and messiah complexes while on LSD. They chalked it up to "plant spirits" and the unwholesomeness of synthetic compounds, but I have a much more concrete reason for this. LSD, unlike most psychedelics, also acts on the dopamine receptors (d2 and d3 agonists if IIRC). These are the same receptors amphetamines indirectly stimulate (though the way they stimulate is very different, they raise endogenous dopamine levels). This dopaminergic activity contributes to the "creative-stimulant" activity LSD has (hoffman himself took microdoses as a mild stimulant, he compared it to ritalin, and if it hadn't been made illegal he intended to bring it to market as a tonic), but can also cause egocentricity and mania.
However, in the "Handbook For the Therapeutic use of LSD-24, Individual and group Procedures" (1959 - D.B. BLEWETT, Ph.D. & N. CHWELOS, M.D.), they briefly talk about how some people tend to shift the focus of their trip either entirely outward (escaping the internal reality) or entirely inward (escaping the external reality). They thought that the egocentric effects of LSD were actually examples of the Psyche trying to protect its sense of stability (aka a psychological block, which would be counter-productive within a therapeutic setting).
I personally think it's some combination of the two factors. Some people already have very active d receptors, so there may be a population segment that is prone to mania, messianic thoughts, or other forms of egocentricity while under the influence of LSD (I consider myself a part of that population). In my experience, this can be (partially) combated by having a sober trip sitter present to help a tripper keep a grip on reality.