Several years ago I had 3 seperate mystical experiences which have dramatically positively enhanced my life. The 2nd one was on mushrooms and lasted 20 minutes. I have ingested psychedellics many times before with great positive after effects- but none which have affected me profoundly like my psych one. Anyone know of any Jewish institutions/synagogues working w/psychedellics? I'm in..

benjamin, i do know a couple of shamanic jewish spiritual guides, grounded by decades of torah study, mitzvah observance, dead shows, and good drugs, who might be able to help you with that... email me if you want...

the drug war utterly fails to make any logical or moral sense.  Never did. 

the drug war makes sense when we look at how drugs are legislated- including pharmaceutical drugs (like patent laws). Why, for example, has MDMA been listed as an illicit drug when, not only does it simply make a person feel real good and happy, but researchers have shown that it can be useful for people with post traumatic shock syndrom (by taking MDMA victims of traumatic experiences like violent rapes and car accidents were able to be rexposed to the memories of the event, re-experience it without the terror, which helped them to come to terms with it as opposed to repressing it and blanketing the traumatic event like it never even happened). Weed is legislated because there is no way to otherwise control it, anyone can grow it in their back yard whereas it would take a factory to produce enough beers to last a frat's weekend).

I once heard that the reason why taking acid has become incriminating is because using it changes the way a person thinks. By doing so it exposes people to, oh my god, new ideas and beliefs. it changes the way people look at the world consequently. This upsets people in positions of power who want to maintain their status, they don't care about self-exploration or astral projection, all they know is that the more they have- the more they have to loose, and yet they will always want more!. Because these people in power want to sustain themselves and don't want any change in the system which they are a part of, they go out of their way to control any medium that might help transform people in trancendent ways. Not only are legislators concerned with this (maintaining power), but they fear (the unknown). They fear what might happend if people could freely take chemicals to enhance their being because they don't want to even bother trying it out for themselves, so they try to stop it in the best ways that they know how- by making laws.

Well I had try to post a reply to Asia's comment when Jewcy's website was updating, so it got lost. Hence, apologies for the more telegraphic style here.

1) 'War on Drugs' is a term that has been frowned upon by the substance abuse prevention people for a long time. E.g. http://www.amazon.com/How-Goes-War-Drugs-Corporation/dp/0833037374/ref=s...

2) "researchers have shown that it can be useful for people with post traumatic shock syndrom [sic]" -Nothing has been shown yet, to my knowledge: there is only one study regarding this, and its results are not expected until January '08. It involves limited doses of MDMA administered under controlled conditions. http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00353938

3) "[MDMA (ecstasy)] simply make a person feel real good and happy": there's plenty of evidence to the contrary. If you plan on taking ecstasy, make sure you do so knowing what its effects on your body will be. http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/ecstasy.html

I am thrilled to have stumbled onto this JEWCY site...or did the Universe know I had to check it out and left me a clue...who knows, but timing is everything as we say in the theatre.For the past 19 years a small group of friends and I have been working with plant medicines in the context of shamanic drumming circles, employing ayahuasca, peyote and other plants to deepen personal understanding and furthering mystic explorations, not to mention spontaneous and authentic creativity. Never would I have imagined years ago that one day my life's path would bring me to this wondrous place. Plant medicinces may not be for everyone, but the appropriate usage, understanding of the particular plant, the set and setting McKenna and others talk about, provide the best possible conditions for having and sharing marvelous and profound experiences. After years of feeling not quite plugged into my own life, it is wondrous and fulfilling to discover the plant teachings and all the questers who have helped in navigating the difficulties. Life would seem quite barren without the help and compassion provided by plant teachings.

welcome to jewcy anita.  

I was looking for charcol pills one night [highly effective for stomach achs that feel like you have a bag of air stuck in you tummy- but is not gas or indigestions. Actually, it allergy symptoms to wheat which i heard most people are allergic to] but they dont sell them at your average pharmacy. anyways, when I talked to the chick who worked there she asked me two questions:

Do you smoke? [I had just bummed one] 

Do you drink coffee? [ i had one the day before]  

If you answer yes to these questions, basically herbal drugs will not be effective for you.  I guess you have to be relatively unpolluted- or at lest living a particularly healthy lifestyle (no meat or toxic substances) before you can even feel the difference of a homeopathic/herbal/plant drug [even if its not FDA approved- its still a drug, which makes many herbal medicines  deceptivly dangerous when taken with other drugs].

The other thing I wanted to comment about is that hallucinogenic plants/drugs which have been taken by indiginous societies for centuries were never taken just to trip, alone that is. For example, my preuvian anthropoligist friend was living with some of the indians down south there and he took ayahuasca with them one night. We are talking about a middle-age, virginal-catholic mama's boy, but anyways he talked to a tree that told him, "you gotta be like us, rooted in the earth's soil but open to the stars (the universe)".

  tribes who take ayahuasca don't do it for recreation, they actually do it to enrich their community, to strenghthen their ties. All the men who take it ride on the trunk of a fallen tree like a canoe and they only get off it to barf (it makes you really sick and it can be really scary experience, as you can imagine if you were being poisoned). 

 anyways, if you are into plant medicines you must check out flower medicines too. I think this is a practice that originated from medieval, lobatamist priests in europe who were contemporaries of witches (who they burned because of competition)! (you know, like the priest who gives Juliet the sleeping/pretend death vial in the original romeo and juliet movies).   Here is a site of  Linda Cohen who sells flower essences: luminous lotus  (i met her once and she is for sure psychic because every question that I had, when she was introducing me to flower essences, everything that went through my mind she then answered without me verbally asking her)

Thank you for your rapid response, and warm welcome Assia!

I hope I did not come across as being one who uses the plant teachers for tripping purposes only...so not true. As I mentionned, the plant teachers are not interested in nonsensical usage of such precious commodities,set and setting is of the utmost importance as is the choice of medicine. Even after all these years, I consider myself a novice, every experience is newly awakening and knowledge comes slowly and in its own good time. Thank you for the link to plant essences...will check it out!

 I'm not making this stuff up about the healing properties of of MDMA for PTS victims.

 Also, there is no evidence that MDMA is harmful. Maybe you were thinking about X which is a combination of speed and mdma. There was one experiement that tried to prove that it is dangerous at Cornell, they concluded that it was- but it was revealed following this 'conclusion' that it was a botched experiement, some problem with the labeling. 

of course if you take several pills of x everyother weekend I wont deny that it will result in brain damage, but what kind of sane person would do that in the first place?.  

...might not be possible. If you claim scientific validity for some of your arguments ('researchers have shown'), you cannot at the same time reject actual scientific evidence when it is presented to you. The article to which you link is a Newsweek interview which states that "One researcher says the drug known as Ecstasy might be an effective tool for psychotherapy" -I'll emphasise "one" and "might". As against this, I provided you with a source regarding a registered clinical trial. I am not saying that MDMA is not a possible adjunct to therapy for PTSD victims, I am saying that we do not know yet, since the results of this study are due to come out next year. But maybe you know who dies in Harry Potter too.
And then your "there is no evidence that MDMA is harmful". If you had taken the pains to follow the link I put up earlier, you would have noticed a number of facts stated in clear English with actual source references listed. Amongst other things: "MDMA can also be dangerous to health and, on rare occasions, lethal."; "A survey of young adult and adolescent MDMA users found that 43 percent of those who reported ecstasy use met the accepted diagnostic criteria for dependence, as evidenced by continued use despite knowledge of physical or psychological harm, withdrawal effects, and tolerance (or diminished response), and 34 percent met the criteria for drug abuse. Almost 60 percent of people who use MDMA report withdrawal symptoms, including fatigue, loss of appetite, depressed feelings, and trouble concentrating." Does fatigue, loss of appetite, depressed feelings and trouble concentrating correspond to your "feeling real good and happy"?
"Users of MDMA face many of the same risks as users of other stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines."
"Hidden Risk: Drug Purity
Other drugs chemically similar to MDMA, such as MDA (methylenedioxyamphetamine, the parent drug of MDMA) and PMA (paramethoxyamphetamine, associated with fatalities in the U.S. and Australia) are sometimes sold as ecstasy. These drugs can be neurotoxic or create additional health risks to the user. Also, ecstasy tablets may contain other substances in addition to MDMA, such as ephedrine (a stimulant); dextromethorphan (DXM, a cough suppressant that has PCP-like effects at high doses); ketamine (an anesthetic used mostly by veterinarians that also has PCP-like effects); caffeine; cocaine; and methamphetamine. While the combination of MDMA with one or more of these drugs may be inherently dangerous, users might also combine them with substances such as marijuana and alcohol, putting themselves at further physical risk."

For more on the science and myths surrounding ecstasy, here's another resource: http://www.nida.nih.gov/Meetings/MDMA/MDMAExSummary.html

"of course if you take several pills of x everyother weekend I wont deny that it will result in brain damage, but what kind of sane person would do that in the first place?" This comment displays a profound ignorance of the mechanisms of drug dependence as well as of the sociology of substance abuse. Unfortunately, none of us is "smart enough" or "sane enough" to be safe from the temptations -and the dangers- of drugs. Unfortunately, substance abuse does not necessarily indicate that the individual is "insane" to start with: it hits harder, for instance, in the poorer communities (like any disease). Being socially under-privileged does not mean being "insane".

including moderation.  moderation, with ecstasy, being not more than once or twice a year... serotonin has to replenish.  As with many (legal) drugs, MDMA in connection with alcohol is dangerous.  Provably.  Very.  Also much street x is cut with (mixed with) coke or speeed...

It astounds me that anyone can defend the "war on drugs" or prohibition. One needs only to sum it up with "There wouldn't have been an Al Capone without alcohol prohibition, and there wouldn't have been a Pablo Escobar without the war on drugs." Prohibition takes fake crimes and makes real criminals. Having sampled almost every illicit drug but heroin, I will safely say that nearly every "study" or claim by the US government is more often than not a bald-faced lie, I would never trust information from NIDA, the DEA, or the ONDCP, they are nothing but liars.

Drug prohibition has never been anything more than racism and class war. Banning opium so the racists could have a reason to persecute the Chinese, cocaine and marijuana so they could persecute blacks and Mexicans. Our current attrocious war on drugs because Tricky Dick wanted a reason to jail those damn hippies. I've done ecstacy plenty of times, I have to say I feel addiction is only as real as you want it to be. Tobacco and alcohol kill more people a year than every other illicit drug combined. I used to be the binge user, I feel I can safely say most of the illegal drugs are near impossible to overdose on. I've had nights where I've done 400$ in methamphetamine in a period of 7 or 8 hours, 5 or 6 rolls of X in a row, 10 rails of cocaine, etc. I don't say this to brag, I say this to point out that I believe with the utmost conviction that any government drug agency is nothing more than a propaganda production organization.

It's a joke that this country dares to call itself a free country yet tells grown adults what they may or may not put in their own bodies. That is not freedom, it's moral policing, and morals are highly relative.

If people want to drop acid to talk to God, well then that's their own goddamned perogative and the government should leave them the hell alone. I'm sick and tired of fake conservatives who have given us everything but smaller government.

Is it just me or is there suddenly a greater-than-statistically-probable concentration of alien abductees on Jewcy?

I'm not sure what "poorer communities" you're talking about in regards to E consumption... I've noticed in my past experience that E tends to gravitate towards monied communities. Being that it often costs over $15 a tab your average poverty-stricken abuser will pass it by for cheap booze, weed or- dear zombie jesus no- crack.

I've only had it once, but my experience was very good. I can corroborate Assia statement about the users ability to resolve past trauma while in a altered state. I confronted many experiences from the past while under the influence of E and made it through feeling better about myself. Where before I would feel almost physically ill and be overwhelmed with discomfort and dread when the memories surfaced; under E I felt like it was simply something that had happened and life was too great to let it burden and slow me down. I decided to no longer invest emotion into it and it worked. Besides the self help bs I had great fun with friends- restraints of ego and social norms fell away and we were able to communicate openly and be ourselves.

As the night ended and the effects wore off I was left with a lingering mental boost and the onset of physical exhaustion. Also melancholy, I'll give you that. But it was the kind of bittersweet mental state I associate with knowing a great vacation will be over in the morning. It wasn't bad, just the kind of hurt you have that shows you you're alive and no good moment will ever persist. By noon it was over and I was back in the real world with a renewed sense of purpose and vigor.

I won't argue that there isn't addiction potential. There is, but it's the same addiction potential that makes people potheads, overeaters and stamp collectors. Can it cause physical damage if done to excess? Yeah, about as much the results of winning the Nathans hot dog eating contest. I argue we shouldn't create laws that prevent people from potentially hurting themselves via their own actions. If we continue down that slope we will invariably have to make pretty much everything illegal.

John Lilly, the inventor of the isolation tanks and the man who tried to teach languague to dolphins, a brilliant doctor and scientist, completely fucked up his brain on ketamine and LSD. He was doing a long-term experiment on himself. As a result, even when sober he came to think that there is a certain "World control center" staffed by benign ETs who were communicating with him directly. Lilly gave a long interview to the OMNI mag in late 70s - and the interviewer apparently had a hard time to compete with the voices in the Lilly's head. He was not a coherent brilliant scientist anymore, he sounded a lot like a New Age guru.

So you can be my guest and follow Dr. Lilly into the K-hole (may you come back).
But please be aware that there are profound long-term psychologic chances in people who take LSD frquently - they become unworldly and withdrawn. There were people who became permanently psychotic as a result of taking halucinogent. You may not know you are pre-disposed to schizophrenia until the one last trip that gives you the final push.

The brain is a complicated computer with lots of background action we never get to perceive (apart from extreme situations like near-death experience). The brain output - our consciousness - is highly processed, polished product and all what poisioning with halucinogens does is jaming the the process so that lots of weird stuff comes out, the zeros and ones are exposed. You can float out of your body, talk to Gods, re-live your birth, see fascinating patterns or fuzzy alliens. The problem is that all this is not real, it is a just an artifact of some wheels of the mind screeching as they turn in the wrong direction. I can't see how one can get enriched or expanded by chemically produced malfunction. And the brain is not supposed to be used like this, it is quite delicate instrument and even though it can take some abuse and recover one should not expect to be lucky in the Russian Roulette every time. And even if your mind comes back from your trip "enriched" and in one piece, the noise level in your head will never come back down to what it was before, you just wont notice.

I am nor in favor of draconic anti-drug laws (and the brutalizing penal system replete with tracherous and indifferent morons) but I disagree with proponents of drug liberalization. As Theodore Dalrymple pointed out, drug-taking is a vice - an immoral, idiotic and self-defeating way of living and even though the modern society has poor record of inspiring people about meaning of their life, at least the government should not tolerate when people do stupid immoral things like taking drugs to get high.

I think the legallization debate is fundamentally on the wrong track, drug problem is primarily about decadence, about popular culture and bad choices, a symptom of a social decay and even though the governments war on drugs is stupid the enlighted liberal "solutions" are just as bad. The dumb people who are allowed to smoke pot legally are getting a message that it is OK to have a joint every night, pot is not a big deal - and dancing on X-tasy is not a big deal either because everybody now does it there, right. Anythig goes. A man is free and has the right to satisfy any momentary whim he has, regardless of the cost to himself and everybody else.

My tribe (ancient Boii Tribe) has very few rules. The number one rule is to have no contact or dealings with jews, so I can not view this site.

The jews ARE the so called anti-christ. They are really degenerate low level troll like demons working for the devil to destroy anything that's good and moral. Now that they have finally reached their goal of taking over world control, the final battle between good and evil can begin. I am a warrior on the side of good and light, of truth and beauty, of kindness and compassion.

Shooting at the walls of heartache
Bang, bang!
I am the warrior
And heart to heart you'll win

and i had LOTS of "fun", drugs make things happen... make some people money, and some people feel good (but its only for a while) thats pretty much all they do (they defined as all substance that alter normal(untainted) brain patterns{including coffee})

you cant ride your whims cause it feels good... (speaking of societal collapse)

or maby you can sell them (whatever drug your interested in) and make back the money you spend on them... sounds good to the seller/user, but its not, because as time goes on, the terms of the hated anti-drug enforcement come into play; physical addiction, mental addiction
now you are F-UCKED, but just fucked. any willed person could get themselves out of this scenario by reverting back to the way it was before you were doing it... right? if you remember them... read on

sounds dandy! after learning the risks, ill get involved and not loose anything that i would need, be it from my people network, body or wallet.

but after you start, knowing the better feelings drugs produce means missing it when its gone or when your not "high"

and having the extra money lets you know that you could really have lots of money without a job (nobody thinks ahead that nobody is ever a professional drug dealer forever{neither did i, stupid})

then the time you spent doing the drugs comes into play when you dont have the business contacts you would have because instead of being at a legitimate job furthering the community and yourself in the community. you then have all of this illegitimate money that you cant do anything with because the govt has the microscope on you (one day you will want OUT!)
(of course only if you havent lost enough of your skills to perform increasingly complex business functions in a rapidly advancing world does this apply to the potential drug addicted you)

as much as i believed that drug laws were ludacris and unfair, i would probably have debilitated myself in a less-than-perfect self esteem binge (and when your doing drugs a "less than perfect self esteem" comes more than planned on and im a sexy bitch! so i have to support them. not only because of that reason, but because i am a contributing member of society and for others to cripple my hard work should be illegal in my point of view. granted the management of the moneys collected for communal purposes could be better, you aren't doing it!! your doing drugs. drugs = not the answer

now im late, but this is what happens now you can never say nobody ever told you the dangers. (sorry for taking your future excuse)

I like drugs and they like me back!

So fuck the government I'm gonna trip my ass off whenever I want!

"as much as i believed that drug laws were ludacris and unfair, i would probably have debilitated myself in a less-than-perfect self esteem binge (and when your doing drugs a "less than perfect self esteem" comes more than planned on and im a sexy bitch! so i have to support them. not only because of that reason, but because i am a contributing member of society and for others to cripple my hard work should be illegal in my point of view. granted the management of the moneys collected for communal purposes could be better, you aren't doing it!! your doing drugs. drugs = not the answer"

Oh yeah, I forgot how EVERYONE is just as irresponsible as you are. None of us have any control over our willpower, which means of course, that when we willfully exchange hard earned money for inanimate drugs, we are free of ALL responsibility from that action. THE DRUG DEALER MAAADE ME BUY HIS DRUGS!!

All victimless crime laws are just arbitrary replacements for common sense. to keep the stupid people from putting themselves at risk. Gambling, drugs, and prostitution are the only outlets that natural selection has these days, and if the weak arent getting killed off, the rest of the flock will get weaker as a whole.

The authorities protect the easily influenced. now i just cant figure out why they'd want to do that though =P

Anyways, weak-willpower does not exempt you from taking responsibility for your actions. Throwing kids in prison based on that idea is even more messed up.

A friend sent me a link to this non-profit event that I think some of you may want to check out. Its a discussion on the role of Psychedelics in modern culture by a current NYU professor as well as several other Phd's and several contemporary artists who produce psychedelically themed art. It should be pretty cool. After fees admission should cost $16.37 or thereabouts, but for any broke hippies out there who really want to go, there will be 100 donation only tickets or you can actually volunteer and get in free! To read the bios of the guest speakers or to find out more info please check out the link below. Enjoy!

Saturday October 27 2007 12pm - 8pm
at Judson Memorial Church
55 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012

http://www.horizonsnyc.org/index.html

Hey Tomas-

You really wasted some time with that rant. You are wrong. Besides, those that want to do the drugs will do them. Too bad for you. It is also too bad that you are wrong. Did I mention how wrong you are? Okthxbye.

In the Bible there are multiple references to a substance known as "Chrism". It is from this "Chrism" that Jesus the Christ (or the anointed one) gets his title. The are some historians who believe that this "Chrism" is actually a marijuana infused olive oil. The Bible even provides the recipe for anyone to replicate (you would have to be rich though as it would take several lbs of marijuana). The thought of bathing in such a potent oil is extremely intriguing as the largest organ of the body is the skin, so if ingested in this way THC would become a very powerful psychedelic indeed. It has been suggested that many of the healing's Jesus was said to have performed were on people with health conditions that marijuana is known to be helpful for (such as spasticity and menstrual issues or as an antimicrobial for skin diseases).

Anyway while it may be heresy or sacrilege to the average Jewish or Christian person to think Shamanism has had any role in their respective religions it only makes perfect sense to me. As far as I am concerned all religions trace their roots and origins to (primarily) edible psychoactive plants and animism. Early man while trying to eek out an existence in a harsh and unforgiving landscape would have tried to eat each and every one of the plants in their immediate environment (plants that are ritually smoked would have most likely been discovered
while being burned in mass quantities as fuel for a fire, or perhaps
during forest fires). Its only logical that they would eventually stumble upon the "magic" ones.

Its also no accident that there is the concept of a forbidden fruit in genesis. Knowledge of good and evil (dualism) is conferred upon those who eat of it, as well as a corresponding "loss of grace". This is very much a psychedelic story. My own first "real" LSD trip definitely felt like I was accessing "forbidden" information (the feeling of sin being heightened by the knowledge that it was a man made product that was causing the visions). Upon coming down I saw the world from a new perspective. All that was good as well as all that was bad about the world was more apparent to me than ever before. Fortunately or unfortunately you cannot close your eyes once you've truly opened them and that is one of the very real "dangers" of using psychedelics. Karmic repercussions of ones actions are stronger (either subjectively or objectively) post psychedelics, and this is the "loss of grace" (there is less divine forgiveness for those who know better). There are a lot of toxic people and cultures out there as well as literal toxins in our modern world which one becomes so much more sensitive to once "the doors of perception" are cleansed. Some people never fully come to terms with all the "new" evils they can now see. Its not that they weren't there before, only that they were blind or numb to them (and/or they even contributed to them themselves).

Anyway just some food for thought. Below are some links on the very "jewcy" subject of Chrism and of Jesus as a shaman.

http://cannabis.net/articles/jesus-cannabis.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2633187.stm

Two things:

I forgot to include the www. part in the link it should read

http://www.cannabis.net/articles/jesus-cannabis.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2633187.stm 

Also:

I felt I should go on a bit more about the demonization of drug use within the realm of Judeo-Christian thought and by extension, Western culture. 

Ever taken a psychedelic in a bad environment?  It is not exactly a pleasant experience.  Taking naturally occurring psychedelics that may have other unwelcome toxic effects as well (like ergot fungus for example which grows on wheat and is the organic precursor to LSD), in a environment as harsh as a desert, is most likely a recipe for a bad trip.  I feel very strongly that the beliefs which Judaism (and Christianity) are based upon are directly tied to this relationship of (mind)set and setting.  If you step back and look at the total pantheon of human thought on the subject of god and/or the meaning of life, which religions and philosophies the world over have always attempted to address, you will start to notice a pattern. 

The cultures of the middle east have always tended towards a (reactionary) dualistic perspective on the Universe culminating in the extremes of Manichaeism and Zoroastrianism.  The Manicheans believed that the powers of good and evil were absolutely equal and that they each had their own respective deities who were in constant battle (humans were a front of that war naturally).  The Spirit within man was considered holy and "of the light", and the Flesh was considered material and Evil, or "of the darkness".  Now I am not a religious scholar so I don't know the in and outs of this for sure, but I have heard more than once that there was no true concept of a "devil" (at least in the sense that we have now) in the Torah or the Old Testament.  This was added later, perhaps because of Zoroastrian/Manichean influence, however it should be noted that within Judeo-Christian thought the Devil is merely "allowed" to exist by an all powerful God (in order to test the piety of his children one would suppose).  The concepts of good and evil, of protagonist and antagonist, are absolutely vital to any good story and whether or not you were born into the Judeo-Christian tradition one cant help but be influenced by it.

Knowledge of psychoactive plants have been handed down since prehistory and it was always the domain of the "chosen" few who passed along that precious knowledge (very carefully because it is really not intended for everybody).  However once Christianity asserted itself as the dominant social paradigm those same few were labeled as "witches", pagans, and "sorcerers" and were considered to be "in league" with said "devil", presumably because of the story of Adam and Eve or perhaps just because they believed something different (and they refused to convert). 

For many, the end result of having such dualistic ideas so deeply embedded within the social consciousness is a profound feeling of guilt (either conscious or subconscious) when experimenting with plant medicines or drugs.  In the east the concept of good and evil is much more relative (and as such shamanism/herbalism is considered totally normal).  Good/evil are considered to be two halves of the very same coin.  After all you cannot truly know one without the other.  For example to a gazelle a lioness is evil, but to the lion's cubs she is good, it all depends on where you stand.  This is the only healthy way to approach the psychedelic experience.  If you fixate upon either polarity you may descend into a (hopefully) temporary psychosis and perhaps totally miss the lesson that the universe is trying to convey to you through the medium of the drug.  If you logically follow through on your psychosis you will eventually find your way out of the darkness, however many people who dabble with psychedelics under poor circumstances and with casual intentions will have a bad time, and can become somewhat scarred for life.  The memories of the experience will fade but they may never be brave enough to ask the same important questions again or they may not have the intellectual curiosity to challenge their own conclusions. The upside to this of course is that some lessons are only ever truly learned through "pain"... hence the expression "ouch! That smarts". : )  Duality is a stage of awareness or spiritual evolution that one must pass through, it is almost entirely illusory, or at least transitory.  Attaining this perspective is definitely no an easy task, and this is why I believe this class of drugs are here.  

Unfortunately in the modern world the only "culturally sanctioned" ritualized drug use is that of alcohol presumably because it does not open the same "forbidden" doors in the mind and as such it does not upset the status quo.  Psychedelics are pretty much the antithesis of alcohol and they should never be approached in the same way.  I think the best way to sum up the entire pro and anti-drug sentiments expressed by everyone here is through the following metaphor.  Drugs (not just psychedelics) are best represented by the "element" of fire.   Fire has as many good uses as it does risks, and without it man would never have advanced to this point (of course some drugs have way more benefits than others).  When "harnessed" by man fire can be used to cook food, heat a home, bake pottery, melt metal, etc...However it also has the potential to burn, kill, and destroy.  If you are going to use "fire" do not "play" with it.  Treat it with respect and it can be a useful ally, but if you use it with anything but the utmost care you, will definitely get burned...

"The only difference between a medicine and a poison is the dosage" 

Hippocrates the father of modern western medicine.

...Happy Trails  : ) 

u hate jews because you know ur not ur not worthy of our holy glory.our god is the only god and your tribe sucks dick.so go do some fucking shrooms and hopefully jump off a building with all your homo boii tribe friends behind u.

fuck off, amen

1. The fact is, it is called 'the war on drugs' by government officials and the public, I've never heard anyone corrected after calling it that. 3. No, really though, it makes you feel real good and happy, trust me.

"I can't see how one can get enriched or expanded by chemically produced malfunction"

Well, if you look at evolution as a process, you'll understand that "malfunction" is the cornerstone of evolutionary process. without entropy there is no life. remember that.

There are substances that are important to us, which our body cannot produce. Their function can be seen as a "malfunction" too. Are they "good" or "bad"? In the big picture they are neither.

Which brings me to this - if you consider that the thing that makes humans different from other species we know of, which is our (relatively) over-developed brain - but we can only see and dream of things which we know of or at the border of our knowledge. I don't know how many accounts of problems solved occurs during sleeping and waking up with the answer there is, but I claim that the same disorganized thinking process that make up our dreams can give you the answer by applying "crazy"-thinking, disassociated at parts...

So where that puts hallucinogens? They are not a "malfunction" any more than any brain chemical. But they allow people to access a different set of thinking process, and the amazing thing is that they retain their memory of it, unlike most dreams.

This experience can be mind expanding. It can be a boost to creativity. It can open you doors in your mind that you never thought existed. To think the unthinkable was always a crucial point to human evolution in terms of what we know of the world and ourselves. One person can single handedly (but of course - standing on the foundation laid by others before him) take humanity a leap forward. One person can enrich our lives by creating music we never dreamed of. Can I assert here that some forms of art would have never surfaced so fast without taking shortcuts using drugs?

However, hallucinogens ARE NOT for everyone. Anyone who is incapable of making a distinction between real experience, in the physical sense, and a drug induced one is inclined to have their state of mind tip over like a cow. Like heart beat disorders, "brain-beat" disorders can lead to people who are zoned out and/or flipped.

Moderation is obvious, and self awareness is an important aspect here - but self control is easier said than done. Whatever it is, I don't think that doing drugs because your friend is is a good reason. If you're willing to put your brain on the line, but you expect to gain nothing but "good feelings", then I believe you are acting in a very stupid way.

Drugs are neither good or bad. It is their application that can be judged.

I sometimes take shroomies and once took LSD.

I only do this with my best friends, who I know I can trust.

Every single trip has been a magical, eye opening experience.

When Im tripping, its like a warm rush, in which I can see the world from a different perspective. I find that it reveals alot of truth to me. I see peoples true intentions, and I see through myself, and accept myself as a true human being. This way I can see what I do well, what is good, and things where I make mistakes and am selfish or unjust. It helps me to grow as a good and true human being. It also gives me strength by starting to really really trust myself. I also find it good for relationships, because the people I trip with, we experience how strong our friendships are and how close we are to one another.

It allows me to be truthful, completely, and leaves me with a good sensation for a long time.

When I first started experimenting with shroomies it was through my brother. And I abused shrooms as well at first, using it as a feel good drug.

Now I know how powerful shroomies are, and once in a while it is nice to have an eye-opening trip. The good thing is that you remember your trip afterwards, and can look back at it, and take in and learn from what you experienced.

I can understand why shroomies are illegal and not liked in society.

I think it is true to say that most people that do not take drugs to open themselfs up, deal with their deamons in different ways; some by covering up the truth, some by ignoring it and doing things they know are wrong but still doing them.

I believe drugs are not the only way to be true to yourself, and everyone around you.

Im trying meditation and yoga. It has to be said that this takes a lot more self discipline to get yourself to meditate properly for some time, but it is also really rewarding. Probably even more constructive, as it sets you in a happy state and it works well together with our society.

I dont like it when people critizise for the wrong reasons. Sometimes it is important to digg deeper.

The good thing is that when you believe in yourself, other people will as well, and you will never feel left alone.

I want to fall in love with the world, kiss everyone, and make everyone happy when Im feeling happy. I cant be happy bymyself, I need to share these good feelings.

Not so nice people come yourway, and try and destroy. With self believe and a good purpose however, their evilness crumbles, and eventually they see the good in you, and accept you as the guy with the higher better gooder plan!

Never give up finding yourself and being truthful. Its the biggest reward I have yet known.

I eat, love girls, get horny and all the rest, and I have to power to hurt aswell.

But I know when I do something wrong, and ony when I make it good again, and accept what I have done wrong, and dont ignore it, it is then when I feel on top of the world and good and peaceful with myself.

Elia

Someone noted the high number of "alien abductees", I assume by that they mean users of hallucinogenic drugs (like all stereotypes that reference has a basis in truth, but not all are like that, I didnt see anyone talk about channeling aliens here).

While that may seem unusual on an obviously Jewish site, it isnt when you consider that the kinds of people who engage in this sort of spiritual seeking are usually literate and computer savvy, and probably read more than average too (sorry no stats to back that up, just my gut feeling) so people find this article and pass it around because the hallucinogenic experience is near and dear to many peoples hearts.

I agree that for organized religious groups RFRA is the way to go, but I wonder if individual seakers could use the wording of "free establishment" to argue that spiritual seeking, so long as it is done in a way that makes reasonable precaution for public safety the government cannot regulate such behavior. There is widespread historical precedent for the use of psychoactive drugs in religion, and there are profound philosophical implications of a chemical that can cause what feel like very real religious experiences to people.

However people might not feel comforatble joining a religion whose tenets they may or may not agree with just because they share the practice of using a certain drug. Does it really make sense for a white goyim like me to start practicing rituals that are based in a body of shared cultural experience which I do not share?

Because its impossible for courts to measure a persons spirituality, and I wouldnt want them to, allowing it for personal spiritual use is tantamount to legalizing hallucinogen use, which I think should be done. The government should not legislate peoples lives except for reasonable precautions for public safety.

I would consider "reasonable precautions" to be no minors, possibly a written exam on medical effects before getting a "license to trip" which could be suspended if the person causes a public disturbance while tripping -LOL-) .

my mommy says I should h8 jews but you guys make some funny shows. I mean c'mon that curb your enthusiasm show was f******  hilarious !!

LSD isn't illegal because it exposed people to new ideas.  That is some BS hippy talk that has no basis in reality. 

MDMA is illegal because IT IS AWFUL FOR YOU.  It may make you feel good for awhile, but it destroys your brain.  E was huge in my area a few years back, and I know numerous people who are noticeably different now, and not in a good way.  The aren't as smart, they are depressed, and their motor function has suffered. 

I personally think the war on drugs is a waste, but at least get your facts straight. 

@ Tomas Vojkovsky

"The problem is that all this is not real..."

Thats a bold statement. Exactly what is real then? Touching? Love? The Earth? God?

"And the brain is not supposed to be used like this,..."

I think I'm missing key information about life, like where it tells you how your SUPPOSED to use your brain.

Towards the end of your comment I can't tell if your being sarcastic or not. Either I'm retarded or some of your statements don't make sense. Well, seeing as I have dabbled with psychedelics I must be in the wrong, since the noise level in my head is too loud to think. Remember, you only get one life. Why not use it to experience the most you can?

We come into this world with nothing, and we will leave the same.

the drug war is completly neccesary as stupid and rediculous and money wasteing as it is if none of these laws where in place our country would be a much worse place with 10 times as many addicts as we have now which is already the whole country or might as well be. If these laws werent in place anyone could get cocaine mdma crack meth anything at anytime. the drug war needs to be more refined if anything to prevent non violent offenders being put into jail.

also i have taken LSD many times personally as well as cocaine mushrooms mdma 2CB and i smoke more weed then anyone youll ever meet. Most people take all these things to get fucked up. No one takes LSD or mushrooms as a spiritual experience anymore and if they do its not a very common theme among trippers. Most people in my opinion shouldnt even take LSD because they are to fragile and demented and without proper guidance could wind up broken and more fucked up then they were to begin with. I know this kid who is a juggalo who use to be my friend but he has rolled so many times he can barely remember his name. Only truly smart people not book smart but book smart with common sense should take these things IMHO and only with a someone who is guiding them through spiritual or therepeatuic use