There was a very interesting conversation between a famous
Buddhist monk and a famous psychedelic researcher regarding the use of
psychedelics (entheogens) compared to meditation for seeing All-That-Is.
The conversation started with the monk relating a story of
taking a helicopter to Mount Everest and looking at the wonderful sights. He had previously hiked 15 days to get to the
same view.
When the monk came back he felt that because it was such a
short trip, he wondered if he had ever been there? I think most of us agreed this was an
excellent metaphor for the long trek of 5, 10, or 30 years of meditation that
it might take to see clearly All-That-Is compared with psychedelic use.
The researcher then noted that many current Buddhist
teachers had their first experience of All-That-Is during psychedelic
explorations, and then later traveled to the East for meditation training. Further, he described that entheogen
experience as a “peek” at the “peak.”
An interesting question!
What is the role for entheogens in the evolution of the human mind, in
spiraling up the ladder of consciousness?
Of course I have a strong prejudice regarding this question,
as yours truly also had his first peek at All-That-Is during one of several LSD
“trips.” Then, later, found meditation
through martial arts.
Further, I also had an opportunity to take a helicopter ride
to a glacier in Alaska. The feeling of
seeing that vast expanse of mountains and ice from the air was profound, truly
spiritual. Walking around on the glacier
was amazing as well.
So as you can see, I am not buying the argument that you
must only take the slow route. The use of
an entheogen to take a peek at the peak, is a choice that each of us needs to
make individually.
We do need to keep in mind that right now, except for within
research studies or religious ritual, the use of entheogens is illegal. Further, we can get caught in a spiritual
bypass by depending only on entheogen use for spiritual experience. I would say that doing this is likely to
block your continued evolution up the spiral.
Yes, to go from a temporary state of seeing All-That-Is
using an entheogen, to a stage of being able to enter that state at will,
without entheogens, and to “keep a toe dipped in,” takes time and effort.
As I have said before.
You all want it, enlightenment.
Go and get it!
Or, at least start to drop all the parts of the survival ego
that gets in the way of seeing that you are always already there.
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