I understand that interacting with others is a major way to learn and grow.  I believe there is more to the overall growth process than just that one aspect, however.  My spiritual experiences have given me a more enlightened perspective regarding the nature of my reality.  They have helped to me realize the true nature of my very being, and the physical and nonphysical worlds in which I operate.  Knowing this has shed new light upon and has given meaning to my daily life and the interactions I have with others, where as before embarking upon my spiritual journey there was little to no meaning, or rather, the meaning was unknown. 

It is the new perspectives that I gained through my first hand experience exploring the nonphysical universe which instantly created a positive shift in my beliefs and mindset, which in turn positively affected my relationship with the physical world and those living in it with me.  I'm sure that is easy to understand.  The quality of my consciousness is reflected upon my interactions with the world and with others, but these interactions with those in the physical world are not what caused the major positive shift in the quality of my consciousness.  The quality of my consciousness comes from within, and it is the manner in which I interact with the world around me which reflects this quality and shows me the characteristics of my consciousness at any given time. 

In short, it is how I perceive my interactions, what they mean to me, and what I learn from them, which dictates the quality of my consciousness-all of these being internal processes.  These interactions can be physical or nonphysical in nature; they can be with human consciousness, universal consciousness, nonphysical consciousness, or any other type of consciousness- they are all learned from in one way or another.  You cannot simply focus on one type of interaction, for we engage in many types, all being equally valid.

We cannot generally divide "right" from "wrong" experiences just because one is experienced soberly, and the other under the influence of drugs. We must be aware of the fact that we always are under the influence of some drugs- or their absence. Some eat this, some eat that. There are a lot of diet plans for having a spiritually fullfilled life. So called "drugs" are elements of the physical. You can take it or leave it. When you're smart, you take the right things. That's the only limitation there is, take what you can handle, and therefore, you have to find out before by carefully inform yourself about any potent substance you're considering to take. Have you had strong fears after taking cannabis? Then you better think twice before taking anything else.

I mostly am the same opinion with OobDude. At the same time, though, I beg to keep in mind, what for one person might be beneficial, for the other can be disastrous (as OobDude already has said).

Terence McKenna's book "True Hallucinations" is about mainly psilocybin and secondly DMT (if I remember right). While the group he's telling of had some quite unusual experiences, there's nothing really substantial for the reader to learn (other than the effects of the drugs). That's the backside, weird experiences, but unusable, nothing to grow on. But I believe on the other hand, by the right person, at the right time, with the right setting, it can be just right and beneficial to take psychotropic drugs. Salvia seems to be the most "spiritual" one, with the lessest side effects, according to what I've read.

I haven't tried other drugs than cannabis and alcohol. But I'm curious (but cautious as well).

Spooky

Spooky,
"[...]Terence McKenna's book "True Hallucinations" is about mainly psilocybin and secondly DMT[...]"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PkmsluXHAc

I like this one where he talks about the psychedelic experience. His little-finger comment cracks me up. But whereas mckenna talks about it being exclusive for the the good of all (who's to decide that?), I wouldn't want to rule out the possibility of making personal insights.

Ralph,
"[...]My goal is to achieve enlightenment in a totally natural way. Pschedelics are merely a tool to widen my perspective, not for escape from reality. After I try salvia, I can compare it to my other experiences and then move on."

Best comments I've read regarding drugs/psychedelics in a long time.

Volu, (OOBD).., 10 hits of acid? Holy crumb!! When I was doing sid in the 70's one hit of window pane , or perhaps a dbl hit of blotter or dbl orange barrel would get me tripping for a good day. Doing 10 hits would have sent me into a mental institution... I quit drugs some years back, in fact I don't even smoke dope anymore.  In the end I found personally that they just were not the answer. The main reason is because of the entrapment of the body by using drugs. Yes there is mind stoned, and there is body stoned, but by using drugs it became less spiritualy fofilling as it meant I was using a poison in my body to induce a perceived spiritual enlightenment in my head. The most unfortunate part was that the perceived experience was a byproduct of the body and not of the spirit. As for doing the drugs, I say " do what you do". In the end, you will grow beyond the need of such inducements that will only keep you stuck within the phyical, and not lead you out and beyond, to the spiritual. "True" spiritual awareness does not come only for but a few hours at a time, and only when you do drugs. I believe that attaining true awareness is only possible when you have clear thought, mainly because you then know it not a drug induces state.

Hawkeye,
"In the end I found personally that they just were not the answer. The main reason is because of the entrapment of the body by using drugs."

I agree, not my answer too, but it's an experience that I see different people try to fence in for different reasons. My conclusion is that drugs are for the spirit what breeding is for the body, and I don't like those temporary chains. But why shouldn't spirits be able to come to their own conclusions? I'd say chances are the most avid incarnational gatekeeper is stoned out of his or her mind right this very moment in at least one incarnation elsewhere in time.

In linear time, today it is 39 years ago since a last psychedelic note was played as that incarnation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XDX81R-byA

If these experiences weren't what the higher self wanted to have, why did it happen?

"The story of life
is quicker than the wink of an eye
The story of love is hello and goodbye,
until we meet again."

Quote:



   I agree with this remark except for the fact that's there's more to it. Perhaps the distortion effect only occurs on focus levels where normal lucid consciousness is prevalent.

   My experiences have allowed me to attain focus levels that I feel are only attainable by tuning into the wavelengths that can only be discovered through the shamanic portal created by the particular substance associated with it (especially psychedelics). It's like not knowing what going oob is like without actually achieving it.

   Consider also that not many people have tuned into focus levels assosciated with the animal kingdom. The plant kingdom probably have there own focus levels as well.

I am with OutOfBodyDude on this, and Ralph. I went to Woodstock, and cannot even estimate the number of psychedelic experiences I had in the 60's and 70's. I know no one who ever had any lasting effects or flashbacks (darn it), except that those experiences changed them fundamentally, and the way they interacted with their reality. It certainly did that for me, and was the beginning of a path that has led WAAAAYYYY beyond Focus 27 or anything I learned at monroe Institute. I found my experiences with Salvia and Ayahuasca quite different that the others. I value these experiences, and would never talk down to anyone in judgement about their personal decision to use these substances for expansion.

But in general, if you only have a learner's permit it is best to leave the Ferrari alone.

But with all the Nutrasweet, alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, white sugar, corn syrup and such---- how can you pretend you are not taking drugs? Food is medicine (drugs). Don't you think these substances bend your consciousness, too? And what about HAARP and EMF?

Build your light body however you find a way to do so. You will need it soon. Sooner than you think, friends.

There are many more such alchemical substances which have been made and used over the centuries. Psychoactive drugs are only one group. The Philosopher's Stone (yes, it exists) makes these things seem like Tylenol. There is more under Heaven and Earth than is dreamed of in our philosophies.....

Check out ORMUS www.subtleenergies.com/ORMUS
for example. It induces the same hemispheric synchronization that binaural beats do, but with no headphones, no CHEK unit, no induced dream state.... just the expanded awareness with your eyes open, right here in C-1. And no psychoactivity.....

Yes, there are many toys here, and none by accident. At least for those of us that have eyes to see and ears to hear....

Thomas

Yes, we take a lot of "drugs" all the time, every day. So psychedelics are just other drugs, but not principally different.

The sentence from Thomas reminds me of a gnostic interpretation of religion, that it is important to come to a spiritual understanding, or become anew ("build a light body") during our physical lifetime, otherwise we would roam the shadow realm and eventually (maybe) would be reborn again.

Spooky