Goal: To create a logical discussion of the benefits and harms of using psychedelic substances/drugs/chemicals to induce an altered state of consciousness.
Reason: The 60’s counter-culture created by a popularization of psychedelic substances carried with it a number of revolutionary ideas for spiritual evolution. But did these drugs allow a person to venture out of their perspective and...(more) comfort zone, possibly fueling and integration of cultural perspectives and states of mind, or was it merely a trip that made trivial ideas seem “Out of this world”?
Background: Sigmunt Freud revolutionized psychology with his insights on the subconscious mind - on cocaine. Francis Crick came up with the double-helix model of DNA, revolutionizing Biology and Genetic Engineering - on LSD. Shamans use extracts such as the ayahuasca root to spark spiritual visions and voyages. Carlos Castaneda and Don Juan expressed the merits of Peyote.
More recently, psychopathologies are starting to be brought into question as simply altered states of consciousness. Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation, proposes the similarity between the perspectives of animals and people with autism.
Is there a “normal”/”natural” state? Can chemicals and herbs induce a beneficial and spiritual meditative state?
Aside from the literature abailable, I have noticed that much of it is filtered, exaggerated, or hidden in subscription-only scholarly journals. I hope this pod will bring light to the issue and spread its awareness. (less)
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Altered States of Consciousness
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