Click here (santacruz.patch) to read about the role of mind-altering substances within ancient Eastern religious traditions...
(cocktail party factoid: a slang term for cannabis, 'ganga', comes from Ganjika, a Sanskrit word meaning 'of the Ganges' River, where the plant was plentiful)
Your thoughts about the (ir)relevance of such substances for religious experience?
9 comments:
I found the discussion on Soma very interesting as i have not heard it mentioned much outside of Aldous Huxley's book, which is completely fictional.
I definitely think that psychedelic drugs can be useful for such religious and spiritual reasons. Outside of the realm of religion, psychedelics are already capable of aiding people in looking at themselves in an honest and constructive manner, allowing them to perceive and think about themselves and the world around them in a completely different way. They can also be used for meditation, or as a way to explore whatever 'spiritual' (or at least different) realms that exist within the human mind (or arguably within the world around us). So if one were to undergo such an experience for religious or spiritual reasons, and the individual firmly believes in whatever religious practice they are undergoing, then i would imagine that the effects and the result of the trip would be even more powerful and profound than they would be otherwise. However, although these types of drugs do have incredible capabilities, i do not think that any religious practice should be permanently or exclusively connected to a drug. Drugs are a way to find or explore a new world, to alter perceptions, and to increase the possibilities of the human mind, but the real spiritual and personal learning comes from later contemplation and continual attempts to access similar mental capabilities and openness without the use of the drugs. It is of little use to use drugs to open a door if you cannot make good use of walking though it, and people should always be weary of walking through doors that they themselves cannot open.
-Zach
I thought that was a very insightful comment by Zach.
I suppose the relevance or irrelevance of psychedelic substances in religious experience depends entirely on the religion a person chooses to subscribe to. If it is the main means of communicating with the deity of the religion, then a mind-alterning substance is very integral and important in the religion and so is extremely relevant to a religious experience. If the religion a person subscribes to though does not communicate with the spirits or deity (or deities) through a mind-altering substance, then I believe that the substance is irrelevant.
-- Sydney
I am not comfortable with the thought that to reach my deity I have to use mind altering drugs. Because who is to say what is happening to me during this time.
I prefer to keep my mind clear. So I do not think a person needs to use them. If they want to so be it. I do not think it is in their best interest.
Lisa
I took a class on Hinduism at my school at home (here on exchange), and we spent a fair amount of time learning about soma and it's importance in the Hindu religious experience. As this article touches on, the Vedas, which mainly address hymns to deities, also contains hymns to Soma, as it is considered a divine plant. I also learned that Soma was historically used as a sacrificial offering. On the basis of this evidence, it is clear to me that the use of substances can enhance religious experiences in certain religions.
I also think that substances can provide an altered mindset to allow for a different thinking capacity than one might have otherwise, allowing for an altered, or perhaps greater, religious understanding.
Lauren
I understand the usage of the drug soma to enhance a persons ASC however I feel that you should be able to contact you Deity without the use of mind altering pharmaceuticals.
Bob
I think that a substance's relevance, or lack thereof, isn't necessarily something that can be determined from an external perspective. Traditions such as Taoism and Hinduism place a great deal of weight in the idea of transcending the ego in order to resonate with the Divine. Mind-altering chemicals typically eliminate inhibitions and provide some variety of euphoric feeling. Just as Zach said, they can be a way of opening the door. Many religions which support the use of substances don't rely solely on these substances as a means of communication with the Divine. They are a way to open a door and practitioners must then work to attain these states via hard work - whether it be meditation, fasting, etc. So to answer the question... I don't think that judging relevance of substance use in any faith tradition is really anything to spend extensive time on. The decision to use substances is between the practitioner and (ultimately) their diety or dieties.
That last one was me. Oops!
Sophie
I understand that there are a lot of cultures in this world that believe that getting a really strong connection with your deity while in a state of ASC, whether or not it was assisted with some type of psychedelic drug. I personally wouldn't use drugs to connect with any type of deity.
Saryn
I think that the use of mind-altering substances for religious experience is irrelevant. I have seen people high before and of course they see things, but it never seemed to be anything good or even anything close to a religious spiritual encounter. The article states "many people in the West became interested in Taoism and Buddhism after having a psychedelic experience". For this reason and I believe that some people may choose a religion of this type as an excuse to justify getting high.
Katrina A.
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