CNN reports on a government funded experiment with 36 people who took the illegal drug, Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms). They reported profound mystical experiences that led to behavior changes lasting for weeks and now months. These findings could lead to treatments for addiction, depression and other mental disorders. (3:41 min)
It would be such a gift if all my cancer patients can have just one profound spiritual experience.
If most people have just one mushroom trip, there will be no wars because they will have had the experiential experience of what the woman says, “we are all one”. Without direct experience, they are just words… but like Morrisey laments “very nice, very nice, very nice but maybe in the next world…”
yes, I was gonna say “where do I sign up” too…
seriously though, I would agree with the findings in that psychedelic drugs have essentially made me the person I am today. The impact has stayed ever since the first LSD trip when “the truth” was unveiled to me.
I have seen an interview with George Harrison where he said essentially the same thing, that it only took one experience to be forever changed.
David, I prefer your use for such drugs… of course the government will continue to make such drugs illegal because a peaceful world is not in their interest.
If I havent mentioned before, I read Timothy Leary’s auto-biography called “Flashbacks” a few years ago. Really great to get the inside story and see how Leary became public enemy number one and was eventually crushed by the power of the system…
yes, and the question remains, will we be able to have peace with our enemies… who are ultimately just ourselves. It seems so much more sensible than to keep going through the whole cycle again of killing and destroying each other.
This is one way to break the cycle. I’m actually very surprise that CNN reported it.
such an interesting story….i’ve been on all sides of this subject…you can also achieve a very similar state through meditation….it is true, those that experience this oneness are fundamentally changed…my guru believes meditation is the road to peace… whichever path is taken, there still must be a willingness to explore and open your mind to other possibilities, and it seems some folks aren’t too interested in that..
yes, thanks, ann for bringing up the parallel to meditation. The other way to achieve this state of grace is through lucid dreaming.
I have never done drugs or meditation but I do consider my very frequent dreaming as a spiritual experience of sorts. :) I think if I were to take a step forward, I would probably choose a more ‘sedate’ form of administration (ie meditation)… please pardon the pun. :)
it’s wonderful to have very vivid dreams. I love to listen to people’s dreams. It’s totally understandable to prefer more sedate forms to attain mystical experiences. The one big drawback is that it could take a very long time to train the mind and let go of it at the same time. One could meditate for a long time and still not feel this state of universal connection. But that’s alright too..
I can verify this. In the Netherlands it was legal till a few years back. I did it a couple times with friends and all say the same, it really is an eye-opener and good to get to know yourself !
It really helps to create a good perspective of the things around you and most importantly yourself! It really opens a person up. Im not a spirital person or so but there are so many natural psychedelics and stimulants that ancient civilizations used in `maturing` their young that now are illegal. I guess, like sayd above me, the people who are in control really do not want their working people to understand the big picture that is blinding our eyes for so many decades now.