Guest guest Posted January 25, 2001 Report Share Posted January 25, 2001 Dear Glo, The limitation of ingesting substances to experience an altered state is this: There is inevitably the sense of the one who wants to experience something, who goes through the experience, who comes back to ordinary reality to talk about it. Nothing is out of place, so no event, whether taking or not taking a substance is out of place. However, no substance will resolve the tendency to feel there is a someone who can move into and out of experiences, from one state to another, because that is exactly the purpose of taking the substance, to move a someone into a state. So, a substance can open to possibility that perception can shift, but substance can't (fully) give the shift in which the one who would want to be affected by, and would be affected by a substance, is not. Because with the full shift, taking or not taking a substance would not be a concern, nor would entering or exiting states be a concern. The idea of a special state to be imposed by a substance on the nervous system, is attractive to whom, to get where? Simply -- how is there the aim toward a substance-induced state? In light of these considerations, "entheogenic": to generate an entry by God, is a misnomer. To think that ingesting a substance would cause God to enter or not enter seems itself a barrier to be released not through a substance. Who said Timothy Leary is dead? ;-) Love, Dan >Dear Gill, > >Here is a notice of a noted religious writer who has written a >new book about drug related doorways to spiritual perception. >See below to find it in this article. > >Not that you need a defense, but hey, I once had a true spiritual epiphany and >was overcome by a bliss that lasted all day. I was cleaning up someone's vomit >when this happened to me, so I highly recommend the activity. They say the >truth can come from anywhere. > >Best wishes, >Gloria > > >- ><notfreesir ><Dharma-Direct > >Tuesday, January 23, 2001 12:59 AM >[Dharma-Direct] Religion and Spirituality > > > > >This may interest some. I just received this email below and it >seemed rather significant. > >HUSTON SMITH, who is widely regarded as the most eloquent and >accessible contemporary authority on the world's religions, will be >presenting his work at The Prophets Conference ~ New York City during >the weekend of May 18-20, 2001 at The Cathedral of St. John the >Divine, Synod Hall. He will be part of an unprecedented faculty made >up of Ram Dass, Gregg Braden, Gabrielle Roth, Dr. Ralph Metzner, Dr. >Stanislav Grof, Riane Eisler, Dr. Michio Kaku, Dr. John Mack, Oriah >Mountain Dreamer, Dr. Robert Anton Wilson, Russell Targ, and Peter >Gorman (www.greatmystery.org/nyconference.html). > >Huston Smith, holder of eleven honorary degrees, is an >internationally recognized philosopher and scholar of religion. His >book The World's Religions has been the most widely-used textbook on >its subject for a third of a century. Counting its several editions, >it has sold over two and a half million copies worldwide. The New >York Times says that World's Religions is "Intelligent, clearly >written, reveals the spirit of each faith." > >In 1996, Bill Moyers devoted a 5-part PBS special to Smith's life and >work, "The Wisdom of Faith with Huston Smith." Smith has produced >three series for public television: "The Religions of Man,The >Search for America," and (with Arthur Compton) "Science and Human >Responsibility." His films on Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism, and Sufism >have all won awards at international film festivals. > >During the Moyers special, Huston Smith had this to say about the >prophets of old: > >"The prophets uttered words that have not been forgotten. The >prophetic principle comes down to the insistence on justice. >Basically, that no society ridden by injustice is going to last. In >other words, this is a yardstick for society and the extent to which >it is lived up to, put into practice, exemplified - that society has >a future. But to the extent that we deviate from it (justice) - no >hope, no hope. The prophets message is that - Justice, Purity, and >Mercy." > >Born of missionary parents in Soochow, Smith lived in China until he >was seventeen. His youth there provided an appropriate background for >his subsequent interest in comparative philosophies and religions. >After receiving his doctorate at the University of Chicago in 1945, >Smith taught at Washington University, M.I.T., Syracuse University, >and the University of California, Berkeley. > >The latest of Smith's twelve books is Cleansing the Doors of >Perception: The Religious Significance of Entheogenic Plants and >Chemicals. Peter Coyote says of Smith's latest work "With drug >problems so prevalent in today's world, it takes someone with the >probity, impeccable credentials, and irrefutable spirituality of >Huston Smith to revisit the religious potential of entheogenic plants >and chemicals." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 25, 2001 Report Share Posted January 25, 2001 But Dan, seriously, could not the same be said of any spiritual practice? gill > Dear Glo, > > The limitation of ingesting > substances to experience > an altered state is this: > > There is inevitably the > sense of the one who > wants to experience > something, > who goes through > the experience, > who comes back to > ordinary reality > to talk about it. <snip> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 26, 2001 Report Share Posted January 26, 2001 Hi Gill. Yes. And it is true of going into and out of the experience of "life" also. Love, Dan >But Dan, seriously, could not the same be said of any spiritual >practice? >gill > > > Dear Glo, > > > > The limitation of ingesting > > substances to experience > > an altered state is this: > > > > There is inevitably the > > sense of the one who > > wants to experience > > something, > > who goes through > > the experience, > > who comes back to > > ordinary reality > > to talk about it. ><snip> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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