Plants and Shamanism

[JerrySeinfeld'sLeftNut]

I'm sure it has been asked before, but what do you all think about the role of psychoactive plants in spiritual achievement? In general, I find total dismissal of the potential benefits of these plants to be quite reductive: I have seen and felt their healing potential first hand.

 

In addition, many spiritually awakened cultures have used these plants for millennia. 

 

Also consider the role of entheogens in the development of the Dharmic faiths.

Edited January 26, 2017 by JerrySeinfeld'sLeftNut

[Crures]

If my understanding is correct, these plants manifest your subconscious, right?

 

On the one hand, I'm curious what it's like, and if people tell me that it helped them, I don't think I'd be dismissive. 

On the other hand, if my subconscious would manifest.... I don't really want to tango with strange clowns.

 

But what role plants could play, I don't know, because I don't know anyone who has used it. I do think it might require more guidance than meditation/yoga, because if you are careful with those, not too strange things will happen.

 

What are your experiences with plants, what happened?

[JerrySeinfeld'sLeftNut]

If my understanding is correct, these plants manifest your subconscious, right?

 

On the one hand, I'm curious what it's like, and if people tell me that it helped them, I don't think I'd be dismissive. 

On the other hand, if my subconscious would manifest.... I don't really want to tango with strange clowns.

 

But what role plants could play, I don't know, because I don't know anyone who has used it. I do think it might require more guidance than meditation/yoga, because if you are careful with those, not too strange things will happen.

 

What are your experiences with plants, what happened?

I've used psychoactive mushrooms and yagé (a substance very similar to ayahuasca). My experiences have ranged from the deeply introspective to the more spiritual. At the end of the day when you go deep enough, the introspective will become the spiritual.

 

My experiences were difficult by I learned a lot about myself and the universe. The experience of death and rebirth during a yagé ceremony was particularly meaningful. 

Edited January 27, 2017 by JerrySeinfeld'sLeftNut

[JerrySeinfeld'sLeftNut]

If my understanding is correct, these plants manifest your subconscious, right?

 

On the one hand, I'm curious what it's like, and if people tell me that it helped them, I don't think I'd be dismissive. 

On the other hand, if my subconscious would manifest.... I don't really want to tango with strange clowns.

 

But what role plants could play, I don't know, because I don't know anyone who has used it. I do think it might require more guidance than meditation/yoga, because if you are careful with those, not too strange things will happen.

 

What are your experiences with plants, what happened?

And yes, guidance is very important. That is one of the crucial differences between recreational use and spiritual use of these plants. 

 

My experiences with a traditional healer were so much more meaningful than my experiences alone. That being said, it is important to know that the plants and your mind are the keepers of true knowledge, not the shaman or healer.

Edited January 27, 2017 by JerrySeinfeld'sLeftNut

[beingnature]

Its often said that the shamans who where really good didnt need drugs...From own experiences with psychoactive mushrooms i can say that the spiritual experiences where very unclear if compared to experiences that came from meditation.After ca. 10 years i even had to stop smoking weed... it just felt very very bad.I also think that with guidance of a good healer its possible to achieve good results but it will still be different from serious meditation practice.Even in the castaneda books don juan gives the drugs only to Carlos Castaneda because he was not smart enough...