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Ancient Religious Ceremonies and Psychedelics
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Begs two different questions: 1) if there are gods or a god, were psychedelics put on this planet with the express purpose of being used for altered consciousness to be able to converse with deities…knowing they can’t control enlightened people en mass, the government makes use of the plants/substances illegal or 2) does god/gods exist only because cultures used psychedelics which changed perception of reality thus creating “trips” that people identified as a higher power? i.e.god is just a good trip which would explain why god looks different to different cultures and people
B. wrote: "Begs two different questions: 1) if there are gods or a god, were psychedelics put on this planet with the express purpose of being used for altered consciousness to be able to converse with deitie..."
It's certainly possible that the change of consciousness can be interpreted as 'God.' Everyone sees God or has their experience through their own cultural filters, beliefs, and interests. Eleusinians saw Demeter; Christians tend to see Christ. That doesn't invalidate the experience. We are participants in the process, so naturally we are are going to interpret messages in our own way. If nothing else, the alternative perspective can be its own benefit.
It's certainly possible that the change of consciousness can be interpreted as 'God.' Everyone sees God or has their experience through their own cultural filters, beliefs, and interests. Eleusinians saw Demeter; Christians tend to see Christ. That doesn't invalidate the experience. We are participants in the process, so naturally we are are going to interpret messages in our own way. If nothing else, the alternative perspective can be its own benefit.
Agreed that all cultures have their own interpretation of view of what god is…I’m simply putting it out there that this debate could be a chicken and egg scenario i.e. were psychedelics created by god or did psychedelics themselves actually create god?
It's really the fundamental question: is there conscious beyond ourselves? It's the difference between an experience being 'spiritual' or 'supernatural.' Or, the imagination of the mind/subconscious versus a larger creative design at work. From a practical standpoint, I don't know that it matters that much, although i can't help but think/hope there is another layer/dimension of thought (call it supra conscious or God) that is present and available to us all.
Cosmic Trigger I by Robert Anton Wilson delves into this topic a great deal. It’s a fascinating topic to be sure.
Will have to check it out. Enjoyed the Illuminatus! Trilogy.
Hello EveryoneI am Virat, nice to meet you all.
I am an engineer and a proud alumni of IIT Varanasi.
I have tried a psychedelic once read few good books in life which made me. I am a tech entrepreneur working as a product manager.
This is a list of all the "Books read so far" along with my notes on these books.
https://treeved.com/list?id=books-rea...
I have been reading Novels (outside acadmic) around
2007 when I just entered my "The Teenage Period"
I am mostly into non-fiction books now. Love to read and learn about life, tech, history, psychology, theology and economics
Ancient Religious Ceremonies and Psychedelics
Since earliest recorded times, mind-altering substances have been mixed in with religion. In the second millennium BC, Indo-Aryan tribes partook of a fermented drink called ‘soma’ that may have had cannabis and/or mushrooms sprinkled in. Whatever was in it, the Vedas tells us it was a drink the gods themselves drank, which made the worshippers feel closer to their deities when they partook. They even named their drink after one of the gods, “Soma.”
These ancient gods were wilder than the typical concept of God today. “Soma” (the god) would have been comfortable hanging out with the Greek party god, Dionysus, and his Roman counterpart, Bacchus. When reading descriptions of Dionysus ceremonies, I picture a rave minus the glow sticks. There was dancing and drinking and, yes, the ingesting of psychoactive potions. There was over-indulgence and debauchery to be sure, but the true followers were attempting to shake off fears and insecurities and escape back into nature, if only for a little while.
A contemporary of the Dionysus Cults was the Eleusinian Mystery Religion. While they worshipped from the same Olympian family, they favored Demeter and her daughter, Persephone. Quick backstory: Hades kidnapped Persephone and abducted her to his underground world to rule as his bride. Demeter pulled strings, got Zeus to intervene. Hades coughed Persephone up, but tricked her at the last second to spend winters with him. So, when the cold comes and the crops die, Persephone is underground.
The annual festival of the Eleusinian’s culminated with fasting and a marathon walk to the temple. Perhaps while watching a reenactment of the Demeter story, the initiates partook of a hallucinogenic drink and had a direct experience with their gods. While some may be cynical about the reliability of ‘drug-induced visions,’ these were people making a concerted effort to get in touch with the Divine, and succeeded for two thousand years.
For the next two millennium, Christianity and Islam grew in dominance, but trends can shift quickly. 1999, 70% of the the US said they were members of a church, synagogue, or mosque. Today, that number is below 50%. People still want a spiritual experience, but are not always finding it in their places of worship. I wonder what church would be like if, once a year, the faithful danced with abandon and became one with nature? Or had their ego shredded and came away with a new perspective? Or came face to face with their God?
Society and religious institutions are not about to endorse such radical behavior. The 1960s was a great social experiment with mind-expanding drugs (ie LSD) playing an integral part. Yes, there was abuse, which happens when no structure or guidance is provided. It was also a time when the younger generation dared to defy their elders. Men refused to fight in a war. Women felt empowered. Black people stood up to institutional bigotry. Some even say the seeds for Silicon Valley were planted in the psychedelics of the sixties.
A half a century later, serious research is being done again on psychedelics (such as psilocybin from the magic mushroom) by serious scientists (such as Roland Griffiths) at serious institutes (like John Hopkins). These are experiments aimed at the addicted, depressed, and those dealing with end-of-life issues. The results are positive and often trounce current standard-of-care. Of course, these experiments are only for those that are suffering from a malady. But what about ‘healthy/normal’ individuals? Wouldn’t they benefit from a mystical experience too?
People will always seek answers to life’s big questions, and hallucinogens are often a shortcut, especially when taken with guidance and respect. The experiences and insights brought on by psychedelics stay with the participant long after the psychoactive agent has worn off. And because it feels like revealed knowledge, it can often have a profound, life-changing effect. There is much work to be done, but I believe these ancient medicines have more to teach us about ourselves and how we can make our world a better place.
I'd love to get your thoughts about religion and the use of mind-expanding plants, and/or their potential for the future.