Entheogens, Shamans and Gaia

Discussion in 'The big picture' started by noosphere, May 6, 2007.

  1. noosphere

    noosphere Guest

    Including my own experiences, I know of many people who reported having a deeper connection with Nature/Earth/Gaia and spirituality in general after taking Entheogens.

    What do you think about the use of these substances, particularly in regards to the current global situation and our potentially unsustainable future?

    I have just watched Mark PesceĀ“s Becoming Transhuman at google video. Pesce says humanity could and should become a race of Shamans, both looking into the transhuman domain and having our feet planted in the physical ground.

    I want also to recommend the podcasts at The Psychadelic Salon regarding Entheogen research and a host of other interesting subjects, most of which are recorded at Burning Man. There you can find excellent talks by Terence McKenna, Daniel Pinchbeck, Alex Grey, Ann & Sasha Shulgin, Mark Pesce, Erik Davis, Rick Doblin, Matt Pallamary.
     
  2. Baisteach

    Baisteach Junior Member

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    In the Celtic world of h'Iar Connachta the fey Gaels have used a local recipe for Uisc baugh for centuries to achieve much the same thing.
     
  3. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    Baisteach, I heard of that recently too. Do you know what makes the whisky an entheogen? Is it how it is used, or is the recipe sufficiently different from regular whisky, or both?
     
  4. caldera

    caldera Junior Member

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    I feel that for me they have certainly awakened my connection to the spirit of the earth .. the raw beauty of our home planet

    after having a mushroom/mescaline experience a little over a year ago my whole energy and priorities in life shifted

    the best way to explain how i felt before this life changing experience is a Hafiz poem

    First the fish needs to say

    something aint quite right about this camel ride

    I'm feeling

    so damn thirsty


    and although the psychedelic experience didn't take me back to the ocean it gave me a majestic glimpse at the simple raw beautiful truth

    life on earth is a magical work of living, breathing, constantly evolving and changing piece of organic art (its just so hard to put into words what this beautiful planet is all about)

    and i certaintly got some life direction out of the experience and looked at my whole life up until that point in a whole new light

    I saw my "life situation" and the infinite potential that it holds

    having said all this ... i don't take psychedelics anymore and am content to just meditate and connect with nature through my senses and body

    they are amazingly powerful and to be honest I'd say it all comes down to balance and INTENT

    as far their place in the context of the world situation I'd say for sure they have a role to play but they are not for everyone, i thought that was the only way to the divine for a while and was insistent that drugs where the catalyst for humanities first mass awakening moments in the 60's ..

    .... i've come to see that they are a tool that will open ones mind but there are so many people out their who are so switched on and connected and aware and they have never taken drugs... it is our hearts calling to heal and serve this Earth and it is not the drug experience that creates this feelings its our inner-tuition that may possibly be awakened by a psychedelic experience

    I do look forward to an ayahuasca experience when i feel ready but right now we have a planet to "serve" and love and nurture and for me that requires a clear conscious and a grounded state of being


    I feel they have stripped a few layers off my psyche and helped me "see" a bit clearer but at the same time i was quite "out there" for a while after the experience and needed quite a bit of healing to ground myself

    this just a subjective perspective

    a society of shamans sounds like a future i would like to be apart of (if by the term "shaman" we mean one who is connected to the infinite aspects of nature spirit)

    balance is key
     
  5. caldera

    caldera Junior Member

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    oh and ...

    2012 ?

    a planetary shift in consciousness may just be what the creator ordered

    :wink: :p :lol:
     
  6. MoD

    MoD Junior Member

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    I would not be on the path of sustainability that I'm on today if not for mushrooms and marijuana. And could be dead by now if I hadn't found mushrooms. Had some major health problems 50/50 due to my crappy pre-mushroom lifestyle.

    Grew my own mushrooms and self medicated pretty hard for about 1 year (once per weekend at home listening to music). Was in my late 30's at the time and it allowed me to get past a number of past issues and become a fully awake human instead of staying one of the sleep walking consumer zombies. I'm also a graphic artist and I've become a much better artist post mushrooms.

    One should be of sound mind prior to taking mushrooms (no prior mental health issues). Set and setting is very important.

    I can't say enough good things about these two drugs. Simply amazing what nature freely give to us.

    Having served their purpose I haven't done (craved?) mushrooms in many, many months but I still love them. Like a lovely instant vacation...I feel fresh and refreshed afterwards.

    Anyone tried ayahuasca? That's next on my 'list'. I have all the supplies but haven't felt it was the right time yet.

    Here's a great read on DMT (active ingredient in ayahuasca):

    DMT -The spirit molecule by Dr. Rick Strassman.

    All about his clinical trials of DMT - 1st half of the book is about how he got the DEA to allow the trials and the 2nd is of the trials proper. Amazing read.

    https://www.amazon.com/DMT-Molecule-Revo ... 0892819278
     
  7. BlackPacker

    BlackPacker Junior Member

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    just in case none of you have ever been there:

    https://www.erowid.org....


    Good resource.

    Nothing else to say, because in my opinion triptamines, hallucinogens, psychoactives and disassociative are beyond talking about. If we all posted a list of the psychoactive substances we have consumed, we would all kind of instinctively know where each of us were coming from...

    Of course, I have had a goal of getting elected into some sort of political seat, so I haven't even smoked pot. Well, I didn't inhale. ;)

    -BP
     
  8. paradisi

    paradisi Junior Member

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    Re: Entheogens, Shamans and Gaia

    So, let me get this right... you get high, you get happy.
     
  9. MoD

    MoD Junior Member

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    I think it's more like self medication can open your mind. It's not an automatic process as I know a few that use mushrooms and are closed minded right wingers.

    From my experiences with mushrooms it seems like one of the things they do is to temporally and partially disable the filtering of sensory input. So you notice amazing beauty where before you noticed nothing.
     
  10. sam

    sam Junior Member

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  11. Dalzieldrin

    Dalzieldrin Junior Member

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    Re: Entheogens, Shamans and Gaia

    lol
     
  12. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Re: Entheogens, Shamans and Gaia

    If you can find them (or afford them -many now collectors pieces) read some of the books by R. Gordon Wasson . Wasson was a very conservative Wall St Banker and, later, probably the world expert, in his time, on mushrooms and ethnogens.
    (see Amazon for a list)

    Interesting that he links animal husbandry that occurred about 10,000 years ago with mushrooms (cow poo) and hence the rise of religions. Perhaps one of the reasons established religions are so down on ethnogens now-- they may not want the competition.

    Another book worth a read is Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice: An Ethnobotanist Searches for New Medicines in the Rain Forest by Mark J. Plotkin. Plotkin is/was a PhD student from Harvard. The book is the story of his explorations in south America is half adventure story half botany half (1/3?) 007 but i found it a great read. Perhaps no spiritual enligenment to be gained, but some good lessons, observations and sensitivities.

    Be careful with ethnogens, they are very powerful plants . IMV they should be taken within the social and cultural milieu in which their use was developed. There are generally rituals surrounding their use, that the wise would take careful note of, and not dismiss as mere "native superstition".
    We have run into much trouble transporting herbs from one culture to another (eg tobacco, cocaine), and by not observing the traditional uses and customs surrounding the uses of the plants.
     

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