Psychedelic therapy and its mystical grasp in the 21st Century – R & D explore the newer, fresher science of psilocybin and LSD studies along with David’s fish eyes acid empathy and Raghu’s not quite mindful crashing his car into a ditch. Plus Maharaji memories of pure wisdom trumping the deepest trip imaginable…
Episode Outline:
• The Trip Treatment (Entheogens) – The Mindrollers discuss a profound new article investigating the history and continued potential of psychedelic use in treating a variety of health conditions. The mystical prevails, even among hard science
• Retaining Revelation – ‘A spiritual experience does not by itself make a spiritual life’
• The “Oneness’ Factor – (Therapeutic vs. Mystical?) Can the sense of connectedness that often accompanies psychedelic use be sustainable for spirituality or does it have a greater application as a therapeutic agent? Are they one in the same? Raghu describes the psychedelic experience being mirrored in his encounters with Maharaji. The underlying theme of this emersion seems to consistently revolve around Love
• Looking to Experiment? (Find a Guide!) – There are very valid reasons why historical use of these substances involves the presence of an experienced user. The fear of the ‘bad trip’ is always a possibility, but can be substantially reduced with the right person standing by. It’s a new territory that you may not want to initially explore alone – Set and Setting
• Psychedelic Primers – Perhaps the psychedelic experience can be viewed as a training ground for subsequent spiritual experiences. They show us a potential that we can reference in the continued nurturing of our spiritual lives. Are they necessary? Of course not. Do they help? Seems to be increasingly more difficult to deny
• Move Toward the Monster – Don’t avoid the inevitable anxieties that can arise under the influence. There is a freedom to be found in pushing through these moments, rather than avoiding them. You are presented with an opportunity to better understand your perceived reality. Dialogue with the Other
• Death Practice – Is there anything more fascinating than the understanding that we will one day drop our physical being? Anything that can bring that realization into clear focus must surely have potential as a means to approaching our own mortality
• Parallels on the Path – ‘Judge the mystical experience not by its veracity, which is unknowable, but by its fruits’. At the end of the day, it comes down to whether these experiments result in the evolution of your spirit. Are you operating from a place of awareness that allows you to engage in the world in a positive and satisfying manner?
• Science Says – This empirical research is bringing information to light that can no longer be ignored, and to do so would seem a crime upon humanity. The cap seems to be off, and the potential is only beginning to be explored
• Panacea? (Not likely) – Pressure, whether societal or social, is never a good place from which to operate. Go with what pulls you – experimentation isn’t limited to the ingestion of chemical substances
Recommendations:
Books/Audiobooks:
* Sign up for a free Audible.com trial and get two FREE audiobooks! In addition to helping us to support MPN, you’ll be able to download audiobooks like David’s recommendation from Alan Watts, – You’re It!: On Hiding, Seeking, and Being Found
.*
– Waking, Dreaming, Being: Self and Consciousness in Neuroscience, Meditation, and Philosophy
– Warrior Pose: How Yoga (Literally) Saved My Life
Music:
Other stuff:
Read “The Trip Treatment” Article in the New Yorker
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Image via Bruce Rolff