LSD and Tibetan Monks

This sounds quite interesting, could you possibly elaborate a bit?

 

Sure, the way it taught me to see light, sound, energy, etc. I can still see things in the same "light" so to speak. Psychedelics have never revealed to me anything that wasn't there, just what I had not noticed or paid attention to.
Here is the big difference between meditation and the psychedelic experience: when you meditate, you separate yourself from your environment, most often finding a quiet space where you can clear your thoughts (I know this isn't always the case, but let me generalize for a sec). When you take psychedelics, you are forced to interact with reality, but from a different perspective. It allows you to take directly the things you see and the experiences you have and apply them to real life.

Another main difference is that meditation is always controled by the meditator (even when guided), and as a result, it is completely dominated by will and ego. You are not entirely in control when you ingest psychedelic substances. You have to lose your ego to be guided by a cosmic force outside of yourself.

 

Very good analogy.

 

True, but the meditation experience does not end when you leave that quiet space, in fact, I would venture to say that most of the experience comes in allowing the effects to work their magic throughout the day.

I do understand the value of psychedelics here. However, it should be noted that many unexperienced, un-self-actualized individuals will drown in the waters where the mystic swims. People can get in over their heads.

But hmm, meditation completely dominated by ego? Through my experience, the main objective of meditation is to disassociate from the ego-ridden thought and feeling patterns that bombard our daily lives. Will is definitely involved, but this is more of a spiritual attraction, a deep movement towards an integrated mind, body, and spirit. A lot of people call it 'god'.

With meditation experience you can surely learn more.

 

I agree mother's nature son. The problem with psychedelics is that while you can take so much from the experience, you can't always stay purely in that state, nor would you want to! Which leaves us to consider the rest of our waking lifes. This is where meditation come in.

You're right, the point of meditation is to teach you to live and to meditate in moments that are not always accompanied with inner peace, to live in the moment, etc. And while psychedelics can teach you these things and more, you need some form of meditation to live it. The two are not mutually exclusive!

Also, it would be very irresponsible and dangerous to recommend LSD, etc. to everyone. It is a powerful drug that can have severe consequences for some people who use it. Meditation, on the other hand, is something that everyone should do in some form. Breath work, prayer, yoga, excersise/sport can also be yogic/meditative. There is no darkness here!

Saying that meditation is controled, thus completely dominated by will and ego, was an overstatement in making a point. There is obviously will and ego present in the psychedelic experience as well, look a Jim Morrison , or the people who think that they are God (although some might consider this self-actualization).

I think the original post had something to do with whether or not Tibetan Buddhist monks, hindu gurus, etc. had anything to learn by taking psychedelics, or even if it affected them at all. If interested, you can take a look at my earlier posts for my position on these questions.

Until then, peace.