Ram Das used to say that if you think you are enlightened, spend a weekend with your parents. 😂.
I have an especially challenging coming-out situation. I’ve been sober for 45 years in AA. The only reason I was open to entering AA is because several years prior, psychedelics demolished my militant atheism.
I've shared that with several close AA friends who also have taken psychedelics. But at AA meetings, where people discuss spiritual experiences, I often mention that I had some full blown mystical experiences prior to AA, but I don’t mention the catalysts.
I have refrained from doing so out of fear. I don’t want to encourage brand new members to run out and take psychedelics in what most likely would be in an irresponsible way.
But I also fear the reaction of members who have never taken psychedelics and would think the notion of potential spiritual benefits would be absolutely insane! 😂 Many AA members are so anti-drug they don’t take aspirin if they have a headache.
But AA, like any group, contains a spectrum of members, from liberal to fundamentalists. I may mention psychedelics at a group I attend which is clearly at the liberal end of the spectrum. Because I think people need to hear the truth. And as the clinical data on the benefits of psychedelics increasingly enters public awareness, I will be more willing to risk self-disclosure, because what I have to say will not seem quite as outlandish.
Fortunately, there is precedent. Bill Wilson, founder of AA, had a spontaneous mystical experience which motivated him to start AA. Then 20 later he became enthusiastic about using LSD to help alcoholics have spiritual experiences.
So for now, I will take it one day at a time as far as when and to whom to share information. It’s frustrating because I know that many alcoholics/addicts could greatly benefit spiritually from psychedelics.
Thanks for sharing your story and wisdom, George! Ram Dass never fails to make insightful statements. The Bill Wilson / LSD connection is super interesting.
I can see how it's much more nuanced within the AA community. I also feel like people are very attached to the term sobriety, which isn't black and white but individual for each person. I don't drink alcohol but I do drink Ayahuasca a few times a year, and I call myself sober. I agree these conversations will become much easier as mass education proceeds and more research on the anti-addictive properties of psychedelics emerges (MAPS is in the process of planning an FDA study for MDMA for Substance Abuse Disorder and I believe there are some other studies running on alcoholism specifically).
Always value your perspectives, thanks for contributing!
Ram Das used to say that if you think you are enlightened, spend a weekend with your parents. 😂.
I have an especially challenging coming-out situation. I’ve been sober for 45 years in AA. The only reason I was open to entering AA is because several years prior, psychedelics demolished my militant atheism.
I've shared that with several close AA friends who also have taken psychedelics. But at AA meetings, where people discuss spiritual experiences, I often mention that I had some full blown mystical experiences prior to AA, but I don’t mention the catalysts.
I have refrained from doing so out of fear. I don’t want to encourage brand new members to run out and take psychedelics in what most likely would be in an irresponsible way.
But I also fear the reaction of members who have never taken psychedelics and would think the notion of potential spiritual benefits would be absolutely insane! 😂 Many AA members are so anti-drug they don’t take aspirin if they have a headache.
But AA, like any group, contains a spectrum of members, from liberal to fundamentalists. I may mention psychedelics at a group I attend which is clearly at the liberal end of the spectrum. Because I think people need to hear the truth. And as the clinical data on the benefits of psychedelics increasingly enters public awareness, I will be more willing to risk self-disclosure, because what I have to say will not seem quite as outlandish.
Fortunately, there is precedent. Bill Wilson, founder of AA, had a spontaneous mystical experience which motivated him to start AA. Then 20 later he became enthusiastic about using LSD to help alcoholics have spiritual experiences.
So for now, I will take it one day at a time as far as when and to whom to share information. It’s frustrating because I know that many alcoholics/addicts could greatly benefit spiritually from psychedelics.
Thanks for the great work, Julia!
George O.
Thanks for sharing your story and wisdom, George! Ram Dass never fails to make insightful statements. The Bill Wilson / LSD connection is super interesting.
I can see how it's much more nuanced within the AA community. I also feel like people are very attached to the term sobriety, which isn't black and white but individual for each person. I don't drink alcohol but I do drink Ayahuasca a few times a year, and I call myself sober. I agree these conversations will become much easier as mass education proceeds and more research on the anti-addictive properties of psychedelics emerges (MAPS is in the process of planning an FDA study for MDMA for Substance Abuse Disorder and I believe there are some other studies running on alcoholism specifically).
Always value your perspectives, thanks for contributing!