Just finished reading B.O.T.H

[aaron644]

The book was an excellent and fascinating read. I do however have a couple of questions. Throughout the book you eluded to your "use" of alcohol which reminded me of myself. You also alluded to the fact that ayahuasca was your favorite "medicine". I was just wondering if the use of ayahuasca, or any of the psychedelics has curbed your alcohol intake. Also do you feel a certain alienation towards other people outside of your immediate circle due to your use of these plants or chemicals ....like you know something that they could never understand? And what would you recommend to the "average" reader who may be looking for other like minded individuals, but doesn't know where to look?

[daniel]

Hi Aaron,

Yes, my use of alcohol has gone way down. Some of that may be a factor of growing older (though there are tons of early middle aged alcoholics in the world), but I think the iboga trip was very important in showing me the negative aspects of drinking. Now I tend to agree with McKenna and Jim DeKorne who see alcohol vs. psychedelics as an almost evolutionary choice or split . It looks like booze is winning for now, but it ain't over yet.

As for "alienation," I have lost some friends and gained new ones. Also, there are friends who were inspired by me to undergo their own transformative process. It is not really about the substances - it is about reaching a more esoteric or resacralized view of the world, and how that begins to influence all your views and thoughts.

To "like minded individuals," unless they have time and money to travel down to Mexico or the Amazon or Mapia in Brazil, I would recommend they start from where they are, try to gently sound out people around them on these ideas and see what kind of response they get. They might also seek out "New Age" centers in their area that host shamanic workshops - Breathwork, soul retrieval, shamanic drumming, and "trancedance" can be very good entry points, also a good place to meet the like-minded.

Good luck!

[Luna]

Alcohol is winning because it's easy. No one will question you for picking up a pint of beer but half the world will ignore what you have to say if you claim to have learned it from a plant.

Also, the experience if alcohol is generally easier. It doesn't question you, it doesn't test you. It just temporarily makes you more sociable and less inhibited. Entheogens are great teachers and a lot of people ar afraid to learn. Afraid to step out of ignorance. As recently as a few months ago I found myself wishing that I hadn't learned anything about the way civilization functions and that I had remained faithful to popular lies. It's certainly easier to get through life if you can trust that your lifestyle and that of those around you is justifiable.

When you realize that half of what you used to believe in is inexcusably wrong its hard. I think that is a part of the reason alcohol wins, it lets you stay exactly where you are. Entheogens don't. Derrick Jensen, a great author put it well when he stated that Alcohol is a great weapon of civilization against the dissent of the population. (that is not a direct quote, but that was the jist of his statement.)

Admittedly, I drink. I enjoy a beer now and again but I recognize that the frame of mind achieved is just a temporary lull and that it's not what I'm aiming for. Maybe I'll stop drinking sometime, but as it stands I only do it once or twice a month anyways, or not even to the point of feeling much. I'm not afraid of alcohol, and I admit that I am anxious about tripping sometimes. When I try something new I'm worried about how I'll respond to it, what it will test me with, but at the same time I'm not offended by being challenged like many people are. Maybe that's why I persist with this even though it intimidates me sometimes.

[ July 09, 2003, 01:52 PM: Message edited by: Luna ]