Same here, mescaline man. Mescaline is in no way mild or "least psychedelic" whatever that means. To me it is the most intense, because the peak lasts far longer than mushrooms and even longer than LSD. I also seldom experience much nausea, except on extreme doses and even then it passes completely after 3-4 hours.
I've never got into the bible during my trips - I think the whole point of psychedelics is that the experience is between you and the drug. No need for man-made bullshit like bibles to come in between you and contaminate everything. The purity of the psychedelic experience is beyond the nonsense of man-made religion
I simply said what I liked to do when I trip on mescaline. No one asked your opinion on it. But since you went there, allow me to explain.
firstly I completely agree that one of the most valuable aspects of the psychedelic experience is that it gives you a direct experience of the divine vs someone elses opinion of what a religious experience is or should be. There are no personality biases to wade through, no political agendas, no misinterpretations of the language being used, no cultural interpretations, at least not in the plant or drug itself.
I would say the true mystical experience is beyond words, beyond concepts, beyond ordinary cognition and mental processes even. But as soon as you come down from that peak, the mind will start to form interpretations. This is the beginning of religion. The mind creates a system of symbols to help it interpret and integrate what it experienced. There isn't anything wrong with this, it's just what the mind does and what it was designed to do. Each persons mind is limited by its own scope of experience, meaning everyone interprets their experience of mystical truth through their unique perspective. That's why you get so many different religions and spiritual systems. Of course, after these systems get incorporated into cultures and then become secondhand, third hand, forthhand information, there tends to be more and more deviation from the original purity of whatever was realized by the founder of said religion. Of course those who seek power and control, will attempt to use religion and mystical revelation to control the masses, just like they will use anything else at their disposal. Of course, ignorant people will kill in the name of their religion. This often creates bad associations with religion in people like you, who then try to devalue it.
But your idea that the psychedelic experience should be kept free from religion, is no less a religious idea then the idea that sacred texts should be read during the experience in my view. We all have of our own ways we like to trip. There is no need to act like your way is somehow superior to that of others.
The Bible (particularly the book of Revelation) is traditionally read during the peyote ceremonies of the native american church. The Bible is far from the only religious element, the entire ceremony is a religious prayer ceremony based on native beliefs and traditions.
I don't know about you, but I tend to agree with the finding of the research done by Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert in the 60s. They found that adding ritual to the psychedelic experience, is one powerful way of influencing the direction of the experience.
I am assuming you only trip in a vacuum blinded folded with ear plugs in. If not, then you must understand the importance of set and setting and how tripping in different circumstances can alter the experience. The experience is always going to be "contaminated" by whatever you choose to fill it with. Even in tripping in a vacuum, the experience will still be "contaminated" by your set, whatever beliefs and ideas you bring to the experience.
Tripping in the style of the peyote ceremony, provides a supportive set that is very conductive to mystical experiences, or deep experiences of personal growth and community/interconnectedness. Hearing "the wisdom of the sages" (in this case the Bible) during the experience, can certainly bring about certain revelations or insights which not be got otherwise.
That was the whole point of the book the Psychedelic Experience, by Leary Alpert and Metzner. Liberation through hearing. The manual is read before the experience and then the voyager is reminded of the teaching during the experience, in order that they might realize and experience consciousness free from the habituated patterns of the nervous system.
Anyway, my point here is that there are many ways to approach the psychedelic experience and if you want to go in without any specific preparation or methodology, just you and the drug, that's fine. That may be your method. But the original poster asked about other people's thoughts/experiences were for using mescaline as a therapeutic tool for relieving stress/anxiety and depression? I pointed him in the direction of people who have been using mescaline for this purpose for thousands of years. In my experience they are onto something with their music and their ceremonies.
Of course, this is only a suggestion. I am fully aware that for some people, the idea of participating in a religious healing ceremony with native american medicine men might not appeal to them at all. I don't know anything about the background of the original poster or what his beliefs are, so I can only suggest what has worked for me.
