☮ Social ☮ [POLL] Your Psychedelic Use: Spiritual or Recreational?

[SKL]

This came out of another thread where discussion on this subject got quite heated. Let's not do that here. This is a poll, and a discussion, for how each of us feels about their relationship with psychedelics.

How would you characterize your use of psychedelics?​

(1) My use of psychedelics is strictly recreational. Something fun to do on a Friday night, maybe a little dose to go dancing or clubbing or to a concert, or have a nice intimate night at home chilling out.

(2) My use of psychedelics is mostly recreational, but I'm open to the spiritual side. My use is usually above, but I'll have moments where I feel connected to something spiritual, or feel deep insights.

(3) My use of psychedelics is mostly spiritual, but I still want to enjoy myself. I respect the psychedelics as powerful spiritual tools, first and foremost, and not recreational drugs, and take them as such, but usually enjoy myself while doing so. Much of my use takes place in social settings.

(4)My use of psychedelics is strictly spiritual. I do not look for "fun" out of psychedelics. I take preparation for a trip, tripping itself, and post-trip analysis very seriously, and I trip with the intention of accomplishing my spiritual goals. Whether this is a fun ride or not is irrelevant.

 

[SKL]

I chose #3. My use of psychedelics is spiritual, or for the promotion of personal growth. It has helped me tremendously in dealing with defects in my character, with addictions, and so forth. However, it's also often a lot of fun, and I'm open to that too, although always conscious of the possibility of a dark turn, and in those dark turns often come my greatest revelations.

 

[B9]

^ I chose "2" but it coulda been three - depends on how I feel at the time I suppose.

Once it may have been 3 all the time but now (seeing I'm perfect ) & exist in an egoless state of bliss, I couldn't see the point of it anymore

 

[Ismene]

Mostly spiritual but as the Maharishi said "Laughter is the highest state of being" so spiritual tends to overlap quite a bit with recreational.

 

[WaseFraKa]

I don't like these classification....tough
i chose no 3 but i don't understand that "Much of my use takes place in social settings." if it's spiritual what does it matter to be in social context or not? I'd say spiritual is out of social context. And enjoying yourself is only a way of seeing it.
no 4 seems to apply more to me, but much of my use is not plannified, all depends. and aftermath is sometimes really hard to recall precisely, you have to work during the trip. if you get a difficult trip you obviously will remember the difficult part and can try to work on it later.
And last, spirituality is only a part of psychedelics, i get much more out of it than just spiritual revelations
ok i'm off killing this as I can't really explain myslef anyway heh

 

[Delsyd]

i voted 3 but am stuck somewhere between 2 and 3.
Depends on my set and setting and also my choice of psychedelics.
Tryptamines tend to produce the spiritual revelations for me while PEA's allow to me do more therapeutic work (except for 2c-e and probably mescaline, they tend to give a little of both spiritual and therapeutic.)

 

[scattered_raver]

Only done it a little bit in a party environment, but im very keen to try it solo for spiritual purposes...

 

[*Love*Lite*]

I voted #3 because I now always look for a spiritual experience when consuming a psychedelic, I never go into it thinking.... "this is going to be JUST FUN!" I always expect to learn and grow from a trip. I do find that my trips have been quite fun tho challenging at times. I'm definitely more of a just for fun user lately however, been keeping the doses low and the environment low key or fun.

 

[uncomfortablepants]

So, as of now nobody has voted for 4.
I'd be kinda surprised if many bluelighters use psychedelics for spiritual reasons only.

 

[nealcassady]

i see it kinda odd to separate laughter/fun from the word spiritual.. i tend to think that laughter and fun are one of THE most spiritual and gift giving emotions one could partake in, now i understand the HUGE difference of someones original intention to take a psychedelic.. but to say you don't seek out pleasure in a spiritual experience is a bit confusing to me, i don't know

and for all i know someone out there could define the intense/difficult aspects as -the euphoria- of THEIR trip and not define their euphoria the same as everyone else's general definition, you know?

then again, i see the pleasure i seek in my psychedelic experiences as being the most spiritual part of the whole thing, to sit completely still with this intense electric current of this all encompassing peacefulness reaching all parts of my body, from my toes to my finger trips, as some of the most spiritual parts of my life so far.. what i'm trying to say is that i see it kinda weird for someone to tell another person that the PLEASURE they seek out in their experiences isen't spiritual in any way..

 

[feelgoodhit]

i would say, even though many of my trips happen at parties or raves, i tend to get something spiritually significant out of them, & i like it that way. so, i chose "spiritual, but open to having fun".

interesting poll!

 

[B9]

Stopping looking

I now always look for a spiritual experience when consuming a psychedelic, I never go into it thinking.... "this is going to be JUST FUN!" I always expect to learn and grow from a trip. I

Oddly enough I've learnt to merely value the headspace - no matter what that be - expectations from psychedelics I try to avoid - IME one rarely finds what one overtly seeks.

That's probably just me though.

Each to their own.

 

[ectolysergic]

my reasons for psychedelics are exploration and experimentation with an inclination towards spirituality. not exactly sure which way to vote. none of the options really suit me well =\

 

[Damien]

I chose option #1. I am pretty set in my "spiritual" ways and thats why I don't use them for that purpose. Of course I get the twisted thinking and insights and I love that but I don't consider that spiritual.

 

[Cthulhu]

Mostly spiritual but as the Maharishi said "Laughter is the highest state of being" so spiritual tends to overlap quite a bit with recreational.

Yeah, the way I view it, spirituality covers an entire spectrum of experiences, and recreation is just another shade, not something entirely separate. It's like the bliss and rapture that I experience from meditation - they are definite, key components of my spiritual experience of meditation, but at the same time they are subordinate to my goal of experiencing emptiness.

The characteristic feature of those who are enlightened is a smile !

 

[GratefulFloyd]

I chose option 3 just because option
2.5 was not available

 

[FreedomOfTheMind]

I use psychedelics first and foremost for spiritual reasons and they have transformed my life, helped me turn from an atheist to being a very spiritual person, got me involved with chakras, meditation, and helped me understand my relationship to the universe. In a nutshell, psychs have taught me how we are all one (periscopes of the one, universal, eternal consciousness) and that has PROFOUNDLY impacted the way I live and view the world and treat other people (knowing we are all form the same source, and fundamentally all the same).

Anyways, I still have fun when I trip! I trip about once a month and at least for some parts of my trip they are incredibly euphoric, enjoyable, recreational and just plain old fun! I mean I have had intense spiritual revelations while having a happy trip, so spiritual revelations do not only come from dark trips, but I also do learn form dark trips and welcome them when they come.

So I chose #3 because I use psychs regularly for spiritual purposes to remind me of what its all about and for meditation purposes and exploring the inner world, but I also have fun while tripping and use them at concerts and other social events to just feel ALIVE, and appreciate beauty in everything.


You gotta look at it from multiple angles. Psychedelics mean a lot to me

 

[sansserif]

expectations from psychedelics I try to avoid - IME one rarely finds what one overtly seeks.

i see it kinda odd to separate laughter/fun from the word spiritual.. i tend to think that laughter and fun are one of THE most spiritual and gift giving emotions one could partake in

I think both of these are good points. I also don't think any amount of "seriousness" or intention determine what constitutes a spiritual as opposed to a recreational experience experience. to me, the idea that I can decide when/how I encounter transcendence (for lack of a better term) is arrogant and foolish; the most I can hope for is recognition of the encounter. the whole point is that it's out of my hands—or mind, as it were.

I do think there is a third option that isn't encompassed by the poll options, though. the mental clarity/openness and willingness to explore one's own thoughts and motivations allows for a profound exploration of self that is not necessarily "recreational" in the hedonistic sense, but not exactly "spiritual" either. it's not even between the two; it's just something else entirely.

 

[Damien]

I do think there is a third option that isn't encompassed by the poll options, though. the mental clarity/openness and willingness to explore one's own thoughts and motivations allows for a profound exploration of self that is not necessarily "recreational" in the hedonistic sense, but not exactly "spiritual" either. it's not even between the two; it's just something else entirely.

Thats where I be.

 

[PippUK]

Mostly 2 and 3.

I slip into recreational use most of the time, but I seriously value the spiritual side of the experience. Some, (but not all) of the most spiritually affecting moments have occurred by accident during recreational use. The fact is that I was not a very spiritual person, or perhaps was not not aware of that aspect of myself until I experienced a few of these intense moments. I have learned a certain level of open mindedness is the sensible line on such matters since then, while maintaining a bit of healthy scepticism so as to keep ones feet on the ground aswell. Balance is the key.