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

[demons]

After reading the definitions/explanations of the options I chose 3. I use them as tools, and I spend a big chunk of my time thinking about my experiences and writing about them in my notes. I take the experiences very seriously. What I've learned from them has changed me radically. But I don't like to apply the word spiritual to myself, it's not my thing. I like to think of my use of psychedelics as an "intellectual" endeavor or as informal experiments.

I've always loved learning things, particularly when self-taught, so psychedelics give me a lot of joy. Growing as a person, discovering interesting and useful information, that's my idea of fun. So I was initially going to choose recreational. But not recreational if that means you're flippant or frivolous about the experience or don't take it seriously. I think mushrooms are better for sheer pleasure than heroin or cocaine. The low doses where things seem funny and music is way better are pleasurable, but the high doses where the universe opens up to me and my brain becomes supercharged so I can figure things out I would never have figured out otherwise in a million years is far more pleasurable. I do it because I like it.

I think in general I would rather trip with people who are recreational than spiritual. I'm sure this doesn't apply to people here, but most of the people I know who are 'spiritual' take themselves way too seriously. For me learning is fun, and if I didn't think it was I wouldn't do it. My first priority in life is to enjoy myself.

 

[spun420833]

I voted # 3.
I have to say I really like this poll. Good job Somekindalove, interesting and thought provoking.

 

[psychedelicious]

Psychedelics are primarily tools for healing and learning, but I tend to have quite a bit of fun along the way. So long as you respect the power of psychedelics and do not abuse them (tripping every day, tripping and doing something that hurts others, etc), I think it's fine to use them recreationally. Even tripping because you're bored and have the time is OK in my book, as long as you're being responsible and you get something out of the experience. Tripping and just going about my day is very therapeutic - enjoying life is plenty spiritual a thing!

 

[trancedeviate]

#2 for me.

I like to trip and have fun these days, but whenever that happens, I end up learning a thing or two as well. It can't be avoided. When you're in one of those states when the filters have been removed, you're just seeing things the way they are. It's hard NOT to learn something.

Primarily though, I try not to rely on psychedelics for spirituality. They do help however.

 

[Feels]

#3

I keep an open mind, but most of the time tend to take the more serious route of thinking about these substances. I constantly read up on psychedelic matters, contemplate the meaning of it all, whether the psychedelic experience is some sort of opening of the proverbial third eye, etc. I have tripped with other people but I really would prefer alone, in high doses, as the ultimate experience. I have gone it alone, but never had an earth-shattering high dose psychedelic experience, just moderate tripping. I'm open to tripping with close friends and maybe going out to a cool public place given the right situation, but mostly I treat these things as spiritual tools of some sort, not just things to get you fucked up or have a good time.
My goal is to someday (probably soon, just haven't got the chance) trip on at least 4 or so grams of mushrooms in silent darkness, alone, and just let it wash over me. I'm very much looking forward to that night.

 

[FormerlyHeyoka]

I chose number 2.

I very much dislike the word spiritual. I don't believe in god, spirits or anything supernatural but still I've benefited from psychedelics through insights that have allowed me to help correct behaviours and thought patterns that were detrimental to myself and those that I care about. I guess that's spiritual use.

I feel that the religious impulse or "spirituality" are given an inordinate and undeserved respect. There just shouldn't be anything that is above scrutiny and the idea that a practice is entitled to legitimacy simply because it pertains to ones spirituality is , imho, wrongheaded. Granted, I can't blame any proponent of psychedelics for using spirituality to help spin the antidrug propaganda induced stigma that we often have to deal with.

Psychedelics can be excellent tools for scientific , psychological , artistic and emotional inspiration and including all the pragmatic uses of psychedelics under the "spirituality" classification doesn't seem to do them justice. I mean, when I come across someone who is just misinformed or ignorant about psychedelics, I really don't want to try and suggest the huge realm of other characteristics of this class of drugs with the term spiritual.

 

[swilow]

^Spirituality can have a lot of different meanings to a lot of different people "scientific , psychological , artistic and emotional inspiration " can be intensely spiritual. One must remember that spiritual is merely a word trying to describe something. Some people find that quantum physics is akin to religious revelations; others find it in drugs. I largely find my spirituality or my true self is accessed more through music and meditating then tripping; but tripping got me to understand these things in a much different manner then I already did and has made these processes feel more sacred and real then before I used psychedelics.

Perhaps to base your entire 'spirituality', whatever that may be, on the psychedelic experience is somewhat erroneous, but they can certainly catalyse what my mind calls the spirit.

 

[serotoninstorm]

I chose #3, but it was a tough call. I'd say it's almost 50/50, but the win goes to recreational use by a hair.

 

[Cloudy]

I'd say half and half, but in reality it really seems like it depends on the drug that I'm ingesting. All my shroom trips have been of spiritual nature (of course with a little fun, but that just comes with the territory). With DXM I've only had a few spiritual moments, but it really ends up being more of a fun trip. Acid seems to be also more of a fun trip then say shrooms. Acid for me just doesn't go as deep mentally as shrooms.

 

[egor]

I voted 3, but none of the options really fit me. I try to go into a trip with no expectations of the direction the trip will take. I get the most rewarding (and sometimes very fun) trips when I just let it take me where it takes me instead of trying to manipulate the experience.

 

[Fishface]

I chose #3, but it was a tough call. I'd say it's almost 50/50, but the win goes to recreational use by a hair.

Er - surely 'recreational use' is #2?

I'm likewise caught between the two but, if push comes to shove, I'll opt for #2 as I see the 'spiritual' as being embodied in all activity.

 

[AcidBath420]

i definitely chose 3 because how could u not enjoy psychadelics? haha but i def relate to option 4 as well. i take my trips pretty seriously going in, i prepare my mind and body and am usually quite focused on spiritual and mental enlightenment. i find great pleasure in the end result and many times feel spiritually cleansed in a way.

stay high, stay safe,
-K

 

[I am shpongled]

LSD has always been a highly recreational and spiritual thing for me. Mushrooms and salvia are purely spiritual; I don't find any recreational value in them. Morning glories are almost strictly recreational / empathogenic.

 

[Bavanai]

I never had any spiritual experiences with anything in my life, so recreational only.

 

[Chaos23]

I would say somewhere between 2 and 3. I take them to have fun and seek spiritual ideas and thought patterns.

Sometimes the most fun trips can be the most enlightening as well. I remember taking a high dose of LSD and high dose of MDMA at a huge rave. Obviously it was fun, but the spiritual aspect of the dancing and community was undeniable.

You can't necessarily separate these two ideas.

 

[SKL]

So far we are averaging 2.527, smack dab in the middle between recreational and spiritual use, with an oh-so-slight edge to the spiritual. Interesting.

 

[MasterOfDeception]

Something between 3 and 4 i guess.. Anywayz voted for 3.
But there can be said that use of psychedelic is much more complex than that.. Some nice analysis i've read on that :

http://tripzine.com/listing.php?id=pit04

Nice read :]

 

[swilow]

James Kent writes interesting and easy to read stuff...I don't always agree but its a bit more cohesive then a lot of psych literature.

I would say somewhere between 2 and 3. I take them to have fun and seek spiritual ideas and thought patterns.

Does this sound about right?

So far we are averaging 2.527, smack dab in the middle between recreational and spiritual use, with an oh-so-slight edge to the spiritual. Interesting.

:D

 

[dankstersauce]

For me it started out completely recreational nothing more. Then after 2 or 3 years of abstaining from psychedelic drug use later I truly realized the potential of some of these chemicals.
I ate 2 hits of the best acid i ever had, and had the craziest out of body experience. Since then I've gravitated more towards the spiritual side of psychedelics and less towards the recreational side.
For me I guess the trip starts out kind of recreational, laughing giggling all that fun stuff and then once it really kicks in it becomes more spiritual. Then I peak and i'm like OMFG it becomes really spiritual, then i come down and try to piece it all back together.

 

[malarkey]

LSD has always been a highly recreational and spiritual thing for me. Mushrooms and salvia are purely spiritual; I don't find any recreational value in them.

My thoughts exactly.