Works of Hermann Hesse as psychedelic literature

[mountain]

Hello, has anyone read novels by Hermann Hesse and though they contain very elaborate and sensitive psychological descriptions? I've found that they depict life as a psychological journey through the themes of growing up, trying extraordinary things, introspection, subjectivity, humility - a lot of the stuff I feel are prominent in psychedelic experiences. The best examples of this IMO are "Peter Camenzind" as a whole and the part in "Demian" where Max is taught about perception by the organist. Siddhartha is also quite obvious in this sense. These stories bring to mind, for example, the story of Ram Dass (as told by himself) and at least my childhood and adolescence, which I find to be corageously well reflected in these stories.

 

[(Wordy)]

I love Hesse... I've read Siddhartha, Steppenwolf, The Prodigy, Narcissus and Goldmund, The Glass Bead Game, the short story collection Strange News From Another Star and parts of his autobiography, My Belief.

I'd say the first two novels I mention probably tie in pretty well with psychedelic experiences. The Glass Bead Game would probably lend itself to psychedelic contemplations, especially the "Three Lives" (short stories which are appendices to the novel proper).

A perennial theme in Hesse is the question of how we are to negotiate the contrary pulls of the worldly (and bodily) pleasures on the one hand, and spiritual awakening on the other. Like the Buddha, Hesse advocates the middle way by showing the pitfalls of going to extremes in pursuit of pleasure (the alienation resulting from hedonism) or enlightenment (the alienation resulting from asceticism).

Arguably, psychedelics can open up the middle ground, where our individual path becomes clearer, through insight into the harmonies and disharmonies of self and world. Coupled with spiritual practice, which from my point of view would involve insight meditation and leading a moral existence, I'm open to the possibility that psychedelics may aid spiritual development - but my jury's still out on that one!

I'd love to continue this discussion. I'd definitely recommend reading Steppenwolf and The Glass Bead Game if you haven't already.

 

[Curious Quetzal]

He is a great author. His style is refined and his ideas are deep. Every story has some element of mystical transfiguration. So I do agree, his work is quite psychedelic.

Check out Murakami next!