Posted by laima on July 23, 2006, at 17:23:58
In reply to Psilocybin and 'spirituality'., posted by JahL on July 23, 2006, at 13:52:21
Hey, you know I saw those reports about the study and was going to point it out to you, too- but you beat me!
No doubt you are familiar with the whole history involving the discovery of LSD, the controversial not-exactly-always-ethical-secret studies, the cover-ups, etc, etc. How is anyone then to know what on earth to believe? I agree, there are many unknowns in "science" about this substance. But I've still, in my limited scope, seen some scary things happen to perfectly smart, stable, and competent people around me.
In any case, I'm personally planning to keep refraining for the reasons I 've already mentioned, and it sounds like you know what you are mixed up with- but I still hope you keep your wits about you if you keep using.
Take care,
Laima.
> I thought some of you might be interested in this very recent - and controversial I imagine - study:
>
> http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9522-magic-mushrooms-really-cause-spiritual-experiences.html
>
> "The researchers used psychological questionnaires and found that 22 of the 36 volunteers had a “complete” mystical experience after taking psilocybin."
>
> "More than one-third of the volunteers said that their encounter with psilocybin was the single most spiritually significant experience in their lifetimes."
>
> "Griffiths says that in the future psilocybin might have a therapeutic use, perhaps helping people who have just learned they have cancer come to terms with the news. But he is quick to add that “the therapeutic application is very speculative”."
>
> BUT:
>
> "However, more than 20% of the participants described their psilocybin sessions as dominated by negative feelings such as anxiety."
>
> I suppose it's relevant to what we've been talking about. I think it's thought-provoking stuff.The anxiety part? FOR SURE. I would speculate they might have already had some anxiety-but I could be wrong.
>
> J.
>
>
poster:laima
thread:655169
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20060512/msgs/669768.html