JDanger

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1752578...Pubmed_RVDocSum Ruh-roh.

Cannabis withdrawal: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1456032...ogdbfrom=pubmed I heart the herb, but sometimes it really does get a bit much. I've basically given up on the idea of stopping altogether, mainly because I still find a considerable benefit in using it, even it is little more than a nice way to wind down and chill out. Cutting down to 3-4 sessions a week is good enough for me, for now. Then again, I don't really have a problem with constant nausea or anxiety. If anything, too much weed makes me more anxious. Also, I've found that it's way easier to stop smoking green if you don't spin it with tobacco. Nicotine is mean, but I suppose an addiction to green is more subtle.

The Family Drug Support Line is running a training course for volunteers on the first weekend in August in Sydney. Saturday & Sunday 2 & 3 August, 9.30am-4pm. www.fds.org.au You'd think that the massive boom in information dissemination would mean people are more likely to make more informed choices. As far as I can tell, the best way of making a strong case for responsible drug use is to educate yourself as much as you can about all the issues involved and just try the good old fashioned method of leading by example. Don't let your drug use fuck you over, try finding a way to make some meaningful contribution to society and don't back down from your morals and ethics. Having a healthy, balanced life while exploring the benefits of altered consciousness would make you a living slap in the face to the powers at be. And have a sense of humour. Peace,

Kids these days.

There's an online book by John W. Allan called "Magic Mushrooms of Australia and New Zealand". I dig it. http://www.erowid.org/library/books_online...ooms_aunz.shtml

Dosage is pretty simple... get a shitload of leaves (and once its in the ground you will have no shortage of foliage), make into a strong brew, chill for easier downing, and throw down back of the throat. It can be smoked but its better to just drink it I find. Throw in a lil bit of brugmansia flower or leaf and you've got yourself a potent dream blend. I tend to grind/chop up a small handfull of dry leaf and mix it in a bowl of yoghurt with honey. Makes a nice before-bed dessert and it gets me a whee-bit sleepy in next to no time.

The 1997 Business Report apparently estimated Australia had an illegal cannabis industry worth around $5bn annually. It would be interesting to see how much of a dent this seizure would have on national supply. Still, 'tis a right pity.

It's the Last Days! Run!

Same course, same question. Hello, fellow Mac students. Mark = High D. You may be able to tell I was trying really hard to cram everything into the 1500 words. Enjoy. Drugs have been used around the world in virtually every society for thousands of years, in some cultures even predating written history (Trock 1999:13). While drugs have historically been used in healing or as part of religious ritual, more recently substances such as cannabis, LSD, DMT, and mescaline have been used in a non-religious context, as technologies of self exploration (Huxley 1963, 1980/2008; Shulgin & Shulgin 1991; Weil 1986) and, by certain individuals to enhance or inspire artistic creativity (Carpenter 2001; Lee 1992; Levinson 1999; Shannon 2002). This paper will explore the impact of set and setting on altered states of consciousness used to inspire and enhance artistic endeavour. This essay will focus mainly on the influence of opium on 18-19th century romantic literature, as well as the group of drugs commonly known as 'psychedelics' in a variety of 20-21st century contexts including psychiatric treatment and religious ritual. The effects of a drug on any given individual are highly variable, and Zinberg's drug, set and setting theory provides an general analysis of the factors contributing to the subjective drug experience (outlined in Krivanek 2000). Drug refers to the substance ingested, as well as how it is taken. Pharmacological assessment of the physical ingestion of a drug can allow the user and observers to better predict the effect it will have based on principles of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, as well as an understanding of the effects commonly attributed to the substance in question. Set broadly refers to the psychological makeup of the individual and includes what the user expects the experience to achieve (Griffiths et al. 2006). Past experiences including early childhood, as well as current emotional and mental state will greatly influence the psychological effect of a drug, particularly in the case of psychedelics (Grof 1975, 1980/2008; Shannon 2002; Shulgin & Shulgin 1991; Strassman 2001). The user's artistic predisposition is a key factor in determining whether the drug experience will result in an enhancement of creativity that can be translated into a work of art (Huxley 1954; Grof 1975, 1980/2008; Shannon 2002; Shulgin & Shulgin 1991). Setting refers to the immediate environment in which one takes the drug, including physical surroundings, the people one is with, and the wider social climate or context of the time (Grof 1980/2008). The influence of set and setting on an individual's drug experience is not a new discovery. The 18th century writer Thomas De Quincey made the observation that opium only works on what is already in the user's mind. As De Quincey put it, "if a man 'whose talk is about oxen' should become an opium eater, the probability is that (if he is not too dull to dream at all)--he will dream about oxen" (quoted in Levinson 2002). Similarly, if the user is predisposed to great flights of imagination or frequently engages in strings of philosophical thought, then his drug-induced visions will reflect this. De Quincey and many of his opium-using contemporaries had a predisposition to the creative arts before their exposure to opium. Reverend George Crabbe, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Walter Scott, John Keats, Robert Southby, Lord Byron, Mary Shelley and De Quincey himself were all prolific writers before their use of opium began (Booth 1996; Hayter 1968; Levinson 2002; Plant 2000). It is interesting to note that Crabbe's work is thought to have improved in depth and scope after his addiction to opium, presumably due to the heightened state of awareness De Quincey and others associate with opium's effects (Booth 1996:36-37, 40). While a moderated use of opium (for that matter, any other drug) can allow the user to both experience the benefits of the drug and to maintain a relatively healthy and functional life, uncontrolled use often leads to disastrous consequences (Hayter 1968:64; Weil 1973:102). Reverend Crabbe lived to the age of 77, all the while maintaining an opium addiction that his parishioners were oblivious to, at the same time managing to produce a large number of influential works, some of which were directly inspired by his use of opium (Booth 1996:40). On the other hand, arguably one of the most influential Romantic writers, Samuel Coleridge spent much of his life governed by his opium addiction (Booth 1996; Hayter 1968; Hodgson 1999; Levinson 2002; Plant 2000). Two of his most popular works, Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan are said to have been written under the effects of opium, with the latter being entirely inspired by an opium- induced dream (Booth 1996; Levinson 2002 Plant 2000). The immense value of these works cannot be understated, though the withdrawal symptoms and addictive qualities of opium as outlined by Trock (1999) suggest the need for healthier, more effective visionary substances. De Quincey and Coleridge, after years of heavy laudenum use became convinced that their talents and overall health had been damaged by the drug (Hayter 1968; Levinson 2002). However, it is clear, that drugs were indeed a major influence and inspiration of their works. The lasting impact of their writing on Western literature simply cannot be ignored. French writers of the mid 19th century formed Le Club de Haschichins- an exclusive writers club formed for the express purpose of experimenting with drugs such as hashish and opium (Hodgson 1999; Levinson 2002). At the end of his experimentation with hash however, founding member Charles Baudelaire echoed De Quincey's observation that drugs themselves to not contribute to artistic creativity, they merely reflect what is already in the mind (Levinson 2002:85). On the topic of creative experience, one group of psychoactives demands special attention, namely psychedelics. The term 'psychedelic' translates literally to 'mind manifesting' and was coined by Humphrey Osmond in 1957 (Shulgin & Shulgin 1991). While the validity of the term 'mind manifesting' has been greatly contested, the increased sensitivity to auditory and visual stimuli afforded by many of these drugs has extensively been demonstrated to produce profoundly altered states of consciousness, the full range of which defies simple categorisation or definition (Grof 1975, 1980/2008; Huxley 1954; Shannon 2002; Shulgin & Shulgin 1991; Strassman 2001). A phenomenological assessment of possible effects psychedelics may produce is well beyond the scope of this paper. Suffice to say that the profound visual, psychological and spiritual experiences attributed to the use of psychedelics can, in the appropriate individual, inspire creative works of art. Aldous Huxley in his essays Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell (1963) provides an in-depth recount of his first experiment with mescaline, one of the active components of the peyote and San Pedro cacti. He describes what is clinically referred to as a mystical experience, in which his ego is dissolved and he experiences first hand the life force commonly known as 'God' (a similar fist-time mescaline experience is described in Shulgin & Shulgin 1991:15-17). Huxley goes on to describe how the classical paintings he was studying at the time caused him to realise the source of inspiration behind all art-the visionary experience. While the visionary experience beheld by Huxley didn't inspire him to paint, it did prompt him to write his two essays which, considering his natural orientation towards writing as his chosen form of self-expression, demonstrates the value of expanded consciousness in providing inspiration for creativity. Mystical experiences similar to the one described by Aldous Huxley have been clinically proven to be achievable through the ingestion of psilocybin, one of the active components in 'magic mushrooms' (Griffiths et al. 2006). Psychiatrist Stanislav Grof made use of similar experiences in helping his patients confront and overcome their psychological obstacles (1975; 1980/2008). His books Realms of the Human Unconscious and LSD Psychotherapy include a number of artworks created by his patients to help interpret and reintegrate their powerful, often shattering psychedelic experiences (Grof 1975; 1980/2008). A similar use of visual art by volunteers in Strassman's clinical DMT research project is noted in DMT: The Spirit Molecule (2001), and a visual depiction of the highly visual dissociated state is used as the book's cover. A collection of similar artworks can be found in Erowid's Visionary Art Vaults (www.erowid.org/culture/art/ accessed 10/05/08). Cognitive psychologist Benny Shannon describes the modern ritual use of the Ayahuasca brew in South America (2002). The brew, containing harmaline (a monoamine oxidase inhibitor) and the psychedelic DMT allows the user to experience intense visions of highly symbolic personal, spiritual and metaphysical significance (Shannon 2002). Shannon describes how the brew allows users in a ritualistic setting to compose hymns that, if the user were in his 'normal' state of consciousness, would otherwise be unable to sing (Shannon 2002:65, 105, 219-221). Additionally, he provides a painting by an Ayahuasquero of the visions experienced under the influence of the brew-a clear example of how the drug experience is used to fuel one's natural creativity. To conclude, it must be understood that drugs by themselves do not cause or produce creativity in the user. Rather, the way in which drugs expand or alter one's consciousness affords the user a new perspective of both the internal and external world. It is the experience of altered perception rather than the drug that is the inspiration of artistic output, and the way this output becomes manifest is largely dependant on the user's personality and creative disposition. The degree of harm associated with drug use varies greatly across both substances and individuals. At the same time, the results of substance-assisted mental and creative functioning can serve as a massive benefit to the individual (Griffiths et al 2006; Grof 1975; 1980/2008). Additionally, the significance of drugs in modern society is demonstrated by Lee (1992) and Carpenter (2001). More energy should be invested in exploring the possibilities of expanded consciousness, while finding ways to effectively minimise the negative consequences of human drug use. References . Booth, M. (1996) 'Pleasure Domes in Xanadu' in Opium: A History, London: Simon & Schuster. . Carpenter, L. (2001) 'Enhancing the Possibilities of Desire: Addiction as a Postmodern Trope' (Opium, Heroin, and the Novelists of the Romantic Imagination), Southern Humanities Review, 35 (3): 228-251. . Erowid.org, (2008) Erowid's Visionary Art Vaults, online: www/erowid.org/culture/art/ accessed 10/05/08. . Griffiths RR, Richards WA, McCann U, Jesse R. "Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual experience" in Psychopharmacology. 2006;187(3):268-83. . Grof, S. (1975) Realms of the Human Unconscious: Observations from LSD Research, New York: Viking Press. . Grof, S. (1980) LSD Psychotherapy: exploring the frontiers of the hidden mind, (re-released 2008) California: MAPS . Hayter, A. (1968) 'Case Studies' in Opium and the Romantic Imagination, London: Faber, pgs. 36-66. . Hodgson, B (1999) 'The Writer's Muse' in Opium: a Portrait of the Heavenly Demon, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, pgs. 5-20. . Huxley, A (1963) The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell, New York: Harper & Row . Lee, M.A. (1992) Acid Dreams: A Social History of LSD, New York: Groove Weidenfield . Levinson, M.H. (2002) 'The Quest for Instant Enlightenment: Drugs and Literary Creativity' in The Drug Problem: A New View Using the General Semantics Approach, Westport, CT: London, Praeger. . Plant, S. (2000) 'Private Eyes' in Writing on Drugs, New York: Farrer, Straus & Giroux, pgs. 3-32. . Shulgin, A. & Shulgin, A. (1991) PIHKAL: A Chemical Love Story, Berkeley, CA: Transform Press. . Strassman, R. (2001) DMT: The Spirit Molecule, Rochester: Park Street Press. . Trock, C.A. (1999) 'All the Drowsy Syrups of the World' in Opium Empire and the Global Political Economy: A Study of the Asian Opium Trade, London: Routledge. . Weil, A. (1973) 'Clues From the Amazon' in The Nature of Mind, Jonathan Cape: London, pgs. 98-115.

That's at least 5 kinds of awesome. http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/07...ocybin-doc.html The original study made headlines around the world, too.

High school experimentation, my friend. I take things more seriously now, but your concern is appreciated. Peace,

Dope. Thanks, Coin.

I have 3 brugmansia plants sitting around the house. They were in the garden when we moved in and haven't been tended to since. I once made a tea out of a couple of large leaves. There wasn't much effect while I was awake, though my throat and tonsils got so dehydrated they hurt like hell the next day. The most pronounced effect was when I was asleep. I'd be having a dream in which I would be talking to someone, then wake up mid-sentence and find myself talking to people who weren't there. Aside from the dehydrated tonsils (it hurt to drink fizzy things), there were no noticable after effects. Smoking leaves also seemed much more effective than smoking a flower, though I'd prefer to know more about what I'm doing if I were to repeat the experience.

So, we know that the people in power are still on the ignorantly conservative side of the fence, but we know that they'll soon have to die out, mostly because they're old. How likely is it that the existing fear-based control-freak paradigm will be replaced by a more enlightenment-oriented system? Could a more enlightened youth take over within the next 100 years? Or is evolution still a super-slow process? I'm optimistic, even if I can't conclusively support my optimism.

Hooray for MDMA!

I was going to do it the other week but due to work/study commitments I probably won't be able to do the course until the end of the year. Can anyone give me the rationale for not combining the vipassana technique with other forms of meditation?