One of the reasons I wanted to write a book on the philosophy and psychology of psychedelic experiences was to defend a sceptical attitude towards these experiences. (You can find preorder links and more information about my book here.) The book’s title, Altered Perspectives, is partly related to this motive. Just as psychedelics can alter our…
View Post
Choosing a psychedelic retreat can be difficult. It’s always best to read reviews and get recommendations, as these can indicate a retreat’s commitment to safety, ethics, expertise, comfort, preparation, and integration. But in addition to this, one should know what kind of frameworks the facilitators use when holding ceremonies. At best, the use of certain…
View Post
A theodicy is an attempt to justify or defend the Omni-God (an all-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing god), given the fact of evil in the world. The evil in the world is of two kinds: human-caused evil and natural evil. These refer, respectively, to the sometimes atrocious and abhorrent suffering that people cause to other people or…
View Post
One of my favourite lessons from the late spiritual teacher Ram Dass relates to his relationship with his neuroses. Based on Ram Dass’ character – who he was as a person, and how he presented himself to others – one might assume that he was untroubled by negative habitual thought patterns. But in his talks,…
View Post
Many members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) may not be aware that the organisation’s founder, Bill Wilson, was an advocate of LSD. This may seem like a strange fact, given that for AA members, achieving ‘sobriety’ tends to mean total abstinence not just from alcohol but all mind-altering substances. However, Wilson – based on his own…
View Post