During or after intense psychedelic experiences – typically elicited by taking a high dose, or a synergistic drug combination – one may find oneself in a state known as ontological shock. This is when reality, or one’s experience of reality, has been transformed so profoundly that it induces a visceral feeling of shock. However, this…
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It’s often assumed, because of the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs, that tripping can help people shed nihilistic and depressive worldviews. In fact, this does happen for many, with feelings of existential joy and a yes-saying to the world suffusing the psychedelic state – and these feelings of optimism and life affirmation can carry over…
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The ‘psychedelic renaissance’ is typically framed in terms of the resurgence of scientific research into the effects of psychedelics, covering aspects like neuroscience, psychology, psychotherapy, and mental health. However, in recent years, we’ve also seen increasing interest in the psychedelic experience from a philosophical perspective. The philosophy of psychedelics has a rich history. Yet there…
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Emptiness is a core aspect of Buddhist philosophy. This applies to both the Theravada tradition (the oldest existing school of Buddhism) and the Mahayana tradition (the later branch of Buddhism that accepts the teachings of early Buddhism but adds new texts and doctrines, such as the Mahayana Sutras and the emphasis on the bodhisattva path:…
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