Actually only a fifth of shamanic cultures around the world used drugs such as that. The others used proper travel with meditation and a drum. Just a fact.
Actually, there are definitely some legitimate uses for mind-altering plants in magick.
To each thier own! I dont do drugs anymore, but i still think most are way to judgemental about them, even in this community.
most of the people on this site, even some who have been working magick for 10+ years still use a visualized "white ball of protective light" as thier shields. This is very basic and is weak and should never be used by anyone except beginners. But they still use this illformed "shield" even though its vague, and lacks defensive fortiments. In my opinion, this is suicide, and dangerous to those who work with entities.
the amount of silliness going on around here, people wanting to be vampyre warlords of the fifth dimension, merpeople abounding.....people wanting covens to indulge them in thier fantasies....these things should be what are jumped on immediately, and most of the time, it is, but sometimes not.
using herbs, plants, and psychodelics is just as valid as any other way of reaching magickal freddom; and can actually enable you to go to places far beyond what you can achieve at the moment.
so, if your ready for a journey, but cant meditate well enough (like me, ADHD) then these drugs could allow you access to worlds previously unreachable.
i condone resposible use of any plant to achieve an altered state if done in the right manner with the right precautions, drop me a pm if you need more info on this. plants are tools, keys to doors that are locked in ways, just need to find the right key for the right door.
Cannabis is also used in American folk magic to confuse an opponent, such as witnesses testifying against you in court.
Any book by Richard Evans Schultes is also fantastic. He's an ethnobotanist who talks at length about what Kao and Luzifer have mentioned - the spiritual usage of psychotropic plants, historically and what remanins today. My favorite is entitled "Plants of the Gods, Their Sacred, Healing, and Hallucinogenic Powers."
Yes...only a brainwashed Christian would be against the use of drugs. *rolls eyes*
I can see how they would be helpful in some areas, but Unlucky is correct. Many people who abuse drugs try to find excuses for it, including magickal reasons, instead of admitting a physical or psychological addiction to them.
There are, however, those who use them reasonably and responsibly to achieve certian goals that don't involve ordering a meat lovers pizza and giggling themselves silly.
It's a personal choice. I choose not to go that route due to a history of drug abuse. That and it's just to hard and expensive to find the good pure stuff lol
Cannabis tends to accelerate heart rates, so in a sense, because of that, and the relaxation weed can bring about, it may be good for rituals involving meditation. However, as it is known, weed can also bring about paranoia, which would have the opposite affect on the process. So,In that sense taking a hot bath, lighting a relaxing incence, some candles, and having some chamomile tea would be better :)
