Ganja Theories: Neo-Spirituality & the Digital Shaman
The other day on Reddit I saw someone post something that made me think about where we are heading as a species.
The post went;
Spirituality does not mean you eat mushrooms and smoke cannabis.
So many times, I hear an individual say they are spiritual after their first mushroom trip...
No, you just got overloaded with dopamine and you are now feeling like you are in tune with the universe.
Spirituality is a journey, not an experience. - KamikazeKook
While Kamikaze does have a point that “Spirituality” does not mean you eat mushrooms and smoke cannabis – it’s also not Not those things either.
One thing is certain however, the concept of spirituality is evolving alongside with society. As some Redditors responded in this thread, “Today spirituality is something one can buy retail.”
In today’s post – we’re going to be taking a closer look at modern-day spirituality and digital shamanism, and how the future of “religions” might look like.
Understanding a Spiritual Awakening (without psychedelics)
The main idea behind the Redditor’s post is that too many people who take psychedelics for the first time believe they have attained enlightenment.
The tone of the post suggests that Kamikaze is annoyed with this notion and tries to explain it off as a “dopamine release” when in reality a lot more is going on.
A potential reason why people experience this sense of spiritual enlightenment could be the same reason people go through a “romantic phase” when they switch religion.
If you’ve ever spoken to someone who “just converted”, they will talk very similarly to someone is newly in “love”.
This is partly because of dopamine release, but there is something that also happens from a neurological perspective which could explain this “zealousness”.
There’s an old saying in neurology that goes, “Neurons that fire together, wire together” and hints at the process of how our brain wires itself.
In other words, when certain neurons fire in groups, they begin to cluster and form “networks”. These networks make up a physical structure in the brain.
These physical neurological structures can be seem as the “Frame of your behavior” and for the most part, you won’t behave “outside of the norms” of these structures.
These neurological structures make up your belief systems as well, your concepts of God, spirituality, divinity, etc.
Let’s say your entire life you were raised Catholic. All of the rites, traditions, saints, etc – form its own neurological network. When a particular “thing” occurs that clashes with the structure, you either reject it, ignore it, or warp it to fit the mold.
But what happens when you “let go of the structure” and adopt a new one?
There is a massive release of energy in the form of neuroplasticity. You no longer are “bound to the structure inside” but now begin to operate in new, exciting, and unchartered terrains.
This breaking of a paradigm releases energy, excitement, and all these new emotions, and new opportunities of being that were locked under the old structure.
Consider this like “switching operating systems.”
Psychedelic Awakenings!
When it comes to psychedelics however, you’re not just “switching operating systems”, but tapping into a whole new way of “operating”.
For example, MRI Scans reveal that when someone takes LSD, their entire brain “lights up”. In other words, areas which are not typically associated with each other, begin to communicate in abstract ways that is far removed from the “default mode”.
Unlike your typical spiritual awakening – which is a shift from one mode of engagement to another mode of engagement – the psychedelic experience doesn’t “shift” your mode, but rather enters into a state of heightened neuroplasticity.
A moment when thoughts can flow uninhibited by the “rules” of the self.
This can be a profound realization for people who were stuck in “default mode” and suddenly experienced this awe inspiring happening, which forever shifts their perspective on the static nature of consciousness.
Chasing the Tail or Taming the Dragon
This brings us full circle with the annoyance of the Redditor’s post.
Some people, when they experience this “psychedelic awakening” might be ill prepared for such a state of extreme neuroplasticity.
They simply substitute certain “ideas” within their own pantheon of personal beliefs. Mushrooms become their “divine connection”, and weed becomes their “rites”.
They engage with these substances on a near ‘religious’ manner – which is why some people are put off by this archetypical person.
People who substitute psychedelics for actual personal-exploration and consciousness development, often find themselves “chasing” the experience.
Like a dog chasing its own tail they will never truly to be able to ‘capture’ their idealized experience with the substance.
The other group of people are those that are “taming the Dragon” and utilize psychedelics as a tool for deep personal exploration.
While the recognize that there is “something more” to the mind – they also understand that in order to Go Deep, sometimes you need some assistance from these medicinal plants.
Who defines Spirituality_
In the end of the day, Spirituality is a personal practice. Only you are the one that defines it and so – even if the Redditor might be put off by the notion of using mushrooms and weed as a means of spiritual exploration.
It-s always a matter of perspective.
Now, I would like to say that if you are going to be using these plants within the context of personal and spiritual development – I would treat them with the respect they deserve.
This means that you would most probably be growing the stuff yourself, to ensure that it doesn’t become spiritually corrupted during the supply chain.
But then again, that might be too much work for a stoner – and so, you’re just left paying the bill.
I personally do utilize psychedelics and weed within my own internal exploration – of course, I’m not high all the time either, I have a disciplined consumption habit. I know when “enough” is enough.
What do you think? Can psychedelics and cannabis help you reach nirvana?
