Mysticism and Drugs

the Shaman; what is acquired easily and quickly is lost just as easily and quickly.

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Transcript

Mysticism and Drugs

shaykh ibrahim ansari

Over the centuries, the use of hallucinogenic plants has been a beneficent assistant for purposes of healing, mostly by the professional counsellors sometimes referred to as Shamans today.

Regarding Shamans - they work well within a framework of 200-300 people. They will know each family member by name, job and family history. When someone comes to a Shaman for healing, he or she has the specific knowledge of the emotional, spiritual, physical and often family history to know exactly what is required for the care of that specific person.

The Shaman is not viable in any town over 300 people. Anyone who professes to have studied to be a Shaman has been scammed. Anyone who tells you they are a Shaman supports that scam. 

If you are seeking submergence into the murky waters of what some call ‘mysticism’, there are a number of ideas to ponder.

When these medicines are exploited for entertainment purposes, it shows disrespect both to the drug, the process, as well as you.

When used for the purpose of wanting a ‘mystical experience’, it also shows a misunderstanding and lack of knowledge regarding true spiritual  growth.

Most of us look for the shortcuts, an easy way like a pill or drink that will ‘do the job’ so we don’t have to put out any effort. The raw truth is that gaining real spiritual knowledge needs time and effort, the basic ingredients leading to permanent change. 

Alchemy refers often and is actually based on the concept of refining your Nafs.  It speaks often of applying heat, effort, focus, preparation and observation.

Let’s look at some of the guiding principles for spiritual change:

Focus - avoiding distractions, staying centered,

Meditation - Stopping automatic brain chatter,

Getting Out Of the Way - Learning compassion and empathy,

Listening - to the heart,

Observation - Seeing things more subtly,

Patience - Anything quickly gained is quickly lost,

Service - being of use to others

Balance  - of your inner and outer worlds.

To want to do something because everyone is doing it, is, of course, not a great idea.

To want something like a ‘mystical experience’ indicates it is time for this student to work on a strong foundation of understanding the true and false… old Zen Koan:

Before enlightenment: Chop wood, carry water.

After enlightenment: Chop wood, carry water.

A mystical experience rarely has any use if it is sought after or becomes a need or desire. Anything can become a distraction. With a spiritual practice we are unifying your trillions of cells into one being. To become an integrated human being you first have to accept the fact that you are a wild and unruly mess of an entire tribe living in your skin. Each of your Nafs has a will, a voice and personality that wants to make you small and safe.

Included in this interior tribe are your parents, extended family, teachers, relationships, co-workers, memories both good and bad, regrets, guilts, should-haves and could-haves. They all are in competition for your attention.

It is kind of like an ideal politics: if you want to be a politician, you should be disqualified from seeking it. Where you put your desire and focus is what you will become and attract.  You need to learn how to balance the inner and outer. If, for example, you feel like a loser, you bring that energy to whatever you put your mind to. If you want to be rich or famous, that might also become your life, yes, but it also means you might be choosing a path without a heart, purpose, meaning or fulfillment. 

In other words, when you want a mystical experience, what are you really asking for? Do you know? If it is to explore your inner world, and you have not prepared properly for the unknown, anything can happen. 

Without concerted effort to understand yourself, and without guidance, many thousands have ended up in mental institutions or severely injured or dead.

You are knocking on the door to a multi-dimensional fun or horror house without any safety gear. That’s just plain stupid. Yes, of course some have entered that realm and returned; some micro-dose, and some want to hang out at the psychedelic deli.

What you might discover, if you are lucky, is that shortcuts are not usually permanent. As regards spiritual growth, the experience may point out a direction, or not, or give you false data. If you are really fortunate, you will learn that the only permanent change requires effort, focus, surrender and a healthy dose of humor.

Any true mystical experience comes when you have learned how to stay out of the way (because it is not about you) and to be of service for others (not you). It requires finely developed strong spiritual and psychological foundation built on sincerity, honesty, humility, surrender and connection with your heart.

Your heart, not your imagination, not you. If you think you are healing or helping someone or being of service, you are confused. This is all not about you. As long as there is a you, then that is what is going to get in the way. Your you-thing is habit-filled and self-centered. We don’t want it, we don’t need it. That is what all the training is about. Getting the you out of the way.

And so, when there is enough heart in place, we may find we have a new skill for the purpose of helping others - as long as we don’t identify with it, and as along as we are not invested in the outcome. 

The desire for mystical experience is just another trap. What is needed is clearing away the nafs, one by one, until you begin to feel closer to the Divine, to Allah. If Allah wishes, you may be given a utility for the purpose of helping others, not you. If ever it is unclear if it is your nafs or Allah, there is no ‘you’ or ‘me’ in Allah.