Humans have been using substances to have ‘extraordinary experiences’ for millenia.
Sometimes this is motivated by a simple sense of curiosity, and at other times it might be to ‘fill a void,’ while in other cases it might be motivated by a promise of an elusive ‘spiritual experience.’
In some cases it leads to addiction and dependence, while in others it might just be a bucket-list experience that someone moves on from.
In this episode, Thom takes a non-judgemental look at the motivation and impact of such experiences, and outlines an alternative approach, one that’s more sustainable and that leads to a ‘permanent high’ that most people couldn’t even conceive of.
Episode Highlights:
[00:40] The Desire to Belong
[02:29] Tribal Life
[04:27] A Sense of Identity
[06:00] Join the Club
[07:14] Human Beings Crave Variety
[08:33] The Nature of the Knower
[09:51] Badge of Rank
[11:29] The Difference Between a Cult and a Religion
[12:39] Shibboleth
[13:25] Drugs
[14:35] Why Drugs Work
[15:59] Endogenous Chemicals
[18:03] The Prime Directive of the Body
[19:32] Ayahuasca, LSD, THC
[21:13] Mimicking Molecules
[22:44] Lizards on LSD and Psychotic Dogs
[24:31] The Confused Body
[26:23] Sublimation and Addiction
[27:47] An Overload of Experience
[29:35] Premature Cognitive Commitments
[31:10] Psychedelic Experiences
[33:11] Where Are the Icons of Drug Use?
[35:19] A Sustainable Systematic Approach
[37:32] What About Soma?
[38:30] Vedic Meditation - A Better Methodology
[39:44] An Overload of Experience
[41:21] Supreme, Inner Contentedness
[43:01] An Experience of Self
[44:57] Our Body is a Drug-Producing Machine
[46:19] Unsustainable Ways to Extraordinary Experiences
[47:26] The 4/20 Club and Counterfeit Substances
[49:13] Consciousness-Led Experiences
[50:35] A Perpetual Psychedelic State
[51:59] Learning the Sustainable Way
[53:28] Being in the Tribe
[54:29] A Regular Daily Practice
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