Posted on 02/26/2014 7:38:14 PM PST by posterchild
While Drug Enforcement Administration agents in California are cracking down on the popular new drug known as “wax,” people in Colorado are rushing to embrace it.
Wax, the ultimate distillation of marijuana, is so potent that it is said a single hit will keep a person high for more than a day.
“There is no weed out there that possesses the punching power that the wax does,” an undercover DEA informant who asked to remain anonymous told ABC News’ “Nightline.” “And it’s like smoking 20 joints of the best grade of weed that you have into one hit of the wax.”
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
“What is your professional opinion of Grof’s breath work?”
Well, I’m tempted to say, “Don’t get me started!” I’ll try to just hit the highlights.
Holotropic Breathwork is OK, IMO, for someone who doesn’t want to take psychedelics, but it really has much less transformative potential. It is, however, safer, psychologically.
I enjoyed the opportunity to learn it and use it, although ultimately I got tired of running workshops using it because it simply turned into yet another quasi-cult-like New Age scene of the most narcissistically-tinged sort. I really don’t like that sort of thing at all.
I did enjoy the education and the people and the venues where we trained in it - great times. The sustained hyperventilation actives the mind-body energy in a manner suggestive of - but only remotely on a par with - psychedelics. The use of evocative music and focused body work to move the “trip” and the energy along was great to learn as well.
During my dozen years of heavy-duty altered states work/research, I quickly gravitated to the major leagues: high dose acid/shrooms/peyote (with or without adjuncts such as harmaline, datura, tobacco) as well as ayahuasca, and ibogaine a few times. Solo or guided journeys were interspersed with traditional ritual group use with some of these. Guiding, and learning to do that well, was also a great education.
It surprised me that the primary things psychedelics ended up teaching me on deep levels were the fundamental importance of conservative values, family, friendship, classical virtues and moral philosophy. They were also really good - some more than others, though - at actually teaching me how to use them better. But at some point they stopped teaching anything more: I had got the message, and I hung up the phone.
My gravitation to Eastern religions actually started before I’d ever used psychedelics. Over the years, this push led me to the Highest Yoga Tantra practices that come down to us through Tibetan Buddhism. The energies and blessings flowing through these practices make psychedelics look like a blunt instrument by comparison. In the Tibetan practices, not only does one learn to generate these energies and states on one’s own, but to do so reproducibly, and in a manner easier to work with. And, most importantly, the use of these energies and states are not just narcissistically cultivated, but done so with the expressed purpose of using the wisdom gained to alleviate the suffering of others.
I’ll stop here. That should be enough.
As for Trungpa, I know his Dharma and the Dharma of those who considered him a highly realized man. I don't know yours. It's not very evident in the kind of ego-attachment that would lead to publicly insulting a widely recognized lama like that.
How much is not that often?
Thanx. Succinct and honest. I have noted the narcissism in the local practitioners/instructors. I have also sensed exploitation of the newest students. People are promised far more than a simple workshop could ever deliver. The monetary component is also quite high.
IMO, you were quite brave. Most of those drugs scare me. I have read about the mystical practices and your experience matches what I gleaned about the Tibetan practices, also that it takes quite a large amount of personal commitment.
As children of the 60s, my husband and I both totally understand “getting the message and hanging up the phone.”
What difference does it make? Honestly. This entire line of inquiry is off topic and irrelevant. All it serves to do is illuminate just how poorly informed your original assumptions were and that wasn’t necessary either.
What original assumption?
I am in good faith trying to talk to a fellow conservative (I assume) who partakes in a destructive behavior and I’d like to talk to in a friendly manner about.
With the goal being you stop smoking dope.
I note when push came to shove, you don’t want to say how much you actually do smoke.
You note nothing other than my irritation with non-sequitur off topic attempts to deflect this thread into a personal focus on me instead of the subject.
In the last few years I probably smoke some pot a half dozen times a year. Now you know so tell me what difference it makes since you avoided answering that question before.
What you say is true, TigersEye. You are entirely correct on all counts. No further comeback from me. You win.
[“When, out of envy, others mistreat me with abuse, insult, or the like, I shall at all times practice accepting defeat and offering the victory to others.”
From The Eight Verses of Training the Mind, by Geshe Langri Tangpa.]
Speak ill of marijuana and potheads go crazy, almost as if they’re afraid of someone taking their stash and they act as if they’re addicted and can’t exist without it..
Just an observation.
It means you are not a pot head. Most dope smokers smoke it regularly.
That’s good.
Now, if you can drop the six times a year you’ll be fully free of it.
What you call assumptions are more like physical law, no need to assume.
Are you Christian?
While using the Dharma to criticize anyone is not something I would ordinarily do I am happy to be measured by that metric if called to. So I followed your lead and used the Buddhist metric to weigh your assumptions. That was met with a gratuitous insult to a highly recognized teacher simply for having his views quoted. The substance of his views, which served as my rejoinder, you left unremarked upon.
Having criticized and pitied me for using marijuana by your standard of Buddhist practice you then tell someone of a long list of highly dangerous drugs you have used for spiritual pursuit and admit that such use is unworthy and trivial in comparison to the Dharmic practices. Quite true. That's something my teacher told me before I was even his student yet you admit you followed the path of drugs as spiritual guides after you became a student. Everyone has their own karma to follow and I won't criticize you for the order in which you have taken things on your journey but it's more than a little hypocritical to criticize me for smoking pot in light of taking potentially lethal drugs which any lama would reject as useless and unnecessary.
With competition being the furthest thing from my mind I see no victory to be taken. But I find your response has more the flavor of a sarcastic dig than an offering of victory anyway. Your defensiveness is ironic given that you attacked me first.
I have answered all of your personal question so now it's time for you to answer mine. Have you ever smoked marijuana? If so what is the extent of that experience?
Not one with any substance.
Yes.
Quite extensive.
Not for 20 years now. Last time at 29 years of age.
I will assume that you feel qualified to decide what is good, bad, useful, harmful etc. to you. I feel qualified to make those judgments for myself. I don't feel qualified to decide those things for anyone else though particularly someone I have never met. You seem to think you are. Is that right?
I used to be a pretty hardcore surfer...in SoCal..in the 70's early 80's. My older sister came over to my house once...and saw a bar of SEX WAX on my dresser. She about had a cow...!! HAHA!! Took a long time for me to explain to her what it was!!!
No.
It’s not up to me.
You did not answer if you are a Christian.
You didn't answer my question. I'll rephrase it; what qualifies you to make judgments on my life and give unsolicited advice about it?
I did answer you question
As for this one
You addressed me. I responded with my opinion.
We ostensibly are allies by dint of participating here at FR.
“With the goal being you stop smoking dope.”
—
Why would you set a goal for someone else?
I would think that would be up to each individual.
Sounds like nanny state stuff and we certainly have enough of that.
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