Ayahuasca – A discussion

[anagogy]

Interesting fact about psychedelic induced states -- there are many Yogis who look down on people who use psychedelics (including those in Ayahuasca ceremonies) to achieve transcendental states because from their perspective, it is the "lazy way" and thus it is an attempt to gain something for nothing. They would argue if one truly had reverence for such energies they would achieve it solely through the discipline of meditation. This isn't my perspective, as to me tools are tools, but I read about this and I found it to be an interesting spiritual lesson on nature of perspective.

In a way it is similar to looking down on the those who took the synthetic hallucinogen route versus the forest brewed concoction. Perspective is interesting. Because if one person is valid in their judgments and is right about the synthetic vs. naturals, the Yogis are right too in their judgments.

And to me, "Shaman" is just a word for someone who is experienced in such matters, regardless of the framework or modality. A good doctor, or an experienced psychonaut, could be a shaman of sorts. I think we get this image in our heads that a shaman has to be some guy living out in the forest. I don't think it necessarily is always that way. Anything anyone spends a considerable amount of their time and energy learning about starts to gain intuitive insights about whatever it is they are studying. And this is akin to the shaman gaining his subtle understanding also. I've met a few people in my life I consider "modern day" shamans. Of course, you would never guess such a thing by their outer appearance.