Philosophy of Use: The Psychonaut's Quest

I felt compelled to write this little essay because I was reminded that many people who have never used psychedelic substances and cannabis completely fail to grasp the reason one uses drugs like these. I heard it said, recently, that people use cannabis and psychedelics to "escape" their problems and emotions. This struck me as a statement that is born out of a profound ignorance of what these substances do and what the goals of a user are. Those who have experience with psychedelics will know that taking a psychedelic drug to "escape" a problem or emotion is like running into a burning building to escape the summer heat. One's emotions are magnified and the problem manifests in his or her mind. The effects of cannabis are different but they tend to bring about an introspective and reflective state of mind which also doesn't fit the "escape" narrative. Psychedelics and cannabis are not crutches for the emotionally crippled, as some would suggest. They, in reality, are the tools of the psychonaut (they have lots of other uses too but those things aren't being discussed here). They are the ship upon which he or she sails across the ocean of the soul. They are the sword and shield one uses to slay the hydras that haunt his or her head. They enable the psychonaut to face his or her personal sphinx directly and answer its riddle correctly. Ultimately, they allow the psychonaut to find his or her prize of hidden understanding and drag it back to the sober world. That description is a bit too esoteric, perhaps; so I will put it in the following way: These drugs are a means of self-exploration and one does not use them to "escape" anything; instead, one consumes these drugs to face his or her emotions, fears, loves, doubts, and beliefs so that he or she might find a better way of viewing the "self" and world it inhabits.

The idea that one takes these types of drugs to escape is a product of the drug war and appeals to the most judgmental members of the public. This concept has been pushed pretty heavily in propaganda films (I reviewed one a few weeks ago, in fact), literature, and classes. With this being considered, it is unsurprising that, despite its false premise, the "escape" narrative is still prevalent in society. Most people do not research things like cannabis and psychedelics unless they have an interest in them and they, out of ignorance, go on believing the drug war lies that have been fed to them throughout their lives. Propaganda, however, is not the only driving force behind this false perception of cannabis and psychedelics. The ability to place oneself above others is very attractive to certain people. They may feel inadequate or morally superior; the cause of their "need" is unimportant to this discussion. Simply put, this view allows the judgmental types to view users of these drugs as lesser than themselves and this scratches whatever itch that they need to be scratched.

Before I go on, I would like to address the reason that these two very different types of drugs are being categorized together. It is true that the effects of cannabis and psychedelics are rather dissimilar but they also seem to compliment each other and they both seem to aid the psychonaut on his or her journey of self-discovery. Psychedelics enable the psychonaut to venture into the deeper and hidden parts of his or her mind where he or she will find what is being sought; be it the monstrous fear that must be slain or the golden fleece of personal understanding. Cannabis, on the other hand, serves as a tool one can use to reflect upon and recover from the psychedelic experience. It helps to heal the wounds one suffers while grappling with his or her difficult emotions. It is the key that unlocks the box which contains the treasures that have been born back to reality by the returning hero or heroin. Together, cannabis and psychedelics, in the same way that Ares and Athena govern different aspects of war, rule over the psychonaut's quest.

The reason that people use cannabis and psychedelics in this way is in direct opposition to the "escape" narrative. One cannot explore his or her mind without facing his or her problems. The treasures of self-discovery are forever hidden to those who run from their problems. The purpose of this type of drug use is to strengthen the mind and fortify the self. The users of cannabis and psychedelics, in this sense, are some of the most willing among us to address their problems and emotions.

Peace.

The god who hides inside the mushroom awakened and spoke the following words: "Have you seen the blue and white and green, so bright? Have you seen the darkness become the light? Devour my flesh and I will teach you to see without your sight."

This was another installment of my continuing series of Philosophy of Use posts. If you liked this post, please feel free to visit my page for more similar content.

Unless otherwise credited, all the images in this post were sourced from the free image website, unsplash.com.