Letter to Jack Herer

Rishi · Cannabis Sacrament Minister Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 142

The silence and the apathy on various important issues in this world, is sometimes truly deafening.

One of the greatest of these issues is the spiritual value of cannabis. I don't know how many of you have read Herers' "The Emporer Wears No Clothes" but I'm sure many have. It is considered the "Bible" of the legalization movement, and the standard by which all other writings on the subject are generally compared. On the material level this is understandable. On the spiritual level however, this work is sorely lacking what any basement shaman knows.

I don't know about you, but I found there was something critical missing from this brilliant book. And that is the entheogenic-consciousness expanding aspect of the Herb. Only a cursory mention of this property is addressed by Herer, which means that he basically missed the best point and quality of all of this wondrous plant...it's ability to transform human beings. Yes, it's a great book, but it's like an expert automotive repair guide that fails to mention the engine...

Anyway, I've tried writing this guy on this subject again and again, and got absolutely no response. I think he's hiding from the subject, because he himself does NOT use the Herb in a spiritual way, and is too much of an egotist to learn something new and profound...

Jack Herer needs to learn meditation it would seem, so that the Herb movement can really get on it's feet with a solid foundation...that of spiritual enthusiasm and progress...

What follows is my letter to him this morning...

*********

To: jack@jackherer.com
Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2005 10:20 AM
Subject: No Response Jack

Hello again Jack,

You know, I realized the other day that I've tried to get in touch with
you at least four times over the last three years. Each time gets the same
result; absolute silence. I've e-mailed you about the World Mind Society,
and more specifically about our advanced information on the subject of using
marijuana as a powerful entheogen. I even went into the Third Eye in
Portland and dropped off our article, "The Higher Self" (see our Library at
http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest)

to your son there at the desk.

Again, no response.

So what's that about? Could it possibly be that you see no value in the
spiritual use of this Herb? What does it take to get even a superficial
conversation going with you about Herbal expansion of cosnciousness?

So I came to this conclusion...The message, the Cause can't wait for your
apathy any more. It's time to insult your ego, because obviously there's no
other way to get through your defenses on this subject.

So here goes;

You've missed the most valuable aspect of the Herb in your writings, and
like a damn fool, you KEEP MISSING it. If you were otherwise, then you'd
realize that any significant embrace of marijuana by society is going to
have to be the result of more than just making fuels or an intellectual
appreciation of it's other physical merits. Any such acceptance will come
from deep feelings of appreciation and realization...in short, from
spiritual revelation.

This Herb is about the expansion of consciousness, dammit! That's it's
primary value above all other applications, as worthy as they are. If you
don't get this, then you are too dull to get with the program...

Write me if you dare, (and I'm not holding my breath by any means, coward)

Sincerely,
Matthew Webb visionquest@eoni.com
_________________
The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest

**Ferre** · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 7:22 pm Post subject:

Well brother Matthew, some people just don't get it, or don't want to get it.
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**Mystic Power** · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 8:21 pm Post subject:

Yeah...Jack has always had a "problem" with the spiritual aspect of the herb.

Brighter news...last I heard, he is in colaboration with a mycologist on a mushroom book...so, maybe....

Bliss,
Ben
_________________
"We are the Ones we have been waiting for."
~Hopi Elder ~

"In Lak'ech"
~ Ancient Mayan: "I am another YOU." ~

Rishi · Cannabis Sacrament Minister Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 142

Yeah Ben, that does seem implicit. The fact that someone like Jack Herer could have a problem with the spiritual side of cannabis is frankly bizarre to me. He obviously prides himself on being thoroughly informed to the point of world-class expertise, and yet leaves out this most important point of the subject.

It must be as Ferre said, "those who don't want to know", because it just CAN'T be about sheer ignorance.

I'm making a concerted effort to reach him. He DID respond to this last letter finally this afternoon, in a "short" way, but not in a way that rejected the intent of my letter...spiritual cannabis. So I wrote back and attached an article about meditating upon the high, (the raising of its' vibration and the gaining of "chi" for the sake of expanding the users' consciousness).

It's too bad it has to come to that kind of corrspondence to get a person focused. We shall see..
_________________
The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest

**Mystic Power** · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 10:13 pm Post subject:

Be of good cheer! I think you've made greater inroads today with Jack than anyone ever, before!

The fact that he did not reject the idea out-of-hand is kind of a big step for him, I think.

Bliss,
Ben
_________________
"We are the Ones we have been waiting for."
~Hopi Elder ~

"In Lak'ech"
~ Ancient Mayan: "I am another YOU." ~

**Mystic Power** · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 10:15 pm Post subject:

P.S.
As I recall....Jack used to have a bit of a fascination with the "Bible Code" ... and would rant about it for hours... if that was his particular rant de jour... rofl

Bliss,
Ben
_________________
"We are the Ones we have been waiting for."
~Hopi Elder ~

"In Lak'ech"
~ Ancient Mayan: "I am another YOU." ~

**Rev. Rodger L. Poole** · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 10:16 pm Post subject:

I like you, Brother Matt.....I can see us becoming friends lol....nice letter! Us ambassador-types are hard to come by!

smash

Sometimes you just gotta beat em over the head with it, Bro! and then....They STILL dont get it...... nope

_________________
Stop being a slave to Cannabis, and do something with your life! How much is smoking weed going to cost you before you will WAKE UP?

Put down the bong

and pick up a book every once in a while for Pete's sake.

"Compassion to those that deserve it, and Justice for all others."

ReverendCaveGrower · Cannabis Sacrament Minister Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 220

We belong to a religion that hold Cannabis as the perfect tool to experience our higher power, or a higher place. Not everyone thinks that way, kinda the reason we are a CHURCH and not a club. Jack may just have the view that any and all use of cannabis should be protected and migh not give 2 shits about how we feel closer to God when we share a blessing, or the healing powers of real holy oil we use.

To each thier own, I personlay would have said :

Rishi · Cannabis Sacrament Minister Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 142

Basically I did say something to the effect of;

"hay Jack, kickass book, I wish I could afford to send a copy to every local and national elected leader and then watch the bills fly, Keep up the fight brother, and smoke one from me! "

and I also said, "Hey Jack, have you considered the idea that the whole marijuana legalization and social acceptance issue would be infinitely strengthened by a public realization of it's spiritual qualities?"

I said this four times in 3 years and the response was, well, shall we say "Jack squat"

So now I try a different "tact" and low and behold! I get a response in less than 60 minutes. Sometimes a different lock requires a different key. When you're dealing with egos, I've found, it is often that the only key which fits is one with an ego shape.

Yes, the guy deserves every ounce of respect for his effrots thus far, paving the way for the rest of us. But like the dinosaurs, his lack of spiritual emphasis is both obsolete and terribly unfortunate. Due to this his writings to me, are like a thorough treatise of the wonders of birds, going on page after page, and then somewhere on the last page saying, "oh yeah, by the way, did I mention that these things fly?"

I comment like this to him, and about him, not because I don't honor his works, but because I honor the need of this cause to be KNOWN much more....the enlightenment of humanity. The High of the Herb is a premier tool for the accomplishment of this end, and that's a heck of a lot more important than swaying politicians to write sensible legislature, or encouraging soccer moms to value speaking to their children intelligently, rather than reporting them to the Partnership for a Logic Free America.

This Herb is a spiritual gift of the Earth. It expands consciousness. It expands us, ALL OF US, even policemen, judges and senators. If given a chance it could change the entire course of human history forever.

If Jack could be made to understand this, to write about it and advcoate it, there are literally MILLIONS who would listen, and THEN we might really have something going that could actually save this mess we call "society" from itself.
_________________
The World Mind Society http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest

prntrkmt · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 3:39 am Post subject: Re: Letter to Jack Herer