Rev. Ferre's surfin' habits

I Declare Peace on War!

Saturday, April 24, 2004

Make your own george-says :

posted by Ferre 3:27 AM

Monday, April 19, 2004

The article below is written by Joan Russow (PhD), and represents my thoughts on the US in a very detailed way:

After the attack on the World Trade Centre in September 11, 2001, the US administration was asking the question "why do they hate us" but no one at that time was prepared to answer the question. Now with the National Commission on Terrorism which is re-visiting the "intelligence" prior to the attack, the question needs to be answered.

The US administration could be hated because the US administration either alone or along with others has:

engaged in covert and overt "Operations" against independent states; from "Operation Zapata", and "Operation Northwoods" against Cuba, through "Operation Candor" in Chile, through years of euphemistic operations such as "Operation Just Cause" against Panama and more recently "Operation enduring freedom" against Afghanistan, and "Operation Iraqi Freedom"against Iraq
targeted and assisted in the assassination of leaders of other sovereign states, and condoned the targeting and assassinating of leaders by other states
undermined Common Security: peace, human rights, environment and social justice.
undermined the international resolve to prevent the scourge of war by intimidating or offering economic incentives in exchange for support for military intervention; (the US continually cajoles, intimidates, and bribes, on other members of the United Nations.)
perceived justice in terms of revenge through military intervention rather than respecting the jurisdiction of the international Court of Justice, and misused Art 51 in the Charter of the United Nations to justify military aggression
disregarded obligations incurred through conventions, treaties, and covenants; and made commitments through conference action plans, related to the Public trust/ Common security - peace, environment, human rights and social justice
Failed to sign, failed to ratify, failed to enact the necessary legislation to ensure compliance with, or respect for Public Trust international Conventions, Covenants and Treaties,
demonstrated disdain for the international rule of law, and refused to accept the jurisdiction or decision of the International Court of Justice
undermined international obligations incurred through Conventions, Treaties, and Covenants, and commitments through UN Conference Action Plans, related to the Public Trust or to Common Security -peace, environment, human rights and social justice
failed to act on commitments made through UN Conference Action Plans, or failed to fulfill expectations created through General Assembly Resolutions.
promulgated propaganda for war in violation of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights
justified military intervention by misinterpreting Article 51 of the UN Charter " Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security
participated in military organization, such as NATO that has a first strike nuclear policy in violation of the ruling of the International Court of Justice that the use or threat to use nuclear weapons was contrary to international humanitarian law,
misconstrued prevention of war by adopting a policy of pre-emptive/preventive attack to aggressively attack sovereign states that are designated as being on the axis of evil.
established military bases in sovereign states (in the case of the US over 700 military bases in over 40 countries around the world
produced weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear, chemical, and biological, in defiance of the global commitment made at Stockholm in 1972 to eliminate the production of weapons of mass destruction. and refused to abide by the Non Proliferation treaty obligations
circulated nuclear powered or nuclear arms capable vessels throughout the world, and berthed these vessels in urban ports
planted land mines throughout the world, and failed to sign and ratify the Convention for the banning of Landmines
moved towards the militarization of space, and increasing the arms race through the US Anti-ballistic Missile system
used weapons such as Depleted Uranium and cluster bombs that would be prohibited under the Geneva Protocol II
continued to engage in cruel and unusual punishment - Capital punishment.
promulgated globalization, deregulation and privatization through promoting trade agreements, such as the WTO/FTAA/NAFTA etc that undermine the rule of international public trust law
subsidized and invested in companies that have developed weapons of mass destruction, that have violated human rights, that have denied social justice, that have exploited workers, that have destroyed the environment.
failed to ensure that corporations, including transnational corporations comply .. with international law, and to revoke charters of corporations that violate human rights, destroy the environment, denies social justice and contributes to war and conflict
opposed Mandatory International Ethical Normative (MIEN) standards and enforceable regulations to drive industry to conform to international law, and supported corporate "voluntary compliance"
failed to revoke charters and licences of corporations that have violated human rights, including labour rights, that have contributed to war and violence, and that have led to the destruction of the environment
promoted the privatization of public services such as water, and health care, and reduced funding for universities, and promoted corporate funding of education and corporate direction of research
contributed to environmentally induced diseases and poverty related health problems and denied universal access, to publicly funded not for profit health care system
failed to reduce their military budget and reallocate military expenses and transfer the savings into global social justice as undertaken through numerous UN Conference Action Plans and UN General Assembly Resolutions. (The US spends over 500 billion per year on the military and is the major exporter of arms)
opposed an international commitment to transfer .7% of the GDP for overseas aid, and condoned corporations benefiting and profiting from war
advocated and supported IMF structural adjustment program, and exploited vulnerable and indigenous peoples around the world
failed to cancel third world debt and failed to ensure the human right to safe drinking water, the human right to unadulterated (non-genetically engineered pesticide-free food), the human right to safe accessible housing, the human right to be clothed, the human right to education, the human right to universally accessible not for profit publicly funded health care that stresses the importance of prevention of environmentally induced diseases, and poverty related illnesses. ( many of these rights have been protected through international human rights instruments)
promoted the spread of Evangelical Christianity around the world, undermining local indigenous cultures, and instilling fear through the dangerous, and absurd belief in the "rapture" , "Armageddon" and "left behind"
participated in the proselytizing of religion and the undermining of other cultures and perpetuated the notion that Christianity is superior to other religions
produced or permitted the production of toxic, hazardous, atomic waste, and failed to prevent the transfer to other states of substances and activities that are harmful to human health or the environment as agreed at the UN Conferences on the Environment and Development, 1992.
denied civil and political rights including the right to freedom of speech and the right of peaceful assembly, and fundamental labour rights
produced, promoted, grown or approved genetically engineered foods and crops and led to a deterioration of the food supply, and heritage seeds
ignored the warnings of the Intergovernmental panel on Climate change and have Change, and Kyoto Protocol
discriminated on the following grounds: - race, tribe, or culture; - colour, ethnicity, national ethnic or social origin, or language; nationality, place of birth, or nature of residence (refugee or immigrant, migrant worker); - gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or form of family, - disability or age; - religion or conviction, political or other opinion, or - class, economic position, or other status; * denied women's reproductive rights, * denied fundamental rights through the imposition of religious beliefs
enacted anti-terrorism legislation that violates civil and political rights, and engaged in racial profiling * failed to distinguish legitimate dissent from criminal acts of subversion.
accepted corporate donations, and deluded the public into thinking that citizens live in a democracy.
etc.

compiled by Joan Russow (PhD) Global Compliance Research Project Victoria, Canada

posted by Ferre 8:49 PM

Thursday, April 08, 2004

How to explain American Foreign Policy to your child...

Q: Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq?
A. Because they had weapons of mass destruction, honey.

Q: But the inspectors didn't find any weapons of mass destruction.
A: That's because the Iraqis were hiding them.

Q: And that's why we invaded Iraq?
A: Yep. Invasions always work better than inspections.

Q: But after we invaded them, we STILL didn't find any weapons of mass destruction, did we?
A: That's because the weapons are so well hidden. Don't worry, we'll Find something, probably right before the 2004 election.

Q: Why did Iraq want all those weapons of mass destruction?
A: To use them in a war, silly.

Q: I'm confused. If they had all those weapons that they planned to use In a war, then why didn't they use any of those weapons when we went to War with them?
A: Well, obviously they didn't want anyone to know they had those weapons, so they chose to die by the thousands rather than defend themselves.

Q: That doesn't make sense Daddy. Why would they choose to die if they had all those big weapons to fight us back with?
A: It's a different culture. It's not supposed to make sense.

Q: I don't know about you, but I don't think they had any of those Weapons our government said they did.
A: Well, you know, it doesn't matter whether or not they had those weapons. We had another good reason to invade them anyway.

Q: And what was that?
A: Even if Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein Was a cruel dictator, which is another good reason to invade another country.

Q: Why? What does a cruel dictator do that makes it OK to invade his country?
A: Well, for one thing, he tortured his own people.

Q: Kind of like what they do in China?
A: Don't go comparing China to Iraq. China is a good economic competitor, where millions of people work for slave wages in sweatshops to make U.S. corporations richer.

Q: So if a country lets its people be exploited for American corporate gain, it's a good country, even if that country tortures people?
A: Right.

Q: Why were people in Iraq being tortured?
A: For political crimes, mostly, like criticizing the government. People who criticized the government in Iraq were sent to prison and tortured.

Q: Isn't that exactly what happens in China?
A: I told you, China is different.

Q: What's the difference between China and Iraq?
A: Well, for one thing, Iraq was ruled by the Ba'ath party, while China is Communist.

Q: Didn't you once tell me Communists were bad?
A: No, just Cuban Communists are bad.

Q: How are the Cuban Communists bad?
A: Well, for one thing, people who criticize the government in Cuba are sent to prison and tortured.

Q: Like in Iraq?
A: Exactly.

Q: And like in China, too?
A: I told you, China's a good economic competitor. Cuba, on the other hand, is not.

Q: How come Cuba isn't a good economic competitor?
A: Well, you see, back in the early 1960s, our government passed some Laws that made it illegal for Americans to trade or do any business with Cuba until they stopped being Communists and started being capitalists like us.

Q: But if we got rid of those laws, opened up trade with Cuba, and Started doing business with them, wouldn't that help the Cubans become capitalists?
A: Don't be a smart-ass.

Q: I didn't think I was being one.
A: Well, anyway, they also don't have freedom of religion in Cuba.

Q: Kind of like China and the Falun Gong movement?
A: I told you, stop saying bad things about China. Anyway, Saddam Hussein came to power through a military coup, so he's not really a Legitimate leader anyway.

Q: What's a military coup?
A: That's when a military general takes over the government of a country by force, instead of holding free elections like we do in the United States.

Q: Didn't the ruler of Pakistan come to power by a military coup?
A: You mean General Pervez Musharraf? Uh, yeah, he did, but Pakistan is our friend.

Q: Why is Pakistan our friend if their leader is illegitimate?
A: I never said Pervez Musharraf was illegitimate.

Q: Didn't you just say a military general who comes to power by Forcibly overthrowing the legitimate government of a nation is an Illegitimate leader?
A: Only Saddam Hussein. Pervez Musharraf is our friend, because he Helped us invade Afghanistan.

Q: Why did we invade Afghanistan?
A: Because of what they did to us on September 11th.

Q: What did Afghanistan do to us on September 11th?
A: Well, on September 11th, nineteen men, Fifteen of them Saudi Arabians, hijacked four airplanes and flew three of them into buildings, killing over 3,000 Americans.

Q: So how did Afghanistan figure into all that?
A: Afghanistan was where those bad men trained, under the oppressive rule of the Taliban.

Q: Aren't the Taliban those bad radical Islamics who chopped off people's heads and hands?
A: Yes, that's exactly who they were. Not only did they chop off people's heads and hands, but they oppressed women, too.

Q: Didn't the Bush administration give the Taliban 43 million dollars Back in May of 2001?
A: Yes, but that money was a reward because they did such a good job fighting drugs.

Q: Fighting drugs?
A: Yes, the Taliban were very helpful in stopping people from growing Opium poppies.

Q: How did they do such a good job?
A: Simple. If people were caught growing opium poppies, the Taliban Would have their hands and heads cut off.

Q: So, when the Taliban cut off people's heads and hands for growing flowers, that was OK, but not if they cut people's heads and hands off for other reasons?
A: Yes. It's OK with us if radical Islamic fundamentalists cut off people's hands for growing flowers, but it's cruel if they cut off people's hands for stealing bread.

Q: Don't they also cut off people's hands and heads in Saudi Arabia?
A: That's different. Afghanistan was ruled by a tyrannical patriarchy That oppressed women and forced them to wear burqas whenever they were in public, with death by stoning as the penalty for women who did not comply.

Q: Don't Saudi women have to wear burqas in public, too?
A: No, Saudi women merely wear a traditional Islamic body covering.

Q: What's the difference?
A: The traditional Islamic covering worn by Saudi women is a modest yet fashionable garment that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers. The burqa, on the other hand, is an evil tool of patriarchal oppression that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers.

Q: It sounds like the same thing with a different name.
A: Now, don't go comparing Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are Our friends.

Q: But I thought you said 15 of the 19 hijackers on September 11th were from Saudi Arabia.
A: Yes, but they trained in Afghanistan.

Q: Who trained them?
A: A very bad man named Osama bin Laden.

Q: Was he from Afghanistan?
A: Uh, no, he was from Saudi Arabia too. But he was a bad man, a very Bad man.

Q: I seem to recall he was our friend once.
A: Only when we helped him and the mujahadeen repel the Soviet invasion Of Afghanistan back in the 1980s.

Q: Who are the Soviets? Was that the Evil Communist Empire Ronald Reagan talked about?
A: There are no more Soviets. The Soviet Union broke up in 1990 or thereabouts, and now they have elections and capitalism like us. We call them Russians now.

Q: So the Soviets ? I mean, the Russians ? are now our friends?
A: Well, not really. You see, they were our friends for many years After they stopped being Soviets, but then they decided not to support our invasion of Iraq, so we're mad at them now. We're also mad at the French and the Germans because they didn't help us invade Iraq either.

Q: So the French and Germans are evil, too?
A: Not exactly evil, but just bad enough that we had to rename French Fries and French toast to Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast.

Q: Do we always rename foods whenever another country doesn't do what We want them to do?
A: No, we just do that to our friends. Our enemies, we invade.

Q: But wasn't Iraq one of our friends back in the 1980s?
A: Well, yeah. For a while.

Q: Was Saddam Hussein ruler of Iraq back then?
A: Yes, but at the time he was fighting against Iran, which made him Our friend, temporarily.

Q: Why did that make him our friend?
A: Because at that time, Iran was our enemy.

Q: Isn't that when he gassed the Kurds?
A: Yeah, but since he was fighting against Iran at the time, we looked The other way, to show him we were his friend.

Q: So anyone who fights against one of our enemies automatically Becomes our friend?
A: Most of the time, yes.

Q: And anyone who fights against one of our friends is automatically an enemy?
A: Sometimes that's true, too. However, if American corporations can Profit by selling weapons to both sides at the same time, all the better.

Q: Why?
A: Because war is good for the economy, which means war is good for
America. Also, since God is on America's side, anyone who opposes war is a Godless un-American Communist. Do you understand now why we attacked Iraq?

Q: I think so. We attacked them because God wanted us to, right?
A: Yes.

Q: But how did we know God wanted us to attack Iraq?
A: Well, you see, God personally speaks to George W. Bush and tells him what to do.

Q: So basically, what you're saying is that we attacked Iraq because George W. Bush hears voices in his head?
A: Yes! You finally understand how the world works. Now close your eyes, make yourself comfortable, and go to sleep. Good night.

Good night, Daddy.

Author unknown. [source]

posted by Ferre 2:04 AM

Friday, April 02, 2004

Entheo Genius
Part 1

We have in our midst agents of such healing and transformative potency, that they could change the face of the world forever. They’ve been among us long before the beginning of recorded history. They’ve helped to guide our evolution as a species by improving our intelligence, wisdom, inner strength, self realization and best of all, our level of spiritual connectedness with God and Nature. This is why they are called “entheogens”, which translates literally as, “en” (in), “theo”, (God) and “gens”, (active agent). An entheogen is therefore a substance, usually a plant or a fungus, whose psychoactive properties are capable of boosting the user “into God”, and higher states of consciousness. One need not be religious in any way for this to occur. All that is required when we partake of the “plant guides” given to us by Nature, is that we focus ourselves respectfully upon inner growth and spiritual progress. This is known as, “right intent”.

There are numerous substances with entheogenic properties, and among these are marijuana, psilocybe mushrooms, peyote cactus, (LSD included), the ayahuasca vine and many others. Needless to say these gifts of the Earth, or “Teacher Plants” as they are properly known by indigenous people the world over, have been wrongly maligned by myth, politically motivated propaganda, undue hysteria, and such movements as, “the war on drugs”. When used properly with the right attitude and intent, entheogens are a ready pathway to greater self realization, fulfillment and spiritual progress.

Before we proceed, let’s take a closer look at the current social context in which we live, with regard to these marvelous substances. Those on the spiritual path soon learn that what we leave out of our minds, bodies and spirits is just as important as what we put it. As an example of what to leave out, an evaluation of prevailing attitudes and policies is very useful, as follows;

In reality, the war on drugs is not actually a war on ALL drugs, but only a tiny handful of substances out of a backdrop of tens of thousands of FDA approved “medications”. Prescription drugs are still DRUGS, and many if not most of them have been ill-researched as to their damaging side effects. The side effects of common prescriptions which ARE known, are very often much worse than what they supposedly cure. These damaging consequences then require other “prescriptions” to handle the side effects of the first, and so on, in vicious circle. In the Western world, far more people die every year from prescription medications than they do by both disease and illegal drugs. Regardless of what propagandists may say, marijuana is properly known as an HERB not a DRUG. A drug is an artificially refined substance which is usually made with a focus upon “active ingredients” and the profit that can be made from their manufacture. An herb on the other hand, is a naturally occurring plant which still has nature’s balance of subtle properties intact. This is an important distinction to remember, and it is one that helps take away the falsely negative stigma that has been attached to marijuana. Although potent in it’s effects, marijuana is no more of a “drug” than ginseng or garlic

Many contraband substances actually have the potential to cure and further evolve those who ingest them and THIS is exactly why they have been made illegal. It is not the potential of entheogens to do harm, therefore, which has primarily caused their condemnation by governments the world over. It is precisely because these substances have a great potential for doing good, that they are widely despised and feared by institutional forces, such as the pharmaceutical companies, consumerism-promoting ad agencies, religious hierarchies and mind-controlling/law enforcement government departments By “doing good” I mean helping to wake people up…..empowering them so as not to need governments, religions or the corporate world, in order to live happy, progressive, healthy and spiritual lives.

We live in a society that routinely takes drugs of all kinds for every conceivable purpose, from “sexual performance” and memory enhancement, to allergy formulas and pain relievers. While it is common knowledge that thousands of prescription “medications” have very hazardous side effects, this does not stop the pharmaceutical industry from peddling them to every neighborhood doctor. Nor does the fact that thousands of people die or suffer every year from the taking of these often poisonous and unneeded prescriptions, (with hundreds more being developed every year as a multi-billion dollar industry) stop the FDA from approving of their manufacture. Likewise, drugs like alcohol and cigarettes, laced with various chemicals as they are, are used by billions of people every year with proven harmful side effects. Yet these remain hypocritically legal and generally approved of. So when this culture speaks of any “war on drugs” it does not necessarily refer to the proven harmfulness of a substance, or of any negative social consequence that may arise through its’ use. It refers instead to the real underlying motive for this battle, which is a war on alternative and higher states of consciousness. The war on drugs is largely targeted toward so-called “hallucinogenics” because of what they do to the user. They expand consciousness and change the perspective of those who take them. When used in conjunction with meditation or other spiritual focuses, entheogens can actually help to evolve the user.

It is commonly known that consumerism depends heavily upon the predictability of the general public’s beliefs and buying trends. Without that predictability, corporate profit margins cannot be easily stimulated or maintained. Thus it is in the interest of the international corporate agenda, to keep the public’s mindstate well within strictly defined boundaries. International corporations believe their advertising and products must continue to literally define what is desirable in life and what is not, for the people of the world. In their view, to not accomplish this may be likened to a form of financial suicide. They know very well that a dumb consumer is a good consumer. It is unacceptable to them that dumb consumers can be transformed into spiritual leaders and visionaries, by ingesting the right plants.

In the modern age the corporate game is not so much the mere manufacture of needed goods for the marketplace, but the stimulation of the desire for unneeded goods in prospective buyers. Would-be buyers who have been “turned on” and “tuned in” by entheogenic substances, may well be shaken out of their consumeristic stupor that is promoted by the mass media. They may then be made far more capable of questioning the programming they’ve been given, about how to live and what to buy. In other words, with the help of such substances as marijuana and peyote, people have a greatly enhanced opportunity to take back from the media their self guidance and independent thought. Teacher plants allow an opportunity for the mind to go beyond the shallow trends of thinking we see in the modern day, summed up perfectly by most television commercials. Through entheogens people can become much more self and socially aware. “Tuned in” people can realize that we all live in a much bigger universe than that small shoebox described by fashion magazines and media hype. From the corporate point of view, people who are waking up from TV-ad hype-nosis are not dependable buyers or, “good citizens”. Alert and intelligent people must therefore be quickly, “brought back into the fold” of unthinking consumerist buying and selling. THIS is the actual bottom line of the so-called “war on drugs”, not the supposed troubling moral issues which parents must face, when their teenagers want to smoke marijuana flowers.

Entheogens have a startling potential to transform our inner worlds for the better. Rather than relying on the dark motives and lack of credibility of the mass media, it is very advisable for the intelligent person to investigate that potential for themselves on a first-hand basis. There are those in this world who have already done exactly that, and these pioneers of the inner landscape, (consciousness) are every bit the intrepid explorers as veteran astronauts and deep sea divers. What they have found is echoed back to us in the scriptural, sacred writings of all cultures. Like yoga and marital arts masters, they realize that the answers and keys to life can be found within. This is especially true of those which advocate meditation and the attainment of greater enlightenment, through various spiritual disciplines. Indigenous cultures have long known that entheogens CAN aid us greatly in our voyage of inner discovery, and are not to be taken lightly for that reason. Many have been traditionally used in rites of initiation into adulthood, as healing agents and particularly, as a learning vehicle through which various “vision quests” are carried out. The use of ayahuasca by Central and South American shamans is but one example. Another is the use of peyote in places like Mexico and the Southwest, and mushrooms by indigenous tribes the world over.

********

Those who assume that the effects of so-called “hallucinogenic” substances is pure fantasy and “mind tripping” have entirely missed the point. Even the Western label of “hallucinogenic” is a misleading term that enters bias into the use of psychedelic substances, before they are ever given a fair hearing. When used for the sake of gaining greater clarity, energy, wisdom and intuitive knowledge, entheogens have a profoundly meaningful impact on the user. What is Seen therein is NOT a hallucination, but aspects of the truth. It is when they are used as a joy ride, or with no particular focus in mind, that their great power and potential most often goes astray, resulting in imaginary effects on the user Thus the common, “bad trip” is not the fault of any given power plant, it is the fault of the user whose imbalanced mental focus brings chaotic results to the experience. The point is that not all of these “hallucinogenic” effects are imaginary or meaningless. On the contrary, and depending upon the seriousness and intent of the user, the experiences shown to us by entheogens can be rightfully called both “visionary” and “transformative”. By that I mean they can reveal to us deeper levels of our own soul, the Spirit which animates Nature and the universe in general. They can reveal TRUTH. Entheogens have the capacity to expand our degree of clarity, and with the right inner focus, can do so on a permanent basis. They can also help us to permanently raise our vibrational level, our psychic and intuitive powers, and supply fundamental information regarding Cosmic Reality. I do not say this speculatively or lightly, I speak from repeated personal experience. When traveling to Peru during the winter of 1999, I stayed with a shaman near Iquitos Peru at his Amazon forest camp for 4 months. During that period I took about 60 doses of his specially brewed ayahuasca, and this gave me the needed boost to write a book called “The Evolution of God”. Using this work as a base, I then wrote all the current articles which now reside in the World Mind Society Library at http://www.eoni.com/~visionquest I contend that there has NEVER, (at least to my knowledge) been written a more comprehensive collection of materials on the expansion of consciousness, right living and the purpose of life. Much of this effort I owe to the use of entheogens.

In this article series I’ll attempt to share with the reader some small part of what I’ve personally learned from the use of entheogens. It is my hope that you’ll want to repeat and validate such experiences for yourself, for the sake of greater spiritual fulfillment and personal power, and perhaps even the gaining of spiritual power on a group basis.

I began using marijuana in 1987 at the age of 21, subsequent to a five year enlistment in the U.S. Navy. At that time I found that the effects of this herb upon my consciousness were quite profound, and with no real effort on my part. I noticed however that this was not so much the case with those I knew, and I attributed this difference to my existing practice of meditation. It soon became apparent that the combination of meditation and marijuana is a potent one, offering incredible opportunities not only for self knowledge, but what I came to call, “the gaining of personal power”. And power is a well chosen word for its’ right use! The very first boon I gained from pot, was a greatly increased level of energy, or “chi” as it is called in China. After one puff my energy level would double, triple of quadruple depending on the conditions at hand, and those with whom I was smoking. After a time, I learned that by focusing upon my energy level before and after a puff, that I could raise even more energy from the Earth at will. Later I also learned to gain chi from the sun, immediately after a puff. Such energy can then be stored in the body, or put to immediate use in various spiritual tasks which I’ll describe hereafter. I don’t expect the average reader by the way, to even believe there is such a thing as “chi” initially. Nor is it likely that there are many who will read this who are expert in its’ handling. What I would like from the reader is that you keep an open mind, and wait to test the validity of what being said here on a personal level, through personal experience. None of it requires “faith” only patience and clarity.

It is also important to understand that what I describe herein, is in no way “mystical”, “occult” or “superhuman”. On the contrary, the principles and potentials described are very practical measures, that can and should be taken by anyone. Entheogens are a high road to spiritual progress, both on a personal and group level. Their influence could change our world society to such a degree, that the near future would be almost unrecognizable to the average human being. They could shift world consciousness, as almost happened in the 1960’s and 70’s. But to achieve higher evolutionary levels of being through the use of these substances, requires a very serious and intelligent spiritual focus. Herein lies the catch when it comes to most users...they simply do not and probably will not, employ the necessary internal discipline, particularly in the sense of right mental focus, in order to truly gain significant increases in personal power. I can show ANYONE how this can be done, particularly in a person to person setting. But since most people are thoroughly trained and conditioned by their televisions to have only those views which the corporate world wants them to have, it is extremely difficult to convey the concrete reality of entheogenic benefits. But describe them I must. To be realistic though, this article is admittedly written to those few who can still think for themselves, and who have some measure of their natural spirit left.

Many have asked me to explain, that if entheogens are indeed such powerful spiritual agents, then why is it that most people seem to gain nothing from them? The reason for this is simple....people gain little from them most of the time, simply because their focus is upon playing around in a casual manner, as a type of “joy ride”. I compare this to casually lighting sticks of dynamite for a “fun bang”, and then wondering why things have gone wrong. When you’re dealing with a powerful and potent substance such as an entheogen, the first thing to remember is that you MUST approach it with respect, just as you would a great spiritual figure like a Christ or a Buddha. With such a respectful, serious and learning posture taken, many benefits will then be received from the ingestion of the Power Plants. However, having received gifts of wisdom and power from these agents is only half the equation for self evolution. The other half entails employing the necessary force of will, and intelligent acceptance of what is revealed, so as to be PERMANENTLY advantaged. The consciousness-raising effects of entheogens CAN make lasting impressions on mind, body and spirit, but this is more a matter of personal will, (intent) than anything else. The practice of meditation is essential in this regard. It allows a sustained and transformed mental focus upon the desired effects of marijuana’s high, for instance, thereby enhancing those effects in a stable and conscious fashion.

Other effects from psychedelics that can be repeatedly experienced, (as well as made PERMANENT) are higher energy levels, higher vibration body-wide, greater clarity, enhanced intuitive and psychic powers, (particularly in relation to the various chakras of the body) more alignment between the body/mind and soul, communion with that which is called God and Nature, greater health, speed and stamina, higher mental function, (genius) and a host of other effects too numerous to mention at this time. In essence, all of these effects can also be gained by rigorous and austere spiritual disciplines, usually over years of time, such as those described in Vedic writings. But when we use the mighty, transformative power of the Teacher Plants in a progressive way, there is no end to what we can achieve in a comparably shorter period of time. In Part 2 of this series, we’ll begin to explore the specific nature of entheogenic effects, and how the serious user can take best advantage of them.

Matthew Webb
The World Mind Society

posted by Ferre 2:28 AM