Review of Christopher Partridge, High Culture: Drugs, Mysticism, and the Pursuit of Transcendence in the Modern World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018. (original) (raw)
Vectors of the Counter-Initiation: The Course and Destiny of Inverted Spirituality
charles upton (b. 1948) 1 poet, author, activist, and veteran of the counter-culture has voyaged and experienced firsthand the many facets of the New Age cul-de-sac and its pitfalls which are all too often ignored. Psychedelics 2 or hallucinogens, now termed entheogens, 3 have played a pivotal role in the modern and post-1. For more biographical information on Mr. Charles Upton see: www.seriousseekers.com. 2. British psychiatrist Humphry Fortescue Osmond (1917-2004) coined the term "psychedelic" or "mind-manifesting" via his correspondence with Aldous Huxley. In responding to a letter that Dr. Osmond received from Huxley written on 30 March, 1956 he wrote in poetic reflection: "To fathom Hell or soar angelic, / Just take a pinch of psychedelic", thus giving birth to the term "psychedelic", yet it was not known to the public at large or the scientific community until 1957 [Michael Horowitz and Cynthia Palmer (eds.
Drug-Induced Mysticism Revisited: Interview with Charles Upton
Psychology and the Perennial Philosophy, 2013
Charles Upton (b. 1948), poet, author, activist, and veteran of the counter-culture has voyaged and experienced firsthand the many facets of the New Age cul-de-sac, including its pitfalls which are all too often ignored. Since the 1960s, psychedelics 2 or hallucinogens, now termed entheogens, 3 have played a pivotal role in the modern and postmodern seeker's quest to circumvent the trappings of the empirical ego and attain self-realization. After a hiatus of nearly thirty years, psychedelic research has now made a revival, which should provoke much inquiry as to what underlies this phenomenon. It is interesting to note that the New Age Movement, the Human Potential Movement, Humanistic Psychology, and Transpersonal Psychology all emerged in a common setting; they do not only share many similarities but have also assisted in each other's development. For example, the English writer Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) could be said to be a single figure connecting all of the above movements via his popularizing of the perennial philosophy and his writings on psychedelics, both of which are acknowledged by the above movements and or disciplines. Huxley not only helped shape each of the above but provided an integrative theory in which they could take root. That said, while he popularized the perennial philosophy he is not considered to be a traditionalist or perennialist. Where Charles Upton parts ways with his New Age and counter-culture comrades is that since his introduction to the works of the traditionalist or perennialist school-most significantly René Guénon (1886-1951), Frithjof Schuon (1907-1998), and Ananda Coomaraswamy (1887-1947)-he has affiliated himself with this orientation. Upton has written numerous books and articles on traditional metaphysics and the perennial philosophy, the most noteworthy of which are The System of Antichrist: Truth and Falsehood in Postmodernism and the New Age (2001), including its sequel, Vectors of the Counter-Initiation: The Shape and Destiny of Inverted Spirituality (2012). Although he has abandoned the practices of his early search in the New Age and counter-culture movements, he acquired an abundant knowledge and understanding of these pseudo-spiritualities and is in a position to inform and also caution contemporary seekers. The following interview offers a unique look at psychedelics in the light of the perennial philosophy by way of perennialist theory and also personal accounts of the author. 1 Editor's Note: This interview was conducted electronically with Charles Upton between March and May of 2011. The footnotes were compiled by the editor. 2 British psychiatrist Humphry Fortescue Osmond (1917-2004) coined the term "psychedelic" or "mind-manifesting" via his correspondence with Aldous Huxley. In responding to a letter that Dr. Osmond received from Huxley written on 30 March, 1956 he wrote in poetic reflection: "To fathom Hell or soar angelic, / Just take a pinch of psychedelic," thus giving birth to the term "psychedelic"; yet it was not known to the public at large or the scientific community until 1957 (Michael Horowitz and Cynthia Palmer (eds.), Moksha: Aldous Huxley's Classic Writings on Psychedelics and the Visionary Experience [Rochester, VT: Park Street Press, 1999], p. 107). It is also relevant to point out that it was Dr. Osmond who in May of 1953 first introduced Huxley to a synthesized form of mescaline, the psychoactive compound in peyote (among other psychedelic cacti) that in turn produced his work The Doors of Perception in 1954, which according to some launched the psychedelic revolution. 3 "'Entheogen' means simply 'God generated within you!'" (Robert Forte, "A Conversation with R. Gordon Wasson," in Entheogens and the Future of Religion, ed. Robert Forte [San Francisco, CA: Council on Spiritual Practices, 1997], p. 69).
Spirit and being: interdisciplinary reflections on drugs across history and politics
Few commodities are as global as drugs. Cannabis, opium, heroin, amphetamines, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), khat, psychedelic cacti and mushrooms as well as an interminable list of other natural or synthesised substances travel and are consumed around the globe for all possible reasons. Human migration, trade, cultural trends, medical practice, political repression: together they constitute the drug phenomenon today – and indeed in much of human history. In this, drugs are spirit-like commodities, their value resting upon a fundamental ambiguity made up of individual, psychological, social, cultural, economic and medical circumstances. Defining a drug is an attempt at defining a spirit on the edge, which metamorphoses in time and space. At the same time, drugs remain a fundamentally political object. They are substances controlled by states, through mechanisms of policing, legitimated by judicial and medical evaluation, condemned often on moral grounds. Situated between a fluid social existence and a static legal dimension, drugs can become inspiring hermeneutic objects of study.
Book Review – Sacred Knowledge: Psychedelics and Religious Experiences
Spiritual Psychology and Counseling
The quest for more holistic forms of treatment and healing in modern psychology has been provoked by its sole focus on the management of symptoms. This has led to an alarming rise in the use of psychedelic substances. Yet the true cause behind these maladies of the mind is the burgeoning ‘crisis of meaning’ that we find in the world today. This largely undiagnosed predicament has led to religion being supplanted by psychology, and to the realm of the psyche becoming confused with that of the spiritual. Modern societies have clearly lost a sense of the sacred. To the extent that we fail to see this, the use of entheogens will never be able to replace a true “science of the soul,” which offers a more satisfying conception of reality, and a fuller understanding of what it means to be human. In this way, we may discover a properly integrated approach to healing that is grounded in the deeper wisdom to be found in the world’s time-honored spiritual traditions.
Mysticism and Psychedelics Course Syllabus and Notes
This course is designed to introduce students to major trends in discourse on psychedelics and mysticism. We begin with the genre mysticism itself, which I approach following scholars such as Michel de Certeau as a modern phenomenon, a "nostalgia for God," and a subject-development that occurs alongside writing. While we will consider many claims made about ancient cultures, we will do so with a critical eye toward the entrenchment of eurochristian worldview in religious studies. We move through historical trajectories and controversies surrounding psychedelics as they were promoted to democratize mystical experience, including claims about entheogens and religious freedom. We give specific attention to the explosion of new religious movements using ayahuasca or other psychedelics as sacrament. Themes of globalized religion, spiritual abuse, appropriation of Indigenous practices, and the recent moves toward decriminalization and therapeutic use of psychedelics will also be covered. The world of research on psychedelics is vast, and students will be encouraged to follow their particular research interests in the field. DU Catalog Description: The course will examine various texts, traditions, and practice from indigenous to New Age religions that fall under the general category of what has been historically labelled "mysticism." Special emphasis will be placed on chemical or plant-induced forms of altered consciousness, commonly known as "psychedelics" or "entheogens". that both simulate, and are frequently employed by different peoples in different times and places in tandem with, mystical experiences. The course will also examine the transcultural as well as the syncretic nature of mystical practices, spiritual disciplines, and the use of mind-altering substances, in particular with reference to the misuse of these forms by secular enthusiasts who are responsible for what is known as "cultural appropriation" or "neocolonial" misrepresentation. Required texts (DU Library has electronic copies of all required texts):
Perennialism, Primitivism and European Influence in Psychedelic and Ayahuasca Religions.docx
The purpose of this paper is to explore New Religious Movements (NRMs) emergent in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries that use entheogens or psychedelic substances as sacrament. This means that the use of mind-altering substances performs an important part in theological views and ritual performances for these groups. While a wide spectrum of theologies exists among these groups, I will argue that the best way of conceptualizing them as NRMs is through transnational impulses, inspired by global economic trade. This does not mean that features of these groups do not derive from various ancient traditions; it only means that insofar as we recognize them as new, colonizing and emergent globalizing factors allow us to see the motivation to form these communities in response to diasporic and economic conditions. It does mean I will have to at times in a point-blank way confront existing generalizations about some groups. This economic analysis requires a combination of theories to provide more than just a materialist critique. I will further argue that the historical contexts in which such religions arise is often masked by primitivist and perennial rhetorics that ultimately derive from European categories of ‘Religion,’ causing ethical and scholarly problems in studying NRMs. I begin by discussing psychedelic religions more generally and then develop a more focused critique of ayahuasca religions, ending with some remarks about the transnational spread of them.
Christianity and Psychedelics: A Chalcedonian Response
Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 2024
A response to the essay "Christianity and Psychedelics," drawing on the theological codification that emerged from the Council of Chalcedon and its implications for a fully incarnational “psychedelic Christology.” As the authors note, for many of their Christian case studies, psychedelics occasioned experiences that were both deeply “incarnational” as well as ineffably “sacred.” In other words, psychedelics served, for many of the practitioners included here, as further affirmation and integration of the human-divine “problem” that Chalcedon sought to codify and longitudinally correct through its affirmation that Christ was both “fully human and fully divine.”
Psychedelics and the Spiritual Path – critical voices and considerations
Transpersonal Psychology Review
This paper was originally presented at the British Psychological Society’s Transpersonal Psychology Section’s 19th annual conference – ‘Psychedelics, Psychology and Spirituality’. It was my intention, in the best spirit of academic debate and inquiry, to offer some critical perspectives and considerations related to the use of psychedelics in relation to the origins and development of Transpersonal Psychology. To this end I reflected on the work and lives of some influential counter-culture figures including Albert Hofmann, Abraham Maslow, Ram Dass and others – each of whom raised particular concerns and doubts in relation to the potential risks associated with psychedelics, which I will argue still resonate today. Where appropriate I have also included some of the varied positions one might encounter in relation to spiritual traditions and psychedelics (specifically Buddhism, Judaism, Daoism and Hinduism).
In this paper, I examine the reciprocal relationship between scholarship about religion and discourses and practices related to the "First" and "Second Wave" psychedelic movements. Following the work of Agehananda Bharati, I argue that the "First Wave" psychedelic movement was instrumental in the success of Religious Studies in the 1970s and 1980s, facilitating interest in a range of issues around religious experience and its interpretation. I postulate two key spheres of influence: scholars whose experiences of psychedelics were formative in their study of religion versus others not associated with psychedelic use but have had a major impact on thinking within psychedelic communities. To illustrate this, I draw on my experience as a participant-observer in one of the first state-approved Psilocybin Facilitator training programs in Oregon, providing examples of how scholarship on religion informs psychedelic discourse and practice and the implications of it for the future of the academic study of religion.
A Gratuitous Grace: The Influence of Religious Set and Intent on the Psychedelic Experience
Journal of psychoactive drugs
Psychedelic drugs, or entheogens, have been used for religious purposes among various cultures for thousands of years. Recently, these substances have caught the attention of Westerners for many reasons, including their propensity to induce mystical experiences. This study examined the relationship between religion and having mystical experiences. A total of 119 participants were drawn from psychedelic-related websites and asked to complete an anonymous online questionnaire containing items regarding history of psychedelic use, set and setting for psychedelic use, and a measure for mystical experiences. A majority of respondents were White males who displayed at least some level of post-secondary education. The findings indicated that respondents who used psychedelics for specifically religious purposes, as well as those who identified with a religion, were more likely to score higher on the Mysticism Scale than those who did not.
Alchemy from Hyperspace: Psychedelics in Contemporary Science and Spirituality
Alchemy from Hyperspace: Psychedelics in Contemporary Science and Spirituality, 2017
Recent years have seen a resurgence of scientific and scholarly interest in psychedelic drugs, leading some to proclaim the advent of a “psychedelic renaissance”. Since the controversial introduction of psychedelic use in the West during the countercultural days of the sixties’ hippie generation, psychedelic substances have been associated both with spiritual enlightenment and emotional healing, as well as being seen as psychologically destructive and destabilizing. Reflecting on the history of psychedelic culture, we can observe a particular set of associations that continue to influence both expert and non-expert interpretations of these phenomena. For instance, within the American counter-culture the appetite for novel ideas, radical reform, and the deconstruction of established norms could very well be linked with the boundary dissolution that occur on psychedelic chemicals. In popular culture psychedelics are presented in the context of rich galleries of craziness and surrealism, of artistic descent into the liminal – often colourfully communicated in movies. But what are the more essential characteristics of psychedelics? In this study I intend to explore the ambiguity that results from asking a question of essentials to a such an opaque subject. I will highlight certain themes, that, although expressed in many different forms and domains, carry enough family resemblance to be seen as distinct patterns. These patterns play out in many different dimensions, historically expressed in attitudes, ideas, and behaviors. They are also seen in the realm of psychodynamics, in subjective experiences which are highly non-linear, but nonetheless formally coherent in a deep way. It can even be observed neuroscientifically through the shifts in brain function that occur in the psychedelic state. These patterns could be called first transgression, or boundary dissolution, and secondly, derivatively, of connectivity, or integration. I will argue that the whole range of psychedelic effects distributed across all these domains are concrete instances of an abstract pattern of entropy, a concept which I develop and explore as symbolic of themes of both chaos and creativity, disorder and integration.
“A ghost in daylight”: drugs and the horror of modernity
Palgrave Communications, 2018
This article examines how drug literature-writing on drugs by drug users-has consistently resorted to Gothic conventions, images and atmospheres for 200 years. It discusses some ways in which drug-addict writers have employed Gothicism to explore the formation of the addict self; its existence in, and reactions to, the conditions of life in capitalist modernity. The horrors buried in drug literature are exhumed here in a study of four texts: Thomas De Quincey's Confessions of an English Opium Eater (1821-22), William Burroughs' Junky (1953), Alexander Trocchi's Cain's Book (1960) and Steven Martin's Opium Fiend (2012). Modern drug literature's genealogy descends from De Quincey; his Confessions launched the "sub-genre" that Carol Davison has termed "Gothic pharmography." De Quincey spliced Gothic obsessions-mysterious visitations, dream states, mental extremity-with the first full-scale recounting of the wraith-like experience of an addict's life. His nightmares of labyrinthine entrapment and distorted, menacing faces register a sense of shock: transforming his drugged navigations of nocturnal London into the stuff of nightmare. Romanticera shock at Capital's metropolitan monstrosity is revisited in Burroughs, Trocchi and Martin. All follow De Quincey in reporting their drugged explorations of urban capitalist modernity: haunted images, manias and hallucinations are doubles of Capital's phantasmagoria. The argument begins with Jacques Derrida's observations on the pharmakon and Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's conceptualisation of "addiction"-a form of repetitive-compulsive consuming habit-as an organising principle of life under capitalism from the early nineteenth century. The doctrine of "free will" collides with the syndrome termed "addiction," and "drugs" becomes a metaphorical filament for an interrogation, and introjection, of market forces-literature mainlines Capital. As Burroughs wrote: "Junk [heroin] is the ideal product … the ultimate merchandise. No sales talk necessary. The client will crawl through a sewer and beg to buy." The horror is the "real world," defined by patterns of mass consumption that abjectify the individual self. After a Gothic-Marxist visitation to Confessions, the article follows De Quinceyan literary track-marks in Burroughs' and Trocchi's drugged psychogeographies of Capital's physical and mental spatialisations. Finally, it uncovers the narco-Gothic's persistence in Martin's Opium Fiend-subtitled "A 21st Century Slave to a 19th Century Addiction" and asserting a discursive heritage. Burroughs, Trocchi and Martin render alienation in extremis, the ghastly transmogrification of the material human self into the apparitional: "a ghost in daylight on a crowded street" (Junky), "the grey ghost of the district" (Cain's Book) and the "raw ghost … dead to the world yet still walking around among the living" (Opium Fiend). Like revelations of hidden genealogies in Gothic narratives, the article makes an uncanny and unique discovery about the identity of "the addict." In Capital's hellish regime, the addict represents the modern consumer par excellence.
Psychedelics and Mystical Experiences
Reviews the book, Sacred knowledge: Psychedelics and religious experiences, by William A. Richards. Richards's career of clinical research with psychedelics and professional formation in theology, comparative religion and the psychology of religion bring integrative perspectives to understanding psychedelic experiences. Clinical accounts, scientific research and his personal experiences with psychedelics enable Richards to address issues of core importance in religious studies, medicine and society in general. Clinical studies with psychedelics provide findings that contribute to assessment of issues in religious studies, providing evidence that supports a perennialist view of mystical experiences as inherent to human nature. Double blind studies establish the intrinsic ability of psychedelics to produce mystical experiences, as well as behavioral changes in the participants' lives. Similarities in mystical and psychedelic experiences across people and cultures point to their transcendental nature and basis in human biology. Richards weaves together various strands of evidence to educate professionals of many disciplines and the general public about the range of promising uses of psychedelics. Although psychedelic ingestion does not always produce mystical experiences, when they fail to do so, they generally engage the user with personal experiences related to childhood trauma or unresolved emotions, especially fears, grief, anger and guilt. This reveals another power potential of these substances to provide relief for conditions often found intractable by modern medicine. Sacred Knowledge provides a call to recognize the biases that have affected our societal evaluations of psychedelics and how current scientific research demands reconsideration of the significance of these powerful entheogens and their implications for understanding spiritual experiences and human nature.