46 Spirituality Studies 10-1 Spring 2024 to their lives. As human beings are created for the Absolute, we cannot but yearn for it (even if unawares), but if this longing is not directed at its proper object, we will only be misled by counterfeit spiritualities such as the New Age movement, which undermines all forms of traditional wisdom. We need to be cautious about embracing a so-called spirituality based on “the religion of no religion” as popularized by Frederic Spiegelberg (1897–1994). Within the psychedelic movement, it has been suggested that entheogens could become “the basis of a new religiosity” (Hofmann 1980, 208) that would replace sacred tradition altogether. What this outlook fails to recognize is that it is not enough to simply acknowledge the esoteric dimension underlying all the world’s religions – what is required is to live their saving truths according to an authentic revealed tradition. In light of this spiritual void in many modern people, we find a mentality that desperately seeks experiences and quick cures for all sorts of maladies, without submitting to the discipline of a valid religion. We also witness the proliferation of psychedelic cults led by self-professed “guides” with authoritarian personalities, who lack proper initiation or traditional qualifications in taking care of the souls entrusted to them. We are reminded to approach a spiritual path on terms determined by the Divine, not by us: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). As it has been pointed out, we should “enter houses through their proper doors” (Qur’ n 2:189). The inner, mystical dimension of religion is only accessible through its outer, formal dimension. These two aspects are complementary and inseparable from one another, since both are grounded in divine revelation. The spiritual impoverishment created by secular humanism cannot be addressed by the use of psychedelics alone; we need to come under the sway of a sacred tradition, before even contemplating the use of entheogens because only conformity to a tried and tested path will ensure the safest and most beneficial outcomes. Likewise, the profane and undisciplined “expansion” of our consciousness alone will not resolve the deep-rooted crisis of modernity. There is always a practical element to our lives, such that no matter how profound an experience we may have, there is still a need to conduct our everyday lives responsibly by attending to our work and families, while navigating our perilous and ephemeral sojourn in this world. No spiritual tradition that uses sacred medicines as adjuncts does so in order to avoid reality. Rather, they are committed to preserving the sacred ways in order to unite the community around them, and to embody this timeless wisdom within themselves. There are always real dangers in using psychedelics. Whether one has what is called either a “good” or “bad” trip, it needs to be remembered that any experience, even a difficult one, can also have positive outcomes that may open a door to an authentic spiritual path. We recall here Shakespeare’s (1564–1616) great insight: “Sweet are the uses of adversity / Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, / Wears yet a precious jewel in his head” (Shakespeare 2004, 49). We also need to be cautious about psychedelic experiences because, even when helpful, they can distract us from pursuing the Divine. Many people have been seduced by these seemingly other-worldly awakenings. For this reason, we should not concentrate on the phenomenal aspect alone, because it remains rooted in a “horizontal” dimension of existence; instead, we need to focus our hearts and minds on the noumenal, which pertains to “vertical” reality. There is a danger in grasping for more and more psychedelic experiences. As Alan Watts (1915–1973) is often quoted as saying: “When you get the message, hang up the phone” (1965, 26). We also recall the words of the Taoist sage Chuang Tzŭ (c. 369–c. 286) who remarked: “The fish trap exists because of the fish; once you’ve gotten the fish, you can forget the trap” (Chuang Tzŭ 1996, 140). This idea is important, as many seekers who look for psychedelic experiences do not have any formal affiliation with an authentic spiritual tradition. For First Peoples who employ these sacred medicines ceremonially, there is no need for “hanging up the phone” because there is no “attachment” to these realms of consciousness, as entheogens have been fully integrated into their way of life and sacred traditions. The renowned scholar of comparative religion Huston Smith (1919–2016) offers the following perceptive observations of the shortcomings in the psychedelic mentality (Smith 2000, 41, 42): To argue that there are things in religion that are best kept secret cuts against our democratic grain, yet tested religions do so argue. There are pearls which, cast before swine, will be damaged themselves (by trampling) or damage the swine (should the swine eat them). In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna forbids imparting higher knowledge to those who are not ready for it… Either (as I have said) the subject will be damaged, or the significance of the experience will be missed and the encounter trivialized. Thus either the subject is damaged, or the dharma is damaged, usually both. The psychedelic movement pays lip service
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