Psychedelics’ Buddhist Revival?

[hardcorezen.info]

Small excerpts

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Whenever I’ve gone off on this topic, I get butthurt responses from people who love their drugs and feel personally insulted. Or I get folks who protest on behalf of “indigenous peoples” (indigenous to where, they never say) whose religions I have apparently demeaned by pointing out that paying $300 for an ayahuasca journey in Oakland hardly counts as an example of “indigenous religion.”

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The article focuses mainly on the work of someone named Spring Washam, who is a teacher at Spirit Rock, a fancy schmancy meditation center on Northern California. She says that ayahuasca enhanced meditation retreats she’s promoting through her company Lotus Vines Journeys are a kind of “ultimate meditation.” “Through the lens of the dharma,” she says, ayahuasca can “accelerate a type of spiritual growth that we need on the planet right now.”

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Psychedelics’ Buddhist Revival?

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Additional reflections on claiming buddhist practice is compatible with drugs

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Buddhism Buddhist Buddhistic Dharma Ayahuasca Cultural Appropriation Plastic Shaman

Here is something for people to ponder if they want to combine their buddhist commitment with ayahuasca.

Buddhist ethics (aka precepts) warn against stealing.

Many persons who are native americans are deeply troubled that ayahuasca has been commercialized. If one takes cultural appropriation seriously,
an argument could be made that ayashuasca has been stolen from its original custodians.

If one takes Buddhist ethics seriously, someone who identifies as a dharma practitioner must ask what the implications could be.

This Corboy's opinion. If anyone starts to get defensive, tell them this is my opinion. I claim no authority and cannot stop anyone from doing anything.

One concern I have is if ayahuasca or some other practice is taught or discussed on the premises of a Buddhist center, lots of people
take it to indicate that drug use is therefore part of dharma practice.

Not an adjunct and not one where there is controversy.

These days, people claim Buddhism is compatible with anything. By contrast, if
ayahuasca use were discussed at a Catholic monastry, few would contend that ayahuasca use is part of Roman Catholic praxis - in the West
Catholicsm has consistently stated what is and is not compatible. This limits what people claim to be compatible with Catholicism. On the other
hand, there is a tendency to assume anything goes in Buddhism.

I'd advise anyone interested in ayahuasca to read up on what indigenous peoples have to stay about the commercialization of shamanism, period,
as well as what they say about appropriation of ayahuasca by non indigenous peoples.

Better yet, talk with native americans and hear their voices on this subject.

New Age Frauds and Plastic Shamans is an online community created by Native Americans and persons from indigenous tribes in other parts of the world.

[www.facebook.com]

Earlier discussions about ayahuasca on the New Age Frauds and Plastic Shamans site

[www.newagefraud.org]

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Do you think you are "Indian at heart" or were an Indian in a past life? Do you admire native ways and want to incorporate them into your life and do your own version of a sweat lodge or a vision quest? Have you seen ads, books, and websites that offer to train you to be come a shaman in an easy number of steps, a few days on the weekend, or for a fee?

Have you really thought this all the way through? Have you thought about how native people feel about what you might want to do?

Please think about these important points before you take that fateful step and expend time, money, and emotional investment:

Native people DO NOT believe it is ethical to charge money for any ceremony or teaching. Any who charge you even a penny are NOT authentic.

Native traditionalists believe the ONLY acceptable way to transmit traditional teachings is orally and face-to-face. Any allegedly traditional teachings in books or on websites are NOT authentic.

Learning medicine ways takes decades and must be done with great caution and patience out of respect for the sacred. Any offer to teach you all you need to know in a weekend seminar or two is wishful thinking at best, fraud at worst...

[www.newagefraud.org]