Comments on: The Saga of Rick Strassman

By: Steve Beyer

Steve Beyer — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:50:29 +0000

Thank you for your very kind words. I have visited your remarkable blog, and I now know where I am going to spend the rest of the day. :-) And you are a fan of Alejandro Jodorowski! Clearly we were destined to meet. Thank you for the comment.

By: Gyrus

Gyrus — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:36:41 +0000

I just heard of the book and found this blog via Erik Davis’ review. I flicked to this piece and like others found the last sentence fascinating. It struck me as thoroughly in tune with James Hillman’s work. Then a friend on the phone mentioned he’d read another post here citing Hillman. Aha! Even though Hillman avoids psychedelics and “altered states” almost totally, I always thought his work had a lot to say about them, especially the traditions and ideas around ayahuasca, and especially as a useful contrast to the influence of Eastern traditions of “enlightenment” on the psychedelic community. Many thanks for hitting this nail on the head, I look forward to reading more…

By: Estudiante

Estudiante — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:56:13 +0000

Steve, i thank you de todo corazon for this amazing wisdom and conversation you share with all of us in your website.
I was touched by the last sentence in this blogg and was wondering if you could write a little piece on how vajrayana buddhism and ayahuasca shamanism relate, if they do at all. I am also curious are there are postive changes to ones character that you have notice with long term ayahuasca practicioners … in other words, does it heal the “personality”, the “shell” or conditioned self … (does it reduce the “ego fixations” to use an enneagram term).
Gracias Steve

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:48:00 +0000

Thank you for your comments. I am myself interested in the link between spirituality (especially buddhism) and the use of hallucinogens (especially ayahuasca). I happen to have a buddhist background but have lately turned to attending Santo Daime ceremonies. I have found that the buddhist background helps me a lot in making sense of the ayahuasca-experience and vice-versa that the daime-ritual also throws new light on buddhist teachings (such as for instance the bardo teachings). But I am very careful in discussing this with buddhist companions. There is usually a lot of prejudgement and suspicion among so-called spiritual people concerning the use of psychedelic substances. Since I am also a psychotherapist I have to be extremely careful with my collegues as well. Since the ideas about set and setting are widely recognized it is amazing that Strassman has clearly underestimated these factors in his research. In my view this story also illustrates the ill effects of religious authority in open inquiry in these matters.