I think you are missing an important aspect of the very valid criticism of Pinchbeck’s published work, which is that he put himself in the public eye as a visionary and leader, and when spirituality crosses paths with perceived power, skepticism of motive and method is not only valid, it’s critical. Especially when you are dealing with men, women, and sexuality, which Pinchbeck has been very open about. As Xanadu Xero has pointed out, using your perceived spirituality and wisdom to get laid has not only been the downfall of many a yogi and shaman, it’s downright abusive.

Pinchbeck’s been remarkably silent in public lately, and I hope this is a peaceful sign of “no news is good news.”

Speaking of social justice, I’m bothered by the fact that the RS website / Pinchbeck seems to have fully signed on with the Kogi as the next spiritual adventure, and no one has questioned that the Kogi seem to consider women second class humans, even if through the benign sexism of “we treat women like children because we honor them.” If anyone has further documentation either for or against this, please circulate. To bring back the thought round to ayahuasca, I do have to wonder about the perhaps tenuous connection between social justice and ayahuasca, if all these people on RS and organizing these trips are well-experienced the ayahuasca realm, why is it no one has questioned the justice for the Kogi women? Or is it still all about chasing esoteric knowledge that they believe will make them powerful savers of the world? I think maybe this is a problem too.

My friend has an interesting theory on ayahuasca’s increasing popularity in western circles…the more we destroy her habitat, the farther she must reach out to penetrate the consciousness of the people that may save her. A shaman flinging a dart at Dick Cheney is simply not going to change anything. A shaman using a medicine he trusts, with a patient that trusts him, is going to break down a lot of barriers in that patients life. Maybe that patient will go on to convince someone that there really is something to the idea of engaging in a “spiritual” practice. I have to put “spiritual” in quotes, because at the end of the day, we are simply using our prefrontal cortex to divide and conquer. That is to say: there is no difference between my spiritual practice and the day to day routine I live. If the spirits are really out here and really manipulating things, then they are. Who cares if we can see them or not.

My point is simply this: anyone who drinks ayahuasca will have their own experience. It is really no more profound than that. Sometimes those people are healed, and maybe sometimes they use the opportunity to gloat about their own enlightenment. Who cares? Go drink your own cup of magic shaman tea and go have your own experience, and lets all stop judging everyone else for doing what they are doing. Right and wrong, should and should not, these are all inherently violent and confrontational ways of speaking. When speaking about spirituality and life in general, lets try to avoid the word “should.” At the end of the day, the only person you can really trust is yourself, so what makes you think you can trust yourself to judge other people completely accurately?

p.s. I know for a fact that I judge people as well. That cortex I keep referring to, which tells me to not run in front of a car because I want to go have lunch with my girlfriend later, predisposes me to judgment as well. I am going to partake in my first ayahuasca ceremony in 6 days. The second ceremony is in 7. I guess a valuable intention for me would be to figure out how to get off this high horse of mine that provokes me to blog like a 5th grader about people I’ve never met.

More ;-)

In my experience, such as it is, any spiritual experience that is not connected directly and causally to social action is bogus. Worse than mere onanism.

Actually, that’s an interesting word choice, because Onan wasn’t killed for masturbation, but because he used the customs of his tribe that were designed for the care of others to serve his own pleasure. So, Xanadu was right the first time, any spiritual experience not directly leading to social action but merely to self-aggrandisement IS onanism.

I must say I agree with Anonymous above. I have the same ‘problem’ with Pinchbeck. I appreciate many of the ideas he puts out there, but those ideas were already put out there by Mckenna, Leary, Wilson. He stays in the shallow waters in this movement and does not get deep or ask the deeper questions to his own brand. I do get a tinge of sensationalism on his part. Reality Sandwich often turns into a ‘Huff Post’ of the ‘alternative lifestyle’ community with it’s own set of irrationalities that it refuses to reflect upon. And like Anonymous said, that’s okay :) It’s part of a process that is occurring right now and a reflection of something higher which I deeply appreciate. i still go there and post a comment or two.

And Steve, I am new to your blog and writing. THANK YOU! You are a breath of fresh air and I am in gratitude for your work and insight.

What I personally have read of Pinchbeck is unimpressive – his writing is derivative and lacks digestibility and common sense, his powerful resentment towards women is quite possibly dangerous, his discernment is lacking. And you know what? That’s OK. None of us is perfect, and individual journeys through life are wonderful. Daniel simply seems to be on his journey. That’s not the troublesome thing.

What is troublesome is that he markets himself as a leader in troubled times, and is now viewed as the figurehead of not only a social movement, but the spokesperson for all things psychedelic, including ayahuasca. But the world he purportedly wants to create – a burning-man-esque work-free culture where everyone lazes about and does yoga and has sex all day – is not my ayahuasca culture, not my spiritual culture, not my anything culture, and I get annoyed that newcomers to ayahuasca get the impression because of Pinchbeck’s very public profile that that’s where ayahuasca gets you: sexy yoga life with scary visions and cool magic power.

That troubles me a great deal. A great, great deal.

The ayahuasqueros I have worked with always use that question with us: “Why drink ayahuasca?” I never have come up with a satisfactory answer with any integrity over time, so I won’t pretend to have one here.

What I am pretty sure about with spirituality and social justice is this: Once you have the awareness of injustice, harm, suffering…and how your actions contribute, you no longer have the excuse of “I didn’t know”. Ayahuasca most certainly lifts that veil of ignorance. Once you do know, you are obligated to act, to participate – small or grand, doesn’t really matter.

I have to say I kind of agree with Xanadu (minus the screed and screech, girl you’ll do yourself more justice by speaking clearly!). I don’t see much practical or pragmatic coming out of the Pinchbeck world. I see lots of wacky art and loft parties and hipsters talking about sex and alternative energy. I hear lots of talk and generally the less sense you make the more it’s thought you must be wise. But these are not the folks I see making much actual social change in the world. Selling art and throwing a party where you tell your already aware urban friends about biodiesel does NOT count as social change, people.

There’s a very practical, ordinary side to spirituality and social change. It’s not about crazy, far-out visions and who’s right about the end of the world as we know it. It’s not glamorous and fun.

Willing the change is about taking the conscious practical, pragmatic steps to care for the sick, the elderly, the people you don’t like. It’s about stepping into the schools to give urban blighted kids a leg up in a challenging world. It’s about making the hard choices to really do right by the environment, not just recycle your paper. It’s building community not just with the people you like and agree with and want to party with, but with e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e…even your Republican parents and your neighbor who drink Budweiser and drives a truck for Exxon. In the very wise words of Marge Piercy, “The work of the world is as common as mud”. I don’t see much mud in Pinchbeck’s arena, and that’s not good for someone viewed as a leader of social change.

I’m still not sure, but you are definitely extremely sensitive to think that my innocuous comment means your views are invalid because you don’t like Sarah Palin.