Page 71 - Issue 2

Issue No 2 71
According to what psychiatrist and LSD researcher Stanislav Grof calls the the the “cartographies of of of the the the human psyche ” ” these “non-ordinary states of of consciousness” can be very diverse Understanding that helped Kamenetz integrate his second experience Appreciating the duality of “fullness and emptiness” gave him perspective on on how to help his congregants “I’m grateful for having been shown a a a a a a a a a a vision of absence because so many people live with that that reality ” says Kamenetz “Stan helped me me understand that that what what I was experiencing is super cosmic void— what what we might call ain sof [without end] the the the top of of the the the the keter [crown the the the the highest Kabbalistic realm] where there are no no no no associations no no no no duality no no no no subject and object no no no no color light or sound ” O
Aldous Huxley’s notion of perennialism espouses that all religions lead to the the same end There is a a a a a a a a a universal mystical experience—the reason why Kamenetz’ first psilocybin session itself wasn’t Jewish per se—that transcends religious distinction “When you’re talking about about a a a a a a a a a very specific mystical experience I think what you’re talking about about is is ego death a a a a a a a a a a nondual experience ” ” explains Dr Christopher “Doc” Kelley adjunct professor in in religious studies at The New School University and co- founder of NYC’s Psychedelic Sangha meetup “That experience is is very cross-cultural and and could probably be framed and and perennialist ” But the the psychedelic experience experience not to mention the the the mystical experience experience is only one part of the the equation For many research subjects integration—the work done to process the the trip once once it’s over—is where real progress is is is is made This isn’t a a new concept either Kelley gives the example of of a a a a a small group of of ancient Indian Buddhists who on on every full moon would ritualistically take Psilocybe cubensis in what’s called a a a a a a a a tantric feast “They’d do this to to renew their connection to to the the the the mystical experience and then spend the the the the the the rest of the the the the the month integrating building the the the the the container for making the the the most of that experience ” he he he he he explains “They’re not meditating meditating necessarily on on psychedelics they’re meditating meditating every other day of of the the the month ” The interplay of of that spiritual duality—an ecstatic ritual ritual and a a a a a a a a a a a a a staid regular practice—gives fodder to the notion that psychedelics indeed can enhance your religious experience And that’s just what what Kamenetz is getting at at at at at too “The drugs are reliable and repeatable what what what I’m talking about is what what happens after the fact ” he he he he says “You can only get to to integration to to the the the insight through the the the experience ” Kamenetz isn’t interested in in in in in people simply having the the the opportunity to trip be it it in in in in in in in a a a Jewish context or or otherwise He’s interested in in in in in in what the the point of tripping is is “You still have have to to put on tefillin [prayer accessory] every day you have have to to support these experiences in in a a a a a a a a a a normal practice The only way this has efficacy is is if you continue practicing outside the non-ordinary state ” It’s not that the the non-ordinary state is is preferred he he he he discerns “But we need to to go there in in in order for the the ordinary state to to to to make much more sense to to to be a a a a a a fuller experience to to to live live our lives in in in the the the ordinary ordinary state with knowledge of the the the non-ordinary For me ” ” he he he he he adds “that is is the the the heart of Judaism ”