The Psychedelic Experience (Timothy Leary, 1964)Before reading this book, I had a romantic idea of Timothy Leary. I assumed he was a rebellious intellectual that attempted to turn on the world to LSD.
Which is still true, but knowing more about him, does not make him as cool as I initially assumed. I personally believe that psychedelic drugs, like other forms of illegal drugs, need to be slowly legalized, because even aside from being beneficial, I think people should have the freedom to fuck up their minds and bodies if they want.
Leary helped popularize LSD and other drugs, but because the fad was short-lived, it proves that it was popularized in the incorrect way. This book proves one of the wrong ways Leary approached the drug.
Like a lot of other 60s hippies (and current New Agers), Leary is obsessed with ancient non-western spirituality and religions. This is one of the traits of some people of the west which I find annoying. To be open to ancient wisdom from the east is wise. To discard your own nation’s scientific progress and replace it with centuries old ideas is moronic .This is what Leary does. He is impressed by the drug’s effect, but seems to have no respect for the scientific development that brought about the drug. LSD is CHEMICAL. It is not prayer. It is not religion. It is a chemical that physically affects the body, and as fascinating as Leary’s description of its effect seem to be, I wish he tried to use a bit of science.
Instead we have bullshit like this,
“The White Light, or First Bardo energy, may be interpreted as God the Creator. The Spreader of the Seed. The Power which makes all shapes visible. Seed of all that is. Sovereign Power. The All−Powerful. The Central Sun. The One Truth. The Source of all Organic Life. The Divine Mother. The Female Creative Principle. Mother of the Space of Heaven. Radiant Father− Mother. Magnificent revelations, both spiritual and philosophic, can occur at this point making the highest union of experience and intellect. But, because of bad karma (usually religious beliefs of a monotheistic or punitive nature), the glorious light of the seed wisdom it can produce awe and terror. The person will wish to flee and will beget a fondness for the dull white light symbolizing stupidity.”What? I don’t care!
1/5
