To: twc-l@halmarax.demon.co.uk
From: Tony@halmarax.demon.co.uk (Tony Halmarack)
Subject: Re: Comments on TWC-L
In-Reply-To: <31D63489.53D8@concentric.net>
Date: Tue, 09 Jul 1996 08:37:20 +0100
In message <31D63489.53D8@concentric.net> Anexia wrote:
> If you're getting ready to take your last breath, what possible
> detrimental effcts could the hallucinogen have other than inefficacy in
> opening the mind to death?
Well I suppose you could get a sort of last minute fright, which
may not be what you're looking for. This is why it might be
better to think in terms of several *guided* developmental
sessions. My personal goal would be to achieve a state, where no
matter what confronted me (even the VOID), "I would understand
that it was a projection of my own mind" and feel able to merge
with it in recognition of it's source. While the Tibetan Book of
the Dead may not be the definitive work on this subject, it's the
best info *I've* got to go on, up to now, and it gives me some
reference points. Though I'm open to other influences.
>As the hour of your death approaches, long
> term side-effects of a drug become irrelevant.
This seems like a fairly safe bet, although I can imagine
disagreement coming from some quarters.
>Furthermore, if the drug
> does not assuage fear, what use is a support group--you're dead!
I have a bit of difficulty in seeing hallucinogens as fear
assuagers in any direct sense. Some may have this attractive
feature, perhaps when used in combination. MDMA, Ketamine and
possibly others are reputed to have a pacifying effect which
might be useful as a basis for transcendence. My own experience
with hallucinogens have fallen into three categories: One-ness
with the Universe; Unfiltered, confrontational awareness of
chaos, and ecstatic appreciation of the commonplace.
Though my own awareness leads me to see myself and other humans
as being subject to severe limitation in all aspects of their
being, there might reasonably be said to exist, an exclusive,
individual perception of reality.
Perhaps though
, for the purposes of furthering TWC discussion,
I'll suggest that the terminally ill fall into a variety of
groups:
The resigned; The Heroic "Pack up your troubles in your old kit
bag" brigade; Denial strategists; The just plain confused;
The downright fearful, and more I'm sure (please elucidate).
Belonging to one or more of the last three of these groups may be
why my 92 year old Uncle George hung onto life for two miserable
final years.
> With the hallucinogens we're talking about, the chances of a
>dysphoric reaction occuring are about equal to the chances that
>a dysphoric reaction will occur in a patient treated with
>morphine. Is there a need for a support group for cancer
>patients who don't like morphine?
Personally, I could do with a support group every step of the
way.
> What I'm talking about and I can only speak for myself here, as
>the purpose of this list is not yet clearly delineated
I may be prejudiced, having taken a large part in writing the charter
of this mailing list, but I think those few paragraphs laid a
pretty definite foundation for further discussion.
I could very well be deluding myself on this point though,
because even with 45 current subscribers, there's hardly an
avalanche of discussion pouring in.
Maybe because the first tentative messages were met by a tirade
from a moral zealot, some subscribers have been deterred from
participating. Well all I can say on that account is, if we're
going to have a baptism of fire, we might as well get it over
with early, so that it doesn't overlap with any burning at the
stake that takes place later.
Blibble,
--
Tony Halmarack =(*)= Tony@halmarax.demon.co.uk