Date: 15 Jul 96 17:24:18 EDT
From: Kevin Jones <100621.17@CompuServe.COM>
To: Subscribers to the maili <TWC-L@HALMARAX.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Comments on TWC-L
agno429@acs.bu.edu said:
>i feel as if my ignorance of hallucinagens hinders my ability
>to communicate or understand or even sympathize with ...
> the discussion -- the talk -- here has been about drugs and
>drug use. drug use is new ground to me. maybe to others as well.
> i am not a drug user.
Neither am I. Unless you count the odd joint, alcohol and tobacco. However,
unlike yourself I don't finddiscussing it a problem. It just requires a bit of
empathy.
> i'm not one to use needless drugs.
Not all use of hallucinogenic drugs is needless. Recreational use certainly is.
However, the use of hallucinogenic herbs by shaman serves a purpose - assistance
for the tribe or for an individual in the tribe, either for healing or for
guidance. Such plants are regarded with respect and are only used at need.
Perhaps this particular use is needful.
> the 'i could care less' attitude crops up when i read about people
>and their exploration of hallucinagens.
--snip--
>i have no experience where hallucinagens are concerned.
>and i would rather not speak of drugs.
Then try suggesting an alternative method of helping the terminally ill instead
of being negative. In the absence of anything else hallucinogens may well be a
valid approach. Got any ideas for 'anything else'?
>for all of life, is a delusion of the mind. a grand and wonderful
>display of flesh enraptured with life -- the meaning and choice
>found in existing, both intellectually and physically ...
>and possibly spiritually.
Now try explaining that to someone who may be dead next week! Philosophy and
religious approaches are fine - I have some myself. However, trying to explain
to someone who is suffering from terminal cancer. who is being given massive
doses of morphine for the pain and is still in agony that 'life is a delusion of
the mind' is downright insulting. You might wind up with said terminal patient
trying to beat you to death with a bed-pan!
Regardless of what you think of the above proposition (and you'll have to look
at my earlier posts for my view), trying to put forward that view to someone who
is not on the same wavelength is unsympathetic, inconsiderate and cruel. The
idea is to provide support and practical help to the person concerned, not come
up with platitudes. As a healer you'd make a good plumber!
Tony Halmarack said:
>One terminally ill or dying TWC member invites others to a weekend
>gathering at their home. These individuals avail themselves of the
>appropriate hallucinogens in anticipation of the event and take on the
>responsibility of self administration, perhaps in time capsule form,
>prior to arrival. Guides also attend, in the role role of spiritual
>and psychological advisers. Bands, light shows, jugglers and acrobats
>could be optional extras.
I'm not sure. To a certain extent people seem to need a certain degree of formal
framework (eg: ritual) for particular major points in their life. Death may well
be the same. It doesn't matter if the framework is approached informally as long
as it's there.
I'd suggest instead a nice, relaxed setting (I'm not sure that bands, lightshows
and jugglers would be that!), music suitable to set the mood, possibly a
suitable incense (been used for millenia in rituals and not just be ancient
hippies! Smell is relayed to the limbic system and can trigger specific
emotions). The opportunity to say goodbye to various friends and family
shouldn't be overlooked, plus the chance to emphasise, to use a Celtic phrase,
that it's just 'the midpoint in a long life'. Now whether the advisors would be
psychological, spiritual or both may well depend on the person concerned.
Mind you, as I mentioned before, Plotinus didn't need all this - just a friend,
a sunny hillside and a tree. Choice of place, the who, how and when should be
down to the person concerned. I don't think there can be one formula that fits
everyone.
Regards
Kevin Jones