Cannabis, Psychedelics & the Pursuit of Transcendence

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”no” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” status=”published” publish_date=”” class=”” id=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” gradient_start_color=”” gradient_end_color=”” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_blend_mode=”none” video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” video_preview_image=”” filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ type=”legacy”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”2_3″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” hover_type=”none” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” border_radius=”” box_shadow=”no” dimension_box_shadow=”” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ box_shadow_color=”” box_shadow_style=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” background_type=”single” gradient_start_color=”” gradient_end_color=”” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ background_color=”” background_image=”” background_image_id=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend_mode=”none” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” filter_type=”regular” filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ last=”true” first=”true” border_sizes_top=”0″ border_sizes_bottom=”0″ border_sizes_left=”0″ border_sizes_right=”0″][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”default” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]

For about two years, I experimented with psychedelics in the underground… ayahusaca, psilocybin, MDMA, acid and a host of “designer” entheogens – that’s the catch-all term for psychoactive substances, whether they’re plant based or stirred up in the lab.

 

I had breakthroughs, difficult trips and wild trips. But as I explain in this blog there’s a reason why I stick with cannabis for accessing transcendent moments.

[/fusion_text][fusion_separator style_type=”default” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”#fffcfc” top_margin=”10px” bottom_margin=”20px” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” /][fusion_vimeo id=”https://vimeo.com/445404674/a87e86da42″ alignment=”left” width=”800″ height=”” autoplay=”false” api_params=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” css_id=”” /][fusion_separator style_type=”default” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”#fffcfc” top_margin=”10px” bottom_margin=”20px” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” /][fusion_accordion type=”accordions” boxed_mode=”” border_size=”1″ border_color=”” background_color=”” hover_color=”” divider_line=”” title_font_size=”” icon_size=”” icon_color=”” icon_boxed_mode=”” icon_box_color=”” icon_alignment=”” toggle_hover_accent_color=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=””][fusion_toggle title=”Video Transcript” open=”no” class=”” id=””]

The best way to start this off is by introducing you to the work of David R. Hawkins. He was a modern day psychiatrist who died in 2012. He was often referred to as a mystic. And if you want to know more about mystics, I did a recent video about that titled “Are You a Mystic (or one in training)?”.

Anyway, Dr. Hawkins left us with a huge body of work around the intersection of mental health and spirituality. His crowning achievement, I believe, is the classic in the field of the study of consciousness called the “Map of Consciousness.” Through a whole range of research, he gauged the vibration of various emotions.

So the map or chart looks like this …. Going from the lowest of low emotions, that of Shame, which is Self-doubt and a sense of deep unworthiness …. Moving up through Depression, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and then getting into the higher vibrational range, where we’re talking about Love and Joy and Peace …. Where life becomes progressively more and more effortless … Right into pure consciousness, which he called “Enlightenment”.

Okay, you got an idea of that. So Dr. Hawkins had a lot to say about psychedelics and why people feel so good in using them.

He reported that the reason for that is that psychedelic drugs “sedate”- his word- sedate these lower levels of consciousness and  when you let go of the lower levels of consciousness, emotions like shame, Depression, Sadness, Fear, Anger, when you let go of them, you move into the higher vibrations … Love, and Joy, and Peace.

Dr. Hawkins describes it as if the psychedelic blots out those lower vibrational energies – and now you can experience the reality of who you really are.

So you take a psychedelic … and experience those higher vibrations during your journey, right? But the issue is how can you do it without the hallucinogen, and let go of those lower levels of consciousness on your own?

During a psychedelic journey, you may very well believe you’ve reached new heights, but once you are no longer under the influence, the effects can be very uneven and what you’ve experienced or learned during your psychedelic journey can slowly slip away – and you’re back to where you started, that is enmeshed in the lower vibrational emotions. Dr. Hawkins believed that you can get a taste of what this is like during such psychedelic trips – but you need to do something more to crystalize it in your life. It was his suggestion that that’s not going to happen during a psychedelic journey. In his words, “You can’t transcend the world until you master it.”

What he describes is the process of letting go of those lower vibrational, difficult emotions- which in doing so, he says, evolves your Soul. See, Dr. Hawkins very much walked that line between Western Science and spiritual teachings and traditions. Evolving our Soul is the nature of human consciousness and the purpose of our life here.

I see many people who do regular psychedelic journeys because they long to be in that transcendent space.

And I know there is a very real movement in the psychedelics community to put an emphasis on integration after the journey. That is, digesting what you learned about yourself during a psychedelic journey, grounding it and taking it out into your world, your relationships, moving toward crystalizing the changes.

I’m glad that’s happening because I believe it’s pivotal to using psychedelics for emotional healing, as a lot of people are. Personally, I don’t do psychedelics anymore and I haven’t for a number of years since I began practicing and teaching the release work we do in Emotional Liberation. We work with cannabis … in the context of cannabis-assisted emotional liberation.

Cannabis has some big benefits. Foremost is that it’s legal (that is, in many places) and so my students and clients have easy access to it, unlike psychedelics. It’s clean, when you can get it legally, it’s been tested for contaminants and additives. And the biggest benefit is that cannabis is extremely safe. If you take too much, you just sleep it off. So it’s easy to experiment with. Next time do it differently, perhaps less THC, more CBD. Or for heightened results, more THC.

This Inner exploration I believe is a pioneering path toward awakening – or Enlightenment, as Dr. Hawkins calls it, in this century. My favorite is doing this exploration in community, as we have the opportunity to leverage the energetic strength of the group for deep individual Inner work. That’s why I continually offer gatherings as my gift to our awakening community.

What’s your take on what I’m saying? Perhaps you’re a psychedelics devotee, or you’ve been there and moved on. Drop down to the comments section and let me know.

I’m Becca Williams and I want you to lead your most magnificent life and I want to help you do it.

[/fusion_toggle][/fusion_accordion][fusion_separator style_type=”default” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”#fffcfc” top_margin=”10px” bottom_margin=”20px” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” /][fusion_global id=”11933″][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

10 thoughts on “Cannabis, Psychedelics & the Pursuit of Transcendence”

  1. Just a little side note – although he was American, Dr. Hawkins was knighted for his work by the Danish Crown in 1996 into the Sovereign order of St. John of Jerusalem (established in the year A.D. 1070). Those Europeans … so forward thinking!

    Reply
  2. Thanks Becca for your great work helping to make this world a better place for all of us.
    When is your next group healing gathering?
    Andrew

    Reply
    • Andrew, thank you so much for your kind words (now and always!)

      I hold an ONLINE group gathering every Thursday evening at (6pm PT/9pm) at least through this COVID episode (we all can use this right now). As I recall you’re in on Eastern time – same as I am now. So put the kids to bed and join us;)

      Here’s the link for details and to register: https://emotionallibe1.wpengine.com/weeklysesh/
      My gift to our Awakening community.

      Reply
    • Thank you! Power Vs Force is Dr. Hawkins’ book that includes the full description of the Map of Consciousness. But I gotta add that his remarks about psychedelics came from an interview.

      Reply
  3. Hey Becca, Thanks for writing this article. I have a lengthy history and much to say about all psychedelics. For me, achieving levels of stillness, has allowed me to transcend our waking state into more refined realms of awareness and consciousness. I’ve written 4 books about this as well.
    I hope you have a chance to visit my art gallery at: https://www.soulvisionscapes.com/

    Reply
    • Spectacular art work + 4 books! I agree on the stillness leading to refined realms. That’s why when we can bring emotions under our control we’re able to reach for that calm, centered clarity of transcendence.

      Reply
      • I believe one of the most important keys, as is taught in most eastern philosophies is detachment, not over-identifying with anything. In summary, everything we experience, regardless of how humbling that experience may be, is all about love. It always has been and always will. We are Love, that pure awareness that is witness to everything, everywhere, beyond all duality.. And, our Love is forever expanding on an eternal journey of spiritual evolution.

        Reply
  4. Thank you for this. I appreciate your knowledge on these subjects. I can really feel like I can trust your opinions, as they are based in real experience and self-learning.

    Reply

Leave a Comment