Section 4 Reading - Assignment Example

Psychology Psychedelics are known for their dire ability to alter the conscious perception and in some instances produce transcendent experiences. These effects have been used in religious ceremonies and in recreational purposes (Walsh and Vaughan 123). The history of psychedelics reaches back to 5000 years ago. This history may offer clues as to how these drugs can be used for medicinal purposes. For instance; Native Americans used the effects of these drugs as a ritual in sacred ceremonies. Moreover, the invention of LSD became popular as a psychiatric treatment for various conditions.

There are various dangers associated with the use of psychedelic drugs. One of them is risk to cellular structure creating birth of children with defects. There is also availability of audio and visual hallucinations. Such individuals may also engage in harming themselves or others while not under the influence of the drugs. High doses bring about paranoia, anxiety and even panic attacks. Production outside its clinical setting may see ingredients included thus increasing the risk associated with the drugs.

The benefits of the drugs include: used to treat depression. Moreover, it enhances aspects of realization on the user. It enables the user see own trained and learned thought patterns and assumptions. The drugs also enable treatment of cluster headache. There are various benefits of holotropic therapy. One of them is expanding consciousness of individuals, increasing creativity, releasing negative emotional or physical symptoms and connecting on spiritual life. Moreover, it relieves the sick and the grieving; it relieves depression and enables individuals feeling disoriented to deal with their disempowerment feelings.

William James experiment with nitrous oxide gave him an unshaken impression about the relation between drugs and religion. He identified that religious toleration, not only represents individual freedom but also affirmative decision to shield certain useful but false beliefs (Walsh and Vaughan 100). Individuals must decide to divide their lives like James into periods of sober rationality and also periods of religious intoxication. He experienced that drugs can enable even skeptical individuals not susceptible to religious insights to experience temporary false pleasing.

According to Gorf, there are major LSD experiences including dizziness, unrest, and disturbances in an individual’s visual performance, a strong and unmotivated desire to laugh and difficulties in concentration. This was due to the mind altering effects of LSD. The drug has an extraordinary effect on the human mind. He also organized the COEX system to describe how human brain organizes its experiences. These COEX systems can either be positive or negative. Positive ones determine how we organize our experiences in the human body under healthy conditions.

However, negative ones require constant energetic output leading to neurosis or psychosis. Gorf also had startling realization about life and death. He realized that birth and death are similar-that is the start of life is the same as its end. He recognized that the facing of an imminent death is correlated with the abreaction of some experienced birth striking similarity to the various stages of a child when it is born. I agree with him since as a birth is celebrated, a death is also a celebration of a life well lived by the individuals.

Gorf also acknowledged the similarities of chakras, kundalini and LSD sessions in that they help an individual who seemed lost or barely existing to have hope in life again. They all enable individuals to experience their real self and regain the power of life. They act as personal therapies to initial lost and hopeless individuals. Works CitedWalsh, Roger N and Frances E Vaughan. Paths beyond ego. Los Angeles, CA: J.P. Tarcher/Perigee, 1993.